Chapter Text
Tommy could barely keep his eyes open, the words that his teacher Mr. Minecraft was saying were floating around in his head and mixing together. Ancient mythology lectures were always dull, even when they were learning about battles between gods and entire nations blown up and reduced to rubble. It was never something that caught his attention.
It was also difficult to focus when his two best friends were making faces from across the room. He had to bite his tongue several times so his fellow classmates wouldn’t hear him laughing absurdly.
His attention snapped back to reality as Mr. Minecraft started discussing what sounded like another old myth.
“One of the most well known legends is that of Theseus, the God of the Stars, and his Exile. During this time, Theseus wasn’t allowed to return home or visit any of the Godly villages. Instead, he was trapped on an island, closely observed by Dream, the Chaos God. And so the legend tells of Theseus passing the time by drawing pictures in the stars, which is why we now have the constellations you all know.”
Huh, this Theseus guy sounded like and idiot. Tommy leaned back in his chair. Across the room he could see Ranboo doodling absentmindedly in his notebook, Tubbo scribbling down some notes right beside him. Assholes. It was so unfair that he had to sit all the way in the back, no where near his friends.
The bell rang loudly, signaling the end of school that everyone had been waiting for since they stepped foot in the building earlier that morning. Tommy grabbed his bag and made for the door, only to be stopped by a familiar “Hold it, Tommy,” from the teacher’s desk.
Mr. Minecraft was busy sorting papers from another class, but his gaze turned to look Tommy dead in the eye. Tommy just stood there.
“Mate, I know you don’t want to hear this, but I don’t think there’s any other way it’s gonna sink in.” He walked around the desk and leaned on it casually, as if this was a talk between friends or coworkers. “It’s about your grade. This is the only class you’re failing, and I’m afraid if you don’t get up to at least a C I’m going to have to hold you back.”
Great. Just what he needed, news that he might have to watch all his friends move on and become seniors next year while he stayed behind. Tommy rolled his eyes and looked away annoyedly.
“Tom, I’m serious. You can ask Tubbo to tutor you when you’re both free if you want, you know how well he does in this class. I’m even offering to teach you on the weekends, I just need you to try a bit harder.”
“I’ll ask him,” he gritted his teeth. Did this man not realize how embarrassing it’d be to have to meet your teacher during the weekend to study mythology? “I’ve gotta catch the bus, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Mr. Minecraft watched as the tall blonde sprinted out the door and down the hall. Tommy must not have realized that his teacher knew he always walked home.
Tommy found Tubbo and Ranboo in their usual spot, talking and leaning against the back of the school to wait for him. He sprinted a couple paces to meet them.
“What was the hold up, boss man?” Tubbo swung his bag over his shoulder like it weighed nothing, taking a couple steps forward.
“Stupid teacher wants you to tutor me or I get held back,” Tommy scoffed. The other two exchanged concerned glances. “Like seriously, why do I need to know about some stupid ancient dickheads to pass high school? When am I ever gonna use that in the ‘real world’? Fuckin’ load of shit.”
They had begun walking back to the apartment, passing the gas station where most kids hung out after school, cutting through that narrow alley between the sweet-smelling bakery and the burger place that Tubbo worked at on the weekends. Ranboo listened as his friends argued over study times and tutoring schedules, chuckling fondly to himself.
The lock clicked loudly as Tubbo swung the door open with more force than was necessary. An angry grumble sounded from the couch.
“Stop slamming shit, Tubbs, you’re so loud.”
“Nice to see you, too, Schlatt!” Tubbo bopped his brother on the head before walking into the kitchen to grab a snack.
Schlatt sat up and yawned loudly, his arms almost hitting Ranboo as he took a spot on the couch where the other’s feet moved from, reaching for the remote to watch a movie.
It was usually pretty boring for them after school let out; Schlatt didn’t have a license to take them places, and no one really wanted to hang out with them unless it was for a project or to get answers to Mrs. Atkins’ latest homework.
Not that it mattered, since the three of them all had each other. Nothing could stop the Benchtrio (a nickname coined by Tubbo that had stuck for years) and their adventures. Or lack there of.
But today felt sort of… off. Something seemed different, but none of them were really bothered by it. They spent the rest of the night eating leftovers and arguing over what to watch like normal, but every once in a while the room would fall silent and the air seemed to be more tense. Eventually Tommy headed to his room to change and (hopefully) get some sleep.
He thought he was still half asleep when the sunlight started to peek through his eyelashes. His bed felt weirdly far away, it must’ve still been a dream. Tommy opened his eyes ever so slightly.
His yell was loud enough to wake the whole building up.
“Holy shit, Toms, what happened?” Schlatt had come running at the sound of distress, Tubbo right behind him and Ranboo all the way in the back, still looking half asleep.
Tommy took a few deep breaths until his chest moved up and down a bit slower. “I- fuck, I don’t know how- the bed was- I-I think I was floating !”
Schlatt’s look of worry melted away into an unamused glare. He rolled his eyes.
“Real funny man, but some of us were trying to sleep. I thought we said enough with the pranks?”
He turned and left the room, allowing Tubbo fill in his place. Tommy couldn’t believe it; how did they not believe him? He was genuinely floating, he wouldn’t just make something like that up as a prank. Well, he would. But not at a time like this!
“You’re lucky I was already up, you dickhead,” Tubbo said with mock annoyance. Tommy knew they were good enough friends for the older to not be as upset as the others if there was a loud shriek at seven in the morning.
Wait. Tommy Kraken Danger Innit didn’t shriek. He was brave, and strong, and afraid of nothing and no one.
