Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Karl! Karl Jacobs! Karl!” Tommy called, excitedly rushing over to the older and a bright smile on his face once the other stopped walking and waited for him with a kind grin.

“Well hello there, Tommy,” Karl greeted, the grin on his face as welcoming to Tommy as ever.

“Karl! How are you, my friend?” Tommy chimed, way too happy today. Today was the day he was going to ask Karl if he could bring Tommy along on one of his trips to the future — or past —. 

Karl chuckled, genuinely happy that Tommy was moving on and stopped being all frowny and gloomy about L’Manberg blowing up.

“I’m fine, how about you?” Karl returned, continuing walking to the library but not in a rush so the teen could keep up with his pace.

“I’m good!” Tommy replied, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“That’s good to hear,” Karl said, taking his eyes away from Tommy for a while to look how far they were from Karl’s library.

“Well, I was wondering,” Tommy started after a pregnant pause, it wasn’t uncomfortable but it wasn’t the brightest either.

“Yes, Tommy? You know you can ask me anything,” Karl raised an eyebrow, the grin slipping off his face in favor of Karl going ‘serious Karl’ mode.

“You see,” Tommy took a deep breath. It was now or never. Well, that may be too dramatic, but you never know. The look of anxiety and uncertainty on Tommy’s face didn’t go unnoticed by Karl, but he chose to ignore it until Tommy was done talking.

“IknowthatyouareatimetravellerandyouaretryingtopreventbadthingshappeningtoyourfriendsandthatyoukindalosesomememoriesafteryoudothatsoIwaswonderingifyoucouldmaybeletmecomealongwithyouandhelpout?” Tommy blubbered quickly, throwing a look which was pleading to Karl, and Karl shook his head fondly.

“Tommy, could you please repeat that?” he asked carefully, not wanting to make the blond seem cautious of him.

“Well, I know that you are a time traveller and you are trying to prevent bad things happening to your friends and that you kinda lose some memories after you do that so I was wondering if you could maybe let me come along with you and help out?” Tommy rambled, but it was slow enough that Karl could understand what Tommy wanted.

Karl slowly nodded, stopping in his tracks entirely. “Alright, I get it,” he said, his eyes clouding like he was thinking of something, “you want me to bring you on one of my trips to the future? or well, past?” he asked, staring at Tommy seriously. The blond swallowed then nodded slowly, the tone Karl was using unfamiliar.

“Yeah, that’s correct,” Tommy confirmed, his posture slouching once Karl looked away from his eyes.

“Well,” Karl said evenly, though there was a hint of hesitancy in his voice, “I’m not sure that’s the best idea, Tommy. You see, every time I travel, I somehow always forget a part of me and get hurt. I don’t know how or why, but it’s true,” he stated, now staring Tommy in the eyes directly. “I don’t want to see you get hurt or forget some part of you,” 

Tommy threw him a look of ‘ seriously man- are you serious?’. “I’m 16 years old, Karl! I can take care of myself! And there’s no way you can just say I will forget some part of me,” Tommy argued, withering the smallest bit at the final look that Karl sported.

“No, Tommy. You may think this is all fun and games, but this is actual serious stuff,” Karl’s arms crossed across his chest, and his face only held seriousness, no silver of the mischief and the smiles the Karl everyone was used to wore.

“But I just want to help!” Tommy puffed out his chest absent-mindedly, not backing down when Karl furrowed his brows and pursed his lips. “Besides, what can a bit of time travelling do to a traumatized 16-year-old boy who doesn’t have anything else to do or live for because all of his family members either betrayed him or died, and most of his friends believe he is the reason for all the wars in the server when it was actually a green blob with a smiley face mask?” Tommy exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air and glaring at everything in his line of sight.

Wow. Tommy really had to pull that card. How nice of him.

Karl’s brows unfurrowed the slightest bit and his tense body slightly untensed, but that only made him want to stop the boy more. 

“Tommy— no. You have Tubbo and Ranboo and Fundy and—” Karl cut himself off, taking a moment to collect himself and actually think, who else did Tommy have?

