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Chapter Text

The air was damp with fresh rain, sending a cold chill across the skin of those who wandered the docks with gold coins in hand. Birds of the sea cried from above as they watched the people of the town indulge themselves with the treasures pirates brought with them- each piece stolen or scavenged from other ships that they had cleared and raided. Marbled clouds left from the storms strayed across the sky, casting a grey light across the surface of the hills.

The ships rocked with the waves licking against the sides, the hull never steadying since it had been placed on the water many decades ago. The interior had a permanent smell of mould and mildew that no amount of scrubbing could rid of.

You took a breath of the stale air below deck, eyes staring above to trace the cracks of light that peered through the boards. The footsteps from above echoed through the empty space you occupied, your thoughts simple and plain of silence. Your mind had long since forgotten how the sun felt across the skin of your wrists, shackles binding you to a life craving freedom.

For months you had been tucked away in the hull of the ship as nothing more than cargo, your worth weighed by how well you could work for another. Your friends had been the rats that accompanied you in the darkness, fingers occasionally grazing their infested fur as you awaited for the ship to port for however long they needed.

You had forgotten what the cool rain felt across your face.

With the ship docked, you knew you only had a short amount of time left down here. Soon you would be out under the blazing sun of mid-summer.

Like you had predicted, your body flinched as the trapdoor opened above you, grey light pouring into the dirt-filled hull you had grown accustomed to. From the top of the stairs you could see the brown coat you had learned to associate with the captain of the ship. He was referred to as Capitan Malek, King of the Waves according to the shouted of drunk men durning the long travels you spent below deck- a strong man who had speared many whales of crushing sizes before he took upon robbing royal ships for loot, dodging the law while also taking upon himself to burn the hull of ships he raided.

His boots shone with a freshly applied wax, gold accessories clinking together against his coat. For a man well known for turning the ocean red with blood, he liked to decorate himself with endless treasures he had gathered from many of those who had fallen to his blade. Each piece a token taken and places from each ship onto his coat. His diamond cutlass glinted in the light while your gaze met his own, watching as his hands pulled a key from his pocket.

"Get up." He spoke, clicking the key into the lock that held your wrists to the boards of the floor. You followed his orders in an instant, legs quivering after months of tossing and turning along the sway of waves. Malek had made sure to wrap the chain that lead you around his hand, tugging you along the stairs that lead to the outside world.

Your senses were overloaded after the time spent in darkness- the clouded light dulling every colour brighter to the point that was just bearable to your sensitive eyes. Harsh wind danced across your skin like a gentle kiss of welcome, the warmth it brought calming your jittering nerves, however it was when your feet finally stepped off of the constant moving deck to the steady earth did your heart soar. The steady shake of the boat had been ingrained into your mind to the point you had forgotten what steady land felt like under your feet, and you had not wished to dare go back to the boat ever again.

"Make sure to present yourself nicely this time." Came the Capitan's words, passing along not only your ears, but to anyone around you as well. He gave a hearty yank on your chains, yanking you towards him with a clumsy stumble- straightening yourself quickly as to not displease him.

Oh how you wished to push him overboard.

Your chains had been handed off to another, the Capitan not once letting you out of his gaze as he followed you through the streets. You knew where you had been going, for years you had been placed on very similar stands with a board hung off your neck with black painted symbols decorating the wood.

You had always gone for a lower price.

Others like you had also been decorated with a board and price, their humanity nothing more than an object when found helpless to those with power. Perhaps they had the same hopes as you too, to escape the grasps of iron chains long enough to reach the holy lands that was ruled by the fair hand of a kind King.

Legends of greatness came from those lands, one of a masked warrior whom fought with a godly strength, a Piglin king whom had defeated Wither Skeletons with his lover, a magic user whom had the power to bring the dead back to life.

Those stories of the holy land was what had given you the strength to listen to every word the crew spouted- whether real or false, each story gave you hope that perhaps there was a life waiting for you there as well.

It all seemed like a story, but somewhere in your heart there was hope that it was true.

Your turn had finally come, leaving the line of those like you in exchange for the spotlight of trades. Almost immediately you could feel everyone's interest leave as soon as their eyes judged your figure, not knowing the true potential buried under your sad eyes, for they had long been covered with the darkness of despair. Malek stood behind you with your chain in hand, yanking it to show that he had complete discipline with you. It never really settled with you as to why most people fought against their chains, for you had never once seen them break out without an arrow through their skull.

As the last person had their board removed and chain passed along, another had begun to read off the price on your board, not once a bet being placed for you.

"This youngster can keep their mouth shut with a simple glance, and with an able back and young hands, I'm sure they could do plenty around to help.

Do I have any offers?" His voice trailed off, crude eyes scanning the quiet crowd as they awaited the next specimen. The offers never came, just as you had expected. Not many had looked at you and seen any potential of a good worker, for the months of malnourishment had certainly hollowed out some of your features and left you looking like a shell of your previous self. Then again, months of wandering across seas without much talk would drive anyone insane.

With one last call, your chain was yanked as to lead you off the platform, another failed trade yet again. The Capitan wasn't too pleased with this fact, hoping to get at least something from the pitiful town and finally get rid of you- whom refused to work.

You remember the last time someone had actually made an offer, Malek betting as low as possible with no counter claims- practically scoring a free body to put to use. Unfortunately for him, you had refused to pledge your soul into cleaning decks and climbing masts for another, believing that your freedom and work was something you owned, not him.

That attitude had gotten you locked below the sunlight for months, and there was no way you wished to go back into the darkness of the ship.

Unlike what you had expected, you didn't leave the scene like you thought- instead you had been clipped to a post and ordered like a dog to stay, the captain going off to look at the next specimen that stood on the platform you had just been on. The last raid had supposedly carried off a couple of his loyal men, leading him to look for more able hands around the ship to man the ropes without much choice. Many around you had been holding conversations about the last few people up for trades, discussing how they had been captured and treated, along with their wailing cries of broken hope.

These people disgusted you to no end.

Forcing yourself to turn away from their horrific words, your eyes trailed back to the platform, watching as another stepped up to seal their fate.

You couldn't help but let a breath escape your lips, for the next soul had been something out of this world.

A hybrid, perfectly split from the centre head to toe stood in the crowds hungry gaze, his nervous eyes darting around looking for an escape. His black and white colour scheme had drawn your eyes with a mystical presence, his long fingers playing with the chains around his wrists. Atop his head sat two horns, the tips covered with caps bronze to what you assumed prevent him from stabbing something.

You noted how his eyes were unlike anything you had seen before, one a shimmering bright green, while the other had been a passionate red that glimmered in the distance.

You were sure that others had also seen just how unique and valuable this particular hybrid was, for species crossing each other with affairs had been extremely rare, especially to the long-living Endermen whom lived to centuries old.

So when seeing this Hybrid here, in the Overworld, it made you question just how he wasn't in the safe confines of the End instead.

Watching as he stumbled across the floor, you recalled being in his position. Your first time being placed on the stands. The thoughts that raced through your head as your eyes scanned for a way to escape, a face to fear you from the terrible nightmare, back when you still believed you could escape.

"Half Enderman Hybrid going for thirty gold chips, thirty gold chips for this rare breed that had stumbled from the holy lands. Great worker and doesn't talk, just thirty chips."

Your heart stopped when you heard his origins. The Holy Lands, the place that promised your freedom, and he had foolishly walked away from the safety of such a gift.

As you expected, a few went to claim the price, each voice raising the price higher until more money than you could believed began spilling from their lips. You watched as the tail belonging to the half-Enderman swishing with a nervous tick. The hybrid seemed to have no clue what was going on, his worried eyes darting around more frantically, that was until they landed on you.

His eyes travelled to your wrists, staring at the chains identical to his own. He must have been scared to see you, and there was no hard feelings in that- for you surely looked like the sun hadn't touched you your whole life now, leaving your skin more greyish than normal.

Your clothes surely didn't look well either, the ends frayed and stained with the dirt and grime provided from sitting in the bottom of the deck for so long. All the while, people still raised their voices to raise the price, each one determined to purchase the Hybrid for their own needs.

You could hear Malek offer a higher price than anyone could counter, for his wealth as a pirate proved to be greater than most people in the small town he had docked in. It had been a stroke of luck to find such a rare breed so perfectly split such as this, in a place where not many others had the same wealth as himself, so when the hybrids chains were handed off into the hands of your captor, you realized you were soon to have a roommate.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

You pressed your head back to the boards as your chains had once again been locked to the floor, the key waved in your face to remind you just who held your freedom.

The hybrid had been placed a fair distance away from you, his own chains locked down in place. Chatter from above echoed down to your ears, listening to the jumbled words of overly excited crew members. They had been filling their bellies with a fresh barrel of beer, some contents getting spilled and dripping to the bottom of the ship, the scent mixing with the mould below.

When the trapdoor closed again, the darkness you had grown so well accustomed to seemed suffocating after your brief touch of the outside world. There was nothing for your eyes to look at before, for during the night, there had been no light to peer through the cracks of the boards- leaving you to ponder within your own mind.

However, the hybrid kept things interesting. His eyes had glowed in the darkness, casting a red and green glow around his face while he inspected the ship around him. The colours of his eyes sent a shiver down your spine, keeping your eyes locked on his trailing gaze.

You shared no words with him, just simply watching his glowing hues as you began to feel the exhaustion set in. Sitting in a ship for months didn't seem taxing at first, for all you did was sit and away with the waves, but without something to keep you occupied, there had been no point in keeping track of your sleep.

"Excuse me? Are you awake?" The gentle voice startled you, body jolting against the gentle sway of the ship. From above you could hear the crew preparing to leave port, the men hauling in any last barrels of booze onto the deck. Sunlight filtered down onto your skin through the small cracks, admiring how your skin glowed against the light. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

He spoke in whispers, probably to keep from the crew above hearing. That had been a smart choice, for neither of you wanted nor needed their attention right now.

You didn't speak, for there hadn't been a reason to. If you began talking to him, building a bond, you knew it would only be a matter of time before his life was traded off with his chains for a few gold coins.

Despite knowing this, he kept trying to speak with you.

"I, uhm, I'm not supposed to be here." He whispered, eyes flickering from your gaze to a wall behind you. His comment made you want to laugh, no one was supposed to be here, trapped under a pirates command. Without a response, he kept speaking. "Do you know a way out of here?"

With this, a giggle left your lips, the sound once a distant echo of your memories. It had been too long since you had spoken, much less laugh in such a given situation, however this halflings innocence amused you.

Watching as he tilted his head, you could see his lips tug into a frown, brows furrowing with confusion.

"I-" you had to stop to clear your throat, swallowing down the months of silence held in your chest. "I'm afraid you're stuck here until the Capitan sees what to do with you."

"What does he want?" The hybrid questioned, his ear flicking a tad.

"Discipline. Depends on how well you listen to him. Follow every order? You work on the deck without freedom." Sighing, you tugged on your chain as you shifted your body to sit upwards, now fully facing the hybrid. "Ignore him, you get locked down here with the last bit of freedom you have left."

Coloured eyes flickered from your chains to your face as you spoke, your wrists throbbing with the dull ache of the shackles. Months had passed since they had last been off, and trying to clean under them with the small drops of rain that made its way down had proven to be a hassle.

Silence filled the boat once more, sea bird calls joined by the slosh of waves against the ship. It was a constant noise that you once found kept you awake- now? It had been the music you fell asleep to every night.

The half-Enderman yanked against his own chains, long form hunched over to see that the iron cuffs didn't dig into the skin of his wrists. Depending on how he treated the Capitan, he would either become one of the many crew mates working on the deck above, raiding ships of innocent traders and stealing their wares, or he could rot on the bottom of the ship like you.

»»——⍟——««

You awoke with a start, the hatch of the ship violently swinging open as boots hastily made its way to the darkness of the hull. Fully awake- you made yourself set up with few clicks of the chains, eyes intently watching the pirate whom made his way down here.

Scars littered his skin, both fresh and new, giving him a tough complexion. His dirty hands dug into a satchel, pulling out a few apples that had nothing more than bruises along the surface. "Enjoy your meal with the hybrid, rat."

His words went uncared for as he rolled a few apples your way, eyes glazing over the hybrid before clutching his satchel and returning above deck, surely to continue his free work for the Capitan.

The halfling had already been awake when your sleep had been disturbed, watching as the few apples had been rolled your way. Just as he had expected, he had been overlooked by the crew member.

The boat creaked while the small pattering of rodents travelled through the corners of the boat no light touched. You could see their small eyes reflect the light while they glanced at you, noses twitching with the scent of old fruit in the air. Your hands fumbled with the red fruit while you carefully examined just how edible the food had been.

The entrancing scent had made you forgotten that there was another who needed to eat.

A growl of a stomach was what caught you out of your daze, teeth just barley grazing the first fruit in your hand. Sure, you hadn't eaten in a while, but you had no clue how long the hybrid had gone without a proper meal either.

And as much as you hated making connections, you couldn't bear to look into his sparkling eyes of desperation.

Making sure he was watching, you tossed an apple his way, leaving you with just a single fruit in your hands. His hands carefully grasped the fruit from the air, eyes scanning the red skin for any holes.

"Thank you." He said. It hadn't been necessary for him to say such things, there wasn't room for people caught up in the trades, but hearing those words of kindness was something you hadn't known you missed.

"Of course, I need to be on your good side if you decide to join the crew above." You attempted a joke, as morbid as it had been. Neither of you laughed, however you saw a glimmer of something in the hybrids eye.

Your teeth sunk into the flesh of the apple with a hungry greed, the juice dancing across your tongue with a fantastic flavour. As you ate, you committed every taste to memory, knowing that it could possibly be the last apple that you would ever have.

When you finished, you threw the stem into the distance of the ship, rats scuttling around in hopes to eat the remains and seeds. Ranboo had done the same, leaning back so he hadn't been hunched over once finished.

Watching him, questions burned on the edge of your tongue. This hybrid came from the lands you so desperately desired to go- to gain a freedom you desired since you had been brought upon the life as nothing more than a few gold pieces.

You had to start simple though.

"Can I ask you a question?" Your eyes widened when he spoke first, his eyes flickering to yours for just a moment before returning to the ceiling. He caught you nodding your head as a silent agreement, taking a deep breath to prepare for the question he had in store for you.

"Alright, well, can I ask what your name is?"

"(Y/n)." You hesitated, the words practically alien along your tongue. It had been too long since you needed to speak, much less introduce yourself to what would soon be nothing more than a stranger. Whispers of rats reminded you that he would soon join the crew above and forget you existed, or worse, traded off along your next stop.

"My name is Ranboo." The hybrid smiled, light catching his eyes to send a glimmer through them. His optimism even in such a situation sent your gut twisting.

"I'm glad to have met you, Ranboo." Offering what manners you could muster, you yanked your hands against the chains was your eyes flickered to his face. "I would give you a handshake, but I seem to be a bit stuck."

His laugh was something that reminded you of a warm day along a grassy hill, the sound smooth and pleasing to listen to as it faded into the walls. Such sounds had been lost from yourself after the first few days of accepting your fate, but you could almost feel your own laugher bubble up in your chest.

"So, Ranboo." You began, stopping for a moment when a creak close to the hatch caught your attention. Fear struck through you as a shadow past the door and stopping. They couldn't be taking him already to see if he would obey, right?

Ranboo joined in on your silence, his tail swishing anxiously as the both of you awaited what could very be your last moments together.

Your fears had faded seconds after the figure walked away, mumbling incoherent words while moving along. The tension he'd left with the shadow, leaving you to ask your burning questions. "How did you manage to find yourself here?"

Ranboo looked down to his hands, the glimmer of his chains suddenly becoming intriguing. "I wanted to find who I was."

His answer was short, however it was just what you needed to understand what he meant.

"I hope you find what you're looking for then." With a sigh, you shifted your head to stare at the ceiling above. The gentle tension had snapped into something more intense as the door above ripped open, revealing the man you had despised with your life. Capitan Malek held a key around his finger, swinging the precious ticket to your freedom like it was a joke. His eyes ripped across your body with a distasteful stare, already knowing that you would not be any use in helping him run his ship- his hope would be to find a foolish enough buyer to take you off his hands.

His brown coat glimmered with the golden trinkets sewn along his body, gold catching the light and sending a wealthy appearance. Your eyes never left the sight of the key that slipped into his pocket- the same one he would always use to withhold your freedom. Always the left pocket, never changing.

You took a mental note of the newfound information.

You didn't fear death, but it was when his gaze pointed to Ranboo did your stomach twist with a horrific realization.

"If you dare try to run, you'll either meet your end with my sword, or the sirens that lurk in the sea. Are we clear?" Malek's voice rung in your ears, a dark tone hanging around the air. Ranboo didn't move a single inch, his body completely freezing as his cuffs came loose.

The pirate turned on his heel, sending a swift glob of spit by your feet before returning to the deck. The hybrid was close on his heels, his green eye catching your gaze for a few seconds, the trap door closing and separating the two of you.

You couldn't make friends, not while you were here, for they wouldn't stay with you for long. The same went for this hybrid Ranboo.

Yet, somehow in the few moments you spent with him, you had already failed to follow your first rule.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

Days had passed by since you had last seen the glimmering hopeful eyes of Ranboo, leaving you to believe that he had chosen to become one of the many men working under Capitan Malek's hand in exchange for a life that you had currently been living.

You didn't blame him in the slightest. Most would enjoy the illusion of having freedom while being pinned to a board, eyes catching the last bit of sunlight before death snuffed them out, forever living under someone's greed. As for yourself, you didn't live freely - physically at least, but you weren't being forced to work under the harsh daylight with the constant threat of being thrown into the sea.

Even with this reasoning, you couldn't help but miss the company and laugh Ranboo brought- the atmosphere much more calm compared to the squeaks of rats that scurried across your legs.

Like the many month that had passed, nothing happened with your chains. Occasionally you would be brought your necessities to survive, half-eaten food with partially drinkable water to keep you alive. You didn't pay any attention to whom had brought you such things, for even making eye contact with most would result in unpleasant results- such as spit by your feet.

You would have certain days when Malek would come from the surface and watch you carefully, his blue eyes piercing your soul and waiting for you to break. He would bring fresh bread with him and softly chew on it, smirking when he sees you swallowing the drool you so desperately tried to hide.

"You can join me, you know." He spoke with his mouth full, breaking off another chunk of bread and stuffing his mouth. His golden trinkets sparkled in what little sunlight provided down in the hull, but it did nothing to hide the poor intentions of this man. "I would allow you to roam the top of the ship, dine with us and drink the fine wines of my stocks."

His eyes dropped as he continued, dropping his voice so only you could hear. "All I need is your body and complete loyalty."

You lurched forward, snapping your forehead against his nose, successfully knocking him over to the ground with a groan. Your head ached from the impact, sending a dull throb along your skin, but the surge of pride that welled in your chest kept you from succumbing to the pain. "You can keep your wine and bread, for I have something far more valuable than a few luxuries stolen from the good hands of others work."

The Capitan got up from his spot, fingers grazing over his chin and harshly jerking it to the side. Under his faint black stubble you could pick out a beautiful purple bruise beginning to form.

There wasn't much time to admire, for the man had been close to raise his hand, coming down across your own face in return. You could feel the blunt metal of his rings ache across your face, no doubt a similar bruise to his own forming along your cheek.

The Capitan was heaving, shoulders rising and falling with his rapid breath of growing madness. The rats scurried in fear of attracting his attention, not wanting to be the creature speared on the other side of his diamond blade.

"One day-" he panted, rage burning against his blue eyes. "I'll show your worth- that you're nothing more than a sack of flesh for me and my men."

Standing up from your crouched form, Malek let his fingers trail over your hair while you cringed, not moving in fear of another strike.

"Seven days. That's how long you have before I trade you off to a very good friend of mine- he takes people like you and makes a profit with you somehow."

His hand dug in his pocket, pulling out a golden-covered contraption and throwing it next to your feet before continuing. "Perhaps whatever you have that's supposedly worth more than my offer can save you."

The air around you recollected it's musty scent mere moments after the trapdoor closed, leaving you to your thoughts yet again. Your eyes had just barley risen to look at just what had been given to you.

Your stomach flew to your throat when you saw the small dial tick with each passing second, a clock that showed just how much time would be left until you were supposedly being sold off once again- your last stop. Deep in your mind you had wished for this all to be some sick joke, and you would wake up in some empty field with nothing more than the light of the sun to accompany you. But this was no dream, rather it was a living nightmare that would never end.

Slamming your fists on the ground, the chains around your wrists jingled, reminding you the position you were in. There was no freedom to those who had nowhere to go, with no purpose in life other than to harm- but that wasn't you, the Holy Lands was where you needed to be, to finally experience what was taken from you months ago.

The call of seabirds echoed in your ears, your breath heavy while trying to calm yourself. Perhaps you should just take Malek's offer and become another one of the crew members that would eventually die durning a raid. Perhaps lose an eye or ear while fighting for your life, or even dying by the blade of your own crew for trying to escape once more.

You remembered the first few days you had found yourself on the ship- hands bloodied and calloused with work that never ended. Those around you had worked with the loss determination, completing each task accompanied by slashes across their backs if hesitance showed for even a second. Your own skin wasn't spared from such punishment, whether it was a slip of a bucket, a fumble with a rope, the thin leather made new groves into your back that would never leave.

It was during a storm did you finally break. You watched as the ship tossed in the waves and rain poured harshly on your back, freezing your fingers numb around a rope you desperately held onto. The Capitan had stalked along the ship with hungry eyes and a thirst of entertainment, one that hadn't escaped your fleeting gaze.

