Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

  Just sleep, just dream

This isn't fair, no, we're not just what we seem

A crow followed a tall thin figure as they walked down the path with an unsteady gait. The enderman was wearing clothes meant for bed, loose white shirt and gray pants as their violet eyes shone bright. Their skin was raw with healing wounds, coming from the land of cold to do their task. Long white and black hair blew around the enderman’s thin face full of sharp angles, brushing their shoulders as a gentle breeze caressed the tall being as they walked in long strides.

A small house hidden under a hill was where the enderman stopped, no one was home at the time. The door was firmly closed and the grass trimmed, someone finally cleaning it up after months of neglect. The mound of dirt protected the base, encasing it in the earth’s careful hands, sheltering the boy's base from outside elements like a mother’s embrace.

A glowing inventory opened in front of the being, TNT being pulled out of that void into mismatched hands. They placed the TNT at the door and lit it, loud explosions ringing out breaking the sweet lucidity of peaceful nighttime. The door blew off its hinges into the house, a loud bang echoing through the night as some of the hill collapsed in on itself.

The enderman worked quickly lining the rest of the house and setting them off in controlled bursts. A miniature crater to mirror the one up the oak path is soon all that remains, miraculously no one hears this devastation. The figure works alone besides a pair of ever watchful indigo eyes of the avian variety, perched nearby.

The crow sits in an oak tree, preening pitch black feathers, purple particles spilling across soft wings. Its glowing eyes observe the whole scene as it plays out, archiving it and committing it to memory.

The enderman finishes with TNT, moving onto netherack and fire. They put pieces everywhere, clicking flint and steel to ignite the block, painting the dark night in orange flames. 

For the final step they pulled a chest from their inventory and slipped one thing inside, placing the closed box on the path in front of the new crater. Attaching a sign to the front pre-written by another, they were done with their task.

The two toned figure moved away from the former home, looking for one last moment before turning to where they came from, long strides taking them quickly away.

The crow shakes out its wings before taking flight once more and lands on the enderman's shoulder with a chirp. The enderman returned with distorted chattering, answering in their own language back to the inquisitive bird. Tail flicking, they walked towards the main portal, glowing purple eyes matching those of the crow in their shoulder, a slight limp in their walk from the damage their body sustained.

Somewhere, a deity was protecting this being, for better or for worse. All enemies stayed away from the strange pair, matching violet eyes and floating purple particles. The enderman petted the crow affectionately, walking back to the cold land once more.

We want to fly but our souls are trapped inside

It's not a game, not to blame, we're forced to hide

"Kid, up an' at 'em!" Technoblade's voice broke through their dreams making Ranboo sit straight up in bed. The cold air cocooned around their thin body, warmth melting from their limbs as they were awoken, blankets pooling in their lap. Involuntarily they chatter in Enderian, the surprise of a sudden wake up call sent their heart racing.

They groaned as a pulling of their muscles protested the stretch of their limbs, mysterious aches and pains becoming more numerous as the days went by. The enderman woke up to bruises, burns and cuts they had no idea when they got. Their coal-black house robe hung over the spruce bed post, soft as they slid it on before climbing out of bed half-awake, brushing the clothing flat with sore hands. 

They began to gather their outfit for the day, laying it on their bed. They regret slipping on the house robes as they would have to discard it to change. Ranboo shivers as they pull it back off to hang them once more over the bedpost before beginning to put on their day clothes.

Ranboo had asked the piglin to wake them up today, it had been several days since the Emerald Duo and Dream had attacked L'Manburg. The enderman wanted to travel back and bring their pets here, the crow and piglin they now lived with had helped them build a shelter near their cottages, in a small alcove of a hill on their property. The pair had been welcoming and warm right off the bat, Ranboo was a bit thrown by the genuine atmosphere they received.

They wanted to prove worthy to stay here but Technoblade and Phil wanted none of it, promising to protect them from anything. Ranboo had to beg for chores to do so they stopped feeling useless to the pair. Finally Technoblade grew tired of the requests and had given them the task of looking after the pets he sheltered, which Ranboo attended too happily. 

Ranboo pulled on their suit in front of a mirror set up near the wall of Technoblade's bedroom, right now it was only themself and Technoblade who slept in this space. The crow avain had finished his cottage earlier this week across the deck from Technoblade’s main front door and moved there, promising to finish Ranboo's house while the being travelled to get their pets. 

As they knotted their tie Tubbo's face flashed to their mind, many mornings had started with the blonde fixing their rose-red tie. Ranboo missed him with everything they had, the boy held part of their heart, they still hadn't spoken since that day and Ranboo kept debating asking Phil to send the boy a letter with one of his crows. 

Ranboo looked at their red and green eyes, bags heavy under them. A healing cut slashed down their cheek, a new injury to wonder about its origin. Ranboo ran their thin fingers down the line, worried how often things like this appeared. How many new scars they had gained with no knowledge of what happened to cause them, permanent marks of lost memories deep in their skin. Everytime they looked in their reflection they left questioning more and more about the gaps in their consciousness.

Ranboo slides on their tarnished gold crown, braiding their shoulder-length two toned hair quickly before descending the ladder downstairs. Ranboo served themself a bowl of the oatmeal warming over the fire, digging in as Phil poured them tea. Technoblade sat on his couch, an open spot beside him on the worn brown loveseat. Phil placed the teapot back down and dragged a kitchen chair to Technoblade's side, gesturing for Ranboo to sit beside the piglin on the open couch.

The warrior pair was dressed down today in long lounge robes, crown and striped hat not in sight. Both had their hair loose, Phil's wavy blonde reaching the top of shoulders just above his pitch-black wings and Technoblade's straight rose pink strands fell to his mid back. Ranboo took the spot offered, watching as Phil came back with a hairbrush to his partner, beginning to slowly detangle the piglin’s hair. It seemed like an old habit between them each morning, braiding the others' hair besides the small one Phil left in his golden tresses. It hangs from behind his left ear with now five beads; rose pink, daffodil yellow, leaf green, blood red and indigo purple. Ranboo wasn’t sure when that fifth one had shown up, they wondered about the significance of another being added. Both still wore matching emerald earrings and indigo necklaces, the pieces seemed important to them as Ranboo never saw them without the jewellery on.

"Sleep okay, mate?" His kind blue eyes met Ranboo's before they looked down, softly smiling at the concern while staring at their bowl of food.

"Alright, lots of dreams though…" Ranboo trailed off, eating more and sipping some tea. “Lot’s of thoughts still; worried about the repercussions, concerned about travelling back to L’Manburg and I haven’t heard from Tubbo or Tommy….”

Phil stopped brushing Technoblade’s hair and pulled the kitchen chair too in front of the enderman and sat heavily, placing his hand on Ranboo’s shaking knee to steady them, giving them something to focus on. No words were spoken until Ranboo continued quietly. “I keep waking up to mysterious injuries I have no memory of getting, I am worried I am forgetting more and more, slipping away further into my mind. I don’t remember injuring myself but I wake up with more aches and pains everyday, with no reasonable explanation as to how I got them.”

Technoblade placed his plate down before placing his scarred hand over his partner’s, the heavy weight a grounding one. Ranboo timidly looked up, meeting the pig’s soft red eyes.

“We will be here for you, to support you. You are with us now an’ nothing will change that.” Technoblade’s deep voice comforted the deep recesses of their heart, his blood-red gaze kind.

“Always, Ranboo.” Phil promised, meeting his sky-blue eyes with the enderman’s, wisdom shining deep in his pupils.

Technoblade nods along with his partner’s words, before abruptly standing to go upstairs. Ranboo watched with questions in their eyes as the pig climbed back down, clutching something in his right hand. Technoblade mumbles something in a language Ranboo doesn’t know, his eyes flashing purple before back to their normal rose red, a sheepish look on his face before extending his clasped hand.

“I meant to wait longer with this an’ don’t look too much into it.” Technoblade warns, before opening his fist to a familiar emerald encased in gold laid on his scarred palm. “Phil an' I wanted to give you something.”

Ranboo stared for a moment, understanding just how much they already mean to the pair and their sight grows blurry, one tear burning a trail down their cheek. They had no idea how they had managed to endear themselves so much to the pair but they were happy they did, Ranboo finally had a safety net to fall back on too. They hadn’t had a safe space since…Tubbo.

“Thank you.” Their voice was soft, Ranboo hoped their tone conveyed their gratitude and Phil squeezed their knee once more.

Their hands ended up being too shaky to remove one of their earrings, they had multiple different ones on their black and white ears. Every piece was a different piece or style of jewellery, many stories dangling at the ends of chains. Phil ended up helping, tucking the one they removed away for safekeeping, promising to put it in Ranboo’s house after the avian and piglin finished setting it up today. Like Technoblade and Phil, they hung the emerald from their right ear, a comfortable weight to tap their neck, reminding them someone cares. They wondered about adding another piercing soon so they could put it back in, they were very attached to each of their pieces.

Ranboo had an odd number of piercings already, they could finally even them out they thought happily. Maybe Technoblade or Phil could help them add one more hole to put back the one they removed, Ranboo didn’t want to lose any of them. They had a total of five at the moment, three in their right and two in their left. A small L’Manburg flag, a bee, an allium, a fox and a cookie all hung from silver chains, given to them by some of the L’Manburg members as gifts, memories they could treasure forever. Phil had removed the L’Manburg flag for now but looked at it with a small smile before tucking it away, a sincere sadness hidden in his ocean eyes.

“Someone above told us to give this emerald to you, so they can always keep watch over you.” Phil’s eyes shined as he smiled with fond remembrance looking at Ranboo once more, secrets dancing in his sky gaze. “Only a few people have one, it reminds others that you are now protected by us. When we say you have a spot with us, we mean it Ranboo. For however long you need, forever even, neither of us will go back on this.”

Ranboo’s chest grew even warmer, cheeks heating as they looked between the piglin and the crow. Somehow, the pair had decided Ranboo was worth their time, they could never explain to them just how much that means.

Soon Ranboo is setting off to a place they didn’t want to return, wrapped in the cloak Phil gifted them with. Just after they moved in with the pair the cloak went missing for a day, before mysteriously returning with more fabric stitched on the bottom, accounting for the nearly half a foot they stood taller than the crow avian. 

Also after they moved in, Technoblade had made sure they carried an entire snow suit in their inventory with them everywhere, it felt a bit ridiculous just how much Technoblade worried over their exposure to the wet particles.

Usually the moment they were out of sight of the cabin they stripped off a few layers, preferring their enchanted netherite armour to encase their form and the cloak over the knitted hat and gloves Technoblade always forced on the enderman. The piglin would stand in front of the door until Ranboo complied with covering themselves up, especially if it was snowing.

The comfortable weight of their crown sits around their head when they drew it out of their inventory to wear it, wind tugging at the new heavy earring they wore. Their tail flicked behind them as they strolled, preferring stinging freedom to a cramped position under their travelling cloak.

The journey to their panic room goes relatively smoothly, choosing Nether travel over the painful ocean. Only a few enemies picked a fight, Ranboo slaying them quickly before they emerged at the Portal near the Community House. 

They ran into no one on the way to their hidden space, both a good and a bad thing. Ranboo still worried over those they left behind, vowing to send a crow with a letter for Tommy and Tubbo at some point soon. Niki and Fundy also came to mind, Ranboo was going to miss seeing many people everyday. Phil had promised that they could use his crows anytime to send messages to those they left behind, but everytime they put pen to paper no words were written, everything too snarled in their brain to be coherent. So the task kept getting pushed off, Ranboo wanted to do it soon but was just so confused about what they even wanted to say.

For the first time, they allowed themself to grieve for the community everyone lost, burned to ashes because of the questionable ideals of a dead man and a council that flew too close to the sun. Images flash through the enderman’s mind, Tubbo’s prideful smile when they wandered those wooden platforms, the town hall they built, the beehouse they spent days building. Phil’s kindness, Ghostbur's pride, Niki's sweetness, Quackity's dedication, Tommy’s passion, Fundy’s pranks, Tubbo's joy, Wilbur's memories, so much destroyed in a few, chaotic hours of three beings with too much time and experience falling a nation.

The broken prime path, a future razed to rubble and dust, all for the sake of choosing what lot you wanted to throw yours in with. If anything these thoughts had pushed Ranboo further from choosing, preferring the friends they made over some side they didn’t truly believe in.

They were finally with people who accepted that, a small smile gracing their black and white face remembering who they now lived with. Yes, they were part of the team that destroyed L’Manburg for a third time, a final time, but somehow Ranboo didn’t think the pair were in the wrong. 

All they wanted was to live out their time peacefully here until the Technoblade and Phil moved on, the blessing of the Death Goddess allowing them passage to other world servers. Ranboo really didn’t blame them, seeing the respect they held for each other and those the duo cared about was inspiring, if that was ever in danger Ranboo would be leaving if they were in those two's shoes. A relationship and partnership like that is once in a lifetime, if anything ever threatened Tubbo they would drop everything to save him, they understood completely.

With that thought their mind whirled back to Tubbo, to the blonde boy they hadn’t seen in days, they missed how happy they felt being in his presence. Ranboo had sent good morning and good night messages through their communicator, but for the first time since that tradition started, there was no response. It made their chest hurt, knowing that Tubbo was ignoring them completely.

Tommy still texted every now and then, promising he wasn't mad at the enderman and understood their choices. Tommy also promised to come 'take care of Techno' if he hurt Ranboo, which the enderman chuckled at, knowing the blonde didn't stand a chance. Tommy’s messages were full of teasing and threats, Ranboo’s wouldn’t have it any other way. Ranboo was just glad to hear joy returning to the blonde’s tone, something had been sorely missing that was slowly returning the longer he was free of Dream’s grasp.

If there was one thing Ranboo was certain of now, they finally had nothing to prove to anyone they lived with now. They could spend some time healing and considering, maybe exploring around before returning to that warm cabin in the North with two ancient warriors who had welcomed them with open arms. Something to look forward to, a safe place they didn’t have to watch their back in. Somewhere they felt comfortable always, for the first time since they awoke in the spawn area with no memories of where they came from.

After they removed the remaining ties to a broken nation’s land it was finally time to be focused on moving forward with their life.

The dreary rain burned against the enderman's bi-coloured skin as they stood outside their panic room, having finally arrived, mentally planning how they wanted to transport their pets. Their optimistic mood had changed to wary, remembering the last time they visited here on top of worrying about getting home safely. The supposed voice that lived in their head had shown up and said things that still shadowed the enderman, blaming them for things they didn’t remember.

At this point, the burning rain was the least of their problems in front of them; the only viable way to travel, the Nether, was dangerous to anyone let alone their passive animals. All four of their pets; Jjjjjjjjeffrey, Enderchest, Enderpearl and Dogboo were safely encased in the obsidian box for now but Ranboo wanted to bring them to their new home, away from this land they once lived in.

Ranboo regretted not taking Phil up on his offer to help move the pets when he offered it last night. But part of them was glad too, they wanted the chance to say goodbye to this place alone. Ranboo worried about the voice making a reappearance and didn’t want to reveal to their new friends about just how much was wrong with them.

Taking a large breath of the stinging air, they climb through the entrance to the three different coloured cats and one snow-white dog waiting for them. At first glance, nothing has changed about this space, oak signs lining the gleaming dark purple, almost black walls promising they are okay and a jukebox inserted in the floor.

Their red and green eyes keep tracking across the signs; 'you are fine', 'don't choose a side, choose people', 'Dream is in prison'...so many signs scrawled by desperate hands to remind themself when their memory failed. The frantic etchings were not straight or neat at all, done by a shaking pen while they reassured themself of the thoughts.

Drawing their 'Do Not Read' book from the glowing portal of their inventory, they flipped open to see ':)' staring back at them. No matter how often they hoped or checked, it remained on the inside page. Ranboo wondered what it all meant, remembering the voice that had invaded last time they spent time in this room. Putting it away in the chest of books like it, they drew their original from their inventory, restlessly running thin fingers across the cover.

They never trusted their mind, they thought they could at least trust their book but the past few days proved they could not. Nothing seemed to be set in stone anymore, they were beginning to feel removed from the reality they existed in.

Ranboo's mind whirled with possibilities, fed by despair and distrust their mind began to rip apart their actions that they supposedly did, examining them in intricate and excruciating detail. That voice had thrown allegation after allegation at them, telling them Ranboo had been the one to destroy the Community House, not Tommy. Following up by saying the proof lay in their past, using the time they griefed Geroge’s house to justify they had the ability to do it. Going behind Tubbo’s back to help the enemy, torn between sides for far too long proved their ability for betrayal.

All they wanted was to undo it, take it back, if they even did what everyone accused them of. Ranboo had no idea if they had anything to do with the Community House falling, but with the situation explained it did seem likely.

Ranboo felt sick to their stomach, their thoughts whirling too quickly to grasp. Their pets looked concerned as they grabbed on the wall for support, their body giving into the exhaustion of questioning every move they didn't remember. Pressing their right cheek into the cool stone, grounding themself. Remembering Technoblade’s words they began to go through the steps of calming all those voices spiralling and thoughts tangling.

"Hello, Ranboo." That cursed voice sang through their head, making Ranboo jump, sounding too close to the green-eyed bastard everyone promised was in prison. 

"No...no no no, you can't be here." Ranboo said out loud, refusing to answer the voice in the same fashion he invaded their brain with.

Ranboo glanced around the room seeing no one but their pets, voice increasing in volume due to their panic. "Why are you here, how are you here?"

"I am always here, I am part of you, Ranboo." The voice, ever patient, ever mocking, answered smoothly. “Always watching your every move.”

"Why can I only hear you now?" Ranboo glanced around frantically, reading the signs in faster succession trying to convince themself they are fine.

"This is the only place you are willing to listen to me, where it’s quiet enough for us to talk." The voice's tone dripped in honey, sweet and promising. "You retreat here when you need to put your mind at ease, I am just here to help you do that."

"I don't believe you." Ranboo snapped back, white-hot rage burning. "You just accuse me, you are an intrusive thought that my fractured mind gave a voice to."

"I am just trying to make you believe your actions, even if you don't remember. You helped Dream gather the TNT then blew that House sky high, I remember it all. Such a good little worker for Dream, you followed his every instruction perfectly. You helped him so many times with anything he required." The voice was prideful, sounding suspiciously like the man it just mentioned. "You even gave him your book."

"Why can't I remember then?" Ranboo screamed, the box echoing their pain back at them, pets flinching. A tiny part of them felt bad but they couldn't keep it in while this voice convinced them of things that confused Ranboo more. “How do I not remember doing such a destructive act? I don’t remember being the reason that place fell, that blame was placed on my friend’s shoulders for something I did? Did I do those things?”

The silence is twice as loud then, Ranboo becoming aware of everything brushing their skin as panic grows within them, before the voice pipes back up. "There are many things you don't remember, such as the Community House's destruction which you also helped with."

"I don't believe you." Ranboo said weakly, their mind trying to pull the memories that didn't exist. Surely they would remember such a final choice, helping the enemy...right? "I don't believe you."

The voice stays silent once more, eventually responding. "The proof is in here."

Those words terrified Ranboo, the accusations could be proven true by this voice, which meant this voice was real and not their broken mind creating a figment to lobby painful things at them. 

Was Dream really that voice? Or was their mind playing tricks on them? Why did their inner voice sound so much like a man who wasn’t even here, that they hadn’t laid eyes on in ages?

"Where is the proof?"

"Look behind the far wall, middle block." The voice coaxed, patient and even.

Ranboo's hands were shaking as they drew out their netherite pickaxe, taking a few moments to centre themself.

Whatever was behind that wall would confirm or deny the points this voice brought up, that thought scared them to their core.

Finally, they swing their pickaxe at the block directed a few times before the block drops into their inventory. A chest sits in the hole exposed and Ranboo's stomach drops to their feet at seeing the wooden box.

