Chapter Text
It was raining when he found him.
Tubbo had turned down the alley, intent on finding something to eat for Tommy and himself when he, quite literally, stumbled upon a hunched over figure. The figure groaned, curling up into a tighter ball against the side of the dumpster Tubbo had been intending to raid.
“Oh my god,” he exclaimed, jumping back a step. “Are you— are you okay?” He couldn’t see much of the figure, besides his small, slim stature. The man released a pained whimper, shaking his head underneath his hood. Tubbo took a hesitant step forward again, crouching down in front of the boy. “I’m not going to hurt you. Do you need a hospital?”
The stranger hugged his knees to his chest, burying his face into his legs as he shook his head. “Jus’ leave me ‘lone,” he slurred, thumping his head sideways to connect it to the metal wall of the dumpster.
As his head turned, Tubbo caught sight of the man’s white undershirt stained red. “You’re hurt,” he gasped, fully dropping down to his knees in front of the individual and reaching out slowly to cup the man’s bicep. “Please let me help,” he kept his hold gentle as he slowly pulled the man’s arm away from his body, causing him to unfold himself reluctantly, now noticing the full height of the individual. “I know some basic first aid magic. Please.”
The man slowly looked up, body shaking as his blood red eyes made contact with Tubbo’s own. “I don’t want to hurt you,” the boy whispered. “Please leave. I’m so— I’m so thirsty. ”
Tubbo shot the stranger a pitying look, shuffling to collect him in his arms. “You’re okay,” he reassured, tucking the taller man against his chest as he brought his wrist up to the other’s mouth. “Drink. You look like you haven’t had a decent meal in weeks. It’s okay— you’ll be okay.” He used his free hand to pet the boy’s hair encouragingly, “You won’t hurt me. Just drink from me, okay? I’ll take care of you.” He pressed his wrist against the other’s lips encouragingly, smiling softly as he finally felt the cautious pinpricks of baby fangs piercing his skin. “Good boy,” he murmured as he continued his ministrations.
The boy sucked for a few minutes greedily before Tubbo gently tapped on the back of his neck, signaling the need for him to stop. He pulled away, licking his lips as he guiltily looked back at his savior. “I— thank you,” he bowed the best he could in their positions causing Tubbo to smile fondly.
“You’re very welcome,” he replied, intertwining their fingers so that the other man didn’t move too far away. “I’m Tubbo.”
“Im Ranboo,” he murmured, eyes trained on where their hands met as his fingers clenched and unclenched rapidly, like he was unused to having someone hold his hand.
“Were you just turned?” He motioned towards the dried blood caked on Ranboo’s white undershirt and was flaking off his neck.
The younger nodded, looking down forlornly. “I don’t really know what happened. One minute I was walking home and the next I was being pulled into this alley and my neck felt like it was being torn apart and he— he didn’t say anything— and just— just left me bleeding out and walked away like— like it was nothing— like he didn’t care and— I thought I was gonna die— I did die. But then I woke up and I was so— so hungry. ” He paused, full-body shudder making its way through his body before he continued on. “I realized what I was— what that man did to me— right away. I didn’t want to hurt anyone so I just stayed here. I was waiting for the sun to come up and finish me off.”
Tubbo gasped, pulling Ranboo back into his arms. “No,” he whispered, pressing a soft kiss into the vampire’s hair. “You’re safe. Me and Tommy’ll take care of you. Just you watch. You’re not alone in this.” He rocked the other as Ranboo broke down into sobs. “We’ll take care of you, and you’ll take care of us. Hmm? How does that sound? We’ll be a pack. Just the three of us— our own little family. We don’t need any stupid sires,” he murmured into the younger’s hair like a promise. Ranboo hugged him back tightly, wrapping his arms securely around the older’s torso and pressing his face into his chest.
“Never had that before.”
“A pack?” He asked, cocking his head to the side in confusion.
“A family.”
After a few minutes Tubbo stood up, letting go of Ranboo in the process only to reach out with his hand again once he was fully standing. “Come on, Boo. Let’s go someplace dry. I’m sure Tommy is worried about me by now.” He shot the other a blinding smile. “He’s going to love you.”
As they approached an old decrepitated church, a buff blond boy came running out at full speed. “Where the hell have you been, Tubbo?” He growled, stopping a few inches in front of the smaller boy to pull him securely in his arms. He pressed his nose against the column of Tubbo’s neck, dragging it up and down a few times before pulling away. “You smell funny.”