You remember how his hand gripped your shoulder, turning you around to meet his drunken stare, the scent of alcohol present even in the salty air of the storm.

You had pushed him away into the direct hit of one of his own men's whip, leather slashing across his hand as he tumbled back in hopes to keep his balance. Perhaps you should have jumped off the ship when you had the chance; to take a chance with the raging waves, however the satisfaction you felt when Malek's face twisted into a pained scowl, the salt of the sea sinking into his flesh, sent pride through you.

That was the last day you had ever been forced to work under his finger.

Now, sitting below the barracks, rats the only company in the darkness, there had still been no regret. They knew they could no longer control you, hence why they had tried to trade you off for some scraps of gold. Futile attempts of bargaining had gotten them nowhere, leaving you to travel across the seas bound to the floorboards of the ship.

Closing your eyes, you allowed your boredom to sink in and drag you into another patchy sleep.

»»——⍟——««

As expected, you had been awoken by the loud squeal from the trapdoors rusty hinges forcibly opening. Your fingers quickly rubbed away the sleep from under your lids, peering up to see just who decided to give you a visit so soon.

Ranboo slowly made his way down the stairs with a bag around his shoulder, his red and green eyes locking into yours. You noticed he no longer wore the stained dress shirt you met him in, trading the torn and ragged fabric for a newly made blouse that hung off his thin figure. The bronze caps that had been moulded along his horns still remained, protecting anyone from what you assumed could be sharp tips.

You watched as the hybrid ducked his head down, walking towards you with a hesitant smile.

"Ranboo." You greeted with a calm smile, giving the best wave you could. Ranboo was fast to recuperate the gesture, kneeling down in front of you while his tail swished behind him. "It's good to see you're still alive."

"I've been close to being thrown off-" he laughed, hand meeting the back of his neck. "But I brought you something- thought that it would be better than what you normally receive."

His hand dug into the bag he brought with him, pulling out one of the largest apples you had ever seen. It's flesh remained shiny and untouched from the bruises you had normally got, the fruit practically as fresh as the day it was picked. Ranboo pressed the apple into your hands, pulling out a few more and placing them by your side- leaving one for himself to eat.

"Thank you- this is so much, aren't you going to get in trouble?" You asked, hesitating before you dared bite into the apple. Ranboo chuckled at your worry, raising the apple to his mouth and taking a bite.

"It's part of my daily rations, and it's not like I'm going to eat them all the time." His words help settled the uneasiness in your stomach somewhat, lifting the apple to your lips and taking a bite. Unlike what you had been previously given, the taste had been so much more eccentric and sweet, the flavour across your tongue, savouring the taste.

You stayed silent as you ate, Ranboo slowly moving himself as to sit beside you, leaning against the wall to stare at the ceiling. The sound of your stomach growling in satisfaction ruined the sound of sloshing of waves around you, causing Ranboo to chuckle while a flush ran through your face.

"How is it like up there? Getting along with everyone?" You pursed your lips while throwing the core across the room, watching as the rats made quick work of the remains.

Ranboo huffed, letting his shoulders slump as if this was the first time he had a chance to relax. "It's tiring really, and I can't help but be nervous around the leather whips."

He shivered, as if he could feel the tingle of the leather making home into his flesh. You let your breath hitch when you saw a few particles fly off his form, his lips twitching into a frown as if his mind was diving into his thoughts. The creaky boards from above would sometimes make Ranboo's ears twitch unbeknownst to him, and the small quirk made you smile.

The ticking of the watch brought you back to reality, six more days until the ship would port, and you would finally be traded off to another. The gold of the watch glimmered in the little light that trickled down, mocking you just as Capitan Malek had done. Ranboo followed your gaze to the watch, narrowing his gaze along the item.

"I want to get you out of here." He broke the silence, turning his head to look over to you.

"What?"

"I- I mean." His hands covered his face, letting a rather large sigh escape his lips. "I don't want to be stuck here any longer than I have to, and taking you with me only seems logical. I'd be able to return to searching, and you'll finally be free again."

His offer sent a pleasant buzz in your stomach, your breath leaving your lungs as the thought of finally leaving this forsaken ship and returning to your own search brought a smile to your lips, you finally had a chance.

“You would really do that?”

“Of course, anything for a friend.”

Your lifted your hand, curling each of your fingers to your palm, except your pinky. "Pinky promise that we'll get out together." You whispered. It maybe seemed childish, to leave your trust in the form of a pinky promise, but there was not much else you could offer to the hybrid.

Ranboo's head perked up, shifting his body to face your own as he lifted his own pinky, grasping your finger and sealing your promise. "I promise."

Even after Ranboo left you to return to his duties, the giddiness buzzing through you never left, letting the rock of the ship bring you back into a peaceful place.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

Over the course of several days, Ranboo would sneak his way into your humble abode, bringing you apples, crackers, and occasionally a few sticks of meat he was given. You had told him multiple times to save the food for himself, for the hard day of work would drain him if he didn't eat- despite this, he continued to share his rations with you.

"The Capitan keeps the keys to my chains in his left pocket- never his right." You had currently been munching on some small nuts Ranboo brought, delicately peeling the shells off so you could get to the flavoured goodness inside.

Discussing plans on how to get out of the hull had been your main priority, for if you couldn't get your chains off, there was no stepping off the ship. The golden watch Malek had thrown at you was long since destroyed by the heel of your boot, the ticking only edging your nerves. The only problem was how Ranboo would get the key from the Capitan's pocket.

"I could wait until he's drunk." Ranboo offered. You shook your head, brows furrowing in thought.

"No, a raging alcoholic such as himself never gets drunk. You would have a better chance if he was asleep." Flickering your eyes up to look at Ranboo, you noted how his tail swished in a steady rhythm, the fur puffing out at the end split between two colours, just like the rest of him. For part Enderman, most of his features looked awfully human, and the other half of him was even more mysterious.

You could recall the stories of the different races that walked the same lands as you, Piglins being the main rulers of the Nether- Their brute force and violent reputation never seized to excite you, mind drifting to the lakes of lava they built their castles upon.

Endermen had a different world entirely, only being visited by very important people with offerings and news. Other than those selected few, only the tall beings of the End had been permitted to come and go as they please, being able to simply teleport into different dimensions without so much as a second thought. Their homes had been built amongst the obsidian pillars within the end, defying the laws of gravity that applied to the Overworld. Rumours had spoken of a dragon that once lived within the realm, terrorizing the Endermen within and holding their minds captive.

You had no clue if any of it had been real, for you had only heard of stories and tales of such a place, you've heard of a three-headed beast terrorizing the Nether, only to be slain by magic. Such stories has seemed like far-fetched creations from a drunken story-teller, looking to gather coins for a crazy idea strewn together by alcohol. But you couldn't help but wonder if said stories had actually been as true as they seemed.

Your mind wandered to the first day you met the hybrid, his timid form not much different now. The memory of his scared eyes meeting your calm gaze just before the offers started rolling in, auctioneer saying anything to receive a buyer- It reminded you that Ranboo had come from the Holy land, a place rumoured to be of great wealth.

"Did you really come from the holy lands?" You mindlessly asked, eyes widening after you realized just what you said. The words had slipped out of your mouth before you could stop yourself, causing Ranboo to pause in eating his apple. He took a moment to consider.

"I wouldn't call the holy, but yes, I came from there."

"What was it like?"

The hybrid stopped for a moment, eyes gazing the floorboards with a sudden interest. His tail had stopped swishing, instead relaxing along the floor, tucked close to his body.

"It's a wonderful place." He began, eyes distant while he explained. "There are no traders there, and the people are kind so long as you're not a criminal. There are other hybrids too- piglins, ghasts, turtles, a variety that's very much refreshing compared to other countries I've wandered across."

"The winters are beautiful as well- the sun casting it's orange hues across the snow, it brings a glow to everything around you. As for the summers in the villages, colourful festivals take place with exotic foods, where everyone is just looking to enjoy the moment."

Tilting your head back, you closed your eyes and pictured what it was like- sky's as blue as the clear waters, a constant warmth from the sun before winter rolls around. Kind people that did not look at hybrids with nothing but a glance. The ghost of laughter echoing in your ears with the thought of yourself enjoying the festivities without a care in the world, dancing in cloths of different hues to enjoy the night. It all seemed like a faraway dream that Ranboo was trying to help you reach.

You would like to visit that land with him, to enjoy the winters and festivities he described- trying the exotic foods from masterful hands and enjoying how the stars sparkled. It wouldn't be such a bad thing.

A hum rumbled in your throat, smiling within the confides of your mind.

"I'd like to see it one day." You whispered, settling on your back to look at the ceiling.

Ranboo nodded, making a silent promise to himself that day.

»»——⍟——««

Releasing a shaken breath, your arms wrapped your knees, head resting on the slightly damp clothes while you awaited for something to change. The waves had gotten more violent in the past few days, rocking the ship to a point where the barrels began shifting from their moulded points in the floors. Sometimes you would have to use your chain to prevent yourself from tumbling onto your side, the once golden light that trickled from the boards above nothing more than grey shadows that hardly reached your skin.

There was a storm brewing.

Wind pushed against the sails above, snapping ropes and pushing people off ships with the sheer force. The rain hadn't come yet- but once it did, they would be under dark clouds that would test their ships balance once again.

The shouts from above had been carried off in the wind, the force of nature stealing their voices in the creak of wood and wind. Thunder crackled while being closely followed by a blinding streak of lightning, the bolt grazing the tops of capped waves. It was as if the deafening noise was ripping open the clouds, a heavy rain beginning to patter down. Rodents scurried across the floor in search of a place to hide from the dripping water, eyes catching the blinding lights through the ceiling.

The ships rocking grew violent, water beginning to pool into the corners below deck. You could feel your stomach twist when the trapdoor ripped open, nearly flying off its hinges as the rain poured in.

A body had tumbled down the stairs, stopping by your feet, soaked to the bone.

Yanking against your confinement, you tried to reach your hands out as to whom had joined you once again. The trapdoor shut and clicked, separating you and the storm once more.

Ranboo laid unconscious by your feet, his breath shaking with shuddering body. Pulling against your restricting chains, your fingers had just barley been able to graze his forehead, eyes scanning for injuries that hadn't been hidden by his tatted clothes. You had to flinch back as soon as your skin came in contact with his, the burning sensation from his body travelling through your own.

A groan escaped his lips, shifting his body slightly before allowing a hiss to escape his lips. You could see the sheer coat of rain along his skin, the water sizzling off him as if trying to repel it-

And that's when it clicked.

Back during the trades, when the auctioneer spoke just of why Ranboo had been so much, not only because he was a hybrid, but because he was part Endermen.

And as much as you knew, Endermen hated water.

Ranboo was most likely no different. Your eyes immediately darted around the darkness for anything, hands groping the ground in hopes of finding a piece of fabric to help him.

Your fingers brushed upon a discarded sail that had been stuffed along the barrels, the fabric tattered and beyond repair. It had been just enough for you to rip off a good chunk with your teeth- Returning to the hybrid, your chains clanked with restraint right before you could reach him, hands just barley grazing his face.

"Ranboo, wake up, please." You pleaded. The hybrid didn't move, his body still visibly shaking- whether from the cold or pain you didn't know. "Ranboo!"

This time, his eyes fluttered open, just barley enough to shift his stare to you. The glow of his eyes was much more dim despite the darkness surrounding you, and you could see the painful look over in his gaze.

"Come closer- we need to get this water off you." Your voice was quiet compared to the thundering rain pattering above, the yells and shouts from above nearly drowned out by the crash of waves against the hull. Ranboo groaned as he shifted his body inches closer to you, shoes scraping across the ground as some of the skin along his body began to peel.

Once you could get a firm grip around his arm, you pulled him closer so he laid in front of you, allowing you to care for him. The pain he must have been feeling was too much, sending him into the confides of sleep in hopes to hide from the sensation of water burning off his skin. Taking the fabric of the cloth, you immediately began to pat the water off his skin, careful not to rub too harshly and cause more pain.

With each movement of your hand, a pained gasp would pass his lips, purple particles floating around him. It was almost like embers from a fire, the purple glow bouncing off your skin and casting a low light around your body.

You ruffled the cloth through Ranboo's hair, making sure to dry it off as best you could before moving to swipe off any moisture on his face. Gliding your hand down his cheek, his eyes parted just slightly to watch you, taking a deep breath before shifting his body ever so slightly.

As you moved to pat his neck next, you noted how the water on his clothes had been drying significantly faster than the rest of him, from what, you didn't know. You were grateful you wouldn't have to dry his whole body off.

As the water sizzled off his skin, along with the constant patting around the most damp areas around his body, every droplet had finally left him in a more comfortable state. The storm was still pelting the ship above, waves threatening to overtake the creation of it did not let up. The shouts could still be heard from above in a panicked shout, snapping lines causing old wood to creak with new weight.

Patting off the little water that remained, Ranboo's hand found yours, weak grip gently grasping it. Your eyes met his, a dim glow coming from his different coloured hues. Being so close to him made you note how a few freckles lined his cheeks very lightly, casting a innocent look upon his features.

His ears twitched while he squeezed your hand, wording a 'thank you' before slipping into the confides of sleep once again.

The rats around you scurried behind barrels as another strap of lightning shone through the boards, sending a roar of thunder seconds apart from it- a warning.

You wouldn't be surprised if you had ended up in the bottom of the sea by morning. But with Ranboo close to your side, it wouldn't be as bad as you thought.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

Ranboo hadn't woken up from his sleep, not even after the storm had left its mark and replaced the sky with clear blue weather- leaving the previous cold nights to be traded with dry stuffy ones. Salt from the ocean stirred on your skin uncomfortably, the water all but evaporated by now. You had rested the old sail on Ranboo's body to prevent any more rain from reaching him, his body snuggled into the material.

It was ghostly quiet above, not a peep escaping from any floorboard above to give away any signs of life. Even the rats hadn't dared to move, the absence of tapping from their little feet strange. The sway of the boat had settled into gentle movements once more, white caps but a distant memory along the sides of the ship.

Ranboo's skin had been hot to the touch when you had first seen him stumble down: now, his head rested on your leg, the water on his skin taken care of. His breathing had become steady compared to his previous pained gasps, and his skin had healed any damage caused by the water.

A groan came from Ranboo, disturbing you from your rest.

You cracked your eyes open to watch the hybrid sit up, hands coming to rub the sleep from his eyes. His white shirt had gotten dirty from the ground, staining the soft fabric, but he didn't seem to care. Watching as Ranboo lifted his hands to his face, the hybrid gently touched the skin of his cheeks, nose, anywhere that had been touched by water. Once finished checking himself, he let out a sigh, turning his head to glance at you.

"Morning." You yawned, stretching your limbs and enjoying the sensation of your muscles shifting from their stiff position. Ranboo quickly stood on his two feet, gaze locking onto the fabric beside your body.

"What happened last night?" His voice was quiet, as if not to disturb the growing silence of the ocean.

"There was a storm. Waves pushed the boat off course probably, and judging by the yelling, the Capitan wanted you to keep pushing forward."

Ranboo nodded, rubbing his arm with a slight embarrassment. "Did....how did I end up down here?"

You shrugged. "Not sure, you just tumbled down the trapdoor, soaking wet. I figured you couldn't handle water, so I tried my best in keeping your dry."

The hybrid pondered over your words, although he already trusted you with each word. The memory of rain pelting his skin sent shivers down his spine, the liquid burning his nerves all throughout his body before his mind went dark- blocking out the pain in means to prevent psychological damage. He shrugged off the sail acting as a blanket and rolled his shoulders, letting a tired sigh escape his lips.

However when he looked at you, he could vividly remember how your hands gently went over his skin, taking care of him at his weakest. A fuzzy warmth spread over his face while he looked away, red and green eye flickering to anywhere other than your face.

"Thank you, (y/n)." He mumbled, scratching his cheek. The pink on his face made you chuckle, causing the colour to grow.

Letting the rest of your laugh trail off, you observed Ranboo's hand digging into his pocket, lingering there as he spoke. "I was told to hide when the rain came, for the Capitan knew I couldn't work in the water, yet he was too distracted yelling at someone else, that he didn't even notice me."

A glint of metal caught your eye, watching as Ranboo pulled out a key from his pocket- the same one Malek used to lock you down here.

The ringing in your ears grew tenfold, heart beating out of your chest as Ranboo approached you with the key, kneeling down and slotting the metal into the lock. With a twist of his hand, the pressure along your wrists clanked against the floorboards, letting your arms finally raise without the constraints.

The first thing you did was try and stand, leaning on Ranboo as he helped you up. The ragged wounds left on your wrists had been pulsating with a red rash, imprints of the metal that had dug in your skin surely going to scar, but it didn't matter at the moment.

You rested your hands on Ranboo's chest as you stood, raising one hand to fix the hair atop your head. The strands had been dirty without a doubt, tangled in some areas, but being able to feel atop your head had sent your heart in a frenzy.

"Ranboo!" Turning to him, you pulled his tall stature to you, wrapping your arms around him with a grin on your face. Your mind was racing with countless beats if your heart, letting an excited breath sound from you when Ranboo gently returned your embrace, fingers curling against your shirt. "You did it, I'm so proud of you."

His tail wagged like a small dog, a wide grin on his face as you pulled apart, letting you clear your throat while trying to hide the blush on your own cheeks.

"The only question is, what do we do now?" He asked, following you to the bottom of the stairs. Your body stumbled due to the unsteady rock of the boat, a constant movement that felt much different compared to when you had been sitting. You flicked your eyes through the cracks of the wood, looking for any signs of life.

"I think we're docked..." you mumbled. "I think you should go first- they're probably wondering where you are anyways. Kick the ground here twice when it's safe enough for me to come out."

"And be careful, please."

Ranboo nodded, pushing the trapdoor open and entering the deck. For a brief moment, you considered following him despite the dangers, just to make sure he wasn't lashed by a leather whip, or thrown to his demise into the ocean.

You could hear shouts above, Ranboo's gentle voice joining them as you listened for a signal. There was no room for hesitation anymore, for this would be the only chance you would get.

Footsteps came closer to where you were hiding, causing you to back away. Where was the signal?

The noises stopped, right above the trapdoor. Quietly, you moved your body to hide behind the stairs, keeping out of sight. It had been a wise decision too, for the trapdoor was nearly ripped off its hinges, leather boots descending.

Capitan Malek's blue eyes locked onto your space, lips parting when his sights landed on the abandoned shackles where you once sat. His hand immediately dug into his pocket- the same one that always held the key to the iron shackles.

The pirate approached the area, lifting the iron in his hands to inspect just how you escaped. The key, still inserted in the shackles was quickly plucked, stuffed into his brown jacket pocket once more.

The air was quiet, your eyes peering from under the stairs to watch what he did next. Watching as he brought out his diamond cutlass.

The blue blade dug into the barrel beside him, releasing rum from within to slosh against the floor. Rats had been quick to bathe their fur in the liquid, careful to not find themselves under the raging pirates boot.

You would have laughed, had you not supposed to be hiding. However the moment didn't last long, rage biting along Malek's gaze as his head snapped up to look above the trapdoor.

"Bring me the hybrid." His tone was low- a death sentence. Your stomach plunged at what he said, immediately moving from your spot and revealing yourself. Malek attempted to stop you, boots thudding against the floor in attempt to reach you with his cutlass, only for you to dash up the stairs and shut the trapdoor- locking it for good measure with a click.

There wasn't much time for victory, despite the warming sun kissing your skin with welcome. A shout beside you caught your attention, filthy hands along Ranboo- forcing him to the edge of the ship.

"Go!" He shouted, legs flailing as he tried and failed to escape there grasp. Only a few members of the crew stood on the ship, their cutlass's had been sheathed despite the situation. Turning to run, a pained grunt from behind you stopped, watching as a fist flew in the air.

You let your legs give out, dropping your body before it came in contact with your face. While your attacker fumbled around after missing his swing, you took the chance to unsheathe their cutlass, swinging the iron blade until it comfortably made its way into your hand.

With a wild instinct, your newfound blade swiped at the nearest body that dared approach you, eyes locking onto Ranboo whom had been inches away from being thrown into the salty seas below.

There wasn't a moment to spare, heaving the cutlass beside you while running to the hybrid. His red and green eyes met yours in a desperate plea to run, to save yourself, but you wouldn't abandon him.

Despite spending months of being alone within the darkness of a ship, telling yourself to never trust anyone who dared speak to you, Ranboo had made a special place in your loyalties without having to try. Risking his life all in favour to free your own, sacrificing himself so you would have a chance to reach the holy lands- it had all been so unfair for both of you.

Within your heart came a battle cry, splitting through the air as you raised your sword, plunging the blade within the torso of one of the men holding Ranboo. Within seconds their hands went limp, body tumbling over the edge and landing with a light splash in the water below. 

"Why you-" the other crew-mate was silenced by your foot kicking him over the rail, joining his bleeding friend to be squished against the boat and dock. As for Ranboo, the hybrid was quick to make space between him and the edge of the boat, tail moving with a nervous tick.

"What now?" Ranboo asked.

"Who knows, I never thought this would actually work."

There wasn't much room for discussion as other pirates noticed the disturbance from the docks below, feet tumbling against the boards lined up to reach the boat.

Eyes scanning the limitless barrels on the ship, your gaze had landed on one of the many barrels on the ship, puncturing the wood and pouring the contents all over the floor.

"Grab some flint." You directed to Ranboo, whom had immediately dashed to follow your words. In an instant after checking one of the barrels, he stuffed some fresh flint within his pocket, watching as you poured another barrel to leave a sticky trail of alcohol along the floor. When the footsteps and voices came close enough, you kicked the barrel down the ramp, knocking a few people off their feet and into the water.

