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“You have got to be joking.”
Tommy was standing on Tubbo’s doorstep with two pillowcases in his hand. He was shivering, his red and white t-shirt failing to protect him from Snowchester’s harsh weather. He almost felt bad for Tommy, but quickly pushed the feeling away when he remembered that Tommy brought this upon himself.
“Oh, come on!” Tommy whined. “It’s Halloween! It’s like, the one night a year we can get free shit.”
“Not like that matters much to you. You steal everything you want anyway,” Tubbo said, rolling his eyes.
“My god, would you stop being such a pussy? Just go trick or treating with me. I am basically begging you. This will never happen again, so you better say yes,” Tommy insisted.
“Tommy, we’re adults now. I don’t think anyone is going to just give us candy,” Tubbo said, leaning against the doorframe.
Tubbo knew that Tommy wasn’t going to accept defeat that easily. Still, though, he thought it was worth a try. And really, watching Tommy fight this hard over something so stupid was enough entertainment for a person’s entire life.
“Nope! Phil will give us candy,” Tommy said as if it was a fact.
“God, you are impossible,” Tubbo replied, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Really? I’m the impossible one here? You are the one who’s denying me,” Tommy huffed, crossing his arms.
“I just can’t, Tommy. I have shit I need to get done,” Tubbo sighed.
It wasn’t a complete lie. Sure, nothing on his to-do list was urgent, but it had to be done at some point. He needed to bring in the last of the vegetables for the year, repaint the back porch, and dust around the house. It wasn’t as if anyone else was going to do them. But he knew that he wouldn’t be able to reason with Tommy, either. Tommy just didn’t have the kind of responsibilities that he had. Tubbo thought that Tommy was lucky in that regard.
“Oh, come on man! It’ll be fun! And really, I haven’t seen you in, like, forever I think. You haven’t been coming over for dinner. Really, you’re starting to freak me out a bit,” Tommy said, twiddling his fingers uncomfortably.
Tubbo averted his gaze and stared at his feet. Tommy was right, he had been a bit distant lately. It was just hard to keep track of everything, every chore that he had to do. He had too much to do. He was only eighteen, but felt as if the world had pushed him to adulthood long before then. With owning a house, his own commune, and some nukes he lost track of, he felt as if time evaded him. It was always one thing after another. If he didn’t cook, he didn’t eat. If he didn’t clean, his house would be dirty. It just wouldn’t stop. Tommy tried his hardest to keep some of that light within him. Tommy had places to go that Tubbo didn’t. But even with help, Tommy would fail at times. Hell, even the dinners they had were too weirdly adult. What other kids were planning dinners together?
Maybe this was some weird plea from Tommy. A plea for them to be kids again, a plea for no weird dinners, a plea for them to just hang out normally. Or maybe he just really wanted free candy from Phil, which, really, he could get whenever he wanted. Either way, it didn’t sound like too bad of a deal.
“Alright, I’ll go,” Tubbo smiled, “But what will we be going as? It’s not like either of us have costumes lying around.”
“That’s an easy fix. Take your clothes off,” Tommy said flatly.
“What the fuck? No!” Tubbo yelped, scrunching his nose up in disgust and shock.
“Yes! We’re gonna switch clothes,” Tommy chuckled, pushing Tubbo into his own house. Tubbo sighed.
“Why didn’t you just say that?” he asked, already regretting his decision.
“Cause it was funny,” Tommy shrugged, shutting the door behind them.
✸✸✸
Tubbo could feel every bone in his body beg for warmth, but he couldn’t soothe them. Walking through the tundra was never an easy task, and the October chill in the air didn’t make it any better. His sneakers, or Tommy’s sneakers, were completely soaked. His socks and feet were colder than anything else. His teeth chattered, and he rubbed his arms to try and warm up. Tommy was skipping through the snow, a smile stretched across his face.
“What’s the matter, Tubso? Too cold?” Tommy mocked, turning around to face Tubbo.
“Yeah, just a bit,” Tubbo grimaced.
“Well, we’re almost there, big man. No worries,” Tommy said. He waited until Tubbo caught up with him, and the pair continued their trek through the snow.
