A Ghostly Waltz // Beeduo

1

It was all so quiet, ever since Ranboo left.

Days just weren't the same anymore, staring out the window sill. The snow fell in slow motion, dancing and strung along together as they fell. They'd collect on the ground, nuzzling together, so closely intertwined you couldn't tell the flakes apart.

Holding hands, a feeling he missed dearly.

Still, every passing second Tubbo expected to see them again. With their snowy white and coal split fur, those lovely emerald and ruby colored eyes. Their ender-themed cloak flowing behind them as their ears twitched at the cool breeze, all the little things Tubbo noticed.

All the little things Tubbo would never notice again.

At the _Beloved mansion, things were always much quieter than they used to be, aside from the ghostly whistle of the jukebox that would occasionally ring from the ballroom. Tubbo had no explanation for it, it would just play sometimes. After the first dozen times, Tubbo didn't jump at it anymore. He tried to convince himself it was his beloved's reminder that even beyond death, they'd always be with him.

Such a silly way of portraying your denial.

Admittedly, Tubbo hadn't left the house in who knows how long. He didn't exactly see the point in it, it just didn't feel right anymore. Despite not leaving the house, his and Michael's relationship was strained, to say the least. The nights they ate dinner together choked in silence, aside from the occasional "So, how was your day?" from either side of the long table, ultimately followed by a simple shrug and more sullen silence.

Michael started eating in his room after the first week of that.

One night, Tubbo once again heard that hollow tune of the jukebox playing on its own. It was a late, sleepless night, at around two in the morning. For some reason, the tune felt different this time. It was much more upbeat, its rhythm a lot quicker and it even placed a smile on Tubbo's face. It was like the jukebox was trying to cheer him up, so he decided the best course of action would be to go downstairs and sit with it. The sudden urge was new, but appreciated, as it was the first time in weeks he actually wanted to get out of bed.

He gently lifted himself from his internal torment of staring at a ceiling, thoughts of nothing but guilt, and self-blame. An undoubted hurt at the unfolding of his story, and the bitter ending of his partner's story.

Despite all of that, his hooves tapped away excitedly as he practically flew down the stairs to the ballroom, like a little kid on christmas. He tracked down the jukebox's song to the ballroom, a faint smile on his face as he remembered all the nights he and Ranboo spent in it. Twirling and spinning away as he taught the awkwardly tall ender-hybrid how to move with grace, which usually ended in someone falling, whether it be from a dip gone wrong or them getting so dizzy that the floor became the ceiling.

When Tubbo arrived at the dance floor, a chilling yet fulfilling sight awaited him.

There they stood, dressed in that iconic black suit and red tie.

Their tail flicked comfortably as it usually did when they were in the ballroom.

A crown embedded with green and red jewels fixed delicately behind their horns,

Ranboo.

But something was wrong,

Something was different.

Their eyes were now nothing more than their emerald and ruby shade,

And they emitted a soft glow that was quite noticeable in the candlelit room.

And their suit had a rip in it,

Right where their heart should be.

As the half enderman turned to face Tubbo directly, he was able to get a better look at it.