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Metal sheets that seemed used covered his whole structure as he carried them, before he let them all plummet down to the floor. No one could understand how such a small body carried something that seemed so heavy.
“Are you sure about this?” He asked, swiping his hand on his shirt to get rid of the dust. He seemed concerned. This passion project didn’t seem smart nor fun. His friend said it was something he needed to do.
“Yes Tommy, for the billionth time, yes.” His best friend said without even looking at him. He was too concentrated in connecting two sheets of metal together. “This is the only way.”
“Ooooor you could accept he is dead and a whole different person, well ghost, and go play with me and Michael!” He seemed playful. He thought he would get what he wanted, as usual. Not this time.
“That ghost ain’t him, Tommy! He will never be Ranboo! This is my only chance, the only way for me to get what I deserve! I will get my family back. If you don't want to help, beat it!” Tubbo was looking directly at him. The long sleepless nights reflected in his eyebags.
Tommy wanted to respond, wanted to say it all. But that wasn't what Tubbo needed. Tommy just grabbed his stuff and left.
Tubbo sighed, rubbing his face. As much as he wanted to apologize it was too late. He kept on working. He was almost done. It was hard to tell. How can one be done when creating a machine from scratch? He did not know.
By night time he got there. That moment of trying again. He just needed to light the redstone up. He checked they were connected this time. Checked it’s strength, everything seemed fine.
He lit it up. A huge turquoise portal opened up in front of his eyes. It worked! He started shaking from excitement. Wait… but did it. There was one wait to find out.
Tubbo reached out with his hand. It didn’t break. He slowly started to step through the portal. It was a new feeling, it wasn't like a nether portal, it made him feel lightweight and like air was going through him.
Everything went black and then he was sitting on the ground. He blinked twice before checking the place. He was surrounded by flowers and the grass reached his shoulders in some places. He was in a flower forest.
A tall figure started appearing in the distance. Their tail was moving in an elegant way as they walked towards Tubbo, their horns seemed to touch the clouds. They were carrying something, someone. Before Tubbo could think he was running towards the two figures hugging them tight as they were reached.
“Ranboo! Michael!” He shouted out of excitement.
“Well, hello to you too Tubbo! Did you find the right flowers for the crown yet?” Their smile could be heard just in their voice. “Oh right! I forgot, we can choose them together!” he replied while letting go of his friends and sneakily cleaning he tears off his face with his fingers. Ranboo agreed.
They spent all afternoon collecting flowers to make a crown for the young child. He had wanted to be just like his papa and a flower crown was the best thing to help with that. Tubbo took care of the making of the crown, letting Michael choose from the flowers they had picked.
The small piglin did a little dance of happiness as he received his crown. He was just like his father.
They just took the time to stay there and relax a bit, chatting about life and their friends. “Uncle Tommy is coming tomorrow for dinner, aren’t we excited?” Tubbo had forgotten about Tommy. He felt horrible, like a monster. If only he hadn’t yelled at him. But that was done, well, yet to be done.
“Everything alright, Tubbo?” It took him out of his thoughts. Had he really been thinking for so long he didn’t notice his son falling asleep? He just got more comfortable on Ranboo’s lap before responding “Yeah, I’m just tired.”
There was silence for a moment. What Tubbo had said wasn’t a complete lie. His eyes were blinking slower, he could feel himself falling asleep. Yet he tried hard not to, he didn't want to let go of this moment, he finally had what he lost, he couldn’t waste any time on sleeping. His grip on Ranboo’s leg got stronger.
“You should get back, you know?” Tubbo’s eyes opened wide, rolling to look at his husband’s face. “I don’t know what happened or why you are here, but you must go home, Tubbo. You don’t belong here, not now.” “But how do you-” Ranboo just petted his hair to help him sleep a bit faster. “Your Michael must be missing you”
Before Tubbo knew it he was back in his basement, right outside of the portal. I had worked, but at what cost? He just turned the machine off and wandered through the corridors of his home. He was about to fall asleep on his own two feet when he heard laughter. He ran to Michael’s room, opening the door just a little to see what was going on.
Tommy was there, playing with Michael. Each of them with a toy in hand as they pretended to be super heros. There was someone else in the room, but he seemed to move all over the place. Ran.
His husband was still dead. A blatant copy of him was still his ghost. Yet this time it wasn’t as sad as it used to. This is what Michael needed. He needed his dada. He needed both of them.
Tubbo raised the door slowly, climbing the last steps of the stairs. He just sat on the floor, swiping his trousers as he stood up. Before his legs were fully stretched a small sweet voice took him out of his thought of a secret entrance.
“Papa!”