Tubbo laughed, pulling away to wrap his arm around Ranboo’s shoulders. “This is Ranboo, Tommy. Ranboo, this is Tommy— resident werewolf and best friend.”
Ranboo bowed politely, “It’s nice to meet you, Tommy. I’m sorry for keeping Tubbo and worrying you.”
Tommy frowned, turning to face Tubbo with a raised eyebrow, silently asking for an explanation.
“His sire abandoned him before his first feeding this morning. I found him in an alley waiting for the sun,” the witch explained, squeezing the younger’s shoulders reassuringly when he felt him tense beside him.
“What the fuck,” Tommy muttered, stepping closer to the newly turned vampire. “That’s so fucked up. Do you need to feed? God that must have been so fucking scary.” He wrapped his arms around Ranboo, pulling the taller man into his chest. “You’re okay now, though. We’ll take care of you.” He nuzzled his nose into the vampire’s neck, releasing a pleased little growl. “You smell like Tubbo. Was he your first?”
Ranboo’s eyes widened, nodding his head as he took in the two boys’ affection in a stunned stupor.
Tommy pulled back, smiling widely, “You can feed from me next.” He brought his hand up to affectionately stroke his thumb up and down the column of the elder’s throat, “The first few people a newly turned vampire feeds from determines their scent. The more you feed from us the more you’ll smell like us.” He grinned impossibly wider, leaning down to press a soft kiss to the tip of Ranboo’s nose. Tommy pulled back, wrapping a large arm around each boy’s shoulders as he led them inside. “Come on, let’s go before the sun decides to come out and hurt you.”
The vampire looked down in embarrassment, missing the fond looks the two older boys shot each other over his head.
“Mhmm, I couldn’t find any food by the way, Tommy,” Tubbo stated as they entered the nave. Tommy released the two, leaving them to weave through the aisles up to the apse where he grabbed a crumpled McDonalds bag from behind the cracked altar. “Oh you absolute beauty, Tommy. I could kiss you.”
Tommy scrunched his nose, holding out the bag for the older to grab. “Your kisses are too slobbery— if I didn’t know better I’d mistake you for the dog in this pack.”
Tubbo laughed loudly, plopping down onto a sleeping bag in the crossing of the church, patting the spot next to him for Ranboo, who was still standing hesitantly in the nave. The newly-turned vampire slowly made his way over, gently sitting down next to the witch.
“You guys live here?”
The werewolf beamed proudly, flopping down on the other sleeping bag next to them. “Isn’t it great?” He asked, stretching out on his back to look up at the stained glass textiles on the ceiling. “When we first got to Pogtopia we had this one backalley behind a grocery store— great food but keeping the territory was impossible . Tuboo nearly lost a finger. We found this place a few months later— It’s been abandoned for years and literally no one looks twice at it thanks to Tubbo.” At Ranboo’s confused head tilt, he continued, “Tubbo is a white witch. He placed a protection ward over this church once we claimed it. Anyone who looks at it just sees an empty field.”
“And— they forget all about it as soon as they look away,” Tubbo added around a mouthful of stale fries. He moaned, shoving a few more in his mouth before swallowing harshly in order to continue. “That reminds me— I need to sun-proof the windows so Boo doesn’t burn.” The young witch stood up, brushing the salt off his fingers before grabbing a sharpie from a backpack by his pillow. He looked up at the high windows sharply before diving back to Ranboo, tackling him on to the sleeping bag and covering him with his body just as a ray of sunshine broke through the clouds. “Fuck,” he whispered as Tommy frantically unfolded his sleeping bag to blanket over the two. “You okay, Boo? Did you get hit at all?”
Ranboo shook his head, eyes wide as he stared at Tubbo’s frantic face inches from his own. “I’m okay.” He brought a hand up to gently cup the older’s cheek, “Thank you.”
Tubbo beamed, leaning down to press a wet kiss to the vampire’s forehead before wiggling out from under the sleeping bag. “Stay there. Just let me tint the windows real quick and then this home will be vampire-safe, okay?”
The younger hummed his consent, startling as Tommy carefully slid into the impromptu blanket fort, smiling at the vampire as he snuggled close. He frowned, rolling onto his side to face the older in confusion. “You don’t know me,” he stated matter-of-factly.
