SCP-4480 // A Ranboo SCP AU

Part 21

*sweats nervously* heyyyyyyy hows it goingggggg

OK OK OK DONT RAGE AT ME. IM JUST A HUGE PROCRASTINATOR OK? OK?

tbh i was putting this off cause i didn't know exactly what to do until i did. . .a bit

WHATEVER WHATEVER IM SO SORRY HEHEHHERE U GO

TW::: death (or mentions of it), panic attack

Niki closed the door behind her and glanced at the arm sling on Wilbur, then looked at Phil. She started to smile, but then saw the grim expression on his face. Wilbur didn't have the same expression though.

"Uh, what did you need to tell me?" Niki asked Wilbur and Phil, starting to walk back with them through the halls.

Wilbur paused, sighing, but not in a sad way. "I don't know how I could put this gently...After the SCP-8300 containment breach, we scanned the West Wing to see if someone else was hurt or trapped and- well we found someone dead."

Niki's eyes went wide, her head beginning to spin. "Who?"

"It was Agent Q." Wilbur opened the door to his main office and he walked through. "We found him nearest to the SCP's cell. His body was. . .His body was not what it used to be."

The news hit Niki like a brick. She was silent, staring at Wilbur's white coat.

Big Q. Big Q, he's dead. He's really dead. He's really dead. It was too soon for him, it's too soon for anyone. What will Karl and Sapnap think? This place is just a death trap. He wasn't supposed to go he wasn't supposed to go.

She couldn't think properly. Niki's eyes glimmered, and she put her hands to her face. She fell into Phil, and he wrapped his arms around her, comforting her as her breathing got distorted. Wilbur sat at his desk, pretending not to notice, and rubbed the back of his neck. He cleared his throat and grabbed a pen, writing onto a few sheets of paper.

"Do Karl and Sapnap know?" Niki asked behind tears. She was trying to breathe properly but her lungs weren't working as well as she wanted them to, only pulling in small amounts of oxygen. The hands pressed to her face were shaking uncontrollably. 

"Yes, they were the first ones to know. They've started planning the funeral."

Niki continued to cry, the sobbing only adding more to the silence somehow.

-w-

The day of the funeral that Wilbur wasn't attending. Everyone was going and he said he had to look over the Foundation while they were gone. That was part of the truth.

He now walked through the hallways, towards the SCP who had saved him. Why, after all that he'd done?  He was going to find out.

The door glided open and the white padding was a familiar sign to Wilbur. He eased it open wider with his good hand and spotted the SCP. It was resting against the far wall, its broken leg out in a comfortable position. Its tail was lightly wrapped around its waist and it looked like it was sleeping heavily.

Probably from the attack. . .

Wilbur closed the door softly, still making the creature startled from its sleep. It looked up and jumped, wincing, and then stared at him warily, growling. Wilbur knew it would have stood up and gone into the corner if not for the hurt leg.

Wilbur held up his free hand to show that he was coming peacefully, and the creature quieted down but stayed frozen watching him. Wilbur approached slowly and sat down in the middle of the room, cross-legged. It became slightly confused when he sat, and slightly sat up, glancing at Wilbur's bad arm.

Wilbur looked at his arm as well and nodded. "Yeah, that happened, but it's what I came to talk to you about." The SCP shifted then looked away, the plain walls seeming to become more interesting than Wilbur to it.

"So, Agent Nihachu has been saying that you ''saved my life'' in some way, that you got me out of that hallway and into safety. I've watched the recording from the cameras and you technically did do that. But," He paused, trying to make eye contact and failing, "why did you? Why did you help me?"

It was silent, looking at the ground in front of Wilbur. He was trying to be patient and this thing was going to break that wall of peace.

"SCP, I would like if you'd answer me when-"

"It's- it's Ranboo."

Wilbur stopped and stared at it. It had never corrected or cut him off for its 'name' before. It immediately seemed to regret speaking and curled in on itself a little bit.

A part of Wilbur that he hadn't noticed before whispered, He did save you. Let him have this one thing. He grumbled as the small thought planted in his mind and he sighed.

"I- hm okay then, Ranboo, would you answer me?"

The SCP - Ranboo - hesitated and looked up until its eyes were parallel with the collar of Wilbur's coat. He opened then closed his mouth, trying to grasp for words.

"Um, I actually don't. . .know? I- I mean I don't remember, I guess I was just helping out a person in need, cause it's the right thing to, uh, do. And that person in need was- was you. . ." The hybrid slowly trailed off, his gaze falling back to the floor.

Wilbur stared at Ranboo.

He wanted to say, "What. That was your reason- Not to get something back for a reward? What comes of that?"

But all he said was, "Hm. Alright."

Ranboo slightly relaxed in the corner of his eye. His tail flicked toward Wilbur until the hybrid had to focus to stop it from hitting the scientist.

Wilbur stood up, startling Ranboo.

"Well, since it mattered so much to you for you to want to do that,-" Now Wilbur was the one hesitating, "I must say. . .thank you." The small voice in the back of his mind cleared its throat, and Wilbur sighed. "And I am aware that I haven't been very. . .very gracious to you or the-the other SCPs." The last part almost came out warped, but Wilbur calmed himself.

Across from him, Ranboo was speechless. His jaw was partially open in what seemed to be surprise. His tail had stopped swaying and his eyes were on Wilbur's arm cast.

Wilbur didn't want to stay there anymore, the words that he had said starting to sink into his conscience. He slightly dipped his head then turned on his heel and strutted to the door. He closed the door behind him and the cold air greeted him in the hallway. Usually, it felt nice to him, refreshing in a way, but now goosebumps ran up and down his arms from the sudden change in temperature.

Wilbur tried to push the small thoughts out of his mind. That he was too mean. No. That he should have been at least a bit more understanding. No. No. The head of a very dangerous facility is not supposed to be soft.

Right?