Ranboo was traversing the new country of Las Nevadas. It was… certainly, interesting, to say the least. There was this one building that Ranboo made a little hidey hole in. That was funny.

His particles complained about that. They were telling him he wasn't old enough to be in there.

But, he technically didn't remember when his birthday was, so for all he knew, he could theoretically be 18 already, and then he'd be allowed almost anywhere. He'd need to be 21 to go to liquor stores though… was that what the building was?

No, the particles said it was for stripping wood.

That was definitely safe.

Now he was rambling, in his head, and just sitting on a bench in Las Nevadas.

Kind of reminded him of the bench at Tommy's house, but with less memories.

"Hello?" Someone called out to him.

He jumped, surprised by the sudden noise.

Oh, it was Quackity. He didn't really have the best perception of this person, from what he thought he remembered.

"Oh um, hi Quackity." Ranboo said. His hands were fidgeting in his indecision to sit, or continue standing.

"Uhh, Ranboo, right? How do you like Las Nevadas!" Quackity said, hands splaying out to represent the country they were currently in.

"Right, um, is this place, yours? Or something? Like… are you the owner?" Ranboo questioned, looking up at the top of the highest tower.

"Yes! So, what are you doing here anyway?" Quackity stood, hands on hips and staring directly in Ranboo's direction, obviously attempting eye contact.

Yeaup, nope.

Ranboo specifically avoided his gaze, as it was making him uncomfortable.

"Well I was uh, just looking around I guess. That building is pretty cool." Ranboo pointed to the log stripping club. Sounded fun actually.

Quackity nodded in agreement. "Ooohh, yeah. I didn't peg you for that type of guy, but I guess you can't judge a book by its cover." Quackity shrugged.

Okaaayyy? Weird.

"Wait, Ranboo, how old are you anyway?" A question, he really wished the questioning was over. He'd much rather have Quackity ramble on about whatever he wanted to instead of putting Ranboo on the spot.

"To be completely honest? I don't have a definite answer. Probably 17 or 18, I just don't remember." Ranboo confessed. That seemed to get a negative reaction out of Quackity.

"Do you- do you actually know what that building is?" He had raised his voice.

Ranboo flinched. He wasn't anticipating the sudden increase in volume. Although, to be fair, from what he remembered, Quackity was a pretty loud individual.

"Yeah, it's for stripping logs. Kind of cool you have an entire building for that." He stated. What else would it be for?

"OOOOHHH, yeah, yeah, totally um, definitely what that place is for… y'know what? How about you just, don't go near there, at all. Ever. Sound good?" Quackity laughed uncomfortably, hia hands going into his pockets as he rocked back on his feet, eyes briefly looking up at the sky.

Hmmm… sus.

Oh well, his secret hidey hole will always be there, and Ranboo will take comfort in that.

"Um, okay.. It did sound kinda fun though. But I guess I can strip logs at home, won't be as fun I don't think." He said, he didn't want to make Quackity mad anyway.

"Where do you even live, Ranboo? I haven't really seen you since Doomsday." Quackity mentioned.

"Oh uh, Phil invited me to live with him and Techno, actually. They're pretty nice. They really didn't have to, but they did anyway. Which is really cool." He wasn't exactly expecting the question, but Quackity was right. They haven't seen each other since Dream and Technoblade blew up the nation of New L'manburg. Maybe Las Nevadas is what Quackity has been working on since then.

Quackity bristled.

Did he say something wrong?

"Technoblade? What's uh, he been up to anyway." Quackity drew out his words, like each one was hard to say.

"Not much r-really… he just um, he just has been grinding for totems and stuff. I guess." Ranboo just wanted the atmosphere to go away. It wasn't right. There was something wrong. Did he do something wrong? Something he said? Maybe the way he was standing, or not showing that he was comfortable talking with Quackity? Or worse, something he forgot.

It was always something he forgot.

"Figures. He never has enough stuff does he. Always needs to be ahead of the game…" Quackity looked like he was in his own head, like Ranboo wasn't there, he preferred it that way.

And that wasn't really, what it was about. But uh, Ranboo didn't really want to correct him. He's obviously done enough damage already.

"So uh, why? Do you ask? If, if that's okay. I just, I'm just curious, I guess." Ranboo said, the feeling of his collar against his neck, and the pressure of his feet on the ground amplified. It was begging for his attention, nothing really felt like it was actually happening. He just wanted to be done.

Quackity looked at him oddly, but Ranboo didn't have the mind for noticing, he was looking down at his feet, hunched over. He could feel the sweat on the back of his neck. It didn't make sense, he was overreacting. Nothing was wrong.

"You should know Ranboo. Remember? The Butcher Army? You were even in it… how could you so easily switch sides?" Oh sides . He HATED that word. Couldn't they all stop choosing sides? It didn't matter, it wasn't the same. It was irrational. Just because you're on one side this week, doesn't mean you should denounce your friends, the people you care about, because you switch sides the next. The sides didn't matter.

