Chapter Text
Tubbo is a man in the army of L'manburg but he's never allowed to go out in the front lines. He's hidden behind the castle walls, mapping out new plans and learning about the world because he had to keep his identity a secret. He was fine with it, learning that the world he was in was not too peaceful if they were at war. He should be used to this by now, a side character but that's fine!
His best friend, Tommy found him in an opening in the forest one day, claiming that he came from an egg that appeared out of nowhere in the blue. He doesn't remember anything about it but now he's here. They say he's a dragon but the only telling sign was the fire he hiccups when he's tired and black horns that curled up near his ear. He shrugs, laughing as he glances at his reflection in the mirror in the library.
Black horns curled similar to a sheeps and a small tail as thick and as long as his arm as he carried one book to the other side, mindlessly sorting them in order. His favorite dark green shirt was tucked in his dark blue jeans and his dark brown hair was framed perfectly with his bright blue eyes. It was clear that he wasn't human - but he wasn't too sure why he was being hidden. Even when Wilbur, the president, tried to explain to him that he could be hunted for sport - Tubbo considers himself a capable person to handle himself in a fight.
"Don't even try." Wilbur threatens when he catches Tommy trying to teach Tubbo how to hold a sword properly, "The minute you start stabbing the straw dummy, I'll burn all the fucking weaponry down."
Tubbo, a small dragon, only two months old in dragon years, four in human, looks up at Tommy expectantly, "What does fucking mean?"
Okay so, he's not allowed to...
But he was still very important in the war! He mapped out plans against the Dream SMP and he helped train the horses by brushing them. He helps Niki train the soldiers and tries to get their diets to a healthy amount.
"Auuugh!" Tubbo screams, throwing the books up in the air, "I wanna go do something!" He whines, grinding his foot onto the floor as he sighs heavily, shaking his head as he grips his horns. He waves them around as he looks out the window to see the soldiers returning from the battle, all marching in a single field line. He leans on his right arm, staring at them bored, sighing even louder.
He was so tired of being behind the scenes, making L'manberg shine brighter than it has ever before! Sure, he absolutely adores helping out Wilbur and Tommy. He likes learning from Technoblade but living isolated behind these walls were not doing it for him.Technoblade was traveling distant lands to recruit more stronger soldiers and materials. Wilbur was always busy handling nation affairs and clearing up corrupted noblemen.
And Tommy-
He loves hanging out with Tommy. He likes causing fires and cleaning up bad guys that prowled the streets. He wants to hang out with him, the vice president who was striving to become just like Wilbur. And he admired him for it. He was explosive, shining sun in this dark gloomy empire constantly on the threat of war simply for having land. He was the future. The sun of the new nation.
But Tubbo?
What could he possibly do? A voice in a meeting room where he planned strategies and plans for possible defense. For the attack that come from random areas and from possible natural disasters. He tells them the possibilities and bakes cookies. He smiles and grins as he tries to make everyone smile. He's the moon of their friendship. They go together but never with one another.
He wants to make Tommy proud of him somehow - and yet. As Tubbo glances back in the empty library, the single fire flickering on the candle. He slumps, laughing bitterly as he sets his gaze back to the marching soldiers.
He wants to do something.
"Dragons were mysterious creatures," Wilbur says to him when Tubbo was still as big as a five year old, "They grow incredibly fast. One month would be two years for a dragon and they stop aging when they roughly match the first person they met. They come from eggs and they're incredibly resilient to natural elements." Tubbo's tucked into bed, curled as Wilbur reads from a book, "They come from our minds, they exist solely in our imagination. You're one of the first dragons to come into this world, Tubbo." He pauses, "Along with Technoblade as well, I suppose."
It's like a bedtime story. Wilbur was a unified man who knew what was best for his nation, the crimson beanie man who loved to play guitar and sing songs. A man who was just as human as the others cared for Tubbo, the only one who didn't naturally belong. Tommy was laying next to him, already sleeping as Tubbo held his hand. His tail flickers lazily off the bed, as he looks back at Wilbur, imploring him to go on, "Mythical beings that could fly anywhere they wanted to. They could touch the clouds and land back down in one piece. No one knows where they come from but everyone knows that they're incredibly rare."
"How come I don't have wings?" Tubbo asks, wondering out loud in which the leader simply chuckles fondly, shaking his head as he turns the page, "What? What's so funny? I think it's be neat if I could fly and spy on people for you...! All I can do is breath stupid fire."
