Ranboo has been… well, things have been semi-normal? He didn't really think he was doing badly. Phil and Techno just… aren't as present anymore. Of course, they are completely allowed to leave and enter their property as they wish, but… he doesn't see them that much. He had already explored most of the places on the map he made for Techno and they haven't gone out in a while.

Whenever he left his house, he was used to seeing Phil heading down to work on a project or Techno out feeding his dogs, but recently they've been absent from his morning routine more often than not. The wind and the sound of animals were the only noise to accompany him till around noon, when Tubbo came to see him and bring him on some sort of impromptu adventure with Tommy. Then by the time he got back, he'd see that the lights in Techno and Phil's cabin were on and consider visiting before ultimately heading to his little hut for bed.

This wasn't the most strange thing, or it wouldn't be if the cause of this was some sort of planning or plotting for the Syndicate. But Ranboo supposes a meeting would've been called if that were the case. Or he just doesn't remember, that's very possible. He thought he'd been keeping the blackouts in check, but maybe not. So Ranboo asked Phil, in one of the rare times he caught him unawares in the cabin, if Phil could brief him on the most recent meeting. Phil seemed only a bit put-off by the question before listing off details about a meeting that Ranboo did in fact remember being a part of.

Okay, so not the meeting thing then. So what could they possibly be this busy with? Busy enough that even someone as aloof and oblivious as him could figure out something was up. Ranboo really didn't want to be hung up on this, it was probably something super normal and not at all to do with him or his business so he should just leave it alone! He tried really hard to distract himself with his own projects. He built a new fence around his hut, he tried to bake some cakes with the recipe Niki gave him, he even went fishing (bad idea, fish splash lots of water on you when you catch them).

One afternoon when he was just about to try and find one of them to ask what in the world was going on, he headed out of his hut to see that both Phil and Techno were having a conversation by the dog pen. Well, what better opportunity to ask the two than then? He took a step forward. Then a step back. Actually. Confrontation sucks. Nevermind.

He turned around to head back in. Aaaaah nooo that wasn't the plan, but now it is! Back inside you go. Oh well, guess he'll just never find out, he wasn't that curious anyway, just wanted it out of the way it totally doesn't matter just stopthinkingaboutitand-

"Hey! Ranboo! Can you come 'ere for a sec?"

Shoot.

Uhhhh… welp, now it's unavoidable.

His voice was called. Technoblade asked for him. He must obey.

Okay.

He slowly turned back towards the emerald duo and began walking in their direction. Perfect. His prayers were answered and he was blessed with human interaction. Woooooo.

"Hi! Uh… what's up?" He said, with an awkward wave, stumbling once he reached where they stood.

Phil was grinning widely, hands on hips, while Techno looked… nervous? He… kinda looked worried which was… unusual. Yeah. Definitely not normal behavior for the Blade. Ruthless country exploder extraordinaire… but also a huge softy, especially for animals.

"We've got somethin' to show ya mate." Phil said, his wings bristled in excitement, Techno giving a huff similar to a sigh as he leaned down to grab a neatly wrapped box that was lying on the snow behind them unnoticed.

"Here, this is for you. I made it to uhhh, as a gift. Since you gave some gifts to us and we wanted to pay ya back. Phil has one for you too, it's just not here." Techno said all of this while handing the box to Ranboo, eyes not making contact and voice unusually awkward instead of confident.

Ranboo spluttered,"You really didn't have to do this, and the gifts I gave you were, like, just thank you gifts so they were for something and you have no reason to get me anything and now I need to make you stufftopaybackthis-"

"Ha! That's the point, more free stuff let's goooooo." Technoblade said, interrupting his rambling. Of course this was so they got more gifts. How could he have thought otherwise? Ranboo didn't just… deserve random things just because he existed or something, that was Techno and Phil. Honestly, how could he have been so ridiculous? Well, at least that was cleared up.

