Tubbo was dead. Actually, really, dead. Niki couldn't believe it. They'd known for a day already and she was still in shock. Niki, Quackity, and Eret were hanging out in the town hall or something, honestly, Niki didn't remember the details, all she remembered was Fundy running in, tears streaming down his face, and saying that Tubbo had died.
He was killed by a skeleton, hit by an arrow, and then fell into the water and drowned. It's such a stupid way to die, if it was the daytime they would've been fine, would've easily killed it, and went on with their day. But it wasn't, and now Tubbo's dead because they couldn't wait until daytime to take a walk.
Not that she blames Fundy, it's not his fault. Well, it kind of is but she doesn't blame him all that much.
None of them were really close with Tubbo, so Fundy told them first so they could tell everyone else.
Niki got Ranboo.
Ok, maybe she volunteered, but looking back on it, she has no idea why she did that.
She knocked on the door of Ranboo's house. The one he and Tubbo shared.
This is going to be hard.
"Come in, Niki!"
Niki opened the door to Ranboo watching Hulu on the couch. "Hey, Ranboo."
"Hi, Niki! I'm watching love Simon, heh."
Ranboo giggled, then patted the seat next to him motioning for Niki to sit beside him. "Sit! Sit! Watch it with me!"
Niki sat down, very obviously uncomfortable. Any other day, she would have loved to sit with him watching some dumb movie of romance, but it just felt wrong knowing Ranboo has no idea his husband is dead.
"Hey Ranboo, can we, uh, pause this? I need to talk to you."
"What the prime, Niki? You don't want to watch Love Simon?"
"Ranboo."
"Okay, okay." He paused the tv, making himself comfortable facing Niki. "So what's up?"
Deep breaths. It's just death, they happen all the time here, and Ranboo always takes them well. Just tell him. He'll be fine, he'll get over it.
"Tubbo is dead. He and Fundy went on a walk-it's dark out so there was skeletons-and Tubbo got hit with an arrow. On the way back he fell into a pond, it was too dark and he was too weak to swim back up, and Fundy couldn't see either. He tried looking for him but he couldn't find him and it'd already been twenty minutes so he assumed he had drowned and came back here. He didn't want to tell you himself 'cause he thought you would like...hurt him. Or something. I don't know, I told him you would never do that but he didn't believe me, he said that grief can make people do crazy things. I'm sorry, Ranboo. I really am. I'm here if you need me."
Ranboo shook his head, messing with his wedding ring on his finger. He was shaking, couldn't even continue holding the bowl of popcorn he had in his hand. "Niki, this isn't that's not funny, Niki."
"I'm not joking, Ranboo"
"No."
"No?"
"No. Please. No."
Niki grabbed Ranboo's shoulder. "I'm really sorry, Ranboo. Anything you want, I got you."
Ranboo was holding onto Niki's arm, struggling to breathe. "Leave me alone."
She did say she would do anything he wanted. But maybe leaving him alone right now isn't the best idea. He had just found out his husband is dead, it looked like he was going to have a panic attack, and he couldn't even find the strength to look at her.
"I can't do that, Ranboo."
Ranboo didn't protest, either because he didn't know what else to do or he didn't care enough, and instead of starting sobbing, grasping at Niki's shirt sleeve.
His breathing was getting rapid, and he was choking on his own tears. "Ranboo, I'll be right back. Stay here. Do not move, you hear me?"
Ranboo nodded in response, and Niki ran to the kitchen to get him some water, something that would maybe get him to calm down, or at least stop crying.
It's not that Ranboo's reaction wasn't justified, if Minx died Niki would react the same way, but Niki has no idea how to handle crying, and if Ranboo is going to have a panic attack or something she wouldn't be able to help at all.
"Here. Drink this. Slowly. I'm going to make a call."
