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Tommy grew up in the cold, lonely palace of the Antarctic Empire with Wilbur, his brother, and Phil, his father. Phil was always busy, and Wilbur never seemed to have the time for him either since he was constantly preparing for the throne.
Phil had made it vocal ever since he could speak that Wilbur was the chosen heir of the throne. So, of course, his brother worked harder and studied every political strategy that the books ever mentioned. Every economic policy ever made, whether it failed or succeeded, was memorized.
He honestly couldn’t understand why his brother was trying so hard to be perfect for everyone. He always told him that being King was hard.
“You never want to be king, Tommy. Be a kid and smile,” Wilbur told him. And so he tried.
He was as much of a kid that the castle would allow. He had a best friend, Tubbo, who was more like his servant, but he didn’t care. Ranboo, one of the kitchen staff, also hung out with them whenever he could, often bringing them treats.
And then there was Technoblade. He was his father’s main advisor and didn’t really talk to him all that much. He was intimidating, which made sense as to why he was the military advisor. His long pink hair and red suit made him afraid. Of course, as he grew older, he became less afraid of the man.
Their first encounter was somewhat awkward. He was around 10 years old and he had been asleep in his room, daylight hadn't even broken yet when there was a knock on his door.
“Who is it?” He called out, his brain slowly turning on as he sat up.
“It’s Techno. Today starts training,” Techno replied behind the door. Tommy blinked harder to wake up, not remembering training starting soon or today even. Either way, he forced himself up and got dressed rather quickly. Due to that, his clothes were all over the place.
When he opened the door, Techno was less than impressed. He looked at him without care behind his eyes, which made Tommy cower ever so slightly.
With a huff, Techno said, “Alright. Follow me,” and led them out to the garden. Their garden was rather large, he would say. Roses of all sorts of colors lined the exterior. There were many flowerbeds full of his mother’s favorite: Bleeding Hearts. He smiled grimly at them, a poor reminder of what was gone.
“We’ll start with the basics,” Techno said when they reached the center, tossing a wooden sword to him. He fumbled with it, barely catching it with his small hands.
“Try to copy me,” he instructed and Tommy nodded back. Techno got into a stance, his feet shoulder-width apart and his heels slightly off the ground. Tommy tried his best to copy him, but the disapproving look that was shot his way answered how well he was doing.
For the rest of the morning, Techno was trying to get Tommy to stand right, to hold his sword correctly, and was even teaching him how to breathe. By the time the sun had risen, he was tired.
Tommy collapsed on the grass, his breathing heavy from the small amount of training they did.
“Are you already tired? We barely even did anything,” Techno said, standing over the boy. Tommy didn’t care as he shut his eyes and tried to ignore the sunlight blinding him.
Realizing that he wouldn’t get a reaction from the younger, Techno grabbed him and dragged him beneath a tree.
“Bloody hell, that hurt!” Tommy exclaimed, his back now aching more as rocks and sticks beat against it.
Techno didn’t reply, though, and sat next to the boy. They remained in silence for the rest of the time until Techno had been called inside by his father’s servant.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Theseus,” Techno had said, sitting up and heading inside.
Since then, every morning, Techno would knock on his door for training. Eventually, Tommy improved. His stance was practically perfect and his breathing was just right. The first time he sparred Techno, though, he failed miserably.
Now, whenever he passes the pink-haired man in the hall, he will say “Hello” with a smile, often getting a soft smile in return.
One day, while they were outside, Wilbur joined them. He sat underneath the tree and watched them fight. Every now and then, he would continue to do so, often bringing a book.
One time after the session, Tommy went up to his brother. “Why do you come here?” He asked, his arms crossing over each other in front of his chest.
Wilbur had looked up with a small smile, “Because I like being with you, Tommy.”
Tommy never questioned whenever his brother was around again.
*-*-*
When he turned 15, things changed. Wilbur had stopped coming to watch them spar. The castle staff had become more frantic for a reason not even Ranboo was willing to disclose.
“Do you know what’s going on?” He asked Tubbo one day while they sat outside.
“I haven’t a clue, big man,” Tubbo had responded with a shrug, causing Tommy to sigh.
