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Ranboo’s entire week had been difficult. The wheat farm broke, the water accidentally freezing over and the dispenser stopped working. His favourite tie had a tear in it because of some stone he had to move around while mining. Drip Llama started to eat the sugar cane he was growing for books-not to mention how busy everyone was the past month. No one had time to talk or play, everyone was busy doing boring things for boring reasons. No one was a regressor, the server was just all big people doing big-grown up things!
To put it in better words, Ranboo hadn’t found a reason to regress in a month. Ranboo had the strange need to put a reason to whatever he was doing, if he wasn’t productive, he was being lazy. He could normally find someone wanting to have fun, but his communicator stayed empty no matter how many times he’d refresh it.
Today was looking up for him! The sky was only a little cloudy, Enderpearl was right by his side as he walked outside, and it was his turn to do some cleaning up on the server! Tending to gardens, feeding pets, leaving extra communicator batteries around spawn, and hopefully getting to see others on the server!
Most people were off with their friends, he had been told, it was a rest week for the server after all. The idea that no one wanted to hang out with him on a relaxing day was so sad to him. Ranboo loved playing! He loved hanging out with others and having fun, that’s what made him look forward to the end of every two months.
No, he had to stop being so petty! He wasn’t a kid, he was being whiney for no reason, sometimes people just want to hang out with others! He was just immature, Ranboo left the thought behind as he got up from his bed.
He got dressed, opting to ignore the pang in his chest when he skipped over the large shirt and soft sweatpants. Ranboo’s eyes drifted to the small red, yellow, and blue box under his bed as he got his shoes on. He wanted to see his stuffies again, he wanted to colour something, but he needed to be a big kid today.
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Ranboo let his suit jacket drape off his shoulders, leaning down to lay steak for some dogs by the Prime Path. It was fairly cold for the central SMP, but he chose to ignore it. Ranboo likes to walk up and down the path in his free time, leading himself to different adventures around the server and finding things left behind by others scattered on the ground.
The wind was picking up, he moved his search of dogs over near the Nether portal. He saw a few by the cat café, looking as if they were waiting for him! Ranboo quickly ran over, kneeling down and putting bits of steak and a small water bowl by them. He ran his clawed hands in the soft fur of the dogs, laughing as they yawn and letting them nudge his hand to pet them more.
Potion bottles full of water weighed in his hands, emptying them into the dishes. Adding drops of regenerations into them, watching as the dogs drank the water and barked happily at him.
In the reflection of the bowl, Ranboo sees how his suit fits on him, how his hair’s part seems to be uneven and messy. He got up quickly, picking up the now empty bowls and waving goodbye to the dogs.
He dried the bowls of any water, holding them out to look for any remaining spots of-
Drip.
Drop.
“Oh god-Don’t tell me I forgot!” Rain?
Drop.
Drip.
Ranboo lifted his suit jacket over his head, running over to the tree farm. He threw himself down under a spruce tree, folding his legs up to his chest and pulling his jacket to fully cover his head and knees. The rain hitting the leaves made his stomach turn, and Ranboo needed out.
He pulled out his communicator, hands moving fast and uneasy. Ranboo hated feeling weak, and admitting it to everyone seems like too much.
He felt like a child. Asking for someone to pick him up, help him, comfort him, love him, care for him. He needed someone to help him, but wanting love was selfish. But, how was he supposed to not? It was a hard day, he deserved it.
<Ranboo> cna someone plese coem tot he tree farm by th e netherpo rtal
<Ranboo> i fotgot it wa s supposed to raim today
Maybe a nap would be okay! He could sleep off the rain again, and he would be okay. Miss Enderpearl isn’t there, but he’s sure she’s safe too! He balled his jacket up, setting it under his head. Pulling his knees to his chest, he started to drift off to the rain hitting the cobblestone in front of him.
Ranboo heard footsteps, his ears twitching slightly, he turned away. “Ranboo? I’m here, it’s Phil. You live with me and Techno in the Arctic area, I’m gonna take you there okay? Not here to hurt you, I’ll just pick you up, okay?” Phil hooked an arm under him, another loosely on his neck. He cradled him, using his wings to block out the rain. As he walked, Ranboo found comfort in the bouncing motion.
‘Being held like a baby’ His brain unhelpfully reminded him. Thanks brain, it’s not like this is making him drop any faster, no sir!
