Chapter Text
Dreams base was empty. It had furniture, the bare essentials, but it had nothing that would make it a home. There wasn’t any clothes strewn across the floor or random items lying about, regardless of the fact that Dream has been living there for years. A cluttered room made it harder to move, harder to defend yourself, and wasn’t that something. The fact that Dream felt the need to defend himself in his own home. That he didn’t feel safe in his own home.
George and Sapnap had lived there with him once. It had been a home then, with bickering and light hearted laughter. With hushed whispers and conspiratorial glances. But it wasn’t anymore. George and Sapnap had moved on after the war, pushed on with their lives. Dream wondered if they had meant to leave him behind when they did it, before deciding it didn’t matter.
The war had changed them all, and the year that it had occupied would always leave a permanent mark on them. He had been 18 when it had started. 18 and trying so desperately hard to maintain peace on the server. He could remember the first meeting he had called, trying to stop the war before it had fully developed. He had met with Wilbur in a secluded spot, weapons and armour forgone so they could talk.
“Why are you doing this Dream?” Wilbur had asked, “We just want our independence.”
“It you had wanted that you could have asked,” Dream said, voice hard and face stony behind the mask, “But you’re selling drugs, Wilbur, and your vandalising things. I can’t let you do that.”
“Dream, I’m asking you to reconsider-“ Wilbur began, a placating look on his face but Dream cut him off.
“No Wilbur, I won’t. And don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve pulled Tommy and Tubbo into this.” Dream snarled and Wilbur went still, form going rigid as they glared at each other.
“They can do what they want.” Wilbur said, poison dripping off his voice.
“They are thirteen Wilbur!” Dream shouted, shaking from anger. Wilbur gave him a disappointed look, like Dream was dumb and missing something obvious. And maybe Dream was dumb. Just a dumb 18 year old who got in over his head and was stuck leading an army in a war that painted him as the villain. But it was his responsibility to keep the peace, so if he needed to be the villain to accomplish that, it was what he was going to do.
Neither had got what they’d wanted that day, and several days later the war had truely began.
It had lasted a year. A year of wondering whether it was worth it or if he should just surrender. Of being paranoid about every little sound and being too scared of a possible ambush to sleep. He’d never wanted the war. Never wanted people to die. So that’s why, even after he had won, he gave them their independence. After all, Wilbur was in charge. What could go wrong?
It lead to two years of peace. Two years where everyone grew and moved on from it. Everyone except for Dream. He didn’t pretend that the others weren’t dealing with their own traumas from the war, but none of them had gained the reputation he had. Dream was the villain of the story. He was a god. So he had to be perfect. He had to be cruel and he couldn’t ever show weakness. Everything he did was to manipulate someone or something. It didn’t matter that he had no one to talk to about the war, or that he would throw up after having nightmares, clothes sticking to him from the sweat. Or that sometimes he couldn’t wear his mask because it felt like he was suffocating. And the fact that everything just felt wrongwrongwrONGWRONGWRONG-
That’s why when the election came up, when J’schlatt won and exiled Wilbur and Tommy, Dream decided he was going to help them. Wilbur had approached him asking for supplies and Dream had given them what they needed. He warned them that he couldn’t be seen obviously supporting them, not wanting another war to break out. It had been going good. Wilbur and Tommy has set up a base and Dream finally started to breathe properly. He got a chance to talk to Tommy, to apologise for shooting him at their standoff.
“It was war Dream,” Tommy said, “I understand.” You shouldn’t, Dream thought mournfully, but he didn’t say anything. Only reached out and ruffled the boys hair.
Then Wilbur asked for TNT.