Your hand found Ranboo's, pulling him along the side of the ship to climb the rat lines. The rope was slippery from the ages of being doused with water, proving your climb to the mast more difficult, however the blazing sun had dried up the material just enough for your plan. Ranboo had proven to be quite good at climbing the mesh, his long body easily reaching the mast before you. He stretched out his hand to you, pulling you closer to the mast while the pirates below began flooding the deck.

The rats nest was higher than you had remembered, and you could see the small town the ship had temporarily docked along. This would be your escape.

"Got that flint?" You asked. Ranboo was quick to respond, pulling the dark chunk out of his pocket and handing it to you. Immediately the iron of your cutlass scraped across the surface of the flint, sparks flying with the quick fluid motions of your wrists. "Better hold onto a rope, we're going to be falling soon."

The ship rocked with a sudden weight change, pirates tumbling on the ratlines. The fluid motions of you striking the faint became more frantic, sparks flying across your skin, along the ore, anywhere other than the rope.

Ranboo watched as the pirates hastily made their way closer, the trapdoor below finally bursting open to reveal a pissed Malek. At that same moment, sparks caught onto the rope, causing a grin to split on your face.

"Let the fire rain down."

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

Plumes of smoke raised in the sky, mimicking that of a storm that had only left you hours ago. Dark clouds billowing along the blue sky while flames of hell licked the ship below you, burning those who found themselves unable to leap into the water fast enough into nothing more than a pile of ash.

Supporting ropes snapped under the heat, causing sails and posts to sway with an uneasy creak. You had found yourself atop one of those posts with Ranboo, awaiting an opportunity to escape. You couldn't jump in the water- for Ranboo would surely suffer if he so much as touched the ocean.

Seagulls called out to each other, their high-pitched voices surrounding the flaming boat as members of the town came to watch the events unfold, leaving stalls and shops unattended.

"This could have worked out better." You sighed, clinging harder to the crows nest. The pillar supporting both you and Ranboo had been unsteadily swaying in the wind rather harshly, all the ropes that once helped support it now hanging below in the flames.

The smell of burning alcohol wafted everywhere, smoke catching in your lungs as you attempted to move, only for the wood to creak in the shift of your weight. It was going to snap soon.

"Thank you for saving me down there." Ranboo's ears were pressed back, his glowing eyes staring into yours.

Tilting your head, you gave him a confused look. Surely he didn't expect you to leave him. "We promised to escape together, remember? I never break pinky promises."

The memory of interlacing your pinky with his caused you to laugh, moving your shoulder to gently nudge the hybrid. "Besides, we still have a chance, look."

You pointed below to the pillar that had been supporting you, flames crawling up the wood and turning whatever it touched into ash. There, at the base of the pillar, had been a rather large chunk taken out, and with the flames still eating away, it was soon to fall with you atop.

"It's going to fall soon, but the sails will catch us-" moving to point to the village, the houses had been built particularly close to the docks, most likely for trading purposes. "Once the sails slow the fall, we leap onto the roofs, thats where we run."

Ranboo opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly silenced when a rather large snap nearly similar to the thunder you hear last night echoed through the air, the pillar jolting. The sudden shift in gravity caused your hand to fumble with the iron cutlass in your possession, blade falling into the flames below.

The hybrid clutched onto your shirt when the crows nest began to tilt, the last of the supporting ropes snapping under the pressure and weight. Just as you predicted, the pillar supporting the nest began tilting towards the houses, gaining speed as you began to fall.

Tugging Ranboo behind you, the pillar began to slow as it leaned on the sails, the edge catching one of the buildings. You took this chance to run along the now horizontal pillar, careful as to not look down. You could hear the people below shouting at the two of you, helplessly watching as two escapees ran across the pillar in hopes to escape.

When your feet met the roof of the first house, you yanked Ranboo closer, just in time for the pillar to rip past the sails and collapse onto the ground below. Together with Ranboo, you took a moment to catch your breath, watching as the remains of the ship began to submerge itself into the deep waters. Yells of defeat sounded around the ship while countless riches from within poured back into the sea of which it was stolen from, Capitan Malek's hard work crumbling before your very eyes.

"Don't let them get away!"

Speak of the devil. The familiar voice of the Capitan sounded from the base of the building you were settled on, the amount of rage within his tone sending chills down your spine. Shifting your head to peek over the ledge, you could see the Capitan in all his glittering glory, hat and coat partially burnt from the fire you caused.

You gave him a large smile, waving at him as Ranboo joined you to look at him. "It was a pleasure travelling with you Malek, but we have places to be!"

This time, Ranboo took your hand and jerked you back, narrowly avoiding an arrow that flew just past where your face had been moments ago. Looking at him, you both nodded before beginning to run, jumping off the ledge of the roof to land on the next building.

People below tried their best to follow, however, trying to avoid the crowds and stalls below had successfully stopped them from keeping up, losing you on the tops of the houses.

When the sun had moved from its high point in the sky, now just barley grazing the tops of trees, had been when you had stopped running along the roofs. The city had faded from tall- wealthy buildings to smaller, more finicky buildings that would creak under your weight, and sometimes Ranboo would fall through a small hole created by his weight alone.

The buzz of adrenaline never faded, for despite losing the pirates, they could still find you- had you not covered your trail. You had wandered through the narrow alleyways in hopes to find your way out of the city, seeking shelter in an abandoned building.

You shifted some boards off the frame of a window, waiting for Ranboo to crawl in before sealing yourself inside with him- just until you got enough rest to continue your journey further tomorrow.

The vivid memory of Malek's enraged face sent sparks of joy through you, and with his ship burnt into nothing more than piles of wood in the bottom of the dock, he would have no treasures to trade for another ship. You had make the master of the sea land-bound.

And, without Ranboo, you would have most likely been traded off by now, for it was the seventh day since you had been threatened by the Capitan.

"We did it!" You heard Ranboo whisper, hardly containing his excitement. You could see his eyes glow in the dark, beautiful green and red hues shining with the same joy you felt in your chest. "We actually did it! We escaped, together."

"Told you I don't break pinky promises." You laughed, moving around the abandoned building in hopes to find a place to sleep. Although old and falling apart, furniture had been covered and abandoned along with the building, leaving a free resting space for you and Ranboo. "I can't thank you enough for helping me finally escape. I thought I would die down there with the rats."

Pulling the cover off some furniture, you managed to push together two couches into the same room, the springs within still working and comfortable. Sitting on the cushion, the feather light material instantly moulded against your frame, causing you to sink further into the couch.

"It's been so long since I've relaxed like this." Groaning, you sprawled along the couch, letting your swollen joints finally relax after months of sleeping on a wooden floor. It had been a great change in the last day- your wrists freed from confinement, escaping from the burning ship that was once you cell.

To say you had an accomplished day was an understatement.

"Can I ask you a question, (y/n)?" Ranboo's gentle voice sounded beside you, the hybrid sitting on the other couch you had bought. You nodded your head in response to his question, rubbing the tender areas on your wrist- you would have to treat them soon.

"Why did you come back for me when you could have just run? I figured it would be easier to run away by yourself instead of taking me along."

You watched his hands fumble together as he spoke, a nervous tinge evident in his voice. Turning to look at him, your eyes trailed along his face, noting how his features appeared much softer than in the cold lighting of the room, his eyes casting a red and green glow across his cheeks.

Moving from your spot on the couch, you stood beside Ranboo, whom finally locked eyes with you since asking the question.

Moving your gaze up from his eyes, they trailed past his soft hair, to the horns atop his head. Each tip had still been capped by copper, the metal clearly causing some discomfort for how tightly it had been applied.

"Have you ever thought that maybe I consider you a friend, Ranboo?" You paused, lifting your hand to just barley gaze one of his horns. His reaction was immediate, flinching away from your gentle touch. "Sorry, was that too much?"

The hybrid turned his face, a light blush tinting the white side of his face. "N-no, it's just, they've been more sensitive since the copper was forced onto them."

His own hands lifted to poke the caps, the metal cold compared to his warm skin. "They were going to originally cut them- but they stopped once they realized that it would bring my value down."

You pursed your lips. Of course they had only thought of this kind soul as money, his status nothing more than a few more pretty pennies in their pockets to live another day. They had no clue how kind Ranboo was, nor how caring he was despite meeting you a few weeks ago. It was going to make leaving him so much harder, seeing as he only promised to help you escape the pirates. He probably wanted to venture on his own without you following, as he had most likely been doing before he was found by traders.

"Your value isn't based on how you look Ranboo, please remember that." Your voice was just barley above a whisper, fingers tapping against the copper once more.

"I...I know, but I can't help but wonder if people just like me for being a hybrid."

The comment against himself somehow stung yourself, as if he had directed the words towards your own heart. Immediately you dropped your hands down to his own, grasping them to give a sense of reassurance through him.

"Ranboo." You began, locking eyes with him once more. Up close you could practically count the freckles along his face, how the line splitting his form wasn't actually perfect- instead a few waves along the line showed that even he wasn't perfect, for nothing could be. Without even thinking twice, you allowed your heart to speak for you. "There is more to yourself than just your appearance. You have a kindness that only you have, a smile only you can replicate, and a laugh that belongs to only you.

There is so much more than just your appearance that makes you worth so much, it's the rich and beautiful personality you have found within yourself.

"Don't ever change." You finished, pressing a finger on his chest- directly where his heart was. His eyes never left yours, and particles of a purple hue began floating around your bodies for a reason unbeknownst to you.

The hybrid nodded, eyes flicking down to his empty hand. Your gaze followed his own, landing on his hand that was now extended to show his pinky.

"I want to make another promise." He spoke quietly. "I...want to make sure you make it to the holy lands"

"Depends on if you're coming with me." You chuckled, Ranboo following the action.

"I, Ranboo, promise to lead you to the holy lands, to guide you until both of us have reached our destination alive and well." Once Ranboo finished, you extended your own pinky, intertwining it with his to form another promise.

"And I, (y/n), promise to follow you, through thick and thin, until we have reached these lands safe and sound. Even if pirates and traders are hot on our heels, we won't stop until we've made it." You shook your hand, as seen with adults and their handshakes, laughing alongside Ranboo at how childish you must have appeared had anyone been watching.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

You woke before the sun had risen, dew still heavy on the blades of grass outside. Not even the song birds had made their way into the waking world, beaks tucked into their warm feathers for rest.

The clothes you wore was in serious need of attention, grime and dirt clung to the hem and sleeves of the material, so whilst Ranboo had been asleep, you took it upon yourself to find some new clothes hung along the clothesline's amongst the buildings. You plucked off another dress shirt for Ranboo that had been somewhat identical to the one he had been wearing when you first saw him.

As for yourself, simple black pants and a white blouse did you good, snatching a corset from a open window that decided to leave such a beautiful creation all for the taking. Once your clothes had been collected, you found yourself standing next to a nearby river, the water partially foggy due to being so close to an active city.

There wasn't a moment to waste, slipping off your old clothes and disposing them into the mud. The salt and grime had practically peeled off your body from the months of travelling, the fabrics having no chance at being salvaged anymore. The cold water of the river didn't keep you for long, causing you to rush out with a gasping breath while struggling to put on the new clothing.

The boots you stolen had been a nicely polished black, similar to that of Malek's shimmering boots. The leather did well in keeping the water out, leaving your feet warm in the travels to find Ranboo once again.

Ranboo had been sprawled along the sofa with an easy expression, his mouth wide open while a few light snores escaped his throat. He had his hands wrapped around his knees, tucking his limbs close to his chest, allowing his tail to twitch unconsciously as he dreamed.

Placing the clothes on the ground beside him, you let your eyes rake the nearby kitchen for food. Unfortunately, it had seemed the rats had followed you all the way to the city, for there had not even been a crumb left for neither you or Ranboo.

It was time to do some more searching.

Sneaking out of the building, your nose was quick to pick up the wafting scent of bread baking, the distant hint of the coals coming along with it. Without hesitation, you followed the scent down the streets of the city, where you made sure to keep track of how to get back to the abandoned building Ranboo was currently sleeping in.

Not a soul had dared wander the streets this early, where the stars had sat upon the warming sky changing its dark blue hues for golden orange ones. Your feet made no sound as you walked along the sides of the road, ears open for any sign of followers watching you- however you had made it to the bakery without so much as the skittering of a rat nearby.

Finding a window, you carefully peered your face to look into the shop, noting how baskets of fresh bread sat on the counters waiting to be stocked. The smell sent a rumble through your stomach, craving the taste of real food.

"Soon." You didn't direct your comment to anyone, but rather to your stomach. You licked your lips, stalking the side of the building until you found the door leading inside; Pressing your ear to the door, you listened for any movement inside the shop.

After listening to the silence behind the door, you carefully turned the knob, ready to dash away if even a simple creak sounded. By some miracle, you had stumbled across the quietest door in existence, slipping your body through the opening as soon as you could without so much of a creak.

Inside, the smell of freshly baked treats increased tenfold. Pastries and desserts had been placed along trays ready to bake, glazed sugar coating the ones that had a golden crisp along the surface. You had to hold your stomach from revealing your hiding place with it's loud groan, feet quickly moving to find some food for the day.

Sitting atop of the counter had been another basket of bread just waiting for you, the amount probably enough to feed you and Ranboo for days. Without looking, you reached out to grab the basket.

You hadn't been expecting a yank on the back of your collar.

The force had send you stumbling backwards into a counter, forcing your eyes to look at just who had done such a thing. Standing in front of you had been the most unexpected person, or rather, hybrid.

A fox hybrid, by the looks of it, was currently standing between you and the basket of bread you so desperately needed. His teeth had been pulled up into an animalistic snarl, pupils narrowing until nothing but black slits remained. A black coat hung over a white shirt, limited rainbow stripes lining some areas of the coat- he wore a black hat and pants to match, golden lining reflecting the fireplace light used to bake. Your eyes darted down to look at his flared up tail swishing side to side at a violent speed, sending another growl your way before he spoke.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" The fox hybrid growled, hunching his form over instinctively. One look at his teeth reassured you that you didn't want a finger going near, for there was no doubt it would be snapped off in an instant.

"I-" you stopped yourself. What could you say to him? That you were going to steal a basket of bread because you had been trying to feed an Enderman hybrid staying in an abandoned building a few blocks down? That you had just escaped from burning a ship after being held captive for months?

The fox didn't wait for your answer, taking a step forward while sending a surge of panic to rise through you. Within an instant, you had turned your body towards the door; fully intent on escaping before you found your arm between a fox's jaw, however he was quick to grab your shoulder with a firm hand, stopping you.

A Yelp sounded from your lips, feeling as your body was yanked back towards the fox. Within seconds you had your hand reach back to pull at the hybrids ears, eliciting a pained cry to resonate through his throat.

"Fundy?" Someone called- allowing you to shrug the fox’s grip from your shoulder and run to the door. You heard the same voice sound once again before your hand just barely grazed the knob. "What's going on?"

The clicking of hooves on the ground echoed through the room, sparking some confusion in a jumbled mess called thoughts. Something had caught your wrist, disturbing the wounds still fresh from the cuffs. Almost immediately you dropped to the ground with pain, trying to pry your throbbing wrist from the harsh grip of the hybrid.

"Oh my- Fundy let go of them!" A feminine voice, soft and kind kept you grounded on earth, the harsh grip instantly vanishing within moments of the request.

A gentle, feather-like touch grazed your arms, trailing closely to the gaping wounds that wrapped around your wrists. You could hear how their breath hitched with concern when they saw just what had brought you to your knees in an instant, puss oozing from the infected wounds.

"They were trying to steal today's bread Puffy, I only tried to stop them." The male spoke quieter now, any trace of the snarl from before trailing off into a whisper.

"I know Fundy, it's alright." This 'Puffy' person spoke, finally coming into your vision. You didn't know what to expect, but you had once more been baffled by the appearance of another hybrid, one with the wool and ears of a sheep. Her concern was focused on you, her beautiful eyes not showing a hint of anger within them while she spoke. "Excuse me, are you okay?"

Jerking your wrists from their gentle touch, you tried to explain yourself.

"I just need one loaf of bread- not for me, but for my companion. Please." It was a lot to ask for such demands, without having any way to pay them back, there was hardly any chance of you coming back to Ranboo with your life, much less a loaf of bread.

Puffy looked over to Fundy, whom had his arms crossed within thought. The sheep hybrid then turned back to look at you, offering a hand to help you off the ground.

"Look, let's start over. My name is Puffy! And this is my friend and coworker Fundy." Pointing to the fox hybrid, Puffy continued. "Who May this companion of yours be?"

Pursing your lips, you took the sheep hybrids hand, feeling as your body was lifted back to its feet. There was a moment of pondering before you spoke, fully knowing that lying now would be completely useless. "Their name is Ranboo, a friend of mine as well." Fundy's ears perked up with this, his attention now fully on you.

"We just escaped the trading ship belonging to Malek, and are trying to venture to the holy lands- we have no food or supplies, and we can't stay for long, for the pirates are most likely on search for us."

"So that was you who set his ship on fire yesterday!" Fundy shouted, a wide grin slowly spreading on his face. His tail was quick to sway side to side excitedly-much like how you noticed Ranboo do. The fox hybrid came closer to you and placed his hands on your shoulders, his teeth bared, but not in a threatening way anymore. "You've done us all a favour in burning that cursed thing-"

"Malek has been terrorizing the city for years now." Puffy interrupted, moving to stand beside Fundy. "He's been threatening to burn the place to the ground, demanding money from all the middle and lower class who can't afford it for his protection."

A smirk ghosted along your lips while you watched her ear twitch with annoyance, taking a deep breath to calm herself down before she continued. "But that's beside the point. Your friend Ranboo, why don't you bring him here? We can probably help you guys."

"But Puffy-" Fundy protested.

"No buts." She giggled, turning to look at you. "Here, take this as a token of trust. You don't need to come back, and trusting a rabid fox and crazy sheep hybrid seems silly, but I assure you that we're good people."

She was right when you said it was hard to trust her, for there was no promise in coming back with Ranboo, only to be a trap. However, when Puffy handed you a loaf of bread, salt flakes sprinkled along the top, you couldn't help but wonder if your first rule 'don't make friends' was really going to work outside the ship.

You didn't say anything; Fundy and Puffy watched as you took the bread and made your way out the door, most likely continuing on their day after that strange encounter. Nothing had gone as you planned, stumbling into two hybrids in such a land with a strong distaste for their kind running a bakery, only to be the kindest souls you had met- besides the fox, he was a bit snappy.

And their offer had struck you with new questions than what you came with. You had a choice to bring Ranboo back with you, to put complete trust with strangers that gave you a loaf of bread despite catching you attempting to steal from them earlier. Or you could leave the city and never speak to them again, leaving them as a distant memory in the hard journey forward.

It wasn't a hard decision to make, already having the answer made when you stepping into the abandoned building once more- the sun finally peering over the trees.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

Ranboo had been awake when you returned, the hybrid seen pacing around the couch he slept on in a nervous walk. He had been fumbling with his hands while buried in his concerned thoughts about your whereabouts, doubt seeding into his heart that you had finally had enough of him and left.

So when he saw you return through the broken window, he couldn't help but to run up to you, concern swirling in his glowing hues.

"Are you alright?" Was the first thing he asked, eyes looking for any signs of injury. His concern made your heart melt, raising your hand to ruffle the hair atop his head in reassurance.

"I'm fine Ranboo, and look," you handed him the loaf of bread given to you by the bakers, the dough still warm from the oven. "I got you some food."

Pressing the bread into his hands, you watched as he brought the loaf to his face, smelling the delicious scent it gave off. He broke off a piece and placed it in his mouth, shoulders relaxing as he calmly chewed the bread. " 's so good." He spoke with a mouthful, closing his eyes to savour the taste.

You let out a laugh at his reaction, trying your best to ignore the growing hunger in your own stomach. It didn't really work out- for a rumble of protest elicited from your gut, causing both you and Ranboo to flush in embarrassment.

Without a word, Ranboo broke off another piece of the bread, passing the larger section to you with no hesitation in his movements.

"I- Ranboo, you need your energy." You tried to explain. When he saw that you wouldn't take bread, he instead held it to your mouth, not once breaking his gaze from your face. There was no way he was going to allow you to continue without a proper meal. The smell of bread hitting your nose made your mouth water, hands reaching up to finally take the bread out of his grasp.

With a satisfied nod, Ranboo took a bite out of the chunk of bread he tore off, eyeing you to make sure you ate your portion as well. There was no need to tell you twice, finally taking a bite of the bread yourself. Nearly instantly your stomach let out a satisfied growl, thankful to eat something other than bruised apples or soggy crackers.

"How did you manage to get this?" Ranboo's ears flicked with his question, stuffing the last bite of his bread in his mouth.

"I stumbled upon some nice people-" you started, splitting another piece of the rather large loaf of bread and handing it to Ranboo- who graciously accepted the food. "They wanted to meet you, actually. So I figured we could go visit them soon."

"Do you trust them?"

"I would probably in chains again if they wanted to hand me in." You chimed, thinking about just how Fundy could probably have easily overpowered you. And if Puffy hadn't intervened, you probably would have ended up with a few up with a few bite marks from the fox hybrid.

"Then I trust them too, so long as they don't try and bring us back to the pirates." He chuckled, eyeing you as the last piece of bread disappeared behind your lips. You savoured the lightly fluffed bread before wiping your mouth with your sleeve, satisfied with just how wonderfully baked the treat was. Fundy and Puffy had surely made quite a wonderful product.