He shot Ranboo a fond smile, reaching forward to intertwine their fingers. “I don’t,” he agreed, dragging his thumb across the other’s skin gently. “But my wolf recognizes you as pack— you smell like Tubbo and he wouldn’t feed just any old bloodsucker so I trust his gut. He has good intuition.” He brought Ranboo’s hand up to his mouth, pressing a soft kiss to the back of his hand. “Tell me about yourself. You were changed recently, right?”
Ranboo nodded, “Yeah, last night on my way home, after work.” He swallowed, closing his eyes. “I’m sure I’ve been fired by now.”
Tommy laughed, wrapping his arms around the taller man. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn't mean to laugh. I promise, it's just so fucked. Like— you had a life yesterday and today your whole world changed.”
“It wasn’t much of a life, if I’m honest,” he muttered, nuzzling in close to the older’s chest. “I had a shit job that paid for a shit room in a shit apartment.” He released an unamused laugh, “Honestly— in retrospect— getting bit and being found by Tubbo was probably the best thing that could have ever happened to me.” He was quiet for a second, basking in Tommy’s warm embrace before continuing hesitantly, “I feel safe with you guys— I know I just met you but—”
“It feels like we’ve known each other our whole lives?” The older finished, pulling back slightly to look the vampire in the eyes. Ranboo nodded before snuggling back into the wolf’s firm chest. “That’s how I felt when Tubbo found me.” He brought a hand up to gently run his fingers through Ranboo’s hair as he spoke. “I was rejected by my family pack when I presented. Tubbo found me in a convenience store in L’manberg when we were younger.” He laughed, closing his eyes at the memory. “The store clerk caught me stealing and Tubbo kicked over a display to distract him and helped me get away. We’ve been a pack ever since.”
Ranboo crooked his head, as he glanced up at the older. “What do you mean by presented? Why would your pack kick you out for that?”
Tommy shrugged, trying to look nonchalant, “I presented as a beta. Most traditional wolf packs— like my family pack— see betas as the useless second gender. If you don’t serve a purpose you get the boot.”
“I’m sorry, Tommy. That’s horrible.”
The wolf smiled airily, “It’s okay. I’ve gotten a pretty great pack out of the deal, in my opinion.”
Ranboo returned the smile just as Tubbo pulled the sleeping bag off the two of them. “Okay, the nave through apse is vampire-friendly territory.” He sat down behind Ranboo, placing a warm hand on the younger’s hip. “We’ll have to get you a bed tomorrow.”
Tommy pouted, pulling Ranboo closer to his chest, “But Ran can just sleep between us, Tubbo. Look at him! He’s so slim— he’ll fit perfectly.”
Tubbo laughed, moving to lay down and sandwich the vampire between the two of them, making Ranboo giggle. “Ah— this is true. But I still think Boo'll want his own space from time to time.” He leaned over Ranboo’s head to press a soft kiss to the wolf’s cheek. “It’s okay, Tommy, I’ll cuddle you when Boo’s not in the mood to deal with your dog breath.”
“What the hell!” Tommy scolded, reaching across to smack the witch. “So rude.” He pulled Ranboo back into his arms tightly, pulling the taller man up and over his body to snuggle him with his back to Tubbo. “Just for that you’re sleeping alone.”
“Noooo— Tommy!” Tubbo wailed, wrapping his long arms around Tommy and Ranboo from behind, pulling them close. “I’ll die without snuggles. I’m sorry for insulting you”
Tommy sighed playfully before tightening his grip on Ranboo and rolling him over his body again, laughing at the vampire’s squeak. “Tommy stopp,” he scolded once he had been settled between the two smaller boys once again. “I am not your stuffed animal.”
The wolf just smiled, pulling on the back of Ranboo’s neck so that he was pressed close to his chest. “Of course you aren’t, Ran,” He replied cheekily. “It’s time to sleep though. You can feed from me in the morning and then we’ll work on getting you some stuff later.”
Ranboo sighed, closing his eyes against the older’s chest, allowing himself to be lulled to sleep with Tommy’s steady heartbeat thrumming in his ear.
Tommy looked at Tubbo over the younger’s head once he was certain he was asleep. “We’re keeping him.”
The witch snorted, burrowing his nose in the crevice of Ranboo’s shoulder. “No shit, Tommy. We can’t just abandon him.” He paused, scrunching his face in worry. “Will we be able to handle it though? New vampires are a lot of work.”
“For him?” Tommy asked, stroking a soft line up and down the elder’s spine. “For him we’ll make it work. Ran deserves a family— and we’re the best family anyone could ever ask for.”
Tubbo laughed, wrapping his long arms around the two of them. “Hell yeah we are.”