Dream sighed slowly as he braced himself on the crafting bench and placed his forehead against the wall, eyes squeezed tightly shut as he counted his breathing. He stood there for a moment, just breathing, listening to the sounds of the world around him before going back to his crafting recipe and completing it. His hands where shaking as he handled the TNT. Storing it into his inventory along with his axe and some cooked beef. He turned and walked out the door. He locked it behind him, placing the key in his pocket before adjusting his mask over his face. He walked away, taking care to not seem suspicious as he went and kept an eye out for anyone trying to tail him. It wasn’t long before he was at Wilbur’s base. Light poured out through the door from the cave and a low muttering echoed around the clearing. Dream silently walked up and glanced in. Wilbur was hunched over, hands violently twitching at his sides as he glared up at a map of l’manburg. Everything was clean, but there where a few things that showed there was something wrong with the person living there. Like the pile of books lying haphazardly in the corner and the way the beds where tidy, but only in the way that meant no one had slept in them. He remained silent as he glanced around, looking for the also exiled Tommy. Dream rapped his knuckles gently against the door as he revealed himself.
“Where’s Tommy?” Dream asked, startling Wilbur.
“I sent him to speak with a possible ally,” He laughed, jerkily standing up and making his way over to Dream, “Do you have what I asked for?” Dream paused, hand burying itself into the fabric of his jumper. Thoughts going to the stacks of TNT in his inventory.
“I do,” He finally settled on saying.
“Great!” Wilbur said, beaming as he made his way over to Dream, “Oh I can’t wait to see the look on Schlatts face!” Dream sucked in a sharp breath, horror creeping in as Wilbur stood in front of him and held out a hand for the TNT.
“Wait, what?!” Dream asked confused, “Your going to blow him up?!” Wilbur gave him a bright smile.
“Of course! The entire festival!” He stared at Dream hand outstretched, “What did you think I was going to do silly?” Go mining, Dream thought, not plan to kill everyone in l’manburg. Slowly Wilburs face went dark as he got angry.
“Dream give me the TNT.” Dream stumbled back.
“No!” He said. Wilbur snarled and walked forward, reaching out to grab Dream but he ducked away, summoning his axe. He held it in front of him and Wilbur stopped, raising his hands into the air.
“Come on Dream!” Wilbur called, voice wavering unnaturally, “This is what we wanted!”
“No it’s what you wanted.” Dream snipped back before taking a deep breath, he sent his axe back into his inventory and looked fully at wilbur, “I want to help you, but not by killing innocents.” Wilbur’s face twisted, outrage, anger and fear flashing across before settling on insanity. He laughed.
“Dream if you don’t give me that TNT I swear-“ Dream cut him off, voice flat.
“Don’t try to threaten me Wilbur.” Wilbur stopped, a scowl on his face as he looked around the clearing. His hands started twitching faster, like he was panicking. Suddenly he stilled.
“What about Tommy?” He said, tone smug. He smiled at Dream, small and coy, “What if I threaten him?” Dreams heart started beating faster, throbbing in his chest as his palms went slick with sweat.
“What?” Dream asked, voice choked. Wilbur gave a small laugh, like he’d figured out the code.
“If you don’t give me the TNT I’ll-“ Wilburs eyes dated around, “I’ll hurt him!” He said, tone victorious. Dream felt himself wobble and stiffened himself, he couldn’t afford to show weakness right now.
“Yes! If you don’t give me the TNT, I’ll hurt him!” Wilbur laughed, body seizing slightly, “If you don’t help me, I’ll hurt him!” He casually strolled forward and placed his hands on the frozen Dreams shoulders. Leaning in close, he whispered in Dreams ear, “If you tell anyone about this, I’ll kill him!” He gave a wobbly laugh and collapsed against Dream, practically hugging him as Dream tried to get his heart beat under control.
Dream pushed Wilbur of him and considered his options. He didn’t want to give Wilbur the TNT but there was no way he was going to let Tommy get hurt. He swallowed, bile rising at the back of his throat. What could he do? Run, his instincts whispered. No, Dream thought, I can’t leave Tommy to be hurt.If your not here Wilbur has no reason to harm him, it whispered to him. Dream paused, a half thought out idea taking root.
“Alright,” He said, having decided what to do, “I’ll give you the TNT.” Wilbur straightened up from his slouched position, cheering as he clapped his hands together and reached out to the other man. Dream made sure his hands where steady as he handed over the TNT, watching as Wilbur inspected it carefully.
