Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It's been 3 weeks since Tommy was exiled.

"Drop your items in the hole Tommy."

Dream was standing in front of him, axe in his dominant hand and TNT in the other. He really didn't want to do what his friend was telling him; he had worked hard and he'd even stayed awake overnight to get some materials and food, but he knew better than to speak back at the man. Last time he tried it didn't end well, the bruise on his arm was a reminder of the incident.

"..."

"I thought I made myself clear, put your items in the pit Tommy. Now."

"..." He didn't dare move a muscle, but he had to say something or Dream would start to get angry at him for ignoring him.

"Your lack of response is pissing me off Tommy... Come on, don't disobe-"

"B-but Dream, I worked really hard on this stuff!" Said the teen after gathering up the courage to talk back. "Couldn't I just keep so-" The older one interrupted him with a slap across the face.

"What did about say about talking out of order?!" The man raised his voice, startling the boy, who flinched back a few steps. "Is this how you treat your friends, Tommy?"

"N-no.."

"You don't sound so sure about that..." The grip on the man's axe tightened, and it triggered a panicked reaction out of Tommy.

"N-no! I... I am sure!" He was kicked down immediately after finishing the sentence, he was now lying on the ground, something ached on his back.

"Don't raise your voice at me Tommy." Dream said, pinning Tommy to the ground with his leg as he pointed his weapon to the boy's throat.

"I'm sorry Dream! I-I'll be better! I promise! I'll be a good friend I swear!" He was shaking in place, unable to keep eye contact with the man's mask. He always thought the eyes were just like two empty voids; maybe now he understood better why Ranboo wasn't able to look at anyone to their eyes.

A hand crossed in front his face, he closed his eyes and turned his head around, trying to make the impact less painful; but it never came. He slowly opened his eyes and realized the hand was being offered to him, then he heard the man sigh.

"Come on, get up." The older one said, his hand still extended as an offering to the teen.

Tommy complied to his friend's request and grabbed his hand which pulled him up from the ground.

"You know I do this for your own good... You have to learn to be a good friend Tommy. How could I let you return to L'manburg when you act like this?" Dream said with his hand on the teen's shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry Dream." His words didn't come as loud as he wanted them to, but they were still heard.

"Will you put your items in the pit now?" Said the man tilting his head to look at Tommy's.

"Y-yeah..." The kid pulled out the items from his inventory and dropped them into the pit Dream had made for them.

"We will have to work on your stutter later." He said while walking in front of the pit, grabbing a flint and steel and giving it to Tommy after he was done putting his items on the ground.

"..."

"Light this for me, will you?" He said with a noticeable grin while pointing at Tommy with a dynamite stick on his hand.

"Yes, Dream." He lit up the dynamite, and then watched as Dream threw it into the pit, quickly throwing five more to make the explosion bigger. He could feel the rumble on the ground under his feet.

"That's it for today, maybe I'll come around tomorrow to see how you're doing. Try to work on your stutter, it's getting annoying, and you wouldn't want to annoy your friend, would you?" He asked while walking towards the portal.

"No! No! Of course not... I... I'll try to work on it."

"Good, see you later Tommy, behave yourself."

"Y-yes Dream, I'll behave."

And with that the man was gone, leaving Tommy on his own again. He should have eaten before Dream arrived because now the food he'd gathered was now blown to ashes on the ground. He'll have to cover that up before his friend arrives tomorrow, although it could be another two days without seeing him, sometimes he didn't come around for several days. Until then he had to gather materials once more... Food was rare in these plains, he didn't know why, but he guessed that it was because the plains were small that the animals that gathered there could only be so many. He could try eating rotten flesh from zombies but they didn't appeared that often either... It was a rather calm place, somehow far too calm.

As he watched the sun started to settle on the horizon, he thought that maybe the best thing was to gather up just the basics again and sleep for the night... He couldn't do much either way, his left arm still ached and it was hard to lift heavy tools. That's why it took him extra effort to gather up the last materials, but those were already blown up, no point in crying over spilled milk.

His insomnia was worse with each passing day he noted. He couldn't rest again, this was the third time this week that he'd tried to close his eyes and sleep for a while, but some things kept him awake; thoughts like what would he do tomorrow? What would he eat? What if while he's asleep a creeper sneaks up to him and blows him up? Why don't enderman come to this area? How is Ranboo after the trial? What is he doing now? What is Tubbo doing now? Does he even care about him anymore? He never comes to visit... When was the last time they spoke in good terms? Is he even his friend anymore? He honestly considers him a friend, but does Tubbo feel the same? Why did he exile him then? It was only better when he stared at the stars, thinking of old memories of a telescope and some type of story about sisters in the sky. Older and simpler times, that were now gone. He could only stare at the stars while he laid on the grass, relaxing a bit.

The stars were beautiful that night.

Even though it was pretty dark outside the moon always brought enough light to see around. There was no moon this night, but the stars were brighter than Tommy remembered; maybe because he hadn't had time to look at them at all. He rested his head on the ground, staring at the sky, letting the quiet night take his loud thoughts away.

His thoughts were louder this night than the ones before, but one stood out from the others:

Can't this just end now? Why can't I end it myself?

His mind was extremely quiet after that, but wasn't it it true? Couldn't he stop what was happening to him? He stood up from the ground, was it okay for him to be thinking this way? What would his friends and family say? He hadn't seen his mother since he was nine, and he stopped talking to his father the day he killed his brother; one of his brothers was dead and he was pretty sure the other one hated him for going against his ideals, his best friend Tubbo had exiled him, and he barely knew Ranboo before the trial. They didn't care, did they? If they did maybe they would have visited or sent a letter if they couldn't. It was getting hard to breath, his hands were shaking and his legs were barely holding back. He started scratching his arms, close to were his bruises were. His heart was pounding loud and he could feel chills down his back, his chest started to ache horribly.

He wanted Dream to come back, even thought they started as enemies and fought wars against each other, he was the only one who stayed by his side. He was there on exile with him, coming to see him almost everyday, checking that he was doing alright. He needed Dream right now. He didn't feel alright; he felt alone, desperate. He needed someone to tell him that everything was going to be fine and that they were going to stay with him. His legs gave up on him and he felt himself kneeling down on the floor.

"Breathe Tommy, b-breathe..."

Tears threatened to fall from his eyes, his breath still unable to be steady.

"P-please..."

He suddenly felt something wet on his arm, he'd scratched it until it started to bleed out. He stared blankly at it, his breath settling down. The shaking stopped; probably from the shock. He stayed like that the rest of the night.

Two days have passed since Dream came to visit Tommy. He just spent the time as well as he could. Mamacita and MexicanDream had came to visit yesterday, they were the first people he'd seen in a while, and it was quite comforting. Even though they both looked like Dream, they were nothing like him. And even though they came to visit Tommy they were flirting with each other most of the time. It was a good way of breaking the routine, he thought, and he spent the day with them instead of gathering up resources. He just had some basics he'd gathered the day before. He had also patched up his arm; he couldn't risk getting an infection.

A familiar figure appeared from the portal; Dream had come to visit him again! He rapidly approached his friend and stood in front of him with a smile across his face.

"Good afternoon, Tommy." He greeted.

"Good afternoon, Dream!" The boy replied with a happy tone.

"We're in a good mood today huh? Did something happen while I was gone?" He was pretty straight forward, walking around the place.

"Uh... no, no! I-I'm just happy that you're here again, you didn't come yesterday... or the day before..." He was lying but he didn't know what Dream would think if he knew he spent the day with people that weren't him.

"I was busy."

"O-oh! I see." He wanted to ask what was keeping him so busy that he couldn't come around, but he couldn't bring himself to make a question like that.

"You know I don't like it when you stutter, Tommy."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, just don't do it anymore." The man stopped in his tracks.

"Yes, Dream."

"What happened to your arm by the way?" He asked turning around and pointing at the bandages near his hand.

"T-this? Oh I... I fell over while gathering stuff." He can't make Dream worry about it, he'd get mad at him, maybe he'd even stop visiting him because of it. He can't risk telling he made it himself, yes it was an accident, but still.

"Really? What did you gather then?" He approached him a little.

"Just wood and some cobble, I- I just made stone tools after that..." He looked away from where the man was standing.

"I see... Will you put your stuff in the hole this time?"

"Y-yes, Dream!" He looked at the man to look as sincere as he could but he couldn't bare too much eye contact after that.

"Good." He spawned a shovel and dug a hole right were they were standing. "Go ahead, then."

"Y-yes Dream." He began to drop his stuff in the pit in front of him. He hadn't lied about him only gathering very few items, he just had a stone axe and some wood and cobble in his inventory.

"You've been quite well behaved today, Tommy." The boy shined at the compliment, he put some TNT on the hole and then blew it up.

"Why don't we go hang around at the beach for a while?" He didn't leave room for argument as he walked straight to the place, Tommy quickly following behind him. "I have some speare bread from earlier, do you want some?"

"Really?! Can... Can I have some?"

"Sure, you've been behaving good today, you can have some." Said the man, offering him some bread from his inventory.

"Thank you, Dream!" He hadn't eaten anything apart from an apple he found the day before, so he was really grateful for it. He took the bread off Dream's hands.

"Tommy?"

"Yes Dream?" He had his mouth full but his words could still be understood.

"You know all I do is for your own good, right? Cause we are friends and I want you to be better?" He went to sit on the beach while he spoke.

"Of... of course Dream! We are friends and... I do need to be better." He sat down next to him.

"I'm glad we're on the same page." He said while he stared at the ocean. "I'll let you borrow my trident for a moment."

"What?! Really?"

"Sure."

"Why though?" It was strange for the man to offer something like this, if he asked Tommy the first days of exile he would've tried to escape and get home with it... but now it was different.

"Because I'm your friend Tommy, and I want you to have some fun while you're here alone" The man said with a grin on his face.

"Thank you!" Dream pulled out the trident from his inventory and gave it to Tommy. "I'll take good care of it, don't worry." He ran as fast as he could to the ocean, feeling the water just below his waist. His clothes were wet now but he couldn't care less. He brought his arm back with the trident on hand and then launched himself up.

The sun was setting, it was a beautiful view from up there. He stared at it as he fell back in the water. He was happy, he really was enjoying himself for the first time in weeks. He launched himself again, staring at the clouds just above him, maybe he can touch them. He hit the water and launched himself back up again, this time only a few centimeters short from the clouds before falling back again.

"Did you see that Dream?! I almost touched the clouds!" He said while shaking the water of his hair.

"Good job Tommy, maybe you can reach them if you go a little higher." The last drops of sun made the man almost look warm, approachable. Tommy smiled at him before trying it again, this time he jumped on the sand below him while launching himself upwards. Not only did he reach the clouds but he went above them; he knew he could still do better though, he could go higher. The stars were slowly starting to appear as he fell back down again. He could reach them, he thought.

"Dream, watch this!" He pulled his arm as far as he could and while he jumped off the floor he launched himself. He could feel the man's stare even while above the clouds, as if he would grow wings in a second and fly away in the night sky. He used to fly but not alone, his father used to carry him while he flew around the sky. Tommy thought it was really cool, the old memories were washed away as he fell on the water. He'd made it a bit higher but he knew that wasn't his best.

"Wow Tommy careful there, you almost touched the stars." The man had a sarcastic tone in his voice, but Tommy didn't notice it while he was happy to be spending time with his friend.

"I will touch the stars! I know I can! I'll really touch them!" He swam a little bit farther from the shore, Dream only tensing his shoulders a bit while he did, but not doing anything as he saw the teen stop.

"Look Dream! I'll touch the stars!" He dove under the water until he reached the bottom and then launched himself up from the water. Before hitting the surface he pulled his arm back as far as he could and launched himself. He was at rocket speed, and he quickly passed above the clouds. The air around him was starting to get cold, his hand shivered a bit, but his grip on the trident was still strong. It was getting hard to breathe, the air too cold for him, snowflakes now around his body, he was as high as he could ever go.

Fall to the ground and die.

His thought went unperceived as new thoughts came to him.

This is really lonely...

How long until this is over and Dream gets mad at me again?

I miss Wilbur... Ghostbur hadn't visited in a while, did something happened to them? Did I make them mad?

It was too cold for him... but somehow the air wasn't the coldest thing he felt in that moment. He started to fall after a few seconds and moments later he hit the water, gasping out for the air that he didn't notice left him up there.

"Come back here Tommy, I think that was enough for the day." He heard the man said from the shore, he quickly went to where he was standing. He didn't notice when he stood up but he guessed the man did it while he was in the air.

"Did you see that Dream? I almost touched the stars!" He ran as he went to the man, trident still in his arm. Before exile he would've tried to attack Dream, but he didn't feel confident enough now.

"Yeah, you almost did, let's get our head on the ground for a while."

"Oh, um yeah!" Did he say something wrong? He didn't like the tone on Dream's voice.

"I guess my visit is over now, we'll se each other soon, good night Tommy." He started walking straight to the portal, the blond one following behind him.

"I - yeah! Good night Dream! See you soon" He stopped at the front of the obsidian borders as he saw his friend go in, and with that Dream was gone.

Three days had gone by and Dream hadn't visited yet. Tommy thought he saw him once, at night after he woke up in the middle of the ocean. He didn't know how he got there but he wasn't that far from the shore, his footsteps still printed on the sand. He'd walked there while sleeping and the water woke him up. He saw a tall figure on one of the trees not that far from the shore, he thought the figure would approach him but it didn't, it only disappeared while he blinked. This was the fifth time that he had sleepwalked out of his tent to wake up in the ocean, and lately it was only getting more frequent. He kept his head busy working, gathering materials and taking long walks. He didn't want to think to hard about it, he might hurt himself again, like the night before when he had another panic attack and made a cut closer to his wrist than he'd wanted to. He had to take a piece of his shirt to bandage himself because he ran out of them a while ago.

"Tommy."

He looked back to see Tubbo standing on the portal. What was he doing there? Did he come here to visit? He stood frozen in place, was it just a Dream? He rubbed his eyes and as soon as he looked up he realized that maybe he was going crazy, there was no one standing there. He looked around but he was still the only person there.

"Oh..."

He noticed the grip on his iron axe was so strong his knuckles were getting white, an iron axe... maybe Dream had been gone for too long for him to be having iron tools... He also had some food that he had gathered, maybe he should store it. He had plenty of materials, he'll soon need more chests for all of them... but Dream would take them all again before giving him the chance to store them.

Why don't I hide the stuff from him until he leaves?

Hide the stuff from Dream? Was that a good idea? Where would he even hide it?

Under Logstershire.

Ghostbur's place? Well it's true that Dream almost never checked Ghostbur's place ... Would Ghostbur mind? He hadn't seen them in a while, will they ever come back? It's been almost a week since he saw his brother's ghost, maybe he won't come back, had he upset them? That was probably it... but if they weren't going to be around maybe he could use this opportunity to hide some of his stuff from Dream- Not all of it, he thought, it would look bad if he had nothing in the 3 days Dream wasn't here. He might worry Dream that he hadn't been taking care of himself and make him upset and leave him forever... He didn't want to be alone forever.

It was a plan then, hide the stuff and hope that Dream would not be able to find it.

"Am I a bad friend for this?" He looked down to his feet, he had lost one of his shoes while running from zombies and the other one had seen better days. His pants were almost to the point were they would be long shorts, and he had holes on his shirt... He didn't think that Dream would give him new ones though, he didn't really need it. He could walk on the ground without shoes and his t-shirt and pants could still be worn. Dream said that if he didn't needed something then he wanted it, and that he wouldn't give him anything that he didn't need. So he just ignored his previous thoughts and the condition of his clothes and went to Logstershire. He would figure it out from there.

ᒲ|| ᓭ∴ᒷᒷℸ ̣ ᓵ⍑╎ꖎ↸ ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ|| ↸𝙹リᒷ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ||𝙹⚍?

⠽⠕⠥

Chapter Text

The sun was starting to come back up, Tommy was already up and doing stuff, he didn't have to gather more materials for a while so he wanted to look around the place a little bit more, maybe find a new cave or a place were he could go and hang out for a bit, he only took a torch with him, so he was grateful that the day would be starting soon, as his light source was almost out. He could hear the cows nearby, he was hungry but lately he didn't have the strength to approach and kill innocents animals so he just walked around the fields, he didn't know how far could he go until Dream came back and found he wasn't there, he was curious but he didn't want to stay out long enough to find out, he didn't want to make his friend upset, so before he could cross the river near the bottom of one of the mountains he returned home, he would probably come back to see how was the view from up top, it would be glorious, maybe even as good as the view of the sunsets in the bench hill, those afternoons with Tubbo were pretty calm, but those days seemed so far gone right now.

"Dream should be back soon" he whispered to himself while he crossed the field back to the beach "Will he be happy to see me doing something productive? I hope he is"

His tent was starting to get a little worn off, time sure flies when you are alone, if it wasn't because Dream came every now and then he wouldn't be able to tell the time, as he would rather spend his time sleeping, maybe skipping a few days ahead, but that wasn't an option right now. He made a last trip to Logstershire, the chest was just underneath the floor, under a loose wooden board, he checked on his supplies, he was pretty good at hiding thing he thought, he had a few stacks of iron, a few blocks of emeralds that he gathered on a cave near the mountain, he didn't have any diamonds yet, but he'll work on it, he had a few muttons laying around, he was doing in terms of stuff.

"Why do I even need these again?" Except for the food, he couldn't find any other use for his items, maybe only doing things more efficiently or to have armor, that'll be nice, but he didn't need it, Dream wouldn't let him have things that he didn't need it, Dream said that he didn't need armor, he was okay with a stone or wood sword to defend himself from the mobs, and that he didn't need to be efficient, he just had to do the things he needed to, no matter the speed at which he does them "Why does he wear armor then? Does he need it? ... Isn't he one of the most powerful persons on this place? He doesn't need them, does he?"

It only applies for me.

I don't deserve things but he tells me that I don't need them so I don't feel bad.

