Chapter Text
Innocence is a fickle thing.
Scarce, pure, and holy.
Innocence is a gem resting in the sand, covered only by shell parts and seaweed. It is easy to find, and even easier to take, destroy.
Children don’t see the sunken eyes, the hollow cheeks, the tar and dirt and sick and rot-
They are kept away, safe, within the confines of their home, until they’re old enough to finally leave the nest, and see the earth for what it really is.
Shit.
Caked, rolling, suffocating in piles and piles of flea ridden, dirt, mud, diseased, shit.
Just, shit.
Because that’s what the world is full of: shit people, shit jobs, shit companies, shit houses, shit countries that all add up to the very core of the planet, itself, packed with shit.
At least, that’s what Tommy thinks.
—10—
With a fresh mop of blonde curls, a brand new outfit, and a grin that could topple towers, TommyInnit bounced through the portal to the DreamSMP.
He raced through the plains, his older brother tailing behind him, he could smell the grass, the trees, and the pure fresh of the server.
He was optimistic, ecstatic, he was joyful and energetic. He had been secretly hoping, longing, for a new chance in a different land. One where he could finally build a house of his own, make some friends, and settle down, for just a moment.
He prayed for a new land, where he could see his brother smile again. Wilbur needed something new, something good, or he would collapse under the wright of his own words, Tommy could feel it.
So when they got the invite to the DreamSMP, a server with only three people currently occupying, he jumped at the opportunity.
Wilbur said he shouldn’t be making such rash decisions, but at least he said it with a grin on his lips.
So, they began their very own adventure. They travelled to the Crossover and entered the latest portal to the New Servers. From there, they took a detour to buy some essentials, and a new comm, that would hopefully work on the server.
Then, they stepped through the portal, and into the plains. The whole server was untouched, unspoiled, the lands green and dew glossed. Tommy could only think of the life he could taste, awaiting on the horizon.
He wondered, idly, what their father would think, if he could see them now. If he could finally be proud of Wilbur, after taking care of Tommy for all these years, if he would congratulate them, for moving on.
His father wasn’t here, though, and hopefully, he would never be. According to Wilbur, dad would never find them here, and they could enjoy the lands without his looming threat of returning, soon.
Tommy met Dream, the admin of the server, and his two friends: George and Sapnap. Wilbur shook their hands, thanking them for the opportunity, while Tommy belittled George for his glasses.
They fit in, and TommyInnit was hopeful, that good change would come. He bagged work on his house almost straight away, insisting Wilbur to start soon, before night falls.
He laughed, when a spider attempted to climb the walls of his house, landing on Wilbur head, he cried, when he ran too fast, tripping and grazing his knee, he slept, warm in a bed with a view to marvel over, while letting it sink in that this really could be home.
(He was so terribly nïave, looking back on the grazed knee and shabby house. The memories were old, faded, his brothers face muddy and obscured.
Dream was nice, back then. He welcomed them with coffee and cake, smiles and laughs, and he let them into his home, optimism and grace shining through every word.
Tommy could almost gag at the sentimentality of it all, the warm feeling he longs for replaced by a numb haze. The memories were old, they weren’t returning, and the fog could eat them away, for all he cared.)
—09—
The Camarvan provided new opportunities for Tommy, mainly opportunities involving the sale and resale of ‘drugs’ (potions, he would learn later). This was certainly an influence on his lifestyle, mainly revolving around how he could sell a health pot and drive the price up, but not too much or it’d look suspicious.
He enjoyed spending time with Wilbur in the beat up van, it reminded him of when he would sit in his garden, back at Phil’s, and bake mud pies with the camping oven Wilbur bought him one day. He liked to reminisce over the old house, sometimes, even if Wilbur promised him at it was much better in the SMP.
He supposed it was true, to some extent. At least here, he didn’t have to worry about retrieving Wilbur from the couch, waiting for Phil. He didn’t have to worry about Phil coming back, anymore, because Wilbur reassured him lots that he wasn’t coming here.
He didn’t know if that was a good thing or not, he missed his Da- Phil, a lot, but he couldn’t really remember his face right, the features washed away, like someone had spilled water on a fresh painting.
Overall, it was good, living in Dreams land, he got to spend time with everyone, not just his big brother, although, that did seem to be reducing, ever so slightly. More business meant more time spent in the Camaravan, making the drugs for the customers, so he didn’t get much free time, nowadays.
It wasn’t a problem though! He loved helping Wilbur out, it made him feel useful, and all grown up! He finally got a job and he got to do it with his brother, too. It's was a win-win situation, in his sparkling eyes.
So, when Wilbur announced one day, that the Camarvan would be turning into something bigger, he was very excited. Wilbur told him that he’d managed to buy some land off Dream, and he was going to start up a village called ‘L’Manburg.’
Wilbur said the land had cost a lot, so they’d have to work lots more to make up for it. Something about ‘land equity’ and ‘rent’ flying above his head, and Wilbur explained that they were gonna do something Big.
When L’Manburg became more than just a drug van, Wilbur was ecstatic. He danced around the room talking about independence and countries, and the start of a new era on the SMP. Tommy danced along with him, his music dies playing in the background, as the two brothers promised each other revolutions and freedom, a town to call their own.
(Tommy should have left the moment Wilbur started talking about a possible conflict, in his own words. He should have known that this would lead to something much bigger than two boys and an impossible dream.
He should have shut it down, told Wilbur how great an idea it was, but Dream had said no.
He could have done something, before it all went so terrible, horribly, rotten.
He wishes he knew what the curve to his brothers smile had meant, back then, for he would have ran to these hills and further, if he could have had any chance to prevent what was written in history.)
--00--
Tommy didn't want to reminisce, he didn't want to witness these memories again, they had happened once and he was trying to just forgive, and most importantly, forget.
he didn't understand why his brain was still attached him to his dead (not dead, he's walking the earth) brother, his empty father, or the clean land that he ruined-
He just wanted to rest.
Preferably, for forever.