"The slightest spark can start off any revolution, don't belittle yourself like that," Wilbur scolds, wagging a finger at him, "I don't know why you have wings while Techno has some. Not many things are known about them."
Wilbur a brilliant mind that leads this nation is always dressed casually like a civilian when it's near night time. But in the morning, he always has his fluffy curly brown hair tucked under a hat. His uniform always buttoned up with warm chocolate eyes that told nothing but kind tales. There was this natural aura that seemed calming, more alluring to listen than do fight.. Maybe that's why people are so adamant on taking over this place. Kindness was a weakness, wasn't it?
"They're hunted for support, like deers during hunting season. So it's best you stay within the walls in case it happens. Until you get stronger."
"Where-" Tubbo squeaks as Tommy drops a hood on him, "Where are we going?"
"We're gonna do some crime, Tubbo, c'mon." Tommy throws on his own hood and grabs his hand, holding it tightly as he glances around the walls, "Wilbur's always got a stick up his arse - he never lets you out, innit true?" He asks, glancing back at the hooded dragon boy.
Tubbo instinctively reaches up for his horns, frowning when they poke out the hood, "They're gonna notice me immediately." He mumbles, looking around, "The hood covers my tail barely if I keep it still."
"Don't worry," Tommy smiles, reaching up to pat the top of his hood, messing up the hair underneath, "I got a plan."
And he trusts him wholeheartedly. His best friend who has a sense of adventure and a fire in his heart, he can smile all the problems away. Even if he pulls pranks or seems a bit mean sometimes, Tubbo knows that when Tommy says something, he absolutely means it. Tommy was an honest person who had a pure heart. When he was determined to do something, he'd do it. He'll make others laugh or he'll help save the day. He's the manliest man he as ever known and Tubbo admires him for it.
But this? This was not what he was expecting.
"Tommy, I know I was all up for it when you told me you had a plan, but was this really necessary?" The dragon grumbles, looking up stupidly at the watermelons they had jammed into his horns so now it looked like he had mouse ears under the hood, "There's sticky juice everywhere! Yuuck!" He wipes some off his shoulders, grimacing as some gets on his hand. Tommy doesn't reply, prefering to hush and move along the walls. His hand is on his back, guiding him along as they sneak out past the unaware guards.
They're rather unarare, aren't they? Tubbo can't help but think, maybe I should up the guards training regime again... He thinks as they go out the walls and into town, connected right out the town. The streets were brightly lit with cobblestone roads. A few people were hanging out bars or some were walking home while carrying stuff in their hands. Horses puffed when they walked past, trampling the ground.
They take the hidden routes, ones not taken by many travelers. Anyone who catches a glimpse of the dragon were always driven mad. No one else saw it, so surely it's not true. His identity was hidden behind these watermelons - and no one would believe them.
Not a soul.
He quickly disassembles the giant watermelons on his head, letting it mash into bits as he adjusts his hood, sticking to his wet sticky hair. He scowls, rubbing it as his friend continues to be quiet for his crimes. Tubbo knows better than to actually ask him again, knowing they had to be quiet when they did this kind of stuff. While Tommy was doing a good thing by taking him outside the walls, he has to remember that he was also reckless. Despite being the vice president, he still had this vigilant side to him. Even with Wilbur being the capable man he was, there was simply no way he can do everything himself.
That's one of his weaknesses, Tubbo supposes, even though he considers him as a very good leader.
No matter where they looked, there was always clear signs of corruptions. Whether it was illegal brothels or corrupt nobles, you could always find them within the walls of L'manberg. It wasn't safe within the walls and it wasn't safe outside the walls either. That's why he's out here with Tommy, to provide backup when he needed it. Even though he couldn't exactly fight properly, Tubbo could breathe fire (He's been practicing!) and be a lookout when he comes to these areas.
Tommy takes him up to the roof, carefully scaling the walls and checking back if Tubbo was following carefully or not. Tubbo likes running, so he actually always keeps up with him, in which the other always calls him clingy. They reach the top roof door. Tommy immediately shoves a strawberry milk thermos and a small food container packed with cookies that they snagged on the way out into Tubbo's hands.
"Stay here." Tommy instructs as he watches Tubbo inhale a cookie, "I- I don't know how the fuck you just did that."
