Chapter Text
Tommy couldn’t believe it, Tubbo, his best friend was exiling him? He sent him off to some random ass island like the last few years of their life meant nothing? Like their friendship, everything they fought together against. Gone.
They were supposed to be together to the bitter fucking end - and yeah, life was bitter - but they had each other and Tubbo threw it all away. Just up and sent Tommy away, all because Dream threatened them? Tubbo wasn’t willing to fight for him, Tubbo just went with the immediate decision of letting Tommy go off with Dream wherever he chose?
You gotta be fucking joking.
As Tommy leaned back in the tiny boat, which was really a poorly made raft, he just wished it would crumble and let him fall in the bottom of the sea and shrivel in the sand. Tommy thought of the heart-wrenching scene, which felt like it happened ages ago, when in honest reality, it hadn’t even been an hour.
“Listen Tubbo, either Tommy pays for his crimes in exile or-” Tommy couldn’t think, he couldn't breathe, there was a solid chance Tommy had to go through something horrible. And exile was only the first option?
“Or what?” Tommy tried to sound tough, strong, put together. But he heard the way his voice wobbled, the tremble in his breath.
He supposes he’ll always be the petrified little boy.
“Shut up, Tommy.” Tubbo snapped and Tommy felt the breath leave his lungs for what felt a couple seconds too long. Why was Tubbo angry at him? Dream was the one starting shit.
As always.
“Or he’ll have to work his crimes off, being an indentured servant to George for a year. Choose the first or second option, you don’t get in any trouble, but if you choose to fight, there will be severe consequences.” Tommy hated the way the green, masked man grabbed his sword so smoothly. He hated the way the air bent to the glide of the dark, promising stone of the well-crafted sword. It made him sick, terrified.
“Tubbo, man, you gotta fight this, come on!” Tommy heard the way Quackity trembled, the stutter of his breath. At least he tried to vouch for him, Tubbo just stood there like an idiot. Mouth closed in a tight line, Tommy could hear the screech of the gears winding in his head, he was thinking. But Dream didn’t want thinking, he wanted answers. Tommy could tell he was getting impatient.
“Tubbo, make a decision, it’d be best for you and Tommy as well as L’manburg to make one quickly. Just make him George’s indentured servant, it's the easiest solution to-” Dream was going on about Tommy just working for George, and it was definitely a downgrade from Vice President, but at least he would only be on probation for a year and then all would be well.
“No."
“No?” Dream questioned. Tommy couldn’t tell if there was shock or annoyance in his voice, probably both.
Maybe Tubbo was thinking about fighting for Tommy! Sure it could mean another war, no, there would be another war, but Tubbo was willing to fight for Tommy-
“No, Tommy must be punished to the fullest extent. He’s brought too much pain to this country, to our people and to me. Tommy will not be George’s servant. He will be banished from L’manburg. Effective immediately.” Tommy couldn’t breathe, he swore the world stopped for a second to laugh at him. A deep, mocking chuckle of joy in his sorrow. Everyone around him seemed dead, they sounded dead. Their voices silenced, their thoughts stopped, their breathing ceased.
What the hell just happened?
“Tubbo! What the hell are you saying!? He’s your Vice President-!” Fundy shouted,
“Tubbo, dude, what the fuck do you mean-!” Quackity erupted in obvious disbelief.
Yeah, Tommy couldn’t believe this shit either.
“Tubbo, are you sure? Do you know what this means? You’re permanently banning Tommy until you see fit for him to return-” Dream warned. If anything, to Tommy, it sounded like Dream didn’t see Tubbo choosing exilement, he didn’t even seem like he wanted Tommy exiled.
To pay for his actions? Yes. But to be banished? No.
“I fucking know what it means man! I’m not stupid! He’s done so much to this country and I want him gone, I want him out of here! It’s always Tommy’s fault, everything is Tommy’s fault. The wars, the death, the pain is all because of him and his utter stupidity! L’manburg was created by him, but it will not be destroyed by him.” Tommy was gonna throw up, he felt the hope vanish from his soul, he felt his dream of leaving this all behind and moving on dissipate.
Tommy heard ringing over it all, the shouts of confusion of Fundy and Quackity were not coherent to his ears. All he could hear was, “It’s always Tommy’s fault, everything is Tommy’s fault.” He didn’t acknowledge the crack in his heart as Tubbo pushed him to Dream. The thing to ground him was Dreams hold and voice in his ears.
