Ink Stains (MCYT Oneshots)

[R] The Troubles of Being Known (Ranboo-centric)

(A/N: request as a pic. I know some ppl might've wanted an actual sequel but uhhhh please have this instead)

Ranboo did not like his younger cousins. Well, that was an overstatement; he did love Fundy and Tommy, he really did, but they got into the worst of situations sometimes, dragging him along for the ride no matter how much he didn't want to be dragged along.

Don't get him wrong. Ever since the two moved from the Antarctic Empire to come live with him in Britain, his life had been more energetic and exciting than usual. Obviously, it was a little hard to adjust at first, since Ranboo had went so long without living with anyone else, but he managed.

There were more video calls between them and their fathers, and Ranboo even had the time to call Father and ask him for advice on a project about Greek Mythology that had been worth 20% of his grade. He got full marks, obviously.

He was doing fine, living with his cousins and going to college. He missed his home, but he had his friends out here, he had his freedom, he was fine. It wasn't as if he suddenly forgot everything about who he was, after all.

And, sure, maybe he hadn't been to Antarctica in a while, but that didn't mean that he forgot the rules about being a prince of it. Still, did Fundy and Tommy really have to drag him into this?

"Why did you run to my college?" Ranboo hissed, as he and his cousins crouched in a cupboard. "Why did you have to be so- so uncooperative?!"

He wanted answers, but he wasn't getting any, because Fundy kept muttering about how he would do despicable things to an egg, of all things. Meanwhile, Tommy was furiously texting on his phone, probably at his friends or something.

"It's called 'hiding', big man, can't you tell?" even in the dim light of the cupboard from Tommy's phone, he could still see Tommy rolling his eyes at him. "And a lot of shit went down at our school, so we fled here instead."

"Besides, you're the one who's still hiding with us," Fundy pointed out, taking a break from muttering death threats against a piece of food.

Ranboo grimaced, because he couldn't deny Fundy's words.

When he had first received the message from his father, he thought it was a joke. He didn't treat it as one, of course, but he did still go to school. Which ended up being a mistake, because suddenly people were recognising him as the Crown Prince of the Antarctic Empire seemingly randomly, and it was only after talking to one of his friends, Harvey, did he manage to get some answers.

A few minutes after the initial breach in security, there was a leak. Specifically, there was a leak about their identities. There wasn't anything much; just their names, ages, appearances, and their parentage. But the problem was that they had never been officially revealed to the outside world; in fact, barely anyone outside of the castle knew who they were.

Naturally, the media soaked all of this up, and in another few minutes there were articles written about him and his cousins. Their suspected mothers, their positions, and even where they currently were. It was honestly sick, seeing everyone have no regards towards their safety, but then again, that was just how society worked.

There was a lot more to this situation, like the identity of the leaker, or the Empire's response, but before he could wheedle more information out of Harvey, his cousins collided with him, and he was led on a wild game of hide and seek, except they were the hiders and literally everyone else was the seeker. Eventually, they managed to find a hiding place, which was how Ranboo was now here, in a tiny cupboard, trying to make as little noise as possible.

"I would like both of you to know that I hate you," Ranboo informed Fundy and Tommy. Fundy ignored him, while Tommy laughed.

Just then, they heard footsteps. All three of them sucked a sharp breath in, looking at each other. Were they going to be found?

The cupboard doors flung open, and Ranboo froze like a deer in headlights.

"I see you've been busy," his father's voice said dryly, and he looked up to meet the blood red eyes of his father.

"Hi, Father," Ranboo greeted meekly. Then, someone — probably Tommy, the little gremlin — shoved him forwards, and he helped as he landed face-first onto the ground. He groaned.

Ranboo did not like his younger cousins. Not at all.