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down my arms a thousand satellites suddenly discover signs of life by rubys_ramblings
Fandoms: Dream SMP
08 Nov 2025
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Summary
“Can I go play outside?”
Kristin glances out the window. It’s raining- not hard, but it’s no light sprinkle, either. It’s chilly, and Techno can’t afford to get sick.
But he asked. Techno- scared, shy Techno- asked for something he wants. They did buy him rain gear- bright blue boots and a shiny yellow coat that’s probably too big for him- and if he wears enough layers, and doesn’t stay out too long, and if she gets him warmed up later, there’s no reason he shouldn’t have the quintessential childhood experience of jumping in puddles.
After all, Techno is only twelve years old. He has so much playing to catch up on.Series
- Part 3 of touch
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was it all anymore faded after all? (i've been awake in every state line) by rubys_ramblings
Fandoms: Dream SMP
05 Nov 2025
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Summary
Phil says a lot of things are lucky these days. That Techno got his nursing license a few days before Wilbur’s diagnosis. That he’d immediately dropped everything and flown home to provide the care Wilbur needs.
Wilbur doesn’t feel very lucky.or, Wilbur is sick, and Techno takes care of him.
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Summary
Maybe the movie is making Phil all sappy, because he spends a few minutes just gently running a brush through Techno’s long hair, thinking about a shy, scared thirteen-year-old who wanted so so horribly to be loved.
It’s staggering sometimes, how far they’ve all come.
Techno is twenty-five, finishing his degree; Wilbur’s twenty-four, planning to start his own band after graduation. Tommy is seventeen and so wildly full of life and energy and dreams for the future.
With a sudden rush of warmth, Phil realizes that somehow, despite all the struggles, he did right by his boys.Series
- Part 11 of goodbye monday
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Summary
He can’t move. He feels… he feels bad.
Fear and panic barely spark to life before calm pulses through him, warm and soft and… and safe, he thinks.
There’s a touch, too… a hand. On his shoulder.
He can’t move, and the calm presses more forcefully into him. It’s like he literally can’t panic, the calm too insistent, too strong. The hand doesn’t start to hurt, just stays there. On his shoulder.
It’s so strong that he feels awareness slip away, feels himself slip back into the darkness.Series
- Part 12 of we are yet more
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Summary
He wakes up in the morning light, still curled on the kitchen floor, hot and shivering.
The brand is hot again, hot and swollen. Techno reaches around to touch it, but it’s not burning- it’s not- It’s sticky with pus and blood, which Techno knows to be a bad thing. He’s seen other gladiators with infected wounds- his almost never were, because Cassius didn’t want him weakened. But he knows what infection looks like, what it does to a person, the smell of it.
Techno lets his head fall back against the cabinet and doesn’t get up. He doesn’t see a reason.ai-less whumptober day 31
Series
- Part 31 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 7 of carry the world
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Summary
“Well, well, well.” Shoes click on the floor, quiet and precise. “You know, when my men told me they’d spotted members of the Family in L’manberg, I laughed. I thought, surely Cassius couldn’t be that stupid.”
The voice is a man’s. He stays out of sight, but his shoes keep clicking on the floor as he presumably paces behind Wilbur.
“But here you are! Waltzed right into my arms with that mark out in the open. Not even trying to hide it!”
“Where’s my brother?” Wilbur demands.
“The other one? He’s alive, for now. I don’t plan to kill him, unless you give me unsatisfactory answers.”
Wilbur scoffs. “Yeah, he’ll probably ask you to, though.”ai-less whumptober day 30
Series
- Part 30 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 3 of orange juice
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Summary
Techno goes in slowly, sword drawn. He’s half expecting a trap- some kind of tripwire or pressure plate that’ll drop him into lava.
There’s a figure hunched in front of his fireplace. Grayed out, translucent, and if he didn’t know better he’d think it was Ghostbur.
But he does know better, and that’s not Ghostbur.
“Tommy?” Techno says, sheathing his sword.ai-less whumptober day 29
Series
- Part 29 of ruby's whumptober 2025
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Summary
Phil sits at Techno’s bedside and worries.
Wilbur woke him up barely past midnight, sobbing and shaking, saying Techno had a seizure and he’s not waking up, begging for help.
