Oh, Let's Go Back to the Start

Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry

You don't know how lovely you are

A widowed man stood in the halls of the mansion he once shared with his family; a husband who adored him and a precious son they doted upon. A piglin child they rescued from the Nether Dimension to protect, raising in the love of a caring family instead of the loneliness of his past. The married pair had stumbled across the piglin child who was lost and separated from his sounder. They waited a while and when no one came to find the boy they decided to adopt him, commissioning a builder to design their forever home.

This home was supposed to be the place they grew old, the place they spent the rest of their platonic partnership outfitting the way they loved. Finally some rest after so many long months of fighting, of conflict. Somewhere their child could grow up safe and sound from outside threats, it was supposed to be an inviting place, a sanctuary.

Now, that future had been struck from all of them on the end of the Warden's sword. When Technoblade had shown up announcing Ranboo's death Tubbo didn't want to believe him. It couldn't be true, sure Ranboo had gone missing before and they weren't on the best of terms at the moment. But Ranboo had always been the cautious one, never getting into any sort of trouble. He was usually the one pulling Tubbo out of situations, his mediator nature had saved both of them more than once.

But that day when he finally turned on his communicator and saw the death announcement, his stomach sank to his feet. His brain was at war over whether it was true or not, but the communicator had never been wrong before.

Technoblade told him he would keep an eye out for the enderman at Tubbo's insistence, as far as he was aware his husband should have had two more chances left.

Then, Tommy messaged him that he had met Ranboo's ghost on the mainland at his base, just wandering along the prime path. His emotions couldn't win against his best friend's word and grief had overtaken him, Tubbo hardly knew where he was even walking until he broke out of his daze standing in the family home that was now only for two members.

Now these hallowed halls matched the chasm in his heart, a gaping hole in his chest that felt endless. Like a void of grief he could easily lose himself in. Shadows clung to the walls, inviting the dark feelings to grow as this place now felt empty and haunted. No more would Ranboo's sweet laugh echo these corridors as he chased their son around, they had spent a few days here just trying to plan it out but Michael always wanted to play hide and seek, Ranboo couldn't say no to their piglin son. Now there would never be a game like that again, Ranboo was always so indulgent with their son, putting down anything to pay attention to the boy.

The mansion's structure had been completed for a while but things had always come up when they tried to furnish it. Tubbo wasn't even sure if he wanted to anymore, too many associations hung from this building like terrible decorations, memories of his husband assaulted his heart as he stood in what once was his pride and joy.

Tubbo knew he had to keep going, to keep pushing forward and putting one foot ahead of the other. He must keep moving while his heart is broken in pieces, if there was anyone he had to live for, it was Michael.

But how was he meant to continue when everything he saw reminded him of the sweet enderman, the one who's kind actions left marks on everyone he ever met. He had befriended so many just by being himself, sticking to his morals of friends not sides, breaking down the thick walls of even the most removed folk.

Ranboo and Tubbo had many arguments over their time together and just before he disappeared, arrested by Sam apparently, they were supposed to meet and discuss their last disagreement. Tubbo wanted to apologise for blowing it out of proportion but now, he would never get that chance.