That made sense, he didn't deserve things and Dream as his friend didn't want him to make him upset by telling him this so he just get the things that he needs, should he be hiding resources that he didn't need then? His head told him no, his heart was a little bit more confusing, his instinct on the other hand, yelled at him to grab everything he could and hide it away, food, blocks, any kind of resources, that he would need them later to survive. He was already doing it so better stick to the plan than to change it at the last minute, he exited the ghost's house and went to his own tent, he would sit around and wait for Dream to get there, technically if he wanted to he could check the nether, just a quick peak to see if he was coming, but he didn't think the man would like that.

He stared at the ocean, he couldn't imagine anymore what was at the other side of it, only fade and broken memories came to mind when he thought about, L'manburg, the first war happened almost 2 years ago, he was such young man, if his younger self saw him right now, what would he say?

I like our scar! It looks pretty sick!

Unconsciously he ran his hand down his cheek, there it was, his scar, it wasn't pretty deep but it was still pretty noticeable, he wasn't that proud of it, but it was stuck with him forever so he better accept it.

How did we got it?

He looked around him, his own voice echoed in his ears, he almost thought there was another him there ... How he got the scar? Well, he didn't like to remember that, the 16th of November, the day it all went down, L'manburg his beloved home got blown up, his brother was murdered by his own father, his other brother unleashed chaos on the land, he was near the area when one of the explosions went off, it launched him in the air and he hit himself on the ground, making a big cut on his face, it bleed out while he ran away from the withers, sometimes he could still hear his brother's voice yelling at him.

YOU WANT TO BE A HERO?!

His body started to shake, and he hugged himself as the voice echoed in his memory.

THEN DIE LIKE ONE!

He gasped for air, he could barely breath, he could swear that he was there, back on that day, standing in front his brother, with the ground that rumbled underneath his feet, two horrendous creatures appearing above him attacking and killing everything and everyone who got in their way.

"Tommy!"

Tubbo's scream was loud on his ears, he didn't want to hear it, he did not wanted to remember anything more from that day, his breath was fast and irregular.

They yelled at him, they could only yell.

"Tommy?!"

He covered his ears and curled himself into a ball, he wanted to be small, he wanted to disappear on the ground to never come back again, rot in place without anything or anyone.

"Tom can you hear me?"

What?

"Thomás! Hombre, chill out! You're freaking me out"

He wasn't Tubbo, he could not be Tubbo, he wasn't there, he wasn't standing in the middle of a battle field, but instead he was sitting on the ground near the shore, he couldn't be at L'manburg.

"M.D?"

"Hey~! You got me worried for a second man!" he flinched at the hand that patted his back.

"M.D! What are you doing here?!" His face lighted as he finally recognized the man.

"Ah, you know, just going around the place! Thought I pay you a visit" The man seemed as relaxed as always, somehow that also calmed Tommy down.

"Where is Mamacita?" The boy looked around but he didn't find the female figure anywhere, that was weird, they were almost always together, he guessed now was one of those weird occasions.

"Oh! She is on a fiesta back at home"

"Why aren't you there? I thought you loved parties?" As far as he remembered the man was always going around, crashing from party to party, so it was weird that he didn't want to go to one.

"Oh I love fiestas man! Drinking and getting drunk with your bros! I love it! But this was like a 'Only Girls' fiesta so I wasn't invited, it would look weird if I just crashed to it" He guessed that made sense yeah.

"Does she knows you're here?"

"Not really, but I'll go back before she does so no importa"

"Well I'm glad too see you M.D! How have you been?!" He stood up to make company to the older one.

"I'm good, I'm good, I see you're still not doing too hot hombre, Your shirt has dirt and holes all over it!" The man said pointing over his torso "I've seen trapos that are better than your shirt man, my mom has one I could ask her to let you borrow it"

"Oh! Um! It's not necessary, I like this shirt ... I don't need a new one" he grabbed at the end of his shirt, it was true, it had seen better days, but it was still useful.

"Whatever you say man, so! What do you do in this shit hole to have some fun?! Where are the señoritas man?! You're clearly missing out" the man walked around a little, being followed by Tommy on every step.

"Oh! I ... I guess I just sit around and wait for Dream, maybe gather some resources? I-"

"Aburrido~" the man made a fake yawn as he said that.

"What?"

"That's all you do? Wait for some bitch ass named Dream? Gather resources? Really?" He stopped on his track, Tommy started to shake a little.

"I - I'm sorry" He instinctively apologized, M.D sounded pissed, maybe if he apologized his punishment less severe.

"Well it's not your fault that you live in some bitch ass boring place in the middle of the nada man" The man walked around a bit more "We'll see what can we do to have fun here ... Do you want drugs?"

"What?! N-no!" He really shouldn't be yelling at other people, they'll get mad at him, it was just an impulse "I'm sorry .. I didn't want to raise my voice"

"It's okay man, it was a joke anyways ... You don't know how fast border patrol would come for my ass if I gave you drugs" he shrugged off.

"The what?"

"Nada! Nothing man!" the man laughed lightening the mood.

"Ok ... um do you want me to give you a tour? O-of the place? I mean I gave you one before but I don't kn- I don't remember if I explained myself correctly" He almost said 'I don't know if you were paying attention to me', but that was just disrespectful and rude.

"Oh! Yeah a tour would be good" Tommy took the lead going near big torches on the pat.

"Well this are torches that I build! To light up the place and everything ... they don't do much right now but the light is good at night"

"Yeah, yeah, that makes sense, El sol is brighter than some shitty lanterns at day"

"Sh-shitty lanterns?" The question came unconsciously, he didn't mean to ask, he was just going to forget about the comment "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to ask!"

"Oh no man! I'm sorry I didn't mean to be rude when I said that, it was just a joke!"

"I- uh no! It's okay really! They are pretty shitty!" he walked faster towards the beach "Anyways! this is the beach ... I spend a lot of time here"

"It's pretty, I bet I could swim to México from here"

"I ... I don't know about that one" he looked at the horizon ... he knew pretty well what was at the other side at the ocean ... but he didn't want to acknowledge it anymore "Oh and this in an extra tent I have! In case anyone comes visit" No one ever did, M.D and Mamacita were the only persons who did but they didn't stick around for long, Dream also didn't stay for long.

"Cool! This looks a lot like my house!"

"Really?"

"Yeah man, maybe this one is a little bit bigger, I might stay here! It looks comfy" Stay? No one ever stayed, Was it another joke?.

"Yeah! Um, do you want to see Ghostbur's house?"

"Sure! lead the way!" the man followed him up the hill, back as his tent "This ways is ghostb-"

"Tommy?" The boy stopped dead on his tracks "Who is this? What is he doing with you?!"

"..."

"Tommy?"

"D-dream I-!"

"Who is this bitch ass Thomás? He looks like an asshole"

"WHO IS THIS TOMMY?!" The man yelled at him again, he was clearly pissed off.

"I- H-he ... H-he is my friend" His words were soft almost too soft.

"Your friend?! That's ridiculous Tommy! I'M your only friend!"

"Hey chill out man! We were just vibing over here! Quit whining about, what are you a cry baby?"

"M.D I don't think-" he took a step back, he wanted to flee, he wanted run away, but that wasn't a viable option.

"What are you doing here? What do you want with Tommy?!" the grip on his sword tighten.

"As I said we were just vibing! Chilling out like good friends, y'know friendship right?! Relax dude, I'm just visiting"

"Well visiting time is OVER, Get the hell out of here!"

"Dude you're shitting me right?! I just got here, I'm not going to leave just because you're being an asshole, get the fuck out of here man, idiota" the man showed him his middle finger.

"Very mature, now GET OUT" Tommy could hear the stress in his voice, he was close to snapping and he didn't want to be here for it.

"No! Fucking asshole" he stood on his words crossing his arms "¡JODETE!"

"M.D I-I think you should ... lea-" he couldn't finish what he wanted to say, he couldn't just kick M.D out, he had been good to him.

"Tommy get back here" That wasn't a request, but a command, Tommy knew he couldn't disobey orders when given so, he stood forward but a hand on his arm stop him.

"Wow wow wow, just who the fucking hell do you think you are to be talking to the little guy like that?!" In another time he would've argued that statement but he can risk to feed the fire "C'mon Tommy let's get out of this shithole" As soon as he started to walk with one of his arms around Tommy, they both heard as the man took out his sword to point at him with it.

"Tommy is not going anywhere, not with anyone, not with YOU" the grip on his sword was impecable, even if they were armed they wouldn't be able to rip the sword of his hand "Now, Leave him alone, or I'll kill you" the sword got closer to the man's throat.

"D-dream please! I don't think this is necessar-" he tried to beg for forgiveness but a voice beside him was laughing "M-M.D?" The man pulled away the man sword with his hand, he couldn't believe it, did he wanted to die?!.

"Really?! You're threatening me with that?!" He couldn't stop laughing, Tommy was sure, his friend wanted a premature death "C'mon man! I've seen pocketknives sharper than this back at my barrio! I could give this to a baby!"

"M-M.D! Don't say that!" He grabbed onto the man's arm trying to make him come back into his senses.

"Oh really?" The man smirked "Would you like to see how sharp this sword can be then?" the man pressed the point of the sword into M.D's arm, but he didn't even flinch.

"Man you have to step up your game if you want to scare me out of here, the tiroteos on my block are scarier than this shit" once again he pointed the sword somewhere else "Well this was fun and all dude, but yeah me and Tommy are just going to go"

"He can't leave" the man raised his sword on the air and then slayed him on the arm, making a deep cut.

"M-M.D" concern grew in Tommy's voice "Are you okay?! We need to patch you up!"

"What the hell man?! My girl just gave me this hoodie! For fucks sake, now it's all bloody and shit" He said as he looked at his arm bleeding out, either the man was high or had an incredible pain tolerance because the cut was deep, if it weren't for the blood maybe you could be able to see his bone.

"It's seems like you want more" Tommy flinched at the words and as how the man raised again the sword on his hand "LEAVE NO-" He was suddenly being grabbed by the arm, Tommy being the culprit, holding onto it as a lifeline "Tommy, LET GO!"

"W-we can sort this out! No one has to get hurt! Dream plea-"

"Tommy you invited this stranger to exile! Without my permission! How could you do this to me?! Your best friend! You can't trust this guy!" as he spoke he tried to get rid of the grip of the teen.

"Dream I-! M.D is nice! H-he is a good guy! He-"

"Do you want to replace me Tommy?! As everyone replaced you?! I'm your only friend Tommy! Your only friend Tommy, I'm the only one who's still here, for you" for a moment, and only for a moment the man talked calmly with a low voice towards the boy.

"N-no! I would never Dream! I just- he is.."

"Well that's just not true, C'mon Thomás this is bullshit! Are you hearing this guy?! I'm also your friend" the man stood on his ground even thought the world was becoming blurry around him.

"Shut up" the man hissed at his direction, trying once again to free himself from the teenager's grip.

"He ... He is also my friend!" as soon as his words sunk in he could feel the tension rising from Dream's body "D-dream I-" he couldn't finish his sentence as he felt the air leave his lungs, dream had dig his elbow into his stomach, then launching him to the ground behind him hitting his injured arm again as he rolled in the dirt.

"HEY! WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"YOU DON'T DESERVE FRIENDS! Not after everything you've done! YOU'RE LUCKY TO HAVE ME AS A FRIEND!" the sword has pressed against his torso and for a moment he really thought Dream was going to kill him, right there in that moment, Tommy saw his last life gone, Dream didn't planned to kill him anytime soon, rather just teach him a lesson, but he had no way of knowing his life wasn't on the line.

"D-dream wait! I'll be better! Please!" He yelled from the ground as a figure stood in front of him, shielding him from Dream's attacks.

"WHAT THE FUCK MAN?! This is messed up first you slice my arm! And then you almost kill Thomás?! You know what?! I'm not a big fan of the police but I might as well call them over here"

A witness

"You okay man?" the man kneeled down giving Dream his back, holding Tommy by the shoulders.

An example

"We need to get you out of here man, get your friend he-" The air escapes his lungs and he starts to cough, blood coming out of his mouth "What the-?" Tommy is petrified, the man looks at his chest where the boy had suddenly started staring, he can see the end of the blade down his torso, he suddenly feels a sharp pain and gasps for air as the sword is dragged across him, then rapidly snatched off. "Thomás?"

"M-MD!" Blood start dripping to his pants, it isn't his, he could just stare horrified as the man coughed blood splashing some on his shirt.

"W-what the hell?" He started to lose blood quickly, shaking on Tommy's arms.

"Why did you do that Dream?!" His voice was shaky but he didn't feel fear as the man trembled on him, staining his clothes.

"I told him I'll kill him, Did you think I was joking? Did you think I wouldn't do it? Tommy you should know me better, after all, we are friends!" Tommy couldn't believe what was happening, but deep down a quiet rage became to grow, Tommy had no words for Dream in that moment, at least not words that he could say without getting beat up.

"M.D! Hang on a second! I-I'm going to get bandages! I'll patch you up! You'll ... you'll be fine" He tried to get up from the ground, but his arms were grabbed, holding him in place.

"Tom..." His voice was low and weak "If you see her, tell Mamacita I love her ... a-and that I still will, even if I ... d-die here"

"M-M.D don't say that! You ... You're going to be fine! You're.."

The man slowly went limb on his arms, Tommy froze as soon as the man stop breathing, not even one heart beat left, he had lost his last canon life he only knew this because he saw it once, the 16th, the day that Wilbur and Jschlatt lost their last lives, we didn't care about Jschlatt he looked away as the man died, but when Phil stabbed Wilbur in the chest, he couldn't help but stare, and stay still as his brother's body fell on the ground, once you lost all your lives you don't respawn anymore, your body doesn't dissapear as it does the first two times, it just lie there until someone buries you or the ground consumes you, whatever happens first.

"Stand up Tommy" The boy was on shook, he couldn't move an inch, he wasn't sure if this was all happening, his breath became agitated, he could hear beat raising, echoing all around him "I'm not going to repeat myself Tommy" every part of his body started to shake, it felt cold, so cold, he wasn't holding the body anymore, it fell on the side as Tommy shivered, but he still felt the weight on his arms "This is the last warning Tommy, are you going to disobey me? This is not the time to do so, you've already upset me enough"

"I-I..." The ground started to spin all around him, he felt dizzy and urge to throw up grew close to him, this couldn't be happening, not to Tommy, not again, he reached for his arms, embracing himself.

The world is cruel, it has always been

This is really happening, isn't it?

He was quickly pulled away from his thoughts as he was kicked to the ground, then pulled by his hair.

"I told you it was the last warning" Tommy wanted to cry but he couldn't bring himself too, as Dream had told him once, tears don't resolve conflicts, if anything they only make them worst "Don't ignore me Tommy, HOW COULD YOU IGNORE ME?! I'm your friend!"

"Y-you're not m-" What have he done?! He wasn't thinking! He really wasn't! Would Dream ever forgive him, if he apologizes maybe he can solve this "I'm sorry Dream! I didn't mea-" he was quickly pushed to the ground, his back hurts at the impact, coughing and gasping for air as one foot is place on top of his stomach, sword pointed to his throat.

"You're not sorry, you're not sorry at all Tommy" the sword got dangerously close, he felt like passing out, either for the pain or the pure fear that creeped on him, Dream's words weren't the worst part, not even how close the blade was, nor his foot on top of him, the air all around him left, he couldn't draw in air despite how much he gasped in search of it, his tears started to blur his vision, but they didn't dare to run his cheeks, Tommy couldn't speak back, he could barely listen, he felt like dying right there, right at that moment "DO YOU REALLY CONSIDER ME YOUR FIREND?! FRIENDS DON'T IGNORE EACH OTHER! FRIENDS DON'T DISOBEY!"

"I-I'm sorry D-dream.." he managed to speak, but his voice was weak and brittle.

"Tommy, no one can come and visit you, you can't enter the nether or leave this place this are all agreements we made the first day" His voice was softer, he was no longer yelling, but you could still hear he was mad "And yet you had that man here! It was only fair to have him gone, it's not like I didn't warn him ... Tommy ... are we friends?" His voice was the softest it had never been, and Tommy could only feel guilty of his actions, he had hurt his friend again, but his friend was a murderer, his had mixed feelings fighting on his chest, but Dream was the only person he had right now, his breath became something more manageable for the sake of speaking but he was still shivering

"O-of course we're friends! Th-the best of friends!" his voice was shaky but he was honest in every word, he was his best friend, he didn't abandon him not even after every mistake he'd made, friends forgive the other's mistakes, right? Then he could forgive Dream for killing a man, it was only fair for him to forgive him, right?.

"Tommy"

"Y-yes Dream?"

"Don't ever do that again"

"I ... Of course not Dream! I won't do it again, I swear" the man's foot left his torso and he could breath decently again, his whole body still shivering, the cold feeling never stopped but a quiet anger grew a little more deep inside him.

"Let's go back to routine, shall we?"

"Yes Dream"

If I leave right now ... would I be alone? ... I don't want that

I should leave... but I can't, can I?

The teen stood in place for a moment, and only for a moment while the thoughts on his mind calmed down, then he followed Dream.

In the bright night skies, as the stars lighted around, the teen placed a single flower over a pile of rocks that lied in the sand, the sounds of waves soothing the air, as he wrote on a wood sign.

Mexican Dream, dear friend and beloved lover XXXX-XXXX

He grabbed some spear paper that the ghost had left behind before going to L'manburg, and he started to write, a letter, he had hear his brother say once that when someone dies, your voice can no longer reach them, but that he had heard some sailors say that if you wrote a message and sealed it away in a bottle, when you released the bottle into the ocean it will carry your message where no alive person could even dream to reach, and that the waves would lead the bottle to your lost one safely.

"Humans really have weird ideas for contacting the dead" the man said as he looked to the shore near his hometown "Don't you think Tommy?"

At that moment he didn't know what to respond, contacting the dead? Isn't it something that their mother could do for them?, He hadn't seen her in a long time, he missed her, but he had no way of contacting her, he now thought he related with wanting to contact the dead, well in his case was more that he wanted to contact Death herself; in one paper he wrote a message, to his lost friend.