"Open it." The voice coaxed honey sweet, smug.

The chest creaked as Ranboo pried it open, closing their eyes for a moment. They really didn't want to face what laid in that chest.

"Ranboo."

The voice urged them once more, prying their gaze back open. Slowly they opened it, the bottom of the chest coming into focus.

A pair of red TNT boxes lay at the bottom, Ranboo's eyes widened as they stared at them.

This moment, right here, is when they prayed with every fibre of their being that they could undo the damage they caused because they now believed themself had been the cause of it all. If they could give anything to rewind time, they would. Undo the damage the enderman had caused and the blame thrown.

"No, no no no...that can't be real." They denied it repeatedly, unable to look away from those cursed red boxes.

"Ranboo, they are right in front of you, you truly don't believe you were the one who helped Dream blow up the prized building? How else would they have gotten in here? How else could he have gotten your book?" The voice assured, sounding happy at the reveal. 

“You have proven yourself capable of such action before, what's so different this time? Your mind is so shredded, so filled with holes, you could have done anything in those times you don’t remember. Memories slipping away like sand clasped between hands, forever disappearing into the waters of forgetfulness, a particle among thousands ground until it is dust, forgotten from existence.”

Ranboo felt their heart latch onto those words, seeing the elements of truth in the story this confident voice wove. But surely they would have remembered such a destructive act….right? Or was the voice right, they had performed the acts in the times they didn’t remember, after all the injuries Ranboo awoke with spoke of chaotic activities.

Letting the chest lid drop to close the box, a loud thud echoing Ranboo’s loud breathing, they kneeled in front of the open block on that obsidian floor. Everything hurt and they felt the weight of that realisation settle across their bowed shoulders, something else to haunt them. Another skeleton to add to the ones who mocked them already, clacking their bones in the darkest of nights and shaking loose memories that made their chest tighten.

"I never would intentionally betray my friends!" Ranboo said aloud, assuring themself, even as a small part of it felt like a lie hidden there, among that promise. "Would I?"

"You did so already, you were the reason Tommy was blamed, it was your fault, your actions. You betrayed them all by lining that building with explosives at the direction of a man who holds all the control on the server. Who's to say he doesn’t control you already?"

The voice sounded so happy to say this, to be proven right.

"I...I did?" Ranboo's voice was so soft, feeling like they are dancing a delicate precipice, a long drop below them of spiralling thoughts and sharp rocks of self-blame. “Did I?”

"You just have to try and remember why - you just have to think. You have to remember, just remember, remember, remember, remember..." The voice slowly faded away after those words, leaving the enderman alone.

Utterly alone, to fall down that pit of internal pain and questions with the echoes of a vicious mocking voice, one that serenaded them while they tormented Ranboo. Forever adding more questions and guilt to an already impossible burden.

Ranboo felt light headed, not noticing just how out of control their breathing was since the voice had left. In a frantic move they slammed the obsidian block back into the wall, creating a smooth surface. One they could pretend was unbroken, hiding the evidence of crimes performed at the direction of the puppeteer with all the strings.

Ranboo felt like they were choking as their mind spun faster and faster, throwing theories, accusations, self blame, doubts, all into a tornado of emotion-fueled torment that felt suffocating, like all the air had disappeared around them. As if there was a string around their neck, slowly depriving them of air. Pins and needles spread up their fingers as their gasps bounced off the walls, drawing the pickaxe once more to open back up the wall.

“WHY CAN’T YOU REMEMBER?” Ranboo screamed at themself, the block disappearing once more into their inventory, revealing that damned wooden chest. “JUST THINK!”

Their mind scrabbled at any thread, anything to connect them to the incidents accused and the betrayals told. A drowning fog had begun to crawl across their mind, feeling their consciousness retreat into a place of safety, a rest from the frantic thoughts. Ranboo’s vision slowly faded to black before their body collapsed to the cold floor, the last thoughts on their mind Tubbo’s face when he stood in that broken structure, heart matching the environment surrounding him. The sheer loss and sadness the boy’s face melted too, the shattering of their bond audible in Ranboo’s sensitive ears.

Just sleep, just dream

It's only a nightmare and soon, we'll be set free

The cold air bit at Tubbo’s nose, the boy smiling as he observed the places he had built so far. It had been some time since L’Manburg’s destruction, Tubbo convincing Tommy to let him set up somewhere to come home too after they finished confronting Dream. Tubbo held apprehension about going to see the server host with netherite axes drawn but Tommy seemed determined and Tubbo wasn’t going to let him go alone.

Speaking of that bastard, Dream hasn’t been around since Doomsday, when his city became a chasm. Tubbo wondered where the man had disappeared before deciding he didn’t want to dwell on it, his overactive mind providing ‘helpful suggestions’ that only worried the boy more.

The soft white snow blanketed the ground around the boy, standing outside the first home he constructed on the porch, looking out over his land. Tommy hadn’t been by yet today, Tubbo knew the blonde was growing antsy the longer Dream stayed quiet. When Tommy got worried, Tommy would become impulsive. 

Speaking of the devil, Tommy appeared from over the horizon, from the direction of the land Tubbo left behind. Where Ranboo was.

Tubbo’s heart cracked, thinking of the enderman he hadn’t spoken with in days, weeks now. Ranboo still sent him well wishes through the communicator, no matter what Tubbo wrote back he always deleted before he sent it. There were so many feelings attached between the pair, but their betrayal stung deep. 

Another friend who had gone behind their back, but if he could forgive one of them maybe he could consider forgiving the other.

“Tubbo! My good friend!” Tommy heartedly greeted with a wide smile, before almost tripping over something on the ground and cursing, mirth dancing in his eyes as he met Tubbo’s. “Fuck, man, do you ever clean up around here? I could have died!” 

Tubbo rolled his eyes, his cracked heart warming, the pain still fresh as he thought of ruby and emerald eyes instead of the blue ones approaching him. “If you tripped and died I would have carved it on your gravestone and made it my personal mission to tell everyone a stone on the ground was the cause of your death.”

“That’s just rude.” Tommy snarked back, finally standing beside the former President. “You couldn’t have bullshit a heroic story about how I met my demise at the claws of a beast no one has ever seen before, protecting the innocent?”

“In fact, I think I would carve ‘Here lies TommyInnit, he hit the ground too hard.’ to start, then see what else I came up with while engraving it.” Tubbo teased, his best friend’s loud laughter following closely after which Tubbo joined, their joy sounding lovely together once more.

Then, the guilt crawls back into the forefront of his mind, reminding Tubbo with savage glee that Tommy's death message would have been the same if he followed through with throwing himself off that tower in exile. The joy washed from his chest then, familiar guilt crawling back like a scorned one, forever making him remember the consequences of his choices, what might have been.

“For real though, you should come stay with me until Dream shows his face. Safer in numbers and all that.” Tommy avoided his eyes, not speaking the truth of how he never wanted to be alone again since exile. 

If anything, since they had begun speaking again Tommy had become more attached, texting or visiting more often than he ever had before. A complete night to day change to what the teenage boy was before that seclusion, now a paranoia clung to every move he made, always watching over his shoulder. Neither of them had come out of the past few months unscathed, but seeing his best friend be so careful cut Tubbo to his core unlike the impulsive bastard he was before.

The guilt Tubbo felt over that decision had begun to eat him until there wasn’t much left, that impossible choice had haunted him in the darkest of nights, when it was only him gasping for breath in a lonely cabin. The look in Tommy’s eyes when he handed him over to Dream were etched on the masks his nightmares wore, hiding in his mind to attack him when he was most vulnerable.

Lately a new face had joined the blonde’s; one of two tones, black and white, with kind eyes that became sharp, razing, in those hell-filled nights. When the mocking, the taunting, the accusations, all were thrown at him to impale his heart, waking in cold sweats with screams scorching his throat raw. The thoughts hung from his every movement some days, dragging him to the earth with weights almost physical.

He finally had peace here in the north, alone, but at the cost of companionship with others.

Maybe for a time, he could stay with someone he once trusted his back with and had begun to do so once more.

“Alright Tommy, only for a bit. I still plan to spend time here developing between our searches and planning though.” Tubbo told him, noticing Tommy’s face fall a bit. “But hey, maybe we could build you a house here. Be like old times, y’know?”

An olive branch hung from those words, gilded in a hope that maybe, they could spend time together again. Tubbo missed his Tommy, his antics. No matter how much trouble he caused, few people made me smile as much as the blonde troublemaker did.

“Maybe Tubs, maybe after we get my discs back.” Tommy promised, looking sincere.

Tubbo knew that once Tommy set his mind to something, nothing would dissuade him from his goal. He takes one more look at his new haven, before gesturing for Tommy to follow him indoors. “If I am coming to stay with you I have to pack, come into the warmth while I do so.”

Tommy’s face broke out in that same wide grin, his eyes twinkling. For the first time in ages, maybe it was time to let someone in again.

A few days had gone by since Tubbo had accepted that offer, spending all of them at that blonde’s side searching for any clue to lead them to Dream’s whereabouts, with nothing. Not a speck or a hair of that bastard remained, he was just gone. 

Tubbo had returned to Snowchester to keep building the house he was working on as Tommy had run off to question some of the other members Tubbo wasn’t too fond of. Jack Manifold had accepted his offer to live in Snowchester, so he had begun to lay the foundations for Jack’s home. As he was doing the hard labour his mind kept returning to a certain enderman, Tommy had kept bugging him to finally answer Ranboo as they were probably frantic by now.

Tubbo felt the sting of betrayal still, considering the Angel of Death and Blood God their friends, he really missed Ranboo on the other hand though.

Taking his communicator out he pulled open their last conversation, a good morning text unanswered across the top of the screen. A long chain of them spanned days, unbroken and consistent just as he knew Ranboo could be.

‘Hey Boo.’

His fingers shook as he pressed send, watching the message post into the chain with a torn mind, he was both ecstatic to have said something but worried Ranboo wouldn’t answer. After months of silence he wasn’t sure he would either. A few moments passed before Tubbo closed his eyes, heart thudding painfully waiting for a notification that might not come. Just as he opens them, accepting it’s not coming, moving to put it away, the device buzzes.

‘Hello Tubbo.’

The formal tone stung, but Tubbo didn’t blame them. He deserved much worse after the months of leaving them to fend for themself.

‘I have set up a new home, wanna come see Boo?’

Tubbo couldn’t help adding the endearments at the end, the sentences felt too bare without them when talking to the friend who held his heart.

‘Can we talk things out, Bo?’

The cautious response humbled Tubbo, the enderman letting their guard down a bit. Tubbo’s fingers still trembled as he typed out his thoughts from both the cold and nerves, glad the enderman used the nickname, it felt like them.

‘Anything for you, Boo, I can send you the coordinates.’

After a few more messages Ranboo ended by promising to be there soon, Tubbo’s mind wove itself in tight circles, anxiety twisting his guts as time passed, growing closer to when Ranboo would be here. The last few wooden supports went in quickly, Tubbo channelled his adrenaline into his work in the meantime. The house was really coming together, Tubbo hoped Jack would like what he made, he thought the dark spruce accents compared to the gray stone brick was really pleasing.

The sun hits the highest point in the sky when Tubbo’s heart walks over that hill in the distance, netherite armour glimmering a deep purple, a shield hung on their arm just in case. Ever the careful one out of the three of them, Tubbo felt such a war of emotions seeing the enderman again after so long. On one side, anxiety, on the other Tubbo finally felt a sense of relief knowing they were truly okay, his gaze roaming the tall form quickly.

Other than a few new scars they seemed relatively unharmed, a scared look painted across their face. One new thing was a gold-gilded green emerald hung from their right ear, Tubbo recognised it immediately as the same design Technoblade and Philza wore.

A hesitant wave from said figure broke Tubbo out of his trance, a small smile gracing his face as he looked at Ranboo. Ranboo’s face was heavy with shame and worry, their tail flicking quickly showing their matching inner turmoil. Black and white ears pinned back to their head, their tie slightly askew. Just how much he missed them hadn’t hit until Ranboo stood before him, their hair long enough to be braided down the side of their neck.

“Hi Bo.” Ranboo greeted, their deep voice shaky.

“Afternoon Boo.” The words seemed to short still, that awkward air heavy between them, before Tubbo sighed, meeting those mismatched ruby and emerald eyes. “I am sorry for my silence, I needed time to think.”

Ranboo seemed surprised, before they began fidgeting with their thin fingers again, breaking his gaze. “Why weeks of silence though?”

Tubbo’s heart cracked more, before he reached out to grab the enderman’s hands, stopping the movement. “You mean too much to me, there were so many complicated feelings surrounding everything we were all involved in, I had to take a step back to consider everything.”

Tubbo thought about what he said before squeezing their hands. “I never should have left you alone for so long with no answers, no response. The fact you are willing to come see me today means more than I could ever say.”

Ranboo finally met Tubbo’s gaze again, holding his hand tight. “You know this won’t change the fact I am living with Techno and Phil now.”

There was that, Tubbo still felt a deep anger for the hand they had in turning his city to dust, again. But if Tubbo wanted to still see Ranboo he would have to accept that.

“I know Boo, I trust you still.” Tubbo felt the weight of those words as they left his lips, looking to see Ranboo finally smile a bit before guilt stole it away, face falling.

“Even after everything, Bo?” The vulnerable tone in their voice called to him, before he pulled the enderman’s long limb around his shoulder.

“Yes, Boo.” Ranboo finally let down the last bit of their guard, squeezing Tubbo into their side.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

They spent the rest of that day talking about everything and anything, speaking grievances and airing frustrations. The pair laughed and cried together, before they knew it, the night sky had begun to steal away the day. Tubbo put together a makeshift cot and Ranboo stayed the night, enjoying each other's company after far too long to part so soon. His cabin finally felt like home that night and it put the thought in his head to invite the enderman over more often.

A few more days passed until their first clue about Dream's whereabouts appeared in the form of more destruction at a loved place. The sun is high above Tommy and Tubbo’s heads, the fire above matching the ones surrounding Tommy’s destroyed house. The hill had collapsed in on itself, the oak door nowhere in sight, the house now a chasm to match the one just up the road, one more home gone in similar fashion.

A chest stood on the path before them with a sign placed in front of it, large letters reading; "Come meet me Wednesday. You and Tubbo ALONE. If anyone else shows up the discs are gone forever." in a familiar handwriting. Neither of the boys had opened the chest yet, they hadn’t moved from where they stood with their mouths open at the scene before them. 

The wreckage was something to see under that high sunlight, the flames burning on red blocks scattered across the grass and former homestead. Tommy and Tubbo had only been there yesterday morning, otherwise they had slept over in Snowchester at Tubbo’s house. In their expedition yesterday it was the closest shelter when night started to fall and the blonde boy was so glad they did. Whatever happened here last night was devastating, Tubbo’s heart was so tired of mourning familiar places blown to bits. Of losing their safe place to come home too, Tubbo worried for the day the same would happen to his new land.

Tommy’s scarred and thin hand trembled as Tubbo reached to hold it, looking at the side of his best friend's face. Tommy’s blue eyes were so defeated, tiredness pulling each feature of his face down. Tubbo knew exactly how it felt, flashes of his L’Manburg flowing like film across his mind, the situation much too similar for Tubbo’s liking.

“But…why?” His usual confident voice was so sad, Tubbo just grabbed his hand tighter as he struggled to put together just how much he understood what Tommy was feeling right now.

“I wish I knew.” Those words didn’t feel like enough, that quiet truth admitting he wasn’t sure hurt so much. “I understand.”

Tommy didn’t say anything to that, taking a few moments as a tear slid down that proud cheek. Before he looked at Tubbo, a fire lit deep in those eyes through the rain. “Well, guess I will have to move in with you, huh. Get ready to have my delightful presence as your newest neighbour!”

Tubbo knew Tommy was using what he knew best to cope, humour, and despite knowing that he couldn’t help the chuckle that came out of his mouth. “Oh Gods, remind me to find something to use as earplugs.”

Tommy laughed at that, lightly punching his shoulder. “I am going to come over like everyday for a cup of sugar.”

“You don’t even bake?” Tubbo’s spirits felt lifted, Tommy being the shining light he missed all those months apart from each other. 

“Oh I will find some use for it, maybe to go scatter it across Jack Manifold’s floors to bring in ants.” Tommy’s smile held a bit of that old mirth, before moving towards the destroyed house. “Good thing we stored everything below the house, let’s go pull that all out then go back to your place, yeah? Seems we have until Wednesday.”

Tubbo released his hand, taking a moment to pop the chest open with a decisive move. Inside lay a single compass, purple enchantment pulsing across the glass face. There’s some sort of irony here, Tubbo thought, as he reached in to lift it out. It looked so similar to the original one he lost that led him to Tommy, it had been erased from existence in an accident with a creeper which Ranboo was able to save him from, but not his things. Tubbo laid the cold metal across his palm, watching the arrow steady in the direction it wanted them to go.

No words are further exchanged between the friends as Tubbo slid the compass into his inventory, reaching out to take Tommy’s hand once more before they made their way through the debris. At least he finally had his best friend again, by his side where he belongs. The other third of his heart lived halfway across the server now but those morning greetings and night wishes were being exchanged once more, healing a bit of Tubbo’s shattered heart. 

Tubbo tiredly wondered just how long that peaceful feeling would last once they came out on the other side of this confrontation. If there was another side.

Wednesday started with the pair of boys standing in the same spot they had three days ago, shining netherite armour from head to toe. Both boys had bows strapped to their back, shields across their arms and axes at their hips. Prepared for the worst, blue eyes met blue, Tubbo hoping with everything in him that this was the last battle himself and Tommy would face. 

He just wanted to live in the North and focus on his friends, gathering companionship with no rules and finally find his own passions, not inherited ones.

Tubbo hoped that was an option but he had a terrible feeling in his gut the moment they woke up that might not be possible. Something bad was on the horizon, which made Tubbo move so much more cautiously today. Tommy was bouncing with energy, adrenaline flooding the already excitable boy’s veins, between declarations of their victory he would insult Dream repeatedly and creatively. Usually that hyped Tubbo up but instead it made him so much more antsy, worried Tommy’s impulsive habits were going to get one or both of them injured or worse.

Tommy grinned so wide in the early morning light, eyes shining in the sun. The wind played with his hair like it favoured him, making his blonde strands bounce as he spoke quickly, Tubbo wasn’t sure what he was saying now as his own thoughts dragged him in. His face was one Tubbo would never forget, he knew it better than his own. He hoped desperately this was not the last day he could spend in this beacon of hope’s presence. 

These past few weeks with Tommy, never leaving his side, had restored a lot of his mood. Tubbo no longer woke up screaming most nights, and if he did, Tommy was there to comfort him. The favour was returned many times, both boys had more skeletons and traumas than they could count. Tubbo’s spirits had improved greatly and Tommy’s had too, smiles more often to tears.

Ranboo had been by multiple times to spend time with the pair, helping them plan after initially trying to talk Tommy out of it. Tommy wouldn’t hear of it, per usual his thick skull and obsidian will meant once his mind was set, nothing stood in his way. When Ranboo finally accepted his plans, they kept returning with more supplies they had gathered with the help of some friends they refused to name. The potions, enchanted arrows and golden apples were a calling card of the piglin and crow, Ranboo refused to confirm but Tubbo knew that the pair had sent them.

Maybe in another time, they could have all been close friends. Tubbo held some resentment for the pair but that was tempered with feeling terrible, allowing Quackity to pressure him into calling for Technoblade’s head that had started the fall of it all. When he came knocking with Philza and Dream, Tubbo knew his nightmares had come to life. 

When the Angel of Death and Blood God had come to fall his kingdom, outfitted in ancient armour and experience, Tubbo regretted every decision at that exact moment. Watching Dream’s emerald green eyes dance as he greeted the President before going to drop thousands of pieces of TNT on his land, that day would be one burned into his memory forever. Ghosts of his past had finally caught up with him, leaving one of the best things he ever did in rubble all because he finally chose his best friend once more.