He curled into the older’s chest, hiding his face in comfort. “Oh, Ranboo… It’s okay, I’m not gonna let you get hurt. Take a nap if you need, it’s quite boring if you take my word for it. You’ve been brave enough today, go on now.” He felt a hand on his back start to hold him a little tighter, tracing letters in Galactic that he was too tired to focus on. Babbling away his hurt and worry, he fell asleep.
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Waking up in littlespace, he rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. White concrete and spruce wood surrounded him, his suit still on him. No one was around, but it wasn’t his house either. He heard the ladder behind him creak, as a man clad in green hopped up, with some clothes in his hand.
“Ranboo! You sent a message in comms about getting stuck in the rain, so I came over to where you said - the tree farm - and walked you to our area! You fell asleep on the way, so I hope it’s okay that I put you in my nest to sleep!” Phil sat on the edge of the-nest? The pile of soft and lightly coloured wool blankets wrapped around him, pillows encased him, and a weighted blanket laid over Ranboo. “Do you need me for anything?”
Babbles fell out his mouth, too tired and small to be embarrassed about it. His hands pulled at his suit tie, pointing at it and looking back at Phil to try to send a message.
“Can you not take off your tie?”
“Mmh! Help ple’se!”
The older giggled, shifting his whole body to face the ender hybrid. “Thank you for asking nicely! Should have known you were way too small for that, my apologies!”
‘Wait, how’d he...know?’
Phil quickly got it off him, moving to get small twigs out of his hair as well. “Maybe I could get you a change of clothes while I’m at it right? I'm not leaving for forever, I'll be right back before you can count to 30. Promise!" He held out his pinky finger, Ranboo linking his finger, and giggled. Phil ruffled his hair a little, before turning his back and going back down the ladder.
How did he know about that? He crawled over to a darker blue blanket, wrapping it around his shoulders and falling over onto a pillow. ‘ He didn’t tell anyone! No one else was like him, there weren’t any secret babies on the SMP right?’ Ranboo brought a finger to his mouth, biting lightly. He didn’t have his teether, or his paci, or his toys, or his stuffies, or anything!
‘And Phil left him. Alone, and who knew when he’d be coming back.’
He started to cry, whining and kicking his feet. His shirt was too fancy for him, the buttons and collar growing to be too much for the baby. Ranboo was used to being alone when he was little. He’d been too scared to tell anyone at all, so he would be quiet when he played. Quietly picking flowers and making crowns for his stuffies as everyone else was too busy doing whatever else there was to do.
His hands tried to pick at the buttons, balling into fists when he couldn’t grip right. Ranboo put his head in the pillow below him, tucking his knees up to his chest and sniffling to himself.
No one wanted to play with him! He was alone, whispering little half words into a cotton plush, banging his feet against the walls of the nest.
Ranboo always was stuck in a suit when he regressed, since his hands would be so weak to grip the cotton of his dress shirt. He felt horrible when he couldn’t change, all the cute clothes he could wear overshadowed by a fancy suit!
He was always alone. Never any other littles to play with him, to sleep in, to eat candy, to do anything. ‘ Where was Phil? Did he leave too? Why did he leave again, why did Ranboo forget that?‘
His tantrum didn’t die down, the anxiety building up was too much for his mind. The creak of the wood made him turn, seeing jet black wings and arms holding new clothes coming over to him.
“Rannie? No, no, no, no! I’m right here, Phil’s just right here. Is it okay if I touch you?” The dip in the mattress let Ranboo know enough, as he shook his head up and down. His head was moved into the elytrian’s lap, hands slowly moving through his two-toned hair. “I’m sorry, little raven, I’m so sorry! I’m right here, I’m still here! It’s okay sweetie, cry if you need to, it’s okay.”
He used his sleeve to wipe away the tears welling in his eye, looking back up at the older, he mustered the courage to speak. “How did ‘ou know?”
“How’d I know what?”
He guestered wildly, Phil having to move Ranboo’s thumb out his mouth with a
‘No, that’s yucky.’
before he collected his words. “T’at I’m little?”
“I knew a few friends who were little like you, and I learned to take care of babies like you! It’s okay, I don’t mind. I just want to keep little birds like you all cozy and safe!” Phil let Ranboo hold his fingers, wrapping around his index and giggling. Sniffles filling the room, whines dying down.