To Mexican Dream

I hope this letter finds you, I'm sorry for everything that happened, I should've helped more ... but I was scared.

I'm sorry, if this letter ever founds you, if I see her, I'll tell her, I promise, I will try to make things better ... I don't think I could leave this place, or go against Dream for what he did to you, I said I forgave him, but I don't know if that's how I feel, I'm scared of him, but I'll build courage, this time, I'll make things right, I swear.

Tommy.

He was never good with words, his father once told him actions spoke louder, so he sealed the bottle with his message inside of it, and as he approached the shore, he wondered if he was doing this whole memorial tribute right, he was tempted to throw the bottle, but instead he placed just under his feet, and as he felt the cold water on his feets he watched as the bottle move down into the ocean.

"Goodbye" he said as the message just disappeared into the distance. Once he couldn't see a bottle anymore he went back and grabbed another paper, this time, he'll contact someone else.

Dear Mother

I hope this letter finds you well, if it ever does.

I miss you, I'm pretty sure we all do, I'm not asking you to come back, I know you left for a reason, I just wanted to let you know.

How is Wilbur? Is he okay? I can only guess he is with you, Techno and I miss him dearly, I haven't talked to Techno in a while but since they're twins I figure out he does, I don't know how are Dad and him doing, hope they're doing okay

If you see my friend Mexican Dream, could you tell him that I'm sorry?

If you're asking how I'm doing, I'm fine, I could definetly be doing better, but I manage.

Forever yours Tommy.

After sealing the bottle he carefully placed in the ocean, letting the waves pull it away, he went back to his tent to grab a few things before going to mine his thoughts away, as he looked to the plains he could swear that the forest behind them seemed different, just, slightly different, he didn't pay it no mind and went back into the caves where he would spend the next two days gathering resources, since Dream had told him he was going to be busy at L'manburg, he had time for himself, he didn't like it.

⎓𝙹∷ᒷ⍊ᒷ∷ ᒲ╎リᒷ

⠙⠕ ⠝⠕⠞

Chapter Text

It was a sunny day at L'manburg, and despite that the ground beneath them was nearly gone, they have managed to make the crater into a decent living space, it still needed some work but they were already on it, Tubbo had asked Ghostbur to come help them build up the place again, he gladly accepted, they had all helped make a solid ground above the pit and after that everyone had something to keep them busy, Niki and L'manburg's newest member, Phil, had decided to work on their own houses, Phil said that once he finished his he would be more than fine with going to help Niki with the rebuild of her bakery, Jack and Fundy on the other hand were busy breaking down the obsidian wall that Dream put around the place, they still didn't know how had Dream managed to build it up in one night; Ghostbur was making renovations to everything he could, he even set up floating lanterns all around L'manburg "They make a pretty light" he had said to Tubbo, and it wasn't a lie, they were really pretty on the night skies; Tubbo and Ranboo keep themselves busy constructing the town center and helping everyone build their own houses, Tubbo would work harder than everyone else, he would sometimes sneak out at night and continue taking down the wall on his own, he was the president after all, he needed his country to be ok as soon as possible.

It was a quiet afternoon, far too quiet, Tubbo would say that even a little awkward, Ranboo would disagree saying it was rather calm, they were working on the town podium, they needed a place where they could give announcements, although they didn't think they would be using it that much, it was a necessary feature.

"So..." Tubbo spoke first, he wanted to break the silence between the both of them, he was never quite comfortable with silence, everyone was always loud around him, and even thought he didn't mind the change, it was a bit to quick for him to just go the silence route right now.

"So?" The boy stopped what he was doing, looking to Tubbo.

"Um... I don't know, I just thought it would be nice to chat a bit, y'know, while we're working" He talked as he scratched his cheek.

"Oh! That's fine, we can chat a bit" He answer going back to hammer the wood walls.

"Uh yeah ... Um, I don't think you've ever told us what brings you here? I mean to the SMP" He walked to a toolbox as he asked.

"Oh, I thought everyone already knew, Nikki is my older sister! I came to visit her, but I think I'm going to stay for a while" he said looking back at the boy.

"What?! Nikki is your sister?! She never told us she had a brother" he almost dropped his own hammer from the surprise.

"Well ... maybe she didn't feel like that was necessary information" they didn't pay to much attention as he continued to hammer the wall.

"What?! How isn't that necessary information?! She had a brother all along and she never told us" his meant to say it as a joke, but his voice held a rather sad tone on it.

"I don't know how to respond to that" he stood in place not knowing what to do.

"Ah ... well I'll ask her later about that, how long do plan on staying?" the boy asked as he returned to his dutties with the door frame.

"Um... I don't know that yet, I mean I prefer being here for a while and spend time with Nikki, it gets quite lonely at home, but I've been told that everyone here is kind of a troublemaker"

"Well that's just a bit rude, ain't it?" he laughed at the comment.

"OH! Sorry! I didn't mean to offend anyone, is just ... Nikki told me you have a lot of conflict going on in here pretty often" he played around with the hammer in his hands, it really wasn't his intention to sound rude.

"Touche, that is ... that it's true yeah" he let out a sigh.

"She said you guys fought in a war ... aren't most of you guys too young to fight in a war?"

"The youngest are the strongest as they say" he said flexing his arm a bit.

"Who says that?" the boy tilted his head.

"I don't know, but it's true"

"Sure ... why was there even a war in the first place?" they were now interested in what Tubbo could say, so they left the hammer on the side and waited for the boy.

"For L'manburg of course!" not even a second later he responded, without taking a glance away from what he was doing.

"This place?" Ranboo looked around.

"Not really, our L'manburg was much more smaller than this, it was surrounded my concrete wall that Wilbur, Tommy and I build, it had a small river and at the center it was Wilbur's caravan!" he said scratching the back of his neck.

"A caravan?" They boy asked, seeming to have gotten a bit closer while they talked

"Yeah, Wilbur lived there with Fundy, Wilbur used it mostly to sell drugs"

"What?!" he took a step back.

"Crazy shit man, you had to be there" Tubbo offered him a smile but the boy quickly turned away at the eye contact.

"That's sounds... nice?" Tubbo could only see with one eye for now but still it made Ranboo panic so he looked at the floor instead.

"It was nice, the nicest place on the SMP, and it was ours" he said as he kneeled down on the door frame.

"Then ... what happened? With the war I mean" Ranboo looked back at him once he was busy with the his stuff again.

"Oh well ... Dream didn't want us to give us freedom, we were just trying to form our own small nation, but he didn't like that, so we fought and lost and then somehow we got independence" The story was so long, and Tubbo wasn't really in the mood to explain in detail how he and the others lost a canon life in the process, Tommy having lost two of them.

"Somehow?"

"Well ... Tommy gave Dream his discs so he gave us independence ... somehow he got them back" he made gestures with the hammer on his hand.

"Oh"

"Yeah man, crazy shit happens here, I guess you're right" he said as he continued to work

"..."

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? Do you like me or something?" He joked seeing how Ranboo was looking at him with a sorry expression.

"What?! That's not what I... whatever" they flustered at the comment, he wasn't expecting an answer like that.

"Ha ha I'm just messing with you man, but yeah why were you staring? Don't tell me that you pity me because I will not allow that" Tubbo laughed at Ranboo.

"No it's not ... I just ... Is that how you got your scars?"

"What?" Tubbo froze at the mention of his scars.

"Is that how you got your scars? I mean ... the war" Ranboo said while pointing at his own face.

"I ... would rather not talk about that" he would rather stay silent a million years than recall the day of the festival, in Tubbo's mind it wasn't a part of history, neither L'manburg's or his.

"Oh! I'm sorry I didn't mean to" the boy looked at the ground fidgeting with their hands.

"Well now you pity me" He said crossing his arms, trying to lift the bad mood that was starting to form.

"N-no I'm not!" they jumped trying to defend themselves.

"Sure bossman" He closed his eye grining.

"I'm not! I swear I-"

"Lol ok" He looked at the floor laughing a bit.

"I-"

"Hey guys!~" A voice came from behind Tubbo, making them both turn to it.

"Oh! Hey Ghostbur!" Tubbo greeted.

"Hi" Ranboo greeted too a bit embarrased from the previous argument.

"What were you guys doing? I could hear you from up there!" The ghost pointed at the sky were lanterns were placed all around.

"We're sorry Ghostbur, we didn't mean to bother you" They said excusing both of them.

"Oh no! It's fine really, I just wondered what you were talking about" He said getting a little closer.

"Oh, we were talking about L'manburg, Ranboo could you pass me those nails over there?" He didn't mind the company but he was getting pretty distracted form his duties, Ghostbur didn't seemes to mind.

"Oh sure!" He said taking a couple nails, from the tool box.

"Oh! L'manburg is really pretty those days with everyone working on it" Ghostbur remarked, giving them a smile.

"It was mostly about old L'manburg Ghostbur" Ranboo said.

"Old L'manburg? Oh! You mean before it blew up?"

"A little bit far back boss man" Tubbo replied.

"Oh! I don't remember that very much"

"It's okay, you don't need to" They said giving Tubbo the nails.

"Maybe I'll remember it later?"

"Well... yeah, sure"

"Do you need help with that?" Ranboo asked.

"Nah, I got it thanks, but you can check the plans for Jack's house" He said pointing at the table were a couple of plans and notes were spread.

"Ok, I'll do that" he said walking to the table.

"The house is really pretty" The ghost said pointing at the house.

"Yeah, it's Jack's, we're just helping him with it" Tubbo didn't even try to look away from his work.

"L'manburg is pretty" He said looking around.

"Uh, yeah kinda, It's not done yet but yeah It's pretty" Tubbo looked up as he said it.

"I think we are almost done with Jack's house, he put that he wanted to decorate the interior himself so we don't have much left do here" Ranboo said as he came back.

"Huh, really?" They were almost finish? So soon? It's only been a few weeks since they started.

"Yep, we can finish Fundy's house tomorrow, he said he'll be going out for tonight so he won't need his home done until then" He said pointing at an almost finished house.

"Oh"

"I'm almost done with the lamps too! Do you think Phil would mind if I pay him a visit?" Ghostbur asked at the air.

"I mean you're his son, so I don't think he'll mind" Ranboo answered in its place.

"OH! Right! Ranboo you are so wise" the ghost praised.

"Ah, thanks?, anyway Tubbo I think we just have to finish installing the door and the windows and we should be good to go and rest" They said approaching the boy kneeling down beside him, they were kinda close in that position but Tubbo didn't seemed to bother, only focusing on a nail on the frame, as if it held the contents of the universe.

"I see... well if you want I could finish on my own while you go hang out with Niki and Phil" he offered.

"What? No! I want to help" Ranboo immediately refuse the option.

"You already helped, I'll just finish on my own"

"But I want to help you more" Ranboo whined.

"I want to help too! Oh! But I have to finish the lamps so I can go with Phil" He said looking up at the lamps.

"You can finish them later if you want, I could finish them for you" Tubbo offered instead.

"Really?! But won't you have too much work then?" He asked looking back at the boy.

"Nah ... I need to work too" Tubbo said.

"Well! In that case I'll go to Phil! Bye bye!" Ghostbur said as he waved at them.

"Bye Ghostbur" He said waving back.

"Bye bye" Tubbo waved too, looking at the man become invisible a couple of steps in "You can go with Niki if you want too" He offered again.

"But we haven't finish the Windows yet ... or the door, maybe I can go and finish Ghostbur's lamps?" He replied.

"Oh you don't have to, I can do it really, I'm not weak" He laughed at his own comment.

"I mean, I know that ... I know that you're strong and you can do it by yourself but still ... I would feel bad if I let you do all the work" they were still kneeling next to each other they noticed.

"Oh please, don't be, I manage myself just fine" Tubbo said with a grin on his face.

"But already work a lot!, you should too take a break" Ranboo didn't seemed to notice the playful tone on Tubbo's voice.

"I don't need one" He replied simply.

"I feel like you could use one"

"..." He looked at Ranboo who immediately looked away, standing up after "Look boss man, I appreciate the concern but I'm doing pretty good without one"

"I'm not so sure about that..."

"Do I look sick or something?" Tubbo asked pointing at his face.

"No, no! But ... You overwork yourself" Ranboo let out.

"What?" Overwork himself? Did he-? But no one knew.

"Just ... Can we please take a break? Both of us..." They pleeded.

"I ... I have to keep working" Tubbo was the one looking away now.

"Surely you can take a few minutes off?" Ranboo offered.

"I don't know"

"Please?" Ranboo begged.

"..."

"Pretty please?" He looked like a kicked puppy in Tubbo's opinion.

He sighed "Alright... but just a few minutes!"

"Of course!" They said looking happy of the answer.

They went to the top of the hill, next to Fundy's house, Tubbo wanted to take a few mental notes while being there.

"I brought this too, Niki gave it to me a few hours ago when she came to check on us" He said showing him a paper bag, full of pastries and cookies.

"YOOOOOO"

"You can have them" He said offering the bag to Tubbo.

"But they're yours?"

"I want to give them to you" They insisted.

"I don't know what you would want to do that, but Thanks" Tubbo took the bag, content.

"Of course!" He offered a smiled "Tubbo?".

"Yeah?" He said with his mouth full of cookies.

"What do you do at night?" he asked.

"What?" He knew, didn't he?.

"I've ... I've seen you go out at nigh into the wall ... I don't come out myself but ... I ... I followed you once" He said while looking at the obsidian wall behind them.

"..."

"Why don't you sleep at night? ... Why do you go to take out the wall at night ... It's more dangerous with all the mobs outside" they asked.

"Well ... Why don't YOU sleep at night? Huh?!" he said as he shoved another cookie to his mouth.

"I ... I can't quite fall asleep" he said.

"Huh?"

"I ... I have ... I have nightmares... and I can't close my eyes at night... I feel like if I do something bad would happen" they admitted.

"Huh bad sleep then, that must suck" he said with his mouth full.

"It just... I get so worried ... it feels like-"

"Like if everything you love was going to disappear?"

"... yeah" He stared at the boy who stared to the sky.

"I get that" He said turning his attention to the ground.

"Is that why you don't sleep?" they asked.

"On the most part? Yeah..." he finally said.

"And why do you go to the wall?"

"I... I just want to keep myself busy with something... I just have to be productive" he admitted, taking another cookie.

"Productive?"

"I need to be doing something useful" he explained.

"Why?" Tubbo looked at him, and for just a few seconds Ranboo didn't look away.

"Well I don't want to be a rock just step on, I want to help" said walking to the ledge of the hill.

"I get that ... but why do you 'need' to?" he asked the boy who only took one of the pastries this time.

"..."

"Tubbo?" He stopped him mid bite.

"..." He took the pastrie off his mouth.

"Do you want to talk about that?" He said walking towards him.

"No ... not now" he said.

"That's fine ... we can talk about it whenever you want to" Ranboo offered him a warm smile.

"Why?" Tubbo was the one to look away.

"Well it's good to talk about the things that happen to you with someon-"

"No! Not that ... Why are you being nice to me?" he punched his lightly on the arm.

"Why wouldn't I? You've been nice to me ... you even offer me a house here at L'manburg" he smiled again, even tho Tubbo's punch had hurt more than he thought it would.

"There's a difference between being nice and having normal decency" he snorted.

"I think you're nice" Ranboo said.

"Huh, really? Assumptions aren't a good thing most of the time" He said taking a bite out of a cookie on the bag.

"Well ... it isn't really an assumption, you are nice! You didn't even looked at me weird when we first met!" They pointed out.

"Do people look at you weird?" Tubbo asked, sounding a little concerned.

"Y-yeah ... because of my horns and the tail and my mixed skin color ... I think they think I'm gross" He said looking at his hands, they were bigger than most and he had long sharp nails, he didn't like them that much.

"Huh, And yet I thought you looked really handsome, what a lose on them" He said smiling while he putted a hand on his own cheek.

"W-what?"

"Yeah, that's really a shame that people look at in that manner" Tubbo said eyes closed.

"I..."

"What?" He opened his eyes to look at Ranboo.

"You said I was handsome..." He didn't look away, he only stared back, looked like he was staring at his forehead, to avoid the eye contact, Tubbo thought.

"More like in present time but yeah, I think you are, don't you think the same?"

"I... only Niki has said that I'm handsome... but I thought it was because she's my sister" Ranboo scratched the back of his head.

"Really? Should I say it more then it's what you're saying? You are pretty narcissist Ranboo" He stated giggling at the thought of Ranboo being a little bit more confident at himself, what an asshole he could be if so.

"N-no! That's not what I said! I just-"

"HAHAHAHA I'm just joking with you man, relax" Tubbo laughed, cleaning a fake tear from his eye "Your face is all red Boss man, take a breath" he pointed out.

"I... That's not fair!" Ranboo crossed his arms, looking away.

"Oh really? What's not fair?" Tubbo said, catching his breath.

"You- ... How can you say that with such confidence?!" Ah the kicked puppy look, Tubbo thought it was cute, even in a boy as tall as Ranboo.

"Because it's true lol" He said shrugging.

"..."

"I think we should go back to-"

"I- I think you're pretty handsome too!" Ranboo yelled a bit embarrased.

"..."

"..."

"Oh... um I-" Tubbo didn't know what to say, he didn't thought Ranboo would try and flirt back.

"Uh LOOK! The sunset! I-it is really pretty, isn't it?" he said before the boy could respond, pointing to the horizon, the sun was a little bit up to be considered sunset but it was okay.

"I, uh ... yeah" he looked at where he was pointing.

"Tubbo? ... are you oka-"

"It looks prettier on your eyes tho" he can play this game, after all he made it.

"W-what?!"

"A-anyways see ya!" The boy started to sprint aways but was quickly stopped.

"T-tubbo wait!" Ranboo was now holding Tubbo's wrist, not to tight to hurt him, but not to loose that he could break his grip.

"I-" Tubbo stared at his hand.

"I don't think you should get back to work..."

"Huh?!"

