Today was not turning out the way Ranboo had planned.
Which was impressive seeing as he hadn't really planned anything at all. Still, he had somehow managed to find himself in a situation that was unexpected and also pretty horrifying to him personally. Maybe this was just another sign the world hated him or at the very least had a very heavy grudge against him in particular. Yeah, that had to be it.
Surely there could not be any other explanation for why he was currently pressed face-down against the softest blanket in the world, with the heavy weight of Technoblade's body next to him and surrounded by a warmth that was equal parts comfortable and smothering, trying hard not to sink into it. It was tempting to go completely prone and not resist how nice it felt, but Ranboo couldn't allow that.
Because Technoblade was lying there all tense and awkward, staring at the canopy of fabric that enclosed them and not saying anything. He was petting Steve's snout repeatedly – which Ranboo thought might be a sign of nervousness or maybe he was doing it absentmindedly without noticing. Meanwhile, the enderman hybrid was still in the same position he had been in when he was unceremoniously pushed into the pillow fort, not daring to move an inch. It's a nest, his mind helpfully corrected. Not the same thing as a pillow fort. The difference was important, vital.
Ranboo didn't remember his haunting, if he ever had one. Of all the memories he had lost, that might be the one he mourned the most. Not knowing where he came from never bothered him, but he couldn't help wondering sometimes whom he had come from. If anybody had been with him when he was small, had held him or soothed him. Had been there to let him know they cared.
Endermen were not a solitary species, contrary to popular belief. They weren't very social either, but they did sometimes form their own small packs – hauntings of no more than five or six – as they went along. Not based on biological connection but by choice. A number of other endermen that made them feel safe and secure, that they trusted and stuck with. All those things not easy to come by across the hollow purple plains of the End. But since forming hauntings was a gradual process – it took time and reliance and a smidge of stepping out of your own comfort zone – it wasn't really an observed behavior in the Overworld or even the warped forests of the Nether. Those enderman mostly lived in solitude.
The only reason Ranboo would know of it at all was his own instinct to form one, the need that tugged at him sometimes to melt into the touch of Phil putting a hand on his elbow or the small static hum that tried to build in his chest whenever Techno praised him. Ranboo stubbornly pushed it down, but it had gotten progressively worse ever since he came to live with them in the Tundra.
Not that this had to mean anything. No, definitely not. He was just reading into things.
(And even if he wasn't, he knew Technoblade nor Phil would want that from him. To be all clingy and annoying and a burden on them. Ranboo was sure they wouldn't)
"You're... being kind of distracting." Techno's voice broke through the slight breakdown Ranboo was building himself towards. He realized that he had been making noise again, subconsciously. He always did without noticing when lost in his thoughts, stupid enderman habits. Clamping his jaws shut to keep more of the whine from escaping, he turned his head.
"Sorry, I can leave if you want?" Ranboo offered again.
"Nah, I already said I don't mind if you're here," Technoblade answered – a tad too quickly to be natural. He coughed into his fist to play it off as a casual comment before bringing his palm back to pet Steve again, ruffling the fur between the polar bear's ears. "Just try to relax maybe? You look like you're waiting to be led to the gallows or something."
Ranboo laughed lightly and forced himself to push up on his elbows. This was fine, really. If Techno wanted him gone he would have said so. Ranboo just needed to unwind, distract himself. He had been trying to make himself as small as possible to minimize his presence, shoulders all stiff and tail tucked against his own leg. Slowly he spread out, and if that meant his entire body was now draped against Technoblade's free arm then that wasn't his fault, was it? Techno would push him away if he minded.
But he didn't, and Ranboo tried not to thrill with the feeling. Tentatively, he reached out across Techno's chest towards Steve and then stopped. "Uh, is it okay if I-"
"He doesn't bite," Techno said simply. "Unless he's hungry. But you should be fine."
Careful not to test that statement, Ranboo twined his fingers into the longer hairs on Steve's side, feeling the rise and fall from his breathing beneath his fingertips. Steve rumbled in contentment as the enderman hybrid started stroking him, making Ranboo lean in closer. The movement had the unintended effect of him inching closer to Techno too and Ranboo stopped immediately, waiting for a negative reaction.
Technoblade didn't do anything.
And that had to mean it wasn't bad for him to want this, right? He continued petting up the polar bear's neck which was hard with the distance despite his long arms, smiling as the repetitive motions did have a calming effect on him. At least until Techno noticed his trouble reaching and grunted, promptly grabbing Ranboo by his shoulder to pull at him. Techno manhandled him easily, probably helped by the fact that Ranboo went completely lax and let it happen. Suddenly he was lying in the middle, near enough to Steve that Ranboo could wrap his arms around him if he wanted to. Definitely near enough to pet him more freely.
But that was a fleeting thought compared to the realization that Techno had only really moved sideways by a negligible amount. Ranboo was on top of his opposite arm now compared to before – the one Techno had been using to pet Steve with earlier – his neck fitting near perfectly in the crook of Techno's elbow. Curled on his side, Techno's other arm was loosely draped over Ranboo's middle but stayed hovering just short of touching it, as if reluctant in coming down and allowing the embrace. Ranboo thrilled with the notion, hating how much he craved for it to wrap around him.
If Technoblade noticed, he didn't acknowledge it, nor did he say anything about their changed positions.
Where their bodies did touch Ranboo's skin felt like it was burning, but in a weirdly good way. As if all of his nerve endings had been set alight with how nice it was. How grounding it could be to be held. He kind of wanted it to last forever.
He knew it wouldn't though. Any second now Technoblade would realize and pull back and maybe even leave. Really, Ranboo should probably take advantage of it while he could. So he scooted until he was comfortable and kept up his caresses of Steve's fur, waiting for Techno to retreat from the physical contact.
Except he didn't. He shifted further into the pillows – until Ranboo was almost flush with his chest – and made some kind of deep grumbling noise. Ranboo tensed, thinking he might be growling and the sound stopped immediately. When Ranboo managed to force his body back into relaxing it started up again. He tried peeking over his shoulder, but he couldn't see much beyond the arch of Technoblade's chest with how close to each other they were. If it wasn't a bad noise Ranboo wasn't going to question it though.
The arm still pinned beneath his neck curled up and then Techno's fingers were on his head. Slowly, as if waiting for him to flinch or pull away or otherwise give any sign the touch would put Ranboo on edge, they returned to their petting. Except it was his hair this time instead of Steve because Steve was out of reach and Ranboo was right there and oh, this could be fine. This could be wonderful maybe.
Ranboo leaned into it a little and couldn't help a pleased hum from slipping out. It almost matched Techno's own in pitch, coming from deep within his chest and vibrating in purrs.
Again Techno went completely still. "Was that-" he began, and Ranboo wanted to bury his face in his hands out of sheer embarrassment but then he would need to stop petting Steve, which he didn't want in the slightest.
"Y-yeah," he squeaked out instead. "Sorry." He didn't really know what he was apologizing for.
"It's fine," Technoblade answered. "Just surprised me." His voice had clear amusement in it.
Ranboo tried not to show how disappointed he was that the petting had stopped. "I kinda can't help it? When I'm happy it tends to slip out."
"I see," Techno hummed. Then he resumed the gentle ministrations of his fingers in Ranboo's hair without comment. His arm kept up its hovering, not a complete embrace but something near enough for it to hardly matter.
So Ranboo felt content closing his eyes and melting into it for real. Things not turning out the way he had planned could be completely, utterly fine too.