“I just don’t get it. Whatever is going on should be told to me, right?” He asked. His eyebrows furrowed because he just couldn’t understand why he didn’t get to know seemingly important information.
Tubbo placed a hand on his shoulder, slightly calming Tommy. “I’m sure if it was that important, they would tell you. You’re the prince, after all.” After that, Tommy knew that everything was alright.
That was until he was 16. The commotion never seemed to cease anymore. Everyone was on edge constantly, and he could never tell why. Ranboo stopped visiting him and Tubbo, stating that he was needed elsewhere.
Later on, Tommy found out he had been enrolled in the military. Ranboo never wanted to be in wars, so he couldn’t understand why he would enlist at all.
He tried to continue on with his life. As he aged, he was tasked with more and more responsibilities. He took classes on ethics and leadership, wondering why as he would never be king. That was Wilbur’s job.
Speaking of his brother, he was in his twenties now. He aged wonderfully, becoming a love idol for many women within the kingdom. His hair was a fluffy brown and his eyes were bright, always happy.
But Tommy saw through the facade. He saw his brother when it was late studying and hunched over books in the library. He saw the bags that formed after days of improper rest. On those days, he would try to be quieter for his brother.
One night, Techno knocked at his door. He looked at Tubbo and shut his book, getting out of his chair and opening the door. “What is it?” He asked.
“Your father needs you in the throne room, young prince,” Techno replied, which caught Tommy off guard. He had never heard Techno speak to him so formally, so he was immediately off-put.
“Thank you. Please let him know I will be there shortly,” he replied in the same manner. He then closed the door and got dressed in his finest. His father rarely ever sent a servant to collect him, so he was confused.
He opened the door and walked out, Tubbo following him closely. All eyes were on them, so they both tried their best to be in the correct form.
When Tommy approached the door, he could hear voices inside, but he couldn’t tell what they were saying.
“Wait for me out here, okay?” He asked Tubbo, which earned him a nod in reply.
He entered the room and saw Phil, Wilbur, and Techno all already present. When they heard the door open, they all ceased chatter and turned to him.
With all of the eyes on him, Tommy shrunk back. He never dealt well with this kind of attention.
He rarely ever saw his father at all, except for dinner, of course, so he wasn’t used to being with him at all. His eyes radiated love and warmth, but he still was fearful under his gaze.
He stood at the end of the table, not wanting to take a seat unless told to. He just wanted to fly away from here, as his father could. The wings on his back could carry him for miles if he wished, but he knew he’d have responsibilities elsewhere.
“Tommy! Thank you so much for joining us!” Phil exclaimed, smiling widely. Tommy gave him a small nod, acknowledging him. “Anyways,” the king continued, “I’m sure you have heard the commotion around the castle as of late.
Tommy had to fight back the urge to scoff at the man. “Of course, father.”
“I assume you’d like to know the cause?”
“Yes please, father.”
“I am going away.”
Tommy stopped. His breathing seemed to cease and his eyes went wide.
“What do you mean? Are you leaving us?” His composure broke. No longer stood a young prince, but rather a small child who yearned for his family’s love.
Phil sighed, “Unfortunately, yes. There are some issues within the other realms that require my…” he stopped, thinking for a moment, “attention.”
“But you’re just our king! You’re nothing special!” He yelled back. He was currently breaking every rule of etiquette, but he couldn’t care less.
Phil’s eyes looked elsewhere as if he was hiding something from his son.
What Tommy didn’t know was that he was the son of the Angel of Death. Phil was a renowned god who, despite his unsettling title, was a gentle spirit, until he was called to war. After millennia of war and fighting, he had decided to settle down, convincing his friend Technoblade, the Blood God, to join him in a pseudo-retirement.
Phil had gotten a letter. His abilities were needed elsewhere in another world. He had grimaced at the letter, part of him excited for an adventure.
All Tommy knew, though, was his father’s abandonment. Before he got to speak, his father was gone. He didn’t realize it was the next day and that his father was gone. He seemingly blacked out at the information.
And thus life went on. The little time he saw Wilbur dwindled to none. Most days, Wilbur sat in his study working as he had become king. But he was prepared. He knew the political climate of the kingdom and every war that was occurring at their borders.
