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When Dream says nobody is allowed to visit him, Tommy doesn't really take him seriously.
It's not like Dream was always going to hang around him, and anyone can just teleport to him in the blink of an eye, so what can Dream really do about it?
Tommy hides his thoughts, thinking Dream will come up with another solution if he dares mention the issue.
On the second day, Tommy thinks someone will visit soon. They just haven't had the chance to miss him yet. Him and Tubbo nornally get through arguments in the matter of days, so he knows he can expect to see him soon.
On the third, Dream leaves him alone for a couple of hours. Tommy thinks this is the perfect opportunity. If only he could will them to teleport now, to give them a signal.
On the fourth, he bemuses that he'd even be willing to put up with someone like Jack, who's always butting heads with him. He could put up with it for a couple hours.
On the fifth, he wonders where Tubbo is.
At some point, Dream tells him that he's checked in with New L'manberg. They're thriving without him.
"You're not around to cause anymore trouble," Dream says. "They're happier for it."
"But what about Tubbo?" Tommy presses, because he sees him in the greens of the grass and the buzzing of the bees around his temporary home, his exile. He sees him everywhere, like he's going to teleport and pop out right in front of him.
He wouldn't even hold a grudge for how long it had taken for his friend to get back to him. No, he would just hug him, he thinks.
"He's happy," Dream says.
"...Without me?" Tommy asks.
"If he missed you, he'd be here," Dream points out. "He doesn't even have to know where you are. He could teleport."
But he hasn't, Tommy doesn't say. But surely he will soon? Surely someone will.
Dream sticks around. He'll be right in front of him, and teleport away, taunting him. "I just hung out with Quackity," he claims. "If only you could too."
Tommy gets used to feeling bitter. It keeps him warm at night when he's alone by a fire, watching the embers and wondering when he can come home. Sometimes, he wonders if there's really a home left for him when nobody likes him.
A month has passed by since exile. Nobody has visited.
Dream's done more awful things. He blows up the few things Tommy owns, whether it be a building or his armor. He makes Tommy give it up. He hurts him, and it makes him ache.
He didn't deserve this. Nothing he did warranted this, being isolated and abused.
"When can I go home?" he asks weakly. Dream had just blown up Logstedshire again.
The man turns to him, letting out a cackle. "Go home?" he wheezes. "What home?"
What he doesn't say hurts more.
There's no home because nobody loves Tommy. Not anymore. He didn't deserve Dream's treatment, but he didn't deserve anyone's love either.
Tommy thinks back to before he was exiled. He'd been given a trial, but he made it all too difficult. Tubbo tried the best he could, but it was all Tommy's arrogance, his selfishness, that got in the way.
Tommy doesn't respond, and Dream shortly leaves after.
Another month passes.
It all gets too much.
—
Tubbo can't explain what finally urged him to take the chance to teleport. Dream's reassured him over and over that his friend is okay, that the others are visiting him in his absence.
Besides, Tommy's still holding a grudge. It was perfectly acceptable for him to do it considering the betrayal, but that means Tubbo has to leave him alone, despite it going against every single iota of his being.
Maybe it's because he's seeing a specific pattern.
Dream says other people have been visiting Tommy, but Tubbo can't figure out who.
Quackity tells him he hasn't gotten around to it because he's been busy.
Fundy says he'll get to it eventually.
Ranboo says he thought he did. Maybe he forgot.
Connor says he's stolen Tommy's house and doesn't want to break the news to him.
Niki even says she doesn't plan on seeing him.
He hasn't even seen Ghostbur in ages. Who could possibly be visiting him?
Unless…
Tubbo makes sure to leave a note behind somewhere to make sure the others know where he went. The New L'manburgians have been using this system despite how convenient teleportation is. Some call it paranoia, Tubbo calls it routine.
He concentrates, and his body is teleported far away.
Tubbo looks around frantically, scurrying the area around him. He can't see Tommy anywhere!
Then, he looks up.
There's a cobblestone tower that stretches to the sky, and his heart thuds. His teleportation brought him to the ground level, but not… not where Tommy is.
"What's he doing?" Tubbo mutters to himself. "Practicing a clutch?"
His eyes widen. His mind turns like a cog as he processes everything he knows.
Tommy's been alone for months with only Dream's company. There's no telling what that man could've done, could've said.
All he knows is that his best friend is on top of a tower, and he's about to jump.
"TOMMY!" he yells out. Tubbo doesn't believe that's enough to get his attention. He pulls out an ender pearl and throws it upward, to the top of the tower.
In an instant, he's at the top. It's very narrow, and he reaches out to hold Tommy, making sure the two of them don't push each other off.
"...Tubbo?" Tommy whispers. "Is this really you?"
He sounds destroyed. Tubbo can't help but blame himself.
"It's me," Tubbo says quickly. "You can come home, Tommy. You'll never be alone again. I'm so sorry I… that he did this to you." He squeezes him tighter, unwilling to let go.
He could've been a moment too late. If he wasn't able to teleport, he would've been. Tubbo peeks over the tower.
"I wasn't going to do it," Tommy says. "I wasn't!"
He doesn't sound confident. It's okay, because Tubbo knows now.
"Jump with me to the water," Tubbo pleads. Tommy looks at him before he slowly nods.
They hold hands as they jump off together, safely landing in the water.
"Can I really go home?" Tommy questions. "Or were you just saying that? I don't think Dream will let me."
"I don't care what Dream says."
For now, though, they head over to Logstedshire, gathering the little belongings Tommy has. Tommy shows him around.
They end up sitting together, staring into the fire.
It won't matter that Tommy can't teleport ever again. Dream may have stolen that from him, but he can't steal everything.
They'll deal with him together.