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“Ranboo, what’s the strat?”
It was a pleasant day in Brighton, the type where you have to roll up your hoodie sleeves so you don’t overheat. Not exactly short sleeve weather though. Tommy, Tubbo, Ranboo, and Phil were out filming your average vlog, well as average as it could be with multiple extremely chaotic content creators.
They were doing an (quite difficult if Tommy did say himself) American Ninja Warrior course. It was the same stuff as the show, a few spinny balance beams, tilting monkey bars, and the infamous running wall. They arrived at the place right after they ate lunch. Phil kept nagging them that they should do a whole course right after they ate, but what’s the worst that could happen?
They did the regular recording for a while, doing the whole Jacob bit while running around and having fun. They teased each other, fell, and laughed. Overall, an average Tom Simons vlog. The regular crew just having a good time.
At least, they were having a good time until it happened.
They were up to the spinning balance beams on the adult course.
“You think I got it Tobs?” Tommy said as he looked at Tubbo. Tubbo nodded.
Tommy started to jog across it when-
“Augh.”
He fell to the mat, groaning in pain. So there goes his dreams of having children, he thought.
“I am- I am not built as different as I thought I was.” He said, still rolling around.
The staff guy leaned over to him, eyes full of sympathy. “Don’t worry mate, kids are a nightmare anyway.” This got a good chuckle out of all of them.
After moping on the ground for a few more minutes he got up. They were encouraging Phil to do the obstacle when Ranboo ran across without falling. They cheered him on when he got the the end. Tubbo said he had a strategy before crawling on the beam and touching the ground multiple times. They turned the beam over in response.
Tommy went to the beginning of the obstacle, hyping himself up. “What’s the strat Ranboo?” He asked.
“Honestly just run.” Was Ranboo’s award winning advice.
He backed up before going in a full sprint across the beam. Unfortunately the beam did not favor him as it did Ranboo. He slipped to the side, causing him to fall one way, then hit his head the other direction. The whiplash caused him to just be stunned for a moment. His whole body then hit one side of the beam.
Tommy groaned in pain as his friends were quick to ask him if he was alright.
“Don’t forget to like, comment, and subcribe.” Was all he said in response.
A few minutes later Tubbo brought him aside holding a camera. Tubbo made jokes to make Tommy feel better. His jaw was getting less sore, but his head was still pounding. Tubbo was telling the story of when he broke his arm and told knock knock jokes to himself, but Tommy could hardly hear him with the ringing in his ears. He closed his eyes, rubbed them, and reopened them. When did the light get so bright.
— — —
The rest of the video went on like usual. The obstacles were conquered, the bits were 1000% funnier, Jacob was still seeing Tommy as his father figure, everything was going to plan. Although the rest of the crew did notice that Tommy was acting a bit unusual. He was probably just disoriented with all of the injuries he sustained during the vlog, they thought. After all, what was the worst thing that could happen?
— — —
Tommy was trying his best to not puke.
He felt incredibly dizzy, like he was a child again and he just finished a spinning contest. He didn’t even know why, it’s not like he twirled at all during the vlog. Not to mention his head was still throbbing, he felt like someone took a club and hit him right in the head. He kept on tripping, he wasn’t this clumsy before, what happened that would make him feel so awful?
Oh god.
He felt the acid climbing up his esophagus, he couldn’t stop it this time. He told Phil that he needed to take a leak and ran to the bathroom. He situated himself in front of a toilet right in time.
He expelled the acidic liquid from his mouth into the toilet, the acidity burning his mouth as it came out. He really didn’t want to ruin the vlog… they’d been planning it for weeks! He couldn’t let a little bit of vomit ruin his limited time with Ranboo, that’d be a waste. He went out of the stall and washed out his mouth with the bathroom tap water. He made a mental note to brush his teeth thoroughly that night.
— — —
Their wristbands had expired and the group started to go back to the car. They were telling stories about the trip, and how they were excited for the next meet up. Tommy was trying his best to pay attention, but he was too disoriented to really listen, and his head pain was at an all time high. He usually got car sick, so he had no idea how he would fare in the car. He prayed to whatever god that was above that he’d be fine in the car.
