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When Dream asked for Tommy’s discs the first time, it had been out of a sense of justice. Sapnap and Tommy had mugged him, stolen his things, and had claimed they would never apologize. So Dream had taken drastic measures, because he had to. Anything less would have been a sign of weakness, a point the others could exploit.
Then he looked at Tommy. The first thing Dream noticed wasn’t how small he looked in his single chest plate, the way his sword lowered in his hands due to the sheer weight, no the first thing Dream noticed about Tommy was the way his confidence was an obvious lie. The way Tommy’s hand shook, just slightly, when Dream held his crossbow.
Then Dream noticed how Tommy would do whatever he said. Reluctantly, but he would do it. All with the same fire in his eyes.
At first it had been a joke, Dream never seriously threatened to hurt the kid. It was fun, and Tommy played along.
"I've never been humiliated!" Tommy would boast, even as Dream forced him to jump and turn in front of him.
"You're being humiliated right now!" Dream retorted, Tommy was endearingly stubborn.
Something about it intrigued Dream. The way Tommy would string a line of curses at him, all the while handing over the small piece of plastic. Even when Dream refused to return it with the rest of Tommy's things.
One was a mixture of dark purple and white, the other with a shiny green color. Dream had handled them carefully, like holding a piece of Tommy himself. Because in a way that's almost what it was. Tommy cared so much about them, if Dream so much as threatened to break one Tommy would once again fall right back in line.
If Dream was honest, Tommy was fun . They would bicker back and forth, jokingly mocking each other. Tommy would play along with Dream taunting him about the discs (It always made Dream feel ecstatic to see the way Tommy would curse him out, and then they’d both laugh about it not a moment later).
After it all, Tommy would still call them friends. Would refer to anything Dream did as an act of friendship, even as Dream was establishing Tommy's consequences for his actions. It was all just a game to them both, like tag or hide and seek.
Then came the day Sapnap had convinced Tommy to fight him, taking the purple disc from right under Dream’s nose. The two had then run off, laughing towards Tommy’s house, Dream followed as fast as he could as they rushed down into the ravine below. He had to get the disc back, it was a matter of principle at that point. Letting them take it would be a sign of Dream's failure.
Heading into the mines, Dream frowned when he noticed Tommy standing over an innocent-looking section of rock. He frowned, Tommy had clearly hidden the discs, the only question was where. Like, hide and seek.
This would be fun.
Dream pulled out a pickaxe, starting to dig through the earth as Tommy protested behind him. Dream ignored it, the more Tommy protested the more Dream was sure it was where the disc was hidden. He was pretty sure it had been the purple disc, after all he still had the green one.
Eventually, Sapnap was able to take him enough off guard to get Dream to stop. “I will find it Tommy and when I do I'm going to keep it-” Dream teased.
“No you won’t bitch, no one’s going to find it.” Tommy bragged as Dream continued to dig through the lose rocks.
It couldn’t be far, Tommy hadn’t had that much time to hide it. All Dream had to do was find the right spot. It also had to be somewhere Tommy wouldn’t forget, at one point Dream attempted to dig through some of the gravel but to no success.
Dream was able to fend them off easily enough, fighting off Sapnap who would be swiftly dealt with. It was a game, and Tommy was playing along, taunting Dream’s ability to search even as Dream was swinging at the rocks. Each time Dream thought he was close, he would be disappointed when he would see nothing.
Where was it?
“Why don’t I offer you the purple disc in exchange for the green one and you leave us alone?” Tommy offered. Dream turned back appearing to think it over. So, Tommy was in the bargaining stage? Which meant he was desperate.
Dream hummed. “I think I’ll just find it.”
As Dream dug, suddenly Tommy came running at him and attempted to push him over toward the lava, Dream glared as he fought back and shoved Tommy away who fell on his ass onto the rocks.
“You have no idea where it is!” Tommy taunted even as he was on the ground beneath Dream. “And you’ll never find it.” Tommy then thought for a moment, “Unless you had x-ray vision or something.”
Dream ignored him, laughing as Tommy tried to shove him back. “You guys are annoying!”