"Yell for you if anyone comes up? Can't I come fight too?" Tubbo asks, tilting his head as he frowns, "Surely two hands are better than one?"
"No, you'll just get in the way." Tubbo's heart sinks a bit but Tommy quickly replies, shaking his head, "You're too damn clingy. Just stay here, okay?"
"...Okay." He tries not to seem deflated and so he smiles, patting his friend's shoulder, "You got this!!" He needs to be supportive. He grins, patting his shoulder as he sits near the door to open his milk.
Tommy grins back, ruffling his hood again, like a a side-kick's head, "I know I do, I'll be right back."
If anything, Tubbo likes to read people. He likes to figure out how people think - it's fascinating, isn't it? A rich man will favor his wealth over his family and a wild Technoblade would value materials and fame over losing to some chumps in the army of L'manberg. His battle plans were always approved even if it was carefully tweaked and improved - it was easy to appeal to Wilbur, maybe because the leader had such a soft spot for him,
Despite coming into the kingdom as a complete stranger, Wilbut was kinda warm to him already? If that made sense? Like sure he came in with Tommy, with his uniform singed with fire - but Wilbur seemed more understanding than scared that their Vice president just brought a strange being into the heart of their nation.
Wilbur was a confusing fellow if he's being honest. He's weirdly open to new people coming into the nation and he loves an extra hand around town. But he's always constantly being attacked by people around him, like the DreamSMP or that weird goat man he keeps hearing about. He wonders if it's about land disputes or the fact that they have Technoblade on their side. A man known for his anarchy ways and violence. Maybe that's why he seemed so open to having Tubbo on the team, because he loved having an extra rational mind on things. But it never explains why he seemed weirdly protective over him and Tommy.
Was it because they were like kids to him? Unaware of the world and too ambitious for their own good, lest they have another war on their hands? Tommy - now Tommy was always a wild card. He was an agent of chaos and a part of him wanted to be just like him. But his best friend could handle himself in a fight. Tommy was rational, clever and had a sense of justice. There was always this fire in his eyes that drew the dragon to him - so he wasn't exactly as sheltered as Tubbo was.
Tubbo was technically only about eight months old, even though he looked as if he was sixteen years old. He was a bit shorter than Tommy so it made it seem like he's weak. But if Dragons were resilient to most elements, wouldn't that also include the element of war? Doesn't that count blades and swords? He was strong enough to handle Tommy in a sword fight most of the time, even if he had to resort to dodging and weaving after he disarms in early in the fight.
But Wilbur was always concerned, telling him to not go past the walls. To not eat too much sugar before bed or to not get into fights with Tommy. And it made no sense. It made no sense because even if he was going to be hunted, can't he protect himself? Shouldn't he be able to learn to protect himself?
Or was he always doomed to being looked down on?
Technoblade was a Dragon even though the man didn't look anything like it. He had long pink hair tired with a green scrunchie that Niki, the army general, would lend him from time to time. He always had a pig mask on that covered the top of his face. The man had no horns, no tail but he had such brilliant wings that trailed underneath his cape. He didn't particularly find being a dragon fascinating, he seemed almost bored of it. Even if his hands were covered in black scales, as strong as a sword, he seemed tired.
Tired of it all.
"Uhm..." It's been two months since he got to L'manberg when he first sees Techno, decked out in all netherite armor, he's so small compared to him, only reaching his waist at three months, which was six years to human years. He wasn't too sure on how old Techno was, but he always wanted to meet him. He snuck out to meet him at the gates before he could have Wilbur and Tommy hovering over him like a mother hen, fearful of the man eating dog of L'manberg. "H....hi....?"
His famed pink hair was tinted red, like a strawberries while he looks down on him. His expression was covered by the mask that only covered his eyes and his nose, leaving nothing but his lips to tell his mood. And they told absolutely nothing, as the man kneels down to one knee, to match eye level with him. He leans on his arm, tilting his head as he scans him up and down. He purses his lips, sighing, "You're a lot smaller than what Wilbur was telling me about in the letters. Hello." He gives a little wave as Tubbo's eyes light up. "Small..." The older man mumbles, lost in thought.
Oh! So he does know about him! He feels his tail rapidly move like a dog's and Technoblade can't help but glance at it. He notes the horns and the tail, then looks at his black talons and covered wings hiding behind his red cape. "It seems as if you got all the things I don't... The ones that are for decoration and not for war." He stands up, reaching for little Tubbo's hand as he walks inside the castle walls, "Say, have you tried fighting yet? You seem weak, like a rabbit. You can be my right hand man. A better one than that green bastard's right hand man..."