They got into the car and started a conversation. Tommy tried to pay attention and he contributed when he could, but he knew he was talking less than usual.
“Mate, are you good? You’ve been quiet, even without the streaming persona you’re never this… calm.” Phil asked a few minutes into the ride.
“Yeah, just a bit tired, after all I did just do a whole Ninja Course.” He said, he really wasn’t lying about the tired part. He felt like he had just run a marathon.
Phil made a noise of understanding and went back to his conversation with Ranboo and Tubbo.
— — —
Oh god.
Oh g o d.
He thought when he puked in the bathroom, that that was it. What else did he have to spew. There was a decent amount of time left until they got back to Tubbo’s house, and he really couldn’t wait.
He felt the chunks making their way up his throat. He was gonna have to get Phil to pull over. Jesus, he doesn’t think he’s ever felt this horrible. His head was pounding, his ears were ringing, he was exhausted and fatigued and the sun hurt his head. The acid crawling up his esophagus didn’t make him feel any better.
“Phil, pull over!”
“Tommy, are you alright?” Phil asked alarmed.
“Yeah- just pull the fuck over!”
They were in the pullover lane before Tommy could apologize. He quickly opened the vehicle door and ran outside. His head was pounding, it was hurting so much Tommy could barely even tell he’d already spewed everywhere. He was so tired. So so so tired. And his head hurt so so so much. He ran back to the car, and as Phil was asking him if he was okay, he passed out in the passenger seat.
— — —
There was a hand gently running through his hair, untangling the scarce knots and massaging his scalp. He was laying down, he was certain of that. He wasn’t certain of where, though. The bed was way too stiff to be his, and it didn’t feel like Tubbo’s couch. He opened his eyes and squinted, why was that light so bright?
He turned his head and caught the owner of the hand, it was Ranboo who was sitting on the chair right next to his bedside. He paused his hand and began to talk.
“Hey, Tommy. You sorta passed out in Phil’s car. He already mildly suspected you had a concussion so he brought you here right away.” at Tommy’s furrowed brow, he answered the next obvious question. “You were put for three or four hours, you didn’t miss much.”
Well that explained it. Where were Phil and Tubbo, though? He asked Ranboo.
“They went down to the Asda a few minutes away to get you something for when you woke up. I should probably call them and tell them you did.”
Ranboo spoke to Phil and Tubbo. They confirmed they were on their way back. Whilst they were in the car, Tommy made idle chat with Ranboo. He told them how worried they were. Tubbo kept insisting Tommy would die, he was ever the optimist.
The curtain to his cubicle was ripped open by an overexcited Tubbo. He started talking to Tommy before handing him a small among us character plushie.
“It’s even red, so it’s extra sus! Plus, it matches your brand.” He said optimistically.
“Tubbo, among us died like, 4 months ago.” Tommy deadpanned before cracking a smile.
Phil came a few minutes later and they all talked for a bit before he checked out of the hospital with a few painkillers and meds he should take for his concussion. In the car home is when they asked the big question.
“Tommy, your head must’ve been killing the whole time, why didn’t you tell us?” Phil asked. The conversation between Tubbo and Ranboo suddenly fell silent.
“I don’t know. I guess- I guess I didn’t want to waste time while Ranboo was still in the UK.” He said.
“Awwwwwww Tommy…” Tubbo said, drawing out the Y.
“Just- just shut up. Forget I said anything.” Tommy stuttered, the tips of his ears becoming a dangerous red.
They all laughed and they continued the old conversation.
— — —
Tommy decided to spend the rest of the week at Tubbo and Ranboo’s house. It was a nice chill, and they made sure to dim all their lights for him, he profusely thanked them for this and they said it was expected of them.
— — —
“Tommy, are you still editing the Ninja Warrior vlog?” Tubbo asked.
“Yeah.”
“But you literally died.”
“So? Content is content.”
They both laughed.