Work Text:
Ghostbur, for a second, feels like Alive Wilbur again.
He doesn’t know exactly how he feels like Alive Wilbur, just that the moment he looked into his brother’s eyes he felt like he had to scold him and yell at him to stand still and behave.
But yelling at him sounds like a mean thing to do, Ghostbur thinks to himself.
No, Alive Wilbur whispers at the back of his mind. I do that because I don’t want him to leave.
When Tommy leaves him alone with a sad smile and a grim farewell, Wilbur realizes that he’s let go of his brother and runs off to L’Manburg for help.
The heat of the Nether licks at his skin and the lava bubble tauntingly beneath him. Tommy just smiles at the lava.
Chirp plays on his jukebox right next to him and Tommy listens to the melody. It reminds me of death, Tommy said to Bad. It reminds me of a space woman.
Tommy thinks about the interesting conversations he could have with that space woman whilst they float through the stars. He thinks he’d like to ask about wishing stars. Do they really grant wishes? Because no matter how much Tommy stays up to wish on them, they never really give a response.
Or maybe he’d ask to ride on her spaceship. And they’ll just talk and talk and talk and play with her for hours. The planets are named after Greek gods, aren’t they? Techno must find that really interesting. He’ll ask the space woman about the planets for Techno too and he’ll tell Techno all about them.
He’s surrounded by cobblestone. Tommy likes cobblestone, even if it boxes him up like this. The lava starts to seep into the box. Cobblestone is nice and easy to get. He likes the scent they give off. It reminds him of simpler times, like the cobblestone paths that would lead up to Phil’s little cabin in the woods or the buildings he’d create with them.
His thoughts drift back to space woman. He hums along with Chirp. Would space woman like to hear one of Wilbur’s songs? Wilbur had a whole array of songs, both sad and happy. His big brother Wilbur is a talented musician, so he’s sure that space woman will at least like one of them.
The lava is up to his knees and that’s when Tommy starts to sob. Dying is so painful, everything hurts, but this is the warmest Tommy’s ever been. He’s had enough of cold nights after months of exile. Wilbur is there, but Wilbur is a ghost, he’s cold and untouchable. Tommy wants a hug, wants someone to be there for him like how he’s always been there for everyone. But no one comes to him, so Tommy hugs the lava back.
And Tubbo— Tubbo’s never really bothered to see him, huh? The lava burns brighter at the thought of his old friend. Tommy’s tears never stop rolling down. He bets Tubbo didn’t care if he’s gone or not. Tommy had always been mean to him. Always talking over him or dragging him down with him when he was caught in some sort of mischief. But Tommy had made it clear that Tommy would always be there for him, had always gotten angry on his behalf because Tubbo was too nice and soft to do it.
Now he’s gone.
The pain in his chest squeezes him tighter.
I’m so alone.
His body is on fire, melting away slowly and surely, but he lifts up his communicator one more time to hear narrator lady speak.
<TommyInnit> It’s okay Tommy, you’re going to be okay.
Tommy’s dry laugh bubbles from his throat as he melts away.
Maybe narrator lady can join him and space woman up in space. Then the three of them can be happy like the family he never had.
When everyone meets in the Nether, all they hear is the music track of Chirp. In front of it is a cobblestone box. It smells oddly enough of burnt flesh.
Right next to the cobble box, a translucent boy cradles a communicator like it’s his child, the narrator repeating one sentence over and over again.
Tubbo stares at the chat in horror when he realizes what the communicator keeps repeating.
“T-Tommy…?” Wilbur rasps out, inching a bit closer to the boy. The younger ghost looks up, tears continuously rolling down his face.
He grips the communicator tighter and steps back.
“You’re all that I have left,” is what he whispers to narrator lady and the space woman on the jukebox.