“What’s goin on here?” A new voice asked and Dream turned around to see Tommy had returned. Dream felt his stomach drop and shoved his hands into his pockets to keep their shaking from sight.
“Tommy!” Wilbur said, all smiles, “Dream was just dropping off some supplies.” Tommy frowned, confused as he looked between them, finally his eyes landed on the TNT that was still in Wilbur’s hands and Dream knew he understood when he gave a small horrified gasp. He stared at his brother, gapping, before a stubborn glint entered his eyes.
“Wilbur,” He said, voice shaking as he pulled out his crossbow and pointed it at him, “Hand me that TNT.” Dream saw Wilbur’s hand twitch towards the knife at his side and quickly summoned his axe, stepping between them.
“Tommy, I’m going to have to step in there.” He said, mind pulling up memories of when it had been a bow he had pointed at the boy, and Tommy had been on the ground, arrow in his chests and far too pale. Dream could feel the warmth of tears behind his mask and had to bite his tongue to keep from vomiting.
“You can’t be fucking serious!” Tommy seethed, snapping Dream back into the present as he put his axe away.
“Hush Tommy,” Wilbur said, turning around, “just trust me.” Tommy spluttered and made to follow his older brother into their base when Dream reached out and grabbed Tommy’s arm. They stared at each other, Tommy still angry and Dream fighting the fear welling up in him. Quickly he pulled the boy into a hug, slipping the keys for his base into Tommy’s hand.
“If you need to use my base or supplies feel free,” he whispered quickly, “But this is just for you Tommy, don’t tell Wilbur.” Tommy pulled back confused, staring at his fist that held the keys before looking back at Dream.
I’m sorry, Dream thought, desperately wanting to say it even as he stayed quiet. He nodded to Tommy before walking in the direction of his base, keeping a steady pace until he was sure no one was around before he started sprinting. He had a half thought plan and no supplies. Just a fire in his lungs and desperate need to get as far away as possible. Branches whipped him as he went, snagging in his clothes and in his hair. He pushed his mask up as he ran, leaving his chin exposed but making breathing easier as he gasped for air. His feet pounded against the dirt as he ranranranrANRANRAN- when suddenly his foot got caught on a root and he tripped, tumbling to the ground. He rolled with his fall, regaining his footing and pausing to look around, chest heaving with effort. He leaned against a tree, trembling and hugged himself. He had no idea where he was, the trees where dark, and taller then any around the centre of the sever were. How far had he ran? To be so deep in uncharted woods. A whine started developing at the back of his throat, regret beginning to build. He didn’t want to return and risk Tommy’s safety, but he couldn’t stay out here when night fell.
Suddenly a faint pulsing glow caught his eye. He moved towards it, summoning his axe to cut through the particularly dense bush and coming face to face with a server portal. His breathe caught in his throat as he stared at it. A small wild flame of hope igniting as his axe disappeared back into his inventory. This could be it. A possible escape far from the server. No one would be able to find him and, bitterly he thought, who would look? The portals light reflected off of the grass and leaves as it pulsed, adding a mythical feel as it swirled. He raised a shaky hand up and brushed his fingers against it. The portal warped around his fingers, moving like liquid but nothing else happened. He risked a glance back at the way he came, battling with himself before turning back and taking a deep breath. Not wasting another second he stepped into it. The world around him went dark, he pushed forward-
[Dream has entered the server]
-and immediately fell to the ground, ducking low and looking out for threats. The moon was already high in the sky and he could hear the rattle of skeletons and other such mobs around him. The area was thick with spruce trees, but none that where close enough to the ground to climb. He stood slowly, placing his back to a tree as he crept forward. It’s fine, he told himself, you can handle it. Just treat it like a manhunt. He let out a low breath, bringing out his axe and holding it close to him. There was a shing! through the air and several arrows embedded them selves in the area around him. Dream lunged forward, trying to find an open area that was easier to fight in. Behind him, mobs became alert and started chasing him, calling out for more. He dodged around a tree as an arrow finally hit its mark and buried itself in his shoulder. Biting back a scream as he stumbled, giving whatever mobs he had with him a chance to catch up, he was forced to stop running as a small ravine blocked his path.