Tommy raised a sceptical eyebrow, “Tubbo needs more love than I can give him. Ranboo’s adopted by my ex-dad who abandoned me as a toddler. Fundy probably hates me; we have never talked since— actually I don’t remember the last time we talked. And who else? Sapnap? Nope, he’s practically depressed, he only talks to you and George. George? He hates my guts, Karl. Sam? He’s Dream’s pawn. He would do anything Dream would say or tell him to do. Skeppy and Bad? They think I’m an annoying teen who needs to shut the fuck up. Quackity? Same as Fundy.  Punz? He’s a mercenary, why the hell would he care about me?” Tommy listed off, putting a finger up as he said the name of an SMP member and slightly panting by the end of his rant.

Karl sighed internally but in sympathy, Punz did care for Tommy and Tubbo. He saved them on the day Dream lost his 2 lives. Sam did also care for Tommy, he basically adopted him after the day Dream got in the prison. Sapnap, well, Tommy was correct, but both he and George always had a soft spot for the loud and boisterous teen. Skeppy and Bad just didn’t approve of the way Tommy spent his teenage years, they would rather prefer he spent his teenage years exploring and speaking comforting words to others, but that was how Tommy was. And the duo did love Tommy for who he was, just expressed it ‘Language!’ —but Bad only disapproved of how Tommy swore the most out of everyone in the SMP—  and ‘Tommy!’ or ‘bitch boy,’ —in the endearing yet teasing way that only Skeppy could—.

“You have me,” Karl whispered, extending a hand to Tommy, but unsure as Tommy could growl or flinch away from him at any moment.

Tommy exhaled, all his feelings pent up in a single air from his lungs, and nodded gently but surely. “Yeah, I guess I do,” he said softly, then sighed tensely. Karl’s brows unfurrowed fully and his arms now lay uselessly and awkwardly at his sides. 

“My offer’s still on the table though, if you ever need me, give me a ping. I just want to help you and try to forget everything wrong with this life.” Tommy saluted lazily, throwing Karl one of his signature all tooth smiles, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Karl gave him a small nod, a smaller smile on his lips, then Tommy turned around with his shoulders slouched and shortly left Karl alone in the middle of the remains of New L’Manberg.

Karl pressed his lips together tightly, a thought forming in his mind. Tommy needed a break, desperately needed it, and while time travelling wasn’t the best or safest way, he could maybe take Tommy to a nice spot to lift some of his tension from his shoulders. 

And while it wasn’t guaranteed Tommy would finish the tale unscathed, Karl would do everything in his power to make sure Tommy didn’t get a single scratch on his tiny but strong body.

Karl took out his communicator from his hoodie pocket, and searched through his contacts. Alright, he could let Tommy come along with him to one of his adventures. Hopefully a peaceful one, but with his luck, it probably wouldn’t. He prays that the universe would have mercy on him and not harm Tommy. He would pray as many times as he could to Ender that Tommy wouldn’t come with him to one of his dangerous tales, as long as the blond wouldn’t be more traumatized than he already was. 

Chapter Text

“Tommy?” Karl called softly as he knocked on the door to Tommy and Tubbo’s shared cabin, hoping that someone opened it, even if it was Tubbo. It was pouring; when Karl decided he would allow Tommy to come with him, it suddenly started raining. Karl had to walk a long walk in the rain with his hood —which barely helped him, it was still freezing cold for some reason— on his journey to Snowchester.

There was a muffled ‘I’ll get it,’ and a thumping sound as someone opened the door slowly but cautiously.

“Tubbo! Hello! I was wondering if Tommy was here?” Karl greeted, his surprise not showing because of his shivering. He did hope Tommy would answer, but at least it was someone Karl was familiar with.

“Oh, it’s just Karl, Tommy,” Tubbo said to someone behind the door, then suddenly Tommy graced them with his presence as he pushed the door open swiftly, his excitement showing in his body manner.