"At least not until tomorrow... I ... sunset is not over yet, let go watch it somewhere else?" he offered.

"I ... I think I know a place for that" Tubbo would rather go to work, he had seen many sunsets before, but the words didn't process in his mind, instead just speaking what he thought.

"Really?!"

"We'll have to run to get to it before sunset's gone though" he said looking up the Prime Path.

"Lead the way!" Ranboo said letting go of Tubbo's hand.

"Wow, it's really pretty here!" Ranboo said looking around, there was a lonely tree on the hill and a bench that was perfect for the ocation, there was also a music box and flower surrounded the place.

"Yeah... me and Tommy used to come here" he said as he took a disc from a chest behind the tree.

"Oh!"

"I wonder how he is doing" Tubbo said putting the disc on the music box, it started to play a pretty tune.

"Why don't you go and visit him? they asked, tilting their head a little.

"I ... I planned to ... but Dream had told me that Tommy looked pretty mad, and that he didn't want to see anyone" he said looking at the floor, even thought the sky was as pretty as ever.

"He said that?" Ranboo noticed that while he sat on the bench, Tubbo just stared at the floor infront of the box.

"I mean, I don't blame him ... I exiled him, even though we agreed to search for another method".

"..."

"I ... I was just scared that Dream would do something to L'manburg ... I couldn't think about Tommy not being here when my mind was full of what would happen to everyone if he was" he confessed, he felt really guilty for that day, but he couldn't think of anything else at the moment, even now he couldn't find a solution to that problem.

"..."

"I- I'm sorry I'm ruining this pretty sunset" his voice trembeled but he quickly went to sit on the bench.

'I don't think it's your fault' he wanted to say.

"What's the name of that song?" Ranboo asked instead.

"... mall" his voice was softer, almost inaudible.

"It's nice ... I like it" he said.

"Yeah, it's one of my favorites" he said looking up again, sunset had really started now.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah" Ranboo took a mental note of that, he promise himself to later add it to his diary.

"Tubbo.."

"Yeah?"

"Do you miss him?" Ranboo asked, looking back at Tubbo.

"Deeply" His voice sounded as sad as it could be.

"I'm sure he is not mad at you ... he can't be mad at his best friend for that long".

"How could you know?"

"I feel like that's the truth" Ranboo said looking back at the sky.

"..."

"Best friends can't stay mad at each other ... you just need to talk it out" he said, leaning on the bench.

"Yeah... maybe you're right ... Thanks Ranboo"

"Anytime" He replied smiling.

"I'll talk to him later ... after we have finished the L'manburg construction" it was settled then, after the last house was finished, he'll visit Tommy, the wall could wait until he came back.

"Well we just have to finish Fundy's house then"

"Yeah ... I should do that right now" Tubbo stood up, walking back to L'manburg.

"I know you won't take a break ... but let me help you at least" he said as he stood up too.

"You don't have to, you know?"

"Yeah I know ... but we can talk more that way" he proposed.

"Heh, smooth" he let out a small bleat.

"I'm learning" he said proud of himself.

"You catch things quick then ... come on, let's go" Said Tubbo before starting to sprint back home.

"I'll follow you" they said before catching up to the boy.

ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ᓵᔑꖎᒲ ʖᒷ⎓𝙹∷ᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ᓭℸ ̣ 𝙹∷ᒲ

⠓⠁⠧⠑ ⠞⠕

Chapter Text

"What the hell is this Tommy?"

"Wha-"

"WHAT IS THIS TOMMY?!"

HOW DID HE FIND IT?! HOW DID HE FIND IT?! IT WAS HIDDEN!

You didn't hid it well YOU IDIOT

Dream was inside the a little room, filled with chests with resources he had gathered on the low, everything from cobblestone to iron, he even had emeralds that he would use to buy enchantments if he found a village, it was a mess now, a lot of the stuff being on the ground, the man looked up to where he was standing, he froze at the eyes set upon him.

"Tommy" his voice by itself demanded answers not to say his posture seemed like he was about to punch the hell out of Tommy "WHAT IS THIS?!"

"D-dream! I can ... I can expl-" his legs gave up on him from the pure terror that ran down his spine, he fell down in the hole with the man, he could've sworn he broke an arm, but the adrenaline of the moment made the pain bearable, that or he was just used to it.

"Oh well then GO AHEAD! Explain this!" he lifted a diamond axe from one of the chests "Can you explain THIS Tommy?"

"I- I wasn't going to use it! I swear I-" a fist smacked across his face making fall completely on the floor, he could just stay on the ground, eyes wide open, his shaking now uncontrollable, his breaths were fast and inconsistent.

"YOU WERE GOING TO USE IT! You don't have it just as a pretty decoration!" the man's voice echoed in the tiny space, and it resonated on Tommy's ears.

"D-dream please I-" he got kicked on the stomach, the few air he had being snatched from his lungs, making him gasp and cough, every breath making his chest burn with a sharp pain, he felt like crying at that very moment.

"DON'T talk back to me Tommy, REMEMBER, Do not talk unless you're spoken to" he pressed his boot into the teen's torso "UNDERSTOOD?!"

"Y-ye-yes Dream! I-I'm sorry!" He could barely breath, let alone talk, his chest ached and his voice trembled.

"Get Up" he ordered as he took a single step away from Tommy.

Tommy tried to get up, leaning on his arm, but a sharp pain made him fall back again, he couldn't stop shaking, he would've probably fallen either way.

"I said GET UP" he kicked him again this time on the shoulder, pushing him back making him bash his head on one of the chests, it made a slight cut on his skull, making him bleed, turning the chest and the floor red, Dream didn't care, he took Tommy by the shirt forcing him to stand up "You can't even stand up, you are really pathetic"

Tommy's legs trembled as if the air around them was made of ice, threatening with failing again, Tommy leaned on the wall against him to not fall back down, he wanted to apologize, again and again until Dream calmed down, but he could only open his mouth in search for air, his vision starting to go a little blurry, he didn't know if it was because there were tears on his eyes or if he had lost a lot of blood.

"Tommy" he spoke softer "You hid stuff from me! Your best friend! Even though I said you didn't needed it! YOU DISOBEYED ME!" he yelled raising his hands on the air.

"I-I'm sorry.." Tommy looked at the eyes on the mask of the man, rapidly getting slapped on the cheek, making his head turn, he almost fell on the floor but he ended up falling on top of one closed chest.

"Don't look at me! You don't deserve it, you know that I don't like it when you do" he said grabbing him by the shirt.

"I-I'm sorry Dream" his voice trembled and the urge to cry was really strong, but he couldn't, he shouldn't, it would only show how weak he really is, Dream might leave him for real and the who will he have? He'll be completely alone, the man let go of his shirt making him fall completely on the chest, he was now sitting on top of it.

He sighed.

"What am I going to do with you now? Tommy you can't go on disobeying me, You know well this can go unpunished" he grabbed Tommy's face, pressing hard on his cheeks almost as if he wanted to break his jaw.

"D-dream I-I'm sorry I-" his head suddenly met the cobblestone walls, making tremble.

"I didn't say you could talk" his voice fierce and merciless in ever way "Let's go outside Tommy"

Tommy felt like dying, his arm was broken and he couldn't move and inch, his back, head and lungs ached as if they've been burned, his breath unsteady and his whole body trembled, tears now closer to falling down his face, blood already doing so.

Dream lift him up helping him get on top of the room to then pearl himself up, he grabbed Tommy's head from the back almost touching his recent injury, his blond head now turning red.

Tommy wanted to run and cry but his legs were unable to move, Dream making him walk out of the house.

"Now Tommy, this is why you can't have things, You get greedy" he pushed him outside of Logstershire, his legs failing him once more falling face flat on the ground, not being able to hold himself with just one arm "You need to learn your lesson Tommy"

He pulled a bunch of TNT from his inventory placing it all over the place, ghostbur's house and his tent surrounded by the explosives, the air filled with gun powder, Tommy could only stare from the ground, shocked at the amount of explosives rigging his home.

"W-what? What are you doing? D-dream what are you doing?!" Dream didn't pay him any mind only placing more TNT around.

Tommy barely managed to stand up, his legs still shacking but now filled with determination, he went an grabbed at the man's blurry figure.

"What th-"

"STOP! Stop it Dream! Plaes-" he begged but was cut of by a sword slicing his face, just between the eyes, it wasn't a cut deep but he still fell on the ground, paralyzed at the blood running down his face, it burned him alive, he wanted to cry so bad now.

"I told you not to touch me Tommy, you brought this upon yourself, now I have more reason to punish you" he said walking around as he placed more explosives.

Tommy stood still on the ground, still on shock, blood dripping from his face, staining his clothes, his hands around himself, his hole body ache, his broken arm didn't hurt anymore probably from the adrenaline, to be honest he wasn't sure that he broke his arm but hell if it felt like it, his back ached and his legs trembled at the idea of getting up again.

He wanted to die, but he couldn't let himself do so, what would his mother say when they met at the other side? At limbo, would she be disappointed that he gave up? That he didn't fight? He tried, he would say that, because he did, but he was so weak, his brothers were right, from the three of them he was the weakest, he couldn't defend himself against his own best friend, once he said that he was exiled he could only yell to him that it wasn't fair, to think again, that it was a mistake, as he was being dragged by Dream, Tubbo didn't even look at him, it didn't matter how hard he scream, how much he pushed around and tried to stay on his ground, he was weak, he ended up in this island, and now he was hurt in every way, he was weak, if he wasn't... how could he let this happen on himself? It was his fault, maybe if he was smarter like Wilbur he could've talked his way out of exile, maybe he wouldn't even be in that position if so, or if he was stronger like Techno, he could've stayed on his ground, defeating everyone who tried to take him away, faster as his father so he could run away to wherever he wanted, back to his home, if he had his mother's powers no one would try and mess him up in the first place, but he didn't have those, he wasn't wise, or invincible or untouchable, he was weak, Dream was right, he brought this upon himself, and now he couldn't do anything about it.

Tears started to pour from his eyes, while quiet sobs escaped his mouth, his hole body shaking, what else could he do? He was done, he lost, he-

"Hey Tommy!" The voice pulled him out of his thoughts "Catch this!"

He saw as something was thrown in his direction, before he could think of anything else he grabbed the object, tears blurring his vision.

"Goodbye Tommy" The teen heard as the portal was being entered.

A hissing sound coming from the object, he realized too late.

The dynamite exploded on his face, Tommy not being able to close his eyes soon enough, it send him flying, hitting himself on the ground, more explosions started to go off around him, burning his skin, he couldn't feel it anymore, adrenaline being at it's peak, the ground around him gone, it was a miracle that the whole thing didn't blew off his body, shattering it into pieces, he just laid there, on the dirt floor, fire and smoke surrounding his area. It was nice, somehow the sound of the fire flickering fire was soothing, the smoke around him filled his lungs completely but it didn't hurt, not anymore, he didn't feel like coughing anymore, his blood was warm on his body, like a thin sheet covering him, his eyes stayed closed.

This is it

Mom I tried

...

I really did

Would he be able to see Wilbur now? Was he with his mother? Would someone miss him? Would they care? Will someone even notice? Will a ghost of him appear too? What would Tubbo say? How would his father react? What about his brother? No ... They didn't care ... but what would happen to them?, he wanted to know, but he wouldn't get to do so.

"Tommy?" He heard a faint echoing voice before completely passing out.

Ghostbur took a little bit longer than he intended at helping Tubbo with the reparations of l'manburg, he thought it was worth it, because the place looked absolutely beautiful the moment he left, he would go and visit again soon, he wanted to spent time with his son, or his alive person's son, he still considers him his, as much as he considers Phil his father and Techno and Tommy his brothers, they weren't his family but, they felt like it, it was nice. He just had to go visit Tommy for a few days and then he could go back, he didn't want to leave him alone so maybe he'll stay a little more.

He floated off the portal.

Huh, what a weird sight.

"Tommy?"

The whole place was blown up, not even Tommy's tent was still standing, the fire surrounding everything, it was weird but not unfamiliar, Logstershire was just a hole on the ground, the place being the most messed up thing about the terrain.

"Tommy are you mad?" He asked to the air, raising his voice a little so the boy could hear him wherever he was hiding.

He walked around the portal walking to the big crater that once was his vacation home.

"Aw... I don't think the prime log survived that" he said sadly at the sight.

He stood there a few moments.

"Tommy I'm sorry! I know that I was gone a few weeks more than I said I would but I'm here now!"

There was a little emerald on the ground, he picked it up.

"Tommy I'm sorry! You didn't have to blow the whole place up tho, I thought we were going to have fun here on vacation!"

A bit far under the smoke he saw a figure laying on the ground, he approached it.

"Tommy! I'm back!" He said with a smile on his face, in front of the boy.

He didn't move, not even a jerky sound came out of him.

"Aw Tommy don't be mad at me ... I'm here! We can have fun together now! What do you thing about that?"

No response.

"C'mon Tommy~ It'll be a good brother's-bonding time! I promise!"

...

"Tommy?" He kneeled down to the boy, finally noticing how the dirt was stained with a crimson color and how his skin was burned.

He panicked.

"Tommy?! Tommy are you okay?! Did you hurt yourself?!" It took him a lot of energy to flip the boy over his back, not because he was heavy, on the contrary, the boy was pretty light, having lost a lot of weight from not eating healthy, but because as a ghost it took a lot of energy to touch physical things, persons over all.

"Tommy you are bleeding! Do we have any bandages near here?!"

No response.

"Tommy! Tommy answer me!" he yelled as he shook the boy's shoulders.

Still no response, they boy's breathing starting to slow down a little.

"I-I-'m ... T-Tommy stay with me!" Tears burned his cheeks as they fell down his face.

He couldn't move him, it would make him faint before they got far, even putting him inside a boat would make him lose a lot of energy, he needed to find someone to help him, to help his little brother, was there a village around here? He hoped there was because he needed help and he needed it as soon as possible, traveling back to l'manburg would take him a lot even going from the nether, it would take him something close to a day and a half, he didn't have time to go and come back with someone, his next best bet was finding a village near the fields, maybe even behind the mountain.

"I'm going to get help Tommy!" He stood up as quickly as he could "Don't worry! I'll be back! I promise I won't take long!" he started going in the mountains directions, looking around for any hint of a village being there.

He needed to stay alert, searching for anything that could gave away where people were, smoke on top of the trees, faint noises, anything, he needed to find people. He crossed the fields and the forest, it would be a huge waste of time to go in different directions, he could just go straight and hope for the best. He quickly made his way to the bottom of the mountain, if he wasn't a ghost it would be a pain to get across it, luckily he was a ghost, he could go between it or just float above it, he guessed that the top was a good choice as it will let him see far away.

"People, people I need to find help for Tommy, I need to find people." he repeated to himself so he wouldn't forget.

He couldn't see anything, the next biome was a snowy biome, it was snowing too, but he didn't have time to turn around, he just had to keep going, once he entered the place little snowflakes started to melt in his figure, he couldn't feel the cold so it didn't bother him, but the burning sensation of his skin melting was annoying at best, it didn't hurt as much as the rain did but still.

"People, Tommy needs help, I need to find people"

The storm didn't let him see far ahead him but he had to keep going, he didn't have a choice, if he stopped even for a moment Tommy could die, he should've really put off the fire before he went out, what if the fire got to him?! He couldn't turn back, not now, he just had to keep going and pray to Prime for nothing to hurt Tommy while he was gone.

The tundra only kept going, and it's didn't seemed to end anytime soon, what could he do?! He had forgot his communicator on L'manburg by accident and when he realized on the nether he just didn't want to go back for it, it didn't seemed like he would need it, he regretted that, he was pretty sure that Dream had destroyed Tommy's the first day, so it also wasn't an option, he just had to find people, only one person that could help them, tears still burned his skin, he was starting to lose hope, there was no one out there, was there? He should've thought, no one wanted to live on the cold, he should've turned around, maybe a bit left on that mountain to the mushroom forest, but now it was too late, could he even get out of this place on time?.

Then he saw it, a little cabin with smoke coming out of a chimney, It mean that it wasn't abandoned, there was surely someone there! Someone who could help Tommy! He recovered his energies at that instant and started going in that direction.

"HELP! PLEASE!" He started screaming once he was a little closer.

He could see a figure, they were carrying wood back to their cabin.

"HELP ME! PLEASE! MY BROTHER IS HURT!" He yelled from the top of his death lungs, making the figure freeze.

He could finally recognize them once he got close enough, long pink hair pulled back into a low ponytail, pointy ears just like his, and a tail that shifted on his low back.

He was lucky, so lucky! It was his twin Techno.

He found help!

Techno had just got back from a travel to woodland mansion, Dream gave him the map a week ago and he just got back a day ago, now with 2 totems on his possession, Dream told him he would need them, maybe he would maybe not, he was Technoblade, the man, the myth, the legend himself, he have heard rumors going around about himself being immortal, because despite having just one life as his father, he didn't ever lose it, not even when he was getting himself into fights more often than he wanted too.

Of course, his resources where gone, the fire had been long put out once he got back, only a couple of logs remaining in his storage to keep him warm the rest of the night, he had to go out to get more wood if he wanted to survive in the cold tundra, he went out on the morning stretching himself, he had recently started his hound army, he only had 5 puppies now, but it wouldn't be long until he had so many he couldn't count them, he let them play around in the snow a little before getting them inside his storage room and going out for wood.

-

The voices were extremely quiet today, it was kind of suspicious for them to do so, it could mean two things, either nothing interested them enough or something was about to happen, judging by how Dream had said he needed the totem it was probably the second one, he will have to prepare for that. He spend a couple of hours cutting trees all around his house, it helped him have a clear view of his territory, it would also help if someone tried to attack him, they wouldn't be able to sneak attack if they didn't have anywhere to hide.

Go back

Eventually a voice said, the rest following it's lead.

"Heh? We haven't even get enough wood for the week, relax guys, I'll get back later" he knew it wouldn't do much against his sea of voices but he couldn't ignore them either, at least not now when they were just being paranoiac.

GO BACK

He needs you!

Go back!

