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Goodbye, home.
Tommy raked his eyes over the cobblestone, the campfire, the pit for one last time.
He exhaled heavily and glanced at Tubbo, who similarly had his gaze fixated on the ravine spread below them in all of its glory.
Then his best friend grinned up at him, melting Tommy’s stiff posture away.
“Ready?” Tubbo asked, the word so full of genuine and forced brightness.
Tommy nodded resolutely, not trusting himself enough to speak.
The pair waved at Niki down below, who gave them a thumbs up. They climbed the stairs. At the top, Quackity greeted them—he would be with them for just a few moments. Then, once Niki finished talking with Wilbur, him, Tubbo, and Niki would leave. For good.
Tommy stared emptily at the lively nature around them, letting Tubbo chat with Quackity.
It still seemed like yesterday when he and Tubbo finally decided they wanted to run away. Run away, so they could finally be free of politics, be with each other, go where they wanted as they pleased.
The mutual decision to include Niki stemmed from their easy conversations and laughter, her gentle bandages on their scrapes, how she distantly trained her eyes on the horizon when she thought no one was looking.
So, blue eyes had shone with raw apprehension as words asking her to leave everything behind spilled from their mouths in an incoherent jumble.
And she said yes.
Details were finalized, supplies and clothes were packed, and goodbyes were exchanged. Quackity easily understood, and Technoblade hugged them tight. (And if a few tears were shed, no one spoke a word of it.)
Tommy and Tubbo each wrote a letter to Wilbur, opting out of witnessing whatever painful reaction he’d have. They were delivered by Niki while she broke the news at that very moment.
Techno was with her, so all they had left to do was wait.
Tubbo startled Tommy’s attention his way as he pulled his communicator out, the light flashing on his smiling face.
“Sam responded!” Tubbo said and turned the bright screen to Tommy, who squinted at it. “He’ll be waiting outside for us.”
Sure enough, Tubbo’s simple message asking Sam if the three of them could stay a few nights at his base had been received. (The trio had decided it was best to have a temporary shelter before they decided where to continue from there.)
When Tommy turned, Niki was by Quackity’s side, smiling softly at them. Quackity pulled Tommy and Tubbo into a one-armed hug, sniffling and saying, “Travel safe.”
They waved him goodbye as they began walking, walking away for the final time.
Tommy shoved his hands into his pockets and decided to not think about it too much. While he wanted this, he acknowledged it’d be painful(which didn’t mean he wanted to cry about it just yet—evening was falling, and mobs are hard to fend off when you’re bawling your eyes out).
Tubbo finally broke the quiet and asked NIki how Wilbur responded. She smiled, this time a little sadder.
“He said he understands, and he wishes us the best.” She turned to them. “He meant it, I think.”
Neither responded, choosing to stare at the ground. Tommy, sweeping hair out of his eyes, barely realized his quickened pace until he noticed Tubbo’s much too hurried steps as he tried to keep up with him.
Tommy slowed down, and Tubbo brushed his hand against his.
Tommy accepted the silent offering and interlaced their fingers together.
He reminded himself to breath as the Nether portal came into view, letting cool air enter his lungs as Tubbo squeezed his hand.
They had a future. And no matter what it looked like, they would have each other.