*-*-*
“Techno!” Tommy called out. He was now 17. Phil still hadn’t returned home, and he had given up the hope that he was going to. All that was left were Wilbur, Techno, and Tubbo.
“Hmm? What is it?” Techno asked. He had been walking down the hallway until the boy stopped him. Now of-days, when he is not helping Wilbur out with military strategy, he takes to wandering the halls of the castle.
“Tell Wilbur that I am going out with Tubbo!” He replied, already leaving the elder to nod his head.
Wilbur honestly never minded letting him go out with his friend as long as they were careful. With the stress of the kingdom, Tommy knew that his brother had enough to worry about.
So they went out to the forest that surrounded the kingdom. They went out there often, playing by the river and climbing trees. They were young boys and they truly wanted to remain that way.
But fate was a cruel woman. She loved to take from others and never give, Tommy had found out. After Phil left, he was torn between his brother and his friend. His brother was now king, but his friend was the same as before, so he chose Tubbo.
“Do you think we’ll grow old together?” Tubbo asked as they sat up high in a tree. His legs swung in front of him, showing that he had no care in the world.
“I sure fuckin’ hope so!” He replied, laughing loudly. Tubbo eventually joined in softly.
And then it was quiet, even if it was for just a moment. They said the same thing back when Ranboo was with them, but neither boy had heard from him in months.
“I love you more than the world can contain,” Tubbo replied. Oddly, it was sweet of the young boy. Before Tommy could even reply, fate acted.
At that moment, the branch snapped. Call it cruel irony or ‘perfect timing’ but Tubbo began to fall. Tommy couldn’t move. He wanted to jump after his friend but he couldn’t force himself off his branch.
“Tubbo!” He screamed as the boy fell. After hearing him hit the hard floor, his body decided to reawaken. Tommy climbed down those branches as fast as he could without harming himself. He knew the other boy would hate it if he got hurt.
When he reached the bottom, he rushed over to Tubbo.
“Somebody! Send help! Tubbo is hurt!” He screamed, hoping a palace worker heard his cries. He was crying loudly, latching onto his best friend as tight as he could. He feared that if he let go, the little life inside of him would drain.
He then felt a hand on his cheek. He opened his eyes to see Tubbo smiling softly at him with his eyes barely open.
“Hey, Big Man...no need to cry,” he croaked out. He coughed slightly and struggled to breathe.
“You’re gonna die, and it’s going to be my fault!” He yelled, tears renewing despite the soft protests from the boy beneath him.
“Oh, Tommy,” Tubbo whispered. “You’ll always be my best friend.”
And that’s when he lost it. He broke down on top of his best friend and cried louder than he ever had before. When he felt Tubbo’s hand slip away from his face, he pleaded with the gods to bring back his best friend, but no one heard.
When Tommy walked back to the castle with his friend in his arms, no one knew the boy was dead and the carrier was lifeless. He quickly made his way to Wilbur’s room and nodded to Technoblade to open the door.
“Are you sure you want to bring Tubbo in? I mean, what, is he sleeping or something?” Techno asked, seeing the boy in his arms. Tommy flashed him a smile.
“Ah, don’t worry, Blade, Tubbo sleeps like a rock!” He replied as he made his way through the now open door.
He didn’t catch Techno’s suspicious gaze. Techno knew something was up, but he knew he would be told later if it was something concerning, so he shrugged it off and returned to his station.
*-*-*
Wilbur had been drafting a new proposal for the neighboring kingdom that would help cease conflicts at their border. To be fair, the conflict comes mostly from the fact that their armies have been growing closer to their side by the day, and it has been making the villages near there uneasy.
He sighed and set his pen down, rubbing his hands across his face. He hadn’t been taking the best care of himself, but it’s not like that was a choice he made. Ever since Phil left, he took any and all responsibility for the kingdom.
Before Phil had left, he suggested splitting the work between them two, and Wilbur had agreed. When he went to approach Tommy, though, he saw his younger brother playing with his friend out in the courtyard. What was his name, Tubbo? He couldn’t ruin what happiness Tommy had, so he bore the work all for himself.
