𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄. ranboo (complete)

𝐗𝐗. SO EASILY

❝ PRETTY FACE ❞
March 14th, 2021

REAL LIFE — THEO!

BUT THEN, ELEVEN DAYS LATER, Theo faced his fears alone.

It was Sunday, Theo was finishing homework for his math class, and Ranboo was sitting in call with him, though he had mentioned being outside somewhere; Theo could hear other voices around him, but it didn't seem like Ranboo was talking to them. He wasn't talking to Theo, either — and it was nice, the relaxing silence that enveloped both of them, making Theo sink into a state of warm comfort, a far cry from his math homework.

Theo stared at the screen with his eyes burning, trying to make sense of the numbers and letters pushed together and made into a problem that literally wouldn't help him in real life. He wanted to slam his head against his desk and blackout for the next week, but figured that might traumatize Ranboo and Techno, so he refrained.

"—GAH!" Ranboo exclaimed, snapping Theo out of his harmful thoughts. "No! Get— go away!" he yelled. Theo's brows furrowed in concern until he heard an indigent squawk of what had to be a seagull. "Shoo! And stay away!" Ranboo called out. Theo smirked to himself.

"Fighting the birds now, Beloved?" he asked teasingly.

Ranboo grumbled. "It was trying to steal my chips!" he protested. "God, I— my parents brought me out here because I 'spend too much time inside' and 'need a bit of sunlight for my skin' — as if I'm not in my mask and glasses! I'm going to have the most horrible sunburn!" he complained. Theo snickered. "Oh, shut it," Ranboo huffed; Theo's snickers turned into cackles. "How's the homework?"

"Awful," Theo said. "Where even are you right now?"

"The beach," Ranboo told him. "I brought a book."

"A man after my own heart," Theo teased. Ranboo squeaked. "Anyway, what beach are you at? There're so many trashy ones, I hope your parents have taste."

Ranboo chuckled. "True. It's Marshall's Beach, pretty nice for having to drive out here though," he commented, but Theo was hardly listening anymore. The moment the words Marshall's Beach had left Ranboo's mouth, Theo's heart had skipped several beats and his breathing had stilled. 

Marshall's Beach.

Marshall's Beach.

"Theo?" Ranboo asked when he realized Theo wasn't talking.

Theo swallowed. "That's, uh, that's about a ten-minute walk from my place," he admitted softly, almost inaudible if not for Ranboo wearing headphones.

". . . Oh," Ranboo said.

"Oh," Theo agreed.

". . . Do you want to, uh, meet up? Right now?" Ranboo asked quietly.

Anxiety swelled in Theo's chest, his stomach turning and making him feel nauseous. They were ten minutes away from each other, and all Theo had to do was say yes. Say yes, and he was going to meet one of his best friends in person; they could see each other in person, in real life. No more talking behind a screen, wishing they could meet up, could make a plan without everything going to shit—

Meeting in person. Risking Ranboo seeing his face. Risking everything just to see Ranboo.

There was only one clear answer.