As much as Tubbo wanted to push Tommy into the snow, he was right. He could see Techno and Phil’s base, the warmth of it stretching far beyond its fences. He could almost see some Halloween decorations strewn about their houses. There were streamers hanging from the gutters and a couple of pumpkins in front of their doors. There were even little bows around each fencepost. The scene was peaceful, but he couldn’t keep his mind from racing. The few times he’s been in this area, he was hurt. His friends were hurt. Even though Techno and Phil didn’t hold a grudge against him anymore, he still felt as if he was intruding again. He grinded his teeth, his mind scouring for ways out of this. He could tell Tommy that he was feeling sick, he thought. He could blame it on the cold. Yeah, that would work, he reasoned. He was just too cold. And he didn’t eat enough today, so his body wasn’t providing enough heat. That plan seemed plausible enough–
“Tubbo! Snap out of it, will you?” Tommy yelled, shaking Tubbo by the shoulders. Tubbo snapped back into the present, his dazed eyes locking with Tommy’s. He looked so worried, the lines on his face more pronounced than usual. Tubbo could almost feel the anxiety radiating off of Tommy. He shrunk in on himself, and Tommy let go of his shoulders. He felt the guilt sink into him.
“I’m sorry man. I just got all in my head, you know how it is,” Tubbo said, trying to diffuse the situation.
“Yeah, I know how it is. But I don’t want to know how it is. We’re out here to have fun, that’s it. What’s bothering you?” Tommy asked, worried.
“Nothing, it’s alright, nothing you should worry about,” Tubbo insisted as he started to walk again. Tommy quickly followed.
“‘ Mi mi mi, I’m Tubbo, and I am completely fine! Even though I blanked out! Mi mi mi! ’” Tommy mocked in a sing-song voice, getting a laugh out of Tubbo.
“Fine, okay, you got me,” Tubbo sighed. “I was just worried about seeing Techno and Phil again. I’m not really friends with them the way you are. It’s different,” Tubbo admitted, kicking snow as he walked. Tommy paused for a moment. Before Tubbo could overthink what he said, Tommy finally spoke.
“Yeah, I guess it is different. If you’re really worried, we don’t have to do this. We can just hang out at my place. I just wanted to do something different,” Tommy said softly.
Tubbo couldn’t stop the warmth that grew in his chest; it was almost enough to thaw out his aching bones. Tommy just wanted to hang out with him. That was it. It wasn’t about Halloween or candy or anything else. It was just about the two of them. He smiled, picking his head up.
“Then we’re doing something different. I’ll be okay,” Tubbo smiled.
“You sure?” Tommy asked.
“Yeah, I’m sure. Let’s steal candy from this old man,” Tubbo laughed, knocking his shoulder into Tommy’s.
“Fuck yeah!”
✸✸✸
“Really?”
“Trick-or-fucking-treat, bitch! Now give me shit,” Tommy deadpanned, sticking his opened pillowcase in front of Wilbur.
Tubbo had expected Phil to open the door, maybe even Techno, but he didn’t expect Wilbur. He reasoned that Wilbur would be in bed by now, or maybe he would just be too busy to come to the door. Regardless, seeing the ex-president of L’Manberg and his friend in Halloween pajamas made him feel grateful for his miscalculation.
“You both are literally eighteen. I don’t have to give you shit,” Wilbur replied, a slight smirk tugging at his lips.
Tubbo knew this scene all too well. It’s been played out more than a million times. It was almost formulaic. Tommy would ask Wilbur for something, Wilbur would find some reason to refuse, Tommy would get irritated, and Wilbur would continue until Tommy exploded in a ridiculous way. Tubbo stepped to the side in anticipation of what would come next.
“You have to give me candy. It’s literally Halloween, and I said trick-or-treat. I did everything good. And I’m in costume. So you owe me candy,” Tommy explained.
“You’re just wearing Tubbo’s clothes. That’s not a costume,” Wilbur pushed back.
“It literally is! I’m Tubbo. And he’s Tommy. And we want candy now,” Tommy insisted, stepping forward. Wilbur didn’t move.