As Dream fought back again, firing a bow as both Sapnap and Tommy ran though not aiming directly at them. To Dream's mixed pleasure and disappointment, they’d both disappeared. Dream moved away from the entrance, continuing to dig in silence. Through it he listened for the sounds of shouting from above to signal Tommy and Sapnap’s return. He didn’t really try all that hard to find the disc while waiting, it had only been fun to push Tommy on to fight him.
It was a while before the two returned, Dream in the meantime focused on digging. It was only a matter of time, the ravine had only so many places Tommy could've dug and hidden the disc.
Then he heard the noises from up above as Sapnap and Tommy returned back to the ravine, Tubbo behind them as they all held iron shields and axes.
Dream had to laugh, it was amusing to see while he wore Tommy's netherite. Even three against one, the others had to know it was a pitiful attempt. At the very least it had amused Dream, if only for a moment.
Soon they were all engaged in a fight, Tommy and Sapnap at the front lines while Tubbo watched. It was easy, Dream fired arrows from his perch above as each of the three ducked for shelter.
"Come on Sapnap we can take him! If we all go together. It’s not a matter of armor or no armor." Dream heard Tommy shout, though Dream didn't see where the kid had gone. “We just have to fight.”
“Right! This isn’t just a game anymore.” Sapnap shouted back from the other side. “It’s us versus evil."
Evil? Dream was evil? If that was the route they wanted to go down, then fine, he’d play along. It was fun, wasn’t it? He'd be the villain for their game if that's what they wanted.
So Dream stopped fighting for just a moment, Tommy’s expression contorted into one of surprise. Bending down, Dream took out a small flint and steel along with a small amount of kindling.
As sparks flew from the flint and ignited the small amount of kindling, Tommy’s eyes went wide as he realized just what Dream was doing. It made Dream smile beneath his mask, the way Tommy held his sword hopelessly in the middle of the ravine.
“Dream, please don’t do this…” Tommy’s gaze was pleading, fire flickering in his eyes. However, despite how much Tommy seemed to care, Dream knew it was more of a game than anything. It was fun seeing how much he could make the kid squirm.
“Apologize.” Dream demanded. Even if it was a game, that’s all Dream really wanted. It was the only thing he was asking for, was a sincere apology.
Dream held the green disc over the fire, having been keeping it tucked away previously so the others couldn’t grab it. He locked eyes with Tommy, a smirk on his lips that was covered by his mask.
“I’m- I’m sorry….” Tommy muttered, gaze becoming bashful as he looked down. Sapnap stared from next to him, as if he was shocked at Tommy’s sudden honest apology.
Slowly, Dream stomped out the fire, quietly letting it die. “Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
Then Tommy looked up with a shit-eating grin, a row of braces lining his teeth, “Sorry you felt so threatened by my masculinity!”
Before Dream had time to think, the disc was out of his hands. Tommy was holding it tightly, already standing behind Dream with a smirk. Then Tommy was running, footsteps echoing across the walls.
“I got it, I got it!” He shouted loudly, alerting Sapnap ahead.
Before Tommy could get far, Dream had grabbed his shirt, tackling him to the ground in a cloud of dust. Dream was careful to make sure he wasn’t too quick, which would’ve made Tommy drop the disc he was holding. Almost like a sleight hand magic trick, Dream had the disc in his grasp once again, pining Tommy down with his own netherite sword.
Tommy’s eyes widened as he backed away across the floor, and there was a glimmer of fear in his gaze that made Dream pause for just a second. His heart pounded in his ears from the activity and… something else.
He’d gotten the green disc back, Tommy was beneath his sword. If Dream wanted, he could threaten Tommy. If his sword was any lower it would’ve pierced through Tommy’s chest, his white shirt stained with bright red blood. Tommy would do whatever Dream wanted in order to avoid death.
Clumsily Dream pulled the sword away, his breath shallow as Tommy gave him a strange tilt of his head as he scrambled to his feet.
He stared at the sword. It had been a little too close, any wrong move and Tommy would’ve died. For a second, something had coursed through Dream’s blood, like adrenaline. A rush of exhilaration he’d barely recognized in the moment. Tommy’s life had been in his hands for barely a moment, and already Dream wanted a chance to feel it again.