Techno still hasn’t come around. Ponk conducted a neuro exam in his room, and he didn’t wake up, didn’t respond. Ponk moved him to the medical bay and did another exam, and Techno still remained unresponsive.
Techno was doing well. He wasn’t okay, but he was safe, he was responding to Kristin, and now…ai-less whumptober day 28
Series
- Part 28 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 8 of we are the warriors that built this town
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Summary
“This is Cyrena,” their father says. His expression is oddly pinched. “She’s come to… to perform a ritual to help you both prepare for Wilbur’s departure.”
Techno swallows, nervousness prickling through their bond. His, mostly. Wilbur squeezes his hand reassuringly.
They kneel side-by-side, staring at the woman, confusion and anxiety flowing between them. She begins to speak, in a language Techno doesn’t understand. And then-
Pain rips through Techno’s chest. He chokes, gripping at it, it hurts so much-
Beside him, Wilbur flinches, opening his mouth in confusion.
Techno screams as the bond is prised out of his heart, the horrible burning world-shaking pain sending him toppling into blackness.ai-less whumptober day 27
Series
- Part 27 of ruby's whumptober 2025
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Summary
Wilbur tries not to see the torture, tries not to hear the screams. He documents everything, hoping that someday, he’ll find someone who cares- someone powerful enough to stop the gang.
And then, they capture a phoenix.
He’s never seen a phoenix before, but he knows the stories, the rumors. They rise from their own ashes after they die; their magic is powerful, vibrant. Burning.
They starved him to get this one, and Wilbur sits on his narrow cot and scarfs down the meager portion of gruel they gave him and pretends not to hear the creature’s screams as it’s forced into the cage.
He’s doing what he has to. He’s surviving. This is what it takes to survive.ai-less whumptober day 26
Series
- Part 26 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 11 of little miracles
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Summary
A door creaks behind him. Techno goes silent, dropping his head and flattening his wings like a good little pet.
It’s a good thing he did, because it’s the master’s laugh behind him, the master’s thick fingers dragging through his hair. “Good boy,” he murmurs roughly. “You’ll be good, right?”
Techno doesn’t move, knowing he’s not supposed to.
The other avian makes a harsh clicking sound. “Get your filthy hands off him,” he hisses.
“I think you’re very mistaken as to who’s in charge here.” The master tangles his fingers in Techno’s hair, tugging harshly. “Here’s what’s going to happen. Tonight, I’m having a little gathering. You’re going to entertain my guests. You’ll sing, or…” He tugs Techno’s hair again.ai-less whumptober day 25
Series
- Part 25 of ruby's whumptober 2025
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Summary
Two weeks into practice, Techno twists his ankle trying a new step.
No one is there to see, because Ms. Puffy let him in early to warm up alone. No one is there to watch Techno sit in the corner and cry not because of the pain, but because if he injured his ankle he can’t dance and without ballet what is he?
He has to get back up. That’s what people always say- it’s not about falling down, it’s about getting back up again. And Techno is strong. He’s strong, he is better than this, because he has to be. He has to be.
Because if Techno isn’t strong, if he can’t dance, then he is nothing.ai-less whumptober day 24
Series
- Part 24 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 3 of dance 'verse
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now i'm third in the line-up to your lord and your savior by rubys_ramblings
Fandoms: Dream SMP
23 Oct 2025
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Summary
Cassius laughs. A harsh, ugly sound that makes Techno’s skin crawl. “Why would I let you go when you can be so useful to me?” He leans closer, the stink of cigarette smoke on his breath. “And you can. Be useful to me. No one has ever broken into my compound before.”
“I’m sorry,” Techno whimpers. “I’m sorry, I just wanted my brother back, we’ll leave you alone-”
“Oh, don’t be like that, kid.” Cassius runs a rough, thick hand through his hair. Techno shudders under the touch. “You’ll come around. But first… well, I can’t go givin’ people the idea that it’s okay to break in, you know? So there will have to be consequences.”
“Please.” Techno nearly sobs- does, at the sight of the knife and the glowing-hot thing Cassius takes from someone behind him. “Please, please, don’t-”
“Don’t struggle, kid. It’ll be over soon.”ai-less whumptober day 23
Series
- Part 23 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 1 of orange juice
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but it made you a stranger (it filled you with anger) by rubys_ramblings
Fandoms: Dream SMP
22 Oct 2025
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Summary
“So,” Techno says without turning around. “You finally caught up with me.”