“And I’m Wilbur, and I’m closing the door on you. Goodbye!” Wilbur announced while trying to close the door. Tommy shoved himself against it.
“Hey, you can’t do that. I want what I am owed!” Tommy yelled.
“You’re not gonna get it. Go home, Tommy!” Wilbur yelled back. Tommy locked eyes with Tubbo and gave him a look.
Tubbo considered his options. Option one was to not help Tommy and to go home empty handed with a disgruntled Tommy. Option two was to ram himself against Tommy to make Wilbur stumble and force the door open. On a normal day, he’d pick option one, but he’d already made an effort today, so why not go for round two?
Tubbo walked to where Techno’s front door was. Before Tommy could complain, Tubbo ran as fast as he could into Tommy, forcing the door open and sending all three of them to the floor in a pile. Wilbur groaned under the weight, and Tommy squawked in discomfort. All Tubbo could do was laugh as he rolled onto the floor, giving Tommy and Wilbur the chance to get up. Phil walked in on the three of them sprawled out in his doorway.
“Do I even want to know?” Phil asked.
“It’s Wilbur’s fault!” Tommy shouted, pointing at Wilbur, who then shoved him. “Ow!”
“Fuck off, Tommy,” Wilbur said with no heat behind his words.
“Trick-or-treat!” Tubbo said excitedly as he rose from the floor.
Phil’s home was expertly decorated for the holiday, much to Tubbo’s surprise. The doilies that were usually white were black, with little red beads on the ends of them. The carpet under the coffee was a large spider web. There were little trinkets scattered on every surface. There were little skeletons dancing, witches stirring their cauldrons. Tubbo’s favorite decoration, he soon found out, were paper ghosts hanging from the ceiling, which were clearly made by Wilbur. The handiwork was sloppy, but there was a lot of love in them.
“Oh, that’s what all of this was for,” Phil reasoned out loud. “Let me get some candy for you two.”
“See! I told you Phil would give us shit,” Tommy said, bolting upright at the sound of free candy. Wilbur got up more slowly, his bones cracking with every movement.
“Wilbur, are you dressed up as a guy with arthritis for Halloween?” Tubbo joked. Wilbur gave him a look, but smiled.
“Yeah, I guess I am. And you’re dressed up as an idiot,” he shot back.
“Oi! The guy Tubbo is dressed up as is actually fucking awesome and cool, not old and senile like you!” Tommy sneered. Wilbur laughed and ruffled Tommy’s hair as he walked by. He sat himself down on the couch, tilted his head back, and closed his eyes.
Tubbo stared at Wilbur for a while. He looked a lot better, now. Or maybe better wasn’t the right word. He looked more at peace than he used to. Tubbo remembers those sleepless nights in Pogtopia, where Wilbur would pace back and forth, his shoes smacking on the hard stone. It was always far too cold and uncomfortable. Wilbur’s paranoia somehow seeped into every crack in the walls, and it was almost suffocating for anyone who stepped foot inside, let alone for Wilbur. His face was softer now, more full. Phil entered the room again with a bowl of candy.
“You guys can pick from here. I got a huge bag of candy. Now that I think about it, I don’t really know why. It’s not as if anyone comes out here. Actually, are there any kids around anyway?” Phil asked, presenting the bowl to Tommy and Tubbo.
“Uh, I don’t think so,” Tubbo laughed awkwardly, taking a handful of candy from the bowl.
Kids just weren’t common on the SMP. It was a traveler’s world, not somewhere for people to settle down and make a family. Tommy and Tubbo were the only kids around for a while, until Purpled and Ranboo strolled in. It was lonely, if Tubbo was honest, but he was grateful for Tommy’s friendship.
“Yeah, no one else is cool enough to come out here. Except for us,” Tommy boasted while stuffing his pillowcase full of candy. Phil didn’t stop him.
“It’s almost as if we live in the tundra, and coming out here is a pain in the ass,” Wilbur dead panned. Tubbo snorted at his comment.
“You know what, then? You two can take the whole thing. We’re not gonna eat this,” Phil chuckled, giving the entire bowl to Tommy.
