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It was a wonderful December night.
The year had been tough. People disappeared, people returned, people stayed. A quiet cottage on a snowy island became two, became a mansion, became a town. The smoking crater of the home they’d once loved, reduced to rubble, grew moss, filled with water, filled back up with life again. The animals returned, cows to the fields, foxes to the forests, fish to the lakes, birds to the deep blue skies.
“Hey,” a familiar voice said, Tubbo turning to see the boy he’d missed so dearly, fought so hard for, standing just above him.
“Hi,” Tubbo grinned, Tommy’s smile widening in return as he sat with him on the blanket on the grassy knoll. It had snowed the night before, the grass crunchy with ice. From here, the view of L’Manburg’s crater was spectacular; it glowed from within, frozen waterfalls suspended in time, the landscape sparkling with patchy snow.
The earth was healing, bit by beautiful bit, and Tubbo was glad to watch the horror fade away like snowflakes in the spring.
The boys were quiet for a beat, Tubbo watching his brother’s eyes widen at the landscape, the lights of the floating lanterns and crater reflecting in his aquamarine eyes. It had taken so long, so much torment, to rid the grey from Tommy’s irises, to finally get him to smile again. They were both idiots. They were both manipulated by an unstable admin with too much time on his hands.
The torment was over. They were done being played with. They were done being torn apart.
“It’s beautiful,” Tommy stammered, face reddening instantly. “I – I mean, it’s –“
Tubbo laughed, elbowing him. “No, you’re right.”
And nine months ago, Tommy would have shrivelled away from the contact, pupils contracting as he struggled to breathe through whatever flashback he was having. A year ago, they weren’t on speaking terms, both going through the worst times of their lives.
It wasn’t back to normal yet. The nightmares still came for them, Tommy still had panic attacks. Tubbo still dissociated. But they were healing. It had taken them both a long time to admit they needed help and finally, things were looking up.
“Hey!” Tommy cackled, digging a hand in the bandana around his neck he shoved back. A spider, as big as one of Niki’s pastries, sat on his palm, clicking it’s jaws. “You coulda squished Shroud!”
They argued. Tommy tackled him to the ground. They laughed until their sides were sore.
Just like when they were kids. And wheezing in the weak headlock Tommy had him in was, in Tubbo’s mind, the best place to be on New Years Eve. The amount of work they’d put in to be here, alive and safe and well, together, wasn’t easy. It was hard, and it was scary, and there were tears.
But it was worth it.
“I was coming out here to ask why you’d fucked off from the party,” Tommy began, breathless, letting out a groan as he was flipped back onto the rug by his stronger counterpart. “But now you’re attacking me!”
“Well, I was just taking a breather before you had me in a shit headlock.” Tubbo shot back, letting out a stupid giggle at Tommy’s noise of indignation, letting him go before flopping onto his back. Tommy blew a raspberry before he joined him, plopping a skinny arm on Tubbo’s chest.
It was pretty much cloudless, a perfect night for a party, the stars bright, the moon a glowing crescent. Fog trailed up from their mouths into the night sky.
“Are you sure you’re good?” Tommy asked, quieter. Tubbo nodded.
“Even with the fireworks still? We can still get Sam and Foolish to hold them off-“
“It’s fine, I’m still fine.” Tubbo interrupted. He sounded strangely serene. He wasn’t. He was scared shitless, actually, because he had nightmares about red, white and blue on the weekly still, but…
He turned his head to the party, watching everyone upside down. Foolish and Sam had indeed disappeared, leaving to tend to the midnight treat. When they’d disappeared, so had Tubbo, letting go of his husband’s hand and sitting out of view on the rugs that watched over L’Manburg. He’d just needed a moment to stop, think, breathe. Get himself together before the bangs started.
Niki and Jack were totally drunk, sitting on the picnic table they’d dragged up to the top of the hill, talking about who knew what. Eret, Ponk and Sapnap had joined them, all rugged up in winter clothing. At the crest of the hill, Ranboo and Puffy, with Michael and Junior in tow, were speaking to Philza, while Purpled, Fundy and Slime chatted amongst themselves, sitting above the opening to the Prime Path. If Tubbo looked down to the stairs to L’Manburg, he could just see the tops of Wilbur and Quackity’s heads, the two sitting next to each other on the stained wooden steps, looking down at the crater they’d once fought for.
It had taken a long time to get them to behave. It turned out they had a lot more in common than they’d thought.
And if he just turned his head to the right, there was Tommy, staring at him with a fond smile on his face. Of course he’d been the one to come search from him. Ranboo knew when to leave Tubbo alone, trusted him to come to him and speak if he really needed something. It had been a hard thing to really knock into his head, but Tubbo tried his best.
Tommy, on the other hand, was a lot more forward. He was his annoying little brother - he knew him like the back of his hand, and he’d stick with him fiercely until the end. The things they’d been through only made them stronger. Tommy was his family.
It was nice to have a family again.
A head popped into view, black and white and tired, and Tubbo smiled up at his husband.
“Tommy can take him,” Ranboo grumbled, lowering their son onto the other groaning teenager, folding his long legs to sit with them. “He’s heavy.”
“True.” Tommy replied, unable to hide the joy on his face as Michael curled up on his chest happily. Tubbo only laughed.
“Twig arms. Both of you are twigs.”
“You try holding him for an hour,” Ranboo groaned, shifting his weight into Tubbo’s side. Tubbo felt the anxiety pool out of him at the contact, pulling Ranboo’s left arm into his lap, hands warm.
“Yeah, I –“ Tommy began, poking out his tongue as he looked over. “Bleugh! Don’t start getting all cuddly when I’m right here!”
Even that was a welcome change. Hiding their relationship from everyone on the server, terrified for their lives, for their son’s life…
It was good. After such an insane year, it felt… deserved.
The footsteps of the others sounded on the grass, laughter echoing down the hillside. A countdown began, slowly winding down, five, four –
And Tubbo tensed of course, heart stilling automatically, chest tight.
“You’re okay.” Ranboo whispered in his ear, a lot closer than he’d expected. An arm was slung around him, his husband’s tail bapping the grass. A scarred hand found his, Tommy’s grip strong but gentle as ever. Michael curled into his side.
Three, two –
His heart swelled, pulling them close to his hammering chest.
One!
The lights lit up the canyon, bouncing off sparkling ice and snow. The red, white and blue lost in the rainbow of sparks from each rocket. The deafening sounds were tamed by the whooping of his friends, the sweet cheering from Michael. Tubbo was surrounded. He was secure.
He was okay. He wasn’t going to die. The sky was enchanting, filled with colour and light.
He was okay. He was with his family.
Happy new year!
It was a wonderful January morning, and Tubbo let the happy tears finally fall.