He moved to dig more, to keep trying to find the other disc. He needed it in order to get Tommy to listen to him, that was all. Meanwhile, he heard them talking on the other side of the ravine as he slowly moved closer through the cave system.
“He can’t get to all of us. I’ve thought this out Tubbo-” Tommy was assuring. “We just need to split up. We can’t lose.”
Tubbo seemed to sigh, “It’s prophetic fallacy, Tommy.”
“It’s not- it’s…” Tommy started to say before backtracking. “We’ll be fine.” His voice became quiet. “Wait do you hear something?”
Dream abruptly stopped digging, staying silent as he slowly moved above them. Then, he noticed an opening expanding at his feet and looking back at him was Sapnap. Quickly, Dream drew his bow and fired, Sapnap shouting in pain as Dream jumped down into the cave below.
He heard footsteps behind him as he turned, blocking an attack from above with his shield. The swing resonated in his arm before he was swinging back at Tommy with his own diamond sword.
The two became engrossed in a fight, Dream overpowering Tommy severely. He grinned, trying to get Tommy to the floor. He needed to feel that sense of control again, of having Tommy at the end of his blade. Just the two of them together.
A loud thud sounded on the back of Dream’s skull, and his vision went dark.
When Dream finally came too, the others were outside celebrating in front of the community house. He slowly got up, sighing before swinging his legs to the side of his bed. The armor he’d been wearing was still on him. Dream then noticed his hand was empty. The disc was gone.
His head pounded as he walked outside. When Dream opened the door, the cheering went silent. Sapnap, Tubbo, and Tommy all looked at him with surprised stares. Everything was quiet for a moment before they smiled.
“Well played Tommy.” Dream conceded as he passed over Tommy’s netherite chestplate and sword.
“Dream redemption arc?!” Tommy gasped dramatically, looking over at Sapnap next to him with an exaggerated grin.
Sapnap laughed along. “Hell yeah, we won!” Sapnap boasted happily before wrapping an arm around Tommy as the two walked away down the path.
Something festered in the pit of Dream’s stomach. Redemption? For what…? All he’d been doing was playing along with the game, passing around the discs like a hot potato. What had he done wrong? Was it that he took them in the first place, that he’d had to teach Tommy and Sapnap a lesson? The strange feeling moved to Dream’s chest as his worst fears crossed his mind.
Then a dark thought crept into Dream’s head, the image of Tommy bragging about how he’d bested the evil Dream, how he’d been victorious against the big bad villain. Any respect Dream had worked to earn from the others would be gone in a second, his reputation would be over. No one would take his punishments seriously if he’d been beaten by a child . Before Dream realized what he was doing, his lips were moving.
“I’m going to burn the discs.”
He’d meant it as an empty threat, a joke, but at the same time, he couldn’t get the thought out of his mind of seeing the little pieces of plastic melt away over a small fire. Seeing Tommy’s exaggerated horrified expression might have been enough, but Dream turned in the opposite direction and started walking.
As he did, Tommy’s shouts and pleads for him to stop fell on deaf ears. He didn’t really mean it, no matter what he wanted to do if he burned the discs, it would mean the game was over. It would mean his fun would end.
He needed to find them at the very least, wherever Tommy was hiding them. He had to keep the game going at any cost, if he gave up it would be proving them right. It would be proving he was the bad guy Tommy kept calling him, even as Dream knew it was all in jest.
Dream spent the rest of the day digging, dirt caked beneath his fingernails as he sweated under the hot sun. He would find the discs. Whatever it took, he’d keep the game going and prove that he wasn’t worth fucking with. Tommy would soon learn his lesson, and the two would’ve had fun together. After all, Tommy still considered himself Dream’s friend.
Eventually, Dream’s shovel hit something hard. He continued digging as fast as he could, uncovering the buried object. His expression lit up as he realized it was a chest, a small box buried under Tommy’s front lawn.
Carefully opening it, Dream pulled out the green and purple discs. Perfect, Tommy would have to continue the game now. Dream wasn’t going to let their fun end, wasn’t going to let himself be bested by a child.