Having Tommy by his side pushed him to keep moving forward though, the blonde teen refused to let him mope and forced his emotional energy into planning an end to all this. Promising once they finally proved to Dream that he could not control the pair, everyone would be free to do as they pleased.

Dream was a terrifying individual, the best friends had finally talked so much about what had happened the time they hadn't seen each other. Hearing the extent of what happened in exile angered Tubbo so much, he couldn’t believe he had allowed that to happen. Hand in hand, like the most cursed of pairings, guilt and happiness flooded the boy's mind at intervals he couldn’t control, sending his emotions to both sides of the spectrum. 

Tubbo had sent his best friend off to the hands of a madman to protect his ideals, a country that was a doomed venture to start. Tubbo wondered if Doomsday had never happened, just how long the nation would have had. Was it truly worth the paranoia Tommy wore like an old sweater, the scenes he described in those dark nights when it was only him, that tower he had built with divided intentions of continuing to draw breath? He had given one thing life and had almost stolen another, he was beginning to waver on the choice he made that day.

He knew he couldn’t go back and undo it, but if he woke up tomorrow faced with that same decision, Tubbo wondered if he would waver more than he had. If the outcome would have been the same.

“Tubbo, have you even been listening to me?” Tommy’s voice broke him out of the age of his own thoughts, Tubbo shook his head before offering a tentative smile.

“Sorry bossman, lots on my mind.”

Tommy reached out to ruffle his hair, Tubbo protested half heartedly as Tommy combed his fingers through his dark blonde hair carefully around his brown horns. “We will get through this Tubs, then we begin our farming days of me bothering you constantly.”

Taking one last look at the ruined home, Tommy pulled out the silver glimmering compass. Following the direction it pointed, the boys began walking side by side down the prime path. Best friends on a mission together, just like the old days, but this time, Tubbo was much more apprehensive and Tommy was much more enthusiastic.

No words were exchanged until Tommy gasped, Tubbo looking up from staring at the wooden pathway to see people lining the path. Tubbo counted them quickly, fourteen stood in no armour, smiling at the two boys who were walking closer. Tubbo’s mouth dropped open a tad, seeing everyone coming out to see them off. Word had spread about the destruction of Tommy’s house with the message attached, both the boys had spoken to some about it but Tubbo never expected such a unanimous reaction from their fellow world members.

Awesamdude was the first to greet him, the creeper hybrid standing tall above Tubbo’s small stature. He had no idea why so many beings on this server were so much bigger than him, but Sam was the epitome of gentle giant, taller than The Blade and Ranboo even. His gold chestplate glinted in the daylight, his torso human but the lower half of him was where the creeper blood showed. Four legs, covered in black and green fur ending in coal-black hooves, spread around him to each side of his body riddled with heavy muscles to match the rest of him. Sam was a formidable opponent when it came down to it, Tubbo had only seen that side of him when something threatened those who couldn't protect themselves.

A gas mask covered the lower half of his face, solid night-black eyes kind above the cover. No one had seen him without the contraption, Sam preferred to keep it on at all times. His black hair was shorn close to his head, scars covered his exposed arms, white against the tanned pink of his skin. His voice came out amplified through the mask as he pulled a few things from his inventory, handing some golden apples to each of the boys. 

“Stay safe Tommy and Tubbo, please. Be cautious and don’t take risks.” Sam’s distorted voice sounded so worried, his brow pinched as he looked at the boys.

“Thanks Sam, for everything.” Tommy sounded genuine, placing the gifts in his own inventory. “I will see you soon, yeah? We have a lot to catch up on.”

Tubbo shared a few of his own words before they moved to the next one waiting, Punz. The blonde, dark blue-eyed mercenary was a strong warrior, tall and sturdy like an immovable rock. He was wearing more casual clothes; a wrinkled white sweater, blue jeans, red sneakers and gold chain hung from around his neck. Punz never had really chosen a side, going where the money was good. It made him unpredictable but Tubbo could see the appeal, being your own boss and making your own choices.

“He’s a scheming bastard, that Dream. You two take care of yourselves and don’t hesitate if given an opportunity to harm, it might save your life.” Punz instructed, giving both boys a bundle of ten arrows.

“You better believe I am taking that advice.” Tommy promised, Punz nodding decisively before stepping back.

Eret was beside Punz, golden crown polished to perfection on top of curly-brown hair, gold earrings to match their crown hanging from their ears. A rose red cape fell from their shoulders to their ankles, white fur accenting the white, high collar, ruffled shirt they wore. A long bark-brown skirt flowed around their legs, black heels visible below the hem. Their face swam with emotions; regret, sadness and worry all taking their place as the blonde pair stood in front of the one response for one of their chances on this server being gone forever. Black sunglasses hid their eyes for a moment before graceful hands reached up to pull them off, meeting the boys blue with their pearl-white.

“I would like to apologise once more for my choice all those months ago.” Their deep voice was unsteady, fidgeting with their glasses displaying the inner conflict. “Because of my decision, you are walking into this fight one less chance then you should have had. Please remember that and use good judgement, choose your own life over material possessions. I know just how unimportant those can be at the end of the day.”

Tommy was silent at this, carefully observing the Ruler as they stood, Tubbo could feel the guilt dripping from their words. He had avoided Eret for a long time after their betrayal but looking at them now, he wished he had taken some time to get to know them, hear out why they made that choice. Tubbo wondered just how similar he and they were, choosing power over individuals, even after. Regret over past choices seemed to be something they shared, if Tubbo came back from this trip he would make time to go see them.

Eret drew out some healing potions, holding the bottles to the blondes. An open offer, Tubbo took them from their gentle grasp nodding thanks, a smile finally appeared on his Ruler’s face.

“Those discs mean a lot to me, Eret.” Tommy sounded so vulnerable before that determination he was known for swept that from his tone, playful intentions dancing through his voice. “I will get them back, then I will come and continue to cause everyone so much trouble you all will regret worrying about me.”

Eret laughed at that, the deep sound very pleasing as surprise grew across their face, not expecting the warmness Tommy had shown. “I look forward to that exasperation, young one.”

“Eret, let's talk when we get back.” Tubbo shocked all of them by saying it, before nodding his head. “Yeah, let’s talk things out. It’s long past the time we should have spoken about things.”

“I will hold you to that, send me a message and we can arrange something.” The trio grow silent after that before Eret tells them good luck once more and takes a step to leave, both teenagers saying their goodbyes. Eret’s shoulders were a bit higher when they walked over to Sam when they finished, engaging him in conversation as the pair of best friends moved along.

Tubbo had a lot of emotions surrounding the next human in line, the former Secretary of State meeting his former President’s eyes with his chocolate brown one. Raven-coloured hair stuck out from below the black beanie he always wore, same with the navy blue sweater, black jeans and brown boots. A deep scar cut through the left half of his face, a fissure across his brow down to his cheek, left eye milky white from the damage wrought to his features by a pick axe wielding piglin.

On one hand, Quackity had been a very enthusiastic member of L’Manburg, always choosing the side of the country he devotedly loved. The other hand, he was very persuasive and had a gift for convincing others to see his side, his silver tongue talking his way out of and into many situations. Tubbo had a lot of good times with the man though, looking back fondly on the days they spent together talking about policies and the country. 

Every time he saw Quackity though he was also reminded how deadly he could be, memories of the Butcher Army stained his mind. The hulking figure of Technoblade as his body knit itself back together after being crushed with an anvil, the danger he put everyone in by going along with Quackity calling for his head. TNT falling like a downpour from that deadly black grid, wither phantoms with glowing violet eyes as they chased Tubbo that fateful day.

“Tommy.” Quackity greeted his best friend, avoiding Tubbo’s gaze, probably for the best. Tubbo wasn’t sure what he would say to the man. “Take that fucker down once and for all.”

Quackity’s tone deeply unsettled the former President, his jaw tensing to keep words in, the black-haired man scared Tubbo more often than not.

Tubbo chose instead to move on, waiting for Tommy to finish talking with Quackity as he stood in front of Captain Puffy. Her sweet face calmed his racing nerves a small amount, a blue pirate's jacket with gold buttons wrapped around the sheep hybrid to match the style of an extravagant black pirate hat she always wore. The only sheep aspects that she carried were brown horns that curved around her face, attaching to her head just above her ears. Puffy’s split curly white and brown hair fanned around her, she excluded a calmness Tubbo needed right now. 

Tommy bounced to his side, tucking something small wrapped in cloth into his inventory before meeting Puffy’s grass green eyes. “You boys better come back here safe and sound, you hear? No losing that last chance, I want to see you around for a long time yet.”

Puffy held out two small medicine packs, pulling both boys in for long hugs each. Herself and Tubbo were around the same height, he took a bit longer taking her comfort and calmness in while embracing. His head had whirled too much already and he needed the quietness she provided.

Callahan stood next, in classic fashion the deer hybrid said nothing but offered both of them a bundle each of some poison arrows with steady, calloused hands. No one had ever heard him say a word, his voice forever a mystery, his sky-blue large eyes held many secrets. Many mysteries and stories surrounded the deer boy, he often disappeared for long amounts of time before reappearing in the times of great events. His brown antlers were polished, they extended out of his head from just within his hairline, shining in the high sun. He wore plain clothes covered in sewed rips, no one knew where the boy lived but they all assumed far away, travelling great distances to be here. Something…otherworldly surrounded the deer hybrid, stories followed him everywhere he travelled. People swore he could do things no one else was capable of on this server, able to make things manifest out of thin air but no one gave definitive proof.

The pair of boys thanked the man as they continued on, Callahan turning around to leave with his task done, removing himself from Tubbo's sight quickly as he strode down the path away from the others. Ponk and Hbomb stood together next, they were of similar stature, standing at the same height somewhere between Tommy and Tubbo's heads.

Ponk’s yellow, red and black mask covered most of their face, pitch black eyes shining are the only visible features they have. Both their legs were missing, replaced by robotic counterparts, conflicts on this server had robbed so much from people but it was rare to be so physically apparent. Ponk had to be one of the characters who had it the worst, yet their bubbly personality did not match what they had been through. They wore a black hoodie covered in pet fur, white pants and black scuffed shoes, their eyes crinkled as they smiled at the boys.

Hbomb’s bright grin was a welcome one, as he held out what the pair had brought the boys. Iron bars fell into Tommy’s open hands, Hbomb waving off any promise of repayment. His brown hair and beard was well trimmed, light blue eyes crinkled around the edges. The red plaid shirt he wore was neat, blue jeans clean above brown hiking boots. 

Both made the boys promise to come back safe, a sentiment echoed by everyone so far. Tubbo didn’t realise just how many of these people still cared about their well being.

They were over half done, Tubbo realised, standing in front of Niki and Jack who stood together. The sunlight made her rose pink hair glow, her long-lashed caramel eyes wide with concern painted across her face. An opposite to the almost bored expression Jack wore, blue and red glasses covering his eyes. Both wore long travelling clothes, Niki in a plain blue shirt and long brown trousers, Jack wore a blue hoodie and black pants. Niki opened her inventory to draw out something wrapped in paper, string tying it closed, small hands holding it to the two boys.

“I made you a good lunch for your travels, eat it when you get hungry. Do not let your goals distract you from your own needs.” She instructed the boys, repeatedly asking for them to promise they would until both Tommy and Tubbo agreed.

“Come back.” Jack said simply, before reaching out to clasp each of their shoulders and squeezing. “Just…come back.”

Tubbo was becoming overwhelmed with everything happening, having to work their way through four more people. One was going to hurt worse than the others, the agreement to the promise to come back a heavy one between them. For the first time in too long Tubbo finally had people he held close, they all could be ripped from him in one quick action.

The trio who stood next were an odd grouping; a demon, a cat hybrid and an arsonist. Badboyhalo stood taller than everyone else, his coal skin making his snow-white eyes pop out so much more. A long red-rimmed cloak fell around the thin demon, hood pulled up to cover his hair. Two long horns protruded from his forehead, holding the hood off his face. At first glance he might look scary but once you got to know him, that exterior melted under the warm energy he contained. Bad is one of the kindest people on the server, working to help anyone achieve their goals.

Antfrost, the cat hybrid, stood as tall as most of the humans on the server, a little shorter than Tommy but not much, an intimidating warrior greatly skilled in the ways of combat. His dark brown ears poked out from his chestnut hair, bright blue eyes with feline pupils, a long, furred tail swinging behind him slowly. The rest of his body matched his human ancestors, a brown bomber jacket, patched blue jeans and tough combat boots covered him.

Sapnap was the last one in the group, white bandana to match the shirt he wore pulling his black hair away from his face, navy-blue jeans and black combat boots covered the rest of the man. Unusual orange eyes met Tubbo’s own, a smirk on his face. His tanned skin was coated in scars, showing his love of improving his fighting skills. He often ran into battle with an enthusiasm similar to Technoblade’s, eager to prove himself as one of the best in the world for combat.

Tubbo wondered if Sapnap was remembering the same things as he did right now, reflecting on all the time they spent together over the years. Sapnap had spent a lot of time with both him and Tommy, supporting them at some points in history. Often even on the side of protecting one or both of them, his blade had been at their side through a few conflicts by now. His loyalty to Dream as a friend had driven a wedge between them, they were still friendly but that comradery was something of the past.

“Watch his every move, anticipate things not going exactly to plan.” Sapnap advised in a hard voice. “He will take every chance to gain the upper hand, if there's anything I want you both to remember it's that and the fact he is unpredictable.”

“We took some time to create and enchant the best swords we could for you.” Antfrost announced, Bad and himself drew netherite swords from their inventory before holding them out hilt first to the boys. “If you have a blade you trust, that can be the deciding factor in a battle.”

“Sharpen them before you face Dream, make sure everything is in the best possible shape.” Bad told them too, making the pair vow they would before the boys moved on.

The last member in that line of well-wishers was a face Tubbo knew as well as Tommy’s. Their half black and half white face was pinched as they glanced between the boys, red and green eyes blinking rapidly. Ranboo’s tail flicked quickly, ears twitching causing their earrings to jingle together. Tubbo’s eyes kept being drawn to the emerald earring they wore, a public symbol they were protected by the ageless pair Tubbo once enraged. Their black suit was wrinkle free, the red tie slightly uneven. A tarnished golden crown adorned their head, different coloured jewels set into the metal band. Their coal and snow hair was long enough to reach their shoulders, braided to the left side of Ranboo’s neck today.

Tubbo giggled before reaching out to tug it straight, pulling the tall enderman into a tight hug. Ranboo’s long limbs shook as they embraced him, Tubbo allowed himself to take a moment to feel what he was thinking. He was so worried this was the last time he would ever see Ranboo, in just a short time they had come to mean so much to the other. His arms tightened their hold around the being’s torso, memorising the feeling of being in a place he felt completely safe.

Pulling his face out of their chest, he met their eyes, removing one arm to reach up and hold their cheek. Cupping their jaw, he pulled them down so their foreheads touched, blue meeting ruby and emerald eyes that felt like home. 

“I will never be able to tell you just how much you mean to me, Boo.” A tear hissed its way down their coal cheek, Tubbo moving his thumb to swipe it away. “I could have never asked for a better partner.”

“Why are you talking like you won’t come back to me?” Ever the one to pick up on hidden tones, Ranboo latched right away onto how much of a goodbye this interaction felt like. “Tell me you will come back to me, Bo.”

“I can’t.” Those words hurt as Tubbo spoke them, feeling his bandaged heart crack a tiny bit once more, undoing the past couple weeks of recovery. He began to cry too, staring into the eyes he cared for the most.

“I refuse to accept that.” A hard set to their jaw, Ranboo moved out of the embrace, eyes narrowing as they put their hands on their hips. “My partner is not one who goes in with uncertainties, he goes in with a drive I admire and clever ways I never anticipate, planning everything out to within an inch of its life. He approaches situations considering every angle, and plans for every outcome. But above all of that, my partner comes home to me.”

Tubbo felt his mouth drop open not used to seeing the enderman be this harsh, before he broke out laughing, confusing them both. “Oh Boo, I can’t say no to you most times, but this is different. I promise to do my best to come home to you, how’s that?”

Ranboo glared at him for a moment longer before giving a small nod, the tense set of their features melting to a sad one. “Okay. You better, Bo.”

“Where’s my heartfelt caring speech, huh, bitch? I am starting to feel a bit left out.” Tommy teased with a good-natured smile, drawing the attention back to himself.

Ranboo stared at the blonde before finally giving a wider grin, rolling their eyes before walking to Tommy, pulling him in for a hug too. They stood at nearly the same height, both tucking their chins over each other's shoulders and squeezed tight. A few words were mumbled between the pair before they separated, Ranboo moving to pull things out of their inventory.

“I brought things for you to take as well, I hope these will all come in handy.” Their deep voice was more relaxed, pressing a bag into each of the boy’s hands.

Tubbo tugged at the string to open the pouch, seeing a basic travellers kit inside. A flint and steel, knife and some preserved meats lay inside, Tubbo moving to put the small bag into his inventory after pulling it back shut.

“Look out for one another, I want to have a future with both of you in it. Protect the other and just please, do your best to come home.” Ranboo sounded so serious, glaring at both of them once more. 

“We will.” Tommy said sincerely, pressing his hand to his chest. “Cross my heart.”

“I feel like the rest of that saying would do the exact opposite of reassuring Boo.” Tubbo commented, trying and succeeding to get a tired chuckle from the other two. 

It was a sound he never wanted to forget, something to sink into when he needed to remember what truly mattered. Tubbo took a moment to really commit to his mind just how both his best friends looked in this moment, they had collapsed into their own good natured teasing while Tubbo grew quiet. Joy shone brighter than the scars carved into the young skin, all of them had already dealt with so much.

Tubbo was just so tired of being at war with his own mind, exhaustion and guilt becoming more frequent visitors these days than anything else. He just hoped one day, he would finally get a chance to rest.

Tommy and Tubbo had worked their way through everyone who had gathered to see them off, the group standing together now facing the boys. A mix of people and hybrids from all walks of life, all united for once to see off the boys who had been summoned by the first occupant of that world. They all saluted before slowly breaking off to leave the other way one by one, before it was only Ranboo and Niki left.

Tommy and Tubbo took another moment, before turning to leave in the direction they needed to go, breaking eye contact with the woman and the enderman. The last thing that Tubbo saw was the worried face of his partner who held so many of his hopes, one he only hoped he would be returning too. One that both him and Tommy would come home to be with, to finally have that calm, farming lifestyle they both craved. One without bloodshed and sides, just finally getting the chance to live life the way they wanted too.

We're only kids who lost our way

But if we wait long enough, we will be saved

The pair of boys had made their way to the ocean, Tommy pulling a boat from his inventory when they reached the docks and they both clambered in. Tommy was in the front seat and Tubbo steered from the back, beginning the long navigation to wherever Dream wanted to meet them. Tubbo had looped the compass chain around his neck, sun heating his bare skin. Both him and Tommy had stored their armour in their inventories in preparation for the arduous journey, stripping down to old t-shirts.

The salty water stung as Tubbo inhaled it, sweat coating their skin as they rowed. Most of the day had passed by now, they had taken turns consuming the lunches Niki sent as the sun fell closer to the horizon. Land had just appeared in the distance, a large mountain rising high above them. Tommy loudly groaned, pointing to the land formation.

“How much do you want to bet that dramatic wrong’un is at the top of that mountain?” Tommy threw both his hands up then, oar laying across his lap. “After rowing across this fucking ocean we now have to climb that?!”

Tubbo’s muscles already burned, staring at the next part of their journey worried him, the boy already felt worn to the bone. By the time the pair made it to the top, they would be exhausted, walking in a confrontation with a well rested man who had probably planned hundreds of ways this situation could go. He might have been here for a while preparing, and Tubbo didn’t feel nearly ready to face whatever he had in store, both mentally and physically drained.

