Sometimes Ranboo was faced with problems he didn't know how to solve.

Actually, he often was faced with problems he didn't know how to solve. Ranboo wasn't too good at problem-solving when he thought about it. But he tried and in his opinion trying and failing had to count for something. It definitely had to count for more than not trying at all.

And in the two days since Technoblade woke up, all Ranboo was trying to do was make him feel better. Which - admittedly - wasn't his strong suit either. But Phil looked like he was about to fall apart from both stress and exhaustion. He hadn't slept properly at all, when he did it was in the wooden chair they'd pulled up next to the bed. He hadn't eaten anything aside from Ranboo's cooking either, downing cup after cup of tea to keep himself going.

At this rate Ranboo would have two bedridden neighbors to look after soon and if that thought wasn't just absolutely horrifying he didn't know what was.

Phil needed some proper rest and fortunately, Techno must have agreed because at some point he had decided to chase Phil out of his own home and told him not to come back until he had slept at least eight hours. Ranboo thought that was pretty funny but managed to keep his straight face intact until Phil had come downstairs, harking and puffing about being told to leave. He rubbed his face, fingers tracing the dark circles beneath his eyes.

"He told me I look like shit, do I really look like shit Ranboo?"

Ranboo scrutinized him. Phil's hair was a mess, he hadn't shaven since they got Techno back so there was dark stubble growing along his jawline and he hadn't changed his clothes either. On the ends of his sleeves were some small patches of dried blood Phil probably hadn't even noticed where there.

"Do you want me to answer that honestly?" Ranboo asked.

Phil shook his head, deciding to take this loss as it was. He rolled his shoulder back, ignoring the way his bones audibly cracked at the movement. "Yeah, so I'll be next door. Since he's taken my bed I guess I'll go occupy his."

He opened the door to leave, then paused and turned back. This time he spoke loud enough for Techno to definitely hear. "And keep an eye on him, he's a stubborn bastard."

"Pot calling the kettle, Phil!" came the disgruntled response from upstairs.

Ranboo successfully contained his smirk until the door slammed close, then started laughing into a fist. It felt nice, allowing him to pretend the whole situation wasn't entirely fucked up to begin with. When he made his way up the ladder Techno stiffened, almost as if he was scared Phil had changed his mind and came back. But when he noticed it was just Ranboo, the piglin visibly relaxed.

He thought twice about it a moment later though, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "You're not here to pick up his job, right?"

"What?" Ranboo asked lamely, distracted by how messy the room was. Maybe he could clean that? Yes, he should definitely clean that, he decided. Techno might be happier with a tidy room and Phil wouldn't want his house to be a mess.

Ranboo wanted to help.

"I sent Phil away because he was being too overbearing, now I'm asking if you're not going to be like that too, Ranboo."

"I don't... think so?" He picked up three empty glasses, stacking them into a little tower. "Not if I can help it. Not if you don't want me to."

"I don't."

Ranboo's tail flicked once. "Then no."

Techno grunted, trying to get into a more comfortable position against the headboard. Despite the two pillows propped up for him, it was clearly a painful endeavor, making him wince. Ranboo was at his side in a blink, trying to tell what was hurting and what he could do about it.

"Bruh-" Techno shifted away, though there wasn't really anywhere he could go. "You literally just said you wouldn't be overbearing."

"Oh no," Ranboo answered with a slight grin. "Isn't it just that you think people are being overbearing when they're in any way worried about you, Techno?"

"I don't see the difference."

Knowing it would be useless to argue the semantics, Ranboo relented. He still made a mental note to bring another potion, something that would numb the pain. Technoblade couldn't get out of bed, and the immobility was causing bad cramps in already overworked muscles. After their first attempt of getting him to eat, it was decided it'd be better to stick to soup until his stomach was ready to digest solid foods again.

Both of these things hadn't exactly helped the whole healing process along.

"I don't want either of you fussing over me," Technoblade admitted when Ranboo had turned his back, occupying himself with collecting teaspoons from all around the room. "Makes me feel useless. Like I'm not good for anything. Phil looks at me as if I'm about to break apart at a whim and it's driving me insane."

There was something there – strained and furtive. Ranboo might have wanted to press it, but he wouldn't. He couldn't. Sometimes he still didn't know where his place was among the three of them, how close he was allowed to get. Phil had asked him to come live with them and Ranboo had later found out it was actually Techno's idea to begin with. He was fairly certain – no, completely certain – they wouldn't kick him out for doing something 'wrong'.

But Ranboo didn't want to only be there and not do anything wrong. He wanted to help.