When Ranboo woke again he was still being cradled by Tommy’s arms but his back was cold where Tubbo had been. “Tub?” He mumbled, pulling his head sleepily away from the wolf’s chest in order to search the church for his missing ...friend?
“I’m here, Boo,” the witch called from the back of the nave. He heard the tell-tale sounds of shoes hitting tile as Tubbo made his way back up to the crossing, sitting down next to the younger’s head. Tubbo ran his hands through Ranboo’s locks, tutting as he pulled out a few clumps of dirt. “You need a shower,” he stated as he dragged his fingers through his hair again, allowing his nails to drag across the other’s scalp lightly to release a few more clumps of... something . “I’ll show you to the bathroom after breakfast.” He reached over Ranboo to shake the wolf awake.
Tommy grumbled, swatting the witch’s hand away half-heartedly before pulling Ranboo closer to his chest like he was an oversized teddy bear causing the vampire to giggle. The wolf smiled, eyes still closed as he bent his head down to nuzzle the taller man. “Morning, Ran,” he mumbled, pressing his lips to Ranboo’s forehead before pulling back and making eye contact with Tubbo who was watching their interaction with a fond smile. “Morning Tubs. You get breakfast?”
Tubbo nodded, pulling out a paper bag from his backpack. “Yeah, Puffy gave me the rejects.”
“Score!” Tommy exclaimed, sitting up. He pulled Ranboo with him, setting the taller man in his lap with his back to him. The wolf wrapped his arms around Ranboo’s torso in a tight hug before extending his wrist and using a claw to create a cut, bringing it up to the younger’s mouth. “Drink,” he commanded. “You’ve got to be starving by now.” Once Ranboo attached his mouth and started sucking, the younger boy extended his free hand out for a donut from Tubbo. Tommy moaned, closing his eyes as powdered sugar rained down on Ranboo’s shoulder. “So fucking good. Puffy is the best.”
The witch hummed his agreement, mouth full of his own slightly overcooked danish. He smiled as he watched Ranboo close his eyes, mouth still firmly attached to the wolf’s wrist but sucking slow languid mouthfuls.
Tommy finished his donut before petting Ranboo’s hair back from his forehead, allowing the elder boy to continue taking unhurried swallows. After a few more minutes, the vampire pulled back, licking Tommy’s wrist in thanks before letting go and settling back against the wolf's chest happily. “You’re blood is— it’s really sweet, Tommy,” he finally stated, looking over to the back of the nave to avoid eye contact with either boy sitting next to him.
The wolf threw a half-hearted swat at the other boy. “What does Tubbo taste like then?”
He thought for a moment, closing his eyes as he turned to rest his cheek against Tommy’s clavicle. “Like— like chai." He stated, "Like spicy tea. You’re more like vanilla.” He hummed contentedly, scenting against the wolf unconsciously. “You’re really warm like vanilla too.”
Tommy smiled, wrapping his arms around the elder again and pressing a soft kiss to the other’s cheek. He heard Tubbo shuffle closer, wrapping his long arms around them both from Ranboo’s front. The vampire hummed happily between the two.
He felt Tubbo press his lips to his forehead, murmuring softly against his skin, “How about that shower, Boo? You feeling up to that?”
Ranboo hummed happily, nodding his head against the witch’s as he wrapped his arms around the other’s shoulders. “ Please. ”
Tubbo giggled, standing up with Ranboo still wrapped around him causing the vampire to squeak in quite an undignified fashion as his feet were lifted off the floor. The witch giggled again, wrapping his arms under the taller boy’s butt to lift him higher around his body, Ranboo wrapping his legs around the other’s waist as Tubbo began walking the two of them off to the left transept and down a narrow passageway. He brought Ranboo into what was once probably the priest’s quarters, moving past the moth-eaten bed and into an adjoining bathroom that was much cleaner than the rest of the church.
The witch set Ranboo down on the sink, moving to start the shower. “I’ve charmed the room to have running water. Unfortunately it only lasts for about fifteen minutes before the magic runs out so you’ll have to take a quick shower. Sorry.”
Ranboo smiled appreciatively at the older. “No that’s okay. Thank you.”
The boy beamed, running to press a quick kiss to the other’s cheek before running to the door. “I’ll leave some clothes outside for you. You can just bin your ruined ones.”