“Hi Karl!” Tommy said excitedly, then his eyes widened a little as he saw Karl was shivering and trying to warm his arms with his hands.

Tubbo seemed to notice it too, as he ushered Karl into their house with his concern very visible. “Are you okay, Karl? Nothing too cold?” Tubbo asked, wrapping a blanket around Karl’s shoulders as he took off Karl’s hoodie’s hood and led him —more like forced him— onto one of the couches.

It was rare that it rained in the Dream SMP. It usually rained when there was a war or someone died; the last time it rained was after most of the TNT that fell on New L’Manberg blew up on Doomsday.

“Tommy, you keep Karl company, I’ll get him some hot cocoa and some blankets,” Tubbo instructed, and with a worried glance over his shoulder, turned on his heel and left the two in the living room of the cabin.

Karl was really close to passing out, Tommy’s awkward but concerned voice the only reason he wasn’t deep asleep on the teenage duo’s couch.

“So… any particular reason why you’re here? I thought it would take you a while to decide whether or not I would be able to go with you on one of your trips to the future or wherever,” Tommy chirped gently, not wanting to disrupt Karl from his sleep if the brunette did pass out. It was really rare that Tommy wasn’t loud and boisterous; the few moments where he was gentle and caring were moments that had to be treasured. Karl was really honored he was blessed with the gift that was Tommy’s gentle but teasing voice.

“Well,” Karl started just as softly, “I did make a decision, and the answer is yes, you can come with me,” Tommy looked like he wanted to start dancing in joy, but before he could Karl continued, “but only if you agree to the rules I set to make sure you are safe and won’t be hurt if something happens,” he said the last part sternly. 

Tommy nodded a little bit more serious but still enthusiastic, “Alright, Jacobs. Tell me them and I’ll do my best to remember and follow them.” Tommy promised. They both knew it was a lie. Tommy never followed the rules; he despised and broke them. But Karl couldn’t help but at least wish Tommy would actually follow the rules Karl made, it was for his own safety after all, but everyone on the SMP knew Tommy was always getting himself into danger, whether he wanted to or not.

“Promise?” Karl looked away and whispered softly, carefully observing the house that Tommy and Tubbo —but more Tubbo— built right after the biggest war on the server.

“I promise.” Tommy swore solemnly. Karl cracked a small smile at the seriousness in the younger’s tone, he sounded like his age. A child ready to explore the lands and someone who was curious about how the world worked and wanted to learn more about it.

Just then Tubbo returned with some comfy looking blankets and 3 cups of hot cocoa, whip creme and little marshmallows decorated past the rim of the cups. The first cup had red and white marshmallows, presumably for Tommy, the second one had purple and cyan, presumably for Karl, and the last cup had yellow and green. That was definitely for Tubbo.

Tubbo handed the blankets to each of them, and once the blankets were wrapped around their shoulders comfortingly, like a hug which they all needed, Tubbo handed the hot cocoa to the two sitting on the couch carefully. Karl and Tommy both sent an appreciative smile to Tubbo, and Tubbo returned it softly. Tubbo sat down and wrapped his own blanket around his shoulders, and grabbed his own cup. Karl took a sip of the drink and snuggled into the blanket cozily, feeling content in this moment. 

It vaguely reminded Karl of… a memory? A vision? A hallucination?

Karl, Sapnap (or was it James? No, it wasn’t-) and Quackity ( Was that his name? )   were cuddling on their couch in their base, each of them holding a cup of hot cocoa that Karl made earlier. It was a hard day for all of them; Sapnap was dealing with the fallout of the downfall of his, Dream and George’s friendship, Karl was getting prepared to… time travel ( Was that what he was going to do? ) and Quackity was doing his best to help the butcher army track down Technoblade.