Ranboo piping up brought him back out of his thoughts.
“What do you mean by ‘floating’?” They sat down on the floor facing the bed, looking up at Tommy and Tubbo.
“What else would I mean? I mean floating! Hovering! Defying the fuckin’ laws of physics!” Tommy waved his arms animatedly as he spoke (something he tended to do when he was upset). “I’m telling you, it’s not a dumb prank. I know what happened.”
“Sure you weren’t still dreaming? I don’t think people just fly in their sleep, boss man.” Tubbo tilted his head, puppydog-style.
“Why the fuck would I make this shit up? I scared that now I’ll be walking down the street and just float off into space.” Tommy crossed his arms like an angry toddler.
“Hmm…” Ranboo seemed lost in his own thoughts this time. He was staring into his hands, twisting the red and green rings they had that represented both of the other two.
Tubbo leaned back on the bed, arms outstretched. “Maybe you’re just stressed, with the whole pass-my-class-or-you-fail-the-year deal Mr. Minecraft was talking about.”
Tommy groaned when he remembered the talk he had had yesterday. He fell back next to Tubbo, covering his face with his hands. Ranboo stood up and dropped onto both of them, laughing wildly as they started yelling at him for crushing their stomachs.
Schlatt appeared in the doorway, dressed in his usual blue seater and holding a pair of car keys. The trio, after they caught their breaths, looked at him, confused.
“Bro, you can’t drive, why the hell do you have keys?” Tubbo got up and tried grabbing the shiny object out of his brothers hand, but the older was too quick; he snatched them away and flicked his brother on the forehead.
“They’re not mine, you idiot, they’re my friend’s.”
“You have friends?” Ranboo asked genuinely, but it came off as more sarcastic than anything.
“What, a guy can’t have a life outside of his dumb brother and said brother’s dumb friends? Now c’mon you dorks, we’re going for a ride.”
Tubbo turned to give a others an ‘I-don’t-think-this-is-a-good-idea-but-let’s-just-go’ kind of look. They shrugged back, getting up to change quickly and head outside to the parking lot.
The man waiting in the car with Schlatt had curly brown hair and large, round glasses. He couldn’t be older than 25 by the looks of it. He gave them a friendly smile that only Tubbo returned.
Ranboo squeezed into the back seat, hitting his head as he sat down. Tubbo fit neatly in the middle of them, Tommy pressed against the door and looking out the window. The stranger stared at the odd group from the rear-view mirror. His voice came out deep and gruff.
“You three okay back there?”
“Yep, just fine!” Tubbo bounced happily in his seat. Easy for him to say, Tommy thought, seeing as he wasn’t smushed up against a door with barely any room to breathe. “So where are we going, Mr. Friend-of-Schlatt?”
The man laughed lightly as the car reversed out of the spot and they got driving on the main road. “It’s Wilbur, and we’re going to the park to meet my brother. I think you’ll like him. Buckle up, everyone.”
Ranboo shifted uncomfortably at the mention of someone new, causing Tubbo to look at him with a troubled gaze. They seemed to have a whole conversation without saying a word. Tommy looked away, staring out the window and at the passing buildings and clouds.
He could’ve sworn he saw a bird flying through them, only it didn’t look like a bird; it had wings, yes, but it looked so much larger and more human shaped. Tommy just assumed he was still a bit drowsy.
They reached the park that Wilbur mentioned a short while later, pulling into a parking spot near a bright pink haired man. He walked over to the car as they all got out. The first thing Tommy noticed was his build; the guy looked like he could easily pick up all three of them like they weighed less than a feather, but he was still rather slender. He also had a few scars on his face and arms, and Tommy wondered if any of them were from some type of fight.
”Wil, I thought you said just Schlatt was comin’?” The man said in a deep, monotonous voice. He eyed the three teenagers suspiciously.
”Change of plans, big bro. Besides, I’m sure they’ll be fine, they probably won’t even know what we’re talking about.” Wilbur leaned on his brother’s arm, the latter cringing at being called that.
”What do you mean, ‘they won’t know what we’re talking about’?” Ranboo questioned, stepping a little closer to Tommy and Tubbo. “We’re seventeen, anything you guys would find interesting we’d probably know about.”
The three older men were silent for a moment. Schlatt’s expression was unreadable, Wilbur and Techno looked intimidating.
”I like you, kid,” Techno said, his eyes boring into Ranboo’s. Ranboo looked away quickly, tugging on Tubbo’s sleeve to signal he was uncomfortable. Tubbo got the hint.
”Aye, maybe don’t do that man,” he said defensively. “The whole eye contact thing, y’know? My friend’s not a huge fan of it.”
Techno and Tubbo were staring each other down, the others watching in awkward silence. Wilbur finally broke it, bringing the attention back to him (though quick glares were occasionally shot between the two).
”We’re going to a hidden little spot right in those woods,” he pointed to the trees just beyond the swings at he end of the park, “so if you’re coming you better go now. The three of us probably won’t be back out for a while. And don’t worry, we’re not going in there to do drugs or anything.” He added, noticing their alarmed looks.
The six of them made their way to a small path in the trees, one that had clearly been worn down over years of use. Tommy wondered how long Schlatt had been meeting these guys here without him and the other two knowing. Maybe he had more secrets than they realized.
They walked for a good few minutes before reaching a small clearing, a makeshift fire pit and some log benches in the middle of it. There was a man sitting at the fire, his back turned to them as they approached. He must have heard them coming, though, because he stood up and turned around, smiling widely until he noticed Tommy, Tubbo, and Ranboo. The three teens’ jaws dropped as he faced them.
“Mr. Minecraft?”