"I, I just- It's not, it's not like that. I just want to help my friends. I'm not ON any side." Ranboo wasn't aware of his volume, everything felt so BIG and in the way. It's not supposed to be there. He tried to squeeze his arms with his hands, to ground himself. But it wasn't really working.

GOSH could he be any more of a pain? He had to stop, he knew where this was going. Kind of. And the last thing he wanted was for Quackity to be here right now. Just go away. Leave him alone.

"Ranboo, that doesn't make any sense. And- Ranboo? Is everything okay? You look fucking shitty." Quackity held out a hand in concern, but Ranboo only pulled away from him. Quackity was a stranger, someone that wasn't trusted. He was Technoblade and Tubbo's executioner, he remembered. Though unsuccessful for Techno, and indirectly for Tubbo. Quackity was involved.

Nothing made sense right now, he was stressed and annoyed and scared and he just wanted everything to stoppp.

"Hey buddy, you're actually starting to scare me, just calm down okay? Fucking calm down." Quackity was leaning towards Ranboo in some innate instinct to protect the kid breaking down in front of him.

Just stop, even Quackity wants him to stop, so he had to stop.

Nnnggg, just shut up brain and and and-

Ranboo realized he wasn't breathing, that probably wasn't a good thing. But it was so hard .

It was the only way that he could make it all stop, but it wasn't working and he had to breathe. He was supposed to breathe, it was important. Gotta do that.

"Fuck, Ranboo, just. Okay, here. Breathe with me okay? In. And out. Like this." Quackity did his best to lead Ranboo through breathing. Something so simple and yet so tricky, at least, right now.

A few more shaky breaths later, Ranboo was a little more present.

"Alright, just, what's wrong? Can you tell me what you need? Or like, something I could do to help or something. I don't want to just fucking leave you." Quackity sounded mildly panicked through Ranboo's thoughts. Which were mostly clouding his head and being really annoyingly loud.

The particles were also NOT helping.

Boo is sad!

PANIC

Guys shhhhh

Ranboo stressed pog

Quackity Dadkity

Help! PANICBOO!

"It's so LOUD." Ranboo pressed his hands to his head, closing his eyes shut. It was getting harder to breathe again. He REALLY didn't want to set back the work Quackity did. Couldn't the particles shut up this one time? His head felt like it was going to explode and there was a knot in his chest that kept feeling tighter and TIGHTER.

"Hey hey, it's okay, it's fucking okay , just uh. Listen to my voice? I'm here. Just ummm, shit, just breathe and GOD I am so fucking bad at this." Quackity was doing his best, Ranboo could appreciate that.

Then Quackity grabbed his hands to pull them off of Ranboo's head.

He breathed in sharply, wanting so badly to pull his hands away from Quackity's grip. But it was also there . Even if it felt like it burned, it helped, he thought. Grounded him better than anything else was. There was another person, and they were right there and it was going to be okay.

Slowly, Ranboo steadied his breathing, and opened his eyes. Quackity looked distressed, but when Ranboo blinked at him, he looked relieved.

Was it over?

He was okay?

Oh god… he just did that right in front of Quackity.

And Quackity helped him.

So embarrassing.

"You good now?" Quackity asked. Ranboo could feel Quackity trying to tug his hands away, but Ranboo grabbed them tighter.

"U-uh, yeah, um." Ranboo gulped, he wanted to keep holding Quackity's hands, but he was also really scared. He probably shouldn't be still holding his hands, so he tentatively let go.

"What the fucking hell was that?" Quackity asked, in the type of way where you genuinely don't know. It still hurt a bit. It was kind of like, oh, there actually was something wrong with Ranboo. Haha.

"I don't, really know? U-um, I just, it happens, a lot, I guess. Hm, probably really bad. A-anyways. I'm uh, probably going to uh, go. Y-yeah, no need to bother you anymore, or anything." Ranboo was still shaken, but he really didn't want to be here anymore, he really wanted to snuggle with Enderchest, and pet her really super soft fur. And generally just, forget EVERYTHING that just happened.

"Okay, you should get some therapy or something. That seemed really serious." Quackity actually looked concerned, which Ranboo couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Oh and uh, sorry. If, anything I said, was the reason you… the reason that happened." The confusing man in front of him looked guilty. OH NO! That's not- he wasn't, it wasn't his fault! At all!

"NO! No, no you're, you're okay, I just, do that sometimes it wasn't, you don't have to apologize! But I- I really do think I have to go now." Ranboo moved to leave, happily deciding on probably never coming here again.

"That's good, come again then sometime! As long as you're okay because, that was fucking scary." Quackity laughed awkwardly as Ranboo made his way home. Yeahhhh, not coming back. He didn't think Quackity wanted him back anyway, not after how dramatic Ranboo was about nothing .

Back at his cabin, he snuggled up with Enderchest by the fire, her soft fur pleasing between his fingers. And like he had wanted,

He forgot the whole thing.