Home

Danger

He is coming

Blood

Go back

"Who is coming?" He asked, a little aware of the warning, but the voices went quiet after that "Bruh"

It was just early afternoon, the sun a few hours away from starting to set.

"I guess we can call it a day here, I'll come back tomorrow for the rest of the wood" Said as he grabbed his axe to put in on his back and a pile of wood that he had put on the ground.

Go home!

Go back!

Blood!

Danger!

He needs help!

Blood!

Help!

He is near

"Even if you say that he is coming or he is near that doesn't help narrow him down guys" He said as he walked to his cabin, he was so immerse in his thoughts that he didn't even notice when it started to snow, well he would've had to go back either way, he didn't like being outside while it snowed, it could turn into an Ice storm and he didn't want to be outside for that to happen.

He wasn't far from his house but he certainly walked for like 25 minutes before he could get to the cabin, the snow starting to form a deep layer under his feet, it made it a little slower to walk, he could see his cabin at this distance, only a couple of meters away, the snow being the only thing between them.

He is here

He froze.

It would only take him a couple of seconds to drop the logs and grab his axe, but he wanted to know who was there, maybe it was just Phil, he had a bit of a habit to turn up in the most unexpected moments, he looked around, until he saw it, a faint figure around the snow, he heard him yell.

"TECHNO!"

Even when echoing he could recognize the voice, he had heard it a million times while growing up, and he missed it.

"TECHNO HELP ME!"

He dropped everything without a second thought and sprinted towards his twin, the snow now barely an obstacle.

"Wilbur!"

He got to him in just a few seconds.

"Techno! You have to help me" Tears streamed down his face burning his face.

"What's wrong Wilbur?! Is someone chasing you?!"

He couldn't know it anymore, that connection had ripped apart the day his twin died, they could not longer feel each other, but it didn't matter, they still knew each other as the back of their hand, Techno knew that this was beyond bad from his voice pitch alone.

"Follow me! Tommy needs help!"

Techno didn't quite catch what was the last thing he said, but as soon as he saw his brother run, he followed, he should've followed the first time.

Help!

Traitor

HELP HIM

Blood!

Dead!

Blood

Traitor

Kill

Only now did Techno processed what Ghostbur said, he was running to Tommy, he betrayed him, he was hurt, Wilbur did too, they both betrayed him, but they were his brothers, it didn't matter how much they had hurt him, he would never turn around from them calling for help, he was already half way there, and he cursed not having brought anything more than his axe, it was probably a call for another battle and Techno had just left without armor, not that he needed it, but it was a good extra layer of protection.

-

They arrived to a plains biome, even thought it didn't looked like it anymore, it was burned and exploded to the ground, the familiar sight leaving a bad taste on his mouth, he scanned the place for enemies, someone that would dare to attack him, he needed to find Tommy, had they take him away?! Was he too late? He couldn't bare the thought of having to lose another one of his brothers, despite everything they did to him, they could always say sorry and shake it off, Phil scolding the three into apologizing but everything was fine afterwards ... they were his only family, and the thought of them being gone ached.

It was quiet, awfully quiet, Tommy was loud and if he was in trouble there was no doubt Tommy would fight until his last breath, he would yell and punch everyone and everything, but it was quiet.

"TOMMY?!" He called, ghostbur running behind him, he didn't realized when he had ran ahead.

No response.

"TOMMY CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"

He scanned the area, once more, behind a curtain of smoke he could see him, lying on the floor dirty blond hair, he looked around him, crimson under his head, fear creeping down his spine, he quickly approach him, once there he kneeled on the ground, Ghostbur just catching up.

"Tommy?! Tommy please don't die on me" he pleaded.

He checked his vital signs, the boy was still breathing and so Techno could finally do the same, his heart beat being a little to slow for Techno's comfort, he felt his own heart beat race on his ears, he saw the many injuries he had, some deep but none lethal, his arms and legs were burned out, thankfully they were just first degree burns, he'll have to treat them, his arm was maybe dislocated, it didn't seemed broken but it will probably hurt a lot when he tried and get it back to its place, he got a glance of his face and it almost made Techno snap, his face was completely covered in blood, a huge wound just between his eyes, his whole face blown up, maybe second or third degree burns, Techno's blood boiled, Who did this?! Who did this to his baby brother?! Didn't they know the consequences of messing with his family?! Maybe not, just a few people even knew they were family.

Blood

Kill

Blood for the blood God

KILL THEM

BLOOD

KILL THEM ALL

WHO HURT RUNT?!

KILL

TOMMY!

SAVE HIM

KILL EVERYONE

He huffed, he needed to treat Tommy's wounds first, revenge could wait until he was sure Tommy wouldn't die from blood lost, he needed potions and bandages, lots of both, it didn't seemed to be anything useful around the place, the enemies being long gone, he had to get to his cabin, he had to get Tommy there, but it was freezing, Tommy wouldn't survive in his bare clothes, the kid didn't even have shoes, the hypothermia would get to him in no time, but he couldn't let Tommy here while he went for supplies, then he would've really die by the time he comes back.

"We have to get him out of here" Ghostbur looked at him with a worried expression "I have to carry him ... but I should probably put his arm in place before I move him, it could get worse if I don't"

He grabbed Tommy's arm and with his other hand he pinned his shoulder in place, making a quick and strong movement to put it back on his place, a pained scream came out of the boy, Ghostbur and Techno flinching with it, he passed back out again after that.

"Ghostbur I need you to take my cloak" He grabbed Tommy's legs and back trying to be as careful as possible, Ghostbur did as commanded, taking the fabric from his shoulders.

"W-what do I do with it?"

"Put it around Tommy, cover him well, otherwise he won't survive the Tundra on his conditions" The teens blood was now staining his shirt, but he couldn't care less at the moment, he was more worried about what made him bleed in the first place.

Ghostbur put the cloak on Tommy, trying to be as careful with his wounds as he could, it covered every part of him, Techno moved as quickly and as careful as he could with Tommy on his arms, not wanting to make any sudden move that could open more the boy's wounds. The snow storm only made itself stronger once they entered the tundra, Techno having to act like a heater, keeping Tommy warm on their way to his cabin, luckily he was a piglin hybrid, just as his mother, he could rise his temperature a bit more than any normal person, it was good for the occasion.

-

They finally got to the cabin, closing the door behind them, the boy's body cold, Techno carefully placed him on his couch, and dragged it near the fire place, the logs he gathered earlier must be socked on the snow, they are useless right now, he'll have to wait until they dry, but he needed to start a fire, or his brother would catch hypothermia and it might end up killing him, his body not being able to deal with it and with the blood lose at the same time. He was pretty sure he had old wood tools on the storage, some empty books also could work.

"Get the flint and steel from the kitchen, I'm going to get something to light on fire" He said as he started climbing down the latter to the storage room, Ghostbur floated quickly to the kitchen.

FIRE

WOOD

KEEP HIM WARM

BURN THE HOUSE

FIRE

PROTECT

HE'LL DIE

PROTECT HIM

FIRE

NEED TO BE WARM

TOMMY'S COLD

"I know, I know I'm going" The voice were being quiet most of the time, and he appreciate it, but as soon as they thought that Techno wasn't going to do something about Tommy they chanted.

He was right, his old tools were still there, he was grateful he didn't throw them away before, now he could give them a good last use, he'll probably regret getting rid of them, but he would tell himself that it was worth it, he also grabbed a couple of empty books and a bunch of paper, and climbed back up.

"I go it!" His twin handed the flint and steel to him after he was done setting everything on the fireplace, he lighted it all on fire, he just left a couple of things on the side to feed the fire later, he then pushed the sofa closer to the fire.

He approached Tommy, adjusting his cape on the boy's shoulders, to keep him warm, good, now that he knew his brother wouldn't die from the cold, he needed potions and bandages, lots of them, he needed to treat his wounds, he was pretty sure he had bandages on his kitchen and that he had saved a few regen and healing potions on Phil's room upstairs, he sent Ghostbur for the bandages as he ran upstairs for the potions, he almost tripped coming back down, he kneeled in front of the couch, slowly putting away his cloak, the boy shivering a little at the lost of it.

"Hey Toms ... I'm going to put some regen on that nasty wound you have there ... it will probably sting a little" The boy couldn't hear him, but he still felt like the warning was necessary.

He gently applied drops of the potion on the boy's face, him shacking and giving something close to a whine, it hurt Ghostbur and Techno to see him like that, but the fact that he was reacting kept Techno's mind a little at ease.

"Sorry" He said as his brother whined in pain as the wound closed itself "We should leave the rest to the healing pots"

"Is he going to be okay?" Ghostbur ask as he gently pulled Tommy's hair out of the way ... it was awfully long.

"The regen pot will stop the bleeding, hopefully he won't die for all the blood he lost before, we should just apply healing pots to the rest of the wounds and he'll be fine" he said as he cleaned one minor cut on the side of his head, he noticed it because the bleeding there had started to stain the couch.

"I there something I can help with?" He asked.

"Mmm ... Phil has a room on the second floor, check for clothes that might fit Tommy, we need to get him proper clothes" He gently applied the regen potion on the worst burns with some cotton ghostbur brought along the bandages.

"Okay!" He stood up and walked upstairs.

Techno slowly applied some healing potions to the rest of the burns and wounds, gently bandaging them afterwards.

"Tommy I need to get your shirt off, I have to see that you don't have any other injuries under it" he said words to the air, he couldn't still hear him, if not because he was unconscious, because the tinnitus on his ears was pretty loud right now.

He slowly and gently pulled the boy's shirt up his torso, being careful around his face, the first thing he noticed was that the kid was not eating well, he could see his ribs even with the dim light of the fire, even with the bandages in his torso he could see that the he hadn't been getting enough food, he should've visit him, maybe bring him something to eat, some new clothes before all this, it was too late now, he just had to take care of him from now on.

PROTECT THE SOUNDER

The voices yelled in unison, and there was no way he couldn't comply to that demand.

He took another glance to teen's torso, there where no other life threatening injuries, but there were a lot of bruises and and old wounds that healed poorly.

"I should probably take your bandages off" He said while he took away the bandages on his chest letting two gold wings spread behind his back, they looked really bad, how long has been since he last preened his wings?! They looked awful, he had old feather's stuck between his wing, how did they not itched? Only looking at them Techno felt the need to clean them right there right now, but he had to wait until Tommy woke up, that way he could shift into a comfortable position to do so "Phil would scold you so bad if he saw your wings right now, didn't we teach you how to do it?"

He didn't respond, Techno sighed.

"I found this on the closet! They were the smallest I could find, I think they'll fit Tommy just fine" Ghostbur said coming back with clothes on his hands "Wow, what happened to his wings?! They look really bad"

"I guess he just haven't preened in a long of time ... wonder how much"

Ghostbur leaned into the couch.

"He will be fine" he said "We will be fine" He reassured Techno grabbing his hand.

Techno huffed

"Yeah we will"

Tommy's wings shuffled behind him.

⠎⠑⠑

Chapter Text

He woke up on something soft, something like a blanket covering him entirely, it was nice, too nice.

And If he had learned something on exile is that nice things didn't last long, Dream always took them away because Tommy didn't need them.

The sound of fire was really soothing, he didn't want to get up, it was really comfy there, and he couldn't remember the last time he slept in something as soft as that, he didn't have time to sleep while the revolution happened so he just slept in random places, the cold floor on Pogtopia wasn't any better, the insomnia that he got after that didn't let him sleep on his own bed while he could, and the dirt ground wasn't really an improvement, so being in a soft bed felt like a nice dream, he didn't wanted to wake up from it, he probably had another couple of minutes before Dream arrived, he would make the most of them, the ache on his back was also gone, it felt really nice to be spreading his wings, finally after a long time, but what happened to them? He didn't remember takings off his bandages, why were they free?

COVER THEM UP

He had too, he felt to exposed with his wings not grounded on his back, he had to cover them, before Dream arrived, he didn't know how would he react to him hiding literal Wings, Prime forgive him he did not want to know.

He sat down where he was, trying to open his eyes, for some reason he couldn't but he heard a gasp beside him, he flinched at it, his wings following him.

"He is awake!" An echoing voice yelled.

"Ghostbu-?" He hear quick steps approach him, Dream was here the whole time?! His wings pressed themselves on his back, feathers burying themselves on him.

He suddenly remembered everything that happened yesterday, Dream had got really mad at him, setting explosions everywhere, he probably hurt himself and Dream ended up having to take care of him.

Oh no.

If Dream hated something was having to take care of Tommy, as if he was some incapable baby, he was probably in trouble.

He couldn't open his eyes but he still stood up from where he was sitting getting another gasp at his action, being barefoot on ... wood? Oh no, he had hurt him himself pretty bad and Dream had to take him somewhere to heal him, he was now sure he was in trouble-

"Tom-"

"I-I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to get hurt! I swear! I'll be better!" for a moment he forgot the wings on his back, as if they were never there, only focusing on making his punishment as bearable as possible.

Silence filled the room, the steps stopping on track.

Oh no, he had done something wrong! But what?!

You interrupted him YOU IDIOT

He did?! No no no he had messed up pretty badly now, he closed his fist and pulled his shoulders up, trying to make himself a smaller target, he waited for the hit, he couldn't open his eyes to see if it was coming, and even if he could he would still prefer to close them before the hand reached his face.

It never came.

"I ... I'm sorry for interrupting you ... I won't- I won't do it again, I'm sorry" his whole body trembled, his legs feeling weaker with every second he stood still.

"Tommy your wings..." He was now reminded of the wings behind him, they hurt, he was pressing them pretty hard against his back, his old feathers puncturing the skin on it.

He hid wings for Dream, he was going to take them away, he had proven that he didn't need them.

He is going to cut them!

APOLOGISE

RUN DON'T LET THEM TOUCH OUR WINGS

HE IS GOING TO CUT THEM

His breath became quick and inconsistent, his whole body shaking at the thought, his lungs burned at every breath he took, and he was pressing his fist so tight that blood started to drip when his nails perforated his skin.

"Hey, hey! Tommy w-" He grabbed his shoulder and he flinched, the contact only making him shake even more.

"DON'T CUT THEM OFF!" He snapped, the hand moving away from him, he suddenly realized that he was yelling at Dream, "Please! I- I won't try to escape with them! I swear! I-I'll stay here! Please don't cut them off" his voice was softer now, almost inaudible.

"I- I won't cut them off Tommy" The voice sounded hesitant, but Tommy believed him, or at least he wanted to believe him.

"Really?!"

"Tommy I would never cut your wings off, why would I need to do that?" The voice spoke really soft, as if talking to a scared animal.

"Be-because I don't need them... and I could fly away"

"You can fly away if you want to ... but I would prefer if you didn't do that while you're hurt, and what do you mean you don't need them?"

"I can? B-but you said I couldn't leave the island" he ignored the last question, it didn't register in his mind with the fear creeping on his body, the adrenaline of the moment still at peak.

"What island?"

"Logstershire? ... um sorry, exile"

"Tommy..." The voice spoke softly.

"Y-yeah?"

"Who am I?"

"Huh? What ... what do you mean?"

"What it's my name?"

Silence filled the room, what did he do this time?! He messed up but he couldn't figure out why, his breath racing again.

"Tommy? Can't you recognize me?" the voice asked, somehow sounding hurt.

"I-I...." he inspected the voice a little on his head, Was Dream playing with him? Did he wanted him to call him something else? His voice was different but he couldn't pin point what about it was different, he didn't know what to respond, if he said no, he would be in problems but if he said yes and Dream asked who he was he wouldn't know what to respond and he would be in trouble either way, his legs almost gave up on him, Tommy only standing because he helped himself with the couch's arm.

"Theseus is me" Tommy's wings shifted behind him at the name, there were only 2 people who called him like that, his mother in especial occasions and his brother, was he here? If this was a prank it was a really cruel one.

"T-techno?"

"That's my name"

"Wh-what? What are you doing here?!" For a moment he forgot that he was the reason he couldn't fall asleep some nights, instead his mind only focusing back at the old days, the good ones.

"I live here" Right ... Tommy forgot that he wasn't on exile judging by how the floor creaked slightly beneath his feet.

"You ... live here? What am I doing here then?! He is going to arrive at exile anytime soon and I won't be there in time! I-I have to go" A hand held him in place.

"Theseus you're hurt, you can't just leave now"

"B-but he is going to get mad at me! I-I have to go back!" The hand sat them down.

"No you don't"

"T-techno I don't know if you know ... but I'm exiled ... I can't be here"

"Who exiled you?"

"..."

"Tubbo exiled him! I was there!" Ghostbur said quickly, he forgot that he was there too.

"Did he?" Techno asked.

"Yeah! I saw it! He said something like 'TommyInnit you're exiled' and then me and Tommy went to vacations on Logstershire!"

"I... Tubbo didn't ... he didn't ..." He wanted to defend Tubbo, he was his best friend, but ... somehow he didn't feel like it anymore.

"He didn't what? Exiled you?"

"I ... He did ... b-but it... it was my fault! I ... did something wrong"

"What could've you done for him to end up exiling you?"

"I ... burned George's house... B-but it was an accident! I swear! It was an accident I didn't mean to!"

"But George isn't even a part of L'manburg ... wasn't he the King of the SMP?"

"I ... yeah, b-but Dream got mad about it ... and told Tubbo that if he didn't exiled me he would put obsidian walls over l'manburg and keep everyone inside"

"He sold you out? For some obsidian walls?!"

"H-he didn't sold me out... He just chose to save L'manburg"

"And what about saving you?" Tommy couldn't see it but Techno was now in front of him.

"I ... I don't need saving"

"I think you do"

"I don't! I-I can take care of things on my own!"

DON'T YELL! HE'LL GET MAD

Tommy froze.

"Tommy ... I know you can do things by yourself... but it's okay to ask for help if you don't know what to do" he grabbed his shoulder and it made him flinch, but he relaxed a bit after Techno started to rub his thumb on his skin "Look at you! You didn't even preen your wings in what appears to be a long time! What would Phil say about it?"