With shaky hands he felt where the arrow was lodged in his shoulder, blood making the area warm and sticky, and turned back around to face the coming mobs. The spruce trees had thinned out, and he could see a faint glow from a persons base in the distance. The mobs creeped forward, zombies, skeletons and spiders hissing and clicking at him. There where far more then Dream had expected and Dream felt his hands shake as he realised that the world he had entered must be a hardcore one. The mobs sprung at him and Dream found himself quickly falling into the easy rhythm of swinging, ducking and defending that he had picked up in the war. It was towards the end of the fight when his axe broke, splintering in his hands and he was forced to fight the last few zombies barehanded. He panted, trying to see what damage his axe breaking had done to his hands when a hissing filled his ears. He turned, eyes wide, a plea on his tongue when the creeper exploded. For a moment Dream was weightless, loose in the air as he flew, and then he was falling, slamming back into the ground with a sickening crack.
He groaned as he opened his eyes again, blurry sight seeing his mask on the ground a few meters in front of him. He tried to stand and screamed as stars burst across his vision, collapsing back into the ground as he shivered and sobbed in pain. He let himself lie there for a moment, regardless of the danger as he tried to asses the damages. His leg was most definitely broken, there was no way he was going to be able to walk on it, and if the deep pounding that was starting in his skull was any indication, he most likely had a concussion. Those combined with the arrow head still in his shoulder and the injury’s he had gotten fighting off the mobs, he was in pitiful shape. He was definitely regretting his decision to run now, or at least, his haste with doing it. He took a moment to feel the stone underneath him and realised that he must have been blasted into the ravine. He was lucky it was a shallow one, or he’d be dead.
He sobbed again as he reached for his hood and pulled it around to stuff in his mouth. Slowly he crawled over to the side of the ravine and used the cliff side to pull himself up, his broken leg completely limp. He spat his hood out, panting as the headache got worse and his vision briefly went dark. He heard the rattle of bones above him and looked up to see a skeleton staring at him, bow and arrow already knocked and aimed at him. He closed his eyes, prepared to accept defeat when the clank of metal hitting bones was heard and the mob screeched as it de-spawned. Dream trembled, watching as the figure sheathed his sword and began looking around the area.
“Is anyone out here? I heard a scream.” They called, wings shifting behind them in the moonlight. Dream took a breath, fighting down the nausea and the rising fear of being vulnerable in front of a stranger. There was no way possible that he was going to survive alone, not with how injured he was right now.
“Down- down here!” He called out, voice weak. The figure spread their wings and gently fell down into the ravine, landing softly as their hair fell around their face. It was too dark for Dream to make out any details about the person, but their concern practically leaked off them as they finally saw Dream against the cliff face.
“Shit.” They said, reaching forward, and that’s when Dreams body gave up on him. He crumpled, falling to the ground. It was only the strangers quick movements that stopped his head from hitting the ground a second time. Dream weakly pushed away from the man, throwing up as he was overwhelmed by the nausea and unease. He winced when he noticed that some of the vomit has landed on the strangers shoes, tears pricking in the corners of his eyes.
“Sorry.” His apologised. His voice wobbled and he could already feel his eyes burning up as tears slowly left trails down his face.
“It alright.” the man said, pulling him closer and taking stock of Dreams injury’s. The man picked Dream up, wincing when the other let out little sounds of pain.
“Easy,” He said, “I’m taking you back to my base to be healed, you’ll be safe there.” Dream could only give a noncommittal hum as the man spread his wings and pushed them both into the air. Dream squeezed his eyes shut and buried his head into the strangers shoulder, his laboured breathing, pounding headache and the air whistling in his ear the last thing he remembered as he blacked out for good. His exhaustion finally taking him.