There wasn't anything for you to bring to the bakery, and with the sun sill just barley grazing the tops of the hills, the city had still been quiet along the streets aside from the song of waking birds. Ranboo followed you as closely as he could through the maze of tall buildings, noting how more and more smoke began to tumble out of the chimneys above. The city was waking and soon to be bustling with life, and you didn't want to be caught within those crowds that may hide the pirates you escaped.

Turning another corner, the bakery came into view. The building had been tucked away in the small corners of the much larger structures within the city, small plants and flowers decorating the windowsills with a beautiful array of colours. You lead the Enderman hybrid through the front door this time, listening to the bell above chime, announcing your presence.

Standing in front of the door, the counters had been fully stocked with baked goods and fresh bread. Ranboo had been quietly swishing his tail with a random rhythmic sway whilst straying behind you, carefully examining the stores goods.

"I'll be out in just a minute!" The sheep hybrids voice sounded behind the counter, most likely finishing some last-minute baking in the back. You nodded and looked at Ranboo, whom was quietly observing the desserts lined across the display, jellies and glaze smothered across the golden crispy goods.

Soon enough, Puffy appeared from the back rooms, dusting some flower off the apron tied around her waist. "What can I get for you today- oh! You came back."

The sheep hybrid walked past the counter, eyes glimmering with excitement as she approached the two of you. Immediately her mouth dropped open as soon as her eyes landed on Ranboo, admiring his unique pattern.

"Oh my goodness....you're so pretty." She mumbled to herself, quickly catching her words and coughing to cover them. Her cheeks tinted pink, Puffy turning her head in attempt to hide the embarrassment. "Sorry, I don't get to see too many other hybrids around here."

"It,- it's alright, it's nice to meet you. My name is Ranboo."

"My name is Puffy, a sheep hybrid." She said, shaking her head to show off the wool-like hair atop her head. Her ears flopped around similar to a dogs, however it had a cute little twitch that seemed to match her friendly personality.

"Puffy?" Fundy's voice sounded around the corner, his little fox ears peering over the counter before his whole head appeared. "Oh, it's you."

Despite his tone, you could sense a tad bit of sarcasm within his voice, causing you to smirk just a tad. The fox set another basket of bread on the counter before joining Puffy's side, eyes scanning over Ranboo's form.

You could tell the Enderman hybrid was getting uncomfortable with all the attention, his body nearing just a tad closer to yours for that extra sense of security. Fundy looked over to you and sighed, a small smile on his face as he spoke. "I'm glad you came back. I thought I scared you away."

His animalistic snarl was still fresh in your memory from nearly an hour ago, however now, he appeared to be as tame as a cat, fur lazily patted down. His orange fur was beautifully coloured and vibrant now that you could get a good look at him. Patches of flour dusted along his face and hands, and yet the smile on his face never faded.

"You were scary. Can you imagine almost having your face torn off by a fox? You would have been made into a hat if anything happened to me." The laugher following your lighthearted joke was contagious, for even Ranboo gave a light chuckle. "But that's besides the point, you let me go without hopes of seeing me again, so I figured I'd bring my friend here."

Ranboo took a step forward, holding out his hand towards Fundy, introducing himself and getting acquainted with the fox hybrid while you spoke to Puffy.

"I didn't know hybrids lived outside the holy lands," you began, looking around the store. You noted how well kept it was, not a single web could be seen stowed away in the corners, and each surface of the glass showcases had been crystal clear- not a smudge along the display, "I've only seen them in the trades, or working under nobles."

Puffy sighed, her ears drooping a tad. "It's not easy, everyone's trying to find a reason to revoke our citizenship and trade us away. Being the only hybrids left in this town means that our dues are higher than the humans, and walking home isn't an option alone anymore."

"In short, we need to get out of here as soon as we can, and we want you to come with us."

Shocked, you looked at Puffy- perhaps with a strange stare, because immediately her cheeks flushed a light pink. "I-I mean only if you want too! I just figured you guys were going to the holy lands, so travelling together meant better protection?" She trailed off, sounding more as a question to herself.

There had been no thought that these two would want to join you, for your plan only consisted of you and Ranboo. However a month ago there was no such plan, and without him, there would never have been this opportunity.

With a gentle smile on your face, to placed your hand on the sheep hybrids arm, causing her to look up. "I think it's a great idea! Besides, who wouldn't want to leave this place anyways?"

"However, there are lots of risks." Fundy finally decided to interject. "As soon as the city finds out we left, they're going to have traders come and track us- and if they get ahold of us, we're gonna be nothing more than carpets decorating their floors."

Even though Fundy was right, you had wished that maybe it could have been different for these people. Having to live their lives in fear of getting their rights taken away despite being such kind souls.

"I've been chained to the bottom of a boat for several months." You explained. Lifting your wrists, the wounds created by the sharp shackles had started to fade from the violent red- to a dark shade of pink, skin successfully healing now that it had a chance.

"Taking this risk is better than sitting here waiting for our death sentence. With a promise of a better future out there, I want to take that chance in running off, even with the chance of being caught." Your words had been spoken straight from your heart, fully aware of the dangers this would lead you to. There would be no easy way to the holy lands, and there was no promise in staying situated inside the abandoned building for the rest of your life- for the pirates would sniff you out somehow.

"I'll follow you (y/n)." Ranboo placed a hand on your shoulder, small smile spread across his lips. Fundy and Puffy glanced at each other, sharing a nod before looking to you.

"And I will gladly join you." Fundy nodded. "So long as Puffy comes along."

The sheep hybrid smiled, ears perking up with interest. "Of course I'll come silly!"

"It's settled then." You held out your pinky, Ranboo immediately holding out his own in the familiar gesture. "I, (y/n), promise to help each and every one of you to the holy lands, facing pirates, traders, and dangers over the course of these next few days."

Ranboo joined in. "And I promise to always look out and watch your backs, even when it seems like I'm not there."

Puffy and Fundy seemed hesitant at first, but eventually they did end up sealing the pinky contract. Reaching over to one of the bread baskets, you gingerly took a loaf and split it into two, handing one to Ranboo like he had done so earlier. He hesitated before taking the bread, waiting for Fundy and Puffy's approval before he sunk his teeth into the delicacy.

"You guys make the best bread." Ranboo groaned, taking another mouthful before finished with his previous one. You had worried he would have gotten sick had he eaten too much, but perhaps hybrids worked differently.

Fundy scoffed, as if he had already known this. Without a doubt he took a load of bread from the counter.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

Puffy had hidden both you and Ranboo into the attic above, claiming that once they were ready, Fundy would come and retrieve you. Despite this, hours had flown by without a word, causing you to become quite fidgety with small loose objects you could find on the old carpet floor.

Occasionally you would just stare into Ranboo's glowing hues, curious as to why they exactly glowed in the first place. Being part Enderman had always made you curious as to what talents he held, from the glowing eyes and particles, perhaps he could learn to teleport if given the chance.

When you inquired him about it, he said he once went under training under an Enderman for a short time, but they could never seem to get enough power to jump a short space, leaving Ranboo without the ability to teleport like most of his kind. It didn't help that his teacher had left him a short time after- or so he said, but you couldn't help but wonder what happened to this 'Adrian' fellow he spoke of.

But the readers already knew about that story, didn't they?

Fundy's head poked out of the floor, calling you back down now that the store had been closed. The breads that once stocked the shelves had either been sold or stored away into the travelling packs Puffy and Fundy provided. Each bag had been filled to the brim with supplies needed to travel the painstakingly long journey to the holy lands.

"We're going to leave as soon as the sun settles and hopefully get a head start on the traders." Fundy threw the pack onto his back, taking a deep breath and looking at his store one last time. "I'm going to miss this place a bit."

"Me too." Puffy mumbled, hands trailing over a counter. The bakery had been their home for many years, keeping them a promise of safety and security in the city of blood-thirst traders. Now they we're leaving it in hopes of a better future altogether. "We can always start another one though! We just gotta have hope!"

The sheep hybrid bounced on her toes, opening the door and gesturing for everyone to step outside. The streets had turned dark since the sun had hidden behind the hills, stars beginning to shine across the colourful sky. Pulling on your bag, you trailed behind Fundy who began leading the way out of the city, careful to avoid any of the streets people may still be lingering on.

Time to time your group would have to stop in the allies and wait for passerby's to leave, for if any hybrid was caught wandering the streets after nightfall, they could have shackles placed along their wrists and hulled to the trades in an instant.

You passed the old abandoned building you rested in last night, heart soaring when you recalled just how long you had been free for. There was doubt before that you would be found before a day even strayed by, but now it had been two days since your escape with Ranboo, and no pirate had been seen yet. It was almost unnerving just how quickly they disappeared from your life.

No one spoke during the walk through the city, Fundy only finally letting out a rather loud sigh when he was a few steps into the forest. The frogs chirping had been loud compared to when you were in the city, the forest just as lively in the night as it was in the day.

"I can't believe we did it!" Puffy laughed, looking back to the dimly lit city behind her. Her eyes sparkled with excitement in the dark, Fundy joining her with a laugh of his own. "We finally made it out, no more threats, no more being stuck in that small building!"

The two took a moment to enjoy the newfound freedom by sprinting through the trees, careful not to be too loud. You took the chance to sit by Ranboo, who had found a fallen tree to rest by.

"It's nice to finally see them so happy." He said, watching as Fundy scaled a tree. You couldn't help but stare at him, noting how his ears twitched with each sharp noise that sounded around you, and once again your eyes trailed up to the caps on his horns.

In a way, it reminded you of the shackles that were once placed on your wrists, a reminder that you had been nothing more than an object. How Ranboo saw those caps was beyond you, but you couldn't imagine he enjoyed having the daily reminder of such a terrible experience placed on his body.

You didn't inquire him about them, instead turning your attention onto the now panting and tired Fundy and Puffy. "They do seem happy, don't they?"

Nodding, Ranboo smiled, getting up from the log and adjusting his shirt.

"Alright, we should make a good distance away from the city and try to reach the first landmark." Puffy huffed while looking at a thin piece of paper, leading to what you assumed was the holy lands. Glancing at the stars, the group began to navigate their way through the sparse forest, only stopping for Fundy to climb a tree and read the stars to make sure you had been travelling the correct direction.

Fundy assumed that the city would find out about their disappearance as soon as daybreak hit- for that was when the store normally opened.

"The last hybrids to do this ended up getting caught a day after they had been reported missing." Puffy started up a conversation while trying to navigate through the dark, lantern lighting the small area around the group. You had taken the second lantern and stayed in the back in order to provide the most light, and also to prevent anyone (specifically Fundy) from wandering too far. "The poor things had gotten stuck without a way across the ravines."

Fundy placed his hand on Puffy's shoulder, noticing just how uncomfortable she had gotten. "We watched as they were carted back to the city- dirty and bruised from trying to fight against the traders. Some...decided to take a chance with the ravine."

"They didn't make it back."

The realization made you flinch. There was a good chance you would become like the others, carted back to the city and returning to the leather whips still fresh along your back. Your steps faltered in the steady rhythm, staring at the torch-lit ground in front of your feet.

Ranboo noticed you slowing down to a stop, turning around to see you in a daze completely gone from reality. In an instant he was by your side, carefully guiding you from your trance by placing his hand in yours, gently prodding you to take another step until you caught up to Puffy and Fundy.

"(Y/n)?" He whispered so only you could hear. His calm voice causing you to look up to him, to see the gentle smile along his face. "We're going to make it, remember?"

With his free hand, he held out his pinky, a reminder of the promise to take you to the holy lands, no matter the dangers to ensue.

"You're too good for this world, Ranboo." His smile widened at your words, a light pink dusting his cheeks. Turning his face to hide the blush, you simply chuckled before lifting the torch in your hand, trying your best to calm your quickening heartbeat.

For hours you walked, stepping over creeks and avoiding any lakes that you came across. Ranboo had shown his distaste with water many times you had come across it, but thankfully there was no threat of the sky drawing in rain clouds any time soon.

When the sun began to dawn upon the world, Fundy decided to make camp and sleep for a few short hours, serving each one of you half a loaf of bread before curling up into a ball- rest coming quickly for the fox hybrid.

As for Puffy, she stayed up for a few minutes to speak with you and Ranboo, whom had been glued to your hip ever since the journey began. Perhaps it was for your comfort or his own, but neither of you had complained nor seemed bothered by the closeness. It allowed you to count the freckles across his cheeks with a scary precision, noting how his eyes also seemed to glow brighter when he had been excited.

"So Ranboo," Puffy began, thoroughly enjoying the soft bread in her mouth. "You're half Endermen, right? Does that mean you were born in the End realm?"

"I'm not actually sure where I came from, but my adoptive mother raised me in the holy lands for years, until I finally decided to leave and find a life for myself." Ranboo leaned against the tree, blocking out the morning sunlight with his hand. "I've heard the End realm is a cold place though, with mostly only Endermen living there."

Puffy smiled, recalling the stories that everyone had been told about the legends of the End. Rumours of the skies that held millions of stars hiding stories beyond comprehension, pillars of the unbreakable obsidian towering over the world with hidden gems atop. Some stories even told of a dragon lingering in the hidden corners of the world, awaiting a time to strike the End once more.

But those were just stories, and their origins had never been confirmed.

"How about you Puffy? We're you born in the city?" You asked, watching as said sheep hybrid shifted in her bed roll.

"I came from a distant land filled with endless rolling hills." Puffy yawned, recalling her oldest memories. "The grass was greener than the emeralds villagers traded, and my family had built a cottage near the ocean. I can remember how blue the water used to be, and how the ocean turned orange during the sunsets.

Then, these pirates- they came out of nowhere and began slaughtering everyone, taking their wool and raiding our homes. They took anything worth value, and chased down any survivors without mercy.

Fundy eventually found me along the outskirts along the city," pausing, she looked towards the fox hybrid, who was currently snoring. "Had it not been for him, I would have been found, and probably gone like the rest of my family. That's how we built our bakery, in the city paying the pirates for protection, where they couldn't hurt us unless we left the protection of the city."

Puffy laid down on her sleeping roll, eyes flickering over the orange and purple hues of the sky. "That pirate's name was Malek- master of the seas. Ever since I knew who had ruined my life, I swore that I would get my revenge one day."

The name brought chills over your spine, a reminder that the pirate Malek had not only ruined your life, but thousands of others with his unmistakable greed. The trees around you swayed in the cold breeze that licked your skin, sending goosebumps over everyone else. The silence was interrupted by a rather loud snore emitting from Fundy, whom had been sprawled out on the ground- causing laugher to sound from the three remaining people awake.

"We should get some sleep. I'll wake you up when we need to leave again." Puffy finished, turning her body and finally relaxing in her roll. You followed her actions and settled on your bed roll, glancing over to Ranboo, who was staring at the colour-scattered sky.

As if sensing your intense stare, he turned his head to look over at you, watching as you quickly looked anywhere else but him.

"Sleep well, (y/n)." He chuckled, finally settling into his own roll. Your cheeks had been hot from the flush scattered across them, heart beating quick from what you assumed was the embarrassment.

"Yeah, sleep well." Mumbling back to him, you hesitantly turned over to face the hybrid, who was turned to face you. His eyes had already been closed, sleep easily coming to him.

With a full belly and warm heart, you closed your own eyes and enjoyed the steady decent into sleep.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

The sun had been at its highest point when you awoke, the shade of the trees protecting your eyes from the glare of the light.

Puffy had woken you up last in hopes to let you get as much sleep as possible, but with the pressing nerves of the city now knowing of your disappearance, you had to keep moving in hopes to ever reach your destination. Within minutes your bed roll was tucked into your bag, quickly joining the group in their trek in keeping ahead of the traders. The thought of being constantly chased was nerve-wracking, however the adrenaline that came with it was addicting.

Puffy took the lead, this time using the sun to navigate the way. The forest had begun to spread out and grow more sparse; causing the harsh summer sun to hit against your backs, however you couldn’t stop now, not when you still had to travel all throughout the night in hopes to put some ground between you and the city.

Fundy had made the trip more lively by singing songs sung to him as a child, Puffy occasionally joining him and creating a wonderful melody. Sometimes Ranboo even joined in- somehow knowing the words to the music being created.

As for you, your mind wandered into lazy thoughts, occasionally glancing at everyone’s animalistic features. Puffy, who had wool-like hair and droopy sheep ears smiled with such a brightness it was almost blinding. Fundy, who’s ears twitched back and tail swished never seized to make you laugh with his jokes. And Ranboo, the Enderman hybrid that had chosen to save your life, had a perfect vertical split of black and white down the centre of his body, multiple features such as pointed ears and a long tail making you wonder just what his other half had been.

As for you, there was no animal features for you to gloat about. No ears to twitch or tail to sway- no, you being the rather simple human almost looked strange in a group such as this. You had seemed to the the odd man out out of the three, and yet they had treated you better than most humans you have ever met.

They had practically been your family.

“Break time!” Fundy shouted over enthusiastically. Within minutes his pack had been shrugged off near the edge of a river and orange fur soaked in the cold waters, letting a sigh of relief to escape his lips. Puffy joined him without hesitation, soaking her hair within the cool waters that beckoned for you.

Taking a step closer to the edge, you stopped yourself. You could hear the laugher of Puffy and Fundy echo ahead of you, powering over Ranboo’s quiet hum of disappointment. Unlike the rest of you, Ranboo wouldn’t be able to touch the water, as shown by his clear facial distaste for the simple glance of the liquid.

So, instead of leaping into the waters, begging you to take a relaxing refresher, you seated yourself beside Ranboo in the shade, shocking the Endermen hybrid slightly.

“(Y/n)!” He yelped, carefully
trying to fold himself as to appear smaller. It didn’t help though, for you had already been practically leaning on him . “Why aren’t you swimming? Surely you must be hot.”

“I am.” You admitted, causing Ranboo to tuck his ears against his head in distaste. “But I’d much prefer skipping a small swim in exchange for spending time with you.”

Your words caused Ranboo’s cheeks to tint pink, lifting his hand to mess with the collar of his shirt.

“Well, I’m glad to spend time with you.” Smiling, you felt as his hand grazed over your own, the cold of his body causing you to retract your hand. Noticing your sudden action, he inquired you about it. “Is something wrong?”

Fingers gently pressing against Ranboo’s arm, you nearly flinched again once you felt how cold he was- his skin a practical moving ice bin. “You’re cold.”

The hybrid tilted his head, confused at your words. Yet as you moved your hand to catch his wrist, he could finally feel the heat from you seeping into his skin. It was enjoyable.

“And you’re warm.” You looked up at Ranboo, whom was now focused on the warmth coming from the contact of your hand on his wrist. Under the trickling light of the sun shimmered across your skin and eyes, casing your own hues to change colour depending on how the sun hit them. “Kinda like a fuzzy blanket.”

Carefully, and almost as if in a trance, Ranboo nudged you to sit on his lap, long arms fully embracing your frame as the coolness of his skin danced along you. The relief from the heat instantly rid you of some unneeded discomfort, happily trading this moment for a cool swim.

“Are you comfortable?” Ranboo inquired, placing his chin atop your head. A laugh slipped past your lips while you nodded your head in approval, sighing once the chill coming from Ranboo finally settled along you.

Perhaps it was because he was naturally linked to the End, a cold place with an unforgiving environment that only the adapted could live in- or maybe it had been his other half that allowed him to stay so cold. Either way, he was now your personal cooler.

The sun no longer nipped at your skin, letting you sigh with relief while Fundy and Puffy finally left the river and swapped their clothing for new dry outfits. Puffy had pulled out a few more sticks of bread and handed them out while continuing the walk, snacking on the delicious bread while Fundy struggled to read the map.

“The first landmark should be a split stone surrounded by a ring of mushrooms- but where the hell do we find that?” The fox huffed, passing the map to Puffy, who immediately flipped the paper to the right direction.

“Fundy.” She sighed in a dramatic way, pointing to a certain part of the map you couldn’t quite make out. “That’s a ravine, not a rock. And those mushrooms? Those are trees.”

Fundy let out a gargled noise of protest, pointing to the ‘trees’ along the map. “But these ones are different than the others! They have to be mushrooms.”

The two bickering hybrids slowed their walking as they decided just what symbols had been printed on the map. Taking this as a sign to inspect your surroundings, you strayed further ahead in hopes to find something interesting other than the dense oak forest your group had been trekking through for hours. You could feel Ranboo’s eyes carefully watch you from a distance, his tail beginning to flicker with a growing anxiety.

A flash of red caught your eye- turning to stare at something completely different than the green and brown of the forest. Standing in front of you had been a red-capped mushroom double the size of the trees standing alongside it, a rather strange smell coming from the giant fungi.

Taking a step back to fully appreciate the size, your heel met with a lose patch of stone, casing you to stumble and turn.

There hadn’t been much time for you to comprehend what was going on- from the pebbles underneath your feet crumbling into the ravine below, Ranboo’s shout echoing across the stone walls that flew beside you as you fell, or even the blue sky being the only thing you saw before the air from your lungs had been stolen. Your mouth opened to gasp for the lost air, only to be met with the cold sensation of water rushing though your lungs- burning them.

The sensation was similar to that of fire, your body tingling while your lungs burned from the very substance supposed to extinguish flame. It had taken you a moment before your body grazed something solid, eyes wide while you desperately attempted to grasp onto the walls.

Your head burst through the surface of the water with a loud sputter, plenty of water leaving your lungs before air even had a chance to replace the liquid. It was as if your lungs wouldn’t allow you to breath until most of the liquid had been removed, water practically leaking from every pore on your body when the first gasp of air made its way through you.

It had been completely unnoticeable until the water was gone, however the dark spots from your vision began to clear, showing that you sat along the bottom of the ravine miles away from the surface. Three heads from above could be seen looking over the edge to examine you, one particularly panicked than the rest.