“Tommy, should we find somewhere to camp for the night?” Tubbo asked the blonde, having a feeling he is in for an immediate refusal. “I know you want to go get this done but I would prefer resting before we go face Dream.”

Tommy turned his head to meet Tubbo’s eyes, bags heavy and sweat dripping down his brow. His eyes narrowed thinking about it, before sighing once more and picking up his oar. Dipping it back in the water, they pulled the boat towards shore, Tommy putting it back into his inventory. Pulling out towels from their inventory they wiped the sweat from their face, both deciding to in the morning find a river to take a dip in to clean themselves of the ocean salt.

Finding a clearing near the bottom of the mountain among the oaks and birches, the boys clear the floor of any obstructions for putting up tents. Setting up camp, Tommy lit a fire as Tubbo pitched a tent, leaving to forage for food.

Tubbo came back with a pouch of berries and a rabbit he hunted using his bow, moving to Tommy’s side to begin stripping down the meat. Drawing out the survival knife Ranboo had gifted him with Tommy was working on boiling them clean water from a pond he found nearby. Tubbo efficiently cleaned the animal, spearing the meat on the ends of stripped sticks and placing it over the fire, slowly rotating it.

“Are you nervous at all?” Tommy surprised him in a small voice as he checked on the water in the pot which was now at a rolling boil, before pulling it off to cool. 

“Yeah, admittedly I am.” Tubbo answered truthfully. “I haven’t had a great feeling since we woke up this morning, I feel like he will pull something we won’t expect.”

Tommy stayed silent for a moment, pouring both of them tea in metal mugs he pulled from his inventory. Letting them steep for a moment he stirs in sugar in both mugs, before pulling the bags out to throw in the forest. Everything they used could decay so they could leave the tea bags anywhere, returning it to nature to feed something else as it broke down. Tubbo had spent some time experimenting during the early days of the server on how to preserve foods and teas in the best, most sustainable way and now everyone used his ideas. Those were simpler days, when all they were trying to do was leave nature in a better way then when they arrived.

“Anything else?” Tommy wasn’t usually this quiet, Tubbo wondered just what else he had on his mind.

“I want this to be the last fight I have to do if it comes down to that.” Tubbo felt some relief, admitting that. “Snowchester is a developing place, I don’t want to have to fear for my life anymore and just spend time mending relationships. Living out my life with Ranboo and you at my side is what I want to return to, I am tired of the fighting.”

“That’s fair.” Tommy responded reasonably. “Once we deal with Dream once and for all you will get that future Tubbo.”

“My entire nation burned to the ground, a place I thought I would live out my time in. Even if I passed along the Presidency to someone else, I was happy there. I had Ranboo, Phil, Ghostbur, so many people who I could spend days with developing farms or ideas. But in the blink of an eye everything was gone, destroyed to bedrock, months of work burned to ash in a single day.” Tubbo pulls the sticks out of the fire and hands one to Tommy. 

“I never thought there would have to be a Plan B, Ranboo was always bugging me to make one but I never did. They were always talking about getting away, and now that I have that Plan B I understand. I want to make it back to live out that future but I have a bad feeling one of us might not make it through tomorrow.”

Tubbo took a bite of the rabbit haunch, meeting his best friend’s eyes. Tommy looked thoughtful and sad, his eyes blurry. They both us to be so fresh faced, full of hope, but so much had been thrust upon a pair of children who joined the server to build and have fun with others. Tubbo’s face was half scarred because of choices he made, helping those he cared about. Tommy’s pain was a lot more internal, the permanent marks on his mind shining through young eyes on the bad days, hearing about Dream’s actions in exile disgusted Tubbo.

“I will do everything I can to make sure we both come back alive.” Tommy promised to which Tubbo chuckled and shook his head slowly.

“You can’t guarantee that, big man.” 

Crackling fire echoes through the clearing as the boys eat, before Tommy meets his best friend’s eyes with a steel Tubbo treasured him for. Somehow, the boy who had been through literal hell, stood strongest when he put his mind to something, unwavering. 

“It’s me, we will.” 

Tubbo felt his eyes well up before sliding closer on the log to his Toms, the lanky blonde throwing his arm around Tubbo’s shoulders. “Okay.”

The boys finished eating before disposing of what they didn’t need, crawling into each of their tents to sleep for the night. Tubbo’s mind kept him awake long into the darkness, worrying over outcomes and possible dangers. About halfway through when the moon was at its peak, Tommy abandoned his spot and the boys slept in the same tent, hand-in-hand. Sometimes, you just need the comfort of someone you trust when your mind is at war with itself.

The sun crept across the horizon bringing about the day Tubbo has dreaded the most. The soft light through the tent walls awakened the boy, during their sleep the boys had curled into the other. Tubbo untangled himself from his friend’s grasp, snoring away as the President remembered the boy doing, flashbacks to Pogtopia and early L’Manburg nights in the Camaravan flew through his mind as he removed himself from his friend’s strong arms.

Pulling the tent flaps aside to crawl out, Tubbo paused to observe the pretty image before him. The sun glinted off the blue ocean, the ball of fire painting beautiful oranges against the fluffy white clouds. It reminded Tubbo of the days he spent with Ranboo observing the dawn and dusk, the beginning and ending, when they could. Tubbo really hoped he could continue to make more of those memories when he returned, this time with Tommy at his side too. The boys had spent far too long apart and Tubbo was determined to make up for lost time when they could live without threats to their lives.

Remembering what they were about to walk into, Tubbo began to stretch out his sore muscles in the cool morning air. He was glad Tommy had agreed to sleep before they faced the bastard, feeling much more aware and functional. Besides the aches and pains, Tubbo felt much better than yesterday when they arrived on this sandy shore.

Peering at the tall stone they camped beside, Tubbo groaned. He really didn’t want to climb that mountain, knowing a madman awaited their arrival to taunt them with those dics’s Tommy adored. Tubbo knew just how much that music meant to him, he hoped desperately they could get through today with them back in Tommy’s possession along with both their lives. 

“Are you ready to kick that green bitch’s ass?” Speaking of the devil, Tommy loudly announced his intentions making Tubbo jump.

He whirled to face the blonde whose hair stood on end, blue eyes bleary in the morning. His hair looks like sun rays spilled from his scalp, bouncing across his brow as he smiled at Tubbo while walking to his side. The ocean’s blue matched his best friend’s eyes, determination set into every feature on his face.

“Let’s do it, bigman!” Tubbo attempted to match his excitement, looking over the place they were camping. “Let’s pack up, bathe and get to it, yeah?”

The boys made quick work of packing up their shelters and storing them back into their inventories before preparing their weapons for the day, just in case. Tubbo admired the craftsmanship of the sword Antfrost and Badboyhalo gave them, perfectly folded netherite shimmering with multiple enchantments. The teens passed a whetstone between them, preparing both axes and swords for the worst.

Once that task was done they took turns bathing in the pond beside their  camp, keeping watch while the other one cleaned themselves. Washing the salt from his skin, Tubbo began to analyse what he knew about Dream. He was a monster, hearing all the things he put Tommy through revealed a side of Dream he didn’t realise existed. All Tubbo wanted was to get Tommy’s discs back so Dream couldn’t hold anything else over him, then go back to Snowchester. He hoped Tommy would be satisfied with that but he had a feeling Tommy would rather make sure Dream never bothered him again. Not that Tubbo blamed Tommy for that intention, after all, he had also decided to kill a man because he threatened Tubbo’s way of life with some heavy influence by other cabinet members. Another decision the boy felt remorse for, Tubbo wondered just how many regrets he could hang on his shoulders before they broke.

Too soon, they are staring up the sheer cliff face and Tubbo is dreading who stands on top of this intimidating land formation. Tommy and Tubbo look at each other before Tommy pulls out his pickaxe, driving the point into the rock and beginning to haul himself up. Tubbo took a deep breath before beginning the ascent himself.

After a few hours they are nearing the top, the sun having risen to nearly mid-sky, temperature rising over the time spent. The pair were drenched in sweat, muscles shaking under sun-red skin, both choosing to remove all layers but their lightest shirt. The top of the mountain approached the boys, it now felt achievable instead of kilometres away like when they first started. They had taken a few breaks on ledges but never for very long, wanting to keep up their progress on climbing the face.

“Oh I am gonna kill him for making us do all of this.” Tommy mumbled a similar statement to the ones he had been ranting since they began the climb. 

“Questions first, murder later.” Tubbo argued, all his energy having been spent on the exercise to face the scariest person in this world besides Technoblade.

Tommy’s pickaxe finally clung to the ledge at the top, Tommy pulling himself up first before reaching a hand back down to Tubbo. Tubbo grasped his friend's sweat-slick forearm, clutching hard as he could while the lanky blonde braced himself to help Tubbo to his side.

The plateau at the top of the mountain was flat, coming into view as Tubbo finally reached the top. The man he had been dreading to see stood in the middle of this open grassland, the wind pulling at his clothes and hair. The green-eyed bastard had his mask on today, a happy smile to match the lips below, the mask covering the upper half of his face. Covered in shining netherite armour, polished to perfection and enchantments pulsing across in regular intervals, wielding his prized axe he sits on top of an enderchest awaiting the pair. A strung bow hung around his shoulder, dark wood gleaming in the sun.

Tubbo watched Tommy’s face harden, millions of thoughts flying behind that tortured gaze while he looked at the one who tormented him for months. Tubbo felt the licks of angry fire through his torso, stemming from what he heard of his friend's treatment. Dream just looked so confident, it pissed the scarred blonde off. That mocking bastard held so much over his friend, using it to force his friend into compliance, into chains it hurt Tubbo to see his wild friend wear. 

All Tubbo wanted was freedom for both of them, their own choices being allowed, not under the thumb of someone looking for total control over everyone who spawned on this server.

“You both are late by a day.” Dream commented as he stood up, letting his axe slide to a more relaxed grip as he walked a few paces forward, staying close to the chest.

“There was an entire ocean and a fucking mountian inbetween us and your summons, you bitch.” Tommy snapped back, switching his pickaxe for his axe and shield out of his inventory, Tubbo following suit before they both took turns protecting the other as they strapped armour to themselves. The pair pulled themselves to their feet, armed and ready for whatever Dream was about to throw at them.

Instead of moving to attack like Tubbo expected, Dream opened his glowing inventory and pulled out a jukebox, placing it beside him. Still facing the boys he stepped back to draw a disc from his enderchest, sliding it into the music player with flourish, his smile growing wider as he met Tommy’s glare. Mellohi’s tunes begin to dance through the air, a song Tubbo would forever associate with his best friend. It reminded him of sunsets on the bench with the ones he cared about the most, humming to the tunes Toms loved.

“That’s just a dick move.” Tommy commented, before exploding forward towards the man that was the cause of his traumas.

Tubbo tightened his grip on his shield and axe, letting his mindset slip into survival mode. Dream brought up his shield to catch Tommy’s swing, a wild grin the only thing visible on the face of the man who was the first to spawn on this world. 

“I only have to say one little thing and you start acting irrational, so predictable.” Dream sneered, before shoving Tommy back, releasing his axe from Dream’s shield with a splintering sound. “The smallest things set you off, so volatile.”

Tommy’s brow pinched, before his face smoothed back out as he stood by Tubbo’s side once more, a determined edge replacing the former expression. Raising his shield to cover the lower half of his face, Tommy whispered to Tubbo. “I will get him further from the jukebox if you can steal the disc and slide it into the enderchest.”

Nodding, the boy prepared to put that plan into action, setting his sights on the cube playing music. Tommy screamed obscenities before launching himself back at Dream. They exchange blows and insults, Dream’s strikes precise in contrast to Tommy’s wild yet strong returns, Tubbo moves slowly closer to the jukebox. Tommy lands a few good hits against the taller blonde’s shield, one managing to even land against his armour, denting his right gauntlet. Dream sneered before swinging once more, Tommy flinching back as he returned the strikes with clumsy blocks.

“Why do you care about my discs, you bastard?” Tommy shouted standing back from his attacker, chest heaving, all his attacks unsuccessful.

“I want them because you love them!” Dream responded, before turning and suddenly drawing the bow off his shoulder to fire at Tubbo in less than a blink of his eye. Tubbo’s reaction times luckily caught the arrow in his shield instead of his face, the point sticking through the wooden protection with the force he fired it. 

In the time Tubbo had taken to protect himself Dream had closed the space between the pair, following his arrow with an axe Tubbo grunted at the heavy strike, barely catching it in time. Dream’s creepy smile was now really close to his face, the unsettling action pulling Tubbo’s focus away from saving himself.

“Hello former President, what did you think you were doing?”

Tubbo stayed silent, returning his grin with a stare, the mesh in the mask eye holes revealing nothing. His shield covered most of his view, staring up at the bastard who scared him the most, he heard some shuffling before the cold steel of a sword bit into the side of his neck suddenly, held there in silent threat.

“Drop the shield.” Dream commanded, Tubbo doing so slowly, panic coursing through his veins. Dream had removed his shield instead for a sword which he now held to the small blonde’s throat. “Tommy you better not be preparing to kill me or my last act will be putting my sword through your best friend.”

Dream pulled his axe from the shield, moving the sword to in front of Tubbo’s throat which he tried to back away from, further into Dream’s dangerous arms. His voice grated against Tubbo’s ears, the prideful tone dripping from his words.

“You really thought I didn’t see you come over here, Tubbo?” 

Tubbo caught Tommy’s frightened look, a fresh cut across his cheek slowly dripping blood down his jaw. Dream raised his voice, steady grip holding the edge tight against the smaller blonde’s windpipe. They stood in the middle of the field near the jukebox singing a tune Tommy loved, the sun illuminating the trio standing still.

“Drop your gear or I will kill Tubbo right here and now.”

Ranboo’s face flashed across Tubbo’s mind then, of how determined they were that Tubbo would come home to them, to mend what was broken. Tommy’s determination that they both would survive retrieving his discs, everyone who stood at the path to wish them off. So many loose ends that he will never reconnect with, one of the most painful standing before him about to witness his final chance being spilled from his body by a simple sword slice.

The sword pressed in more and panic made his body shake, the steady hands of Dream keeping him upright. Tubbo hoped the shock would set in quickly, meaning he wouldn’t feel any of the pain as he left this server, finally. Staring into Tommy’s eyes, his only regret would be the fact Tommy would watch him die to his favourite song, after he had already been through so much. A forever memory attached to that rhythm, Tubbo knew just how much Tommy associated music with emotional times. It would never be the same for Tommy, he hoped him and Ranboo could support each other.

With two noises, a clang and a thud, Tommy dropped his axe and shield, holding both hands at his shoulders with palms facing Dream. Tubbo felt the chuckle rise from Dream’s chest, before he was laughing loudly as Tommy looked frightened and confused. 

“All it takes to gain the upper hand is to threaten the thing that person cares about.” Dream announced between laughter, before his grip tightened on Tubbo’s arm and the sword bit further into his flesh. Warm liquid dripped into the hollow of the boy’s throat. “You are going to come with me, after you put that disc back in my hand to return to my enderchest. If you do not, I am going to remove Tubbo’s last chance.” 

“You fucking bastard, Dream.” Tommy cursed, leaving his tools to walk to the pair’s side and sliding the music disc out of the player. Placing it into Dream’s free hand, Dream had stored his axe in his inventory during the chaos, Tubbo and Dream shuffled to the enderchest where the tall blonde put it back in the dimension only he could access.

“Now, let’s go somewhere else.” Dream announced, facing Tommy once more with a wild look in those emerald depths. “After Tommy digs me a hole.”

Tommy’s eyes narrow before he pulls a shovel from his inventory, his shaking hands betraying the unaffected front he was putting up. “We are really doing this song and dance again?”

“I can’t have you walking around armed with me, that would ruin my plans. You know the drill, all your items in the hole then I will ask Tubbo to do the same.” Dream taunted, the anger Tubbo felt this morning grew once more and burned away the acceptance of Dream’s power, watching his obnoxious best friend shrink down to a submissive soul was heart-breaking. 

Tommy was such a free spirit at the beginning of it all, before all the events that happened to all of them, maybe it got on people's nerves but he was always so energetic. The lanky blonde started a lot of shit, sure, but he was always so authentically, unapologetically him. Watching that disappear at the hands of a madman saddened Tubbo deeply, watching Tommy shrink into a compliant being wasn’t what he remembered the teen to be. Just how bad could Dream have twisted his will for Tommy not to fight for the things he was passionate for, acting like a timid mouse instead of the feral racoon Tubbo remembered.

Tommy stripped out of his armour and emptied his inventory in the hole, before Dream released his hold on Tubbo’s arm and nudged him forward once more. Tommy caught his eyes as Tubbo began throwing everything he owned into the pit, the shame and frustration he felt is only a drop of water in the bucket of what his best friend had gone through for months. Just how humiliating this was didn’t truly hit him until he was forced to do the same, the sword tip still digging into his back.

Dream clearly didn’t trust Tommy to follow through on his surrender unless he still held something over his head. As the last golden apples Tubbo held fell into the hole Dream produced TNT with a flourish, placing it on top of the hole before pressing a flint and steel into Tubbo’s right, scarred hand.

“Light it, former President.” The point of the sword dug in deeper as Tubbo’s fingers trembled clicking the igniter device, sparks flickering.

The TNT hissed as he lit the fuse, all three of them taking steps back before the ground shook with a bang, their items being blown to smithereens. Hours and days of work vanished in an instant, the discouragement Tubbo felt pushed against his anger before burning away leaving only rage. 

Tubbo was pissed that all of this was happening, just because Dream held all the cards right now and kept flaunting it at them, forcing them into a surrender then destroying their hard-earned items. The man truly knew how to break your morale, Tubbo recognised the strategies of a manipulator. The boy had spent months under one, his will slowly being broken by someone who ended up being partially responsible for his second chance being blown from his body because he was trying to protect his friends.

“Now that task is done let’s go boys, I have somewhere to show you.” Dream taunted, making a show of stepping back from Tubbo, holding his sword at the ready but at his side now.

Now that neither of them had weapons, he deemed them less of a threat. The mind games this fucker played was so intense, Tommy being the sole victim for moons must have twisted so much of his mentality. Tubbo stared at Dream while he reached out to his best friend’s large hand, grasping it on his own. Dream has already taken away so much, Tubbo wasn’t going to allow his friendship with his best friend to be another casualty.

“I have a water bucket, go back to the side of the mountain you climbed up.” Dream directed, which Tubbo moved to do so but Tommy stood his ground.

“Why?”

“Because if you don’t, I will burn your discs in front of you.” Dream fired back, liquid emerald eyes flashing as he pushed his mask up to meet Tommy’s defiant ocean-blues. A few tense moments passed before Tommy squeezed Tubbo’s hand, indicating he would follow him. 

It was an old communication left over from the days when they relied on each other for everything, that signal meant he was letting Tubbo take over the decisions for the moment. Sometimes, one of them needed a break or to contain the words they wanted to scream, Tubbo knew he could bite his tongue when needed. A good planner waits for the opportune moment to launch their counter, Tommy often leaves emotionally-heated moments to his more diplomatic friend. It could mean a few more things but that was what Tommy wanted to convey right now, it could also be used as a silent agreement to the other when they couldn’t communicate their feelings aloud.

Huffing, Tommy let Tubbo lead him to the edge. The smaller blonde was plotting while he complied, allowing Dream’s concerns surrounding his rebellion to fall, hoping when he figured out how to attack the man would be caught off guard.

Placing the bucket down, Dream set a water source at the top of the mountain side before gesturing for the boys to get in. Now they didn’t have their protective armour, this was about to be a miserable journey down. Tubbo felt his anger grow more, noticing how calculating this man could be. He catches Tommy’s gaze who opens his mouth, freezing as Tubbo shook his head, hoping to convey to go along with the instructions for now. He squeezed Tommy’s hand in affirmation before taking a step towards the created waterfall, Tommy closing his mouth and following him. 

