𝙶𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍

Listening

"Wow, you guys really know how to make an old house look new." Ranboo glanced around. "You can hardly tell this was built in the 1960's."

"Yeah, I'd say it turned out quite nicely, don't you think Tommy." Tubbo looked at him imploringly from over the rim of his teacup. Tommy huffed and turned his face away.

Ranboo laughed. "C'mon Tommy, it's a nice place! So many people would kill to have it."

"Exactly." Tommy muttered darkly.

Tubbo shook his head and clapped Tommy on the back. "You're too paranoid."

Ranboo set his cup down. "I mean, have you even explored the place yet? I've heard they've got an amazing array of wildlife around here."

"Of course you'd care about the native animals." Tommy grumbled. "Fuckin' birdwatcher."

Tubbo glared. "Leave Ranboo and his hobbies alone Tommy. Just because he can tell a crow from a pigeon doesn't mean you have to go get all jealous."

"I can tell a crow from a pigeon!"

"Keep telling yourself that."

Ranboo chuckled and reached for another biscuit. The three of the sat on cushions around the coffee table, holding a make-shift tea party in the living room. Tommy and Tubbo had finished unpacking the last box yesterday, so they'd invited Ranboo over for a visit.

Boxes still lined the walls and old vinyls lay in stacks around the house. Tubbo had tried to get Tommy to throw them out, but he was incredibly protective of his 'discs'. But despite the clutter, they'd managed to strip the wallpaper and put up paint instead, a deep green that clashed with the red-oak floorboards. It looked nice if you pretended it was Christmas.

"Ranboo, either defend me or get out of my house." Tommy demanded, jabbing his finger at the front door. Tubbo poked his tongue out at Tommy.

"Sorry Tommy, but you did insult my favourite hobby." Ranboo grinned. Tubbo laughed and tried to push Tommy off his cushion. Tommy pushed back harder and Ranboo laughed as the two started rolling around on the floor, half wrestling, half yelling insults.

As the best friends grappled on the living room floor, Ranboo stood silently, checking his watch. He had to leave if he wanted to catch his bus on time.

He nudged them both with his foot, momentarily stopping their mock-fight. "I think I'll be leaving now."

"Aw, Ranboo, stay, ple-e-e-ase?" Tubbo tried to give puppy eyes from where he lay squashed under Tommy.

The taller shook his head. "I wanna catch my bus before it leaves, thanks."

"Oh well, that's a shame. Say bye Tubbo!" Tommy smirked.

Tubbo rolled his eyes and pushed Tommy off himself. "You're so immature sometimes Tommy."

They both stood and brushed themselves off, turning to face Ranboo.

"Thanks for having me!" The older man smiled, waving. Tubbo grabbed the waving hand and pulled Ranboo into a hug, Tommy standing behind them awkwardly.

"Good to see you again, I guess." Tommy said, stepping between them. Tubbo cringed at the jealous glint in his eye.

"Yeah..." Ranboo trailed off. Tubbo pushed him away from Tommy and towards the door. "See you!"

The door shut behind Ranboo and Tommy let out a sigh. Tubbo glared at him.

"Jeez Tommy, what do you have against Ranboo! Every time he's in a five foot radius, you suddenly turn emo." He flung his arms out and narrowly missed hitting a vase. "You're like a walking thunderstorm storm."

"I do not turn emo!" Tommy said indignantly.

"Really? Because you seem it. Covering your eyes with your bangs and pouting at everything like it's offended you personally."

Tommy held back a pout. "That's offensive to emo's."

Tubbo just sighed. "Look, you don't have to be jealous, okay? You're my best friend. Ranboos not trying to replace you."

"'M not jealous." Tommy mumbled, but he dropped it anyway.

The two walked back to the living room, packing away the leftover food and tea. It was still relatively early in the afternoon, so they put together Tommy's gramophone. Tubbo watched in disgusted fascination as Tommy gently caressed and cleaned each part of the instrument before screwing it to the frame.

"You're so fucking weird." Tubbo blurted, averting his eyes and gagging as Tommy looked over his handiwork with an expression of pure love clear on his face.

"I'm not weird Tubbo, I just appreciate the good things in life a bit more than you." He said, nodding sentimentally. Tubbo shook his head, reaching for one of Tommy's records, blowing the dust off.

Tommy coughed, waving the particles away from his face and watching as Tubbo tenderly set the disc onto its stand, dropping the arm into it's smooth grooves. Crackling to life, a small tune began playing, wrapping Tubbo and Tommy in its familiar melody. The two grinned at each other, bopping along to its soft beat.

The record Tubbo had chosen was some unnamed piece that Tommy liked to call his 'theme song'. They both knew its lyricless tune off by heart, and it was good to hear it again, something recognizable in the new world they were building themselves. The duo lost themselves in the music, swaying and giggling until Tommy stopped, tilting his head with a frown.

"Do you hear that Tubbo?" He asked.

Tubbo paused, straining his ears for whatever Tommy was hearing. Sure enough, the strumming of a guitar was there, blending almost seamlessly into the song's harmony. "Yeah, sounds like a guitar."

"Where's it coming from?" Tommy's eyes widened, taking on a spooked look. "Oh god, Tubbo I told you this house was haunted."

"The house isn't haunted Tommy, it's probably just a pipe or something." But even Tubbo looked uncertain in his conclusion. "Let's turn off the gramophone and see if we can find the problem."

Tommy nodded hesitantly, tentatively moving towards the instrument and lifting the arm from the record. The music stopped, breaking the last of the calm atmosphere they'd had just minutes ago. Along with the music, the strumming ceased too.

"Huh." Tubbo crossed his arms across his chest. "Maybe we were just hearing things then. Or the disc's been tampered with when we were packing."

"Yeah, that must be it." Tommy muttered, picking the disc up from its place on the gramophone, putting it away carefully. His eyes were weary as the glanced from side to side, as if something was going to jump out at him. He startled when Tubbo clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down, this is what I meant when I said you're acting paranoid. The walls aren't going to attack you, see?" Tubbo slapped the wall as if it proved something. Tommy watched him skeptically, huffing in defeat.

"Sure. Fine. Whatever. I think I'm going to bed, it's getting dark." He pointed out the window at the dying sun, only just dipping below the horizon. Tubbo didn't question it, shrugging and turning to walk out the room.

"Ok, go get your beauty rest emo boy, sleep off that paranoid mindset of yours." Tubbo paused at the doorway, grinning wickedly over his shoulder. "After all, tomorrow we'll be exploring the attic."

With that Tubbo left, leaving Tommy regretting possibly everything.