“(Y/n)!” You could hear Ranboo shout from above, his voice distorting as it echoed along the walls. The worry had been quite noticeable in his tone, and even from the bottom of the ravine you could imagine how his face looked like just then. “Are you alright?”

You opened your mouth to speak, only for you to begin sputtering out some more lodged water from your chest. Instead opting for a more visual approach, you gave a thumbs up- hoping that they could see you from such a distance.

“It’s too dark down there so see anything.” Fundy spoke, clearly directing his voice to the other two close to him.

“I can see her- she’s alright.” Ranboo’s voice bounced across the walls, sending his words right into your ears. Looking up at him, you could make out his glowing red and green eyes staring down at you, the small specks similar to the stars in the sky. The three heads retracted from the ledge, muffled conversation hardly making its way down to your ears. While you waited, you attempted to move your limbs in hopes to try and find your own way out of the ravine.

While the others had been distracted, you shakily stood up and leaned against the wall, body still unsteady from the shock of the fall. Despite this, you took one step at a time towards a torch-lit cave, hoping that perhaps it would lead back up to the surface.

You knew that the three had no materials to gather you from the bottom of such a deep pit- and seeing the other skeletons scattered along the bottom only reminded you of the story you had been told just days ago. The ones who didn’t want to go back to the city, no matter what.

“Guys?” You shouted, trying to catch their attention. Without an answer, you tried again, calling out louder.

“Hey, (y/n)? We got some bad news.” As much as she probably hated it, Puffy began shouting down into the ravine, a solemn tone latched with it. “We don’t have any materials to get you out- and there isn’t enough time to mine you out before nightfall.”

Nodding, you closed your eyes. You had already known that you were stuck down here, but being told so caused your heart to sink. “I know- Ranboo?”

The Endermen hybrid peered over within an instant, worried eyes looking down to your own.

“I think I’m gonna have to break our pinky promise.” You said, voice breaking at one point.

“No! Look, we can get you out, I’m sure of it! We just- we.” He trailed off, trying to think just of a way to get you out in time. But even he had to accept reality that you weren’t going to make it out with them this time.

Shaking your head, you leaned against the wall for some more support, body aching from the fall. “You need to go across the ravine and keep going, don’t stop until the greener grass of the holy lands are beneath your feet, and the taste of freedom is on your tongue once again, Ranboo.

Fulfill our pinky promise, without me, alright?”

Ranboo let out cries of protest to escape his mouth, Puffy and Fundy tearing him away from the edge before he tried to climb down to you. A gentle smile played along your lips while you sunk into the mineshaft alone, trying to ignore the hot tears on the edges of your eyes.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

The cave had certainly desired to scare the crap out of you with the most random noises made by man- from screeching and loud groaning that practically rattled the walls around you, there had been no mercy from the tunnels that never ended.

During the first hours of your wandering, you had hoped to be able to reach the surface and rejoin Ranboo and the rest. Now, with your eyelids practically closed half the time you walked, you had knowing it was well past nightfall- and the group would be too far for you to ever reach now.

In the end you decided that instead of being caught in the bottom of the ravine by the pirates, you would follow the twists and turns of the caves leading you further into the earths mouth, probably to never see the surface of the earth again. You would send them on a wild goose chase and hopefully direct their attention from the others, focusing solely on you. After all, it was you that had set Malek's ship on fire.

It had only been a few days ago, and yet the memory seemed like a legend in time awaiting to be told- much like those of Wither slaying hero's and monster taming kings.

The air had been thick with the scent of old coal and other debris flying in the air, settling along your nose and causing you to sneeze multiple times. You had taken great precautions in avoiding as many mobs as you could, running away from the skeletons flying arrows and hiding behind corners when creepers decided to commit die.

And it didn't help that their explosions rocked the already unsteady cave system abandoned so long ago.

Occasionally you would find mine carts that lead to nowhere, the rails long since faded into nothing more than stone. Small chests had been placed around the inside of the carts, holding valuable items only found found by those who dared venture this deep into a cave.

In one particular chest, you found a gem-like orb that reminded you of an eye. With the outside being a sickly blue fading from a rich green to yellow, the object had been quite out of the ordinary from the other objects stuffed into the chest. The eye emitted a soft light that helped you see the path in front of your feet, so you had decided to take the object with you as you tried and tried again to further venture into the cave.

When the cave grew silent, you would feel the air on the back of your neck shift, the squeaking of bats echoing across the silent walls of stone. The bats wouldn't hurt you, but that didn't stop a shiver from crawling down your spine whenever one flew too close to your head. At one point you raised your hand to shoo the creatures away, leaving your eyes to ignore the possible hazards that nicked your foot, leaving you to crash into the ground once more. 

Your body ached with an unsettling pain, the bruises from earlier already blossoming along your skin. Pushing yourself up from the ground, you had realized that you had lost the eye lighting up your path. Quickly scanning the ground, a small chime from above your head caused you to look up- only to see said eye floating in the air, slowly moving deeper into the cave without you.

At first you were shocked. What sort of magical object had a mind of its own to float away when thrown? At some points the eye would drop and you would catch it before shattering along the ground, tossing the object into the air once again to light up the way. You followed the eye for what you assumed to be hours, but in reality it had probably only been minutes of wandering.

The silence allowed your mind to wander through your thoughts. What if this eye was your ticket out of here?

All hope of escaping had been snuffed out when you reached another dead-end, the opening clearly caved in. Whether from a creeper explosion that had caused it, or just natural pressure, either way you wouldn't be making it out.

The eye clinked against the wall and once again fell, the light dimming as it rested in your hand once again. You nearly threw the object against the wall, frustration bubbling in your throat as you released a frustrated shout, kicking the secure stone that had long since collapsed. This was where your story ended.

That was until a creeper had other plans for you.

Just when the air had grown too thin, and the stone was too hard to claw away at, the green mob approached you with a quiet hiss, the sound of it readying its explosion gone unheard by you. The explosion had buckled your knees as rocks flew everywhere sending you to the floor, a rush of fresh air filling your lungs.

Notch must have been looking over you, for the creeper had revealed a small opening along the wall that trickled moonlight into the cave.

The ringing in your ears took a moment to fade, a newfound ache locked into your bones. It hadn't been the worse explosion you had faced, but all creeper explosions stung.

"There is no way." You shouted, squeezing past the dense space between the stone. The forest had been lively even in the night, frogs singing their small chirps while welcoming you from the depths of the caves.

Instantly you thought of Ranboo- desperate to catch up to them since you had managed to escape the mine shafts with quite a strange item. The eye glimmered in the moonlight with a hue similar to Ranboo's eyes, nearly sending you into a trance each time you glanced at it; it even held the same chill as him, a coolness only belonging to a world other than your own.

Just like what Puffy had done- you searched the sky for the star needed to navigate, locking your eyes onto the constellation it belonged to. If you had any hope of catching up, there was serious walking that needed to be done. Unfortunately, you had been awake for nearly two days now, and you would surely collapse had you kept going. But you had to keep pressing on- for if the pirates had been keeping up with you, they would be only hours behind you thanks to the delay.

Happily parting from the cave, you followed the rough direction of where you needed to go, hopeful in finding a place to rest once you had been confident enough that you put enough space between you and the pirates. When the moon had been risen to its highest point, you had taken the chance of sleeping by the base of a tree, hopeful that the thin material of your clothing would last you through the warm summer night.

With the dull ache in your bones, and the glowing glass eye sitting in your lap, you decided to finally rest your eyes, entering a dreamless sleep.

»»——⍟——««

Ranboo had nearly thrown a fit when he was torn away from the edge of the ravine, fully intending to climb down after you- no matter the cost.

He felt betrayed you had so easily broken your pinky promise with him, and leaving you down in the ravine nearly flipped his stomach out of his throat. Sure, it would have taken hours of planning to get you out- whether from mining or some other crazy idea, but he would have risked getting caught again had he not been pulled away.

No one had spoken to him after the incident with you, leaving him to come to terms with just what had to be done. As hard as it was to part with you just days after escaping from the pirates grasp, he knew you would have wanted him to keep going; and he would keep his promise of reaching the holy lands.

"Ranboo?" Puffy's soft voice was quiet, her figure blending in with the dark. Unlike the others, Ranboo had no trouble seeing in the dark due to his affiliation with the End, his glowing eyes easily picking out her small form. He sat up in an instant to greet the sheep hybrid, noticing the small biscuit in her hand, Puffy holding it out for him. "I figured you were hungry."

He gently took the biscuit, the wonderful smell wafting through his senses. "Thank you, Puffy, it smells wonderful."

Ranboo only spoke the truth when complimenting her treats, each one of her creations something his taste buds would always enjoy- he only wished he could share the tasteful food with you.

"Do you think the pirates found them yet?" He mumbled. Puffy instantly avoided her gaze, hoof brushing against the ground.

"It's hard to say how far behind they are from us, but they would have made it to the ravine by now. But (y/n) seems like a strong person, I'm sure they won't give up without a fight." A gentle smile made its way onto her face, a hopeful glint in her eye as she spoke.

Ranboo also felt a little flicker of hope spark in his chest. Perhaps you would make it out, while avoiding the pirates and meet him by the holy lands- keeping your promise.

"I miss them." The Endermen hybrid said. Puffy whined with agreement, her face dropping when reminded that you had no longer been travelling with them, all because she had been bickering over a map- the guilt had nearly been too much.

"I miss them too." Puffy moved to sit down in front of Ranboo, glancing back to Fundy who was currently going through their bags. "But we have to keep going for them, they wanted us too."

Knowing this, Ranboo sighed, glancing over his shoulder to the dark forest around him. For some strange reason, his tail had been twitching each time a rather sharp noise elicited from the forest, the intense feeling of eyes watching him growing stronger.

Fundy seemed to sense it too, for his ears flicked back and mouth pulled back into a rather ugly snarl. Ranboo immediately stood up with the next snap of a twig bouncing off the trees. Someone was here.

"Looks like we found 'em." A hoarse voice spoke from the darkness. Immediately Ranboo's eyes picked out the form of those approaching, the familiar sight of cutlasses hanging along their hip sending panicked heartbeats through him. With one came two, and two became four. Each time he thought he had seen enough, the glimmer of gold caught Ranboo's eye, causing him to turn to face the Captain.

"I was wondering where my prized hybrid had gone." Malek greeted them with open arms, a rather smug smile placed along his slim face. Ranboo could feel the anger dance along his skin as soon as he laid eyes on him, purple particles shedding off him and hovering in the air in response. "But where is your little rat friend? Did they finally decided to betray you too? Even after all you've done to help them?"

If Fundy hadn't been holding onto his shoulder, Ranboo could have sworn that his jaw would have sunk into the mans shoulder- he had seen other Endermen use such a tactic when left without another weapon, and the damage was quite effective. Despite this, he held back as much as he could, taking a step back closer to where Puffy was searching for their escape.

When neither one of the hybrids decided to speak, Malek dropped his arms with a huff, unsatisfied with the lack of response. Instead, he lazily waved his hand towards the group, a smile playing along his lips. "Tie them up and bring them to camp, I want to question them first before we take them back."

There hadn't been a moment to spare when the first step was taken. Fundy had thrown a splash potion along the ground between them and the pirates, jerking Ranboo back to run. Ranboo was quick to follow as his long limbs carried him across the space within seconds, catching up to Puffy whom had already begun leading them away.

The forest had seemed to be against them as they ran, each moment someone tripped along the roots or stones left scattered along the ground. The pirates had been close behind despite Fundy's attempts of blinding them with potion effects, the voices echoing like a mockery.

"We- I can't-!" Puffy's voice had practically broken after so much running, her face as red as a cherry while sweat ran down her forehead. The wool on her body had certainly escalated the temperature around her body to a dangerous degree, and if they didn't find a safe place soon, she would collapse.

Ranboo outstretched his arms and took the sheep hybrid in his arms, still keeping a decent speed as he kept close to Fundy.

"There should be a cave close by that goes through mountains- I hope." Unfortunately for Fundy, he had let out a loud yell before digging his feet into the ground, coming close to falling into another ravine. "What? This ain't on the map!"

"Did you really think that map would lead you to the holy lands?" Malek's voice laughed across the forest, casing everyone to turn to face the pirates. "You got that map from one of my men, who knew exactly what you were planning. It was only a matter of time before you went through with your plan- and we were ready."

"No!" Fundy shouted as if it could change anything. "You're lying, (y/n) didn't fall just for us to be caught."

Now pinned between the deep ravine and a wall of pirates, Ranboo and them had nowhere else to go. They had to make a choice- give themselves in, or take that chance with the ravine.

Ranboo didn't have a chance to think, for a rather rough hand grasped his horn, dragging his body closer to the group of pirates. Rope was instantly wrapped around his wrists, but the pain didn't compare to that from his horns. Each cap had dug further into his horns when touched, sending waves of pain through his skull.

"Keep them tight, it leaves him docile." Malek explained, watching as both Fundy and Puffy were ripped off the edge of the ravine and tied with rope. "Now, let's bring these creatures back to the circus."

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

You awoke to the growl of your stomach, the noise scaring away the birds and animals that so happened to be nearby. The sun was high in the sky and kissing your skin with a heat only brought by the summer, breeze easily cooling you off as the trees danced with it.

It was nothing compared to the coolness of Ranboo, but you would take whatever you could get.

The ground hadn't helped relieve your stiffness at all, but knowing if you just spent the day lazing on the ground, you would surely lose any hope of catching up to the others. With that, you stretched your limbs and patted any dirt off your clothing- following your shadow.

The journey had been quiet compared to when travelling with the others- Fundy's singing greatly missed by you, along with the constant smell of baked goods stashed away in Puffy's bag. Travelling alone meant more time within your thoughts, and as much as you enjoyed your conversations, talking to yourself did not seem appealing.

Humming a small tune that you picked up from Fundy, you relished the coolness of the eye in your hand, the glassy surface sparkling in the sun. The origins of such an item had you confused on just what it was for- perhaps decoration, or a secret weapon. Either way, the small orb was yours to keep after finding such a treasure stored in the depths of the caves.

Occasionally you would have to stop to gather water from small clear streams, the silence of the forest unnaturally bothersome after days of being so lively. The eerie silence set your nerves on edge, something was wrong, and that something you didn't want to find out.

When you decided to finally look up, your sight wasn't greeted with the usual sight of blue sky, but rather a large tunnel of pluming smoke scattering across the sky. It didn't help that clouds could be seen rolling in from a distance, twisting your gut as you realized that a storm was soon to set in.

You had a choice: whether to ignore the smoke and continue your path to the holy lands, or figure out what idiot decided to roast marshmallows in the middle of the day.

Marshmallows sounded more appealing.

Clutching the glass eye, you proceeded to follow the origins of the tunnelling smoke, unknowing of just what had caused such a large fire.

Because the forest had been so quiet, your ears had easily picked up on the rather loud talking happening throughout the trees. The sound had been so familiar it caused you to feel sick, the memory of constant rocking of a ship still fresh in your mind. You had thought that maybe you would have a little more time before you had to face pirates once again, but the familiar stench of ale and salt hit your nose, punching your gut. 

"No damn way." The words tumbled out of your mouth while you picked up the pace, now running through the trees in hopes to find just whom had been lingering in the forest. Just like you expected, the same pirates that held you hostage now made camp in the many trees, tents perched and scattered across the opening.

The smoke had come from a rather large fire currently consuming any fuel given- including material that caused the smoke to turn black. You tucked your body between some hills and foliage in hopes to watch what the group had been doing, gathering as much information as you could.

A crackle of whips burst through the air, the sharp sound sending shivers down your spine.

"Get a move on; we return to the city tomorrow and retrieve our goods." That voice- one that overpowered the rest without trying. That same voice you linked to be attached with the most disgusting man whom lived a life of greed. Your eyes only had to glance over the crowd once to find the glimmering gold of his coat, never once taking any of his riches off his person. It must have been the only bit of his stolen goods he had left from the ship, for it was now sunken into the bottom of the port- ashes covering the deck.

You would have smiled at the memory, but they were here now, but why?

Watching as everyone sluggishly did their tasks, you would see some men slip in and out of tents, bringing out newly made swords and treasures. Wherever they had gotten those from, they surely didn't make themselves.

The thought burned away at your mind. Malek was lazily sitting under the shade of a tarp, quietly overlooking the lives of those whom he had stolen to work for him. A few were loyal, being close to the Capitan in hopes to not get thrown overboard by the thieving legend of the sea; but now without an ocean to throw them out on, you could tell there wasn't as much fear surrounding them anymore.

Just when you were about done with your observing, ready to pull away and continue your path, your heart froze in your throat. A glint of copper caught your eyes as you watched them being lead through the camp, head hung low in shame and regret. Their tail practically dragged along the floor while they had been tucked away in the tent behind Malek, causing you to blink thrice.

There was no doubt as to what you just saw. Your black and white monochrome friend tied up and in the hands of the pirates once more. You had felt a gag lurch up to your throat when you witnessed Fundy and Puffy also being lead to separate tents, arms cuffed with similar shackles you wore only days before.

You knew you couldn't leave, but with the tents within the centre of the camp, guarded by plenty of men who would rather receive praise from the man that captured them than to run away, left you hardly any idea of how to save them.

Looking down to your hand, you watched as the small gem in your hand glittered. The gorgeous blues and greens that scattered across the gem was a sight to behold, a treasure buried within the ravines.

That's when it hit you.

Despite hating it, you walked all the way back to the small opening of the cave you rose from, sinking into the depths of the systems once more while searching through multiple chests. Each one contained a little more of what you needed to free your friends, and this time, you'd make sure Malek knew just whom he was dealing with.

Once you gathered plenty of materials for what you needed, you began crafting. Much like the creepers that roamed freely around the world, you forged a rather explosive object that would most likely throw everyone off, keeping a few stacks on you to place around their camp. You also forged a rather lovely balanced iron sword that sat comfortably in your hand, the blade sharp enough to deal some incredible damage. It was time to show these pirates that that didn't belong on land like the blubber they were.

You had tossed the eye into the air and followed it out of the cave system, the little object your life saver and lantern in the dark. Had you not found it when you did, there was no doubt you would still be buried deep within the cave systems wallowing in your sadness.

The day had nearly been over when you emerged from the ravine, however you came out prepared to fight for the death. With iron armour placed around your chest and legs, although roughly made, would guarantee enough protection from any attack.

When the sun was just barley out of sight, you took that chance to place TNT along side the camp, making sure to hide them well between battles and bushes alike. The red of the explosives brushed away by the neutral greens and browns hiding the bright colour with the darkness of approaching night, leaving you to get more cocky and plant some closer to tents.

When you placed your final piece beside one of the main tents, you carefully pulled back one of the flaps of a tent and slipped in, hand immediately withdrawing your sword.

Fortunately, there wasn't a pirate to be seen.

Letting out a sigh, your sword remained out while you stalked around the tent, eyes landing on a small figure tucked in the corner of the space. You had to pull out the eye in your pocket to grant enough light in order to see just who was with you in the tent.

Shivering and cold, Puffy was wrapped within herself as she tried to conserve heat. The wool on most of her head had been roughly sheered off her, leaving small nicks and cuts along her skin due to the rough handling. The once long hair was now down just above her shoulders, the tips of her horns now adorned in copper caps as well.

Without thinking, you rested a hand on her shoulder, causing the sheep hybrid to flinch away and jerk her head up. Almost immediately her trembling stopped when she saw you, her face heating up with disbelief and joy. "(Y/n)? You're dead."

You wanted to laugh at her reaction, her hand slowly reaching out to graze your cheek. Your hand raised to meet her own, your warmth seeping into her cold body. "Not quite dead, at least I think so."

When your voice reached her ears, she leaped up and wrapped her arms around you, the fresh smell of bread forever latched onto her. It was hard for her to move when the chain around her hoof prevented her from moving from the spot, but it didn't stop her from letting a few of her tears roll down onto your shoulder.

"I was so scared- they took most of my wool, sold it off, and I- I-" She began shaking while explaining, her words fading into the quiet sobs of grief and anger you had been so familiar with. You knew what she had been through, having something as precious as your hair or a staple of your identity taken from you by the hands of those whom had done so with their family years ago. It was something that you never wanted to wish upon Puffy, but all you could do now was help her through such an experience and help her cope.

Wordlessly, you parted from Puffy's embrace and leaned down to her ankle, examining the shackle placed along her limb. It wasn't as intricate as the one you had once worn, the key hole designed for more keys than just a select one. With that information, you inserted the tip of your sword directly into the key hole, tilting the sword up and twisting just right to push all the locks back- successfully unlatching the shackle from Puffy.

The sheep hybrid stepped out of her temporary confinement while wiping off her red eyes, relief falling over her shoulders when she realized she was no longer stuck in the tent.

"Where's Fundy and Ranboo?" Puffy asked, her blue eyes sparkling in the darkness of the tent. Unlike Malek's eyes, the blue in her hues was much more calm and warm, like the crystal waters along the white sands of a beach- the sunlight scattering across the surface like gems. It was something that only she had, a will that couldn't be broken.

"They're in other tents." You explained, fumbling with the glowing eye in your hand. "You need to get away from here- I've rigged the camp with explosives that set off once I light a single one, and I personally don't want to see you, Fundy or Ranboo within the explosions."

"You can't just expect me to leave without you again!" Although strong, Puffy kept her voice to just above a whisper as to not alert any pirates.

"I'm not asking you too- but if there comes a time where the pirates have me, and I've already have my flint and steel ready, you have to take them and run, as fast as you can to the holy lands."