The water was cold in the high altitude, Tubbo feeling the chill down to his bones as they floated down the side. His teeth began to chatter, occasionally looking at Tommy to see if he could discern what the blonde was thinking. A conflicting mess of emotions filtered across his best friend’s features; frightened, angry, defeated to name a few during their descent. After what felt like years Tubbo’s feet finally touched ground, moving into the cool air to shiver. Running his right hand through his hair to pull it away from his eyes, he glanced towards where they camped last night.

Tommy stood at his side, reaching out to grab Tubbo’s hand again as Dream dug a small pit to contain the water so it stopped flooding the ground. “I’ll go get the source later, come on, you must be cold.”

Dream nodded his head towards the mountain wall. He pulled out a button and attached it to the stone, turning to the pair with a wide smile.

“I’ve seen this before and it did not lead anywhere good.” Tommy said in an offhand tone trying to joke about the situation, his preferred coping method.

“I did get this idea from Technoblade, if that’s what you're referencing. He has the best ideas sometimes, don’t you agree?” Dream happily replied, pressing it down with the hilt of his still drawn sword.

Tubbo shivered once more, not from the cold, but from the images set into his brain that he will never forget. Hearing his name brought many things to the surface, the right side of his face feeling tight because of the scar tissue covering it from the piglin’s firework execution he was ordered to do by Schlatt after the reveal of Tubbo being a spy for Pogtopia. 

On the opposite side, the happy times of sitting by the fireside with Wilbur, Technoblade, Tommy, Niki and Quackity in that deep ravine trading stories between songs. Nights they all wanted to blow off steam and just be around other people, many good moments happened around that fire in a place he shudders to remember now. That place robbed sanity from all of them, some people morphing to something unrecognisable, a certain First President being the top of that list. 

 In a less dramatic fashion than Tommy described of Technoblade’s reveal to his vault, a two block door yawned open from the stone. A dark maw awaited the teens, Tubbo glanced between Tommy and Dream waiting for what the madman wanted them to do next.

“Go on, I am not putting my back to either of you.” Dream pointed to the door with his blade, smirking.

Tubbo tugged on Tommy’s hand to move through the door, glancing around for any sort of attempt at escape. Gaze trained on their captors face once more, the proud look on his face enraging the small blonde even more. He knew just how trapped the boys were and was gloating about it, Tubbo knowing the moment he stepped out of line he wouldn’t hesitate to slay him, Tubbo had a feeling the only reason he was still breathing right now was Dream had plans for how to force Tommy back under his thumb. 

The pair walked into a small room as Dream removed the button, rock sliding shut behind the tall blonde leaving the room only in dim torch light. Flickering shadows danced across Dream’s reflective mask in the unsettling room, obsidian and blackstone lining the floor and walls. A square of obsidian lay in the middle of the room and Dream nudged the teens onto it, smiling before placing the button once more and the platform began to descend further into the ground after the man pressed it. 

The dead air felt suffocating and the walls felt containing, so much of this environment was just sinister. Dream walked to the front of the lift, pulling his mask completely off to toss in his glowing inventory. The wide smile he wore unsettled Tubbo deeply, just how far into madness had Dream descended without Tubbo noticing? Was he always like this and just chose to reveal this now because he knew not all of them were walking back out of this?

“It’s hilarious you fought so hard for that disc I played on the field.” Dream told Tommy, who glared daggers at the man who stood at his same height. “Considering that isn’t even your disc.”

“What?” Tommy shouted, his hand holding Tubbo’s tighter as Tommy’s anger flared, his face pinching as he glared at their captor.

“I wouldn’t bring your disc onto the battlefield, that was just a copy I found in a dungeon a while ago. Your records are down here, along with everything else I have collected.” Dream laughed, the vicious mocking tone evident as Tommy’s face flushed.

“Everything else you have?” Tubbo wondered what else this wrong’un held, now realising just how much power he might hold. What things had he manipulated into play, what moves had he made so things went his way, who else was trapped in his web?

“Ah, just a few other things I can show you!”

A clunk sounded as they reached the bottom of the lift, an open doorway set in the opposite walls with two frames on either side with familiar records. Tommy gasped when he saw Mellohi and Cat, Tubbo watching his friend stop himself from immediately going for the precious music records. Lanterns hung from the ceiling, illuminating the small room in which they now stood at the bottom of the elevator, the platform frozen. Dream made sure to pick back up the button, removing the ability to use it to escape, before facing the boys once more.

“If you attempt to grab those Tubbo will die quicker than you can even lift the record from its place.” Dream declared, lifting his sword to point it at Tubbo’s chest. “In fact, you stay close. You are the less volatile one, you always listen so well don’t you, former President?”

Tubbo felt the knives hidden in those words, realising how much his influence might extend to the decision he made for Tommy’s exile vs L’Manburg’s freedom. Sneering, he walked to Dream’s side, breaking his hand hold with Tommy, feeling empty as the boy went where he was beckoned. Dream returned his blade to Tubbo’s throat as they walked through the imposing doorway between Tommy’s most prized possessions. 

The opening led into a long hallway with a large nether portal set into the far wall, purple void inviting escape if only the boys could rid themselves of Dream. The walls were covered in different places covered in bars, item frames, fences and signs, showing just how deep Dream’s depravity ran. Tubbo’s eyes scanned across the openings, seeing various peoples names scrawled under different spots meant for items important to each member. Some places held something, some were still missing. Dream must have been working on this for a while, just how long was unclear.

Most lay empty, besides the Axe of Peace which hung from the wall. Tubbo locked onto that and began to scheme how he could get that into his hands. Tommy gasped upon seeing Henry the cow, who roamed a small fenced area among the other empty pens meant for other server pets. Dream walked the pair of teens down the hall before stopping in the middle of a more open area around the nether portal.

“Now, you have seen everything.” Dream told the pair, still holding Tubbo’s throat with that sharp edge facing Tommy, a cold reminder of his potential demise if either stepped out of line. 

Tommy’s eyes were glued to Tubbo’s, worry etching deep into his face, the teen’s voice steady as he addressed his manipulator. “I see the fucked up things you have planned, why?”

“Well there’s this certain problem with everyone else in this world, they all have emotional attachments to things that don’t matter in the long run with protecting my world.” Dream replied, his confident voice echoing back to the trio in the open area. “I’ve gotten rid of mine already so don’t even bother, but I seek to control everyone’s attachments so I can finally have power again.”

Dream’s hold got tighter, sword digging more into Tubbo’s throat as he growled out. The blade dug uncomfortably deep, Tubbo’s gut rolling with nerves as his body screamed danger. “Ever since you showed up you craved separation, drawing attention to you! Giving powerful allies to you, all against me because you didn’t like my rules. I have lost so much of my hold since you showed up breaking all of my connections.”

“All we ever wanted was freedom to make our own choices, you fucker.” Tommy fired back, blue fire raging in his gaze.

“People who get attached to things can be swayed, it's much better if I have control because I have no connections.” Dream waved it off nonchalantly, 

“So George and Sapnap are just nothing to you?” Tubbo asked, feeling Dream flinch and dig the sword in further, warm blood dripping down his neck again. The boy was still terrified but fear can make you do stupid things, Dream was really pissing the boy off with all his high and mighty talk. “I have worked under dictators before I know how they sound, no attachments is the first rule in their handbook.”

Dream grew silent, glaring at the blonde he held now instead of Tommy. Tubbo hoped Tommy would take the opportunity to grab the Axe of Peace he spotted earlier.

“I am not Schlatt.” Dream spit out, emerald eyes narrowing as Tubbo returned that hot stare. “I am better than he ever was because I don’t loudly announce my intentions, only to those I know won’t repeat them.”

There was a finality to that sentence that sent Tubbo’s mind into worrying again. “Why won’t we tell everyone we see about what a fucking puppeteer you are?”

“Dead men tell no tales.” His voice chilled Tubbo to the bone, before he broke their gaze to stare at Tommy. “Drop that axe.”

Tubbo’s stomach dropped to his feet as he turned his head to see Tommy holding the Axe of Peace with a defiant set to his face. “If I don’t?”

“Then Tubbo dies.” Dream says, letting that set in, before continuing. “Sooner than I planned anyways, I can’t have him running off to tell everyone while I haul you off to the prison I built just for you, Tommy. So we can spend everyday together like we used to in a place where you will never see anyone besides me. You will speak to no one else ever again, no more providing radical ideas to influence disorder on my world.”

Tubbo’s mouth dropped open at Dream’s words, mind replaying the part about him dying multiple times before realising what the crazed man said after. “Is that what you commissioned Sam to build all this time? Did he know who you intended it for?” 

“He doesn’t need to know until I show up with Tommy in my grasp forevermore, which I will force him to help me make sure the teen never escapes again. Can’t have a repeat of exile’s end, can I?” Dream continued to explain the level of his delusional plans, Tubbo growing scared for his Toms mindstate if that plan got put into action. “Tommy, drop the axe now and kick it over to me.”

Meeting Tubbo’s eyes as he shook his head, Tommy took a huge breath before dropping the weapon, using his foot to nudge it to the green-eyed man who moved it to hold the handle down under his own. Tubbo just wanted Tommy to have a chance to escape, he no longer cared if he himself walked out of this vault. Hearing Dream’s plots to break his friend hurt him deeply, nothing was off the table when it came to saving his best friend from Dream. Tubbo had practically handed him the guidebook when he told him to take Tommy to isolation for months, there was no way in fucking hell he would let that happen again. 

Dream spent months learning everything about the boy, making him dependent on his visits for social interaction on top of destroying everything he worked for on a regular basis. Tearing him down to the basics, seeing how he ticked, let him craft the perfect idea to break his friend in the worst way possible for Tommy specifically. A madman’s delight to dissect a teenager who was innocent, too young to be within the sightline of someone unhinged. 

Tubbo felt sick and the regret had never sliced as deep, seeing his friend’s face reminded him just how much he failed the lanky blonde teen. If he could do anything to take back what had happened, he would have done it yesterday. Depending how this situation played out, if his death is what Tommy needed to escape he would do it in a heartbeat. Desperate people do desperate things after all.

“I do still have a heart so you will have a few moments to say your goodbyes before I kill the former President and take care of the last task in my day of escorting Tommy to his new home.” In a smooth move he drew the blade from the small blonde’s neck and shoved the boy towards his best friend. “Feel free, at least for just a moment, to step away. I don't want to hear any of it. You have five minutes.”

One last time, Tubbo grabbed Tommy’s hand to move away from his soon-to-be executioner. The pair of boys collapsed in for a hug, Tubbo digging his fingers into the body of his best friend, memorising the feeling. Both shook with emotions, Tubbo hoped that Tommy could manage his freedom by himself after the small blonde’s blood painted these dark floors. Maybe Dream would slip on it making it easier for Tommy to escape.

“Tubbo, you can’t die. I told you that we were both getting away from this!” Tommy told him urgently, warm breath brushing Tubbo’s scalp from their height difference. The comforting weight of a chin resting on his brown horns reminded him of Ranboo, his heart breaking that they would never get a final goodbye like he was given with Tommy.

“It’s okay, Tommy, you will be okay. Make your move when he is distracted, I will try to get the axe further from him.” Tubbo attempted to placate his friend with plans, the skeletons that bothered him all this time finally satisfied with him accepting his passing. A small peace was affronted from finally being able to rest, able to give his worthless life for one he cared deeply about. 

“Tubs, what am I without you?” Tommy begged, pulling back a step to look at him, still holding one of his hands.

“Yourself?” Tubbo told him, reaching up to wipe a tear from his Toms scarred cheek, the soft skin warm under his thumb. “You are stronger than you realise, don’t let him break you.”

“I’m bored, let's get this over with.” Dream called out, meeting Tommy’s enraged eyes. 

“It hasn’t been five minutes yet! You can’t do this!” Tommy pulled Tubbo behind his taller form. 

“I have places to be, I am a busy man. I need to get you to your appointment with your new home then I must continue planning how to get the rest of the items to decorate these walls.” Dream said, walking further from the axe with his sword at the ready. “Come here, pawn, I want to finish this quickly.”

Tubbo winced before steeling himself, determined to face his death with grace and dignity. Walking around Tommy with his head held high Tommy attempted to hold him back with hands grasping Tubbo’s upper arm. “Tubbo, no, Tubbo please don’t go”

“It’s okay big man, I know you will figure out a way to save yourself.” He assured, before meeting his gaze a final time through blurred vision as Tubbo pried his strong, scarred hands loose. “I love you Toms, tell Ranboo I am so sorry and to take care of Snowchester for me. Move there, live out your chances in safety. Never forget you being yourself is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Dream smiled wide still, watching Tubbo approach him once he freed himself from Tommy’s clutches. Just as Tubbo stood in front of Dream awaiting his final moments, a figure appeared in his peripheral vision through the portal. Followed by many others in shimmering purple armour, Tommy shouted in surprise drawing Dream’s intense eyes from Tubbo’s to his surroundings. Tubbo’s attention was drawn from the sword that would have been his death to the group of people who came in through the portal, all of differing heights and backgrounds. Each person who had come to wish them luck had appeared, Tubbo’s eyes immediately scanning across see Ranboo, their mismatched gaze occasionally flashed vibrant purple like the nether portal they just came from. 

Tubbo worried as he had only seen Ranboo’s eyes do that under high stress, he hoped the enderman was thinking clearly right now. Remembering he should probably care about Tommy’s well being, he looks to the lanky blonde whose mouth had dropped open seeing protection walk through that portal as if summoned. Suddenly, they were no longer alone, others had come to help them when they needed it the most.

Leading the back-up, wielding a sword and shield was Punz, a confident strut to his gait as he tossed a smile towards Dream. “I’m sorry Dream, but you should have paid me more.”

Thirteen people walked forward from the portal in small groupings to stand in a line between the trio and the portal. All dressed head to toe in netherite gear wielding weapons of personal preference; Awesamdude, Eret, Quackity, Captain Puffy, Callahan, Ranboo, Ponk, HBomb, Nihachu, Jack Manifold, Bad, Antfrost, and Sapnap braced themselves left to right behind Punz, who was in the middle standing strong in front of everyone.

“Boys, come here.” Sam called out, wielding his trident in full battle gear the man looked scary, kind eyes hardened as they looked at the green-eyed man who seemed quite surprised at the turn of events. 

The creeper hybrid was one of the tallest beings on the server, at first Tubbo had been terrified of him but spending many days with him had warmed his heart to Sam. Seeing him here now was a big relief, a protection they both solely needed. Moving forward on his four legs to Punz’s side, Sam’s black eyes locked onto Dream with his trident pointed to the blonde's chest.

“Get away from them!” Sapnap shouted at Dream, walking to Punz’s other side in his full gear, netherite axe swinging in his loose grip. There were few that could match Dream’s fighting skills but luckily for Tommy and Tubbo, this man was one of the people who could.

Tommy leapt forward and grasped Tubbo’s hand tugging him into a sprint towards the group calling for their names. That broke Dream from his freeze and he began to pursue, wielding his sword with a dangerous intensity. Just as Tubbo took one last look over his shoulder at Dream being within striking range someone stepped between, long red cape fluttering as they gave a pain filled grunt catching the blow.

“ERET!” Tubbo heard Nihachu scream as their saviours put themselves between the boys and Dream, cutting his line of sight from the tall being who just saved his life.

“Dream, take a step back. Now.” Sam ordered the bastard. 

Tubbo, instead of hiding behind the boy’s protectors, attempts to shove his way between Bad and Ant who each reach down to stop him from going further. Attempting to pull from the beings’s strong grip Tubbo growls low in his throat, tossing a glare to Bad’s white eyes. 

Going from accepting his death to becoming the cause of someone elses is something he must witness, seeing what protecting him did to others. A voice within his mind crooned that’s all that would ever happen around him, constant death of others giving their lives for him. Tubbo didn’t deserve that honour; his stained past was something he felt great shame over. No one, especially Eret, was a worthy sacrifice for his crimes, only himself.

“Tubbo, stay back, let us handle this.” Badboyhalo said, not letting him shake off his hand.

“I need to see if Eret is okay.” His sight was cleared finally, breath catching at what was before him.

Just sleep, just dream

This isn't fair, no, we're not just what we seem

Tommy watched Tubbo attempt to break the line, the small blonde frantic to see if the Monarch was okay. Tommy forced himself between Ant and his best friend, breaking the cat hybrid’s grip on his best friend before being stopped in a similar fashion by Sam’s giant hand on his shoulder.

“Go no further, Tommy; Eret, Punz and Sapnap have this.” His deep voice comforted the teen, his emotions running wild as he saw the scene in front of him.

Dream had driven his sword through Eret’s shield and partially into their right side, staining their white blouse deep crimson red, a similar shade to their long cape. A bow was held at their side with an arrow in their other hand, lowered as they stared the one who threatened them down. Sapnap held his axe to the side of Dream’s throat, threatening further action if Dream attempted to slay Eret. The Ruler stood tall even while impaled, the blade clearly missing important organs as they looked down at Dream in the heels they wore, the green-eyed man shrinking under their imposing glare. A golden crown Dream placed himself sat high on their forehead, holding back their shoulder-length chestnut curls. In the chaos their sunglasses had fallen off, revealing those intimidating pearl-white eyes.

“Are you going to remove your blade now that you have realised you are outnumbered here?” Eret’s deep voice held only the tiniest strain, Tommy’s admiration for the calm being only grew. 

Thinking back to the conversation on the path Tommy understood where Tubbo was coming from, anyone willing to put themselves on the line for the boys deserve forgiveness. Everyone in this room was so much different to how they acted in the past, Tommy and Tubbo included. Once they all got through this fucking situation Tommy was going to spend some time forgiving some people, it was for far too long he held some grudges.

Dream took a few more moments, the room holding their breath until he finally pulled his sword free of flesh and wood. Sam let go of Tommy’s shoulder to catch Eret as they stumbled back, Punz moving to also wield his sword between himself and Dream. 

Tommy watched Niki pull healing potions from her inventory as Sam wrapped Eret into his arms, stepping back behind the line of others to lay them down. Ponk and Hbomb followed the hybrid, worried looks on both their faces following their friends. Trusting Niki’s knowledge of healing Tommy turned his attention back to Dream. The woman had spent a long time patching up those injured over the years during their time in L’Manburg and beyond, Eret was in experienced hands.

“Put your weapons down or you will die faster than you can strike.” Sapnap ordered his longtime friend, a sadness in his eyes even as the man’s face radiated a stubborn determination.

Tommy’s eyes caught the Axe of Peace laying on the floor, his hands itched to have that familiar handle in his hands. He had stolen it from Techno who once gave it to him in good faith, choosing to keep it to use through Doomsday before it disappeared to here apparently. Throwing a wish to the Goddess to have some of Techno’s strength and skills, his eyes flickered around scheming before returning to the four people in front of him.

“Dream, I am not kidding around here.” Sapnap assured, pressing his axe further into Dream’s neck. “If you kill me or Punz everyone here will attack, and as much as you like to think you are the best, you are no Technoblade.”

The scowl that overtook Dream’s face was terrifying, the pointed gaze from emerald to flame eyes was intense, friends driven to violence once more by choices made. With a loud clang, Dream dropped his sword to the ground where Sapnap used his foot to kick it back to the line of people. 

Tubbo leaned down to pick up the blade Dream crafted, holding it in a trembling grip between him and the green-eyed man. Jack Manifold wielding a crossbow and Captain Puffy holding her sword came to the boy’s side, offering their protection in case Dream attempted to get his blade back.

“Fucking bastard.” Tommy spit out, meeting Dream’s angry face, his emotions morphing to anger reflecting over everything he did to him and now Tubbo. 

