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It started as just another day like any other. The ship was stopped at a town, everyone out and about, doing their own thing.
Tubbo had dragged Ranboo off to look at random knick-knacks in shops. Phil had given the two some money to buy something and Tubbo was determined to spend all of it.
While running around the shops and markets, they hear a noise from an alleyway. Looking down the alley, they see a small child, probably around 4 or 5, with short light pink hair and dirty slightly torn up clothes, trying to climb up some boxes. Tubbo gasps, gaining the kid's attention, causing them to jump behind the boxes and hide.
Ranboo slowly approaches the boxes the kid hid behind. When he's able to see the kid he gives them a warm smile, "hey little one, what are you doing in this alley all alone?"
The kid shrinks back before pointing at their throat and shaking their head. "You can't talk?" the brown haired mer questions, stepping around the boxes more to get closer. The kid nods as Ranboo finally steps fully around the boxes, extending his hand to the kid.
"I'm Ranboo and that's my friend Tubbo," Ranboo points behind himself towards Tubbo, who has walked over to the boxes aswell, "Do you need help finding your parents?"
The kid shakes their head as they grab Ranboo's hand, Ranboo guiding them out from behind the boxes. "So you know where they are?" They shake there head again and let go of the mer's hand. They held their right hand up and wrapped their other hand around their wrist before sliding it up their hand and holding both hands in a flattened 'O' shape like the fucken 'mama mia' thing yknow.
Ranboo and Tubbo looked at the kid in confusion before Ranboo said, "Sorry but I don't know what that means. If you know how to write, we can take you back to our place and get you some paper though?"
The kid nods at this suggestion, grabing the mer's hand again. Ranboo smiles down at the kid before the three of them walk out of the alley and head in the direction of the boat.
When they get there, Tubbo runs off to find some paper while Ranboo and the kid sit down on the deck. Tubbo comes back after a minute and hands the kid the paper and a pen.
"So," Tubbo starts, sitting down next to the other two, "what's your name?"
The kid grabs the pen clumsily before messily scribbling out a word. "Micheal?" Ranboo asks, smiling when the kids nods back at him.
"So Micheal, what happened to your parents?" Micheal wrote down a response before handing the paper to Ranboo. Ranboo silently read the paper before looking at Micheal sadly and whispering, "They left you?"
Micheal messed with the hem of his shirt while nodding. The three sat there, the silence weighing heavily on them, before Tubbo spoke. "You could stay with us?"
Micheal looked up at Tubbo, eyes lighting up at the idea. "Yeah, he could, we'd have to ask Wilbur though." Ranboo added smiling at the excitement on Micheal's face.
--
Ranboo and Tubbo had taken Micheal back into to town and bought him a pig plushy from a shop. After, the three sat in the town pub, Micheal playing with his plush while Ranboo and Tubbo chatted. Once the sun began setting, Ranboo took Micheal's hand and they began heading back to the ship.
As they walked up onto the ship, Sally spotted them and looked at Micheal, confused. "Who's that with you guys?"
"This is Micheal! We found him!" Tubbo said, bouncing up and down a bit.
Ranboo sighed and shook is head fondly before elaborating, "We ran into him, his parents left him so we were gonna ask Wil if we could keep him."
Sally giggled lightly before nodding her head, "Yeah, makes sense. I'm sure Wil will say yes tho!"
Ranboo smilied at her before they walked off to try and find Wilbur.
When they found Wilbur, Tubbo immediately ran at him. "Wilbur!"
"What's up Tubbo?" Wilbur said before noticing the kid holding onto Ranboo's hand. "Who's that?"
"This is Micheal, he was all alone so we wanted to ask if he could stay with us?" Ranboo said with a shy smile, letting go of Micheal's hand as he tried walking over to Wilbur.
Wil looked down at the small pink haired child who stared up at him with a large smile. Wilbur sighed before reaching down and ruffling his hair. "Fine, he can stay. But you two are taking care of him."
Ranboo gave Wilbur a big grin and Tubbo saluted and yelled, "Aye aye, Captain!" which caused the three adults to giggle.