Beloved | Ranboo & Technoblade & Philza

Beloved

The first time Ranboo forgot was a terrifying experience for all three of them. Phil and Techno woke up to pounding on their front door and loud, wailing begs from a strangled voice. Techno immediately armed himself and crept towards the cottage door with caution, but the large hand on his shoulder told him to relax. Phil opened the door just a crack, took a peep outside, then opened it fully.

"Hey- what?" He spluttered, "What are you doing here?"

Techno always thought Ranboo looked quite pitiful. If he tried hard enough he could probably turn that Enderman height into a tool of intimidation but, with the best of his body being so skinny, he just looked lanky. Lacking courage, he never tried new clothes or hairstyles. Every day Techno resisted the urge to grab Ranboo's wrists and do up his cufflinks properly. He was becoming sick of the kid because he was so frustratingly pathetic.

But now, he was at a new level of feebleness. Standing on the cottage porch, his teeth clattering loudly as he shivered and wet hair sticking to his trembling forehead, Ranboo had never evoked such a strong feeling of pity from Techno. His mouth was curled down into an ugly, drooping shape as sobs ripped through his body. When he tried to speak, words failed. There were only the wails of a confused child and the distressed groaning of an Enderman.

"Inside. Quickly now before you catch your death." Despite being fast asleep only a few moments ago, Phil was quick to snap into action. He put an arm around Ranboo and lead him towards the fireplace. Apprehensively, Techno stuck his head out the door (ignoring the large snowflakes that bombard his face) and surveyed the landscape. There were a few monsters around but nothing scary enough to cause a reaction like this. Scowling, Techno shot a warning firework into the sky. It exploded into red and black sparkles, lighting up the night sky and notifying any hunters that he was ready to defend himself.

Ranboo was still a state when Techno knelt down to inspect him. As he was their neighbour and a friend of Phil's, the teenager had visited the cottage dozens of times by now but he was looking around as if it was a completely new environment. Phil encouraged him to cuddle up to Steve but Ranboo shook his head warily.

"Steve's friendly, remember?" To demonstrate, Techno pressed his hand to the polar bear's snout and gave it a rub. While Steve was technically a wild animal, he loved attention and wore his collar with pride. Steve made a happy noise and rolled onto his side, presenting his large white belly. Techno had spent many nights sleeping against the bear's soft fur. As a native of the blisteringly hot Nether dimension, he was often overwhelmed by the biting cold in the boreal biome. Not only was Steve warm, but he was also an excellent listener.

Phil approached them with three bowls of mushroom soup balanced on his arms. Techno took two and passed one to Ranboo, who accepted it with confusion. Phil's knees cracked as he got down onto the floor beside them.

"Now, do you feel ready to tell us what happened?" Phil's voice was encouraging and comforting. It was obvious that he was pushing for answers, but Techno knew that he wouldn't be angry if Ranboo wasn't ready to talk. It was something he had learned from years of friendship with the man.

The two of them watched as Ranboo raised the wooden bowl to his trembling lips and took long sips of the soup. His pointed adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. The howling winds seemed to fade into background noise as Techno focused on the teenager. He could practically hear the cogs turning in his head. Finally, when the wooden bowl was empty, he bowed his head and said, "T-Thank you for your hospitality."

Techno's eyes darted over to Phil, who slowly answered with, "You're... welcome?"

"I don't know what happened. Maybe I got lost in the snow or something." Ranboo's nose sounded stuffy. Techno handed him a handkerchief, which he carefully accepted. Their fingers brushed together slightly during the exchange. Techno had to try not to hiss at the uncomfortable chill of Ranboo's skin. It was like touching ice.