Dream was about to kill his best friend , just like that, treating him like something he could just dispose of when they were all living, breathing people. The blood was still wet on Tubbo’s neck where Dream held his blade, using his friend like just a tool to keep him in line. Dream clearly had no regard for people having their own power, his utter lack of empathy terrified the teen he once punished for being himself.

“Tommy, he’s dangerous.” Sapnap warned, keeping himself between Tommy and the accused man.

“He will be less dangerous in a moment.” Tommy narrowed his eyes at Dream. “Dig a hole for me.”

“You can’t be serious.” Dream stood tall, the conversations fading out to just the victim and the abuser.

“As serious as your threat to kill Tubbo.” Tommy couldn’t help but be angry on behalf of his friend, his own traumas were a whole other mindfield he had barely begun to process therefore it was much easier to sink into the rage about Dream’s intentions to kill his Tubs. 

A netherite pickaxe was pulled from the tall blonde’s inventory, before beginning to dig a stone block from the ground, Punz and Sapnap moved back to Tommy’s side. Once Dream finished digging out one block, Tommy gestured to do another before he climbed back out of the hole. Everyone had gone silent, watching Tommy gain the upper hand after all these years. The man who haunted his nightmares for months, his scornful laugh grating his ears on that goddess-forsaken plains when it was just the two of them. Terror-filled images that would never leave his mind, a permanent mark on his soul coming back to attack him when they pleased. 

Tommy shook his head as Dream’s final blow-up over Tommy not listening well enough to him came to mind, punishing him by destroying Logstedshire. Left in the remains of his home, he questioned a terrible thing that night; whether it was worth it to keep fighting and keep moving forward or if it was time to seek that eternal peace of losing his last chance then returning to the Death Goddess’s home. 

Looking at Dream defeated before him, Tommy’s glad he chose the pond as his landing pad and now stood on this side. The server finally believed his claims about Dream, his crimes nailed to these very walls. “You know the drill; all your items in the hole.”

Being on the other side of that threat felt so out of place yet justified, for once being the one giving the orders. Dream kept shooting glares at Tommy as he pulled everything out of his glowing inventory to drop in the pit before stripping off his armour to follow the rest of his items. In the silence Tommy felt relief as Eret’s deep tones rang out even though they were speaking quietly, the soft musical whispers of Niki replying confirming their well being. 

“Now what?” Dream asked sarcastically, which Tommy looked at Punz.

“You have an enderchest on you, right?” Tommy addressed Punz, who nodded. “Can you place it down beside us here?”

Punz did so, looking carefully between Dream and Tommy with his sword at the ready. Tommy fixed his blue eyes on Dream’s green, keeping his voice steady. “You are going to pull a TNT out of your enderchest and place it on top of the hole, I am sure someone else has a flint and steel on them. If you try to pull out both, one of my friends will stop you.”

Sapnap took a step forward, a silent acknowledgment to Tommy’s statement.

Slowly he took a step towards the trio, then another before he reached the ender chest. Punz opened it for him, Dream using his glowing inventory and pulled out a single TNT block. Giving the teen one last glare filled with hatred, the man places it on top of his items.

“If someone can please give Tubbo a flint and steel I would like him to get involved in this serving of justice.” Tommy turned to ask the others, trusting Sapnap and Punz to alert him if the wrong’un tried anything.

“Here Tubbo.” Sam used his storage portal to pull one out, pressing it into Tubbo’s scarred right palm.

The boy crept forward to Tommy’s side, looking at him for reassurance. Tommy really hoped this was the last time they faced such choices, both were so worn to the bone, a tired, small smile was all he could offer Tubbo to do as he asked. His mind felt at ease with the choice of removing his main threat, in the same fashion as he had planned to steal Tubbo away. Tubbo hesitated for a moment more, searching Tommy’s face then he lit the explosive device. The box hissing before the explosion shook the floor, echoing off the walls at an uncomfortable volume. Once the smoke cleared Tommy focused his attention on Dream, who was standing near the hole, hands held over his ears.

“Now then, shall we get to it?” Tommy felt sadistic glee as he walked to where the Axe of Peace lay on the floor, leaning down to pull it into his hold before facing Dream who showed true fear now, empty hands dropping to his side.

“Tommy, you don’t have to do this!” Dream begged, the room was deathly silent besides the pair speaking, no one else daring saying a word.

“Oh, but I think I do. You have taken and done so much, to everyone! You just want to pull strings and make things fall into place at your discretion, your fall from grace has been painful to be on the receiving end.” Tommy snapped, Dream flinching as the boy finally expressed everything he had been holding down for months. 

“You treat everyone like this is a game, not like we are real people! An old friend of mine taught me the value in people over things, whereas you treat everyone like a prospect to manipulate to do what you like. Attaching strings around our throats like choking collars to tug into the place you desire, I am fucking sick and tired of it. You have caused so much pain for so damn long, when was the last time you looked at someone and realised they had their own thoughts? Their own dreams and opinions? Yes, they may differ from yours because we are all different people but we all have free will! You should respect that and not treat it like something to accomplish, something to crush. You disgust me, I cannot believe at one point here I laughed alongside you and even called on you for help. How can you see children and think pawns for your manipulation?!”

Dream’s eyes grew wider with every sentence, each sin announced in front of the ones he seeked to control. He offered no rebuttal to what Tommy spoke aloud, which only steeled Tommy’s mind further into the choice he made when he woke up this morning. That if the opportunity came to kill Dream, he would take it.

“You have no want to even defend yourself? I laid all this out in the open and you don’t even try to deny it?” Tommy threw his words at him, holding the axe tighter. “Good, now everyone understands just how fucking twisted you are.”

Tommy turned to the others, ignoring the accused man in favour of seeing everyone’s expressions. “Anyone have a bed?”

Sam stepped forward with a stern glare, giving the boy the item he requested then offering; “Tommy, I believe you about everything you have said, let me be the one to bloody my hands with exacting vengeance. Don’t make his death your fault, you are just a child. Let me bear that destructive burden.”

Tommy shook his head, meeting the gaze of the one who had been there for him at his worst, once even offering to protect him from Dream even if that caused a divide in the relationship between Sam and Dream. Looking back, he should have taken the creeper hybrid up on it. Sam is someone Tommy looked up to a lot, his ideals and morals something he held close to him while considering his next actions, a forever cautious creature who put a lot of thought behind each decision.

“No Sam, I must do this.” Tommy said firmly, before turning back to the green-eyed bastard who had been at the root of everything that happened to him. Placing the bed at the man’s side, he pointed to it with the axe. “Set your spawn point.”

When people lose their chances on this world they would reappear in the last bed they set their point too, something everyone decides when they open their inventory touching a bed. No one quite knew how it worked exactly beyond knowing it was something they chose, most theories surrounded the Death Goddess having decided this at the beginning of all servers.

Dream placed one hand on the covers and opened his inventory with the other, following Tommy’s instructions. “How will you know if I have done it?”

“Well if you don't, everyone in this room is going to tell the rest of the world about what transpired today so be prepared to be a wanted man for the rest of your miserable life while your tactics fail you.” Tommy commented, raising an eyebrow. “You will appear somewhere else, sure, but no one will ever listen to you again.”

Dream’s face twisted in annoyance as he finished the task, glow disappearing when his inventory closed. “Okay, now what?”

“Now, you die.” Tommy didn’t hesitate, sliding his foot back for a balanced grip, bringing the axe up in a swinging arc before burying it deep into Dream’s green-sweater covered chest, the teen grunting from the force he applied as bones snapped inwards.

A scream echoed before being cut off as the sharp point carves through his sternum and slices his lungs open, Dream dropping to his knees while his ribs cracked into shards from the force of Tommy’s attack. Dark crimson blood blossoms around the deep purple blade, soaking the lime green cloth surrounding the gaping wound, the deadweight on Tommy’s axe dragging his arms down. Dream’s surprised face morphs into a pain-filled expression, with his breathing interrupted he cannot make a comprehensible sound. Tommy used the axe to push him flat onto his back, placing a foot on Dream’s hip to brace as he yanked the Axe of Peace free with a wet, tearing sound. Blood dripped from the corner of Dream’s lips, a rattling, gasping noise of a dying man the only thing left.

Purple particles surrounded the down man, covering his body from view as it disappeared leaving only blood pools on the dark stone ground, the unpleasant death rattles stopping. Tommy’s hands began to shake as the adrenaline flooded his veins, that sick vindication of things received tenfold a delicious feeling after months of torment. Feeding that emotion, his mind gained a sense of peace about dealing with this insane jackass once and for all.

“Tommy?” Tubbo sounded so tentative at his side, Tommy turned his head to look into his friend's blue eyes.

“I am going to make sure he never bothers us again.” Tommy replied in a serious tone, hell-bent on ensuring everyone's safety from this bastard.

As those words left his mouth violet-coloured particles re-appeared on the bed, gathering in the shape of a tall, broad man. Soon, they dissipated, leaving a sleeping Dream who looked peaceful in his sleep, the only indication of his violent death the ripped crimson soaked sweater exposing a brand new pink scar across his chest. The Death Goddess can heal flesh but not fabric, this was common when you returned from one of your chances being removed.

Tommy vividly remembered his return from each of his previous chances, waking up to the comfort of his friend's arms. The first time Niki was the one to comfort all of them, being the only survivor from the original crew after the Final Control Room betrayal by Eret. She was away from L’Manburg when the first battle happened, returning to pick up the pieces of broken people. Second time he woke up in Wilbur’s arms, his older brother figure providing sweet words of concern and pride because he attempted to win their freedom from Dream’s clutches in a duel he lost. Afterwards; he gave up his discs to secure that promised immunity, for the first time afterwards they had a semblance of self-governing before things all fell apart catastrophically.

Dream’s eyes shot open, sitting straight up in bed, gasping as he faced everyone in the room. Tommy tightened his hand around the wooden handle, biding his time to let the bastard think about what had happened. His only regret being he couldn’t draw out the torment, the sick part of his brain encouraging the eye-for-an-eye behaviour. Giving Dream the pain he caused back in a slow, horrifying, agonising death. Fortunately for Dream, Tommy wanted to finish this as quickly as possible, therefore less chance of escape from this punishment.

“What the fuck, Tommy?” Dream accused narrowing his eyes, voice raspy from the healed injuries.

Tommy raised an eyebrow, meeting Dream’s glare. “You really think you didn’t deserve that? After all you put us through, put me through?”

Dream opened his mouth to argue back but Tommy didn’t even give him a chance, this time aiming his swing for Dream’s neck. One for the chest, one for the throat, two of the ways the man forced people to lose their chances in his time walking this land. Wilbur and Tubbo’s death marks came to mind as he completed the action, his mind cheering at the bloodshed. Two of many this man caused pain too, but two of the ones that Tommy thought of while exacting his revenge. You didn’t fuck with his friends, thats when all bets were off.

The pale flesh of his neck parted around the blade, blood spurting across the bed and Dream’s blue jean-covered legs. The warm liquid splattered Tommy’s hands as he finished the swing, the blade digging in his spine before halting. Dream’s corpse fell back once more into the bed, emerald eyes rolling into the back of his head dragging Tommy’s grip with the action. Righting himself and pulling the Axe of Peace from its destination the teen took a step back from the bed now painted red awaiting the man’s return from his second chance gone. The same purple particles returned to cling to the body, fading it from existence.

“Tommy, are you sure you want to take away all three of his chances?” Tubbo asked, the reasonable one of the pair he always made sure Tommy thought through his choices and considered all angles.

“You know exactly how much he is capable of, everyone will rest easier knowing this conniving wrong’un is joining the likes of J. Schlatt in hell, the least of which he deserves.” Tommy assured his worried best friend, feeling the sticky blood of his choices clotting between his fingers.

“That’s a heavy burden you are choosing to carry being the cause of someone's eternal death, trust me, I know.” Tubbo’s concerned gaze cut Tommy to his heart, before the taller blonde gave a small smile to reassure his best friend.

“I know, but now I have you to help me through it. No one will ever divide our friendship again, or anyones.”

As that vow left his lips the Death Goddess’s particles reappeared, dropping Dream once more into Tommy’s clutches. This time, a crow stayed behind too, glowing purple eyes matching the shade of the particles dancing through its feathers. Spreading its wings it flew over to Ranboo’s thin shoulder and perched there. Both beings had the same eerie eye colour at the moment, Tommy filed that observation away for later to consider after he accomplished his goal today. 

When the man sat up this time, a white line cut clean across his neck showing freshly healed skin in the same place Wilbur’s was. Dream held out both of his hands, frantically waving them. “Tommy, Tommy, no don’t, I can’t die permanently. You don’t understand, I have something you want!”

Tommy raised his axe once more before pausing, deciding to hear the desperate pleadings of a condemned man for the final time. “Go on.”

“I can bring people back from the dead.” Tommy scoffed at first, before something dug into his mind with those words so he lowered the Axe of Peace for the moment.

“Heh?” Techno’s speech habit slipped out in the teen’s surprise, Tommy stared down the man cowering on the bed now soaked in blood.

“Remember when I teamed up with Schlatt’s Manburg to fight on his side, to protect his country instead of helping you recover it?” Dream spoke quickly, waiting for Tommy’s nod before continuing. “He gave me something that can bring people back even after all three of their chances are gone for that decision. But only I can use it, therefore if you kill me, anyone past this point who dies on this server will never breathe on this world again.”

The room fell into silence listening to the damned man who attempted to control it all, throwing his last hopes to the teenager he hurt in the worst invisible ways. “How?”

Dream shook his dark blonde head with some tension leaving his shoulders as he continued speaking to the teen, worming his way out of the consequences of his actions. “I can’t tell you how but don’t you want Wilbur back?”

If he had said any other name, Tommy would have said to hell with it and finished this miserable bastard off, but mentioning Wilbur was different. His older brother had become a warped person in the time he knew him, though they weren’t technically related by blood they both referenced the other in those terms. Even through it all, Tommy stood at his brother’s side, ready to fight the world for him and protect Wilbur to the fullest extent he could. They had built so much together before Wilbur became too twisted to come undone, deadly aim focused towards a place he no longer saw as his own. Tommy missed him terribly, his early end on Phil’s sword was forever ingrained in Tommy’s memories, replaying in the worst of times. Mixed with those flashes are the happy times they spent; planning laws and regulations for a nation they founded together. 

At the beginning they used words instead of weapons, a time when the early L’Manburg members all grew close to each other. Reminiscing over what was, watching Wilbur’s fall into madness hurt him deeply. He couldn’t imagine what Wilbur must have become in his death. The times that someone had come back after their third chance were spoken about in cautious whispers, tellings of becoming non-recognizable from what others knew them to be.

“Dream, Wilbur shouldn’t come back. He is dead, he should stay that way.” The words hurt Tommy deeply but in that same fashion, he knew he was right. Tensing his hold once more he raised the axe to swing, Dream cowering back with both forearms in front of his face, green eyes wide.

Tommy attempted to do the final blow before resistance stopped him. A large hand wrapped around the wooden handle between his own fists, he whipped his head around to see who stopped him to meet Sam’s stern black eyes. “Tommy, may I make a suggestion?”

Letting the tension flow out of his grip he relaxed, waiting for Sam to continue.

“Dream commissioned me to build a prison months ago that is inescapable, only I know the full plans in their entirety. I agree that what Dream has done is unforgivable, I can see the scars on everyone from his influence. I have long since been cautious with his mental wellbeing but clearly I have judged him wrong because he hid it so well. This is your impulsiveness talking that he dies today, but what happens if we need that power? What if we can get it from him?” Sam offered, pointing to Dream with his trident held in his large hands. “I propose this, we haul him off to the jail he helped design, at least for a while and I will attempt to get whatever Schlatt gave to him separated from him. Then we can execute Dream for his crimes.”

Looking into Sam’s face, he trusted what the man said. Maybe there was a grain of reasonable considerations here, allowing the creeper hybrid to take him off to the prison he threatened Tommy with. A delicious portion of irony stood there, trapping the madman in the jail of his own creation.

“Will you promise to me he will never leave that place a free man?” Tommy asked Sam, imploring the man to say yes.

Tommy felt much like he had all those months ago standing at Wilbur’s side just before he left to burn his nation to the ground, staring up at someone he just wanted to take over the hard decisions because they had his safety in mind. If anyone else had come to plead for Dream’s life Tommy would have said ‘fuck it’ and just struck him down. But this was Sam, someone willing to stand against the world for the lanky blonde he stood in front of, his black eyes meeting Tommy’s blue, a familiar darkness but this one protected instead of harmed.

“Tommy, I swear on my life, Dream will never take another breath of outside air beyond today.” Sam opened his inventory to pull out manacles, the clinking chain ominous in the dead air of this underground vault.

“Sam, please don’t break that vow.” Tommy’s emotions began to trinkle away as his energy ran dry. He could hear the vulnerable tone in his voice but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

Sam pressed his hand to his chestplate over his heart, nodding without words. Tommy accepted his silent promise and put the bloody Axe of Peace in his inventory, telling himself he will clean it later. A small hand slipped into his left and a long white one clasped his right, only then is when the floodgates of emotions opened. 

Tubbo and Ranboo folded their arms around the broken boy, offering comfort as Tommy thought about the fuckery that was today. He had almost lost Tubbo forever, killed because Tommy adored his best friend. By his own hand, Dream lost two of his chances to survival. After all was said and done, it had been one helluva day. Clutching his best friends tighter, he hoped to whoever was listening; Prime, the Death Goddess, Herobrine themselves that he would never lose the pair in his arms.

His heart couldn’t take the loss again, they had all been through so much already. Tommy heard shuffling as people moved about, by the time he pulled out of his friend’s arms a few people had left. Sam, Sapnap, Quackity and Badboyhalo were all absent, having left to escort Dream to his cell.

Niki kneeled at Eret’s side who was still laying flat on the ground, torso covered in red-soaked bandages. Hbomb had removed his jacket to fold under the Monarch’s head, crown laying beside they splayed curls. Ponk kneeled opposite of Niki on the other side of Eret’s torso, shirt cut away to expose the right plane of their stomach. Niki was helping Eret drink another healing potion, clearly the wound had been deeper than Tommy thought if they were still needing more.

Ponk and Hbomb wore matching expressions of pinched brows and downturned mouths, Eret still deathly pale. Tommy reached down to grab Tubbo and Ranboo’s hands once more, before walking to the Ruler’s side, who had put their literal body on the line to protect the best friends. Hbomb met Tommy’s eyes as he approached, before his vision fell to scanning the Ruler’s form in more detail up close. Their right leg was stained in darker shade then the other, their loss of blood showing to be a concerning amount. Their red cape matched the shades, soaked in the life essence of a valiant being.

“Are you boys okay?” Eret’s voice broke Tommy from his stupor, the teen scowling as he met the Ruler’s pearl white eyes. 

“You were the one who got stabbed, what the fuck do you mean?” Tommy raised his voice which Eret chuckled before wincing, Niki breaking into the conversation too.

“They have a point, that was a stupid move standing in front of a charging man.” Niki tutted, stoppering the empty potion bottle before placing it in her inventory.

Punz also joined them, storm-blue eyes narrowed as he looked at Eret whose eyes turned to the mercenary. “I was seconds away from intercepting but you got there first with such a poorly balanced block that you got stabbed!” 

Eret laughed again, their deep voice carrying well throughout the room turning all’s attention to the one laying wounded. Everyone else slowly gathered to their side; Captain Puffy, Jack Manifold, and Antfrost joined a bit further back from the down Monarch. "A ruler's job is to protect their people no matter the circumstances."

Tommy met Niki’s wide light caramel eyes, speaking softer now that other conversations had quieted down. Her beautiful face was still pinched in concern, bags under her eyes and hands coated in Eret’s blood from treating them. She was wiping them on a towel while looking up at the lanky blonde from where she kneeled. “Are they going to be okay?”