“Tommy? Are you there? It-It’s time for us to go…” Dream held him for a second longer, waving his hand in front of his face.
“Yeah, yeah- just uh- I can’t-” He couldn’t finish his sentence, he felt numb, yet he wanted to cry. But he couldn’t cry. He can't cry in front of all these people, he held it in, just like Wilbur taught him.
“Here, come on man.” Tommy was grateful for Dream leading him off, he didn’t feel fully there till they were at the bottom of the wall. Dream let him get his last breaths of L’manburg air, he allowed him to see his friends for the last time. Tommy looked up at Fundy’s worried disbelief. The hurt and utter pain on Quackity’s face.
But looking at Tubbo, all he saw was relief, the satisfaction of finally getting rid of the virus that's been following you for years.
The poison has finally left.
Tommy had to look away or he swore he’d throw up. He felt the tug on his wrist and he started to follow Dream as he walked towards the vast sea. Tommy felt one tear fall down his cheek, he let it fall to the ground and allowed the streak of wetness to reside on his face for a second before he wiped it away. He held his head high, when in reality, he wanted to cry himself to sleep. Dream had brought him to the beach and he watched as Dream made a raft and that's how he got here.
“Tommy- Tommy!” Tommy felt his body shoot up to Dream’s calls. He must’ve zoned out.
“Yeah? Sorry man I just, I-I ain't feeling too well.” He chuckled dryly, the humor deprived entirely out of him.
“Listen, Tommy, I wasn’t expecting that. I didn’t want this to happen to you, I mean, I wanted you to be punished, be George’s indentured servant and shit. But the exilement was only because that's another way of charging you. I didn’t want Tubbo to do that to you-” Dream babbled on, Tommy could tell this time it was sincere, sure he and Dream never really got along, but hearing that he cared felt nice.
“It's okay, Dream. I mean, what happened, happened and I can’t do anything about it. It feels like shit. But hey you heard President Tubbo and I can’t go against the big bossman's orders.” Tommy muttered and he just lent back and looked at the sky. It wasn’t the prettiest, it was dark and gray and murkish. But it was cool - it was reality - he dipped his hands in the freezing water and just laid there.
He let it ground him to this even colder, brutal world.
“Yeah-” Dream mumbled, “We’re almost there, so hold your stuff. And I’ll tell you all the rules and such about exile.” Tommy gawked and sat straight up.
“Rules!? What kinda rules!? It’s exile! Don’t I get to do what I want?” Tommy couldn’t be told to follow rules as he was just banished from his home! Bullshit, utter bullshit. Dream wheezed, fucking wheezed. He sounded like a teapot.
He noticed the island in tow, it was quite a big one. A big, lonely island. How comforting.
“Of course there’s rules Tommy. It’s punishment for a crime, you don't get to live how you want. The first rule is you’ll have to get rid of your armor and weapons-” What the fuck!? “And you aren’t allowed to get tools and armor past iron. It’s a safety precaution man. Just so you don’t escape and go commit anarchy with too much stuff.”
Tommy was livid. He’d have to start all over again and he wasn’t even allowed to get diamond tools or armor! He wanted the sea to open wide and have it swallow him whole and hide him away.
“This is so not fair! You can’t just destroy my stuff - which I worked so hard for! - and expect me to take that!” Tommy pouted and held himself.
“Listen man, I’m not gonna destroy it, I’m gonna keep it and depending on your behavior you can earn stuff back.” That seemed fair to Tommy, but he was still pissed.
“Another rule is you can not leave the perimeter of where you’re allowed to stay. If I’m with you, sure, but alone, leaving can result in you losing privileges. This is another safety precaution for me and you as well as the inhabitants of L’manburg.”
“It’s another bullshit precaution…” Tommy muttered as he braced for the landing on the island.
“I can hear you, ya’ know?” Tommy rolled his eyes and walked onto the beach as Dream discarded the boat and followed after him. Tommy walked up the little beach onto the island. He stopped on the top of a tiny hill and looked over the ocean. His home- wait, it’s not his home anymore - miles away, his friends miles away, his family miles away. He looked away and just fell. He just collapsed on the flowy grass, he kinda liked the way it felt. It was free, it was cool, and it smelled of petrichor. He supposes it must’ve rained recently.
“Are you okay Tommy?” He heard the little plop as Dream sat down next to him. It was comforting to not be fully alone, but if he could choose anybody to be here, his first pick would definitely not be Dream. It’s not like they ever got along. The deepest conversation they ever had was fighting and throwing insults and curses at each other. Tommy really didn’t wanna spill his guts out. So he did what he did best, laugh it off.