He kept that thought in mind even as Tommy and Tubbo faced him on the main path the next day in full iron, a slow waltz coming from the jukebox he’d set out as he set down the purple disc and set it to play.
Mellohi echoed around the mountains. The menacing sound filled the air as Dream sat in front of an acacia tree. It had taken ages to find the spot, but it had been worth it just for this moment. As he heard the distant sounds of voices he quickly halted the sound, the scratch of the record echoing in his ear.
A few minutes later, the duo of Tommy and Tubbo finally had reached the top of the cliff face.As they cautiously approached, Tommy and Tubbo were now decked out in netherite, but even Dream could tell the enchantments and their supplies were scraped together. It was almost cute, the way they both had changed so much and yet Dream could tell they were still the scared little kids he’d known from the beginning.
Then Dream met Tommy’s gaze, so similar to the one that seemed to tug on Dream’s mind for hours back at the beginning of the SMP, but now much more gaunt. Dream still felt a mixture of elation and disappointment at Tommy’s fire, that no matter what Dream tried to do he still couldn’t extinguish it. He still couldn’t seem to keep Tommy as his.
Their game had been going for months now, and Tommy hadn't ever seemed to get boring. Dream had finally felt what it was like to feel his blade pierce through his chest, had finally gotten the satisfaction for just a moment of seeing the light in Tommy’s eyes die out in the final control room, seeing the hopelessness he’d had as he passed Dream his Mellohi and Cat in exchange for L’manberg.
Standing in the nook of the mountains, listening to the song, it all made Dream nostalgic. Seeing the two boys in front of him, ready to fight. Seeing Tommy there directly in the spot ahead of him, playing along. The discs always worked with him. Dream was almost surprised by how well it always seemed to go.
"Long time no see." Dream smiled calmly, trying not to let his excitement show, "We have a lot to talk about?"
"Do you have them on you?"
Tommy only allowed a moment's pause before suddenly rushing forward.
"Tommy wait-!" Tubbo’s voice called out from a distance. Always the two of them. "He may not have them on him!"
Tommy glared as he started to swing, "Don't give him time to think Tubbo!"
Once again Tommy calling the shots. The little hero of the story. It was exactly as Dream wanted it. Maybe his gaze was a little duller than before, his voice with less bite and more fear, but it was just like their old game.
Dream deflected the attacks, only moving so much as to raise his shield as they talked. Eventually, he swung at Tommy, not hard but enough to throw him off. Tommy stumbled backward with a glance at Tubbo.
"How was your journey here?"
It was also boring, bringing the stakes back down to what they used to be. Just them and their weapons, bringing it all down to the gear. Even if the two had netherite, Dream could see the short list of enchantments etched onto the armor. He also had stacks of golden apples and potions itching to be used.
"Why did you need us here?" Tommy asked pointedly, and Dream heard the determination in his voice trying to cover his fear.
"Well, I have what you want. And you've come to take it." At Tommy's nod of confirmation, Dream placed his mask on. Beneath it, his lips twitched into a smile. Now they could really start to play.
"Why let us know you're here?" Tubbo asks from next to Tommy.
Dream shrugged, "Well better than being where everyone else is. It's private, secluded. We have time to ourselves."
It was perfect, like finding the best field to play kickball in. The setting was at a distance, and he’d had months to prepare for that moment. Weeks of planning and thought had all led to the second Tomy and Tubbo would arrive.
"Dream." Tommy said, gaze narrowing, "You left us a note saying you'd be here. Saying only we could come. Why?"
A small smile played across Dream's face, "Well it's been you and Tubbo since the beginning right? You both verses me."
The two children, fighting against the big bad Dream. That’s what Tommy wanted, and that’s the game Dream would play. He loved it, every second their stories intertwined. The string of fate tying them together until the end. Dream simply needed to give that string a little pull.
Tommy's breath hitched, "...yeah."
"For the disc?"
Dream walked over, carefully pulling out a disc and setting it inside a jukebox. The slow music danced along the grass and in the breeze, framing the scene.
It took only a moment for Tommy to recognize the song. "Oh, you asshole -"
Tommy’s gaze snapped to Dream, and it made Dream’s chest flutter. "Why don't we have a listen, while we talk, " Dream suggested.
