R-26266

Chapter 12

Video Credit: xing on YouTube.com (also available on TikTok as @xing.shanos)

I see a look of relief wash across Niki's face as I walk into the dorm but it's quickly replaced by concern and confusion when she sees the sour look on my face.

"What's up N/N? Why do you look so pissed off at the world?" I let out a sigh.

"Eret. He did something in Ranboo's unit. I don't know what because Wil wouldn't tell me and Fundy dragged me away before I could get it out of Eret. All I know is there was a bang on the glass and then Wil came out with a black eye and Tubbo shaking like a leaf."

"Well you can't go look now, but in the morning you can check right away. I would let you go but we can't risk you spending the night in there again." I nod, knowing she's right.

"On a different note, why do you feel this great need to keep him safe? You're more protective over Ranboo than anyone else I've met before." I shrug.

"Honestly I don't know myself. There's just something different about him. Yeah, I wanna keep you all and Tommy and Tubbo safe too but... I don't know."

"If you're implying what I think, you're playing a dangerous game N/N." I look at her confused before the door to our dorm gets a set of patterned knocks, a signal we know to belong to Wil. I open the door and quickly usher him inside, surprised to find Phil following behind him.

"Eret's abusing SCPs." I roll my eyes as Niki walks to the kitchenette to grab a bag of frozen peas for Wil's eye.

"Tell me something I didn't know. What's brought this out all of a sudden?"

"When Eret was in Ranboo's unit earlier, between the time that you left and I got in there, he had shot something at them. No idea what, but Ranboo was on the ground and Tubbo was petrified. I tackled him before he could do anything else, but he hit my eye, thanks for the peas by the way, they do help, and began walking to Tubbo. I simply called him over to me and carried him out of the room." I share a look with Niki who shakes her head with a pleading look on her face.

"I'm sorry." I run out of the room and back to containment. Moments later I am entering Ranboo's unit. He's still leaning against the glass, presumably where Wil left him. His eyes open slightly and he looks at me.

"N-N/N... P-please leave... You can't b-be here..." I slowly pull him onto my lap, noticing him wince as I do so.

"I'm not going anywhere. What did Eret do?"

"S-shot me with a t-thing... I don't know w-what it was."

"Okay. Where'd he hit you?" His hand moves to a place right under his ribs, and with my limited physical medical training I know that spot to be dangerous if punctured or hit too hard.

"I'm gonna have to remove your shirt so that I can make sure your injuries aren't severe, okay?" He nods slowly and I begin to unbutton the white collared shirt given to him for modesty purposes. Thankfully he was hit on the white half of his body so the damage is immediately visible. An ugly yellow and purple bruise is forming just under his ribcage. Nothing fatal thankfully, but nonetheless uncomfortable. I take 2 fingers and gently press them on the bruise. He releases a low growl as his hand quickly grabs mine and pulls it away.

"I know it hurts Ran, but I have to make sure nothing's broken, okay? Squeeze my hand when it hurts, but please do try not to break it." I see him nod and I slip my other hand into one of his before pressing my fingers around the bruise again. Feeling nothing too out of place for a normal human like skeleton, I release the breath I didn't realize I had been holding.

"Nothing's broken, but that bruise is going to hurt for a while. Be careful with it, okay?" I feel him nod against my lap and I lean against the glass.

"N-N/N... You should l-leave now. It's not s-safe for you t-to be here." I let out a tired huff.

"Ran, I really don't care. If I did, I wouldn't be in here right now."

"I-I care. I don't know w-why, but I don't want y-you getting hurt."

"Well, you usually think that way about people that you love."

"W-what's love?"

"Well... How to explain this... It's a feeling you get about some people where you would rather something bad happen to you than to them. There are 2 different kinds too. 1 kind, you share with your friends and family, like you see between Tommy and Tubbo, and then another that is really hard to describe. It's usually between 2 people, but it can be between more. That kind of love causes you to never want to give them up or let them down (haha get Rick Rolled)."

"D-do you love me, N-N/N?"

"Yes Ran, I love you."

"H-how?"

"I..." I can't bring myself to answer him because I don't know in which way I care. I know he's my friend, and I do love him as such, but Niki's warning in our dorm is sticking with me. I've always been oblivious to feelings. I remember the first time I had a crush. I had no idea what that was, but my friend helped me figure it out. The first time I figured one out on my own, it took months for me to realize it. It's entirely possible that Niki's realized something I haven't.

"I l-love you t-too N/N... but I don't know h-how either." I offer a small smile.

"I guess we'll just have to figure it out together then, won't we? Now get some sleep."

"N-not until you leave." I sigh.

"Fine, but I'm coming back first thing in the morning to check on you, got it?"

"Y-yes Dr. N-N/N." I offer him a small smile before helping him into a more comfortable position and leaving to return to my dorm.

Niki and Wil are sitting on the couch when I arrive back in the room.

"I was beginning to fear I was going to have to go and get you."

"Well you have Ranboo to thank for me actually coming back. He's got a nasty bruise under his ribs that should be monitored, but I didn't feel anything broken. Should probably be checked out regardless." Wil nods and stands to leave, probably a good idea considering the alarms went off a while ago. After saying goodnight to Wil, I sit on the couch next to Niki.

"Niki... what did you mean earlier? When you said I was playing a dangerous game?"

"Are you seriously that oblivious?" I shrug with a look on my face that says "maybe?" She shakes her head before looking back at me.

"From what I've noticed, you care about him more than any other SCP here. Heck, you might even care about him more than you care about us. If that means what I think it does, which would be that you love him, you could be in a risky situation, especially with Eret. We all may be able to cover for you, but you know he has eyes and ears almost everywhere and if you get caught you could get turned into something like Phil, if you don't over expose yourself first that is."

"I can't deny what you've said which makes this much more stressful, however I don't know if I can change my thoughts. If something does happen, can I rely on you to have my back?"

"N/N, you know all of us will have your back. Heck, Tommy and Tubbo may even help you out. We all care about you, but don't get yourself caught because then we can't help you."