Chapter Text
Techno thought that everyone else would like his hair just as much as he did.
He was very, very wrong.
Wilbur slapped a hand over his mouth, Tommy and Tubbo burst out laughing, and Phil seemed to be trying his best to not laugh.
“What?” Techno was confused and slightly frustrated.
“You- you look fuckin’ stupid!” Tommy somehow managed to say in the middle of his laughing.
“I’m gonna have to agree with him. Your scariness factor went down by like, thirty percent.” Wilbur snorted.
Tubbo was clutching his stomach.
Phil let out a small chuckle.
“It’s a lot different from what you used to look like. I’ll admit, it does look a bit silly.”
Techno grunted at them.
“Just to spite you all, I’m keeping it this way forever. I also like it a lot, I’ll have you know.”
Wilbur groaned and Tubbo only laughed harder.
“Okay, but we need to get Ranboo’s opinion on this. He clearly has better taste than you all.” Techno stuck his nose in the air.
“Yeah yeah. But we have to wait until morning. I don’t get why humans don’t just do stuff at night too. It would make everything happen way quicker.” Tommy complained.
“That’s because humans need to sleep, Tommy. We get all our energy from blood, but they only get part of their energy from food, therefore needing to sleep to get the rest of their energy.” Phil explained, like the wise man he is.
“Besides, I think the wait is worth it.” Tubbo chimed in.
Techno silently agreed. He couldn’t let his family know he was going soft for some random human. They would tease him for centuries.
His weird brain voices were already chanting, technosoft. technosoft. technosoft
“Even if it is worth it, that doesn’t change the fact that I’m bored .” Tommy groaned.
“You are an absolute child. We need to keep you on a leash.” Wilbur teased.
Tommy launched himself at the man.
Their fighting went on for a moment, until Phil sighed.
“If you boys are going to roughhouse, go deeper in the forest.” He said sternly.
Tommy and Wilbur eyed each other, slowly moving deeper into the forest.
Techno climbed up a tree and stayed there, just because he could.
When the sun was nearly in the middle of the sky, both boys emerged from the flora.
Their clothes were dirty and slightly torn. Techno could even see a few bite marks on Wilbur. Oh well, he knew Tommy was feral when he decided to fight him.
He was sure that the death glare Phil gave them would be enough to send them back into the forest.
They got a very stern talking to, from what Techno could hear up in his tree. He slid down the trunk to get a better listen.
“-and if this ever happens again, I swear to Prime you better hope you-“
“Woah there, Phil. Don’t be so hard on them. We can just get them new clothes when we visit Ranboo. Besides, I think we all need an updated wardrobe.”
Wilbur and Tommy just gaped at him. Phil looked like he was ready to defenestrate someone.
He tilted his head slightly.
“What?”
“You….actually defended us? Wow, Techno. The pink hair has changed you.” Tommy sounded solemn.
“It has not!” Techno sputtered.
Phil sighed.
“Alright, that's enough. Someone grab Tubbo so we can go and see the only sensible one.”
Both Techno and Tubbo gasped in offense.
Everyone’s mood seemed to lighten up the closer they got to the 7-Eleven.
As the door opened by itself, (again, kinda weird), Ranboo’s gaze shifted from confused as he spotted Tommy and Wilbur, to finally landing on Techno.
His eyes lit up (no that did not tug on Techno’s nonexistent heartstrings).
“Huh, you really did dye it. It looks good. Is this your first time?” Ranboo seemed genuinely interested.
(Techno did not get a warm feeling in his chest)
“Uh, thank you. This was my first time ever dying my hair.” He instinctively began running his fingers through his hair.
“Well, I think the pink kinda suits you.” Ranboo sounded slightly nervous, like he was unsure of his statement.
“ Thank you. At least someone thinks I look good with it.” Techno announced.
Wilbur and Tommy shared a dubious glance.
“Well, besides showing you Techno’s hair, we were planning to get some new clothes. Mostly because these two can’t go a minute without fighting.” Phil glared at the two boys next to him.
“The rest of us need clothes, too. As you can see, we kinda stand out.” Tubbo looked down at himself.
Ranboo also stared, seeming to have just noticed their strange fashion choices.
“I kinda thought it was just a stylistic choice, y’know?” He muttered, “Anywho, you probably won’t be able to find much here. It would be a lot better to go to an actual clothing store.”
“Yeah, but we like it here.” Wilbur grinned.
“You’re here.” Tommy added.
