(A/N: request as a pic. okay so TECHNICALLY not the actual Salem witch trials but like,,,, just the pre-trial?? i guess?? anyways yeah have this)
The cell is damp. Cold, too. It's dull, and devoid of any sort of homeliness to it — which is to be expected, but it's also pretty boring to look at. There's barely any space for Tubbo to move around; not that he'd be able to, what with the shackles chaining him to the wall and all.
He supposes it was about due time that he had been 'found out' as a witch. It isn't as if the governor really had any basis to his argument; he just really hated Tubbo's found family, apparently. He knows Tommy and the others have gotten away, at least, and soon enough, Tubbo will be joining them.
Still, though, he has some unfinished business in this little town. Besides, he does want to play with the governor for a little more, make him mad before destroying him.
And speaking of his unfinished business...
Footsteps echoes through the near-empty jail. Tubbo looks up, and smiles at the sight of Ranboo, dressed like he's sneaking out. Which, in hindsight, is what he's probably doing.
"Are you okay?" Ranboo asks in hushed tones, putting the oil lamp down on the floor as he steps closer. The keys jingle as he pulls them out, and while the offer to escape and run away with his secret platonic husband is tempting...
"Don't," Tubbo quickly says, as Ranboo reaches up to unlock the lock. "Don't open it."
"But you're..." Ranboo starts to protest, but Tubbo shakes his head insistently.
"I'll escape by myself, when the trials start," he says firmly. "Kinda wanna give the governor a last fuck off before I go, y'know?"
Despite the governor literally being Ranboo's own father, Tubbo is delighted to see Ranboo crack a smile. "I... I get that. But Tubbo, are you sure you'll be- how would you even do it?"
"Relax," Tubbo says soothingly. "I have a plan."
"...alright, if you say so," Ranboo hesitantly puts the keys away. "Is- okay, I really shouldn't ask you this when you're like, I'm, but- I just need to- is Michael okay?"
"Yeah, he's with Tommy and Techno," Tubbo replies. He had last seen Michael with those two, and he knows that they'll protect him with his life. "He's fine, Ranboo."
"Thank Brine," Ranboo breathes out, looking far more relaxed than he had been earlier. "Um... is your, ah, shackles... are they comfortable?"
"As comfortable as they could get," Tubbo jokes, tugging on them a little bit. "Look, tomorrow might be a little... well, it's- you might think that I'm dead for just a couple of seconds-"
"Wait, what?" maybe Tubbo shouldn't have said that. Ranboo looks more panicked now, and he's gripping the bars with such strength that Tubbo honestly wouldn't be surprised if they bent.
"I'll be fine, I promise," Tubbo quickly says. "Remember what I told you about? Y'know, my powers and all that cool stuff? Yeah, I'll be using those, but you know the side effects and all."
"I could literally just release you right now," Ranboo hisses. "I- I know you want to- I want to tell him to shut up too, to stop his- his stuff, but you don't have to do it at the cost of so much! Think of- think of your family!"
"I am!" Tubbo replies, quick and a little louder than he should be. It's night time, though, and this town's security truly isn't the greatest; they do really think a bunch of shackles is enough to keep a witch like him down. "If I scare them enough, if I show them that they can't kill us properly, they'll be scared, and they might stop killing witches anymore!"
"That isn't a good plan! What if- what if they don't?!"
"Then I raze this fucking town to the ground," it surprises Tubbo a little, at how venomous his voice sounds. Ranboo must hate this town more than he thought he had, though, because he only lets out a shaky breath, doing nothing to convince him to 'spare' them.
"You'll die," Ranboo whispers, hands sliding down the bars, and falling to his side. "This is- this isn't gonna work, Tubbo."
And Tubbo only smiles, as he feels the vines outside start to crawl, and when Ranboo looks up again, he knows that the other sees the tips of dark horns curling from his hair.
"Who knows," Tubbo hums, turning his head away to look at a lifted finger. He doesn't need to look at Ranboo to see the wide-eyed look on his face, as the so-called magic-repressing cuffs cracked a little, and fire burst from his fingertip. "I might just get lucky."