Chapter Text
[15 years after the L’manberg Revolution]
The wind blew in a late Spring storm over the shores of where L’manberg had once stood. L’manberg? Why was Tommy thinking about L’manberg? It had been years since Dream had blown it up. Even longer since the first L’manberg war.
So much had changed. The sands shifted in the winds of time, but Tommy knew if he could go back, to those early days of the revolution, his younger self would never believe where he was today. Sometimes he had trouble believing it, even after many years.
Tommy kicked his legs, watching his netherite boots glow. He sat on a tower, a tower that had long been blown up with nothing but a skeleton remaining. He watched river water lap at the distant shore, watched droplets of water fall into the crater of the home that had betrayed him. Betrayed him in a way that the wound felt fresh, even now, almost a decade later.
After his exile, no one had visited him. It had only been him and Dream. It was still only him and Dream, against a world where everyone was dead. At least- Tommy thought they were dead. Ever since the egg had begun expanding and taking over their world, Tommy hadn’t heard anything from the people he had once called his friends. Not that he cared. He didn’t care .
Soft footsteps made Tommy turn around. He was greeted by a familiar face. Well- mask. Dreams mask smiles at him. He leant down, patting Tommy’s shoulder. It was time for them to leave.
“Did you find anyone?” Tommy asked quietly as he stood. Dream shook his head.
“There’s nothing here but red vines and black rivers. The egg has rotted this land, inside and out.” Dream murmured. Tommy sighed, defeated. Of course the residents of L’manberg and the greater DSMP wouldn’t stay around. Not once they noticed the earth turning black, and the stretching red vines that had overrun most of the living earth.
“Let’s go.” Tommy said. Dream nodded, breathing as they began to return to their base.
~
Tommy wasn’t expecting to see anyone ever again. Not that he wanted to. The pain of their betrayal was a raw, aching wound. One that had never gotten closure. Still, he knew he would find some solace in seeing someone again. So find out why they had never visited him, to find out why they had left him to send for himself. Alone. No. He wasn’t alone.
Tommy had Dream.
And Dream was enough. The man had become his mentor, his friend, his abuser. Willing or not, Tommy would always be by Dreams side. Always pick him over anyone else. People knew this. Before the egg had poisoned the land, Tommy had helped Dream and Technoblade blow up L’manberg for a third and final time. That had been the last time he had seen anyone. Tubbo, Nikki, Ranboo, even Ghostbur. The image of their shock was one burned into his mind.
Not long after, the world had succumbed to the rule of the egg, and only a few mingling survivors searched the world to find each other. Sapnap and George had been with them, for a while. Then they left, too disgusted with Dream to stay. Tommy didn’t get it. Dream was fine- he was fine. He was Tommy’s friend. Only friend. Best friend.
Tommy looked ahead.
They were walking the prime path. It had blacked and become overrun with red roots. Vines twisted and turned around the edges. Tommy was careful not to step on them. He’d seen first hand what they did to people. It wasn’t pretty.
Dream had the same thoughts. “We have to be careful,” he said, quietly, as though talking any louder would disturb the slithering vines.
“I know.” Tommy nodded.
They continued down the path in silence. The sky was beginning to darken, the first low rumbles of thunder making Tommy jump. He jumped a little too far, and felt something on his shoulder. He looked up to see Dream, expression covered by his mask, but muscles tight. “ Careful.” He warned.
Tommy swallowed against his dry throat, mumbling and apology. Dream just nodded, they continued to walk.
Their silence was interrupted by a whipping sound that filled the air. An arrow hit the black sidewalk, burning and bubbling with a weakness potion. Tommy froze in surprise. Dream had checked the area- they were meant to be alone. Meant to be alone, but as Tommy scanned their surroundings, he realized they weren’t. Dream had realised it too. “Run, Tommy,” Dream began to run, trying not to trip over the writhing vines. Tommy followed suit. He looked around again as a shower over arrows fell onto them. He couldn’t recognise the figures, they were too far away. Too far away yet a strange sense of familiarity washes over him. He tried his best to ignore it and followed Dream.
They followed the twists and turns of the path, followed it past where the original SMP base had stood, followed it until it came to a dead end and fell into forest. Tommy followed Dream into the blackened trees, and they didn’t slow down until they were covered by the safety of the trees. Tommy leaned against a trunk, his chest heaving. Dream appeared to do the same, though he slumped. Tommy was instantly at his side. “Dream?” He said, “Dream are you okay?”
Dream panted heavily, sweat sliding down his neck. In the low light, Tommy checked him for injuries. He paused as he realised Dreams side was bleeding. He pushed the man down and raised his jumper, just enough to see the red vine that was working it’s way into Dream’s side. Tommy wanted to scream. He wanted to vomit. He wanted to cry.
