Neutrality Order (TomBoo)

L.R. - Chapter 10

There wasn't much else to say or do after that.

Tommy ran with Wilbur until they were found by Mt Lady who picked them up and carefully ran to safety back to the city, putting them in police custody quickly and cleanly.

There was a TV in the station that had replays of Crow Father's fight with Dream, but Tommy didn't watch it. He didn't look at anyone or anything while the police finished running around and finally contacted the school about their whereabouts.

He and Wilbur spent the night in the police station before they were woken to give their statements and be released back to the school, Aizawa picking them up to take them home.

Even then, Crow Father's friend Tsukauchi paid them both a visit to get some more in-depth questioning.

Tommy silently answered in five or fewer words; to those, he would have to lie about, he remained silent. Another police officer helpfully put in that Tommy might be suffering from PTSD and thankfully questions Tommy couldn't answer were left unanswered.

"For what reason did they capture you?"

"Did they hurt you in any way?"

"Do you know any of their plans?"

Tommy knew for damn certain that it was suspicious that he was captured and under Ranboo's supervision and was in Kamino Ward without a scratch on him, but that wasn't addressed, either from unknown circumstances or from an oversight, but either way, Tommy was grateful.

He was turned over to his mother, and he allowed her to cry and fuss all she liked, feeling no shame in doing the same but for very different reasons.

It was late when he was finally alone in his room at home, staring silently at the wall for the longest time before his hand reached back into his pocket and quietly took out the folded, now-crumpled paper and unfolded it, eyes settling unblinking on the drawing of Ranboo, Father in place and all, with everything Tommy knew about him written around the image.

It was unfair, he thought. It was unfair that the spark of contentment he had was snuffed out by being pulled back and forth between two sides of the same stupid coin, knowing that Ranboo...Ranboo...had been happy with what they had too despite all the hero/villain sociopolitical bullshit both sides had.

UNFAIR.

"Then I'll change it."

By god, he would.

Despite being all cried out, his eyes watered as he pulled the picture to his chest, staying that way for hours until he finally fell asleep.

《===========================》

Techno wisely kept the others' questions at bay as to why Ranboo was huddled in a corner of the warehouse they had taken refuge in, not-too-subtly asking them if they all WANTED their Syndicate careers ended early from a temper-tantrum from Ranboo. They grudgingly went to their own corners of the warehouse to silently lick their wounds and settle in, and Techno decided to ignore his own advice and carefully edge around Ranboo's corner to look at the man.

Ranboo had all of his hands held tightly in his arms, staring away into nothingness with an expression on his face Techno could only describe as 'heartbroken'. He sighed softly, sitting a respectable distance on an empty crate, simply waiting it out.

After what seemed like hours, Ranboo's eyes thawed, his arms tightening around the hands slightly. "...I hate this," he said, his voice sounding drained and dead. "It wasn't supposed to be like this."

Techno glanced around to make sure the others weren't within hearing distance. "Is this about your master or the kid?" he asked. "Because either way, it happened. Can't go back." He tapped the crate. "So you can either stagnate here...or you can put on your big-boy pants and give us a goddamn plan to work with. Because like it or not, ugly, the others are still here. For you. Because for some ungodly reason, they WANT to be here. Because they LIKE you or some shit." He leaned forward, staring at Ranboo fearlessly. "So what's it gonna be, you hopelessly idiotic hero-fucker?"

Ranboo glowered on reflex, but it seemed to snap him out of his admitted stagnation, his body untensing as he uncurled from himself with a hefty sigh. "To stagnate is not an option," he said. "I've had the groundwork laid out before me. I have my resources Sensei left me. Contacts to work with." He paused. "...and I have you all. That alone puts me at an advantage others do not have."

Techno rolled his eyes. "Gonna suggest we join hands and sing Kumbaya next?" he quipped, not bothered and slightly pleased by the sour look Ranboo gave him.

"Yes. Please, by all means, take my hand. I wish to hold yours as a symbol of peace and brotherhood," Ranboo intoned before sighing and sitting up. "We will recuperate for the time being, and then go from there."

"Got it," Techno said, standing from the crate and going to update the others.

Ranboo waited until he was gone before he uncurled his arms, carefully placing his family's hands back into their designated spots until he had only one piece left. He looked at it for the longest time, tracing his fingertips over the now-crumpled cover and pages, reading through the snippets and passages before he closed it and hugged it to his chest.

His own phone was lost along with his home, and he knew Tommy's phone was lost too.

The police would no doubt screen any mail or landlines or even messenger apps the boy would have.

He was so far away now from Musutafu, from Tommy, with no way to properly contact him.

All he had with him was this notebook, and the image of Tommy turning back to him, not wanting either of them to go.

He'd fix this, he told himself, tightening his hold on the notebook. He'd fix this disgusting world and bring Tommy out of it for the better.

For both of them.