Corner Store Coffee Shop (sometimes villains stop by)-made by an orphan_account

chapter 25

Ranboo wasn't supposed to cry. It wasn't that Tubbo and him didn't let him, or that they thought that he wasn't allowed to. They thought of him as the calm one, yeah, but he was still a teenager at the end of the day. He wasn't supposed to cry because he got hurt when he cried. Crying only made Ranboo's pain worsen.

Tommy woke up to the sound of Ranboo crying, and he knew that something was wrong. Ranboo wasn't supposed to cry, he didn't let himself cry. When he cried, Tommy and Tubbo knew it was bad. Tubbo was going to ignore the fact he was supposed to be mad at Ranboo for whatever it was that he was crying over. Did it really take Ranboo crying, Ranboo hurting to make up? Was that how fights usually went?

He made a call to Niki saying he wasn't going to be there. He hadn't once called in sick in his time working for Niki. She easily accepted it, and said that she would just close the shop, not wanting to risk having a villain come in when another employee took his place and not being able to work herself.

Tubbo was already up and by his side, surprising because he wasn't someone who woke up early or easy. Tommy went to Ranboo, careful to not startle the boy. Tubbo looked at him and Tommy gave him a questioning look only for Tubbo to shrug his shoulders.

Him and Tubbo sat by his side and waited for him to calm down, letting him take his time. Though Tommy debated stopping him before the scarring could get too bad, but let it be since Ranboo was at a point somewhat used to the pain. When he stopped crying, he looked at them both, he opened his mouth to speak, but Tubbo interrupted.

"If you even try to say you're fine--"

Ranboo stopped him before he could get too upset, "My pay got cut." It was like all the air in the room was stolen from them. They held their breath, like it was their last breath before death. It might as well have been, Ranboo was the one who made the second most amount of money.

Breathless, Tommy had to make sure he didn't hear him wrong. "What?"

"My pay got cut off because I'm almost an adult, and they wanted to see if we would stay even if we don't get paid for a month," Ranboo said. Everyday Tommy got reminded of why he was so willing to trust villains. The hero system was a joke. 'See if they would stay even if they don't get paid for a month'. What were they supposed to do in that month? Die? If Tommy could, Tommy would throw something, but they didn't have anything that they could throw, the only thing he could do is roll his eyes. "It's okay. I'll still bring in some money. I promise." He made it sound like Tommy and Tubbo would leave him if he didn't bring in some money.

"How?" Tubbo's voice cracked, "How are you going to make money? Through whatever the hell you're doing when you think I'm asleep? By getting hurt?"

Ranboo grabbed onto Tubbo's shoulders, his hands were shaking, he started tearing up again, "You're not the only one allowed to make money." His words were as shaky as his hands. A tear slid down Tubbo's cheek.

"I don't care if you try to make money," Tubbo said, it would have sounded harsh in any other context, "I care if you're getting hurt doing something you don't have to do ."

"I'm getting hurt because I have to ," If he were any louder it would have been a yell, that was a lot for Ranboo who typically kept to himself, trying to stay out of trouble, but it wasn't completely out of character. He was always one to stand up for himself.

Ranboo let his hands fall from Tubbo's shoulders and they both avoided looking at each other. Tubbo glared at the ground like it had wronged him in the worst ways, Ranboo was looking at the wall, and Tommy was sick and tired of all the arguing. It was time he finally did something, he couldn't stand by and watch Ranboo hurt himself and let Tubbo hurt himself and Ranboo in the process of trying to protect Ranboo.

"Ranboo." The enderman hybrid looked at him. Tommy let out a breath, he was not going to yell at them. He wasn't going to. That's not how you deal with someone who's sad. " What have you been doing ?" It didn't sound like a question. He wasn't asking and waiting for an answer. He was asking and expecting an answer. Ranboo swallowed.

"Tommy..." Ranboo said, sounding like he was almost asking Tommy to not pry. Tommy only stared at him. "I've been..." He muttered the last words.

"What?"

"I've been fighting in fighting rings." Tubbo's head turned to look at Ranboo. Both Tommy and Tubbo had their mouths open and Tubbo almost cried again. Instead he pulled Ranboo into a hug. Tommy heard Tubbo mutter apologies to Ranboo, and Ranboo sobbed. He was finally released from the burden of hiding a secret and the two made up.

Tubbo pulled away and slapped Ranboo on the arm. "You idiot! Never do that again or I will kill you myself. Where would you even find a fighting ring? They're illegal." Ranboo apologized in a small voice and Tommy pulled them both into a hug before Tubbo could get any more riled up. Tommy would scold him himself another time.