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"So theoretically, how does one become King here?"
Tommy rolled his eyes despite himself, smirking down at his childhood friend from where he stood, balancing precariously on the edge of the wooden planks that made up Eryn's unfinished house. "The day you become King is the day I leave the Dream SMP, my friend." He wouldn't admit that a tiny part of him was curious about that himself - not that he wanted to be King, Prime no, he didn't, but Eryn as King? That would be… terrifying, but delightful. Probably delightful. Maybe just a little. At first. "Putting you in a position of power would be a mistake." That it would be. It would be chaotic as hell… but it would also be hilarious… and it would be fun… the blond tilted his head, letting himself consider the thought for a moment, and snorted. "Alright, wait, say you become King - what does that make me, then? Theoretically, I mean."
Eryn let out a quiet snicker. "What, do you want to be Queen or something?" He ignored Tommy's stammered protests, the blond's face flushing as his friend went on, "a Jester, maybe."
Tommy gasped. "How dare you, I was thinking something along the lines of a Knight-"
"I don't know if I'd trust you with my life," Eryn teased. "You'd kill me in my sleep or something."
"Eryn, I would never and I am disgusted that you think so little of me," Tommy sniffed, placing a few blocks down and jumping down to join his friend on the ground. He was smiling so wide his face hurt, and his chest and ribs and lungs ached from laughing too hard. He couldn't remember the last time he'd hurt so much just from being happy. He couldn't remember the last time he was happy- he shut those thoughts down quickly. "I would be a wonderful Knight. But also I'm your best friend, so maybe I should have some extra benefits. I should be, like, a second King."
"You do want to be my Queen." Eryn smirked, dodging a few half-hearted swipes from Tommy, but it wasn't long before both teens were laughing again. "I don't think that's how the monarchy works. Alright, you can be my personal Knight and protect me from people who don't like me."
"Fuck, that's everyone," Tommy complained, and now it was his turn to dodge a smack or two, cackling as he swatted back at the younger teen, scrambling back a few steps and squealing out a laugh as he ducked away from outstretched hands as Eryn tried to grab onto his shirt to tug him back. "Aye, aye, alright! I will accept the position, but I demand to live in the castle."
"You'll sleep outside with the horses!" Eryn lunged at him, and Tommy scrambled out of the way.
"Eryn, I'm starting to think you're not taking my Knight-ness seriously," he began solemnly, straightening up and clasping his hands together behind his back - only to raise them again quickly with a grin when Eryn spun around to face him again, tensing to lunge at him again. "No, no, listen, listen, you're in no position of power yet, right? George is King, and you're just- well, you're new, you just got here, you're like a little bug everyone wants to crush beneath their heel. The thing is, Eryn, the thing is- you have to be well liked if you want to become King, at least in the beginning-" He smirked. "And I, I happen to be a very influential presence on the server, my friend. The people around here? Love me. I am the most beloved person on the Dream SMP."
"Somehow I doubt that," Eryn said flatly, but he straightened up again, eyes gleaming curiously. Once Tommy was sure he wasn't going to be tackled to the ground, he dared to venture a few more steps forward. "Isn't that Dream guy in prison because he doesn't like you or something?"
Tommy flinched slightly despite himself, covering it up quickly with an irritated huff. "Well-"
"Actually, actually, nevermind, forget it," Eryn interrupted suddenly, an odd look passing across his face. A grin replaced it easily enough, though, and he waved his hands as he spoke, taking a few steps closer to the blond. "Let's not talk about the criminals, it's all good. Okay? Tommy, I will give you one chance - and one chance only - to make me, uh, a 'well liked' person around here. If you can do that and help me become King, then maybe I'll reconsider the second King thing, deal?" He flashed a grin, wide and charming, and all thoughts of Dream quickly slipped away from Tommy's mind, a smirk of his own flitting across his face in response as he nodded.
