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fit stalks the land, axe in hand and exhaustion in his bones. It reminds him solemnly of harder times.
He walks through the clearing and sees a dock on the water, falling apart, worn down by nature. At the end, stands tubbo with a water bottle of alcohol in his hand, probably made by one of his teammates through berries.
drinking on the job, not the best option, but he doesn’t judge as he steps onto the dock and it sways under his feet, his boots clunking as he walks towards the much, much younger man. Tubbo knows someone’s here, he just doesn’t seem to care.
“man, just kill me, get it over with.” Tubbo utters, short and quick, his voice only a little bit slurred. It makes it sadder than it should.
“I'm not gonna kill you, tubbo.” he walks beside him with a sigh, resting his arms on the railing, the same as tubbo does.
Tubbo looks over for the first time, slow and painful. He looks exhausted.
fit looks back at him, exhausted also, but in a familiar way.
“I don't know what i’m doing, fit.” Tubbo mutters, taking the last swig of his drink and crunching the water bottle the drink was disregarded in between his hands, putting it in his pocket. “how do i get better at something with no training? no trial and error? Every move I take could cost me a day lost, percentages I could've gained.”
“couldn't tell ya.” fit utters, sighing before he continues, tubbo listens intently. “ I led a couple hundred men into war, lost about half of them, I was just a little bit younger than you.” fit looks out to the sky, tubbo follows his gaze.
“really?” Tubbo looks intrigued, a spark he hasn’t seen in a while comes back to him.
“really. the fourth incursion, it was. the rushers vs the veterans. we defended what was ours, even if no one truly loved it in the wasteland, it was home.” fit shrugged, his eyes averting from the moon, to the trees in the horizon, to the water below him.
“you lost, then?” Tubbo looks over at him again.
“no, no. I burned Rushers paradise with my own two hands, and killed him with my own sword. alone.” fit says, it’s cruel and it’s scary, but he says it in the calmest voice tubbos ever heard from him.
“how do I be mean like that, fit?” Tubbo leans against him slightly, head heavy with alcohol. “I don’t wanna see my team die anymore. I don’t wanna see their frustration.”
“I don't want you to be cruel like I was, tubbo. you can come back from this. you don’t have to be like me.” fit looks down at him from where he leans on his shoulder, and gods, is he similar to him.
“how do i win, then?” tubbos eyes flicker up to his.
“I'm not a leader, Tubbo. haven't been for a long time. I haven’t got a clue in the world.” He says truthfully.
Tubbo nods in quiet understanding, as the dock sways with the water their armor gently clinks together, it’s similar to the sounds of swords clashing together in warfare.
“I miss the eggs.” Tubbo finally whispers. fit does too, god does he miss his little boy. Tubbo only knew Ramon for a few days, but he silently hopes if it came down to it, he’d save his boy. bring him home.
“you need to rest, Tubbo.” fit says finally, instead, because it’s true. the younger looks exhausted, barely able to stand, he wonders how heavy his bones feel. how hard it is to carry his feet.
“you’re right, man.” Tubbo carefully lifts himself up with a long sigh, muttering thanks, it looks like his head is heavy to hold.
Before he can say anything else, Tubbo is walking away, and fit is left to watch. He rubs his weary eyes with exhaustion and disappears into the forest.
fit just hopes when he gets to his base, he’s treated with kindness. sat down by a fireplace, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and a mug of tea placed in his hands. He hopes he’s treated with the kindness an 18 year old fit could never even dream of.