Work Text:
Eyes
Eyes
Eyes
E̸͎̼̤̪̻̲̣̱̔̍̓̈͗̋́̔̔̒̌͑͋̿̒̎̉̕͝͝ý̶̧̡̪̯̞̪͚̣̦͎̮̯̬͖̮͎̥͎̬͋͐̾̿͘͜ȩ̶̨͇͍̺̹̟͔͙̯̻̞͙̬̱̌ͅś̷̡̢̢̯͈̜̭̫͕̱̪͚̜̩̥̺̖̱͇̆
"Shut up!" he clenches his teeth and bites his tongue hard. It is enough to draw blood but not enough to calm the feeling of tension that grows in the shoulders and in the pit of the stomach
Watching
Watching
Watching
W̸̡̡̠̝̪͎̐̅͗̀̕a̵̢̻̰̳̭͉̺͔͎̼͇͇̠̹̯̦̫̾̾̍̀̀̈́͊͒̾͒͂̏͗̾̉͐͊̊͜͝t̸̨̢̧̢̧̜̪̺̭̬̖̯̱̠̗̤̼̩̑̀͑ͅc̴͎̈́͗͗͐͋̽̀͆̊͑̐̓͛͠͝͝h̶̡̢͔͓̠̮̼̹͙̲̟̱̰̥̥̾͌̊̈́i̸̢̡̖͚̠̰͙̮̪̙̹͆́̄̈́͑̏̑͆̋̊̀n̵̹̬̮̼̰̰̘̐̀̄͊̆̍̂̐͂̽͝͝g̶̨̧̝̹͚̤͍̺͕̝͊̌́̔̈́̆̑͗̈́̄̎̄̄̓̎̇͗͘͠͠ͅ
"Shut the fuck up!" he screams again, but now, instead of fury, his tone is one of complete despair. It's fear in its purest form, he rarely has moments like that and he hates it with all his might
The axe handle almost breaks in his hands. There are people calling him, but he can't hear
There are many lookers
Stop...
Leave me alone
K̵̢̝̩̪̱͓̖̇̿͑̎e̵̟̼̤̰̭̐̇͗̅̑̾̒͐͛̓̄͜ȩ̸͔̮͖̠͙̱̭̤̮̪͇̰͚͇̽́̽́̓̄͑͊ͅp̸̢̛̗͍̲̩͉͚͔̻̣̓̈́̈́̀̅́͒͗̆̔͋͗̐͗̋͝͝ ̶̨̢̢͔̬̳̠̰͙͖̦̥̿̈́̏̚̕͝g̴̢̱̤͚͔̳͕͉̻̥̒̄͗̾͝͝ơ̸̧͛̏̈́̌̽̀̏̾̎̅̆̔i̷̧͇̜̞̹̞͗͑́̂̌̈́͐̏͗͛ń̸̗͈̃̓̂͆̔͆̐͂͘͝͝g̸̡̦̜̘̞̞̘̜͈͔̠̯̱̟̞̦̭̱̎̇̐̀͜ͅ
K̸̭̲͇̤̃̋̄̊̌̈́̓̐̕͝ī̷̪̫͉͂̈́́̾̿̑̈́͠l̷̜̼͈͖̫̤̈͛̒̌́̓l̷͍̟͈̗͍̣̞̯̹͕͋̈̀̄̓
F̷̧̘͕̰̳͎̹̤͂͠͝ǫ̵͍͙̺̞͕̉͒̇̂̓̇͑̕͘ͅl̷̢̡̛̲̥̼̖̥̝͒͒ͅl̷̡̛̬͔̼͕͍̜̬̇̂͛͐̊͜͝o̴̢̳̰͉͓͖͒͌̑̐̉̎w̴͔̿̑̍͐̊̏͝͝ ̷̣͓̜̂̃͛̈́́͆͑̋͛͒͝y̸̨̠̟͛͋̿ờ̸̡̪̻̣̞͍͉̱̻́͂̃̀̋̚̕u̷͉̪̭̺͋͗r̸̭̖̼̮̜͎͕̀̀̈ ̸̬̜͙̫͉̑̀̑̀̋̃̚͝ļ̴̨̡̡̭̱͓̤͈̮̺̈i̶̩͓͍̩͇̦͑͆̓͒n̶̡͛̐́̂̔e̷̺̮̞̮͚̪̚s̴̡̮͉͖̃̑̏̎̏̓͋
D̴̺͍̝͂͂̆̌̓͑̑͠ͅo̶̢̧̜̗͓̺̳̼̤͎͒̿͑̇́͂̀̏̍̂n̸͙̯͛͊̑ͅ'̶̬̺͙̪̭͎̉̈́̌̀̈̃̐̌ţ̸̯͈͍͖͙̝̰͙̭̣̎̃̐ ̶̢̧̙̰̳͚̻̹͑̏͘̕ḷ̸̇͂̽͑͘ö̸̧̨͙̯̬̭̜͈́́̄͛͝s̵̰̥͙̏̌è̷̼͓̗̯͈̬͌̔̉͒͝ ̶̢̡͈̼͍͙̤̤͆͋t̴̢̻̱͕̥̤̺̘̳͓̥̎͒͗͐̀̍h̶̠̲͛͋͊̕ȩ̴̺͉̰̩̠̥͙̹̦͒͂̉͘͜͠ ̷̥̜̟̰̗̇͐̋̉͗̍̓s̸͔̿̔̊̊̈̃͋̚͝c̴̩̞̐͊̃̂͌̌̍̎́͆r̴͔̻̐̊̕i̴̡͔͈̖̻̩̰͓̒p̸̨͖̱͇̭̻̦̠̬̂t̶̨̨͔̮͗̆́