There were times when he regretted that decision, so he opted for Tommy to take even more political classes, discussing warfare strategies and public appearance for example. To the surprise of none, he had excelled in those classes. Wilbur couldn’t be more proud of his little brother.
‘Speak of the devil,’ he thought when Tommy walked in carrying a sleeping form in his arms. As he approached the light, Wilbur could see that it was Tubbo. Wilbur furrowed his eyebrows subconsciously, confused at the situation in front of him.
“Tommy? Why have you got Tubbo with you?” He asked, not knowing why his brother would be carrying a sleeping Tubbo. There had been many instances where Tubbo had brought in a sleeping Tommy, claiming that he passed out outside. Or, sometimes, he would bring in a knocked-out Tommy cause he hit his head a bit too hard while playing. But all of that didn’t explain why Tubbo was the one being carried.
When Wilbur had asked the question, the younger had stopped in his tracks. He looked at his brother’s face and saw dull eyes behind a lifeless expression. He stood up from his chair quickly. “Tommy? What happened?”
Suddenly, quiet sobs began to rip out of the younger as he collapsed to his knees, not daring to let go of his friend. “Tommy!” Wilbur cried as he ran to him, getting down next to him. “Tommy, Tommy, please, tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it!” He begged as Tommy continued to cry.
Seeing as he was getting nowhere with the boy, he tried to gently peel Tubbo out of his grasp. “No! Don’t touch him!” Tommy yelled, grabbing the boy tighter and pulling him even closer. Wilbur frowned, not knowing what was going on, so he opted to just sit next to Tommy and rub circles in his back, trying to soothe him.
After a while, it seemed to have worked as the younger’s sobs grew quieter until silent tears cascaded his face. “He’s dead, Will. Tubbo’s dead,” Tommy muttered quietly, almost too quiet for him to hear. His eyes widened and looked down at the boy in Tommy’s arms. His chest was still and his mouth was slightly agape. There was no sign the boy was alive.
Wilbur wanted to cry for his brother, for everything he had lost, but he couldn’t let himself do that. He had appearances to keep and a reputation to uphold. He also needed to get Tubbo out of here so he could be seen by a professional.
“Hey, Toms,” he spoke gently, making sure to not make the other’s defenses go up. “I’m gonna get Techno in here to take Tubbo to someone to check him out, okay? Maybe they can still help him,” he said with a smile, knowing the boy has been dead for too long.
Tommy looked up at him, his eyes red and swollen from tears crying. “Really?” He asked. Tommy’s voice was hoarse and barely understandable.
Wilbur just nodded and replied, “Really.” After a moment, Tommy’s grip relaxed slightly, but not enough to drop the boy cradled in his arms. He took this as a sign to get Techno, to which he stood up and headed to his door, knowing the man was stationed outside.
“Techo, I need you in here to take Tubbo to the infirmary,” he said as he cracked open the door and peered his head out.
“Alright, Wilbur. Is he okay?” Techno had asked. Wilbur looked behind him at the two boys. Tommy was gently running his fingers through his friend’s hair with a soft smile.
“He’s dead, Techno,” he whispered. Techno’s eyes widened slightly as he nodded, making his way through the slightly open door and past Wilbur.
“Hey, Tommy, is it alright if I take Tubbo to the infirmary?” Techno asked softly, which was something Wilbur never knew he could do.
When Phil left, Wilbur had been angry. He had screamed and destroyed many items of possession, all while Techno watched from the side. When he would start crying, Techno would just watch and sometimes utter the occasional, “You need to be stronger.”
His fists clenched slightly at the sight, but he knew it wasn’t the time to be jealous.
Tommy nodded to the older. Techno slipped his arms under the seemingly-resting boy and stood up, causing Tommy to be left holding a ghost of what was. Techno exited swiftly, shutting the door behind him.
“Tommy? Are you going to be okay?” He asked his brother, but he knew the answer already. He saw his little brother with his arms out like Tubbo was still there, staring down at the nothingness that was present. He knew his brother wouldn’t be okay for a long time.