Dream was infected.
Frantically, Tommy laid Dream against the tree trunk. Once the eggs vine breached skin, it worked fast. Too fast. Many people had died to the red vines, back in the early days. Tommy and Dream had taken measures. This wasn’t meant to happen.
Dreams eyelids were half closed. He grabbed Tommy’s wrist, talking low. “Tommy. Tommy take off my mask.”
Tommy took of Dreams mask and looked at him. His green eyes, freckles, dirty blonde hair that was blackened with dirt. Tommy felt his body shudder. “Don’t die Dream.”
“Tommy listen to me.” Dream took in a shuddering breath. “Listen. Take this.” Tommy watched as Dream handed him a large netherite slab. It had symbols carved into it. As Tommy looked at them, he got a strange feeling that whatever he was holding was something very ancient. Something made before their world. Soft voices called to him. He had to blink and refocus on Dream.
“What is this?”
“It will help you. When you need it- only when you need it most.” Dream winced. Tommy felt his heart plummet. The vines were taking their effect.
“Dream don’t die. You can’t die yet.” Tommy gripped Dreams shoulders. “I was meant to die before you!”
“It’s not your time to die yet Tommy. You have to keep living.”
Tommy nodded, his neck searing. Willingly or not, he would fight to live. But- “I can’t do this without you. I don’t want to be alone.”
“You aren’t alone, I’ll-“ Dreams breath shortened. “Find Sapnap. Or George. Keep looking for them. They’ll help.”
“It’s been years, they’re dead now Dream! Dead!”
“They are alive. I know they are.” Dreams eyes glazed over. Tommy’s eyes began to sting. He would always envy George and Sapnap. Dream would tear the world apart to find them, to keep them safe. No one would do that for Tommy.
He was useless. He had always been useless, to Wilbur, to Tubbo, even to Dream. Nothing would ever change. Even now, he was stuck watching his only friend die as his body was overrun by the eggs vines. Tommy watched Dreams' skin become pale, watched his eyes flutter back as he fell into and out of consciousness. Then it began to happen. Vines began to sprout from Dreams' skin, wrapping his body in an odd red sheen. Tommy was going to be sick, but he couldn’t look away. He was sure he began to scream, to cry, and he threw up. Rain began to patter down as the storm arrived. Dreams breathes we’re shallow. He gripped Tommy’s wrist, and Tommy didn’t dare to move.
“Use… the tablet… when you feel like you most need it.” Dreams voice was low, shaky. Defeated. “Change… change things for the better. Rewrite history. Make sure I… don’t repeat the same mistakes.” Dream was looking at Tommy as he spoke. Tommy sobbed, gripped him tighter, shook him to keep him awake. But it was too late. The vibes had taken their hold. Dreams eyes rolled back as he sucked in a final breath- and his death message appeared. [Dream was killed by vines.]
~
Tommy didn’t know how long he stayed with Dream’s body. An hour? Maybe two? Long enough for the rain to become heavier. Long enough for the night to fall. Long enough to watch the dawn break behind the trees, bringing on clear skies.
He needed to get back to base. He needed to move. But he couldn’t. He needed to burn Dream's body. But he couldn’t.
Stiffly, he looked at the tablet, eyeing the ancient descriptions careful. He gripped it tighter, just slightly. He was utterly alone in the world. Alone, unable to die, and longing for a way back to when Dream was here, so he could prevent what had happened. There was no way back. He hung his head in defeat.
He tried not to cry anymore. It was hard, but Tommy tried. Tried and failed, as the warm tears slid from his cheeks, and he picked up Dreams discarded mask. He looked at it, felt the porcelain cracks that had withered with age, and slipped it into his inventory for safe keeping. He looked at dream again. He was lifeless. Gone. He left Tommy alone. Just like everyone else.
A crack in the distant woods escaped Tommy’s attention as he stared at dream. It didn’t alert him until it was closer, louder. Tommy couldn’t bring himself to care. There was no one else but him, and the monsters the egg sent to hunt people. It was probably just a beast, nothing hard to defeat.
Tommy was very wrong.
The footsteps got closer, then stopped. Tommy knew the beast was right in front of him, probably sizing him up. The wind was knocked from his chest all over again as a familiar voice sounded.
“Tommy?”
Tommy looked up. Brown hair, blue eyes, a burn scar that took up a quarter of his face. Tommy couldn't believe his eyes.
“Tubbo?”
They stared at each other, each as shocked as the other.
Tommy didn’t know what to do.