Although both of you hated such a possibility where you would really have to leave, there was no avoiding it. There was no way you were going to be safe one hundred percent during this process, for the pirates lingering around had sharp eyes after travelling on the sea for so long.

"Just, let me hug you one last time, ok?" She moved closer to you and wrapped her arms around you, nuzzling her face into your shoulder while relishing what could very much be the last time she sees you.

While nuzzling you, your hands grasped into the copper caps on her horns, knowing fully well what you were about to do. In one fluid motion, you yanked the caps off and quickly covered her mouth with your hand, letting her bite off the pain.

"You're a jerk." She managed to puff out, head still buried in your shoulder. The copper caps now sat on the ground, the painful ache along her head now gone after the removal. "But thank you."

You smiled at her words, edging her out of the tent and towards the edge of the camp. She would stay and wait for Fundy and Ranboo before leaving, or if you gave some kind of signal to start running.

Either way, this camp and it's pirates would be nothing more than a crater when you were done.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

You darted through multiple tents before finally stumbling across Fundy, who much like Puffy, was tucked away into the corner of the tent. Fortunately they hadn't done anything to him yet, such as cut off his tail for decoration, or use his fangs for jewelry. However his mouth was clamped shut with a metal muzzle preventing him from speaking.

When you found him, he had been sleeping, and waking him up proved to be a challenge. Unlike the nights you had spent with him, his snoring was completely gone, and his body had been tense as if expecting someone to attack him as he slept. You had been gentle with waking him up by softly whispering in his ears, gently petting behind him as you told him to stay calm.

"(Y/n)?" His voice was drowsy, but within seconds he was up and awake. The muzzle didn't allow him to open his mouth too much, and even then his speech was slurred when trying to comprehend you alive and somewhat well.

Panic rose in his eyes when you lifted your blade up to his face, carefully cutting off the leather straps that held the muzzle in place. When the metal made a dull thud while hitting the floor, Fundy opened his mouth to spew out multiple questions, but surprisingly he only asked one.

"What took you so long?"

You had been taken aback by the question. Surely he didn't know you were to escape the ravine, let alone rescue him from this predicament. Yet, the twitch of his ears let you know he wasn't joking with the question, finally standing from the ground and dusting himself off.

He must have noticed your confusion, for he was quick to explain. "I heard you and Puffy in the tent, but don't worry, it's just because of these." He pointed to his ears, which had been constantly pointing to different directions to noises you couldn't hear.

You mouthed an 'oh'. Taking the time to unlock the shackle also linked around his ankle, the same design used on Puffy's. Once released from the iron grip, you stood to face Fundy, who gave you a hearty smile.

"We still blowing these suckers up?" He asked, crossing his arms and looking around the bland tent. His orange tail was happily swishing side to side, disturbing the dirt by his feet.

Throwing the shackles along the ground, you readjusted the grip on your sword, noting a pair of footsteps passing by your tent. The quiet tension rose as both you waited for the sound to fade, listening for any sign to begin running. When the silence returned and you knew it was safe, you sighed. "You bet, I still have to get Ranboo though."

Fundy nodded, watching as you peeled your head out the tent. The moon was currently covered by a few spotted clouds, but you knew it was soon to rain. The dense tension in the air promised of a heavy storm, one that was made from the nearby sea.

The fox hybrid had no trouble in weaving between tents, easily finding Puffy with his expert hearing in the nearby bushes. The two gave you a nod before hiding themselves in the foliage, awaiting you to release your last friend.

Empty tent after tent, there had been no sight of Ranboo anywhere. You had even risked your neck when checking the Capitan's tent, slitting a tear into the fabric rather than peaking from the folds. The area was lit with torch light, a soft bed roll laid on the floor with a small box of golden accessories- telling you just how much you needed to know. With no sign of the Endermen hybrid, you chose to continue looking through the area, dodging a few men who were in much need of some fruit.

Just when you doubted your search, a flicker of the rather large bonfire caught your eye, nearly every pirate seated next to the light. The flames were fed by anything that could burn, causing greens and wet wood to spark up and sputter, leaving plumes of smoke to rise up.

And next to that? Ranboo, tied up to a pole and body limp.

An unexplainable rage soared through you, however your feet remained glued to the ground. The trees around the area had been cleared and chopped, leaving clear access to the sky- a door right to the incoming storm.

The distant lightning flashed around your eyes, a low rumble following seconds after. It as been a warning to those afraid of the water, to escape while they still could.

But with rope constraining his body, Ranboo had nowhere to go.

"This, men, is what happens to those who betray me after I so graciously save them- I pull you out of the trades, or away from the small towns that would soon burn anyways, and give you a role on my ship."

Malek placed his hand under Ranboo's jaw, stirring the hybrid awake. The captains grip tightened while lifting up your friends face, leaving his monochrome face in full view of all those watching.

You nearly bit a chunk of your lip off with how hard you had been biting it. The rage within you had began to bubble past your skin, leaning you forward without a plan.

"Today I will show you an Enderman's greatest fear- what causes them the most painful and beautiful death seen amongst the world." Releasing his grip on Ranboo, he took a step forward and gestured his arms out, a cocky smile stretched across his worn face. "I will show you what kind of pain traitors face with me."

As if on command, a rumble of thunder rolled through the forest, bring with it a few dribbles of rain. You felt the droplets land along your arms, trickling down to your hands. Ranboo, now awake and fully aware of what was happening, felt the first droplet of rain fall between his eyes- causing him to hiss with displeasure. The pirates around him laughed at the sight of such a natural occurrence in the Overworld effect him in such a painful way, their eyes catching onto the purple particles that floated off his body.

Each time another drop of rain landed on his skin, the laughter around him grew louder, allowing you to finally lose your mind. Within an instant you turned your body and flicked the flint across your sword, lighting the thick threat that would lead to all of the connected sticks of TNT you had generously left around the camp.

You didn't wait for the explosions to go off, rather you took off straight into Ranboo's direction, the male currently panting in hopes to contain the pain. The pirates took instant notice of your hand swinging your sword, the blade effectively slicing through the ropes that held your friend along the post.

"The rat!" Malek's voice was loud, and his hand reached to what you assumed to be his cutlass. He didn't have time to do anything after he saw the growing smirk on your face, watching as you clutched Ranboo's slump body closer and pressing your face into his shoulder.

His shouting was lost within the hundred sticks of TNT lighting the camp alight.

Bodies went flying, and the force had sent you and Ranboo a few feet back before settling into the now damp ground. You could feel small parts of dirt and other parts of people hit your skin, the rain quick to wipe away any crimson liquid spilling along the dirt.

You didn't waste any time- despite the ringing drowning out any other noise around you, the rain was still coming, and you could feel every twitch and hiss coming from Ranboo as it fell along his skin. Standing on your shaky legs, you helped Ranboo to his feet. At first you stumbled along the ground, avoiding the large craters created by the TNT placed around the camp. There was no sign of Fundy of Puffy, and by now you would have assumed they had fled the area in hopes to avoid the explosions.

"I can't-" Ranboo hissed harshly while the rain began to pound downwards, soaking his skin in mere seconds. Panicked, you leaned the hybrid along your shoulder for support, picking up the pace to find any type of shelter.

"You can Ranboo! Please, stay with me." You whimpered, feeling the heat across his once cool skin increase. It had been a defence his body put up, searing the water off his skin in hopes to protect his vitals, in turn it heated up his body temperature to something dangerous for an Endermen- and without the constant cool atmosphere of the End, there was nothing to keep the temperature down.

The rain seemed to only pour down harder, thunder rumbling as if laughing at you. At some point Ranboo had finally collapsed within your grasp, leaving you to practically drag him through the now damn soil. He had been tall- much taller than yourself, and dragging him was taxing your already sore and stiff body.

Ranboo's body was practically on fire at this point, burning your skin in return of the rains pain. A spark of hope flashed before you as lighting lit up the dark forest, eyes locking onto the dark cave ahead of you.

With a newfound strength, you moved along the ground and towards the cave, fixing your posture to hold Ranboo just a tad better. As soon as the endless pelting of the rain faded behind you, the caves cold and dry space welcoming you, you collapsed onto the stone. Careful to not let Ranboo experience anymore pain, you settled him carefully along the floor while your fingers fumbled with the eye in your pocket, noting how even through the explosions and falls, it reminded intact.

There hadn't been much time to gather your thoughts, collecting anything burnable within the contents of the cave and setting it ablaze with your flint and steel. The heat was welcomed to your cold hands, but you kept Ranboo far away with his increasing temperature. You had been careful as to take off any extra layers of clothing off yourself to dry, leaving you with just your blouse and pants. As for Ranboo, you hesitated, looking at how his face twisted with each twitch of his body. There had been no doubt he was in pain, and unlike the last time you had found him soaked to the bone, he had been exposed to the rain much longer.

Carefully, you began to peel back extra layers off his form, starting with his black jacket he had managed to snag, and his shoes that were sopping wet, leaving him in his dress shirt and pants.

The cold of the cave granted Ranboo just what he needed to fully dry off, the steam emitting from his body gently dispersing the higher it reached. With the rain still pouring down from outside, you could just barley make out the smoke from the explosions rising into the sky, a mark of just what you had been capable of.

After sitting by the fire to warm your fingers, you returned to care for Ranboo, whom was now sleeping in a calm and steady manner. No longer did his brow twitch in pain, nor did his breathing shudder, for the water had been taken care of, leaving behind fading scars along his skin.

But no matter how well he was now, it didn't stop your mind from recalling his pained screams from the rain. He had nearly died out there, the water stinging through his skin like acid, devouring his nerves and anything it touched. You only wished to have been able to rescue and hide him sooner, to prevent any of this from happening.

With the temporary safety of the storm, you gently nudged Ranboo's head along your lap, tangling your fingers in his hair. Perhaps if you couldn't prevent him from feeling pain in the rain, you could comfort him like he does for you.

With your fingers carding through his black and white hair, you leaned against the wall and closed your eyes, embracing the small pattering noise of the rain echoing throughout the cave.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

You had expected for the roaring thunder to rouse you from your sleep, or perhaps even an angry animal that decided to also make the cave it's home. What you weren't expecting was Ranboo to get up and begin walking without a word, straight towards the entrance of the cave.

Drowsiness clung to your eyes as you watched the hybrid come dangerously close to the still pouring rain, his skin inches away from the edge protecting him from the water. Immediately you spring up and grabbed his arm, yanking him back from the edge of the cave while shouting his name.

But when you looked into his eyes, you didn't see the Ranboo you had grown so fond of.

His eyes were the same colour of red and green, however he looked to be in a daze, eyes clouded over and foggy inside. His shoulders had been slumped over into a hunch while he plainly stared outside the cave, trying to move his body from your grip to return to the edge of the cave.

"Ranboo?" You asked, trying to prod him back into the real world. His stiff body felt strange under your hands as you gently let go of him, watching as he returned to stand still by the edge of the cave.

He was quiet, too quiet. Although he never did talk much before, having no response from him sent goosebumps down your spine- it was almost as if he was a different person, let alone himself.

Shaking your head, you decided to try everything in your power to make him return. You attempted to lead him away from the edge of the cave, rain still heavily pouring and blocking his way out. However each time he'd take a step back from the edge, his body would grow stiff and move to return to the same place he was before. A groan of frustration left your lips as you tried to push him away again, more forcefully than the last few attempts.

This time, instead of just moving back, his clouded eyes locked onto yours, his lips parting as if he was about to say something. What you didn't expect was an Endermen-like scream to rip from his throat.

The sound sent you tumbling back into the ground, watching as the hybrid shook his head and returned to face the rain, his entire body stiff.

Stunned, you got up again, trying some other way to awaken him from this sleep-walking state. Surely he wouldn't harm you in this state, you foolishly hoped. Just because he wouldn't hurt a fly normally, doesn't mean that in this....state, he would still be the same. Your hand griped onto his still tail, the tuff of fur on the end soft in your hand. Unfortunately, you mumbled an apology in hopes that he would forgive you even if he couldn't hear you; pulling on his tail and causing him to jerk back.

Immediately his head turned to you, his jaw unhinging like those Endermen did in the stories. It almost seemed as if he could fit your entire hand with just how wide it had been, purple particles violently flying up into the air between you.

"Ranboo! Wake up!" You didn't back away, despite the aggravated hybrid slowly approaching you. You still had his tail in your hand, leaving you with only a few steps of distance between the two of you. With each step he took closer, you would match him with a step back of your own, keeping your eyes locked onto his glowing ones.

His ears twitched at the loud volume of your voice, quickly snapping his jaw before opening it again- a warning to let go of him now or else. But you couldn't let him walk out into the rain within that state of mind, worry for him welling up before being pushed down by the sudden rush of fear. Your back had hit the stone wall of the cave, leaving you no more room to back away.

Dropping his tail, Ranboo kept walking towards you despite his tail being freed. Strange otherworldly noises shook through his body as he was practically leaning on you, his face mere inches from yours.

You could practically count the individual teeth lining his jaw, his cold breath fanning across his face while his clouded eyes bored into your soul. Despite the fear you should have felt for such a threat, somewhere deep down you knew he wouldn't hurt you.

You raised your hands to his face, slowly as to not possible startle him. Your fingertips had gently caressed the skin of his face while he froze, jaw slightly closing at the new approach you had been taking.

"Ranboo." You whispered, holding out your hand in front of his face. Your fingers folded until only your pinky reminded outstretched, the familiar symbol of a pinky promise hopefully seen by him somewhere in the haze he was in. "We promised to protect each other, remember?"

You dropped your hand back to the side of his face, leaning forward to press your forehead against his. You could feel the soft locks of his hair tickle your skin, the cool temperature of his body seeping the warmth from you- the sensation sending chills down your spine as you tried to reach him through a gentle stare.

"We made a pinky promise." You whispered, loud enough for only his ears to hear. His ears flickered at the gentle tone of your voice, clouded eyes looking into yours while you watched his jaw slowly close.

Ranboo's hands reached up to the sides of his face, cupping your hands with your own and hesitantly moving them away. In his still dazed state, you carefully watched him as he examined your hands as if entranced by the small details etched along your skin- wether it be small scars, scratches, or even a stray birthmark. He was memorizing you: trying to identify you as something precious to him.

When Ranboo let go of your hands, you noted how his pinky was interlaced with yours- a symbol of your promise made weeks ago.

"It's you." He whispered, gently parting from your touch. Breathless, you watched as his hands rose to rub his eyes, shaking his head once he took a few seconds to clear his mind.

When he opened his eyes again, they were clear, the green and red sparkle you had grown so fond of over the past several weeks finally breaking through the clouds over his eyes. The moment had you both stunned as you both took a moment to process just what was happening within the cave, the rain outside still pelting the ground.

"(Y/n)?" He mumbled, quickly rubbing his eyes once more to stare at your shocked face. Immediately you moved to dive into his chest, his arms not hesitating to wrap around you. A loud sigh of relief sounded from his mouth, his body melting against yours. "(Y/n), oh I'm so glad it's you."

Neither of you spoke for a while, just listening to each other's heartbeats pattering along with the rapid rhythm of the rain. The cave seemed warm compared to the coolness coming from Ranboo's skin, his chilled fingers playing with your hair with gentle smooth strokes- the simple gesture causing you to nuzzle further into his shoulder, holding onto him a little tighter as if he was going to fade away.

"Please don't leave me alone." Desperation laced to your voice as you clung onto his dress shirt just a tad bit tighter, as if he was about to fade away. Somehow, he held you even closer, using his hand to tilt your back to look at your face.

"I don't want to, not ever again." Staring into your eyes, be watched as your eyelids fluttered shut, fully allowing yourself to embrace his touch. Your back had been pressed against the cool wall of the cave- yet despite the cool bodies of stone and air, the warmth spread across your chest had practically melted away your icy nerves. You could feel his cold breath scatter across your face, his forehead pressing against yours- until a rumble of thunder shook the cave, causing you both to quickly part from each other.

With a now decent amount of space between you, your eyes quickly darted around the dark cave, anywhere other than his lips. Your back was still pressed against the wall of the cave, but the coolness was somewhat relieving with your burning temperature.

Ranboo cleared his throat again, darting his eyes to look at you for a brief moment before embarrassment took over once more. "I- Um, what happened?" He questioned.

"Oh-" You had forgotten about his state of mind just moments before. Moving around him to stand close to the dwindling fire, the glowing coals were pulsating with a fading heat, the smoke now long gone from the ceiling of the cave. Perhaps he couldn't recall anything from his sleepwalking state either. "Well, what do you last remember?"

Hesitating for just a moment, Ranboo dug through his memories as he tried to comprehend the patchy in-and-outs in his mind. "Explosions. Rain. I remember you untying my and leading me out of those explosions before I completely blanked out."

Nodding, you pieced together what to say. "I blew up the camp, thought they needed some payback after what they did to you guys. And dang, did they fly." You chuckled before continuing.

"The rain hasn't stopped since yesterday, and when you woke up a few moments ago...you weren't yourself."

The hybrid perked up at this, concerning lighting his features as he took a step back from you. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, you didn't. However you looked pretty scary when your jaw..." you motioned your hands to express your mouth unhinging. "Kinda went loopy."

Ranboo tilted his head at your strange words, opening his mouth as if to test what you meant. You had only heard of Endermen's jaws unhinging through the stories shared by those who had to fight them, their bites powerful and dangerous to those who found themselves locked around their teeth. But unlike before, Ranboo's jaw was seemingly human in comparison to earlier with those jagged teeth that seemingly vanished.

"Did I hurt you?" Although quiet, there was a noticeable shake of his body- he had been afraid. "Please tell me I didn't hurt you."

Your heart felt as if it had broken, and it only worsened when he pulled away from you when you tried to take his hands in yours. He flinched away from your touch as if he would burn you.

"You would never hurt me. I trust you." You quickly gathered his hands and placed them on your chest, letting his cold hands be warmed by your words. "I'll place my life in yours with how much a trust you, Ranboo."

There weren't any words shared after that, for both of you shared the mutual feeling of peace and respect for one another. In the end you somehow managed to sit against the cave wall with your head along his shoulder, both of you listening to the fading storm that finally left you.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

When the storm finally came to pass, you still didn't move. It was as if the two of you were in a lull just for yourselves, a place in time where only you two existed.

It had been midday when you had awoken, still leaning on Ranboo's shoulder. The pressure in your pocket seemed to grow heavier when you looked into his green and red eyes, so you pulled out the small orb, only to see it harshly glowing.

"An eye of Ender." He mumbled, carefully cupping his hands together. Ranboo watched as you carefully slid the eye into his hands, the surface of the orb glowing brighter at the contact of his skin.

"What does it do?" You questioned, also moving your hands to hold the now floating orb with him. "As far as I know, it's a good light source."

Ranboo, seemingly entranced by the item, grazed his fingers over the surface before pressing the item to your chest. You took it as a sign to slip it back into your pocket, the bright light still shining through the thin material of your pants.

The origins of such an object obviously had you curious, so when your best friend had mentioned seeing such an item before, even calling it by it's actually name, "The Eye of Ender" you knew he was aware of what it was really made for- not just a flashlight.

"This is the ticket to finding the End portal- I can finally figure out where I came from (y/n)!" You let out a yelp when his arms suddenly wrapped around your body, twirling you both around as a happy chuckle sounded around you. He only let your feet touch the floor after a few long twirls in the air, yet his arms didn't move from your embrace as he continued to stare into your eyes excitedly. "I can finally see what my 'home' looks like."

"Do you think I can come see it too?" You asked, your foot gently scraping the ground with the question. Ranboo nodded his head without hesitation, finally letting go of you to put on the clothing that had long since dried off. His dark suit hugged his slim figure well, his tail managing to slip out of a torn seam without much difficulty. It almost made you wonder how he got a shirt on with his horns-

"I promised I wouldn't leave you again, didn't I?" He chuckled, standing near the edge of the cave. It had been the same spot he stood by when he was in his 'Enderwalk' state; a complex state of mind he would occasionally find himself in when experiencing extreme emotions or fatigue, and in most cases a slap on the back of the head or a shout would bring him out of his daze. For some strange reason, even with you already using such similar methods and failing to wake him, he didn't wake up.

He explained that it must have been because of his emotional distress and pain that sent him deep into the Enderwalk state, a natural defence to protect his mind from psychological damage, that he needed a stronger tug of emotions to urge him out of his daze.

Despite this new knowledge, you didn't want to see him like that- like a wild animal ready to tear your arm apart when you got to close. Ranboo didn't want you to see him like that either, for his fear of hurting you in any way had clearly sent him under emotional distress.

When you managed to tie your boots on, your hands fumbled with the corset around your waist. The strings had been easier to reach without the heavy ache and burn of your bones protesting to the stretch, and you certainly hadn't been expecting a cold breath to fan along the back of your neck.

"Here, let me help you." He mumbled, fingers grazing your own before taking the lace. His hands carefully threaded the lace between the holes and tightened them, always making sure that you would be comfortable before finishing off with a neat little bow. "There, how is that?"

You turned your head as far as you could to look behind your shoulder, eye catching on to the bow evenly tied, a perfect fit for you.

"It's perfect, Ranboo, thank you." Humming, you picked up the single bag you had left since you joined Puffy and Fundy. You hadn't seen either of them since the explosion, seeing as they had run away as soon as they had seen you light the first stick of TNT. One could only hope to see them in the holy lands before you, their dream of building a new bakery hopefully to come true.

Once dressed, you turned to face Ranboo, who had buttoned up his dark suit, smoothing the material until it hugged his thin form. He lead the way through the parted trees of the forest, following the Ender Pearl each time he threw it.