*-*-*
A few days later, they had put together a funeral for Tubbo. According to the death reports, he died due to internal bleeding of the brain caused from the fall he had sustained. Even if Tommy had reported him to the castle sooner, there was no saving the boy. They all knew that Tubbo was dead the moment the branch snapped.
For weeks, Tommy was shut into his room. They left food outside his door for every meal, but it was never touched. Eventually, Wilbur had to be the one to go in with the food, which every time he did, the tray was empty. The poor boy was broken beyond what could be fixed easily.
2 months after Tubbo had died, Tommy thought it was proper to send a letter to their friend.
Dear Ranboo,
The letter began. Normally, when he had sent letters prior, he always added an extra ‘B’ at the end of Ranboo’s name for humor’s sake, but now was not a time for joking.
It has been a long while since we have seen you in the castle. I heard you joined the military, but I don’t know what for. You are definitely more of a lover than a fighter, you know?
He learned a few weeks ago in a desperate search for comfort from his friend’s death just exactly why Ranboo enlisted in the military. When he asked Techno for his enlistment sheet, he received it almost immediately, like he had it ready for whenever the boy asked.
When he read the sheet, his face softened into a small smile of understanding. Officially, it said Ranboo enrolled because his village was in danger. He knew Ranboo’s family used to live near the borders, but they moved to the castle to work only a few years after he was born. They somewhat grew up together in the castle. He knew him longer than he knew Tubbo, him entering the picture when the boys were 7.
I wish I never had to write this letter. Never in a million years did I think I would have to do this, but here we are.
As of 2 months ago, Toby (Tubbo) Underscore was pronounced dead. He died under my watch and I understand if you will never forgive me for letting our friend die.
As he continued writing, tears began to fall on the parchment, leaving small wet spots. He tried his best to dry them off, but only ended up smearing some of the lettering instead. It wasn’t illegible, so he decided it wasn’t necessary to rewrite the letter. Honestly, he didn’t know if he could.
After recalling all of Tubbo’s final moments and what the two of them had been up to in the past year, he decided a two page letter was enough.
Your’s truly,
Prince Theseus Minecraft.
He always hated his real name as it seemed too formal for him. It made sense, though, why he had the name since he was prince, but he preferred the name ‘Tommy’ that Wilbur always called him ever since he was a baby. Techno, though, still called him Theseus despite numerous protests from him.
Making sure he had nothing else to say, Tommy sealed the letter in an envelope and addressed it to Ranboo on the front. On the back, he stamped it shut with the royal seal, ensuring that the letter would make its destination.
*-*-*
“Wilbur, I want to join the military,” Tommy said to Wilbur at dinner, which caused the elder to start coughing in surprise. Tommy, though, didn’t falter.
“The military? Why would you want to do that?” Wilbur asked after recovering from his shock at the request.
Tommy knew he had to stay firm in his conviction to join. It had been almost a year since Tubbo passed and about the same time since he had written to Ranboo. Over that time, now that he was 18, he learned about the dire situation at their borders. He learned of how they were on the verge of invasion from all sides and that there was nothing stopping them.
“I want to fight for my kingdom, Wilbur. The military is struggling and I want to help our kingdom in any way I can!” He replied enthusiastically.
“You can help our kingdom by staying alive, Tommy. If you join the military, there is no guarantee that you’ll live the next day,” Wilbur calmly replied.
“That is a risk I am willing to take.”
Wilbur sighed, “Ever since Tubbo died you have been reckless, Tommy! Do you think Tubbo would’ve wanted you to throw your life away like that?”
Tommy glared at his brother, “Wilbur, all due respect, you don’t know shit about what Tubbo would have wanted, so don’t use him to get what you want.”
“I wasn’t trying to, Toms. I just want you to think about the consequences! You could die!”
“I could die any day here, but you don’t mind. Every second of every day I could drop dead, but that doesn’t change the fact that I keep living. I want to join the military!” He yelled, disregarding all of Techno’s advice.
Tommy had gone to Techno days before asking how he could enlist in the military. Techno had just looked at him oddly.
“Why would you want to do that, Theseus?” Techno asked him curiously.
Tomm huffed, “I want to fight for my kingdom.” Techno had seemingly taken that as a satisfactory answer.