“As long as they don’t try anything reckless or energetic for the next day or so they should be fine but that was very close to being much worse.” Niki glared at Eret once more through long lashes. “You may have three chances still but let's not change that anytime soon Eret, I treasure you too much.”

Eret’s white eyes shone as they nodded, smiling gently at those around them. Niki turned back to Tommy, gesturing for them to stand up with her and getting to her feet. “You boys get out of here, go rest for the night or next few weeks, take your time. Let the adults take care of what we should have done years ago, I am so sorry you have been through so much.”

She pulls each of them into a hug, Ranboo practically having to fold in half for their difference in height. The crow caws before shaking out its feathers, settling once more when Ranboo straightens up, tilting its head to peer at Tommy. He had seen those crows around Philza before, some speculated they were also the eyes and ears of the Goddess. This one seems to have taken a liking to the two-toned enderman, Tommy wondered if he could send a message to the piglin using it. It was high time he apologised to the hybrid and they had a proper conversation once more, a lot more forgiveness was going to happen now that he didn’t have to look over his shoulder constantly. He was sure that he would continue to do so out of habit, but trusting Sam was easy, Tommy knew Dream would not be escaping under his watch.

Looking to Tubbo and Ranboo, who both offered tentative smiles of their own. They had linked hands, leaning into the other unconsciously, both of their features more relaxed while in each other’s presence. Tommy went to Tubbo’s other side and offered his hand, which his best friend took with a firm grasp.

“Let’s grab my discs and go to Snowchester for the night, if you don’t mind me inviting myself to your cabin, Tubbo?”

Tubbo gave a hearty chuckle before shaking his head. “I already said you are moving in there, of course.”

Looking up at Ranboo the horned blonde gave a questioning look, their black and white face pinched before smoothing as they shrugged. “When I left this morning I warned Phil I would be away for a bit, that's probably why this crow is here. They worry so often about me that crows will just appear after I have been away for a while.”

Tommy smirked at the enderman, glancing at the bird again before tugging them towards the Nether Portal. Tommy was reminded that his discs were once more to claim so he had to run and grab those before returning to his friends who were chatting beside the portal waiting for him. Just as Tommy prepared to step through the purple warping space, Antfrost stopped them with Callahan and Captain Puffy, each offering various pieces of armour and some weapons. Making them all promise to send a server-wide communication when they made it home, the teens left in much better spirits. Sure, they were all broken and scarred beings, much different than when the three of them had spawned in, but they finally had each other without threats or sides. 

That night when the moon was at its highest, a face came to Tommy in a dream the boy had not gazed upon for years. Dressed in his usual yellow turtle-neck sweater and a red beanie, Wilbur sat across from him, a campfire between the pair, with his guitar in his long hands. Strumming in a calming rhythm, the brothers sang loud and long into the night, throats growing scratchy while they screamed lyrics they hadn’t for years. It felt like a calming balm to Tommy’s tired heart, pouring love into each crack to form the organ anew, stronger with the welds and mending. Just before Tommy awoke there was a moment of clarity, the boys staring into each other's eyes, tree-bark brown to ocean blue.

“I’m proud of you, Tommy. I’m proud of you.”

“See you soon, Wilbur.”

“See you soon.”

When Tommy awoke that morning he was so warm inside until the ultimate sadness crushed it as he remembered that Wilbur wasn’t here anymore and he never would be again. Singing songs and telling stories when Tommy craved was a thing of the past, his brother's speciality when Tommy needed a smile the most. That dream felt like the last thing he needed to finally lay his brother to rest in his mind, a goodbye from the Wilbur he missed the most in a way unique to the man he mourned. A bittersweet thing, Tommy let himself lament about the life he remembered, crying long into the day until his friends came to check on him. Tubbo and Ranboo had been concerned, then when Tommy told them about the previous night’s dream, they mourned together curled in Tommy’s bed together.

At long last, he had people who understood around him, but neither would ever replace Wilbur Soot. For now though, it was enough.

We want to fly but our souls are trapped inside

It's not a game, not to blame, we're forced to hide

A month after that confrontation went down Tommy was standing in Snowchester on the porch of his new house; Tubbo, Ranboo and himself had built it these past few weeks together. They had taken everyone’s advice and spent a ton of time in the cold north, in their sanctuary far from everyone focused on healing. Ranboo had been to visit several times offering a hand and staying most nights. Those times were always the best, all piled into Tubbo’s front room sprawled in front of his fireplace on a soft rug. Trading snacks and baked goods Niki brought them, they would weave tales of grand proportion, cracking jokes and talking long into the night. 

Phil himself even came to visit a couple times at their invitation, Tubbo felt horrible over the whole event with the Butcher Army and they finally talked everything out. Ranboo stood at Tubbo’s side the entire time he apologised, Tommy also in the room at the small blonde’s request. At the end of it all, Phil told them he accepted his apology and offered his hand in building the town. Technoblade had gone back to turtle and bee farming which Phil enjoyed but he expressed his desire to do architecture again. 

Between the avian and Tubbo, the entire northern town had a facelift, polished stone standing in a large wall around the new nation of Snowchester with beautiful buildings encased in those protective structures. Spruce was the wood of choice for all the buildings, the dark tone a good contrast to the gray stone. A few more homes had also been finished in that time, Jack Manifold moving in shortly after Tommy did.

The boys were rather tense around each other but they could exchange pleasantries without cursing the other out. Another being had also joined the server since Dream’s imprisonment, Foolish, who also moved into Snowchester.

Tommy liked the excitable totem shark hybrid, he was an odd one but had a very endearing quality about him. He was also a gifted designer, adding accents as he saw fit to their new country that really brought the place together. Foolish and Ranboo had also bonded quickly, becoming good friends and spending many hours in each other’s company. 

Foolish stuck out a bit with his appearance compared to the rest of the server, one of the tallest beings now besides Sam. He had a lot of the same markers as the Totems of Undying, items blessed by the Death Goddess to protect you from ultimate harm. His gold skin shone brightly in the daylight with emerald green eyes, the shark aspects of his history showed in a long, scaled gray tail that hung from his tailbone and his sharp teeth.

Beyond basic decency there were no rules in their new country, which was a relief. Friends and allies stopped by with things for the boys often, they had begun to trade resources to get what they needed, some things being more common in the warmer atmosphere. Good relations were finally to be had all around, it had been far too long since that was a true statement on this server.

Looking out over what he has accomplished in this time, Tommy feels proud of himself. Tubbo, Ranboo and him were closer than ever, Technoblade had finally sent a letter back to Tommy discussing a time to meet. Tommy knew Tubbo didn’t want to see him but Tommy wanted to make amends with the piglin hybrid again, he missed having his support. Not even for fighting at his side, he valued his advice and dedication missing those nights spent together deep in that ravine plus the short few nights Techno sheltered him just after exile.

Speaking of exile, there was one thought Tommy had been mulling over these past few weeks, namely a green-eyed bastard who had been trapped in prison. He haunted Tommy through all his thoughts, leading to the boy considering what he would want to say if he had one last visit with Dream. Maybe he could close down that chapter of his life for good, moving forward with the future he had here. 

“Good morning, big man!” Tubbo called from his porch, breaking Tommy from his contemplations to see the boy and his enderman partner standing outside Tubbo’s home.

Rolling his shoulders back he walks down the stairs to join the other two on Tubbo’s porch, leaning against the railing. Ranboo passes Tommy a mug of hot chocolate, one of their new routines was to have warm drinks when the sun rose together to discuss the day. Many new and pleasant habits had formed, this being one Tommy would hold dear to his heart. Having something warm in his belly while greeting the cold morning was a wonderful way to start his day, especially being among good company.

“I think I am going to go visit the prison today for the last time.” Tommy announced to his friends, whose eyes widened at that statement. “There are a few more things I want to tell that bastard before I let him rot forever.”

Ranboo and Tubbo glanced at each other before looking back to Tommy, Ranboo taking a long drink of their tea as Tubbo began to speak. “Are you sure Toms, is that the best idea?”

“I have too.” Tommy felt his mind settle on the decision as he spoke it aloud, unwavering now that he has said it.

Tubbo and Ranboo both grow quiet for a while before Ranboo puts their mug down, clearing their throat as they match their eyes to his. “At this point there is nothing we can say that will change your mind, knowing you. I just hope you know what you are doing and what you are re-awakening the moment you see him again.”

Tommy had pictured it in painful detail for far too long, walking into that small room to begin listing off the wrongs Dream committed, leaving him a broken man to come back here for good. Sam put all the prison systems into high priority after Dream’s arrest, naming himself the Warden and running the facility with an ironclad fist. The only time Tommy had gone to visit the bastard he hardly recognised Sam, the peaceful giant becoming more detached from reality. No more cracks shone through his armour, an obsidian wall to match the prison he built.

“I need to do this.” Tommy said once more, meeting the eyes of the two he spent all of his time with.

“Are you going today?” Tubbo looked at him with so much concern Tommy’s chest grew warm, he reached across to ruffle Tubbo’s hair who batted him away gently. “Hey, stop that! You and Ranboo do it so often, you fuckers.”

“Tubs, I want to get this off my mind so I can come back and keep doing it to you.” Tommy said with so much warm affection some of the worry melted from the blonde’s face.

“Fine, but we are coming with you to wait outside. Maybe we can go visit Eret or something and wait for your message at the castle when you come out.” Tubbo said, finishing his last gulp of coffee in one go. “Shall we, then?”

The next hour is consumed by the three packing for a day's excursion, Tommy compiling his thoughts into a list for the moment he gazes upon that wrong’un’s face. Soon they set out to the water tunnel Tubbo had constructed with Foolish back to the mainland. Through enchantments even Ranboo could use the tunnel, Technoblade having used an ancient one he remembered recently to give their armour a water protection spell. All three pulling out glimmering tridents after packing their inventory, they set off to the entrance of the thing that would get them to the other land in a matter of minutes.

Tubbo went first, followed by Ranboo then finally Tommy, sinking into the cool liquid to be whisked off quickly to the land Tommy hadn’t returned to for a while. Tubbo and Ranboo were often the ones to go visit the mainland when they needed things, Tommy preferring the cold city to the other ones drenched in painful memories.

Too soon they stood at the exit stones of the tunnel across the ocean, the giant, imposing blackstone prison towering over them to the left. Tommy was in awe at the sheer size of the building every time he saw it, his mouth dropping open while the other two discussed something quietly. Tommy tore his eyes from the terrifying place to see Ranboo pull out their communicator and type something quickly before tucking it away once more. Tubbo met Tommy’s eyes with caution loud and clear across his face, sliding his trident back in his inventory.

“Are you sure about this?” Tubbo turned his blonde head to glane at the prison, staring at it for a moment before returning to Tommy. “You don’t have to do this, you should just let him wither away in there, not give him the satisfaction that he still infects your brain. It’s all mind games with that jerk, he is going to say something else for you to mull over for months so you return again.”

“I know Tubbo, I promise, this is the last time. You both have my full permission to call me stupid and tie me down if I ever suggest it again.” Tommy attempted to lighten the conversation, poking fun at his own stubbornness.

“Rope is going to be the least of your problems then because I will personally kick your ass if you ever mention this fucking dumb idea again past today.” Tubbo fired back, playing along with a smile to match Tommy’s tentative one.

“You best believe I am going to back Tubbo up here, I still think this is a bad idea.” Ranboo grumbled, pulling their netherite helmet off to shake their hair out, flicking their bi-coloured ears making the jewellery jangle.

The golden L’Manburg flag earring they still wore brought mixed feelings to Tommy, reminding him of what he used to have. Something in his past that was his pride and joy, morphing into Tubbo’s beautiful vision before becoming a wreck of its former glory. The only way L’Manburg lived on was in their thoughts, the pieces lying in rubble under that obsidian grid Tommy had only visited once.

Phil had spent some time honouring the country that once was, planting greenery and flying a red, white, and gold flag in the chasm. The crow did all the work by himself, when Tommy asked him about it he gave a sad smile and said he missed what was. Giving it a beautiful resting place was the least he could do for his son’s fallen symphony, one song living ears would never hear again.

Shaking his head to clear those thoughts, he centred himself before beginning the walk to the front door of the prison. Tubbo and Ranboo hurried to catch up, following a few paces behind as Tommy stayed quiet, mind focused on what was to come.

Too soon they stand in front of an empty portal in front of the huge building, Tommy whirling to face the pair who came with him. “I believe this is where we part.”

The words didn’t feel like enough, as he gazed at both his friends who wore matching worry. Both seemed to be at a loss for words, taking turns at glancing between themselves and Tommy, before Tubbo reached forward and crushed Tommy into a strong hug.

Grunting, Tommy noticed how much stronger Tubbo had grown over the past month, firm muscles moving beneath his scarred skin. He had filled out quite a bit since his days were now filled with constructing buildings, constricting embrace comforting as Tommy wrapped just how safe he felt around his heart. 

Ranboo joined the hug, a light hold but just as close, the taller being fitting perfectly into their group of three. Knowing these two beings were one of the best things Tommy had ever done, he couldn’t wait to make more routines and memories with them. The enderman’s long limbs held both of the boys, their soft tendencies a nice balance to the sheer stubbornness of the best friends. All three of them complimented the other’s rough patches in the best way, Tommy couldn’t help but wonder if they were destined to befriend him. He treasured both of them far more than words could ever express, perfect counters for one another.

Leaning back Tommy tugged himself out of their grasps, meeting each of their gazes a few paces away. “See you on the other side of this?”

Just as the words left his mouth a crow fluttered down onto Ranboo’s shoulder, glowing purple eyes flashing as Ranboo muttered in a low tone to the creature. The bird cawed before landing in an oak tree nearby, beginning to preen its feathers while particles danced around the bird.

“Tell the crow when you come out safely, Phil made me promise to explain to you he was going to watch over and make sure you are okay when you come out.” Ranboo explained, Tommy fondly thought about the crow avian and his concern. “Mainly Techno pushed for the decision admittedly, but don’t tell him I told you.”

Picturing the hulking piglin knitting his hands as he tried to play down his worry brought the final level of centering he needed to face the task ahead. Knowing all of his friends were awaiting his return made him feel all the better about entering that terrifying place. With all of their faces in his mind, he felt ready to lay this part of his life to rest.

“We will be waiting on the other side, to the moon and back, forever.” Tubbo told him seriously.

“The moment you leave, message us. We can go home, roast marshmallows, eat cookies until we are sick and return to developing your homes.” Ranboo said sternly, pointing to Tommy’s chest with their thin, black hand.

“I love you guys.” Tommy said seriously, his eyes blurring slightly from unshed tears because of how much he cares about the two in front of him.

“We love you too.” Tubbo’s voice cracked, grabbing for Ranboo’s free hand.

“Always.” Ranboo added, staring at Tommy with those odd eyes. “Now go give that manipulative bitch a piece of your mind.”

Tommy’s mouth dropped open after hearing Ranboo swear for the first time, red and green blush heavy on their cheeks as Tubbo whipped his head to stare at his partner.

“I am not getting a better send off than that, thank you for that amazing treat, enderbitch. See you in a bit!” Tommy saluted, before turning to press the button located beside the portal.

Ranboo and Tubbo were bickering as they turned to leave, hand in hand up the prime path to Eret’s castle. Tubbo had messaged them earlier about lunch which they happily accepted, Niki and Fundy promising to drop by as well during the visit. Tommy was a little sad he was missing it but after he did this today, he would have plenty of chances to join them.

Yelling at the face that his nightmares wore would be the closure he needed to finally move on with his life, satisfied that Sam would keep him locked up for eternity.

“Who’s there?” Sam’s distorted voice rang out from the block's speaker, Tommy pressing the button to convey his answer.

“Hello Sam, it’s Tommy. I have come to visit Dream for the final time.”

“Hold for the entrance portal to be launched.” Sam’s deadpan voice instructed, the soft edge it once had was missing. 

The obsidian square soon lit up with purple void, humming as Sam’s voice rang out again. “Enter.”

Taking his last breath of fresh air, Tommy stepped through.

The next part of the process went quickly, Tommy manoeuvring through both the portals with ease, soon standing before the intimidating figure of Sam. The creeper hybrid was covered in netherite armour, a change from his usual gold, once kind void-black eyes held no spark of light anymore. Tommy struggled to find any like connections to the Sam he remembered, this stone persona a startling difference from who he once was.

“Heya Sam, how’s it going?” Tommy greeted joyfully, no reaction crossed the man’s face whatsoever.

“It is progressing well.” The lack of fun response made Tommy worry about what the long hours of watch must have been doing to Sam’s psyche. “Would you like to review the waivers I made you sign the first time you came here?”

Tommy waved it off with his hand, chuckling. “No, it’s okay, I trust you Sam. Which locker do you want me to place my things in?”

The rest of the check-in went as Tommy remembered, placing everything he had on him into a chest Sam provided him with a key to access upon his exit, inventory following suit into the locked receptacle. Nothing from the outside was allowed to be brought inside the protected area, Sam was the only one to wear armour and carry weapons inside.

Following the creeper hybrid’s strides they entered the interior of the cell block together, the main cell housed within the deepest confines of the prison. Many checkpoints lay on the path from the entrance to what was dubbed as ‘Pandora’s Cell’ or where Dream now resided Tommy’s brain supplied helpfully. 

Walking down the corridor, deep within the walls Sam built, Tommy was reminded Dream had requested this structure to lock the teen away forever. Tommy was one of the only people to ever stand up to him, his rebellious nature forever pissing off the first person to walk this world server. His anger about the situation Dream had placed him in returned like an old friend, fanning the flames of rage the teen held deep in his gut.

The next few checkpoints pass in a blur, Sam performing multiple searches before they are standing in the room that leads to the main cell. Burning lava cascaded from the ceiling, bathing the obsidian box in the middle in constant heat, a burning death awaiting those who tried to escape. The dark obsidian that layered the walls did nothing for the temperature, boxing the heavy air in a small space.

Tommy’s hands started to shake about two check-points back, the fight or flight instinct kicking it up a notch the closer he got to the bastard. His chest felt like it was wrapped in steel, slowly tightening in the hot, suffocating air. Doing the same thing Ranboo often did, he played with his fingers as Sam prepared to drop the lava so Tommy could enter the main cell.

Taking a deep breath, Tommy thought about those he had waiting on the outside. Tubbo with his bright blue eyes and hard-working personality, his oldest friend on the server who had been his battle partner for many seasons. Ranboo’s kind face, he admired the enderman’s protective nature of their morals about choosing sides, often repeating their vow of friends over anything else. Technoblade was probably pacing his cabin driving Philza nuts right now, as much as he tried to hide it if someone the pig cared about was in danger there was little that could stop him from worrying.

Even though logically he knew he was safe, part of him worried he would never walk out of that cell again. 

“Preparing to drop the lava.” Sam announced, slamming his fist into a button set on the wall.

Looking at the creeper, he searched for any remnant of the gentle giant he had spent hours with. Since he had taken up the heavy mantle of running the prison more and more of the old Sam disappeared, the final nail in the coffin for Tommy was when Ponk explained what Sam had done to them a few weeks ago during their visit to Snowchester. Ponk had snuck into the prison to try and draw Sam out, worried about his mental health, stealing a keycard as part of their plan. 

Hearing what transpired that then resulted in Sam cutting off Ponk’s arm solidified the creeper hybrid’s original ideals had dissolved, leaving only a cold lawful man who’s single focus became making sure Dream remained in his cell.

Tommy stood on the platform that would move to Dream’s cell, too late regretting his decision to come here today. His trust in Sam had begun to fray and if something bad happened during his visit he worried Sam’s priority would no longer be the teen’s life. He would have no lifeline within that cell, left alone with the man who held the key in making Tommy’s psyche unravel.