"It follows the location of the nearest active End portal." Ranboo explained. "I can't believe after all this time, I get to see where I really come from."

His excitement was unmeasurable. With a small skip in his step and wide grin on his face, Ranboo happily threw the Pearl into the air for hours without break, insisting that you would be there before either of you knew it. You assumed that reaching the End realm was important to him, almost like a welcome to his birthplace. It made you wonder just how he ended up in the Overworld in the first place- and alone within the trades at that. He had mentioned stories of living with his adoptive mother until he wished to roam the earth in hopes of finding where he came from, and this Eye of Ender was the ticket to his homeland.

You walked for hours through the forest- the trees eventually parting and thinning until you were walking on the rolling green hills of the grasslands. The blades of grass tickled your ankles as you walked, your pants rolled up in hopes to cool down a smidge from the beating sun against your back. Even Ranboo had taken some sort of effect from the intense heat despite the coolness of his body.

You cursed when Ranboo threw the Eye of Ender once more, the small orb flying downwards instead of through the air- the glass pressing against the dirt. Immediately Ranboo picked up the eye and handed it to you to stuff in your pocket, staring at the ground where the Eye had so desperately tried to go towards.

"This is it-" The hybrid explained, fingers dragging across the dirt. "There should be a stronghold down here, not far from the surface."

As if to prove his point, Ranboo pressed his foot into the ground, watching as the dirt sunk under the lightest amount of pressure. Quickly, your hand found itself grabbing the back of his collar and pulling him away from the growing edge. Within seconds the ground crumbled apart, the edges of the dirt falling into the darkness of a gaping hole below. The ground had revealed the stone walls of a rather wide hall, the edges and corners overgrown with moss and dirt.

Ranboo hopped down into the hole first, offering his hand to you. You greatly took it, although it didn't really help- but it had been a kind gesture, especially since you didn't let go even as you began exploring the halls.

The Eye of Ender hadn't been your only source of light- for Ranboo's eyes had casted a soft glow that allowed you to see your hands in front of your face. Occasionally you would come across the rattling skeletons or the groaning zombies that persisted to be annoying even after they had died the first time.

It was nothing compared to the silverfish that oh so kindly decided to nip at your feet when you weren't looking, the small creatures burrowing back into the creases of the stone to hide. One had even decided to latch onto Ranboo's tail, causing him to yelp and quickly whip it off with a smooth motion, the hybrid mumbling curses at the small creatures.

The Eye would occasionally hesitate before continuing through the halls, and the sound of bubbling lava began to echo across the halls. The heat began to grow more intense as you neared the portal room, the stone of the walls beginning to be hot to the touch, leaving you to stray only on the middle of the path.

You heard it before you saw it. The portals wispy whispers echoing through the heat with alluring voices that didn't belong to this world, leaning you towards the sound like a siren. The voice gave you chills intense enough to chase away the heat, and as soon as you had stepped on the staircase, the cold energy emitting from the portal pushed away any lingering heat that dared lick your skin.

The edges of the portal had been lined with similar Eyes of Ender such as your own, emerald green frames shining against the light of the burning lava around it.

"This is it." You whispered, although unsure if this was really what you both had been looking for. There had been rumours that only those sent to the End Realm were allowed to enter, those with high status or affiliation with the realm even close to treading the pale rocky biome. It caused you to wonder what would happen if you entered this realm. As a human, you may not have been welcomed, whereas Ranboo could possibly pass with his Endermen blood.

"Wait-" you caught his shoulder before the leaned in too close, his eyes shining with an eager glimmer. When he looked back to you, his smile faltered when met with your worried face, stepping back from the portal to face you. "Ranboo."

"What's wrong?" The ghost of his fingers trailed up your arms, resting on your shoulders with a strange press of reassurance. Just his touch seemed to calm you down, his tail moving to curl around your body.

"I- I'm scared. I'm terrified that once we go through, it will be the last time I'll see you." You had worried that maybe he would want to stay there, tucked away in the End and leaving you to stray to the Holy lands alone. "Sorry, that must sound stupid."

"No, it's not. I understand that fear- I experienced it when you fell into that ravine. I thought you weren't coming back to me.

But I'm so glad you did."

Warmth spread through your chest instantly, the heat blooming along both your cheeks as you realized just how desperate you really felt. The two of you relied on each other for something more than just reassurance and safety, it was something you couldn't quite place.

"Whatever happens in this place, (y/n), I'll always make sure you're safe, no matter what. Do you trust me?"

A question you had been asking yourself since the day you first met him. Just weeks ago you swore to never trust anyone who dared show you kindness, the hardness and hopelessness of the ship ripping any hope of a friend away from you when shackled to the ground. Despite this, Ranboo had shown a kind fondness towards you the first time your eyes met in the trades, both of you in the same desperate situation that neither of you knew how to escape.

But throughout those terrific days of counting down your demise, Ranboo brought you food from his own rations- sacrificing his comfort for your life. He trusted you when climbing to the top of the ship and taking a tumble into the buildings, even going as so far to blindly trust you and stay with you after your escape. He never left you because he trusted you, and only now did you realize that you trusted him too.

"I trust you, Ranboo." It was the last thing you said before he wrapped his arms around you, the copper on the tips of his horns glimmering while you both jumped into the inky black of the portal.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

The coolness around your skin was numbing, causing even Ranboo, who was normally cooler than yourself, to become warm to the touch.

Being embraced by the portal was like floating through thick ink, your breath stolen as soon as you jumped. The only thing you could feel was Ranboo's embrace, his tail wrapped around your body and tickling your neck with the floof on the end. All noise seemed to stop as small white particles floated past you, harmlessly bouncing off your skin and moving upwards as you descended.

You finally took a breath of air when your feet touched the ground, inhaling a tad of Ranboo's scent. The both of you didn't move for a moment, his hands still tightly wrapped around your waist, chin resting on the top of your head while both allowing the strange sensation of the new realm to sink in.

The first thing you noticed was how warm Ranboo had been in this realm, and yet your body didn't feel any cooler than when you had been standing upon the entrance of the portal. Then, you had noticed the eerie quiet embracing everything around it, not a peep to be heard aside from your own heartbeat within your ears.

Hesitantly, you pushed out of Ranboo's embrace, eyes trailing over the area. You had landed on a small circular island of pale stone, a rather large bridge that extended into the dark sky that swallowed the light around you. The Eye of Ender in your pocket had long since stopped glowing once you had touched the portal, the orb nothing more than a decoration now.

The stone bridge, seemingly abandoned, showed no signs of life or an end. It didn't stop you from placing your foot on the beginning, watching as lanterns immediately rose from the darkness of the realm and lit up the path.

"State your name and business here in the End." A voice sounded behind you, causing a yelp to escape your lips as you spun around. Standing tall and proud had been one of the tall midnight beings of the End, crisp purple eyes intensely staring at both you and Ranboo- who admittedly was somewhat shorter than the pure Enderman.

He wore silver armour that sparkled against the stars scattered along the sky, sheer black fabrics hanging off his body in an elegant manor. For some reason, Ranboo stepped back to take your hand in his, making a point to intertwine your fingers together for safety. It didn't help that the Endermen was holding a rather long and slim sword, the creation similar to that of a needle- fast and dangerous to those who used it.

"We're Adrian's students undergoing training," Ranboo began muttering something that you didn't understand, hand inching to your pocket to retrieve the Eye of Ender. Once he held it out to the guard, he continued talking. "We were sent under the impression that his students were allowed to retrieve healing properties when he cannot."

"Adrian hm?" The guard pondered, his purple eyes shining with a hint of suspicion. "I didn't know he was taking along students, especially humans and halflings."

Swallowing his fear, Ranboo spoke more clearly this time. "He found the effects of his new creations to work differently with our circumstances, hence why he decided to train us. We won't be long sir, it's just for a few materials."

As if he had enough, the larger Enderman nodded, disarming his weapon to finally give you a proper greeting. He held his hand out to you first, his skin warm to the touch- strange.

"The name is Lance, guardian of the portal." He introduced, taking Ranboo's hand for a shake. "We haven't heard from the great Adrian in a long time, so be sure to tell him to send a letter some time soon, will you?"

Ranboo laughed, albeit nervously. You couldn't blame him though, for as far as you knew this Adrian, he had long since disappeared after attempting to help Ranboo many months ago.

The guard walked you across the bridge, the never-ending stone finally ending to a rather large floating island. Just like the legends had said, the large obsidian pillars towered over any living thing, yet if you looked closely, there had been crystals of pink sparkling above, strange symbols etched onto the surface.

"Our city is currently undergoing its festival tonight, so there will be quite a busy bustle in any of the streets you may come across." Lance had been more relaxed the closer he got to the city, proven by the amount of purple particles that had decreased around him. The mention of a festival peaked your interest.

"If I may ask, what are you celebrating for?"

"The defeat of the Ender Dragon, of course. About fifty years ago, the beast had been under control of this realm and of our kin. It terrorized anyone who could not make it out to the Overworld, until one day, a warrior from the Overworld ventured to our realm, slaying the dragon and storing its breath away into glass bottles." Lance spoke proudly in response to your question, his face stretched out into a smile as he talked about his origins. "They say the only remaining evidence of the dragon is the egg displayed along the podium."

Ranboo's ears perked at the Endermen's words, quickly rising his head to look around. You had begun to walk across some empty stalls prepped for the later hours, warm golden lanterns floating around the air as if gravity didn't exist. The few creatures you saw walking around were prepping delicious treats that wafted through the air, the smell of bread reminding you of Puffy and Fundy.

You had hoped they made it to the holy lands by now.

Just like Lance had said, there was a podium built high into the air for the dragon egg to sit on, the black shell shimmering with a purple light. Below the egg had been a void similar to that of the entrance of the portal, lanterns lighting the way down into the endless abyss.

"That, my friends, is the way back to the Overworld. Once you've collected your materials, just step on in and continue your merry way." The Enderman stopped walking, pressing his heel into the stone to turn himself. "This is where I leave you to return to my position. Feel free to stay for however long you need."

"Thank you Lance, we're very grateful to have met you." You chuckled, nudging Ranboo to say something. The hybrid nodded instead, his eyes locked onto the egg in a trance-like state. You ended up stepping on the edge of his shoe to break him away, his eyes flickering to you before nodding gratefully.

Lance didn't seem to notice, instead purple wisps curled around his skin as he prepared to teleport. "Enjoy your stay, you two." And with that, all that was left in his place was the common purple particles that took his place after teleporting.

Now alone, your squeezed Ranboo's hand with your own, turning to look at him with a giant smile on your face. "So, we made it."

Ranboo smiled with you, the same calming one he gave you that reminded you of the grassy green hills you had walked upon to find the portal. It was the same smile he gave when you had been chained to the bottom of the ship, the harsh marks nothing more than fading scars along your wrists. You could feel his fingertips trail the lines of said scars as if he was holding something fragile, his eyes softening with a look you couldn't explain.

"I'm so glad to have met you, (y/n)." As he said this, his hand moved down to intertwine with yours, his soft locks swaying in an invisible wind. "Thank you for coming with me on this journey."

"To be fair, I didn't have much of a choice. But I wouldn’t have it any other way." You laughed while giving his hands a squeeze, earning one in return. He let out a chuckle as you both took a moment to remember just how you met, chains linking you two together in the middle of the ocean.

You would have gotten closer to him- just to feel the warmth that emitted from his body. It was strange how the End realm made his once chilled body warm his skin, making him your now personal heater.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

Lance had been right when he mentioned the streets becoming busy. Whatever method of time they had used to keep track wasn't easy, and sure enough people began to trickle into the streets like the start of a rain. Endermen of different sizes stalked around the stalls of colours, their sheer black outfits replaced with colourful fabrics that rolled off their tall frames, flowing behind them as they walked.

Occasionally purple eyes would catch onto yours, sending a cool chill down your spine. The Endermen had a certain aura around them that screamed elegant, their tall statures looming over you with a silent threat of authority you didn't dare wish to oppose. You kept your eyes away from theirs as much as possible, however there had been some moments where your curiosity would get the best of you.

Your hand was clutching the cuff of Ranboo's jacket while you wandered the streets, taking note of the beautiful colours and joyful noises of happy traders. The scent of baked goods reminded you of the sheep and fox hybrids that you travelled with only days ago, already missing the constant singing from the two beautiful people. Hopefully they had made it to the holy lands- to fulfill their dreams of starting anew.

"(Y/n), look." Ranboo tugged you along to a rather hidden stall, jewelry of different kinds hung along the silver racks that sparkled in the lantern light. Gems and jewels glittered and sparkled much like that of Malek's coat, but instead of gold, the metal seemed much more pleasant and held a different presence around it.

The jewels and rings wasn't what Ranboo brought you to, his hand instead pointing to a rather gorgeous creation of forged silver, the shiny metal holding onto a flat stone set in the centre of the circlet. The gem had been one that reflected the colourful sky of the End, and upon closer inspection, it had seemed the stars were hidden within the endless sparkling colours.

"I see you have quite an eye for gems, young man." The owner of the stall, one who you didn't quite recognize as an Endermen, but instead you had been met with a man wearing a kings robe, his golden crown shimmering with the light.

"The name is Eret, a part-time jeweller who just so happens to stop by this time of year for the festival."

Holding out his hand, Ranboo was hesitant to meet his, reluctantly shaking the rather tall mans calloused hand. The jewels crested into his crown would shimmer and bring your eyes up to his face, however his sunglasses covered whatever secret laid behind them, leaving you to stare at his white smile.

"Ranboo, and this is (y/n)." Gesturing to you, Ranboo smiled as you gave a small awkward wave, his heart swelling when he saw your cheeks heat with an embarrassed flush.

"Well Ranboo, what can I get for you and your lover here?" Eret leaned over the ledge of his stall, the edges of his glasses just barley hiding what his behind them.

The hybrid stuttered, his hands going stiff to his sides while his face heated up, eyes darting anywhere they could. Aa for you, Eret's comment made you laugh, albeit a bit embarrassed yourself. "Sorry Eret, but we don't have any money to give you in exchange for such precious items in your collection. We were merely browsing."

The man dressed up as a king scoffed, pressing his glasses closer to his face- as if they could get any closer. His hands gestured over the many displays of glittering jewelry, his hands pausing over the silver circlet that had caught Ranboo's eye earlier. Gently, he plucked it off the stand and examined it, a sly grin growing on his face as he leaned over the counter to place the delicate creation atop your head.

"I have plenty of gems to share with those experiencing young love. Consider it as a gift from the End Realm- a treat after a long journey." The circlet sat perfectly along the crest of your head, the silver glittering along with your eyes whenever you moved. Ranboo's mouth slightly parted when he saw just how amazing you looked- even without the circlet he could feel his heart beating when you smiled.

"Thank you Eret-" You began, but said man cut you off with another small crown he had pulled from who knows where.

"Every queen needs his king, my friend." Avoiding his horns, Eret hesitated on placing the crown while eyeing the copper caps placed along Ranboo's horns. You could see a frown form on his face, displeased when he saw the branding of pirates. "I see you've have some scuffles in the Overworld with some pirates."

Despite the discomfort Eret showed, he shrugged his shoulders and placed the crown atop of Ranboo's head, the red and green gems shimmering along with the hybrids eyes. Proud with his work, a whistle sounded from the mans lips as he took a step back, staring at both of you with new and shiny head pieces that glimmered with the light of the starry sky.

"Are you really sure we can keep these?" Ranboo's fingertips gently pressed against the metal, feeling how cool the metal was against his skin. Eret only let out a laugh, his hand reaching out and ruffling a bit of Ranboo's hair.

"Just keep them and enjoy your stay, it's not everyday I get to see a young couple out and about in the End." His comment made the both of you stutter, however you didn't have a chance to retort before he spun you around and pressed a hand to your shoulder, urging you to walk away. "Now go have some fun! Why not climb one of the obsidian pillars?"

Even as you walked away, you could still hear his deep voice through the air, causing you to glance back and watch as he lowered his sun glasses and give you a wink with his pure white eyes.

How strange.

»»——⍟——««

You had taken Eret's advice and wandered close to a lit up obsidian pillar, a ladder stretching all the way to the top with a promise of something of worth at the end. Ranboo kept commenting on how well the crown looked atop your head, saying that 'the gems go well with your eyes.'

Your arms had had felt like jelly by the time you made it atop the obsidian tower, your back pressed to the floor as deep breaths escaped your mouth. You had been thankful for the chill of the End to cool you off after such a stretch, the little tickles of wind caressing your skin with its gentle touch.

So when you finally decided to rise from the floor, your eyes widened at the sight. Sitting dead centre of the floor, was a Crystal hovering above a platform, the gem spinning around as it bobbed up and down. Inside the Crystal had been a rather bright pink colour with strange markings depicting something you couldn't quite place, but the shimmer and glow of the crystal sent shivers down your spine. But that wasn't all, down below, had you looked across the floating island called the End, you could make out distant cities in the islands apart from the main island, homes of twists and turns glowing in the distance, separated by a large void of space.

But the thing that caught your eye the most, was the red and green eye staring at you, rather than anything else that held beauty.

"Ranboo?" Your voice was quiet, but he heard, he always listened to you. He answered with a tilt of his head, his little ears twitching at the sound of your soothing voice.

"You're really pretty, you know?" He mumbled, not quite focused on what he was saying. His eyes were seemingly in a trance, sparkling with an emotion you couldn't quite pin down. "Not just on the outside, but on the inside too."

You were curious, what was causing this sudden confession from him?

"Ranboo, what are you saying?"

"When I first saw you in the trade market, I was worried. Worried that we would never get along, and that I'd be stuck down in the ship forever. But you gave me hope that we could escape the ocean and the grasp of pirates, and instead have a life of our own-" he paused, warm hands grasping yours and intertwining your fingers together, holding you as if you had been the most precious thing. And you might as well have been to him. "I still want that, I still want to be with you even after we reach the end of what was to be our journey together."

His words overpowered the thumping in your chest, each sound escaping his lips settling deep within your heart. You hadn't even noticed just how fond you had been for this boy after mere weeks of being together, journeying through thick and thin and seeing each other through the best and worst parts of each other.

Words wouldn't dare leave your mouth, so you let your body guide you. Ranboo seemed to understand, for his tail curled around both your bodies before leaning closer to you, like he was protecting you.

The warm fan on his breath hit your face, lulling your eyes closed as you waited for him to make the final move. Your heart was pounding so fast you were afraid it would leap out of your throat, leaving you without the warming feeling Ranboo brought you.

Perhaps things would have been different had you never met him, you would be off the boat- but in the hands of another that preferred to keep iron shackles along your wrist. Now, you had traded those shackles for a crown, one that shimmered with the light coming along with freedom. But something always had to ruin any happy moment for you.

You could feel Ranboo pull away before you opened your eyes, an unexpected growl coming from his throat while you felt his tail wrap tighter around your back. The noise brought you out of your trance, opening your eyes to see Ranboo snarling at someone on the other side of the pillar.

Turning your head, the first thing you saw was the lack of gold that you had grown so used to seeing. A diamond cutlass dangled by their hand as they took a step closer, stopping only when Ranboo's eyes shone brighter, and growl growing stronger in a attempt to warn him.

"Malek." Ranboo cursed, taking a step closer to put you behind him. Your eyes darted around the area in hopes to find something to defend against the pirate, but to no avail, only the crystal stood atop here with you.

The explosion hadn't dared spare him, hot red wounds scattered alongside half his body, his jacket covering up most of the damage dealt. His face hadn't gone unscathed either, red flesh stretching over his cheek and nose, leaving his skin pink and mangled beyond healing.

The pirate took another step forward, causing you to grasp onto Ranboo's shoulder to keep him back. But to no avail, said hybrids eyes glossed over with the same trance-like haze he had been in only days ago, his jaw unhinging as he approached the pirate with otherworldly speed.

Malek was quick- almost as quick as Ranboo, and quickly jerked his arm away from what possibly could have been a painful bite. The hybrids jaws snapped shut for only a moment before readjusting and darting for him again, leaving no time for the pirate to consider his actions. In Ranboo's actions, you both had forgotten about the cutlass in Malek's hand, the blade glinting in the light as you could only watch it dig into the flesh of Ranboo's thigh, a scream erupting from his mouth while he collapsed from the pain.

Malek stood over the hybrids slumped form, pointing his blade awfully close to his neck in warning- if Ranboo so much as moved, he would be skewered.

"I took you from those trades and let you stay on my ship. I gave you shelter, food, a use in this world- and you go and betray me by choosing this rat over my loyalty." The pirate gestured over to you when he mentioned a rat, the malice in his voice only growing stronger when he saw you shift in your stance. You didn't dare move in fear that he would end the one you loved with nothing more than a needle for a sword.

The weight of the Eye of Ender grew heavier as you thought up of a plan, waiting for the pirate to mess with his actions just once. He didn't hesitate to laugh, a smirk growing on his stupid face. "And you- my ship, my men, all of them are gone because of your troublesome ways. I should have just thrown you over the ship once I had my fun with you."

"Don't speak to them like that!" Ranboo shouted, only for the blade to press just a tad bit more along the skin of his neck. It was hard, but you could see the dark liquid of blood trickle down his neck, sending a rage of emotions to flow through you.

"Why don't you say goodbye to this disgusting hybrid, (y/n)?" Your name in his mouth, the awful sound of it threw you over the edge. Within seconds you had the Eye of Ender in your hands, running to where Malek's sword could reach you. Just when you saw his blade move from Ranboo's neck to meet your approaching form, you turned and threw the Eye as hard as you could, letting the glass orb collide along with the crystal atop of the obsidian tower.

