Chapter Text
“It’s about time anyway.” Tubbo said softly, tears gathering slowly. He wiped them away. He didn’t want to get Tommy’s shirt wet when he held his body.
Tommy’s shirt was far beyond saving, however, and tears splashed down almost like fountains. Shaking, he looked over at Dream. The mask stayed in place. The ever-seeing smile.
Will Punz get here? Where is he?
“Come here.” Dream’s voice wasn’t cold-- no, this was worse. A calculated sort of curiosity, a cat playing with a mouse. Tubbo took a shaking step forward.
“TUBBO!” Tommy didn’t know what else to do. “Don’t you DARE go any closer. Tubbo.” His voice cracked. Tubbo didn’t look back, only stepping closer to the hooded figure.
“I’m not a pawn.”
“Hmm?” Dream sounded like he was barely paying attention to Tubbo, his body turned towards Tommy as if to gage his reaction.
“I’m not a pawn.” Tubbo’s voice was louder, and now Dream turned back.
“Oh, Tubbo. But you are.” They could hear the smile in Dream’s voice.
“You have to feel something. You’re too much of a coward to show your stupid face, is that it? COWARD!” Tommy could feel himself slipping, slipping, slipping as he desperately tried to hold on with his words. Dream gave a soft puff of laughter.
“Ah, well. Who are you going to tell?” And he pulled up his mask.
They contemplated, for a moment. All three of them, looking each other in the eyes.
“Don’t you see?” Dream said softly, and it sounded wrong; watching his mouth move. “I don’t care. I don’t feel bad about this. I will kill Tubbo in front of you, Tommy, and you will watch. He will bleed here. It will hurt. He will scream. Understand this, Tommy.”
And, finally, Tommy believed him. Somehow, without the mask on, it made Dream less human saying those things. Hot fear and cold, dark anguish ripped his insides apart, leaving him dizzy.
“Kill me.” Tubbo had not turned around the entire time, his back still to Tommy, but the voice was unmistakable. Dream laughed, finally looking away from Tommy’s eyes and prowling like the predator he was, sinuous and teasing.
“You are going to die here, Tubbo. You can’t escape. Tommy will stay there. There will be no hand holding. You will die alone and afraid. Do. You. Understand. Me.”
“To HELL I’ll stay back!” Tommy yelled, moving forward, but Dream simply put his blade to Tubbo’s throat. Both boys stilled.
“Move one more inch? And it’ll be slower and slower. I have all the time in the world.” Dream said, slowly lowering his arm. Tubbo still didn’t turn around. “Now. Where?...”
The next few minutes seemed to warp, too fast and too slow all at once. Dream circled Tubbo, poking and prodding every once and a while with his sword as if to test his durability. Each time, Tubbo gasped in shock and choked back a cry. Every time, Tommy broke a little further. And, always, Dream’s smile grew wider.
Finally, Dream found his way in front of Tubbo again, slanted just so Tommy could see him.
Gently, almost lovingly, he placed his sword under Tubbo’s chin, angled it up. Tommy knew that in one movement, that sword would plunge right through Tubbo’s skull.
“What do you think?” Dream muttered, glancing at Tommy. His voice was barely audible. “Should we make him kneel?” Tommy stayed silent, as did Tubbo, both crying furiously now. “I said, SHOULD WE MAKE HIM KNEEL?” Dream bellowed, and the boys flinched.
“No.” Tommy whispered. “No.”
“Alright then.” Dream sighed. “It would have been fun. But it’s all up to you.”
“And what about me?” Dream and Tommy turned toward the voice, trying desperately to hold onto strength even at swordpoint. “Don’t I get a say?”
“What would you if you could?” Dream said, genuine confusion on his face. “I gave you time for goodbyes. What else?...”
“Not… not there.” Tubbo had to restart midway through, coughing to clear his throat. “Not, uh, on my head please.”
Laughter. Roaring laughter. Tommy desperately wanted to cover his ears, but he dared not, in case he were to miss a single sound from his best friend. There were none to waste.
“Fine.” Dream wheezed, turning the blade away and showing Tubbo the handle. “Guide my hand. Where do you want it?” The last question sent him into another trembling fit of stifled laughs.
Slowly, as if not to startle a dangerous animal, Tubbo placed his hand over Dream’s. Not trying to take the sword away, simply guiding. He turned Dream’s wrist so that the tip pressed his chest and slowly brought it down to his stomach area, right under where his rib cage split off. A bit right from his heart. Dream smiled, softer this time.
“Alright. What should I say? Goodbye?” His eyes darted from the still frozen Tommy to the helpless Tubbo.
“Tubbo.”
“Yes, Tommy?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” Dream internally started as Tubbo locked eyes with him. “And I am NOT your pawn.”
Dream realized a second too late, tightened his grip too slowly. Tubbo, hand still on the hilt of his sword, shoved it into his chest, immediately screaming before gurgling and choking on rising blood.
It wasn’t out of mercy that he pulled the sword back out as Tubbo’s hand fell, not of a drive to end his life sooner; but he knew the other boy would rush to his friend and did not wish to give him a weapon when he was this angry.
Tommy was on the floor. He didn’t know how he had gotten there, but he tried to crawl toward his friend. Tubbo. His Tubbo. He vaguely saw Dream back away, only noticing because of the sword he took with him. By the time he got to Tubbo, it was too late. A last gurgle and bubble of blood left his lips, and the President was still.
“You should have paid me more, Dream.”