Tommy gripped his sword before suddenly charging again. Dream lets him through, barely fights against them as the three begin to climb the rocks of the mountain. Perhaps it could’ve been described as an overture, preparation for what was to come and a way to set the scene.
After a minute Tommy's able to grab it, the fiery arrows Dream shot bouncing off his netherite armor as he clutched the disc triumphantly and climbed onto the mountain.
An almost sense of pride swelled in Dream, but it’s quickly dismissed as he heard a noise from behind. Tommy had been the distraction and Tubbo had tried to use the distraction, but Dream turned to raise his shield against his coming blow.
They sent coordinated attacks as they fought, Tubbo trying to fend Dream off. It was almost too easy as Dream slammed his axe onto Tubbo’s shield, forcing him toward the edge of the cliff face with a grin. It was laughable, how hard Tubbo was trying while Dream was barely lifting a finger.
Tubbo cried out from behind him, letting out a pitiful shriek that sent adrenaline through Dream’s mind, " Tommy - He's going to kill me-“ his eyes were wide with fear as he was pinned to the ground, his shield splintering. “Oh fuck-“
"Tommy stop.”
"No-"
"Look I still have potions, tons of gapples and my armors just fine," Dream gestured to the supplies around his waist, "you can't win." He sighs, "Just give me the disc, and I won't kill Tubbo."
"What do you mean- no fuck that!" Tommy glares, rushing forward to attack. Before he stepped close enough however, Dream had moved his axe from the shield to Tubbo’s neck.
Dream shook his head, raising the axe just barely an inch away from Tubbo, "I could kill him if I want to. Look, this is your choice. It's been too long for you not to make this decision."
Dream needed to know, which Tommy was willing to give up. Which could be used against him. Dream already knew the answer, but he still wanted to see the light flicker from Tommy’s eyes as the thing he’d been working so hard to protect since the beginning died. All that effort put to waste.
"I- I still have the disc!" Tommy said, clutching it in his hand.
"And I have one too. Look, just make your decision," Dream said sternly as Tommy moved to distract him. Dream let Tubbo slip away from under him. "You know Im not going to kill you, but Tubbo..."
It was still exciting, having so much control over Tommy that he’d do anything for him, to break both of their spirits so completely. After all that time, Dream still found joy in their game, no matter how high the stakes rose.
Tommy stood in front of Tubbo as he looks at Dream, and Dream almost thought he could hear Tommy’s heart pounding from shock, " How , if I ran now- hes in full netherite-"
Tubbo looked Tommy regretfully as he rubbed his neck, "Not sure it'll hold up much longer boss man."
Tubbo had always been smart. He’d been the boring one, the rational one who only ever fought Dream for Tommy. Who could be persuaded to drop his morale at a moment’s notice. A pawn in Dream and Tommy’s game that they’d both used.
“You can't defend him, Tommy, you were doing it before. I haven't even tried yet." Dream explained, backing them against the wall of the mountain.
"What... what do you want...?" His lips twitched at the way Tommy’s arm shook, how even now his bravery was all a front.
"Give me the disc. " Dream said simply, his voice had a careful reprimanding tone, "I can kill Tubbo. I can kill you if I wanted to, but I won't. The first time I genuinely tried he was pleading in a corner." He paused, it was time to get the show on the road, "You know what I've given you way too much time. Tubbo dies, or you give me the disc."
"Tubbo-" Tommy's brow furrowed as he looked at Tubbo. It was amusing, the fact that Tommy still wore his heart on his sleeve, how his voice softened talking to Tubbo betraying his attachment. "What do I do...?"
Tubbo would tell Tommy to keep the disc. That his life wasn’t as important. Because they had fought so much, and Dream had purposefully instilled a sense of doubt in Tubbo. Not that he’d needed to do much.
"Keep the disc."
Tommy's eyes went wide, "What- why- no that's not-"
The two would fight, Tommy would still be reluctant to give over the disc. They’d probably argue for a bit longer. Eventually though, Tommy would give it over.
"It'll be worth it, " Tubbo assured against Tommy's protests. Dream might’ve found the sentiment sweet, if not stupid. "Keep it, I've done enough in my life!"