Much like the TNT, the explosion was one of great destruction, the mere force sending all three of you off the pillar. The wind whipped around you while the ringing in your ears prevented you from hearing anything, back burning from the heat of the explosion.

Aimlessly you flailed in the wind, feeling a pair of hands grasp your shoulders and turn you from watching your incoming demise. Instead you looked at Ranboo, who's copper caps had come loose and now shakily clung to his horns. The mere thought of his freedom now finally settling in made you smile, hands reaching to either side of his face.

There weren't any words shared, for you wouldn't be able to hear him anyways. Instead, you pulled his face closer to your own, leaving your lips to linger on his as you shared what could very much be your first, and last kiss.

You had expected the floor to hit you mere moments after that, however, the wind had stopped flying around you moments ago. Your feet had firmly been planted along solid ground, not a trace of your fall mere seconds ago showing. Parting from Ranboo, you noticed the purple particles licking yours, and Ranboo's skin- leaving you with only one conclusion.

He had teleported.

And just in the nick of time, for you could hear a dull thumb sound behind you, proving that Malek at too, fallen with you. However he wasn't spared with the ability to teleport, leaving him a pile of broken bones along the pale stone of the End.

"Ranboo-" You breathed, looking to see how his horns no longer held any confinement, leaving the sharp tips now exposed. His eyes had been glimmering as his eyes scanned over you, an excited smile growing as his hands found your waist. "You did it! You teleported?"

"That's what you're excited about?" He chuckled, leaning his head closer to you. "I'm more excited about the face that I kissed you."

His words sent your cheeks ablaze, but that didn't stop you from smiling when you felt his hand behind your head, pulling you in for another kiss. This time, without the rush of death or adrenaline, just you, and him.

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

Of course, people would have heard the large explosion of an End crystal, nearly half the Realm rushing over to check on just what caused the noise. Endermen of all sizes gawked with the loss of such a historical crystal, but when they laid eyes on their bleeding brethren, they could only assume the worst.

Debris still fell from the top of the pillar, chunks of obsidian crushing into the dirt below. You could still feel Ranboo's hand clutch your hip, however it had faltered when his leg buckled and ended up pressing all of his weight onto you, nearly knocking you off your feet.

Ranboo's leg had been cut badly, the flesh of his leg cleanly sliced by the diamond cutlass once belonging to Malek. Inky black blood poured past the torn fabrics of his clothes, and his warm breath shook along your chest.

"(Y-y/n)" he stumbled on his words, brow furrowing in pain whilst he gripped onto you for support. You had been quick to hook your arms around his chest, gently laying him on the ground in hopes to relive some of the pain. Black blood oozed past his clothes and onto the floor, the liquid reflecting the starry night sky.

"Stay with me." He whispered, however you knew you had to find help, only hoping that he would still be conscious when you returned. His hand- which was now cold, lifted to your cheek, his eyes slowly dimming while his teeth clenched with the pain. "Please."

His plea nearly broke your heart, but it send your body into a flurry of motion. Despite wanting to stay with him at that moment, you would rather have him receive the help he needed to spend countless days with you once he healed, rather than this being his final moment with you. The hybrid released a pained groan as he watched you disappear into the cluster of Endermen, looking for one person you knew could help.

And you found him quite easily in his colourful clothing, his sunglasses shimmering while his head moved up to see you- running desperately towards him. You watched as his brow furrowed in confusion before leaping over the counter of his stall, jogging to meet you halfway in the street.

"(Y/n)?" He questioned, taking a quick look atop the distant obsidian pillars. "Where's Ranboo."

Out of breath, you pointed your hand back from where you had been running from, Eret nodding before grabbing your wrist and forcing you to run with him.

Your legs felt like they were soon to fall off.

But that didn't matter in the moment, for when you returned to Ranboo, a small gathering of Endermen surrounded him, muttering with worry, but not aiding in any way. The sight made you frown- sure he was only half Endermen, but they should still care for him like any living being and try and help him in keeping his life.

Pushing past the cluster of people, you and Eret stood over Ranboo's shaking body, his eyes just barley opening once more to look at you. Immediately you took his cold hand in your own, giving Eret a pleading look for aid.

"This is bad." You heard him mutter, his pure white eyes shining through his dark sunglasses. His words caused your heart to sink while you clutched Ranboo's hand harder, as if you could keep him with you if you held just a tad tighter.

Eret's hand dove into his cape, pulling out a rather bright pink potion hidden away from sight. The cap was quickly removed and Eret squeezed Ranboo's mouth open, making sure the hybrid was conscious before slowly feeding him the contents by pouring it directly into his mouth.

Ranboo drank as much as he could before he began sputtering, choking on the contents and gasping for air. His hand clutched your own, a blazing warmth rippling through him as the healing potion worked its way through his body. His eyes flickered a tad bit brighter as they slid over to you, watching while you pressed a kiss to his knuckles with a reassuring smile.

When the blood stopped flowing from Ranboo's flesh, Eret sighed, sitting back on his knees while a relieved smile spread across his face. "He'll make it."

Those words sent a joyful cheer through the crowd, and your heart.

»»——⍟——««

It wasn't easy explaining what had caused the explosion, especially when Lance, the guardian of the portal, had come with countless questions.

Most had been answered with the sight of Malek's corpse now flattened along the End stone.

It had been a good look for him.

It had appeared that most of his riches had been stolen from the abandoned ships in the End realm, running away to the sea where Endermen could not reach him to show him to his punishment. Now to those treasures sat at the bottom of the sea, challenging those whom dare wish to brush such riches to dive down into the dark depths of the ocean.

As for Malek, his corpse was easily disposed of along the endless sparkling void that surrounded the islands, Lance reassuring you that something would eat the corpse. The only question you didn't as what what was within the void. Perhaps it was for the best.

Ranboo had fully recovered within a day, spending that time in Eret's cot. The colourful blankets kept his cold body warm within the cool air of the End, your hand always wrapped around his in a hope to comfort him throughout the pain. When the gentle lantern light woke him up, the festival had long been over, leaving the streets of the End city to return to its normal chatter and quiet atmosphere that had been so common in many stories.

Had it not been for Eret's potions, Ranboo would have been as cold and stiff as the End realm itself. Endermen anatomy worked differently than humans, leaving their most precious vitals in an easier reach due to their ability to teleport. The wound had easily cut through one of his most important arteries trailing along his leg, and had Eret not come when he did, your lover would have bled out within minutes.

So there you sat in silence, Eret gone with the intent to pack up his wares and leave as soon as you had been ready. You didn't know how, but the man had somehow taken all his items and stashed them in a blue chest that he liked to call an Ender chest, something you had never seen before.

That left you holding Ranboo's hand as he woke, his green and red eye fluttering open to the sight of your smiling face. Relief washed through your limbs as you finally let yourself collapse onto his chest, his hand coming up to thread through your soft hair in hopes to comfort you. He wouldn't admit it, but while he had been asleep, he could feel your warmth with him every second.

He knew the love he had for you would always be stored away within his heart.

Eret had checked to make sure Ranboo was fit for travel, preparing you both bags containing the most necessary items needed for passing the final stretch of land until you reached your goal- the lands owned by the free hand of a masked man known to you as the holy lands.

Eret saw you off by the edge of the portal, giving you one final farewell and a charming smile that you had grown to adore. The teleporting back was nothing short of a roller coaster, the jump within the inky darkness of the portal churning your stomach and nearly causing you to lose the contents of your breakfast.

Taking the directed path Eret had so kindly directed you to take, your eyes trailed along the edges of your path, noting how with each step the dirt would look less worn, and small plants would sprout from the dirt, quickly overtaking the worn path. The sun was beginning to tuck away behind the trees, but you had been following a trail of torch light by the time the darkness settled. The path was gently lit with the light of warm fire tucked into glass lanterns, leading your way to stumble across the final stretch of your journey.

Eret had told you of a friend of his that would help you during nightfall, a kind woman whom he said had a heart of gold, a motherly person who would gladly give you a place to stay.

Ranboo's fingers intertwined with yours while you stepped up on the porch, knocking gently with his free hand to hopefully receive an answer. Both of you didn't have to wait long before you heard shuffling on the other side of the door, the sounds of locks clicking muffling from the other side.

The door opened to reveal a female Piglin- her soft features overlooking your own while a warm smile spread across her face. You noted how her tusks shone pearly white in the light, bringing out a shine to her beautiful eyes surrounded by a smile.

"Hello there young ones....are you lost?" Her voice was smooth, like a warm drink on a cold winter day. Her eyes looked over to Ranboo, who's hand was still intertwined with yours, tail curled around you protectively. "Ranboo..."

Almost immediately your heart melted by the tender way her hand lead you inside, filling both Ranboo and your bellies with a warm meal already made. Her tender eyes lead you to melt within the warm embrace of her home, Ranboo's touch the only thing from keeping you from collapsing into a long sleep. Your body ached from the events of the past hours, from falling and teleporting- all the new sensations left your legs like that of lead.

When you finished your meal,

"We're hoping to reach the city by midday tomorrow- and our friend Eret had mentioned that you would be willing to help us for a bit." You explained, watching as Ranboo shuffled in his seat. This woman knew whom Ranboo was, how, you didn't know, but you didn't dare ask.

"Can you help us, Clara?"

The female Piglin nodded, her rosy cheeks sending a sparkle in her eye. "Aye, I can help ya darlings. Anything for an old friend."

A small creak from across the room caught everyone's attention, causing everyone's head to spin around to spot a small figure hiding behind a partially open door. There, behind the door, stood a young Piglin child with soft pink curls that bounced around her face, warm brown eyes mixed with gold staring up at you with the most curious glint in her look.

"Mama?" Her voice was quiet, as if she was hiding away from the questioning looks you and Ranboo were giving her. Immediately you smiled, giving a small wave to the small Piglin child.

Clara was quick to respond, turning to face her child and gesture for them to come closer. Immediately her arms were filled with the small ball of pink that happily nuzzled into her chest, carefully eyeing both you and Ranboo with a child-like suspicion.

"This is my darling daughter, Amber," the small child gave a wave, Ranboo quickly returning it with a wave of his own. After she introduced the two of you, a small frown appeared on Clara's face, "and you should be in bed, young Piglin."

"I heard you talking with someone, and wanted to see who was here." She explained, breaking out into a big smile. "And they're very pretty."

That's it, if anything happened to that child, you would shoot everyone in the room and then yourself.

Gushing over the small child's words, you felt a smile spread across your cheeks, followed by an exhausted yawn afterwards. Clara was quick to take notice, setting Amber down and gesturing to both Ranboo and you.

"Come, I have beds waiting for you both."

»»——⍟——««

Chapter Text

Awoken by the soft singing of late summer birdsong, your bedsheets had been tossed aside by your late night shuffling, leaving you to smooth out the sheets once you awoke. The sun had just balanced itself atop the mountains and brought along a cool breeze from the snowy caps, leaving a fresh smell to pass your open window.

You had changed into a fresh pair of clothing brought to you by Clara, who insisted she wash your old clothing and mend the damage caused by weeks of travelling. Her kindness was not unwelcome, and to have such a sweet soul brought up from hard work be such a blessing in your journey to betterment.

Your feet wandered down the halls silently, a trick you had learned after years of needed stealth to keep away from pirates. It kept you away from their capture for years, and now the movement stuck with you like muscle memory.

Clara was in the kitchen, a wonderful smell of cooked food coming from her pots and pans carefully arranged on her stove. Expertly her hands tossed and turned the contents inside, her ears peeking up when she heard the smallest creak emit from a board you had stepped on. Immediately she stopped what she was doing, setting the pots down and turning down the heat before turning to you and glancing at the outfit she had given you to wear.

"My dear, good morning. Did you sleep alright?" She asked while pulling out a chair at the nearby table. You let out a quiet thanks before sitting, turning your body to face her.

"I slept wonderfully last night, thank you. I appreciate the clothing too, but may I ask where Ranboo has gone? He wasn't in his room."

Clara turned back to her cooking, letting out a small sigh before dishing up some of the heavenly food onto your plate. Her reaction worried you though- had Ranboo left without a word? After all you had been through together?

"He left, dearie." Her words struck you with a cold grasp around your chest, truth squeezing it to shorten your breath. Clara must have noticed, because she was quick to place the plate down in front of you and set a warm hand on your shoulder. "However, he told me that he will be back in a few days time. Ranboo is a loyal one, said he wanted to get you something in return for all you have done for him."

The cold grasp around your chest heated, releasing you and sending relief to flood through your breaths. He didn't abandon you- at least, you hoped.

"His eyes sparkled when he talked about you, (y/n), and I've only seen that kind of sparkle when someone is deeply in love."

»»——⍟——««

Like Clara had said, days passed without signs of Ranboo. It worried you to not leave and search for the Enderman who you gave your heart, the fear of him being found, captured, and stolen from you only making your anxiety worse. However, Clara had a magic to her calm words, constantly coaxing you to stay and rest within her home, promising you that all would be well.

And you listened. For those days you would stay and help around the house, keeping a close eye on Clara's daughter Amber when the mother took some much well deserved time to rest. Her child was a bundle of energy with a colourful imagination- making up stories that sounded straight out of a fairytail- but perhaps that was the charm of having a young imagination.

When you remained the only person awake late at night, you would sit by the window and watch the forest outside, waiting for a familiar glow of green and red to appear through the shadows, but all you saw was the occasional flash of yellow from the fireflies.

One particular late summer night when Clara found you awaiting your lover with the same solemn expression you wore alone.

"My dear," she started, gathering your face in her hands and pouring her warmth into your cold skin. For a Piglin she was always warm, much like the place she was birthed, but it never burned your skin unlike the rumours spoke, instead it brought warmth through your entire being. "I have a gift for you, something I've been working on for the short while you've been here."

Without another word, you followed the kind woman to a room you've never explored, eyeing the different materials that lay neatly together on multiple shelves along the room. Strings and threads all wound up and separated into colours, fabrics and silk hung like tapestries to decorate the already colourful room. Peering over Clara's shoulder, that's when you saw it.

An outfit of what you would wear to a Ball, had you lived in the times where masquerades and parties as lavish as the ones told by fairytales- something seemingly made out from magic that looked tailored to your body. The fabric was made out of a shimmering blue and faded black, almost the same contrast as the night sky. Speckles of light caught your eye like the stars that shimmered within the black waters of night, causing the creation to look like it was made from the heavens itself.

"It's something I want you to have, dear. After Ranboo had told me of all the struggles you have both been through, this was the least I could do to give you as a gift for all your hard work." Gently, her hands lifted the flowing dress she had worked so hard on, passing the creation to you, a guest that she had so kindly allowed to stay in her home. "It's a gift, for a friend. For you."

"Besides, it was nice to get back in here and craft another dress. I haven't made one since I retired from the castle in the Nether." Her words settled along with the dress placed in your arms, the cool fabric causing you to feel the heat on your cheeks from the sheer joy you got from the gift. Carefully you set the dress down on a nearby table and wrapped your arms around Clara, inhaling the soft cinnamon scent. Her arms were quick to settle around your body in return, a light chuckle coming from her.

"Thank you Clara," you let her go and gathered up the dress in your arms, eager to try it on as soon as you could. "For everything you have done for Ranboo and I. You're one of the dearest friends I could have ever asked for."

"Now now child, don't thank me yet- wear the dress to dinner tonight and show me how it sparkles on you." She seemed to be as excited as you, waiting to see how her work looked along your frame.

Nodding, you hesitantly parted ways with Clara to your temporary room, overlooking the dress one more time in awe while you twirled it around. Dinner was soon to be ready, possibly in an hour, and that would give you enough time to dress yourself and prepare anything needed for your appearance.

So there in that room, you put on the dress and admired how the fabrics and details glittered in the golden candle light, the dark blue and black fading into a beautifully decorated hem made especially by a masters hand. Each stitch was made with love and care, and your heart clenched when the thought of showing Ranboo the wonderful gift. The moon in the window glimmered with promise of great things that night, and your smile would not leave your face with the thought of showing your lover the beautiful creation.

However, all your thoughts stopped when a flash of green and red caught the corner of your eye.

»»——⍟——««

The metal was warm from sitting in his hands for so long.

Fiddling with the object in his hand, Ranboo felt his heart squeeze when Clara's house came into view, seeing the small candle glow in the room you stayed in. A question burning in his heart nearly sent him running when he realized it was nearly time to finally face your answer- and whether the last few months shared with each other could lead into years, if not decades more together.

So when Ranboo saw you approaching him in the silver moonlight, he froze.

Your outfit was something out of a fairytail- blue and black silk with glimmers like stars scattering your body. The moonlight bounced off your skin and made you glow in his eyes, and Ranboo could feel the heat on his cheeks grow more intense with each step you took.

Quickly slipping the precious metal into his pocket, he took one step closer, but you weren't close enough, so he took another- heart leading him on.

One step after another, he went faster, nearly breaking into a full-sprint when his body crashed into yours. His arms were quick to wrap around you he spun you around, pressing his forehead to yours while you both just enjoyed the feeling of the spring air gently dance around you. A warmth spread throughout your chest as you finally felt his embrace once again. His name was coming out in whispers from your mouth, happy to once again see him.

Gently, you brought up your hand, brushing some hair from Ranboo's black and white face. His smile grew- if it could get any wider than it was already- and leaned down to nuzzle your nose with his, humming happily as his tail made its way to wrap around you like it had many times before.

"My beloved," you started, gazing into his colourful eyes, "you better be telling me about this journey you went on without me."

"I missed you." He started, eyes staring down to you with that glow you missed so much. He laughed, a sound you never knew you missed so dearly until that moment, while he lightly pressed a kiss onto your forehead.  In that moment, he stepped away from your embrace, having his arm trail down from your arm to your hand, lightly telling you to follow him. Without a word- you let him lead you, for you trusted him to lead you out of a pirate-filled ship with your life.

The forest was bustling with life, for spring was in full-swing, and the beauty was at its peak. Glowing blue moss covered the trees and rocks while small fireflies danced around your head, flashing with excitement as they flew around you. Where Ranboo was taking you, you did not know- but you didn't ask for wherever he went now, you knew you were going to be by his side.

The fabric on your body gave your skin kisses of the night around you, a cold breeze swinging by and causing your hand to tighten a little more around Ranboo's, to which he squeezed your hand and brought you a little closer to him. His hand moved to part an inconvenient branch blocking the way he needed past, revealing a sight that left you breathless.

Ahead of you, a pool of crystal clear water lay with the moonlight dancing across the calm ripples of the surface. In the bottom of the pool, the same glowing blue moss along the bark of the trees sat, showing you just how clear the water was. The stars and moon above twinkled like they were asking you to dance under the light, and you could've have sworn that when you pulled Ranboo in and began swaying his body with yours, the stars shown a little brighter.

"(Y/n)," he began in almost a whisper, placing his one hand on your waist while the other came up to hold your face in his embrace. You couldn't help but lean into his touch as he continued to sway you, leading you into a gentle dance lead by your hearts. "I'm sorry for making you wait so long for me, but from now on I can promise you that I won't be leaving your side any longer"

You watched as he took a step back from you and reached into his pocket, pulling out a vial of what looked like glitter. Strangely, he poured out the content and threw it into the air, the glimmering particles landing on both of you. It left nothing but a small flicker of light on your skin, much like glitter.

"May I have this dance, my beloved?" His hand was outstretched towards you in an invitation, colourful eyes longingly watching for your reaction.

You placed your hand into his, a gentle smile on your face as you felt the admiration in your heart soar. "I'll dance with you until the night ends."

With the quiet noise of the night your only music, you followed Ranboo's lead as he begun to sway you. Gentle rhythmic steps closer to the waters edge, placing a hand on your waist and pulling you in closer to him. You had to take a moment from looking at his face to your feet, where you noticed Ranboo had carefully lead you to the surface of the water. You were about to stop him from accidentally stepping into the pond when you noticed his shoe didn't sink.

You were dancing on water.

"The potion was one specially crafted by my friend Techno. A potion where we could both walk on water freely until the sun comes up." You we're not both in the centre of the pond, little ripples moving away from where you took each step. You didn't stop dancing with Ranboo, not once.

"That's amazing" You let out a small giggle, watching as some bioluminescent fish from below swam under both you and your lover.

"Ranboo," you started. "I have something to tell you."

You didn't stop dancing, but he slowed the pace to a gentle sway to listen to you. His eyes never left yours, fully keen on hearing what you had to say.

"I've been having these dreams lately, about the future." You felt your cheeks heat up. "I always see you there, living in our own home and watching the seasons change. I want that to be real. I want you in my future, Ranboo."

"Oh darling." He pulled you into his body, placing his chin down on your shoulder. Oh how you had missed him, his warmth, his everything. "I wish for that future too, one with you in it."

He parted from your embrace, and you watched as he dug into his pocket to pull something out. You didn't get a clear glance at it before he took your hand and brought it to his face to kiss your knuckles.

"No matter where we go, I wish for you to be my home, my lover, and my (y/n). I want to be yours forever, and live so many stories with you. So please,say you'll marry me? If not now, in the future?"

"I'll marry you Ranboo." Your reply was filled with glossy eyes and a wide smile on your face. You watched as he lowered your hand and slipped the ring on your finger, a lovely gold band and a colourful gem on top that shimmered all the most beautiful colours you could imagine. That's where he had gone, to find you such a beautiful ring that could only be made by visiting the three realms.

You pulled him in close to your face, taking a moment to pause and look into his eyes. This was the one you had fallen for, and you would do it over and over in any lifetime had it been with him. Without anymore hesitation you kissed him, hands entangling in his soft hair while his arms wrapped around you.

"I love you, my beloved."

»»——⍟——««