“You still need permission from the king. That’s policy. If a prince, no less the crown prince”, Tommy winced at his words. When Wilbur had been crowned king, he had been subsequently named the crown prince since if Wilbur died, he would take the throne. “Wants to enlist, he needs direct permission from the king,” Techno slid him a sheet of paper, “on here.”
Without looking, Tommy grabbed the paper and ran off, shouting “Thanks Techno!” as he left.
“Tommy, help your country here, in the safety of the castle! If you died, then there would be no heir to the throne if something happened to me. If that did happen, then the entire empire would collapse,” Wilbur replied, causing Tommy to scoff.
“Please, Wilbur. I want to fight. I have all this energy and I want to put it to use! You even know that I am more useful out there than I am here! I am not the most diplomatic person, you know,” he replied, trying to convince him.
“I know that. You would be amazing on the field, that is not a fact I can ignore. You’ve been trained by the TechnoBlade ever since you were a child! I have no reason to think that you would be dead weight out there. But that doesn’t change the fact that you could die .” Suddenly, Tommy had an idea.
“If you can put me in the same group as Ranboo, then there would be someone to look over me out there, right? You remember Ranboo, he used to work as a kitchen staff and was friends with me and Tubbo--”
Wilbur cut him off, “Yes, I know Ranboo.” Wilbur sat in thought for a moment. Then, he replied with a sigh. “I know that if I don’t let you, you will find a way to do it anyways.” Wilbur rubbed his hands over his face and then extended one of them.
“Hand me the form. I know you have it, Techno told me he gave you one.” Tommy reached in his pocket for the neatly folded sheet of paper and handed it to his brother. When Wilbur got it, he immediately signed his name and handed it to a servant.
With a tight smile, Wilbur looked his brother in the eyes. “Well, Tommy, as soon as you finish the enlistment work, you will officially be part of the Antarctic Empire’s military! I will see about you getting placed with Ranboo, so don’t worry about that.”
Tommy grinned widely, suppressing the urge to scream and jump around in excitement. Instead, he nodded to his brother and said, “Thank you, Wilbur”.
The two finished their last dinner together in peace.
*-*-*
Like he said he would, Tommy easily fit in with the military personnel out in the field. The entire time he had been out here, though, he saw no sign of Ranboo anywhere until later that day, which was nearly a week since he’d been sent out.
He had been joking around with some new friends he had made, Jack Manifold and Niki Nihachu.
Jack was a weird character, he had to admit. He wore sunglasses that were red on one side and blue on the other claiming they were for a tactical advantage. He worked in the recon part of their group, telling those on the field what to expect. He told Tommy that before the military, he worked as a farmer near the borders. When he saw what was happening, he wanted to enlist to help out.
Niki was very different from Jack. She was one of the most soft spoken girls he had ever met. Her blonde hair was shoulder length with hints of pink at the tips, suggesting it had been dyed before. She worked the medical supplies for the troops in their unit. She was amazing at administering medicine and he could see why she was chosen for this position. She told him that prior to all of this, she owned a nice bakery near the capitol and she hoped she would be able to return when her services were no longer needed.
He enjoyed his new friends, happy that they could keep him company. They were all sitting around the dinner table, enjoying their food, when Niki called out to someone.
“Hey, Ranboo! Come join us!” She called. Turning towards where she was looking, he saw his old friend in all of his glory. He had grown considerably to a height of 6’6 and was lanky enough to show it.
Tommy stood up and looked at the boy. “Ranboo?” He asked, in shock that he finally could see his friend again after so long.
“Tommy?” The other replied, setting down his tray of food to the side. He had done so just in time as Tommy immediately tackled him, sending them straight to the floor. He hugged the other tightly, afraid that if he let go, he would never see him again.
Tommy started to cry softly, excited to see his friend. Judging by the movement of the other’s chest, soft sobs were overcoming him too.
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there with you when Tubbo died,” Ranboo said, hugging Tommy, but not as tightly as the other was with him.
Tommy chuckled sadly, “It’s fine, big man. You were out here fighting and shit.” He rubbed his eyes, trying to see his friend better.