“Phil, you’ve just made the biggest mistake of your life,” Wilbur cautioned.
“Don’t listen to him, Phil. You’re the best old man ever,” Tommy beamed, pouring half of the bowl into his pillowcase, the other half into Tubbo’s.
“Gee, thanks, Tommy. Now get out of my house,” Phil joked, pointing at the door. Tommy nodded and left the house without protesting. Tubbo began to follow his lead.
“Hey, Tubbo?” Phil called out.
Tubbo stopped dead in his tracks. This is it, he thought. This was what Phil was waiting for. He was waiting for Tommy to be out of the house so he could tear into him. He turned to face Phil, his chest puffed out. If he was going to go down, he was going to go down fighting.
“Make sure Tommy doesn’t eat too much of that candy, alright? He’ll throw up,” Phil warned, a laugh escaping through his words. Tubbo’s entire body relaxed.
“Yeah, of course,” he replied. Phil walked Tubbo the rest of the way to the door.
“Get home safe,” Phil said softly.
“Happy Halloween!” Wilbur shouted.
“Thanks guys!”
✸✸✸
The pair went back to Tommy’s house after their short lived trick-or-treating adventure. Tubbo opened the little nightstand in Tommy’s bedroom. He kept a spare set of clothes, pajamas, and toiletries inside for nights like these where going home wasn’t an option. The top drawer was Tommy’s, the bottom was his. Tubbo had the same set up in his own house; the only difference was that the drawers were reversed. He took out his pajama set, which was really just an old t-shirt and a pair of flannel pants. He could smell the shitty ramen Tommy was making from his spot in Tommy’s room. He laughed to himself. Why did they choose to have weekly dinners when neither of them could cook? He folded his clothes, or his Tommy costume, and left them on Tommy’s bed.
Tubbo stepped out of the bedroom into the main living area. Tommy’s house was always kind of a mess, but Tubbo assumed that being messy was just part of the deal when you lived in a dirt hut. The kitchen table was on one side of the room, the furnace on the other. The walls were lined with chests that Tubbo wouldn’t dare to open, not because Tommy would be upset, but because they were so unorganized. Shroud’s little enclosure was nestled next to a chest. Tubbo liked to just sit and stare at the little spider when he had the time. No one cared for their pets as well as Tommy did. Tubbo’s favorite part of the house was Tommy’s entrance. He had a bunch of picture frames lined up above his door. Most of them were taken in L’Manberg. One of them was of Niki, smiling wide in her bakery. One was of Tubbo organizing materials they used for potions. One was of Wilbur holding Fundy. A few of them were stalker photos of Jack Manifold, taken while he wasn’t looking, except for one of them, which was taken at a high angle. One was of Tommy and Wilbur, posing proudly for the camera. The one right next to it was the same, except they were flipping each other off. Tubbo’s favorite out of all of them, though, was one of him and Tommy asleep under a tree. It was in the middle of the day, and the two of them were napping while the summer breeze carried their worries away. Tubbo didn’t miss L’Manberg the way Tommy did, but he definitely missed days like that one.
Tommy turned around and smiled when he saw Tubbo. Turning from his spot near the furnace, he made his way to his bedroom.
“Watch the noodles while I change, yeah?” Tommy asked. Tubbo nodded and stood in front of the pot, watching the noodles boil.
It didn’t take long for the noodles to finish cooking. He added the chicken flavoring packet, stirred it around, and then poured the noodles into two bowls. He brought them over to the table and then grabbed some forks to eat it with. He sat quietly and waited for Tommy to finish getting dressed. Tommy entered the room wearing a t-shirt that was way too big on him. It had a joke about potatoes on it, which led Tubbo to believe that it belonged to Techno at one point. Tommy’s pajama pants were also way too long; the ends of them were rolled up and safety pinned.
“Do you have your own clothes, or are they all stolen from Techno?” Tubbo laughed. Tommy shot him a look.
“I look damn good and you know it,” Tommy boasted. He sat down across from Tubbo, and the two began to eat.