“The boss doesn’t like deserters.”
Wilbur’s voice is easily recognizable- they’re twins, how could he not know him?- yet low, growling. Angry.
Techno stares straight ahead, into the darkness. The hair on the back of his neck stands up- having his back to the enemy goes against all his instincts. But this is not an enemy- this is Wilbur.
And Wilbur is going to kill him.
And maybe Techno is ready to die.ai-less whumptober day 22
Series
- Part 22 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 2 of orange juice
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Summary
Phil hears the screams almost as soon as they slam through the doors of the sketchy cabin, as they hurtle down the hidden ladder to the too-pristine concrete halls underneath.
“Mommy, help! Daddy, Mommy, help, help me, I’m here, help-”
Phil’s heart is shattering and he can’t think about anything except that his baby, his son is out there somewhere screaming for help and they’re not getting to him, they’re not getting there fast enough, he needed to get to Tommy three weeks ago-
He doesn’t know what the rest of the group is doing, just that Kristin is right beside him and they’re sprinting through the halls, following the sound of Tommy’s screams as they get louder and louder until finally they round a corner and there he is.ai-less whumptober day 21
Series
- Part 21 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 11 of we are yet more
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 2,531
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Kudos:
- 19
- Hits:
- 141
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Summary
“Tell me,” his handler hisses, “what you did wrong today.”
He- he does not remember. He was ordered- he had his orders-
“Speak,” they say, and he gasps in a breath.
“I- I failed to cease functioning when ordered.”
His handler grips his hair, yanking his head backwards. “What do you say?”
“Sorry,” he gasps. “I’m sorry.”ai-less whumptober day 20
Series
- Part 20 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 5 of we are yet more
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there is nothing can console me but my jolly sailor bold by rubys_ramblings
Fandoms: Dream SMP
19 Oct 2025
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Summary
Niki tries to fight, she does, but she’s not strong enough. They stuff a dirty rag in her mouth to keep her from screaming and drag her away, down into the dank and dirty hold of another ship.
She tries to beg past the gag. Tries to beg them not to hurt her, not to do what she suspects they’re planning to.
They don’t take her clothes. They don’t take the anklet Puffy made for her of shells and string and those tiny pink pearls. They tie her up and leave her there, alone, in the dark.ai-less whumptober day 19
Series
- Part 19 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 4 of little miracles
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Summary
He thought he was prepared for the door to open again.
Tommy’s seen this in movies- and yeah, he knows that half the shit people do in movies doesn’t work- but it’s worth a shot, right? He still has the plate, and there’s space he can hide behind the door, and try to knock out the doctor. And then-
He doesn’t know what he’ll do then. He can barely stand upright at all.
But he has to try.
He thought he was ready.ai-less whumptober day 18
Series
- Part 18 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 10 of we are yet more
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i'm bigger than my body, i'm colder than this home by rubys_ramblings
Fandoms: Dream SMP
17 Oct 2025
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Summary
The patrol is going fairly normally- which is to say, it’s completely boring- until they’re stopped in a back alley by people in sickeningly familiar black armor and helmets, carrying guns.
Dream freezes, feet rooted to the ground. Phil draws his gun, wings snapping open as if to protect him.
The faceless government thugs don’t hesitate, and neither does Phil.
For a few seconds Dream just watches. He can’t move, he doesn’t even think he’s breathing. He can’t- he’s not-
These are the people who trained him. Who beat him and hurt him and hurt his sister-ai-less whumptober day 17
Series
- Part 17 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 3 of we are yet more
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Summary
Ranboo feels sick.
He doesn’t know how long it’s been since these people took him from his mages.
His feet hurt- he hadn’t had time to put on shoes before they dragged him away- and his legs ache, and he’s out of breath, and there is a strange cold emptiness inside him where he can’t feel Techno or Phil anymore.
They wouldn’t just leave him, would they? They wouldn’t. Are they coming to get him?ai-less whumptober day 16
Series
- Part 16 of ruby's whumptober 2025
- Part 6 of little miracles