"Would he care?" The question escaped his mouth and it made the three of them froze.

"What do you mean if he would care? He is our dad! Of course he cares!" Ghostbur said at the lack of words from Techno.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's okay"

Tommy opened an closed his mouth, he wanted to ask something since a long time ago but he couldn't bring himself to do so, Techno noticed that.

"What is wrong Toms?"

"I-is just that ... why can't I see? I can't open my eyes"

"Oh! You have a bandage on!" Ghostbur replied.

"You had a pretty big wound on your face, it was also kinda burned up ... I put some regen on it so you wouldn't bleed out so it probably won't heal pretty, sorry, I put a bandage on top of it after that, so you don't open your wound by accident"

"C-can I take it off?"

"Not really, at least not now, let the regen pot do its effect, maybe tomorrow you can take it off" He replied.

"Uh um ... okay ... could you take me back to exile?" he asked fidgeting with his hands, the hand of his brother leaving his shoulder.

"And why would I do that?" he couldn't see but he was crossing his arms

"H-he is going to get mad if he doesn't find me"

"I don't think so"

"I-I need to go back"

"Tommy ... what happened on exile?"

"What?"

"I know you're a little reckless with explosives but I don't think you would blow yourself up like that, that cut on your face, I also don't think you did that" he could hear his tail shift behind him.

"I... I tripped ... I'm sorry I wasn't being careful" he fidgeted with his hands nervously.

"Mmm ... for some reason I don't believe you"

"Wasn't Dream looking after you?" Ghostbur asked, the mention of Dream making him flinch a bit.

"I ... um yeah ... but he- he wasn't around and I had an accident with the explosives and-"

"Lies" Techno said with a mocking voice.

"B-but..."

"Theseus we grew up together, we are brothers, do you really think that I didn't learn to notice when you lie?" Techno's tail was brushing on his legs, only now he realized that he didn't have his usual clothes on, this was a softer fabric, the shirt even had a hole to let his wings move freely, he wondered if they had to cut off.

"Were are my clothes?" he evaded the questions.

"I took them away, they were pretty broken, you definitely needed new ones"

"I ... I didn't, those were fine"

Techno laughed at the comment.

"Depends on what fine means for you, if fine means all torn and dirty then yeah they're fine, but my definition it's a little different"

"Can I ... can I have them back?"

"But Tommy we give you new clothes! Those were dad's but I think they fit you more" Ghostbur said leaning into Tommy's lap.

Those clothes were Phil's? And they gave them to him? What if Phil finds out? He will get mad at him for taking things that weren't his- a wet fabric was put on his hands.

"Here, don't press your hands, they're bleeding out" Techno cleaned the new injuries he had made on himself, making sure it didn't sting as he cleaned them "Take this too, it will heal it" a glass bottle was pressed on Tommy's hand.

"Wha- ... what is this?" Tommy didn't dare to move, his limbs felt a lot weaker than before and he wasn't confident that if he moved he could grab it properly without letting the bottle shatter on the ground.

"It's a healing potion, drink it"

Tommy tried, but his arms couldn't go past his torso, feeling too weak they almost dropped to his legs, almost dropping the potion on their way.

Tommy needed to follow instructions, they were clearly given to him, he couldn't just take for granted the soft voice in which his brothers talked to him, the moment he didn't obey, the second he failed in his lessons, it would all go away, Dream had taught him.

"What's wrong Tommy?" Ghostbur spoke softly, his voice echoing in Tommy's ears.

He noticed didn't he? He was disobeying, but he couldn't lift his arms anymore, his body started trembling once more, it was only a matter of time before Techno noticed it too, and then he'll be thrown outside to his own luck getting back to exile.

"Can you drink it? Does your throat feels sore? I can bring you water first"

Water? Like clean water? He wanted it so bad, he had only the salty ocean water to drink in exile, even when he tried to strain it it was still too salty, he would love a glass of water, but he could barely hold the potion in his hand, a glass of water will probably shatter on the ground in his hold, he opened his mouth to say something but closed it as soon as he did, only shaking his head instead.

"I will bring some, you hadn't drink anything since yesterday" Techno got up anyways, and walked away.

"I don't-" He couldn't bring himself to talk back, he was pushing his luck far enough, if he pushed more it'll just end up in Techno killing him... Didn't Techno want him to die? He heard it clear as the sky that day.

"YOU WANT TO BE A HERO?! THEN DIE LIKE ONE!"

Steps coming back pulled him from his thoughts, but not entirely, the moment was replaying on his head, like a broken disc tape, he didn't realized but he had stopped breathing and his body didn't shake anymore, frozen in place.

"Hey, are you okay? Tommy are you okay?" a hand rested on his shoulder and he could feel every muscle on his body tense, if he were to move right now his limbs would break as if covered in ice "Hey! Hey kid I need you to breathe, Tommy? Tommy?! Tommy breathe!"

A command.

Tommy took a sharp breath and it made his lungs sting with pain, too much air entering at once, he coughed, the bottle on his hands falling, it would've broke on the ground if Ghostbur didn't catch it, Tommy only coughed more, Techno patting his back slightly.

"Are you okay Tommy?" Ghosbur asked softly.

Tommy's body starting to tremble again, his eyes burning, he wanted to cry but then again, he will be doing nothing but show how weak he really is.

"You okay Toms? Do you want water?" Tommy still shook his head, even thought he really wanted some.

Techno hummed.

"Can you not drink it?" He asked.

Tommy froze at the comment, in another time he would've yelled that he yes, he could, and take away the glass from Techno's hand, saying that he was the biggest man to ever exist, and that he could do everything he wanted, but things were different now, he only shrank himself, shaking.

Techno hummed again.

"Is it because your throat doesn't feel right? or you just can't hold the glass?" Tommy stopped trembling for a moment at the second option, to then start again "I see ... here" He positioned himself in front of him "Hold my hands, I'll hold the glass for you"

Hesitant Tommy did what he asked for, holding onto Techno's hand, who gently raised themselves until Tommy was drinking water, it was like he was the one holding the glass, but in reality it was Techno, he didn't make Tommy chug water, instead making him drink slowly, then he lowered his hands to not let Tommy's arms fall abruptly.

"Do you want me to do the same with the potion?"

"I can do it!" Ghostbur offered with the potion on his hands, making Techno move away from the place in front of Tommy, Ghostbur put his hands on Tommy's lap, waiting for him to put his hands on his, then as gently as Techno did he raised his hands until Tommy was slowly drinking the potion, then lowering them as careful as he could.

Tommy's hands stung a little, with the potion doing effect on his wounds, a softer pain ran in his body, his other injuries were healing too.

"Wh-why do you help me?" he asked softly, if Techno's piglin hearing wasn't better than the rest he wouldn't have heard him.

"What do you mean?"

"You're our brother Tommy!" Ghostbur held Tommy's hand, he must be tired from holding stuff, but he didn't showed it.

"B-but ... you said ... you said that I needed to ... to die"

Ghostbur's hands froze and so did Techno.

"Did I? I ... I don't remember"

"On .. the 16th ... the revolution day..."

"Oh... Tommy I ... I didn't mean what I said" Techno was now kneeling in front of him, beside Ghostbur "I'm ... I'm sorry if it came out that way, I only said it in the heat of the moment ... you know how I feel about government ... and then you just made a new one in front of me, then Phil ... Wilbur he- ... I'm sorry"

Tommy felt tears wet the bandages around his eyes, not being able to run down his face, he was weak, he really was, and he thought, that maybe it was okay to show that to his brothers, just this time, they wouldn't judge him, not like the rest of the world did.

"I'm sorry..." Tommy sobbed "I'm sorry too Techno!"

Suddenly both his brothers were hugging him, one's touch colder than the other, he didn't care.

And just with that, everything was forgiven and forgotten, they were brothers after all, it was on their nature to fight, but they always found a way to make things better, it wouldn't be different this time.

Tommy cried and sobbed, tears coming out his eyes, only stopping at the fabric around them, he couldn't hug back, he felt weak, only crying harder instead, his brother's embrace only held him tighter, before, the warm of the fire was enough, but this was better, so much better, Tommy cried until he felt asleep on his brothers' arms, they tucking him in soon after, a lot of questions now raised in Techno but he couldn't bring himself to wake the kid on the sofa, instead letting him rest, it was night time again, he should probably go to sleep, Ghostbur already doing so in front of the couch, but what if something happened while he was on bed ... he would stay awake.

He grabbed a book and went to sit on the floor next to his twin, in front of the fireplace, both his brothers snore softly, Tommy's breaths being a bit more hesitant than Wilbur's ... and oh he wondered what happened to him, what made him so afraid, so insecure, so jumpy, what kept him from sleeping peacefully, what made Tommy be on the edge, who hurt him? He wanted to know, he had his theory but he wanted Tommy to confirm it before he did anything rash, he didn't know what really happened and the thought of having contributed to him being like this teared him apart.

Ghostbur fell on his shoulder, startling him a bit, it was such a familiar sight, his twin resting in his shoulder, while he held a book on his hand, Theseus not so far away, it made his heart ache, his brother's skin felt cold to the touch even in front of the fire place, he missed it ... he missed the good days, the old ones, he missed his brothers, he missed Wilbur, he missed his father long story nights while he preened his wings and Wilbur preened Tommy's, he missed his mother brushing his hair every night, the long picnics they had, stargazing at night, where did it all go wrong? Was it on Pogtopia? The revolution? When they left to make an Empire? When his mother left? He didn't remember.

He sighed.

Could he fix it? Could he fix the mess that they've made? He needed to contact Phil ... tell him about Tommy, start searching for a way to bring Wilbur back perhaps, he knew his father went on a search for it before settling on L'manburg, they could search again, he bet Tommy be willing to help, he didn't know how to find his mother, but maybe if his father and brothers were by his side, it would all be enough, just enough so his heart didn't ache at the old days, he will find a way to fix it, even if it takes him hundreds of years.

Break down big tasks into smaller ones

He was reminded, right now he needed to help Tommy, he'll make whoever did that to his little brother pay for their crimes against him, he'll send a letter to Phil later, then work on bringing back Wilbur. Baby steps, as Wilbur used to say.

Ghostbur shifted on his sleep, bringing Techno back to reality, he read the rest of the night.

⠞⠕ ⠋⠑⠑⠇

Chapter Text

"Tommy, hey, wake up" a voice spoke softly.

The day wasn't clear on his mind, he sat up from where he was resting when the voice processed in his head.

"I'm up, I'm up ... sorry I didn't meant to oversleep"

"It's okay, here" Techno handed him a warm bowl and a spoon "I brought you food, I didn't want to wake you up earlier sorry, I didn't gave you anything yesterday"

"Uh I ... it's fine" Tommy didn't eat as much on exile, getting used to te feeling of hunger by the second week being there, Dream didn't let him eat much unless he was there, but when he was he ended up blowing up his food too "Um... what is it?"

"Soup, Mushroom soup ... I would give you something like steak but I don't think your stomach will be able to handle it right now" he pocked at his ribs gently.

"Sorry"

"It's okay Tommy"

"Can I take the bandage off?" He didn't say it but it was getting a little awkward to talk with his eyes close, in moments he felt like talking to the wall.

"Maybe after you've eaten something and I have to give you another regen pot first too" Techno responded.

"Oh, um okay" Tommy was glad he was allowed to eat, so he wouldn't push his limits.

But now there was a problem, Tommy didn't feel confident enough to eat without making a mess, if it was something like bread then it'll be easier just to take it to his mouth, but he didn't know if when he grab the spoon to dip it on the bowl he is just going to miss entirely or spill everything on him, he stood in place.

"Can you eat?"

"I ... yeah it's just ... um" Tommy's wings pressed against each other uncomfortably "Is just that I can't ... I can't really see what I'm doing"

"Oh! Do you want me to help you out?" Techno walked closer.

"..."

"Ok, give me the spoon" he placed his palm on Tommy's leg, so he would know where to place the spoon "I'll help you out, but stop pressing your wings, the old feathers will press on your skin ... We'll help you preen later"

"Yeah! Your wings will be nice and clean after that!" Ghostbur cheered, he was being quiet for some reason, Tommy didn't mind it but it would help to know where he is if he talked a little more.

Preening sounds nice, he wouldn't admit it but it's been a long time since he really preened his wings, he would just brush the annoying feathers off once it got really uncomfortable, he preferred to keep his wings hidden, sometimes he even forgot he had wings in the first place.

"Yeah, but you have to eat first" Techno grabbed the bowl from Tommy's hand, making him flinch, he took a spoon full of soup "Here, open your mouth" Tommy did as told.

They repeated until the bowl was half empty, Tommy was hungry but his stomach couldn't take anymore, if he did he might throw up.

"I'm sorry" He apologized for not being able to finish the meal, in his eyes it was a waste of food.

"It's okay, I didn't expect you too finish it all ... how much did you eat back in exile?" He asked instead.

"I ..."

"Did you eat at all?"

"I sometimes gave him food! But then I went to l'manburg so I don't know what he did while I was gone" Ghostbur took the bowl from Techno's hands, going to place it to the kitchen, he would wash it but it still had food, and he can't touch water, so two things; he just went back to the fireplace instead.

"You said Dream was taking care of him, is that right?"

"Yep! That what Dream always said 'I'm here to watch over Tommy' or ... yeah something like that" Ghostbur said making a so-so movement with his hand.

"Mmm ... Did he gave you food Tommy?"

What could he answer? He did gave him food, bread in specific, but most of the time he would blow his food with the rest of his things, he would eat something every 3 days or so, sometimes even longer, he spend only a month and a half there but it felt like years, the starvation being now his friend, what could he answer to the question?

"I- ... yeah he gave me ... food sometimes?"

"Are you asking me or are you saying that he gave you food?" he huffed.

"I ... he gave me some bread ... from time to time" he fidgeted with his fingers.

"And the rest of the time?"

"I ... I got food"

"And did you eat it?"

"Um ... not really ... I -I don't ..."

Techno sighed.

"Here, have the regen potion before anything", he put a small bottle on Tommy's hand, he drank it, feeling his limbs ached a little, the wounds on his legs and arms were mostly gone, a few scars here and there, his face seemed to have scarred too, but they'll need to take of the bandages to check.

"C-can I ... can I take the bandage off now?"

"Sure, I need to check all your bandages still, maybe change some into new ones, go ahead"

Slowly Tommy removed the bandages from his face, he passed one hand across it, it had surely scarred, his skin felt a little tougher, he rubbed his eyes, it felt nice to have his skin breath even if just a few hours had passed.

Tommy opened his eyes...

At least he thought he did.

Maybe there was something on his eyes, he rubbed them harder this time.

He opened them again.

He had them open, right?

Then why was everything dark? Was it night time? But he could hear the fire, even if it was night time, he would still be able to see with the light of the fireplace.

He laughed, but it was most like a nervous laugh.

"Is everything okay Tommy?" Ghostbur asked.

"I just... is..." he rubbed his eyes again.

"Are you okay?" Techno asked now.

"I ... I just see black ... are the lights off?"

He got no response.

And for a second he thought that everything around him had disappeared, if it wasn't for the fire cracking, he would've thought that he was on the void.

"The lights are on Tommy ... let me check your eyes" Techno stood up from the floor, Ghostbur went and grabbed Tommy's hand "Open them"

He cupped Tommy's head on his hands, inspecting his eyes, he opened them a little.

The grip on his hand and face suddenly tightened.

"Tommy.." he spoke softly.

"What.. What happened?!"

"I think the explosions burned your retinas"

"W-what? What does that mean?!"

"Tommy" Techno grabbed his hand "I ... I think you're blind..."

Tommy froze, and with him so did time.

Was he really blind?

No

It can't be right?

He couldn't be blind

This ... This was just a prank! Yeah, it must be.

Tommy laughed.

"Tommy..."

"I'm not blind ... am I?" His voice cracked at the end "This ... this is just a bad joke, right? Right Techno?"

He only got a hug in response.

"I ... I can't be blind! No! no no no no!" tears started to fall down his cheeks.

"Tommy it'll be fine I promise!" Ghostbur said crying as well, the tears on his face making a hiss sound as they came down.

"I'm blind!" Tommy cried into Techno's arms, he only held him closer.

"Theseus, breath ... I-it's going to be okay" Techno drew circles on Tommy's back as he said that.

"I can't be blind! That's not fair!"

"It is really not, I'm sorry" He held his head close to his shoulder, Tommy sobbed and cried uncontrollably.

His wings pressed at his back so hard, that blood might start to come out soon from his skin being pinched by his feathers.

"It's not fair! Techno it's not fair!" His voice hiccupped as he screamed.

"I know..."

"Can you fix it?! Please fix it!" Tommy screamed and pleaded, crying into Techno's shoulder, his hands digging into Techno's shirt.

A burning rage ran through Techno.

Kill them all

KILL THEM FOR WHAT THEY DID

The voices chanted, but Techno couldn't give them what they wanted, not now, he had to help Tommy first, but the promise of a merciless death for who ever hurt his brother was sealed on his soul.

"I ... I don't know if I can do that"

"Dad might know how to!" Ghostbur shook Techno's arm, tears still falling down his face, his voice was wavering but determined.

"Can he fix me?" Tommy spoke softly, sobs still coming out from him.

"Um..."

"He sure can! He knows everything! He will know a way to fix your eyes!" He caressed Tommy's hair.

"I ... can you call him?"

"Well.. I was planning on sending him a letter either way, so yeah I can write him ... I'm sure he'll be here in no time, don't worry" Techno brushed Tommy's tears from his face, then pressing their foreheads together just like when they were younger "It'll be okay Toms"

"What if I'm never able to see again?!" He pressed himself into Techno's chest "Would ... would you guys leave me then?"

"Of course not! You're our baby brother! We would never leave you!"

"He is right, the fact that you could stay blind won't change the fact that you're our family"

A sob escaped Tommy's mouth.

"I'm not a baby" he whispered as he pressed himself into Techno.

Ghostbur laughed.

"You're baby! Our Baby brother! You're a baby runt!" He brushed Tommy's hair.