They ate in silence, as they normally did. It was hard to hold a conversation with a mouth full of food. Unlike past dinners, though, the silence didn’t hang over their meal. They were content just existing in the same room together. There was no need for them to fill the silence with useless conversations. Instead, they just sat together at the kitchen table, and ate.
After they ate and washed their dishes, they sat on the floor, trading candy with one another. Tommy preferred gummies over chocolate, so he traded away all of his chocolate for gummies. They popped the sweets into their mouths, savoring each piece. Before they knew it, the floor was covered in brightly colored wrappers.
“Our teeth are going to be crying after this,” Tubbo said, his mouth full of chocolate.
“Maybe yours will, my teeth are big and strong,” Tommy replied.
“Tommy, you’ve been saying, ‘ow’ after every bite. I think you already have cavities,” Tubbo chuckled.
“Oh, is that what it’s coming from?” Tommy asked, his hand massaging his cheek.
“You are unbelievable.”
✸✸✸
The two of them laid on the floor, sprawled out, almost paralyzed. They were breathing deeply, with stomachs full of candy.
“Wanna know something funny?”
“What?” Tommy asked.
“Phil told me to keep you from eating too much candy,” Tubbo yawned, rolling over to face Tommy.
“Well, Tubbo, I’m sorry to tell you that you failed,” Tommy replied, stretching out his arms, rolling over as well.
Tubbo closed his eyes, trying to take in the moment. It was dark outside by this point, and the only light they had was spilling out of Tommy’s bedroom. Tubbo felt a push on his forehead.
“Oi, what’s your problem?” he blurted. Tommy didn’t speak for a moment. All Tubbo could hear were the last of the crickets chirping outside.
“Thanks, man. For tonight,” Tommy almost whispered. Tubbo smiled softly.
“No problem, man. I should really be thanking you. I needed this,” he admitted.
“Don’t mention it. I already know how awesome I am,” Tommy boasted.
The two of them lied down on their backs again, staring at the ceiling. Tubbo could feel the warmth of the chocolate coax him into sleep. Once their breathing was in sync, Tubbo closed his eyes, ready to let sleep take him.
“Love you, Tubbo,” Tommy said randomly, a yawn tugging at his words.
“Wait, what?” Tubbo questioned, surprised by the sudden noise filling the room.
“No, sorry, it was stupid, I was just being stupid,” Tommy rambled, stumbling over his words.
“No man, you're not, I just,” Tubbo paused, collecting his words. “I just don't hear that from you a lot.”
“I'm sorry,” Tommy said sadly. Tubbo shook his head.
“No, I don't want you to be sorry either.”
“Then what do you want? Ladies? Money? All the fame ladies can buy? Wait I don't think that's right-”
“I love you too man,” Tubbo grinned, grabbing Tommy’s hand, lacing their fingers together.
“Thanks, Tubs. Everyone does.”
Silence fell between them again as they stared at the ceiling. Tubbo knew that things would go back to normal tomorrow. He still had to gather the stuff from his garden, he still had to paint his deck. But still, this moment was enough to settle the anxiety in his gut. This, though, was not enough to settle all of the candy in Tommy’s gut. His stomach rumbled loud enough for Shroud to perk up in his enclosure. Tubbo laughed at the sudden, gross sound.
“Tubbo, you love me. Does this mean if I throw up right now, you'll clean it?”
“What? No! That's gross!” Tubbo replied, laughing even harder.
“ You’re gross,” Tommy huffed.
“Your mum is gross.”
“That's not how she was last night.”
“Oh you're just foul,” Tubbo snorted.
“Your mum is foul.”
“That literally goes against what you just said.”
“No it doesn't. Ladies can be anything,” Tommy said, holding his head up high.
“God, I hate you,” Tubbo said, smiling hard enough for his cheeks to hurt.
“You, my friend, are a horrible liar.”
Tubbo knew that he couldn’t fight it. Tommy was right, he was a horrible liar, but he didn’t mind that. He was more than happy to fall asleep on the floor with his stomach full and his hand linked with Tommy’s. He looked over at him to see that he had already fallen asleep. Tubbo smiled again, rubbing his thumb lightly over Tommy’s.
“Happy Halloween, you shithead.”