He vowed to never let anything happen to Ranboo, Niki, or Jack. He already failed Tubbo; he couldn’t fail them.
*-*-*
“Everyone, to your feet! The other side is approaching!” Their general called out, causing everyone to rush to their stations. It was early morning and currently the Esempee’s military has invaded their side of the border, rushing to attack their post.
With swords in hand, every soldier took up arms and fought with whoever they encountered first. Those unfortunate enough had to deal with two men on them.
Tommy, though, was safe. He knew how to fight and how to fight well. He kept calm, remembering his breathing that Techno always taught him. He swung his sword in a collected rhythm, slashing anyone who got in his way. He needed to make sure Ranboo was safe.
He spent a majority of his time in the fight looking for his friend, but he couldn’t seem to find him anywhere. “Ranboo!” He yelled, running around and dodging swords and arrows. He had to find him and make sure he was safe.
Eventually, he found the other in a fight against another man. This man was strange with brown hair and white glasses that he hadn’t seen anywhere before. Without thinking, he slashed down the man and helped his friend.
“Thank you, Tommy, but I had it handled,” Ranboo said, his breath heavy as he tried to catch it.
Tommy gave him a smile, “Sure, big man. Whatever you say.”
“GEORGE!” A voice screamed which caused the other two to look at the source. Running up came a man with a mask over his face, covering any distinguishing features. He ran to the man that laid lifeless on the ground, shaking him.
Tommy shoved Ranboo behind him, holding his sword out. He knew he should’ve attacked the man, but he couldn’t find it in himself to kill a grieving friend. All he saw was him trying to wake Tubbo from his endless slumber.
Eventually, the man looked up and pointed his sword at Tommy. “ You. You killed George,” he said.
Tommy nodded and stood his ground, “Yes I did.”
The other laughed and lunged at him, leaving Tommy to block with his sword to avoid being hit. He could tell this other man was stronger than him, and it would leave him at a disadvantage.
He pushed the other off of him and tried to take a small breath, but the other man wouldn’t let him. Immediately, he swung again, just barely missing his neck. He couldn’t win this fight against the masked man, but he would die trying.
After what felt like an eternity of swinging swords and blocking attacks, Dream managed to get Tommy. He had been confident that maybe he was winning the fight until he felt a sword pierce his stomach, causing him to fall.
The masked man stood over him, “That was for George. Do not mess with the Esempee Prince’s men,” and left.
“Ranboo! Get help!” He managed to cry out weakly, before he felt himself being picked up. He looked up at his savior and saw Ranboo himself carrying him and barely struggling.
“Don’t worry, Tommy, I won’t let you die,” he said. Tommy smiled at the man and closed his eyes, wanting to take a quick rest.
When Wilbur heard the news about Tommy’s injuries, he immediately set out to the station. If he hurried on horseback, he knew he could get there within a few hours. He hoped that his little brother could last that long. He couldn’t lose him too.
*-*-*
When he woke up again, he honestly felt terrible. His entire body ached and he found himself in a tent. Nearby, voices spoke but he couldn’t make sense of what they said.
Eventually, a man stood next to him. “Hey, Toms,” the man said, causing Tommy to recognize the voice.
“Wilbur?” He weakly muttered out, reaching for his brother. Wilbur grasped his hand, holding it close to him.
“Yes, Tommy, yes I’m here. I’m here, Toms,” he whispered, holding his brother’s head with his free hand.
“Am I going to die?” He asked, finally being able to focus on Wilbur’s face. His eyes were red and his face was in distress. He was really in trouble now.
Wilbur shook his head, “No, no, I won’t let you die, okay? You’re going to be fine.”
Tommy smiled and looked up at the roof of the tent. “I don’t think I have much time left,” he muttered, his grip on his brother’s hands growing weaker by the second.
Wilbur let go of his hand, holding his body tightly, “Please, Tommy, you can’t leave me! I can’t do all of this alone!”
Tommy didn’t acknowledge his words. “I love you, Wilbur.”
“I love you too, Tommy,” Wilbur said, choking back a sob.
Tommy closed his eyes and took a final breath, causing Wilbur to scream out in pain. He lost his father and now his only brother. He was alone.