"Bastard?" Tubbo squeaks, nearly tripping as Techno walks triple the size he walks normally, he struggles to keep up, "What's a - what-- aah!" He stumbles, tripping over his own feet and falling flat on the floor. Techno's still holding his hand but he lets go and kneels down again, just staring at him. It felt like he was being watched from every angle but thankfully the streets were quiet and it wasn't like anyone would look at the bloody dog of the empire so boldly.
Tubbo, young and inexperienced back then, feels tears start to bud up. He's confused on what's going on even though he had a plan thought out. He was going to meet the only other dragon he's heard of and he could get to know him. He can learn more about himself - so he's a bit confused on how it resulted in him on the floor, aching from the shock. He stays on the floor, sniffling as he sits up. He looks up at the other dragon who sighs, shaking his head, "I don't know how to handle kids..." He reaches over, plucking up the baby dragon and presses him lightly against his slightly bloody netherite chestplate, rubbing his back in small circular motions as he walks his way back to the castle.
He tucks his head into the shoulder blade, mumbling a small apology as he strides back. Tubbo is dimly aware of how gentle he's holding him now, compared to that hard hand tugging from earlier. His footsteps were luring him to sleep, but when he sees the torches of the front gate, he begins to stir back up when he sees Wilbur yawning near the front gates, holding a guitar in his right hand.
When Wilbur greets Technoblade, he stops and begins gasping like a fish as he snatches Tubbo from him, shouting how he was bloody and dirty from war. How could he dirty a kid, they never formerly even met yet! He squirms squished by his overbearing grip, scrunching his face as he shoves the leader away by his face and gets out, running back inside as he hears Wilbur spew out scolding to a clearly bored man.
War was a complicated thing, he knew he had to be aware of the consequences if the plans failed. They would take heavy losses and he understood that. It wasn't that they were attacking anyone or instigating any wars. L'manberg was a peaceful place for the most time, however it was in the center of everything. Everyone wanted the land that was leaded by a weak leader, a kind and benevolent leader.
What they fail to realize is that Wilbur wasn't a kind man when he had to be. If anything, they had the upper hand when they realize just who they were underestimating. A man who was kind and lovely to his people yet cruel and violent towards his enemies. Or at least, that's what he hears from Tommy when they go out on long extensions. They always go on long trips when they have to do a land dispute. They're relatively peaceful.
This time... Something went wrong and Tommy came back with a bloody arm and a nearly bashed in head. He's in the infirmary right now, getting treated. They wheeled him on a makeshift bed, wheeling him down to the castle's doctor. Behind metal doors where he sees Wilbur barge out, tucking in his beanie as he storms away.
Tubbo should be by his side.
But he's not.
"What happened!?" Tubbo raises his voice, tears fresh in his eyes, "You said you were a pair! What went wrong?" He asks, desperate as Wilbur dodges him, avoiding his gaze as he walks from the infirmary to his office. To drown himself in his work again - so he doesn't have to answer him again, "Mr. President! Wilbur!" He tries again, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him back slightly. The man stops, covering his face as he glares down beside him, "Wilbur please..."
"Let. go." Raw anger, "Tubbo."
It fills his voice and Tubbo freezes. Wilbur Soot, who was always kind to him. Always lenient and caring towards him and Tommy. For the first time, Tubbo felt afraid of him.
There's something else in those eyes, ones swirling with mad and war, fire that threatened the peace of this land. Something else past the kind and worrywart of a leader. Something other than worry. Tubbo gulps, shaking his head as he forces himself to look eye-to-eye with him, "Wilbur..." He tries again, gripping tighter with his small feeble hands that can't do anything but comfort.
Wilbur pauses too, maybe realizing his expression, looking away as he tries to hold his breath in an attempt to calm down. He's looking over his other shoulder, breathing deeply, in and out. In and out.
"There was an ambush." Wilbur says eerily calm, still looking away from him, "And despite me telling Tommy to run... He took the hit. They threw rocks at me and..." He sighs deeply, shaking his head, "Tommy, the child, knocked me down so he took the hit. It hit him in the head. He has a concussion."