Phil used his free hand to put a disc in the jukebox, a new song that he got from a village far south, it was a calming melody. The sleeve’s art had dolphins, tropical fish, and coral, themed to the ocean.
“Can you tell me how old you are, Rannie?” He looked up from Phil’s hand, showing one finger to him, but changing to a second finger. “So one and a half? Does that sound right to you?” He let out a yawn before nodding, letting go of the other’s hand, stretching his body as best as he could.
Phil chirped, “Awww! You’re so cute, just like a hatchling! My little hatchling!” He rocked him back and forth, the baby laughing in hiccups into Phil’s chest. The soft melody of the disc mixed with the laughs and happiness of Phil’s house. “How’s about we get you out those big clothes, and change you into the other stuff I brought you? Then, we can play with some stuffies!”
Ranboo babbles in confirmation, Phil again having to pull Ranboo’s hands from his mouth.
He sat the boy up, unbuttoning his dress shirt quickly, replacing it with a grey sweatshirt. The sleeves were too long, the younger starting to bite the sleeves, flapping his other hand with a smile on his face. Next came the soft and warm pyjama pants, a muted dark grey with a checkered pattern on the cuffs. Phil had tied the drawstring into a bow, in fear of his hatching getting hurt.
The old disc had been all used up. While the ender hybrid was distracted, Phil swapped the record for another one. ‘ Lilana Flores’s Rises the Moon’ rang out in the house, the static of the jukebox made the atmosphere even safer for the little. Phil watched as he closed his eyes, ears twitching with the song.
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The winged man left quickly to get some toys for Ranboo, they were supposed to be gifts for later, for whenever he would say it was his birthday.
A grass block stuffie, the grass a different texture than the dirt, raised bumps and velvety fabric.
A mushroom lady ragdoll, it used small amounts of magma cream, so then they were shook-they would glow!
Last but not least, a colouring book. Phil spent days making the crayons from the excess beeswax and flower dye and the coloured pencils with wood burned details.
He’d laid them all before Ranboo, his face brighter than the Nether’s lava, clapping his hands together.
“T’ank! T’ank!” Good manners were an important part to any baby, he reminded himself.
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He let the boy play with the toys, the sun setting as Ms. Mushes’ super important meeting of money and dirt came to a close. Phil played along, being the board advisor for her business of making mud houses, putting on an exaggerated accent. Ranboo’s baby talk led the meeting, as the stocks had gotten ‘bad icky’ and the latest house only selling for ‘one money’.
The taller one seemed to have tired himself out, barely having any form of grip on the crayons, rubbing at his eyes every now and then. He reached out for Phil, trying to get his attention.
“Da! Da! Da! Sleep!” He pointed to the nest, Ms. Mushes pointing to the setting sun.
“Of course! Good job having a bedtime chickpea! Now, c’mon, nighty night.” Phil picked the boy with his arm, using the other to flip the disc to the B side, a lullaby of the sky. He gathered some blankets over the little, tucking him and Ms. Mushes in bed.
Ranboo’s memory book! He might get confused in the morning. Phil reminded himself, lighting a lantern that sat at his desk. Taking out a piece of paper, he started to write what he and Ranboo did that day. Big Ranboo would appreciate it, but little Ranboo hated being away from his caretaker.
“Da… back p’ease!”
“One second raven, I’ll be just a second.”
“‘Urry up! Lonely!”
Phil wrote gently, as Ranboo laid in the nest.
‘Loved.’ He repeated to himself. ‘ I am loved.’ Phil wanted to keep Ranboo safe, and he showed it. Phil promised him better things, a paci, a teether suited for endermen teeth, rattles, toys, anything. He made a big show of playing with him, letting him pick out music during Mushes’s meeting. The fire crackled, a quill scratching lightly against paper. The disc playing was well loved, static playing as backing vocals.
“I’m here now! Had to write something for bigger you, but it’s done.” He held Ranboo closer, rocking him back and forth, wings swaddling him.
Phil fights the urge to fix his hair, bird brain striking him at the last possible moment. He smiles as he feels him finally fall asleep, breath evening out and loosening the hold on his new stuffie friend.
He’ll tell Ranboo what happened tomorrow, but for now, he sleeps easy knowing he kept the little crow safe. He might want love, and Phil was more than ready to give it back ten times over.