Tommy's wings shifted behind him, Techno looked over at them over his head.

"Do you want us to help you with those?" He asked, Tommy only nodding in response.

"Here! Sit on the floor so we can preen your wings!" Ghostbur patted the floor, it making a soft thud every time, Techno carefully placed Tommy on the carpet.

Once Techno sat down he adjusted Tommy so he would be lying across his lap making it easier for Techno to preen him, Ghostbur sitting just in front of them. Techno's hand reached his wing, making it flinch at the contact, the teen shivered on Techno's hold.

"It's okay, it's just us" Techno made a mental note to say things out loud first, he would have to do it more often now "Just relax a little"

He went back to the start of his wings, where twins scars were on the child's back, softly fondling his back, his wings weren't fully grown yet, it would normally take a couple of years more until they were the size of Phil's but he didn't know how tying them up would affect them, he still stroke slowly his baby feathers.

Ghostbur started to hum while he carefully brushed his fingers against Tommy's wing, cleaning the feathers and taking away the ones that didn't belong, his feathers, even when neglected were still soft, blood and dirty between them, he tried his best to clean them off, it would be better if Tommy took a bath, but they could wait before doing that, he patted down his wings resisting the urge to grab the golden feathers, he didn't want to hurt Tommy, he had been hurt enough already, instead he tried to be comforting, humming a non-existent song into the air, his voice echoing in it.

Techno tried to make his touch as light as possible, straightening the feathers that were bent in weird directions, he purred at Tommy, but he was so quiet, his breath being hard to notice at first, it bothered Techno, just a bit, was he doing it wrong? He remembered that he and Phil used to chirp and warble while they got preened, but Tommy was now awfully silent, only letting a soft whine from time to time, he combed the feathers on his fingers, brushing all the wing until he found it, Tommy's soft spot, he gave a squeak to then go limp on Techno's lap, having lost against his instincts, Techno huffed satisfied.

The twins worked on pulling out the broken feathers, carefully placing them all on a pile near the couch, Tommy chirped and cooed as he melted with each brush on his wings, fully open so that his brothers' work was a little easier, preening still took a long while, even longer than usual from him having neglected his wings for such a long time, it was overwhelming, at least for Tommy, it felt good to chirp, the touch of his brothers on his wings was so soft, and he had missed both of this sensations, he wished he could stare at their hands as they worked, or look in awe at the fire slowly dancing on the fireplace, but instead he only met a dark void, a sob coming from him, soft wet tears dripping down onto Techno's clothes, they stopped at the sound and Tommy regretted ever letting it out, already missing the mixed touch of his brothers.

He whine came from him at the lost touch.

"Shhh" Techno brushed his hair "It's okay, we're here"

Ghostbur was too tired, touching things in his form was exhausting, for a moment he fought against the thought of sleeping, but Techno's purrs were so soothing and he fell on the floor next Tommy, quickly falling asleep, a fully touchable form coming out, Tommy extended his arm towards were the noise last was, and grabbed his brother's hand, it was cold, too cold, but he still held it as a lifeline, quickly making distressed sounds, it was up to Techno to finish preening the boy, who melted once more when Techno brushed his wings, letting out peeps and warbles, Tommy fell asleep with the warm touch on his wings, Techno letting out a chuff, his brothers both snoring quietly, Techno just stared fondly.

Make them pay for what they did

A voice whispered on his head, Techno hummed at it, he would, he would make hell rain upon every single person that dared to hurt his brother, who ever left him now defenseless was going to take the worst part, he would make them suffer just as Tommy did, and tenfold more, he would burn their skin and rip their limbs apart, he'll make them despite their existence, this wouldn't go unpunished, and he'll make sure limbo was the worst part of it, just a terrible existence until the end of time, it didn't matter if Techno had to go there himself, it wouldn't be hard after all, he was born on his last life, just as his father.

Revenge would come, but first he needed to contact Phil and ask him to come over, so they could figure out how to help Tommy, he would go write that letter right now, but the child was asleep on his arms, and he wouldn't dare to move a muscle if it meant Tommy would wake up, instead just caressing his hair, getting some tangles out of the way, blood and mud on it, he needed a bath, once the kid woke up he would make him take one. He stayed awake until morning.

"Morning" Tommy heard from far away, not being able to fully process the voice.

"Morning Dream" he yawned, he had fallen asleep on the floor but it was softer than usual, like some sort of blanket was underneath him.

"Bruh" The voice replied "I'm not Dream"

Tommy frowned, was he not? Tommy tried to open his eyes to look at the person who spoke, but oh, like a cold bucket of water the realization dropped into his head, now he being fully awake.

"Oh"

"Know me yet?"

"Y-yeah"

"Know where you are?"

"Your ... your house?"

"Yep"

"Sorry"

"It's okay" steps grew closer to Tommy, a hand being place on his forehead.

"You don't have a fever, good"

"Why would I have a fever?"

"Well, we did bring you to the middle of the Tundra" Techno adjusted his cape on the boy's shoulders.

"We're on a Tundra?" Tommy asked softly.

"Yeah"

"Morning Tommy!" He heard a vibrant song from far away too, but footsteps didn't warn him this time "How did you sleep?"

The voice was in front of him, he let out a squeak.

"Oh! Sorry! I'll warn you next time"

"I ... um it's fine"

Techno's hand ruffled his hair.

"You have to eat, then take a bath, not to offend or anything but it looks like you haven't take one in months"

"Sorry"

"Not your fault ... here grab my arm, I'll take you to the kitchen"

Tommy reached his arm into the air, until it met with Techno's helping him get up, he guided him to another room, and sat him in a chair, he heard a creak in the wood besides him.

"It's me!" Ghostbur said.

Something was placed on the table in front of him.

"I warmed the soup that was left from yesterday, it'll be the only thing we'll be eating for a while, at least until you can eat something else" Techno said.

"I'm sorry" he lowered his head.

"I ... you don't have to apologize that much Theseus" he patted his hair.

"Sorry"

Techno sighed.

"It's okay"

"Do you want me to help you eat Tommy?" Ghostbur offered.

"... yes please" he spoke soft.

Ghostbur took the spoon taking soup with it.

"Say ah~!"

"I-I'm not a baby Ghostbur..."

"Ah~!" he repeated.

Tommy complied.

Ghostbur content of being able to fed his brother, Techno eating in front of them, only staring at his own food.

Tommy left half of the bowl again. They didn't mention it, Techno only left to put warm water on the tub so Tommy could take a bath.

"The water is ready" he said after a few minutes.

Tommy stood up from his chair, walking toward Techno's voice only to crash into his chest.

"Careful there" he huffed with a smile.

"Sorry"

"It's fine Theseus" He lead Tommy into the stairs "I might have to carry you up the stairs, don't want you falling on my watch"

"I-I can walk up the stairs"

"I rather not take the risk ... I'm going to pick you up" He grabbed Tommy's legs and pulled him up.

"I feel like a baby" Tommy said, hiding his face into Techno's neck.

"Just because you need help doesn't make you a baby"

"I feel like one ... I feel like shit"

"I can imagine" Tommy hadn't noticed but they were already on the bathroom, Techno put him down.

"Take your clothes off, I'll go for a bucket wait here"

"Well now I feel a lot more like a baby ... I can take a bath myself"

"You never took of the dirt well, and now you have a lot, just stay, I'll help you enter the tub once I come back" he said leaving the room.

Tommy felt useless, he had lost his sight not so long ago and he couldn't already do a lot of things, even just walking made him dizzy, let alone do another tasks, and he couldn't do anything about it, he followed Techno's instructions, he then kneeled down and crawled until his head bonked with the tub, he didn't entered it, he was told not to do that, he just played with the water, letting it soak his bandages, it was warm, it felt nice, not like the cold water of the ocean, he used to enjoy it, the cold drips on his head pushing away his thoughts, it grew old pretty fast, especially after the nights he woke up deep in the ocean no so far against the shore, there were times when he couldn't hold his breath and almost drowned, it must suck, to drown, just water filling your lungs, unable to do anything about it, his hand brushed the water.

"I'm back" he heard behind him, taking him out of his thoughts, his wings stretching at the voice "Here, let me help you, use me as support to enter" Tommy did as told.

And ah it was so nice, his wings flapped against the water a bit, not hard enough to splash it.

"I'll rinse your hair, it has blood and mud all over it" Techno said as he poured water over Tommy's head, him making a soft gasp "Sorry"

He began to massage Tommy's skull really softly, untangling the knots on his hair, but he never pull from them, even when some parts were really bad, dried blood and dirt making it hard for Techno, that made his breaths a little more calm.

"Tommy?"

"Y-yeah?"

"I've been meaning to ask ... what did you used to do on exile?"

"Oh um .. I gathered stuff"

"For what?"

"For tools"

"They didn't last that long?"

"Oh no ... I ... never fully used one" Tommy splashed the water under his hand.

Techno stopped and Tommy froze.

"What do you mean you never fully used one? Did they break before time?"

"I ... I lost them"

"Surely you couldn't lost that many" Techno massaged his hair again.

"I ..."

"How did you lost them? Did you forgot where you put them"

"No..."

"Then how did you lost them?"

"I ... Dream he ... um I ..."

"Dream? What did Dream do? Did he take your tools?"

"Y-you could say that..."

"Mmm ... Why did he needed your tools? Last time I saw him he had full netherite weapons and tools"

"He didn't ... He didn't use them"

"Then why did he take them?"

"Because ... I ... he ... I dug a hole and ..." Tommy started to shake pretty badly.

Techno hugged Tommy.

"It's okay Theseus... we can talk about it later"

"Y-you're going to get wet!"

"It's fine, I have more clothes ... I just need you to breathe, can you do that for me?"

Tommy's breath were unsteady, breaking every time.

"You just got to follow me okay? Deep breaths"

Tommy couldn't follow the man's lead, but he didn't appear to be upset, but Tommy feared, the yells, the explosions, they rang in his head, he covered his ears.

"This can't go unpunished Tommy, we're best friends, that's why I'm doing this" he called setting on fire one Tommy's photos, the one Ghostbur had give him from Christmas on L'manburg "Don't do it again, understood?"

"I-I'm sorry, please, I'm sorry, no no no please" Tommy shivered in Techno's hold.

"Hey, hey, it's okay Toms, you can do it"

"I ... I can't" He gasped.

"It's okay" He caressed his hair "How can I help?"

"I- ... I don't k-know"

"Is me stroking your hair helping in something?"

"Um... y-yeah, a bit"

"Ok, I'll keep doing it then"

Tommy tried to focus on his brother's hand, carefully brushing his hair, he was gentle, Techno didn't pull his knots instead just gingerly detangling them.

"I'm sorry" he said after being able to breath normally again, holding onto his brother's arm.

"It's fine" Techno's hand left his hair, and Tommy couldn't choke the whimper in his throat fast enough.

"S-sorry" He apologized for the sound he had made.

"You don't need to apologize Theseus..." He grabbed Tommy's arm, pulling him away a bit, Tommy let out another whimper "Everything is fine Toms, but I should probably finish cleaning you up before the water get's cold" He began to unwrap his bandages, letting the water soak them, and with a rag he gently removed the ashes and blood from his skin.

Tommy focused on the sensations, the warm water and the soft touch of the fabric on his body, he wished he could stare to Techno's hand going up and down his arm, to keep him distracted, unaware of his thoughts.

Once Techno had cleaned his limbs, he softly brushed away the dirt and blood from the feathers on his wings, gently touching the few feathers that were left from yesterday, Tommy wanted to drift away into sleep, he felt so tired, even thought he had just woke up a couple of hours ago.

"You can go to sleep after we finish here" He said not stopping on his work, noticing how the Tommy failed in keeping his eyes open.

Tommy didn't say anything, only humming at the comment, he was too tired to think of a response.

"This should do it for now, come on, get out, then you can go to bed" He said helping him get up and out the tub, he then wrapped him in a towel "I have clean clothes for you, here" he gave him clothes gently folded "If you need help with anything just tell me, I'll put the things away" He said walking away.

He put his clothes just fine, he might have put the pants the other way around but they worked like that and if it weren't for the hole his wings were supposed to go between the he would've done the same with the shirt, but it was fine.

Anxiety leaving his body letting exhaustion settle in, he yawned.

"Are you done?"

"Y-yeah" He hadn't hear Techno come in, it startled him a bit, Techno noticed.

"Sorry ... Do you want to sleep on my bed or the couch?"

"Whichever you like" he responded almost immediately.

And uncomfortable silence filled the room, and Tommy was left to wonder if he said the wrong thing, that was usually what was safe with Dream, was it not with Techno? He trembled a bit, and his wings shifted awkwardly behind him.

"The bed it is then" It was better not to complain Techno figured, he could make Tommy a little more secure slowly, it took time to break him and it would take even longer for him to heal, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try.

"Okay" Tommy stood still.

Techno walked over to him, taking his arm softly, then guided him into a room, he then carefully placed him into a small bed.

"I'll be downstairs, if you need anything just say so, I'll make sure to come and check on you from time to time, okay?"

"I - um ... Thanks" he muttered.

"It's nothing Theseus, now rest" He ruffled his hair "We'll be here when you wake up"

Tommy heard him left, footsteps becoming soft after a short while.

He wrapped himself under the blankets, and he slept.

⠓⠕⠺ ⠍⠥⠉⠓

Chapter Text

"Tubbo" a man called, dirty yellow wings rapidly shifting behind him.

"Yeah? What is it Big Q?" the boy asked a little annoyed that his conversation with Ranboo was interrupted.

"We need to talk" he said firmly.

"About what?" he turned to face him.

"L'manburg's safety" Tubbo stood still at his words.

"Meet me in 5 minutes on the cabinet room"

"Yeah, I'll be there" the man as quickly as he came left.

"L'manburg's safety?" Ranboo asked behind him.

"I don't know, but it must be important, just by the way he talked"

"I mean yeah ... um about what you just said"

"Of what?"

"Of Tommy"

"Oh"

"Yeah ... I'm sorry, I know you said you'll visit him last time, and that you have been really busy lately ... I could go check on him if you wanted"

"Thanks Big man but I think I have to go there myself ... Don't worry I'll find time"

"Um sure"

"Well I should meet with Q now, we'll talk later okay?"

"Yeah sure!" he said waving at the boy who ran away.

Running away, that's something Tubbo used to consider an option before becoming president, just taking Tommy and leave Pogtopia and Manburg behind, maybe start a little farm, that possibility was now too far gone, he just had to deal with the cards he's been dealt, keep his citizens safe, seek out for them, that's all he could do now, and he was going to do it to the best of his abilities.

He arrived to the small room, big Q examining a bunch of papers he had brought, he cleared his throat making him look at him.

"Oh! Tubbo!" He greeted "Sorry to take your time like this but it's really important"

"You said it was about the safety of L'manburg, right?" He approached the table he was in.

"Correct"

"Well what is it?"

"It's about Technoblade" He showed him a poor drawing of the man, making him more animalistic than he really was.

"Technoblade?"

"Yeah, you remember him right?"

"How could I forget?" he said passing a hand through his scar, he still wasn't able to open one of his eyes ever since.

"Oh ... right, sorry"

"Anyways, what about Technoblade?"

"He is a threat" He deadpanned.

"I mean, maybe"

"Maybe?! Tubbo we are talking about the strongest man on the SMP and we're some sort of Government!, you know he hates it, that's why he destroyed L'manburg the first day man!" He made an explosions movement with his hands.

"Well-"

"He will destroy us Tubbo, he'll get rid of us" He grabbed him by the shoulder.

"But he is gone now Big Q, he hasn't been seen since that day"

"Exactly! He could be gathering up resources to kill us, explosives, armor, weapons, everything! We have to act fast" he said walking away towards a small window.

"What do you want to do Q?"

"I want to take him down" he turned to look at him.

"WHAT?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Tubbo approached him, shaking him a bit.

"Maybe, but Tubbo it would only be worse if we do nothing about it ... we could catch him by surprise, sneak on him, take him so he can face his crimes against us"

"Q I don't know, we're literally talking about Technoblade, what would we do against him?! Heck, we don't even know where he is!" Prime this was giving him a headache.

"There's someone who might know"

"Huh?" He looked to him.

"You know Phil right?" He said showing him some photos he had taken of him walking by L'manburg.

"Wilbur's Dad? Yeah, he settled here a couple of weeks ago" he said taking a look of the photos, noticing nothing wrong with him, Phil was a kind soul, a predator avian for whom it was easy to win over the good side of people.

"He knows Technoblade, I don't know how, but the last time Technoblade was seen he was with Phil"

"What?"

"Tubbo if there's someone in this planet who knows where Technoblade is, it might be Phil, even if he doesn't he might get us close to him, he is the only clue we got"

"What makes you think he'll talk? Maybe he doesn't even know him... maybe it was just a coincidence that they saw them together"

"I don't think so ... and Tubbo we have to make him talk"

"What? Big Q he is one of my citizens I can't just make him talk" he crossed his arms.

"Tubbo think about it this way, we can't let just one man get on our way to protect our land"

"Quackity I-"

"Tubbo please" He grabbed his shoulders, holding him in place.

"Q..."

"We have to take him down, before he takes us down"

"..."

"Tubbo please... Save L'manburg" Tubbo froze.

A silence filled the room.

"Do you think we can take him down?" he asked.

"If we play our cards well, then yes"

"Bring everyone here, we need to talk to Phil"

Phil used to water his flowers on the evening, when the sun was almost out, he liked to watch the last rays of the sun set upon the flower's petals, it was a peaceful life, as peaceful as it could get, just reading away his thoughts, helping everyone of his neighbors in whatever they needed, he enjoyed again the flavor of tea, it wasn't bitter but it wasn't sweet either, he could relate to it in some way.

He spend his days that way, looking out for everyone, watering the plants, reading and drinking tea, it was kind of monotone, but it didn't bother him, routine made life a little bit easier, he was always doing something, burring his worried deep down in his heart, it ached each day even more, he prayed each night, just in front a little pot with a wither flower on it, he took especial care of it, the people who saw him wondered why didn't he go to church to pray, but it wasn't Prime who he wanted to hear his prayers, instead a divine being who people often forgot about, even while they were so close to it.