"STOP LOOKING AT ME!" He swings the axe wildly, his eyes leaking tears and his body to the point of collapsing "JUST STOP! I WON'T DO THIS!"
Tommy
Tommy
Tommy
Ṱ̵̥́ö̶̖͚́m̴̬̬̂m̵̹̽̿y̴̧͗̂
Do It
D̴̡̩̫͎̺̪̞̯̐̓̅̇̃̏̇̈̐͊ͅŏ̵͍̖͎̳̌̽͗ ̴͖̳̄͠I̸̢̞͖̠͐̾͆̆̾͋̓̌͘ͅẗ̸͇͉̙̳͚́̀̀́̔͂
"Tommy!" something firm hands hold him by the shoulders and he comes out of his stupor,
There are people lookers behind him, he feels his eyes digging into his back and several breaths
Viewers
Viewers
V̴͇͙̜̞̈́͐̉̚͝i̴̝͍͌̈́̾́e̶͓̭̺̜̿͒w̶̖̦͙̖̒̀̓ͅe̷̬̱͈̒ͅr̴͉͍̘͙͂s̸͕͌̔̎͋
"Tommy, it's me. Listen to me!"
Tommy is still in a panic, so many things are happening and he can't think and breathe.
"STOP LOOKING AT ME... please..." he screams, but his voice breaks and he pleads softly "I just want to stop... please... make it stop..."
"Tommy... I want to ask you a favor, just listen to me, I will help you, but I need you to do what I say..."
He doesn't know how to settle, his head hurts and there are still a lot of eyes
E̷̘̓̈́̇͗͑͗ÿ̸̢̛͉̯̙͈̩́͋̑̓̓̇̌e̶̛͍̬̦̥̍̏̓̅̂͌̄s̷̨̧̘̻̪̞̫̼̼͍͊́̓͌̂̏̈́͝͝
Tommy winces, but the thing? people? voice continues in a softer tone instead of the desperation of before
"Okay, take a deep breath" he does "And now list me 5 things you can see. Can you do that? Open your eyes and list me 5 things you can see"
He blinks three times to keep the tears out of his eyes and he finally sees the opaque green eyes clearly.