"Tech's just jokin'. We really appreciate you Ranboo, open the gift! Before Tech' freaks out and shit." Philza said all this with a knowing gleam in his eyes. Did he really know what Ranboo was thinking? Wow, dadza powers.

His thoughts about Philza were stopped in their tracks when he noticed that Techno looked oddly impatient, a worried etch in his brow. So as a preventative measure to his mentor's unrest, he opened the box in his hands, which was about a foot long, tall, and wide, the shiny wrapping falling to the dirt.

Inside… was… a-a crown?

It was… stunning.

Golden with emeralds and redstone embedded in its surface with expert craftsmanship, it looked exactly like the one techno wore, other than the indents meant to fit behind his horns.

Tears began to well up in the corners of his eyes, a surprised sort of snort escaping the piglin hybrid who gave him a CROWN. Like the one HE wore. Gruff arms wrapped around him awkwardly, a whispered question laced with concern going unheard in the midst of his shock.

"Y-you, you made this? For me?" Ranboo asked, voice crackling with emotion.

"It's okay if ya don't like it, uh, I can make you something else or nothing at all, PLEASE DON'T CRY-" Technoblade stopped at the sight of the bright smile that graced Ranboo's features as he looked up to meet Techno's gaze.

"Can you put it on me?" Ranboo asked, obliviously wagging his tail behind him, happy warbles threatening to bubble up out of his throat.

It was like a switch flipped and Technoblade went from fearfully placating him to smiling nervously to step back from the embrace and reach out to take the crown from ranboo's delicate grasp and place it on his split colored hair.

"Awwww… mate, you guys love each other so much. It's adorable." Philza cooed, severely satisfied. Technoblade covered his face with a hand to cover the red blush spreading on his already pink piglin skin. Ranboo was too busy being happy to be embarrassed. But he didn't miss a muttered "yeah…" from Techno, which prompted him to give a happy chirp in response, almost not caring.

Except that there was definitely a HUGE part of him trying to gauge the others reactions. They seemed surprised, but they didn't say anything. Okay, don't do that. Totally no one noticed it this time, but no more. Remember? Bad.

"Thank you Technoblade. I… it's amazing. I love it. WAIT! How am I supposed to pay you back for this? It's so- so amazing I don't think I could… IT'S LITERALLY A CROWN!" Ranboo started fidgeting and nervously running a hand through his hair, over and over. His feet were shifting and the tears that had welled up threatened to fall.

"Hey hey hey- hey, Ranboo, no no, it's okay, you don't have to 'pay us back' and we weren't actually paying you back either, jus', hey! We just wanted to say thank you for being here with us okay?" Technoblade put a calming hand on Ranboo's shoulder, although pretty panicky himself, and was soon sidled up with Phil as the avian joined the duo.

"Hey, mate, it's okay, Techno and I really, really, care about you. You don't have to worry about trying to please us mate, you already do, every day, okay? Plus, guess what, I still have something for you. And, I'd be pretty sad if you wouldn't take it. So… please?" Phil was giving him… puppy eyes? Nope, there was too much fatherly worry and desperation. He was giving him the pleading dadza eyes. Hmmm… that might be worse.

Ranboo tried really hard to calm down. They said that it was making them sad, so he had to stop making them sad. And Phil wanted him to take another gift, which sounded CRAZY, but it would make him sad if he didn't, so he had to.

"O-okay…" Ranboo did his best to wipe away his tears, having just begun to fall, and smiled hesitantly. Now that he looked, Technoblade and Philza both looked thoroughly relieved and stepped away, although Techno still had a hand on his shoulder.

"Alright Ranboo, right this way." Philza said, pointing to the forest just outside of their deemed "property".

They made their way over to where Philza had been pointing, Phil leading the procession with giddy strides. It was hard not to be in a similar mood. For whatever reason, giving Ranboo gifts was making Techno and Phil happy, and Ranboo guessed there was no reason to wonder why at this point.

He trusted them, so he would just have to accept what they said at face value. For now.

