A/N: I wrote this fast, sorry for any errors. This takes place in the same AU of Ranboo Grows wings, just a year or two later. Remember that everything here is platonic, including Tubbo's and Ranboo's marriage. :D
CW: mention of tics (sorry for not putting this earlier!)
Ranboo paced across the main living room of the mansion. He made the occasional "chirp" then "whoop" sound while picking up and placing dirt blocks around the room at random. Michael and Tubbo were out on a mining trip and Ranboo was all alone. He didn't usually mind having the house to himself. You see, he much preferred his family to be there but it was nice to just relax and go feral on both his hybrid sides.
Tubbo knew that Ranboo was a bird hybrid and an enderman hybrid, the wings, and skin gave it away. Tubbo himself was a ram hybrid. Ranboo, unlike Tubbo though, was hesitant to show his hybrid traits around his family. He didn't want to scare Michael or Tubbo by dragging them into a nest and potentially keeping them captive until his bird-brain let them go. He wanted to act normal around his family, so Michael could set a good example of how to behave human-like in public.
It wasn't easy suppressing hybrid instincts. Ranboo was at the point of near insanity about nesting. Every fiber of his being told him to make a nest in the living room. Ranboo was currently combatting this instinct. He had also developed tics from not following his instincts enough. Nowadays he was always tense and stressed. Ranboo knew that if Phil saw him in this state he would be disappointed.
The mansion doorbell wrung. Ranboo opened it to see snow-covered Tubbo holding a sleeping Michael in his arms.
"He got tired and fell asleep," Tubbo explained.
"Ah," Ranboo said, taking Michael from Tubbo's grasp. He carried the sleeping piglin to the living room where a fireplace was already going.
Ranboo let out a few low trills and enderman noises, fighting the urge to bundle up Michael in a million blankets and drag him into a nest.
"So... um, how was mining?" Ranboo asked.
Tubbo took off his snowy coat and boots. "It was good for the first part of the day. Michael didn't wander off this time which was good. I would've stayed longer but it started to snow."
"Yeah," Ranboo cleared his throat. "It's good you came back when you did."
"You ok?" Tubbo asked. Ranboo could pick up on the concern in his voice.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just tired I guess."
"Uh-huh," Tubbo said, not buying the lie. "Let's take a nap then."
Ranboo picked up Michael from the couch and carried him into his and Tubbo's bedroom. Tubbo and Ranboo got changed into their matching dino PJs. they sandwiched Michael in between them. Keeping their son close.
Ranboo woke up from the nap to voices whispering in his head.
Nest now. NOW!
Safe
The voices were overwhelming. Ranboo covered his ears in a futile attempt to block out the noise. He slowly rocked back and forth on the bed. Trying his best to calm down.
NEST NOW!
The became gradually louder. Ranboo was unaware that he was making any noise until he felt Tubbo rustle in bed.
"Ranboo?" Tubbo whispered.
Ranboo was still rocking, he didn't have the energy to reply to Tubbo's question.
"Ranboo what the heck are you doing?"
"Nest..." Ranboo whispered.
"What? Do we need to call Phil?" Tubbo said. He was still whispering of fear of waking Michael. Lucky the piglin was a heavy sleeper.
"No, no no," Ranboo said, at both Tubbo and the voices.
"I'm going to call Phil, ok big man?" Tubbo said. He climbed out of the bed and started to move across the room. In a blur, Tubbo was tackled to the floor by a feral Ranboo. Tubbo wasn't hurt but it started him.
"Ranboo!" Tubbo exclaimed. "What are you doing?! You can't get tackled people to the floor. DIdi I do something that upset you?"
"NEST!" Ranboo shouted. His teeth were bared and his wings extended and wrapped around Tubbo.
Tubbo placed a finger on Ranboo's lips, "Quite down, you'll wake Michael." He hissed.
At the mention of Michael Rnaboo's wings perked up. The hybrid teleported to the bed, with Tubbo in his arms, and grabbed the sleeping child.
"Ranboo I am so incredibly confused right now. What has gotten into you?"
Ranboo didn't answer, instead, he teleported to the living too where the was a chest of blankets. He opened the chest and grabbed a few, then teleported back to the bedroom where he had left Tubbo and Michael. Ranboo pushed Tubbo and Michael into the middle of the bed. He moved around the blankets so they created a circle around them. He teleported into the nest and pulled his family close. Michael finally woke up.
"Papa?" Michael asked, clinging to Ranboo.
Ranboo chirped.
"Dada, why does Papa sound like that?" Michael asked turning to Tubbo.
Tubbo ruffled Michael's hair. "I think it's because he's a bird hybrid."
Ranboo responded by spreading his wings and wrapping Tubbo and Michael in them. Michael, being the curious child that he was, started to pet Ranboo's wing.
Ranboo started to chirp and make enderman noises. He pulled Michael into his lap and started to try and "groom" his hair. Michael giggled in Ranboo's lap.
While Ranboo was busy attempting to groom his son, Tubbo had slipped across the room to message Phil.
Tubbo: PHIL!
Phil: Yes?
Tubbo: Ranboo's gone feral.
Phil: What do you mean?
Tubbo: He made a circle of blankets and is sorta keeping us stuck in the bed while he makes bird sounds.
Phil: Oh um... how long have Ranboo been nesting for?
Tubbo: Nesting?
Phil: Like do you have a family nest?
Tubbo: No???
Tubbo could imagine Phil sighing on the other side.
Phil: Omg your husband is an idiot. He's probably been resisting nesting instincts for some reason. You hold off long enough, you'll snap and do what he's doing right now.
Tubbo: How do we fix it?
Phil: Just follow along with what Ranboo's doing. He'll snap out of it when his bird brain is satisfied.
Tubbo: Ok thx.
Tubbo put down the phone and climbed back into the bed. Michael was trying to copy Ranboo's chirps. Ranboo noticed Tubbo and grabbed him, pulling him into his lap along with Michael. Tubbo started to put Ranboo's wings as Michael had. Ranboo relaxed, his grip on Tubbo and Michael loosened. Tubbo affectionately head-butted Ranboo.
Michael fell back asleep in Ranboo's arms, using the bird hybrid's wings as a blanket.
"Ranboo," Tubbo whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind Ranboo's ear.
"⏁⎍⏚⏚⍜," Ranboo said in ender, leaning into Tubbo's hand.
"Why did you resist nesting for so long?"
Ranboo's eyes widened. "How do you know?" He croaked out. His voice was hoarse from chirping for too long.
"I texted Phil."
"Oh."
"Can you answer my question?" Tubbo said, his voice gentled.
Ranboo lowered his head, his cheeks were flushed red. "I-I thought you would think I'm weird. And Michael needs a good example of how to act normal."
Tubbo hugged the bird hybrid tight. "I would never think you're weird Ranboo. And you are setting an amazing example for Michael by being yourself. Michael is a piglin, he's going to have instincts too. By allowing yourself to indulge in those instincts you are validating Michael's piglin side."
Ranboo sniffled. "Yeah, you're right Tubs."
"I know," Tubbo said, smirking. "Now can we go back to bed, I'm exhausted."
The fathers went back to sleep in the nest, curled around their son.
In the following days, Ranbooo built an official nest in the living room. He was less anxious now, thanks to allowing himself to do what his bird-brain demanded.