The bright orange liquid rock had dropped below eye level, revealing the small obsidian box Dream had been living in for a moon. The blonde bastard was standing at attention, near the front of his cell peering across the lake of burning fire. When his green eyes caught Tommy's, a wide smile grew across Dream’s face.

Tommy shivered at the look, carved deeply into his imagination that smile forced its way to the forefront of his mind attached to the other times he has seen it. He felt sick to his stomach, wondering if it was too late to tell Sam he changed his mind.

“Prepare for crossing, stay on the platform until it stops on the other side then step off. I will retract the platform after you do so.” With those words, Sam’s hand crushed the next button in line.

Tommy braced himself, shaking off the regrets. No turning back now. He had to do this, then he would finally be free.

Feeling like a lamb on its way to the slaughter, the platform carried the teen across the gap, the hot air making his skin become immediately soaked in sweat. Refusing to meet Dream’s eyes, he stepped off the stone to the burning obsidian floor of the cell.

“I am going to retract the platform, allow the lava to coat the cell then drop the netherite wall, allowing you to visit the prisoner. You have one allotted hour before I shall return and bring you back across, Tommy.” Sam called across the gap, stone grinding as it returned back to the side with the Warden.

No words are exchanged as Sam finishes protocols, the hot lava cutting Tommy’s vision from the one meant to protect him, leaving him alone with the cause of Tommy’s traumas. The face that haunted Tommy’s nightmares with the most occurrences, his sleep interrupted by the screams those memories brought, he hardly dared to bring his chin up to see that man.

A clunking noise ground out beside the teen as the netherite dropped, leaving nothing between prisoner and visitor. The last line of protection, gone.

“Hello Tommy.” Dream sounded so fucking happy to see him, Tommy slowly raised his eyes to look at the man trapped, wearing a bright orange jumpsuit.

His hair had grown longer since the last time Tommy had seen him, a few more scars cutting deep across Dream’s once handsome face. He was missing some teeth along with the last bit of his sanity according to the mad sheen across his emerald gaze. Tommy shivered internally facing down the one who had done so much, clearly more unhinged than the first time he stood here.

“Dream.” Tommy greeted simply, eyeing him from where he stood near the lava.

“You came back to visit me! I am so glad you did.” Dream’s voice crawled across his skin, making his hair stand up at the pure joy that dripped from his tone.

“This is my final visit, you bastard.” Tommy told him, his tone serious. “I will never come back to see you again.”

Dream just smiled wider, resembling the creepy mask he once wore into battle. “Who’s to say you are leaving?”

As if on queue, explosions sounded faintly in the distance, alarms exploding around the teen’s sensitive ears. Tommy covered them, ringing of hearing damage already causing the boy a headache from the loud noise. Dream was in a similar position, but there was no pain on his face, only an evil satisfaction as he glared at Tommy. The screaming alarm allowed for no talking, seemingly forever until the blaring eventually faded out.

Tommy jumped to his feet when it did, moving quickly to the button attached to the speaker in the wall, pressing it frantically.

“Sam? Sam what the fuck is happening?” Tommy let go of the stone contraption, anxiety growing the longer it went unanswered.

Staring at Dream where he was mumbling to himself while scrawling something in a book, panic blooming within his chest while he awaited a response. 

Finally, the speaker crackled to life. “I am sorry Tommy, you must remain inside as the prison is now on lockdown. I don’t know what happened outside and until that can be investigated I cannot risk Dream’s escape. According to your waiver you understood this can be up to a week so get comfortable.”

Tommy’s stomach dropped to his feet, the idea of being trapped with the cause of his nightmares for a week horrified the boy to his core. “Sam, there has to be another way! I can’t stay here for a week with Dream!”

Tommy could hear the begging in his voice, Dream turned back to him now, chuckling at Sam’s next words.

“I am sorry Tommy, it must be done.” With that, the speaker went dead. No matter how many times Tommy begged further, no response came, no reply to his cry for help. The Warden had left him alone with his tormentor instead of risking Dream’s escape, something the Sam he remembered would have never stood for.

“He won’t change his rules, you know this Tommy.” Dream stalked over to the terrified boy, his mocking smile back firmly in place. “We get to spend a week together, just the two of us! Isn’t that fun?”

Tommy’s mouth fell open but no reply came, panic grew in his torso as he stared down the eyes that terrified him. Tubbo and Ranboo were going to be worried sick, he promised them he would only be in here for a day, one last time. Now, he was trapped in a place originally meant for him with the man who specially designed it with that in mind. Captured with the one who held the keys to unravelling his mind, Dream had months of practice until it was a perfected art for him to perform with glee.

“Like exile it is just you and me in here.” Dream’s voice dropped to a dangerous tone, satisfaction ringing throughout as he crooned. “No one else.”

The next few days were a rollercoaster of emotions between the two trapped together, ranging from Tommy’s tears while Dream mocked him to Tommy’s screaming obscenities to drown him out. The depression that claimed the boy grew quickly in that time, serious consideration being given to just throwing himself in the lava. Preferring a burning, painful death to spending one more moment with the bastard who treated it all like a game, like everyone was a pawn to control.

Tubbo and Ranboo were the only reason he didn’t, he had to live through this for them. The lows his mind dipped too were even further than exile, he would have given anything to stand on top of that tower and pick the permanent end this time instead of being here for a moment longer. But each time the consideration came up to end himself so he didn’t have to spend one more moment with Dream, the sadness his friends would feel stopped him.

The second day Tommy was trapped in here Dream burned the clock that hung on the wall, losing all sense of time was really disorienting to the boy, day and night blending together into one painful blurry mess. The teen only slept when Dream did, never very well, waking up at the slightest movement from the other blonde. His paranoia grew as his mindset shattered, time spent with a mad one was a costly price to the young one who had already been through hell. 

Occasionally food was dispensed from a hole in the ceiling, the raw potatoes unappetizing for the first while until hunger consumed his thoughts. Tommy was not sure how long he had until Sam let him out, gnawing on the spud as he stared at Dream doing the same he hoped it was sooner than later.

In between arguments Dream spent all his time writing in a book he had on him constantly, Tommy had no idea what the man was recording but knowing him, it was nothing good. However long he spent in this hell his thoughts began to spiral more, thinking less and less about the return to outside, instead just praying to whoever listening that he came out of this with his sanity intact. Hours of uninterrupted attention from Dream was torture, he used Tommy as his verbal punching bag besides reminding him of painful wounds.

Whining and complaining about everything that happened to him so far, he seemed to have learned nothing from his time trapped. He constantly spoke of the revenge he planned against Big Q, apparently the man had a new hobby of torture and was determinded to get Dream’s big secret from him. According to the madman Sam had turned a deaf ear to his screams whenever Quackity came to visit with sharp tools intending to cause immense pain until Dream finally gave up his secrets. 

The man had clearly lost his last marble, ranting for way too long about his plans once he freed himself to the broken teen. Between panic attacks Tommy would sit against the hot wall, preferring to remain mute now against the burning stone as it grounded him, unflinching as Dream tore into him with sadistic words.

After what felt like years, another voice joined Dream’s in the cell, the speaker crackling as it came alive. “Tommy, I still don’t know what caused the alarm’s to go off, I am sorry, you must remain in there for a bit yet.”

Tommy felt the last ghost of his hope leave him, this time not leaping to press the button anymore to respond or beg. He knew that the Warden wasn’t going to let him out and he truly didn’t know how much more thin his sanity could become before it snapped.

“I get even longer with you? This is the best day ever!” Dream taunted, looking at the distressed teen. “My, my, the fight left you so quickly. What happened to that boy who I could never wrangle, who never listened to me? Did I finally break you?”

With that sentence Tommy snapped his sapphire eyes to emerald, the tiniest flame returning to his gut refusing to be defeated by this motherfucker in front of him, gloating. His body felt weak and disconnected, spending so much time in his mind it was disorienting to move his limbs into a standing position across from Dream.

“You never broke me.” Tommy’s voice cracked from lack of use, before it grew stronger with the next sentence. “You just continue to lie and scheme, trying to get away from everything that we hold you accountable for. Every word you say is an untruth or a double-edged sword, hidden intentions lay in every move you make just so you can have power over people again! I should have killed you instead of listening to anyone else when I had the chance.”

Dream’s right eyebrow raised, that crazed gleam returning as he met Tommy’s accusing one. 

“The only reason you begged for your miserable life was you knew I would have killed you in your own vault unless you came up with some lie, allowing you to live for longer to scheme an escape from your crimes.” Tommy poked his finger into Dream’s chest, tension growing in the overbearing air. “I don’t believe that you have any way of bringing people back to life. It’s impossible for everyone but the Death Goddess.”

Dream’s mask of happiness cracked then, the accusations clearly getting to him. “I did not lie Tommy, I can bring people back from the dead and I will never let it leave my grasp because you are right, it's the only reason I am still breathing. Once I get out I will hold it over everyone's heads, maybe even proving its effectiveness by killing a few souls and making people vow to do things for me to bring their loved ones back.”

Tommy shook his head and for the first time since he walked into this prison, he felt stable in his beliefs. “There’s no fucking way that something that powerful exists Dream, all you do is lie. It's your specialty because you will do anything to make others listen. You don’t have an honest bone in your body.”

“I don’t lie, not about this!” Dream snapped, his face morphing to anger.

“Time and time again you have done it, what really kept people away from visiting me in exile? It was you wasn’t it?” Tommy sniped back, done with this bastard’s shit.

“Fine, yes that was me. I had to have you all to myself after all.” Dream waved it off, rolling his eyes.

Tommy grabbed Dream by the shoulders then, surprising both of them before he doubled down on the action, digging his fingertips into Dream’s skin. “An example of you lying is right there, why the fuck should anyone believe you about this?”

Dream’s fist flew for Tommy’s face after those words, clocking his left cheek in a punch that sent the teen stumbling. His emerald eyes wild, Tommy fell to the ground with a pain filled grunt, bringing his forearms to protect his face from where he laid on his back. Instead of going for another strike, Dream’s foot connected with Tommy’s side, which he screamed as he felt ribs crack. Every breath now causing sharp pains to shoot down the left part of his torso, Tommy braced himself for the worst.

Dream continued to lay into him, taking the leap from verbal to physical abuse as he battered the teens body with attacks. Tommy wasn’t sure what he hoped to accomplish by shoving Dream’s already fragile mind into anger, the desperate intentions of a trapped teen causing his impulsive mouth to run unchecked.

The kicks and punches grew in intensity, bones cracking under the brutal man. Bruises and swelling began to erupt under his skin, the relentless actions of a madman painted across a child’s body.

Pain crept down every limb, every new point of contact forcing the boy fading further into the comfort of his mind. A place where things no longer tormented him, sinking into happy memories he wrapped them around him like a warm blanket. The last thoughts the teen had laying on that hot cell floor were the best friends he made in his life; nightly stories by the fire, morning coffee with them, the countless journeys they had made together. Tubbo, Ranboo, Fundy, Niki, Eret, Foolish, there were so many people’s faces who flashed across his eyes while his body collapsed from the assault. The last sound the boy heard was his brother’s voice singing a tune that had once inspired a nation, serenaded to him over soft guitar as the final blackness crept through his body, pain and sensations fading out into sweet silence.

TommyInnit was slain by Dream

Just sleep, just dream

It's only a nightmare and soon, we'll be set free

“Tommy, you never deserved this.” Ranboo stood in the stinging rain, an allium clutched in their long thin hands.

The bench where all three once sat was shiny in the storm, one outside to match the one rising in the enderman. It seemed even what watched over them mourned the death of one so young, soaking his former home in sorrow as the rain poured down around the tall one. A crow with glowing purple eyes fluttered to the bench, perching on the top of the back wooden planks, tilting its head to capture the enderman’s sad eyes.

Tommy’s death message had appeared on everyone’s communicators yesterday while they were building their next project with Tubbo, a hotel called the Bee and Boo sending themself and Tubbo into a panic. 

When Tommy didn’t chat with them at the appointed time that first day they rushed to the prison to question Sam, who explained the jail had gone into lockdown after an incident. Promising to make sure Tommy was okay, Sam told them that he would inform them when Tommy was allowed to leave. Throwing themselves into work, the partnered pair busied their minds by putting all their energy into the Bee and Boo. 

Until that horrible notification came through their communicator.

At first, neither of them believed it, rushing to confront Awesamdude once more but this time about the death announcement. The creeper hybrid looked so drawn when he appeared before the frantic pair, confirming their friend’s death by Dream’s hands. For the first time since the Warden began running the prison, his mask cracked, his face showing just how defeated he felt with the situation. The verbal barrage both of them gave to him would have been one Tommy was proud of.

Tubbo screamed himself hoarse at Sam long after the enderman ran out of words. Ranboo had to eventually pull him away from the situation, leaving a defeated Warden to reflect on what happened under his watch. The entire walk back to Tubbo’s Snowchester was spent in silence, both just holding each other’s hands as they journeyed. Neither seemed to quite know what to say, the one who was supposed to protect Tommy from Dream had failed. Their last line between Dream and the real world was unreliable, unable to even protect the teen when he was most vulnerable. Sam had let someone die on his watch, a child he should have been careful for.

Yesterday’s night was spent in Snowchester holding one another, Tubbo adamantly denying Tommy's demise until his body forced him to sleep. When the morning came Tubbo refused to speak about it, instead throwing himself into his nation’s progress with exhaustion clinging to his body in every movement. A new shadow haunted the eyes Ranboo adored, Tubbo’s tears giving away his internal thoughts. Ranboo left him in Snowchester promising to return that night, needing to begin processing what transpired the day before. Sometimes, Tubbo just needed alone time with his thoughts,but he made the enderman promise their return after he asked for some space. Knowing Tubbo would feel better after he wore his emotional energy out through physical labour, Ranboo set off to reflect in a place that was special to the trio.

Now, in front of what used to be a happy place, the knowledge finally sunk in that the lanky blonde would never bother them again. At first they joined Tubbo’s denial but as more time passed, it settled in more that what Sam said was true, Tommy was dead. 

Tears mixing with raindrops pouring down burning cheeks, Ranboo’s stomach rolled as the grief sunk in like a stone in their gut. The absolute hopeless feeling of knowing they would never hear Tommy crack jokes again, his bright personality something this server desperately needed. Like the weather above, it seemed it would never shine upon any of them again. Darkness sunk its fangs into Ranboo’s thoughts and heart, dragging them further into a spiral of emotions. A chill spread from the middle of their chest down their limbs, freezing them to the spot staring at a bench that used to ring with Tommy’s favourite songs, memories forever tainted by the finality of his demise.

Ranboo wasn’t sure how long passed while they stood there in physical pain, an outside torment to match the one inside them. Reminiscing over time spent with the blonde teen and how often he supported the enderman, through thick and thin the teen had been there for Ranboo. Tommy might have been annoying to most but to them, they saw past that exterior to a boy who just wanted to support and fight for his friends. A large hole lay in their heart where the big personality of Tommy once made itself home, never to be filled again by his sunny persona.

They didn’t know what to say, what to think anymore. There was such a finality to death, Ranboo hadn’t lost someone so close in their memory, this feeling of grief was something very new to them. It felt crushing and desperate, dancing across the spectrum of all the worst feelings at once in a cacophony of the saddest kind. Tommy had such big plans once he came back from his hare-brained idea of getting closure, hell, he promised he would come help them with the hotel once he finally fixed his base.

Glancing at the ruined remnant of Tommy, Ranboo decided to step up to the plate and do what the boy no longer could after tucking the allium away into their inventory. The water hissing off their skin was annoying, but grounding as the enderman laboured in cleaning up the base. Finding pieces of Tommy’s life in the rubble was gut-wrenching; a torn photo of early L’Manburg’s settlers grinning at the camera sent a whole new wave of sadness through them. Tommy would never appear in new photos or stories, a past tense added when speaking of him was one of realisations that cut the deepest.

He would never dance around in the sunshine teasing Tubbo, singing obnoxiously while doing chores with Ranboo, Tommy was just gone. A young flame blown out far too soon, a life abruptly ended just when things were finally getting better for the trio. A forever empty spot, never to be filled again by their bright light. No one could replace the stubborn, driven, sarcastic, bothersome, huge hearted individual the world lost yesterday, Tommy was so uniquely himself that Ranboo was sure they would never meet someone like that ever again.

Ranboo wasn’t sure how to survive the depths of this overwhelming depressing feeling, their brain supplying more lost chances as they rebuilt the stone walls of a home Tommy adored. As they installed the doors on their hangings, they realised the teen would never walk through them again to greet themself and Tubbo to set off for a day’s adventure. Tommy had spoken about spending more time here often, wanting to rebuild his original base but never getting around to it. The trio had discussed working on it when they finished the hotel, all teasing Tommy for his dirt shack but promising their help to rebuild it to its former glory.

Stepping back to admire the finished product, Ranboo hoped Tommy knew that the thing he spoke about often was finally done. That some semblance of peace had come to his soul with his base finally looking as it once had in its prime, a final goodbye to someone Ranboo would miss for the rest of their days.

As one final touch, Ranboo began pulling flowers from their inventory to plant around the path leading to the door, the rain lightening to a sprinkle on the enderman’s already soaked body. Tubbo was going to ream them out for allowing so much of the liquid their skin was allergic to fall upon them, but it felt like the least of Ranboo’s worries right now. 

Roses, daffodils, daisies and poppies offered their sweet presence to a place that now hurts to visit, offering a small bit of beauty on a scene that Ranboo’s heart clenched to see. Carefully pulling out the picked allium, Ranboo turned the purple bloom over in their hands a few times, forever tied to his first introduction to Tommy. They had picked it on a whim while going to see the loud blonde, which became a message of how much they cared for each other. Everytime the enderman saw this species it pulled Tommy’s smiling face to the forefront of their emotions.

Now, Ranboo’s gift would go unreceived, only one mind to remember the significance of their special exchange. Taking a few long strides to the bench where the crow still sat, deep purple particles dancing around the magical bird, Ranboo laid the single flower down on the bench. One that will go unused for a very long time, maybe Tubbo and themself would come back to sit here, but most likely not.

Too much was attached to this place for Ranboo to see themself coming back anytime soon. As they stood looking around at what Tommy once claimed, everything assaulted their brain once more. They could practically hear the boys laugh as he caused mischief and chaos, a glaring empty spot that will never be filled with his warmth again. Ranboo remembered just how much he admired Tommy’s strength in the face of impossible odds, waving it off and charging head first into it. Somehow conquering those dangerous situations, he returned from places he wasn’t supposed to go. 

Until now.

Tubbo’s face slid back into their thoughts, they wondered how their partner was doing right now. The sky was growing darker, Ranboo having spent the entire day creating a memorial and accepting that Tommy would not be coming back. The clouds had cleared from enough of the horizon to allow a glimpse of the bright blue sky, the same shade as Tommy’s eyes. Sliding down on the bench to watch the sunset one last time, not being able to bear the thought of playing music, Ranboo ran their thin fingers over the allium flower in painful remembrance of the light they lost.

When that great ball of fire had finished flashing its hues across the sky, Ranboo gently set down the flower on the bench beside them, standing once more. Giving one last look to the base of their best friend now rebuilt, they turned to leave. Going home to a partner just as hurt if not more, wondering how the hell they are going to move forward with this glaring loss in their everyday life.

The sunshine to Tubbo’s moon was forever snuffed out, someone who inspired and touched all the members of the server in some way had been ripped from all of them. Thinking forward into the future, Ranboo wasn’t sure how to survive the grief that overwhelmed them today. All they knew was they had to be there for Tubbo while they grieved the loss together.

An allium lay on a bench, a lonely memento to the sadness of a life lost, as the enderman left the scene. Forever alone, a message unanswered. The crow cawed once before taking off to follow the leaving being, the land growing silent besides a light breeze. Perhaps, if you listened close enough, you could hear the light tones of Mellohi playing on the breeze, closing out a life cut too short as the night fell across the world.