Techno wanted to slap them for how obvious they were being.
“Oh. Um. Well in that case, there’s shirts and shorts in the back…” Ranboo looked down and pretended to be busy doing…something.
Techno grabbed Wilbur and Tommy by the collar and dragged them to the back of the store.
“You’re going to make him uncomfortable.” He warned.
“Ughhhh. Why can’t we just tell him about us and get it over with?! I’m tired of having to act all….humany.” Tommy groaned, not loud enough for Ranboo to hear.
Techno narrowed his eyes at Tommy.
“We didn’t tell you for six years, and you expect us to tell him after three days?” He drawled.
“Well that was because of my little depressive episode!” Tommy folded his arms together.
“You mean the ‘episode’ that lasted three years?” Techno raised an eyebrow.
“You know what I mean! Either we go tell him, or I’ll show him, and you won’t like what that entails.” Tommy opened his mouth slightly, one of his fangs glinting in the light.
“Don’t you dare.” Techno hissed.
“Now, let’s not fight over this. Both of you need to cool it.” Wilbur got in between the two.
“I agree with Wilbur, for once. We shouldn’t rush into anything this quickly.” Phil walked up to the trio.
Tubbo stood by the counter, most likely using the pick-up lines he learned after reading a book.
Techno smiled smugly.
“But, I also agree with Tommy. I am getting a bit restless. It’ll be hard to get closer to Ranboo when he just sees us as strangers.” Phil pointed out.
This time, Tommy smiled smugly.
“We should put it to a vote.” Wilbur suggested.
“Good idea, Wilbur. All in favor of telling Ranboo about us, raise your right hand.” Phil spoke slightly louder so that Tubbo could hear them.
Wilbur and Tommy raised their hands. Phil and Techno did not.
Everyone looked at Tubbo.
He stared at his hands for a second, before raising the right one.
Techno groaned and put his head in his hands.
Tommy and Wilbur looked excited.
“Well then, it’s settled. We’ll tell him.” Phil announced.
___
Ranboo was slightly confused. Out of nowhere, Wilbur, Tommy, and Tubbo all raised their hands. Then Techno groaned and face-palmed. Was that some kind of inside joke?
Wilbur and Tommy came up to the counter, eyes shining. Techno and Phil came up behind them, looking…worried?
“Oh Ranboooo, we have something to tell yooouuu.” Tommy said in a sing-song voice.
“It’s kind of important.” Phil added on.
“Oh um, I’m listening.” Ranboo was nervous. Did he do something wrong?
Phil’s eyes darted around, as if looking for something. He then went and switched off the ‘Open’ sign. Ranboo didn’t question it.
“Okay, what I’m about to say is going to sound like I’m lying, but I promise you, I am being one hundred percent truthful.” Phil said carefully.
Everyone seemed content to let Phil do the talking.
Ranboo nodded. What could Phil possibly say that he hasn’t heard before?
“We are vampires.”
Ranboo snorted.
“Heh, that's funny.”
Phil looked confused.
“What’s funny?”
“Your joke.” Ranboo explained.
Phil’s face turned serious.
“I wasn’t joking. Look.”
He pulled up his top lip slightly to show a tooth that was larger and sharper than normal.
The rest of the group did the same.
Then it hit Ranboo.
He started to connect the pieces.
The clothes, the old coins, the lack of hair dye knowledge, the fangs .
He was talking to vampires.
Vampires that drink human blood and are practically invincible.
Vampires that could easily kill him within seconds.
Before he knew it, his vision went black.
___
Ranboo began to hear before he could see. It sounded like multiple voices.
“ -swear if you killed him, I’m holding it against you for all of eternity.”
“I didn’t know he would just collapse!”
The voices got less muffled. He could hear one much louder than the others. It was deep and gruff.
“Hey. Hey Ranboo. Kid, are you okay?”
Suddenly, something, or someone, touched his shoulder. He jerked away roughly and kicked out with his legs.
He came into contact with something sturdy. Something that didn’t move. Something like a vampire.
His vision cleared enough to see pink hair. It was Techno. Techno, who was a vampire.
He backed away as far as he could until he was against the counter.
He was eventually able to see Techno’s expression. He looked strangely…hurt…
His mouth was slightly agape. He could see the light reflecting off of one of his fangs.
Ranboo curled into a ball.
“Oh god, please don’t kill me, please. I’ll do whatever you want just please don’t kill me.”