Because they were friends.

"What do you want?" he heard himself asking.

Technoblade made an inquisitive noise of confusion, brushing through his hair with bandaged fingers. Ranboo had noticed him doing that a lot, a nervous tic perhaps. Tugging on it too, like he was going to braid it but it was too short.

"You say you don't want us to fuss over you, even though we're just doing it out of worry. What do you want us to do, then?"

Wide eyes watched him and for a moment Ranboo could have sworn there was disbelief in them. Almost as if Techno wasn't entirely used to being asked what he wanted.

(Or wasn't used to it anymore)

Ranboo shook that thought away. He had noticed the collar marks, he had treated the brand mark, he had seen what Phil was writing in his notebooks lately. That didn't mean they needed to deal with it – not now.

Techno crossed his arms. "Would be great if things could go back to normal."

And oh. Oh, actually that made a lot of sense. Technoblade just wanted to be treated like he always was. Ranboo could do that.

"Do you want me to get you a book?"

The suggestion made Techno look up, hands falling into his lap. "Uh, yeah. That'd be great actually. It's boring in here."

Ranboo gave himself an imaginary pat on the back, tail wagging slightly. He was pretty sure Technoblade couldn't see. "Which one would you like?"

"Don't think there's any I haven't read yet, so anything is fine."

"I'll get mine too, we can read together again!"

Techno snorted, watching him head back for the ladder. "You still haven't finished it?"

Ashamed, Ranboo stopped a couple of rungs down, head popping out above the gap. Techno must have given him that book over two months ago and he still wasn't past chapter three. "I forgot about it..." He said sheepishly.

But Techno laughed and that meant Ranboo didn't feel bad about it at all.

He went to his shack first to grab the book. It was a withered copy of The Golden Bough, dark green cover scuffed with signs of use. Techno had said it was one of his favorites when he lent it out for Ranboo to read – wear and tear proved this to be the case. Then he went to Techno's cabin, careful to keep his footsteps light and not wake Phil up who was snoring quietly on the upper floor.

Steve lifted his head when Ranboo walked by, laying it back down with a grunt when the polar bear saw who it was that had entered. Ranboo waved at him, before looking around for some book he could snatch. There were a few scattered around, mostly enchantments ones that Ranboo knew wouldn't be suited for casual reading. But squeezed into the side of the couch halfway stuck between the pillows was a small book with golden lettering. Figuring that'd be as good a pick as any to start with, Ranboo fished it out and briefly leafed through it. He had no clue what it was about, but he was sure Techno would appreciate it regardless.

Ranboo was about to head back but stopped. Steve was staring at him, tilting his head and blinking with big black eyes. He didn't seem intent on moving anytime soon, cozy where he was curled up on the floor, but it wouldn't hurt to try right?

The first pull on his lead only made Steve growl, throwing back his head. Ranboo persisted, biting his lip. "Come on, we're going to visit Techno. You like Techno, don't you?"

The name of his owner did make Steve's ears perk up, but he was still reluctant to actually be dragged off anywhere. Even while throwing his whole weight into it, Ranboo didn't do much more than make the bear lift one paw.

"I'll give you a gapple," Ranboo offered. "Do you want a gapple, Steve?" He pulled one from his pocket, holding the treat enticingly.

Steve got up and followed him outside, all the way to Phil's house. When he got back to the ladder, Ranboo hesitated, not having thought his plan through this far. Well, it should be fine. Bears can climb, right? Yeah, he was pretty sure polar bears could climb.

Ranboo crawled up first, holding the gapple above the open hatch hoping it would tempt Steve into replicating the maneuver, ideally without breaking Phil's floor. Technoblade had seen him come up and opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again when he saw Ranboo holding the gapple.

"What are you doing?"

"Hm, trying to lure a polar bear up a ladder."

Steve did manage to squeeze his way through, snatching the gapple from Ranboo's hand before he could react. Then he spotted Technoblade and practically bounded over to the bed. As the very, very heavy animal started attempting to climb on top of it to smother his owner, Ranboo realized he might have made a fatal mistake. Phil would absolutely kill him if Ranboo got Techno crushed by a polar bear on his watch.

But then Techno put one hand around Steve's snout, pushing him away slightly. "Down!" he said in a firm voice. Steve growled but planted his butt on the floor, only pushing his snout up against Techno's chest instead, nestling his upper body in the piglin's lap. Techno petted his head with both hands, scratching behind his ears. "Good boy, Steve. Who's a good boy?"

The bear purred in contentment.

Techno smiled, cooing over Steve more in response.

And Ranboo was glad he could help.