"I..." Wilbur chuckles, covering his mouth with his other fist, "I..." He trails off, looking at Tubbo finally, his eyes melting back to those warm ones he's so used to, "They won't see it coming anymore, Tubbo. They'll never see it coming." He smiles, looking down at him, "It's what they get for messing with us."
His thumbs are bloody, dried blood only coated the thumbs.
Tubbo swallows thickly, "Did... you..." He shakes his head, letting go as he takes a deep breath, "Let me join you."
The madness in his eyes dissipates, "Huh? What? No-"
Tubbo puts his hand on his chest, "L'manberg is down a man and I know how the system works!" He says, trying to distract him from his thoughts, "I can make a difference, Wilbur. They deserve to pay and I can't just sit here!" He knows he can't - but if he can distract Wilbur enough to forget his bloodlust, then...
"No, you can't!" Wilbur says, grabbing onto his shoulders roughly, looking at him with firm eyes, "Listen, Tubbo, just because you're angry, doesn't mean you can be reckless - okay?" He's in parent mode again, fussing over him, "Don't let anger consume you to do reckless things. It's safer within these walls."
"Then, you shouldn't be reckless either, Wilbur." Tubbo mumbles, shaking his head, already used to being rejected when he offers to help, "Don't let anger consume you to do reckless things." He says, pushing past him and out the gates.
Usually, Wilbur will tell him to go back in. Usually, Wilbur would follow him if he was that desperate to get some fresh air.
Wilbur, their leader, stands still in the same spot.
"What, is the little dragon depressed now?"
"Shut up." Tubbo mumbles, curled up in a ball in the clear grassy opening that Tommy claims to have seen him hatch, "Go away, this is my spot."
"Eh, I found it first," His 'friend', Clay, grins toothfully at him with his green hood. His dirty blond hair framed his hair, bouncing slightly above his emerald green eyes, "It's rare to see you alone nowadays, what's up?"
It wasn't like Clay could run around, yelling about there being a second dragon in the lands. No one would believe him unless he was in a large crowd of people. There was no worry about anything. Tubbo was still a useless dragon in L'manberg, even if he was being kept secret like some big secret weapon.
Clay was a village boy down the river. He liked to fish and hunt for them when he accidently stumbled upon Tubbo sleeping here one day after one particularly bad fight with Tommy. Ever since then, this place was always breached by him. He never appeared when he brought Tommy around. And trust him, he's been bring Tommy there every night since he realized that - so he wasn't expecting him to show up tonight after what happened with Wilbur.
"Your mother." Tubbo responds snarkily.
"Oi, you brat, I'm trying to be nice here." Clay grumbles, sitting down next to the boy, "Something got you down? What's up?" He was overly friendly and clingy as he drops a hand over his shoulder and tugs him into a halfway awkward hug.
Tubbo doesn't know him, so he remains stone faced as he thought back at what happened. He should give Wilbur some time to think by himself, about what he said. Tommy was still being treated in the castle, he should be by his side.
He should have been there to protect him.
Tubbo curls up tighter, covering his eyes with his knees, his tail limply pounds the ground as Clay pats his head soothingly, "Why are you so good at that?" He asks, muffled as the boy shrugs. Tubbo feels like he's back within the walls, being lovingly tucked into bed when he was younger, just months ago.
"I have a friend back at the village that loves headpats." He replies, sighing again as he readjusts their uncomfortable position so that Tubbo's head was in his lap, still in a ball, "He's awfully needy when he demands my attention. So I do this when he plans to prank me so I can throw it back at him."
"How - how can you even throw a prank back? What does that even mean?" Tubbo questions, looking up at him and the moon shining high above the sky.
Clay shrugs again, yawning as he mindlessly cards his hand through the dragon's hair, "When he's needy, it's usually when he tries to prank me. Unlucky for him, I can read him like a book." He pauses, looking off in the distance, somewhere across from him, "He's my best friend, after all."
"Why are you doing it to me then?" Tubbo grumbles, curling in smaller, much to the green hooded man's discomfort, "I don't like strangers touching me."
"Ehhhh? We're friends, aren't we?" Clay asks, smiling charismatically as he tilts his head, his emerald eyes glint with something dangerous before it flickers away like a burning ember, "Plus, you seemed upset." He curls a loose strand with his finger, making it curly when he releases it, "I wanted to help, even for a little bit."
Tubbo remains quiet, staring off into space as his friend keeps doing the same action with no rational thought.