He couldn’t die. He was only 16. He had to pay for Niki’s medicine. He had to get her out of that god awful hospital. He had to make her spaghetti at least one more time.
“ Kill you?! We would never!” Techno sounded surprised and slightly offended.
Ranboo said nothing. He only realized he was crying when he felt the tears drip off his face.
Concerned voices filled the air.
“Is he awake?”
“Did he hurt himself?”
“Did he hit his head?”
He ignored them all, somehow curling up tighter.
He was going to die at the age of 16. He never even learned how to drive.
He can’t die. If he dies, no one will pay for Niki’s medicine. She’ll get worse and worse until she dies alone in that hospital-
“Kid, I think you’re hyperventilating. Breathe normally, please.” Ranboo could barely hear Techno over his own heart beat.
“Just please, don’t kill me…” He whispered.
“I already told you. We’re not going to kill you, I promise. Wouldn’t even dream of it.” Techno sounded reassuring.
But Ranboo knew not to trust words.
“We love you”
“We only want what’s best for you.”
“We’re doing this because we care about you.”
No. These people…these people aren’t them.
He…he can…. maybe …trust these people. Or, well, vampires.
He peeked out from his arms.
The group of five was sitting a good distance away. They looked worried, bordering on upset.
They seemed to look less sad when he looked at them.
“We’re sorry about that. That was a lot of information to drop at once.” Phil’s voice sounded soothing, and it encouraged Ranboo to uncurl just a bit.
“It was all my fault.” Tommy muttered, looking the most upset out of everyone.
“No it’s not. I voted to tell him as well.” Tubbo spoke with a slight fierceness.
“I voted too. No one is entirely to blame.” Wilbur murmured.
Huh. So that was what the hand-raising was about.
Ranboo sniffled and wiped his face using his apron.
Somehow, the vampires’ faces seemed to soften even more.
“We truly are sorry. We didn’t know it would cause a reaction like this…” Techno sounded solemn.
“I would say it’s okay, but it’s really not.” Ranboo laughed, but it sounded sad.
“We’ll leave if you want us to.” Tubbo looked like he was about to cry. If vampires could cry.
“I….I don’t know…” Ranboo mumbled.
Suddenly, a hand reached towards his face. In an attempt to back up more, Ranboo only hit his head on the counter. He rubbed it and winced.
Wilbur dropped a napkin next to him and whispered “Sorry.”
He grabbed the napkin and wiped some of the tears off his face.
The vampires looked at him as if he just shattered into a million pieces.
“I….I’m gonna need some time to process this…” Ranboo put his chin on his knees.
“That’s…understandable…” Tommy didn’t look at Ranboo.
Phil whispered something inaudible to the rest of the group and stood up. As he went to the door, Tommy, Wilbur, and Tubbo followed him. Techno stayed, crouched down staring at him.
He held out his pinky finger.
“I promise that I will never intentionally hurt you.” He said with complete seriousness.
“A pinky promise?” Ranboo said, mostly in disbelief.
“Yes. It’s the most effective way to make a promise.” Techno was not joking in the slightest.
Ranboo didn’t understand why, but ever so slowly, he extended his hand towards the man in front of him.
When their hands were close enough together, they hooked their pinkies together, and touched thumbs to lock it.
Ranboo pulled back quickly. Touch was still very much not a-okay. Especially from someone who could take his life in an instant.
“So, are we allowed to come back here?” Techno sounded….nervous, which was weird because Ranboo should be the one who’s nervous. He’s the one who unknowingly made friends with a bunch of vampires.
“I mean, I can’t really stop you.” Ranboo laughed humorlessly.
“But I want to know if you’re okay with it.” Techno emphasized the word ‘you’re’.
Ranboo thought for a second.
These were vampires , creatures who were literally known for killing humans and drinking their blood.
But Techno made a promise, and if he was anything like Ranboo, he would keep it.
He could not believe he was trusting these people.
“I mean, I guess. Things will definitely be weird though.” Ranboo spoke hesitantly.
“I know. Thank you for trusting us.” Techno smiled sadly at him. “I’ll leave you alone now.”
When Ranboo heard the front door’s bell ring, he completely laid down on the floor.
And he thought he was unlucky when Niki got sick…
He stood up, a headache forming in the back of his head.
He grabbed his time card and clocked out.
He was pretty sure taking the rest of the day off was justified. He really needed to think about some things.
Watching all five twilight movies in one day did not prepare him for this.