He knows who he is
"D-dream... I... I'm scared..." he lets out a choked sob
"I know, Toms, I know, but I need you to focus on that. Five things you can see"
"I... I see you... and--"
L̸͙̠̭͚̐͂̓͆͠ǫ̴̰̬͚͔̩̼̭̻͙͙́̂̾o̴̡̮͈͙͛̈ͅk̴͓̙͕̂̂͛̃̍͝ȅ̶̲̬̭̳̑̊̏̾̽̃͠r̷̨̛͓̭̞̗͋̅̑̋͌̏̑͠s̶̨̖͓͖̦͖̠͇͔̝̯̤̲̒̏͌̀͒̔̓̚͝͝
"They are looking at me!" he screams and grabs something tightly, closing his eyes again "Dream, make it stop!"
It is a few minutes of silence and Tommy thinks that Dream has left and almost panics again, but he hears a sigh and the sensation of being watched falls dramatically.
"There... no lookers, now you can open your eyes and take a deep breath before doing this"
Tommy takes a deep breath, coughing when he slowly opens his eyes.
"Five things, Tommy, you can do this... keep everything focused, I know you can do it"
"I... I see... Tubbo"
"Yes, Tubbo is here, but he is not looking at you. Three more things"
"It's purple, a portal. I... I see it shiny, I think armor, I don't know..."
"Toms, it's okay not to know, I just need you to stay with me and do what I'm asking. Just one more thing"
"Ok... I see everyone... behind you, I think"
"Ok" Dream nods "Now, inhale for four, hold for eight and exhale for four, as we did after the control room"
Control room...
Bangs
Screams
Wait!
He inhales with Dream, holds with him and lets go when the older one does.
"Okay, we're almost there, now 4 things you can play"
"Touch... right... I can... I can touch the axe" he sighs shakily "I can touch my handkerchief"
He takes his hand to the green scarf instantly, the soft sensation taking some of the tension out of his shoulders.
"I can... are you still here?"
"I am, Toms, I can hear you"
"Ok ... I can" he slowly feels the axe handle slip through his fingers and he rubs his shaking fingers on the fabric of the worn green sweatshirt Dream wears "I can touch your clothes... it's warm"
He hesitantly brings his hands to the blonde's face and touches his cheek
"I can touch you"
The fact that Dream is there and not just part of his imagination makes him sigh, but relieved than ever and he smiles, fat tears wetting his cheeks
Dream smiles slightly, his opaque eyes shine for a second and Tommy can see the friend he has known forever. Looking tired and almost paranoid, his shoulders tense like his, he feels his hands holding him by the shoulders, shaking with anxiety.
He knows that all of this is Dream. It is not that bastard manipulator he is forced to play or that chaos warrior, but only Dream, a person as tormented as he is.
The two of them in the same boat, in the middle of the empty ocean.
"Inhale for four, hold for eight and exhale for four"
Tommy does it and things are clearer, but his heart still beats so hard against his chest that it almost hurts.
"3 things you can hear"
"I can hear us, and I'm sure it counts as two" he laughs weakly, almost choking "And... I can hear the portal..."
"Do it one more time"
The two do it, Tommy is sure Dream doesn't have to do it but it's comforting to know that he's trying, even when he doesn't have to.
"Two things you can smell"
"Gunpowder, a lot of gunpowder... what the fuck is that?"
Bang!
Kill me!
Die like one!
"Focus Tommy, you are not there. One more thing"
"I... I can smell flowers... I think? Is Niki here?"
"She's here, I just can't understand how you got to feel this"
"It's a gift..." he doesn't even need to follow the instructions to do the same breathing process
Things are calmer and his heart calms down...
"Now, one thing you can taste"
"Blood... I bit my tongue"
"Very well... again"
Inhale for four, hold for eight and exhale for four
He sighs shakily and he doesn't even have to take a right step to fall on Dream's chest and hug the soft green sweatshirt. In an instant, the older blonde's arms go to his back and the two stay like that for a while. Tommy doesn't even notice when the tears come back and he sobs uncontrollably.