It was not surprising how wholesome and complete this simple moment made the trio. This simple highlight of their night took most of the tension off their shoulders, though the air was still quite thick with wariness. Karl thinks that it’s fitting; this would be one of the last moments he would spend with his fiance’s with all his memories of them still intact in his brain. Time flies too fast, too fast in fact, Karl muses, rubbing his engagement ring which hung off a chain around his neck absent-mindedly, oblivious to the look of concern both Sapnap and Quackity threw his way. The two glanced at each other worriedly. Karl really seemed out of it, and not for the first time this week. They didn’t see the look of determination Karl had on his features as he stopped rubbing the ring and looked at his half-empty cup. He was going to do this, and not even Dream could stop him. He was doing it for his friends and the loves of his life. He was going to complete this mission, whether or not it killed him in the process.

Karl’s eyes fogged up, then he looked at his cup of cocoa with wide eyes and confusion, then—

“KARL!—” 

what..? where was he? what was happening to him?... 

Chapter Text

“Hello, Karl.”

That’s the first thing he hears as he opens his eyes.

Blinking blearily up at the white, pristine ceiling, he searched his brain for an answer on ‘ Where am I? , Why am I here?’ as the voice chuckled, as if it knew what he was thinking.

He finally had the strength to sit up on —what was he laying on, anyway?— the… cloud? 

Karl paused as he took in the cloud he supposedly slept on. ‘ Now I know why people name soft things you can touch after clouds,’ the brunette mused, absent-mindedly stroking the cloud as he tried to get the tiredness out of his system.

“Glad to see you awake,” the voice offered softly, like a mother to a child, “how are you?”

Karl didn’t look up from his lap where a book rested, —did the voice bibbidi-boppity-boo this here? okay, no more Disney references, Karl— trying to wrap his mind around the fact he was just in Manchester with Tommy and Tubbo a few minutes ago and now he was in some white room, ‘mental hospital, maybe?’ a voice that sounded suspiciously like Dream said in his mind, but the brunette quickly vanished the thought.

“I’m fine.” Karl responded curtly, deciding to take a look at the book. The Nobles and the Goods, the book read. 

“Must be a tale I have to travel into, I suppose?” he murmured under his breath, not directing it to anyone but still a question. 

You could hear the tight-lipped smile on the voice, “That is correct.” they remarked.

Okay so, the voice also had super hearing. Is he in a DC Comic right now?

Karl flipped the front page open, watching as the blank pages rose to life and danced as they formed words and pictures. The time traveller smiled fondly as the magic in the book came to life in front of his eyes; that was one of his favourite parts about learning a new tale. Lost beings coming together as one where they belong; something Karl wished was possible for himself, but joyed at the same time as the beings found their place.

“So, to get this straight,” Karl started as the final letter found it’s place on the book, “you just brought me here to show me a tale I have to fix?” he asked, finally building the courage to look up and in front of him.

To no one’s surprise, there was no figure in front of Karl. Just a plain, white wall, with some picture decorated on it. Some were fading away.

Those were his memories. Karl let out a single tear from his left eye as it slowly dripped down his face. He was doing this for them . He wasn’t doing this to impress anyone, he wasn’t doing this so people would hang out with him, he wasn’t doing this for attention. He was doing this to save his friends, his family, the people he couldn’t live without. 

It’s okay. His memories, his emotions, his body, his everything was sacrificed just so everyone he loved would see another day without danger. He could do it.

“Yes, young Jacobs.” the voice answered. ‘ Young Jacobs, ’ Karl mused, ‘ that’s new, ’ 

“Alright,” he snapped the lock of the book on tightly, “I get the memo, I know what to do, now send me back.” Karl said, taking a look at his fading memories one more time.

‘Goodbye, memory of Sapnap giving me my first pickaxe,’ Karl farewelled, closing his eyes as he felt himself transported back into the land of the SMP. 

‘Someone giving you your first pickaxe shouldn’t be something to cry over, right?’ Karl thought to himself, but it vanished as quickly as it came. Sapnap giving him his first pickaxe was the start of their friendship, and later, their relationship. It wasn’t something you could just forget easily.

Karl blinked his eyes open again, only to see the concerned and frantic faces of Tommy, Tubbo, Quackity, Sapnap and Ranboo.