"Are you going to be a tyrant, Eryn? Because I have mixed feelings about tyrants, you know." He kept his tone solemn, but he couldn't keep the grin off his face, especially when Eryn smiled.
"Me? A tyrant?" A sly smirk tugged at his friend's lips. "You know me, Tommy."
"Yeah, I know you're a little bitch-"
It didn't take long for Eryn to lunge at him again, and Tommy wasn't quick enough to dodge this time; he shrieked, squealing out a startled laugh as the younger boy slammed into him and tackled him to the ground, kicking and flailing and shoving at his friend in a half-hearted attempt to push him off and scramble away. "Aye! Hey, I was joking, joking! I was joking, man, come on-" He laughed, choking slightly and wheezing as Eryn wrestled him into a headlock, firm enough to hold him in place but not enough to hurt. Tommy struggled to force down a familiar wave of panic, swallowing past the anxiety twisting in his gut and writhing uselessly against Eryn's hold. It didn't take long for him to fall limp again, wheezing out a few more shrieking laughs and letting his head fall back against his friend's shoulder. "Fuck you, this won't help your popularity, Eryn."
"Eh, it's not my fault you're so easy to take down." Eryn cackled, letting go and kicking at him playfully; Tommy rolled away from him and fell back into the grass, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a sharp huff. His heart was pounding, but even through the instinctive rush of anxiety that had engulfed him, he still felt… oddly at ease. He hadn't seen his childhood friend in a good few years now, and it had certainly been a while since they'd roughed around like this - hell, it had been a while since Tommy had roughed around with anyone like this, to be honest. Most of his fights consisted of fighting for his life, or at least, there was always the knowledge lingering in the back of his mind that he could have to start fighting for his life at any given moment - but not this. Eryn, satisfied with his victory, sank back into the grass and propped himself up on his hands with a sigh, tilting his head back and lifting his face up toward the sun. Tommy watched him for a moment, smiling slightly, and let his head fall back against the grass.
He kept his eyes on the sky for a while, just gazing at the clouds. It felt nice to be in someone's company again… it had been so long, too long since he'd seen Tubbo. Always busy with Ranboo these days. And Tommy didn't really have anybody else to hang out with, nobody else that tolerated him for very long, at least (and for that matter, nobody else he tolerated for long). So being here with Eryn, like this, it was nice. It was really nice. Especially after… everything…
Lost in his thoughts, he almost didn't notice Eryn get up and walk over to him, settling down on the ground beside the blond and falling back to lay beside him. Tommy raised his eyebrows slightly, keeping his gaze focused on the sky for a moment longer before flicking his gaze over.
Eryn glanced at him, a small smile appearing on his face. "Hi."
"'Ow do?" Tommy cracked a grin, gazing at him for a moment.
"You're supposed to be building."
"Yeah, building your fucking house." Tommy managed to land a hit on Eryn's shoulder and scooted away slightly when the younger teen moved to retaliate. "I'll get it done, I'll get it done!"
Eryn snickered, crossing his arms under his head, and returned his gaze to the sky. Tommy settled again after a moment, breathing out a soft sigh and looking back up at the clouds. Yeah, he had missed this. He had missed the days when he didn't have anything huge to worry about. He missed the days he could just exist, just relax, just be without any lingering fear or trauma or whatever it was - he wished he could just exist like that again, just exist, for a moment, without a worry. Without a care in the world. He wished he could be a kid again, wished he could feel like one. Because Prime knows it had been a while since he'd felt his own age, and today… today was like some rare gift he only received every now and again, and for some reason, it felt sweeter than usual. Not bittersweet, just sweet. Like maybe the world was giving him a break. He doubted it, especially given recent events, but it was a nice thought.
"We should get some armor," he said suddenly, gazing at the sky. "And some good weapons."
Eryn shrugged. "Sure, a King needs good weapons."
"Swords and shit. Axes, too."
"TNT."
"Okay, wait-"