It wasn't that long before Ranboo saw an old hut hiding behind a cluster of trees. It was a hust Technoblade built before Ranboo had come to live with them and he thought it had been called the 'hunting shack' at some point. He was actually surprised he had remembered it.

But why would Phil's gift be there?

Phil, upon seeing the hut, rushed up to the door and motioned for the other two to wait outside while he went in, the door creaking as it opened and then closed behind Phil. Ranboo looked up at Technoblade, confused, but Techno just gave him a shrug, still smiling from before.

Then Phil opened the door again, a bundle of blankets in his arms. Or at least, that's what he thought it was, 'till a black and white head popped out, meowing loudly.

Oh.

My.

Goodness.

Ranboo's ears perked up and his eyes trained on the green eyes of the feline Phil was holding. They had a short staring contest before the kitten was disturbed by Phil as he closed the distance between them and held the cat out to Ranboo.

"Here ya go mate, knew you liked cats since you mentioned them a few times so I went and looked around a few villages to find one that suites you." Phil looked expectant, waiting for Ranboo to give him a response. His wings folded in and out the best they could and the little lifeform he held out gave a little 'mew' at Ranboo.

Carefully and as gingerly as he possibly could, Ranboo took the kitten, immediately holding it as close as possible to his chest, eyes unmoving from its adorable little whiskers. Its fur was divided, half black, half white, just like him.

"Enderchest…" He muttered, completely focused on his new pet.

"That's her name."

He heard Technoblade chuckle. Having removed his hand to stand by Phil, and Ranboo realized he could probably not be happier. He felt all warm and fuzzy, like the people in front of him knew him better than anyone else. That they cared enough to act on that knowledge in the hopes of bringing him up, not down, to give him gifts that he would cherish for the rest of his life. The last time he felt like this… was with Micheal and Tubbo at Christmas time a month ago…

Wait a minute.

"Why don't we just do this on Christmas? We could exchange gifts on an established holiday instead of, like, feeling bad about getting them and worrying and feeling pressured? Or that could just be me, that's fine, that is totally possible and definitely makes this feel stupid to say…" He looked up at the two speechless individuals that just made his chest bloom in warmth with blinking heterochromatic eyes.

Then Philza had a breakthrough in his thoughts, or at least it seemed like it with the way his face suddenly lit up brightly.

"Why don't we just make our own holiday for gift giving? We could still do Christmas and shit, but it would mean more if the holiday was on a day that mattered to us. As in us three specifically. And, the first day that comes to my mind is… the day Ranboo joined us up here. How's that sound, mates?" Phil listened in anticipation for them to react, to voice their opinion on his idea.

Ranboo looked to Technoblade, who seemed to like the idea.

"Really? I mean, y-yes, that would be… amazing. A-are you sure that you don't have any other days you would rather celebrate? Like um, the fall of L'manburg or when you guys got reunited or something, cause I'm not, I'm not really that important-"

"Of course you are! Hey! Ranboo, you are extremely important to us, and we both think that you matter and you belong here, and that that is worth celebrating! Besides, why would we celebrate a time that you weren't even here for? Or that you didn't support? You deserve to matter Ranboo." Technoblade said, Ranboo only half believing what he said, or that he said it, but he promised himself to trust Techno.

"So? Whaddya say mate? Want to have your own holiday?" Phil asked, receiving a meow from Enderchest and earning a chuckle from Techno.

"Well… I think Enderchest agrees with you, so I have to do what she says." Ranboo looked down at the cat he already loved dearly and realized just how excited he was to get to know her and how grateful he was to Techno and Phil.

This was definitely worth worrying about earlier.

"Well then, it's official, Ranboo day is just in a few months, so everybody better be ready to give gifts. And this time me and Phil can't be skimping on the presents, have to give each other gifts to, that way it's a proper exchange." Technoblade stated matter-of-factly, Phil huffing in response.

"You just want more free shit ya littl' fucker." Phil giggled and they all made their way back home.

Home.

It still felt so nice to be able to call it that.

And now… he had a whole holiday to celebrate it.