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Tommy sat idly next to the shattered window of the apartment building he had found himself in. He wasn’t aiming to find a place to live, much less people to live with, even though they are complete assholes at time. No, Tommy expected to find himself dead along the way of whatever adventures he forced himself on.
As Tommy glanced out towards the world, the dead trees really representing the world. The trees clung onto the dead grass and the unusable soil. It was definitely city life, if the city life hadn’t been dead.
He ignored the sounds of walking outside of his room. It was most likely Wilbur and Techno. Weird assholes. Wilbur could be nice, guy could sing. Well, used to sing, before the last raid completely wrecked his voice. Tommy would never admit it, but he always felt horrible when he’d hear Wilbur trying to sing at night. It was sad.
Tommy held his backpack close. A thought passed through his mind. He still had them, yeah, sure. He checked his watch, the one thing he owned that was actually useful and wasn’t destroyed. Sure, it didn’t really tell the correct time, Tommy always had to do math, but it did always have the correct date. He checked it. He checked it again. Today really was the day.
His heart throbbed. It was almost midnight too. He was going to miss it.
Tommy reached into his bag, grabbing a small box, another one of his items that actually mattered to him. He placed it on the ground, gently. He didn’t want to damage it. Not today. Tommy then reached and grabbed two of the most important items in the world to him.
Two discs. Both coloured differently, and labeled. The labels were worn out at this point, but Tommy could still tell them apart. He knew what they held. He knew how much these discs were worth. Perhaps not to anyone else, but definitely to him. He almost lost them at one point. Almost lost them to a crazy man who had lost everything. Tommy pledged he wouldn’t become that man. His current roommates didn’t know why those discs were important, and Tommy wasn’t really keen on telling them why. But, if they ever asked, which they never did, then maybe he’d answer. Maybe he’d get it off his chest.
Tommy grabbed the green disc. His favourite disc in the bunch, but, he wouldn’t tell the other disc that. No, he never would. He’d never be able too.
He opened up the box, an empty circle ready for a disc displayed itself in front of Tommy. He placed the green disc inside it, and wound up the box, then waited. The box was old, so Tommy couldn’t judge it for taking a while.
“Hey Tommy! Look what Ranboo and I found!” Tommy forgot how that voice could attack him. Forgot how much emotion it gave him. “Isn’t it cool? We could only find two discs, so sorry bout that boss man! But hey, since Ran and I are going out on your big day, we thought we’d leave you these! Ranboo is recording his right now, so after this one I’ll go interrupt it! See ya Tommy! Happy late or early birthday to the biggest man I know!” Tommy wanted the recording to go longer. He needed it to continue. He noticed he was crying. He always cried on his birthday. Tommy rushed to take the disc out, gently taking it from the box. He’d never let the disc break or crack. Ever. He put in another disc, a white and purple striped disc. He played it.
“Hi Tommy, it’s Ranboo, although, I guess you could tell huh?” Tommy wiped the tears from his cheeks. Of course Tommy could tell. Tommy could always tell. As if he couldn’t recognized the overly deep and annoying voice. “I think Tubbo just finished his recording, but I wanted to wish you a happy birthday, since we’ll be gone that day. We’re really getting drained on resources, not anyone’s fault but-” Tommy heard Ranboo getting cut off.
“Ranboo! Don’t go spouting your anxious shit, we’ll be fine! Besides, we’re perfectly find on resources. Hi Tommy! I’m highjacking Ranboo’s message! Get another happy birthday from me boss man!” Don’t leave.
“Screw off Tubbo!” There was laughter. “Fine, fine, jesus. Get off Tubbo! Why are you so heavy and small?” Tommy wiped his tears again, they wouldn’t stop. “I have to end the message, before Tubbo strangles me to death! Bye Tommy! Happy birthday man! See you when we get back!”
The recording ended. Tommy was crying to heavily now. He couldn’t stop. He left the disc inside the recorder, not daring to touch it, scared that he could break it. He was holding his knees so tightly. He hadn’t even noticed that his door had been opened. He didn’t even notice the man standing at it, until he spoke.
“How old are you now?” The voice was raspy, broken. Tommy shook his head.
“17.” He was 17. He lost them when he was 12. Five years Tommy had been going. Five years Tommy had gone through without them. Five years Tommy had wanted to join them.
“Who were they?” Wilbur asked, his voice was soft.
“Doesn’t fucking matter.” Tommy mumbled, he wondered if he would draw blood with how deep he was digging his nails into his arms. He hoped not. He didn’t want to risk any infections.
“Why not?” Wilbur wondered. Wilbur was asking. Asking about it all. Now was the chance. Tommy knew it. Tommy knew that his roommates, his pseudo family, always wondered about the discs. They never asked. But here Wilbur was, finally asking.
Tommy wiped his tears again using his sleeve from the shirt he’d owned for two years. Red and white were always his colour. The white was a darkened brown now, though. After all the years of digging his ways through the Earth, it didn’t surprise him. Tommy looked up towards Wilbur, Tommy knew his face probably looked ugly, with it being red and all, but Tommy didn’t care.
“Cause they’re dead.”