"It's okay, Toms. They won't show up anymore, at least not today" Dream says, making circles on the boy's back "Is it okay if people open their eyes now? They're not lookers"
Tommy sniffs and nods, moving slightly away from the embrace, but close enough that Dream holds him aside and he doesn't feel alone. He shudders when he sees that they are all staring at him and his breath breaks, but Tubbo's crying face is enough for him to calm down.
Lookers don't cry. They are friends, they are not sick entities that want to see him suffer.
Tubbo takes a few steps forward before running up to Tommy and swallowing him in a tight, worried hug. His shoulder starts to get damp.
"I... when you started screaming, I thought... what happened?!"
Tommy sighs, taking Tubbo by the shoulders to meet his equally blue eyes "I was being watched and it was a bad time"
"Watched?" someone asks from the crowd "What do you mean, 'watched'?"
Tommy looks into Dream's eyes and he sighs, shrugging "You can tell, I just want to sleep for a thousand years"
"How the fuck are you so calm about this?" Quackity asks, completely confused "And what just happened? Like, you literally helped Tommy in a panic attack after you threatened to kill his best friend"
Tommy, Dream and Tubbo shudder at the same time
"Dream, what's going on?" Sapnap asks, a tone softer than it should have been, but seeing his ex? best friend like that, tired, unlocks emotions that he vowed to keep after the confrontation in El Rapids
"We are watched" Tommy begins, his voice still slightly unsteady and hoarse after shouting so much "It is a feeling of constant vigilance that disappears and appears at specific times"
"We call it lore" Dream says, almost like a whisper "It's... horrible, the feeling of having eyes watching you from behind and a weight destroying your shoulders"
"How... how did you get them out?" Tommy asks and Dream smiles
"My control over the administration came back for a while and I managed, I don't know how, to take the lookers off or divert their attention"
Tommy sighs in relief
"Since when do you have... these things?" Sam asks cautiously
"I think since the War of Independence"
"Why didn't you tell us?!" Tubbo and Puffy ask at the same time
"We didn't know if you would believe it and... these things are so fucking scary" Tommy says "If they managed to get Dream out of the Admin post, imagine what they would do to you? We didn't want these idiots to go after you"
"What do we do now?" Eret asks
"Let's do this, Tommy can go home with everyone and Dream, if you don't mind, can you show us the admin panel?" Sam offers and the blonde nods
"Can I sleep after that?"
"Sure, whatever you want" Punz says and they plus Quackity, Bad and Ant take the elevator up
Tommy is very tired
"Come on, Toms, let's get you out of here" Tubbo says, smiling as they and all the people left behind enter the portal
The lava behind him spikes with heat and Tommy can feel sweat building up on his shirt.
Dream has half-closed eyes and grunts when another wave of pain passes through his skull.
Ȩ̸̛̼̠̦̜̜͈̲͕̟̖̔͊͆͆̏͊̓̂̅͒̇͘͜ý̷̭̇͂̂̈̏̓̅ȩ̸͉͖̤̘̠͛͐̓̐͛̍͊͋͑́̚͝s̷̨͎͇͌̍̂̕
There are too many eyes, more than they should and he clenches his fists, biting the inside of his mouth.
"Toms...?" the older blonde asks almost like a whisper "What... what happened?"
Tommy doesn't respond, walking over to him quickly and falling to the floor on his knees, burying his face in the orange jumpsuit with tears in his eyes.
"Tommy?"
"They... they didn't believe it... they thought you were lying..."
(He lazily walks up the path to the community home, ignoring the feeling of regret that passes. The footsteps of others are clear behind him as he looks for a trapdoor.
The last thing he sees is the glare of the sun and the hilt of a sword hammering his head and Sam’s toxic mask staring at him impassively)
"They... they are treating me like fucking fragile glass" Tommy curses, crushing the dirty, hot fabric between his callused fingers "They think you're lying and you're playing with me"
Dream widens his eyes and sighs, more tired than ever, moving a hand to make circles on his back.
"They are too much of them, Dream... I... I don't know what else to do, they are too much of them and I... I can't sleep!"
He is breathless when he confesses softly and tearfully
"I am scared"
"We will find a way out, Toms... we will be fine"
.
.
.
.
.
right?