The vampire shot the boy another grateful smile as Tubbo closed the door before stripping and getting in the shower. He sighed as the warm water pulsed down on him in heavy torrents. Knowing he didn’t have a lot of time, he grabbed the soap, liberally pouring it onto his hand and scrubbing at his hair and neck thoroughly. As the water cooled, the pressure dropped as well, causing the vampire to shiver and turn off the shower. He wrapped the towel hanging next to him around his body, padding over to the door to retrieve his newly borrowed clothes.
Cautiously, he made his way back out to the crossing, his bare feet making little taptaps along the linoleum as he went. As he neared, he saw Tommy sitting up on his sleeping bag, Tubbo wrapped up firmly in his arms as his neck was thoroughly scented by the wolf. He inched closer, carefully trying not to interrupt their personal moment. Tubbo looked up, smiling at Ranboo as he patted the area next to him. As he sat down, Tommy shifted, moving to scent the vampire as well. He hummed happily, nuzzling Ranboo’s neck softly. “You smell like us,” he whispered into the younger’s skin. “You smell like home.”
A few weeks after Ranboo joined the two older boys’ makeshift pack, Tubbo grabbed the younger’s hand and led him excitedly up a set of winding stairs. The two ran up, avoiding the one step that had rotted through and making their way out into the cool night air at the top of the bell tower. Ranboo gasped, eyes roaming greedily over the gorgeous city skyline as they moved to sit on the half wall overlooking the bright city lights.
“Breathtaking isn’t it?” Tubbo asked, threading his fingers through Ranboo’s.
The younger nodded, eyes unable to leave the view long enough to glance at the witch.
“I come up here to think a lot. My family coven’s home had a tower similar to this— though their tower overlooked this old, cursed lake instead of a bright city. Very different ambiance,” he grinned, squeezing Ranboo’s fingers as the vampire finally tore his eyes away to look at the other. Tubbo looked up at the sky fondly, “The stars are still the same though. You know— there’s this old saying that stars are souls that were ripped from their lives too soon. I— I had a cousin— my aunt’s daughter— when she presented her aura to our coven, she— it was green— and white — and they— they were all dark— black witches. My aunt took one look at Aimsey’s magical core and tore her power straight out of her chest. Her screams— I— I will never be able to get those screams out of my head. My family coven,— they’re not good people— the worst actually. They hate anything light or good and if there’s even a hint of it in your aura they’ll drain you and leave you as a husk before you can blink.
“My— I felt my aura develop shortly after they— after they killed Aimsey. It— it was white and I knew that if my coven found out I was as good as dead. So I hid it— my power. Let them think I was a late bloomer and then that I was a dud when I still didn’t present.” He took a deep shuddering breath, leaning into Ranboo’s shoulder when the younger wrapped his arm around his waist, offering silent support as he listened. “A coven has no use for a dud— there’s no power to draw from or cast off from— so they cast me out.” He brought his arm out in front of them, rolling up his sleeve where a faded burn mark sat innocuously. “I ran— lived on the streets of L’manberg for a few months before I found Tommy. We decided to start over— neither of our families wanted us so we made our own.”
It was silent for a few minutes, Tubbo pressing his face in the younger’s chest as Ranboo rubbed soothing circles on his back. “Thank you for sharing your past with me, Tubbo. You— you were so brave. I’m is so proud and happy that you’re here.” He brought a hand up to card his fingers through the older’s hair. “You’re so good, Tubbo. We’re so lucky to have you.”
The two sat up there, basking in each other’s presence. Ranboo looked up at the stars appraisingly, “Which star do you think your cousin is, Tubbs?”
A small smile slowly stretched across the older’s face as he pointed, “That one— next to Pollux— she was too kind not to be a part of his constellation.”
Ranboo pressed a soft kiss to the witch’s hair, “I’m sure she’s watching over you. I know she would be so proud of the person you’ve become— what you’ve made for yourself.”
“She would have loved you— and Tommy— she would have loved Toms.”
“I’m sure we’d have loved her too,” He rubbed the boy’s back, noting the shiver that ran through the older’s body. “Time for bed, yeah?”
Tubbo nodded, shifting over the side wall to stand up, hand clasped tightly with Ranboo’s. “Sleep with me tonight?” He asked, avoiding eye contact with the vampire.
Ranboo smiled, wrapping his arm around the older as he kissed his cheek fondly, “Of course.” He turned back to the night sky, bringing a hand up in farewell, “Goodnight, Aimsey.”
The witch bit back a sniffle, shooting the elder a wobbly smile as he too waved goodnight to his cousin. “Goodnight, friend.”