Tommy glanced between Dream and Tubbo a few times, and Dream could sense the thought process he was going through. One attachment for another. It would’ve been an easy choice for Dream, but Tommy didn’t work that way. He didn’t give up any of his attachments so easily, and it was what made him so much fun, to see him squirm under the choice.
After a minute, Tommy approached Dream with a determined glare. A breeze blew through the mountain nook as Tommy held Mellohi up to Dream.
Dream blinked as he took Tommy’s disc from his hand, before setting a small fire at his feet and tossing the plastic into it. He reveled in the pained expression on Tommy’s face as the black vinyl melted.
"I really didn't think it'd be that easy." He laughed loudly, it was hilarious. How simple it had been, how fast it had all been resolved. How predictable it was. "That wasn't even the right disc!"
Tubbo and Tommy stared dumbfounded, their expressions making Dream’s excitement spark yet again.
"Wait-"
"What-"
"That's how powerless you are! That's not even the disc!" Dream could barely contain his laughter as he saw their shocked faces, "I'm just playing with you! Do you really think I'd just play it in front of you? You didn't learn from the last time?" He shook his head. They’d been just the same as before, the same stupid little kids he’d fought all that time ago, "I'm just showing you how weak you are, that's the fun in it." His expression suddenly became serious. Now it was time for the fun to really begin, "But, you're going to listen to me or you're going to die. I'm not playing around now."
He took a shovel and slammed it into the ground, pulling up the coarse dirt. Tommy's eyes widened as Dream watched his body seize with fear.
"Drop your stuff in the hole."
A simple request. His and Tommy’s bonding exercise. He’d show Tommy just how much fun their game could be.
"N- no-" Tommy backed up into the wall, breath shaking as Tubbo walked over. Just as obedient as ever.
"We don't really have a choice-" Tubbo muttered. "But-" He stared at Dream, but before he could say anything more in protest Dream shoved him toward the dirt hole. "Okay okay okay okay!"
"No don't-"
Tubbo frowned, pulling off his armor and throwing his weapons into the hole before retreating slowly.
"Tommy." Dream’s voice betrayed his amusement, a slight lilt to his words.
Tommy's breaths were shallow as he pulled off the armor one strap after another, tossing it in and giving himself a hug. It was cute how obvious he was about his fear, how he seemed to wear it on his sleeve at the slightest bit of push. It made everything so much easier, and something swelled in Dream’s chest each time he saw the fire in Tommy’s eyes dim.
Dream pulled out a bundle of dynamite, lighting it as he tossed it into the hole. Tommy backed away frantically from it, the ground exposed. The explosion rang in his ears as they saw the small crater that had been formed in the wake. Tommy’s eyes dulled as he stared at the destruction in front of himself.
"That took us so long-!" He shouted, voice cracking under the stress as he turned on Dream.
Dream nodded, satisfied that everything had been destroyed. Now they were ready. Tommy and Tubbo wouldn’t fight back, not if they didn’t want to die. And neither of them were that dumb, "Alright well I'll take you to the real disc. Follow me."
They walk across the small valley, Tommy still tense from the explosion. Dream barely held in the adrenaline he still felt. They were almost there. Almost to the true finale, things had gone so much better than he could’ve imagined. Not to mention if anything went wrong; He still had his final move planned out.
"You really thought you could beat me, that I wouldn't have a plan, that you could just overpower me in combat?" Dream sighed, "I've been one step ahead of you this entire time." He chuckled. "Tubbo thought I was his friend, what an idiot right?” He paused to face Tommy, an amusing thought crossed his mind. Something that would really get under his skin. “You thought I was your friend."
"Yeah you-" Tommy swallowed, voice choked as he spoke, "You told us you were."
Dream smirked, "I've been one step ahead since the beginning.” He turned to Tubbo with a grin, now to have some real fun. “You know Tubbo the only reason I have Mellohi is because I framed Tommy. I blew up the community house.” He let his next words sink in carefully. “ You gave it to me."
It wasn’t entirely the truth but it also wasn’t a complete lie. However it was enough to get Tommy’s expression to darken again with a fierce glare. "You're insane-"
"Follow me.”