“Fucking great man. I mean that dumbass ram Tubbo thinks he’s the shit! And yeah he is, mans is a fat piece of shit!” Tommy laughed, yet it sounded dead, there was nothing fun about it. Dream didn’t say anything.
“Can’t blame Tubbo though can you man? I mean if you were him you’d want me gone, right? Just completely out of your life! I mean I can’t blame him though! With me around he couldn’t get no bitches! I’d get all the women and their boyfriends too!” Tommy was pissed. He wanted to scream and punch something. But he still felt the urge to cry, to curl up into a little ball and wish Prime would strike him dead then and there.
Tommy thinks Dream knew what was going on, he could hear the sympathy - pity - in Dream’s voice and it made him sick. He felt a warm, gloved hand on his shoulder and he wanted to scream at Dream. Because who the hell is he to act like he gives a damn about Tommy’s feelings!? He killed him for fucks sake! He was a stupid ass wanker-
“Tommy. Listen, this has gotta suck, and I have no idea what you're feeling. I know it isn’t good though and I’m sorry. I am. I know we never got along, you probably find me just as annoying as I find you-” Damn right, asshole. “But I wanna try and be there for you. I never wanted this for you, so let me just try and be someone for you to talk to. It doesn’t have to be anything mushy, it can be about the fucking weather! But let me be your friend. At least an acquaintance? I mean you’ll be stuck with me for the next couple of weeks.”
Tommy heard the humor in Dream’s voice, and yeah, he really didn’t wanna have to go to Dream about his inner, most deepest feelings. But he really appreciated the fact that he wanted to be there.
It’s better than Tubbo.
“What? That’s worse than all the stupid ass rules you’ve given me! You’re telling me I gotta be stuck with your wanking ass? Ugh, Prime!” Tommy quipped. He enjoyed the chuckles he got for it, it was very a tiny bit freeing.
“What the hell, man!? You wound me!” Tommy laughed as Dream grabbed his heart in mock hurt, and it didn’t sound forced, he felt it, it was real. He blew a huff of air as Dream pushed at his shoulder lightly.
“Cry about it asshat!” Tommy stood up and brushed his jeans off as Dream just chuckled and stood up with him. Tommy smiled and looked up at the sky and saw how dark it’d gotten. He supposed it was later in the afternoon, they’d only have a couple hours of sunlight left. He told Dream he’d need a place to sleep and Dream obviously agreed. So for the next hour or so they worked on making a sufficient tent for Tommy to sleep in for the next couple of nights. At least till he gets a more permanent home.
Home. Tommy really started to despise the word.
Dream killed a wandering pig and built a fire for him and Tommy. Tommy sat on a little wooden chair as Dream roasted the pig for them, once it finished Dream gave him some pork chops and Tommy munched on them as the other man just sat there.
Hm, guess he won’t eat. He would have to take his mask off, so-
As Tommy finished eating and chatting with Dream a bit more he finally felt a little better. Yeah he still had a huge gaping hole in his heart, the remnants of his soul being shattered by the person he called his best-friend for the last - honestly, his whole life - couple of years. And he was shocked to say he grown more fond of the masked man's company.
“Well, I guess it’s time for me to leave, it is pretty dark so I’ll leave you so you can get some sleep.” Dream stood up for his spot where he sat and Tommy had to hold his mouth shut as he almost begged Dream to stay a little longer. He didn’t want to be alone because then, that means this is reality, he’s truly been abandoned.
“Uh- yeah! Alright big man, I was getting tired of you anyway- aha-” Tommy tried to sound normal, like he really didn’t want Dream to stay. But Tommy thinks the latter noticed, if not by the little sigh of sympathy - pity - and the tilt of his head to the left.
“Listen Tommy, you’ll be fine. And I promise I will be back tomorrow. You won't be alone through this whole thing.” Dream placed a comforting, reassuring hand on his shoulder and Tommy felt a light squeeze before the green man walked away. Tommy watched as Dream built a nether portal and Tommy waved as Dream looked back. He got a little head tilt once more before Dream was gone.
Tommy was now finally alone. He was alone on this desolate, punishing and grueling island finally. He had nobody with him and he was just there by himself. He walked into his tent and laid down on his bed. He closed his eyes and thought of one thing-
“I promise I will be back tomorrow.”
At least he wouldn’t be alone when he woke up.