He prayed for his family, for their well being, and he regretted not teaching them how to pray too, it would've help them before, but now it was too late.

He took a bitter sip from his tea, a letter was sent no so long ago, he recognized the handwriting on it, a pretty cursive he had teach both his twins to do, he carefully took the letter out.

Dad Phil

Hope this letter finds you in good health, I heard from Wilbur that L'manburg is making reparations, and that you've decided to settle there, I hope that you're safe, I wanted to talk with you, preferably in person, but I can't go to L'manburg, we're enemies after all, I'm sure retirement won't change that, even though I might leave it after this, Phil I wanted to talk with you about Theseus Tommy, Wilbur led me to him a few days ago, he filled me in saying that he was exiled by Tubbo, when I found him he-

There was a knock on the door.

"Phil are you there?" A soft voice could be heard.

"I'm here mate" He said without leaving his sit by the fireplace "Do you need anything?"

"... yeah"

"I'm kinda busy right now, can it wait until tomorrow?" he asked looking back to the letter.

He was gravely injured, I won't get too descriptive here but they were bad, I took him in, we tend his woun-

"Phil can we talk? I need to ask you something"

"Is it urgent?" He asked not looking away from the letter.

We tend his wounds, his wings were also in bad conditions, Phil I would like you to come and visit us ... as soon as possible, I have some bad news about him, pleas-

"Fuck it! Just go in!" Another voice spoke, Phil was out of his chair when suddenly his door was broken down, four men fully geared up came in.

"Tubbo what is this? You didn't need to break the door down I could've just open it, Why are you here mate?" He said looking around him, Fundy, Quackity, Ranboo and Tubbo, three of them covered in a red liquid, presumably blood.

"Phil I need you to cooperate, we're on a mission" Tubbo said.

"Okay?" Phil's wings shifted behind him.

"Phil you are a citizen of L'manburg, and we're looking after it" Quackity spoke.

"I mean ... what do you want with this?"

"You should not ask anymore questions, but we need to know where Technoblade is" He hissed.

He squeezed the letter on his grip, suddenly the crackle of the fire being to loud behind him, the warm breeze of it brushing on his feathers.

"What made you think I know where he is?" he said, a soft smile on his face.

"Phil he was last seen with you"

"Even if I knew where he was, why would I tell you? You know I'm loyal to my friends" he took a step forward, confident in every way.

"Yes you are, but you're a citizen of L'manburg and that has to count"

"Oh? You were pretty confident on my loyalty to this country then"

"Phil we just want you to help us out" Tubbo said.

"You are my grandfather after all, I need you to help me take care of my country" Fundy spoke, his tail shifting behind him.

"And what do you want me to think of that when you're literally covered in blood? And looking for Technoblade? Your father didn't tell you did he?"

"Where he is?" he tilted his head.

"He didn't tell you then ... no wonder you're looking with them"

"What?"

"I've said enough, listen mate, I do not care about this country, me and Techno go way back and I will not tell you where he is"

"What's that on your hand Phil?" Quackity said pointing to the white paper in his hand.

"A letter" and as quick as he responded, he turned around and threw it in the fire, spreading his wings behind him so no one could reach up to grab it.

"HEY! WHAT WAS ON THAT LETTER?!" Tubbo yelled, he didn't quite get the details from it either, but he knew the essentials, he needed to meet Technoblade, and fast.

"We tried to do this the easy way Phil" Quackity said "Look on his things!" he yelled going to check on the chest and barrels of the house.

"Hey! That's is just impolite, have no one teach you manners?"

From one moment to another they were breaking windows and flower pots outside his house.

"Oh come on! You didn't have to do that!"

The wither rose fell from its place on the shelf when Ranboo's tail swayed in a weird direction, Phil practically launching himself to grab it, no one cared, not even as Phil rearranged the petals, they didn't seemed to notice that he could touch it without getting poisoned, he sighed.

With the flower on his hand, he went and took a look on his ender chest, was it still there? He didn't move did he?.

"Hey Big Q!" Tubbo yelled "Look what I found" Phil turned around to see what he was holding, and he froze.

"What is it?" Tubbo showed him a compass that shone a pretty purple, Phil hitting the chest behind him, Quackity laughed as Tubbo handed him the object "Well what is this Philza Minecraft?!"

"What is it?"

"Yeah I was going to ask the same" Ranboo said.

"A compass that says 'Techno's compass' graven behind it" he laughed.

"Give it back" Phil hissed.

"No way! We need it to bring Technoblade here" Tubbo protested.

"Why do you need him?! He is on retirement, he isn't hurting anyone!" Phil spread his wings, making himself look bigger, if it weren't because Ranboo was still taller, it would've worked, making everyone's instincts yell predator and leave him alone.

"He will, it won't be long before he takes us down" Tubbo said.

"We have to take him down first" Quackity said, shifting his small wings behind him.

Phil growled.

"If you hurt him-"

"He has to pay for what he did to our country, we'll judge him" Tubbo announced, as if talking of a death sentence.

"I do not trust your judgement"

"Yours it's biased so what's the difference really?" Fundy spoke.

"Fundy you don't know what you're getting yourself into"

"I know! I'm defending my country from monsters like him!"

"I will not let you speak of him like that!" He hissed.

"Whatever old man"

Tubbo put an metallic object on Phil's ankle, Ranboo restraining him from moving away.

"Philza Minecraft, as of today you're now on house arrest, you are not allowed to leave this house under any circumstance, as you've been uncooperative with us"

He laughed.

"We're going to take our leave now, stay here, we'll know if you leave" Tubbo warned as he exited his house.

"Little fuckers, who do they think they are?" He whispered to the flower.

He stood on the balcony until they left, the whiter rose still on his arm.

Once he had lost sight of them and he could no longer hear their voices, he whistled.

A couple of crows appeared on his window, some setting themselves on the floor next to him, he took a piece of paper and quickly wrote on it, he tied it up to one of the crow's legs.

He lift it with his hand, and held it close.

"Go warn Techno" he whispered, to then launch him into the sky, another two crows following behind him. "Be safe" He whispered to the air.

"Tommy you've been asleep all day, I think you need to eat something" he said shacking softly Tommy on his sleep.

"I'm fine" he said still with his eyes firmly shut.

"Bruh" He took away the hair from his face "You need to eat something Toms, just like ... bread or soup, just a bit"

"I'm good, thanks" He said wrapping himself in the bed sheets.

"I'm going to bring you food, I sent Ghostbur for cookies to a village nearby, he should be here anytime"

"..."

"Get out of bed Tommy, the day started hours ago"

"I'm sorry..." he said under the sheets.

"It's fine, but you need to get up and eat, I can not have you starving here" He said sitting on the bed.

"I won't starve"

"You will if you don't eat anything"

"I don't want to waste your food" Techno huffed at that.

"Theseus you're not wasting food, I can always eat what you leave later or feed it to Carl"

"Carl?"

"Carl, my horse, Do you remember him? From Pogtopia?"

"Y-yeah" he uncovered his face.

"He's outside, I can take you to him, but only if you get up and eat something"

"C-can I ... can I pet him?" He asked softly.

"Of course, if you get up that's it"

"... Okay" he said moving up so he was sitting on the bed.

"Here, take this healing potion first" He said putting it on his hands.

"I ... I can heal on my own ... You don't have to waste them on-"

"Just drinking Theseus, I'm not wasting anything, I could always just make more" he interrupted him.

"Sorry"

Techno hummed, as Tommy drank the potion, he coughed a bit after that, Techno patting his back a little.

"Try to drink it slower next time okay?"

"Y-yeah"

Techno took him downstairs, placing him on the couch near the fireplace.

He could hear a knock on the door, Techno went and opened it.

"Hi! I brought what you asked! The villagers were nice, they were a little shocked to see me, but they were nice!" Ghostbur greeted, giving to Techno a paper bag that he held carefully.

"That's good, glad you're back" he sighed.

"Yeah! Here! Have some blue! Calm yourself!" He said also placing in his hand a blue stone.

"Thanks" he walked over to Tommy and gave him the bag "Here, eat as much as you want, they're yours"

"Really?"

"Of course! Techno told me to bring them for you!" Ghostbur said, sitting next to him.

"Thank you" he said, sincere in every way, he hadn't had cookies since the start of L'manburg, where Nikki used to bake him and Tubbo some, always their favorites, Tommy was a simple man, he liked the ones with chocolate chips, Tubbo preferred molasses cookies, he said they were chewy and soft.

Tommy grabbed one and tried to guess what type of cookie it was, all cookies were the same as far as he could feel, maybe Ghostbur only brought one type, he took a bite of of it.

Chocolate chips

Tommy felt like crying right there and there, it had been so long, but they still tasted the same, he liked better the ones that his father used to bake for them, but this weren't bad at all.

"You like them?" Ghostbur asked "Techno told me to get them for you, then I remembered you always used to ask dad to make you chocolate chips cookies"

Tommy only nodded.

"Yay!" Ghostbur cheered.

Techno just watched from a distance.

"Oh! I have something outside! I'll go get them" he said walking quickly outside the door.

"Them?" Tommy asked.

A knock on the window.

Techno looked over at it, watching a crow peck on the glass, he slowly opened it, letting the crow set on his hand, a cold breeze entered through.

"Hello" He said, it tilting his head at the sound, he then noticed the paper on its ankle, he carefully took it.

They know where you are, they found the compass.

Get ready, four people all geared up

I burned the letter, didn't understand well what's up with Tommy, I didn't want them to find out either way

Currently under house arrest, I'll meet with you as soon as possible

Be ready

The paper was dropped and then he was running all over the place, taking stuff from various chests, even going down the ladder to grab things from the chests in it.

"Techno? Techno what's wrong?" He asked because he couldn't help but panic over the loud steps his brother was giving all around the place, making it difficult for him to pin point where he was.

"I - nothing I just need some stuff" he said as the bottles on his arms clanged against each other.

"W-what's happening Techno?" he asked when he heard him in front of him.

"Not now Theseus" he said firmly.

Tommy gasped quietly.

"S-sorry" he said shrinking himself on the couch, and Techno felt guilt creep on his back.

He approached him, and kneeled in front of him, he place a hand on his shoulder, it making him flinch.

"Sorry ... sorry I didn't mean to say it like that, I'm busy right now, I'll explain everything later okay?"

The door was opened, making them both flinch, Techno turned around and saw Ghostbur, with... a sheep?.

"Techno can I have a lead? Is for this guy!" He pointed at the blue sheep.

"I- uh sure, there must be one in one of the chests, just take it"

"Thank you!" Ghostbur went and searched for it.

"Why do you need a lead Ghostbur?" Tommy asked, Techno still passing around all over the house, brewing sounds were made.

"Oh! It's a sheep! A blue one! I found it outside!"

"A blue sheep? Do they exist?"

"Well I have one! So yeah!" He grabbed the lead from the chest and put it over the sheep's neck.

There was a brewing stand next to the fireplace, Techno spend a lot of the time there making potions while he murmured to himself, his tail brushing into Tommy's leg.

"Oh! Techno do we have visitors coming over?" Ghostbur asked looking over to the window.

"WHAT?!" Techno ran to where he was standing, and even through the snow of the biome you could see a dim light approaching slowly "Dammit" he murmured to himself.

"W-what? Who is coming? Is Phil coming?"

"Unfortunately not" he said as he put the armor on "Tommy I need you to listen to me"

"T-techno? W-what's happening?!" he said leaning more in the couch, turning to Techno's voice behind him.

"There're people coming"

"Who?!"

"I don't know, I don't think they're aware you're here, they're only coming for me"

"W-why?"

"Old enemies I suppose ... I'm going to hide you" He said picking him up from the couch, Tommy letting a soft squeak as it had startled him "Do not come out until I say it's fine to do so, okay?"

"Techno I-" he tighten his grip on Techno's neck.

"Don't come out Tommy, everything will be fine" he said putting Tommy down, inside an empty space between the trapdoors "You'll be safe here as long as you don't come out" the teen only held him tighter.

"D-don't go please" he pleaded, tears starting to form on his eyes.

"Techno they're not so far away now ... should I go to them?"

"Ghostbur they might hurt you if they see you're with me"

"They can't dummy, I'm a ghost!" he said passing a hand through his limbs.

"Ghostbur I don't think-"

"I'll go say hi! Come on new friend!" He said opening the door and leading the sheep outside.

"Wilbur wait!" He was already out, Techno now only have to hope that he'll be fine.

"T-techno?"

"I'm right here" The teen knew that, he was still clinging to his neck after all, but Techno felt like reassuring him.

"Don't go..."

"It won't be long, I promise"

"I- please" he sobbed as Techno broke contact between the two of them.

"Be quiet so they can't find you" He ruffled his hair to then get up.

"Techno please!" Tommy let a hand out and accidentally grabbed his tail.

Techno froze and so did Tommy.

It was a sensitive part, just as his wings, not meant for anyone to touch, hybrids knew this, only flock members, people considered family, could touch the tail, ears or wings of a hybrid, Techno was Tommy's family right? They were brothers, but it might have changed, what if it changed? Tommy sobbed quietly, sure they had imprinted when they were really young, but then again, avians and piglins imprint was different, while Tommy's was for life, Techno's could've changed, maybe on Pogtopia, perhaps during the revolution, did he not see him as his family anymore? It would break his heart if so.

"I-I'm sorry" he muttered, letting go of his grasp.

A purr filled the silence in the air, and suddenly Techno pulled Tommy into a hug, making him gasp a bit.

"Don't apologize Theseus, it's okay, I have to go, but I'll be back" he said pulling him closer.

"Don't leave me here" he sobbed "Please..."

"I won't be long, just stay here, I don't want them to hurt you"

"P-please"

"My golden runt, you'll be safe here, wait for me" He pressed their foreheads together to then get up, closing the trapdoors to hide Tommy entirely.

He took his axe and sword, potions held on his belt, he put on his mask and he pushed the door open, closing it carefully behind him, and with that he was gone, and Tommy was alone in the little cabin, the crackle of the fire the only sound filling the room.

Tommy wailed.

⠊

Chapter Text

The cold outside left a chill on his bones, the soft snow falling slowly, for a moment Techno just stood there, contemplating the snowflakes that fell in his hand.

"Techno! I brought friends!" Ghostbur said waving.

"Wilbur don't go near them" he warned.

"Why not?" his tail swayed from one side to the other.

"Just get behind me Ghostbur" he said, the grip on the axe in his hip tighten.

"Okay!" He complied.

"Technoblade" Tubbo called.

"What are you doing on my property?" Technoblade hissed staring at the men, who approached him slowly, weapons held in hand.

"We came here to talk" Quackity said.

"Judging by how you're trying to surround me, I don't think those are you're intentions"

They must think he was stupid if they thought he wouldn't notice how three of them got at his sides, not being fully able to get behind him, their weapons shifting in their hands, unsure steps, their breaths steady as if to trying to keep the peace on their minds, to not panic.

He was no stranger to this kind of tactic, many had tried to sneak on him to kill, all of them died by his hand.

"..."

"Tubbo I lived in war, there's no strategy you can pull to sneak on me that I haven't seen before" He said making a gesture with his hand.

They were scarred and calloused, the weight of the weapons being now too familiar for him, his hands could never forget the shape of them, no matter how hard he tried, he was always brought to violence.

He hoped this weren't the case, but they were already up to a bad start.

"I'll ask again, what are you doing in my property?" He keep his voice and expressions calm, not letting the enemy study him.

"We need you to come with us, back to L'manburg" Tubbo said taking a step closer, axe in hand, Techno did not falter.

"What for?"

"Didn't you came to talk? I thought you said you did ... Can you not talk here?" Ghostbur asked, popping behind Techno's shoulder.

"I ... did say that to you yes ... but our business with Technoblade is different" Tubbo called.

"What do you need from me?"

"As Tubbo said, we need you to come back with us to L'manburg" Quackity spoke.

"What for again?" Techno stressed.

Techno was getting impatient.

He just wanted to go back to the cozy fireplace of his cabin, maybe share a hot chocolate cup with his brother.

He didn't want to be outside on the cold, while men surrounded him ominously.

"You need to face the crimes you committed against us Technoblade" Quackity spoke.

"Does this man speak for you Tubbo? I thought you were the president" He mocked.

Man if Techno was getting bored, he didn't like to talk, not with people he didn't trust.

"That doesn't concern you, you just have to come and face trial for your crimes Technoblade" Tubbo spoke, determination in his voice.

Techno huffed.

"You are still on about that? Wasn't that months ago? I think it's almost been a year" behind him Ghostbur played with his hair.

"Technoblade, you destroyed our country" Tubbo stressed.

"How was that sentence Wil? The one you used to say about the past?" He turned for a moment to look behind him, confident in his posture, they will not dare to attack him if they didn't know his guard was down.

"Oh! The one that said ... um 'The past has no power over the present moment'?"

"Yeah, thanks Wil"

"No problem!"

"You are just stuck in the past Tubbo, you need to let go and move on, I did"

He had plans to destroy everything that was a part on Tommy being so hurt, but Tubbo didn't need to know that.

"It's easy for you to say that! Your fucking home wasn't the one that got destroyed!" Tubbo yelled.

"I think mildly damaged is the correct term" he corrected, a small cocky smile on his face, confidence was everything after all, if he was confident enough he might be able to make his enemy so unsure of their movement that they would just retreat.

"Of fucking course you would think that" Fundy said, Techno just huffed.

"Listen, I'm sorry that you've come all this way just for nothing" He wasn't sorry at all, in fact he wished his home was further away so they couldn't even reach him and walk back and fort in defeat "I've changed my ways, I'm a retired man, I won't go with you, so just leave now"

"They're leaving?" Ghostbur asked behind him "Can I say goodbye?"

"Sur-"

"We're not fucking leaving! Not without you!" He stressed.

"Well then this will be a long day if you're trying to do that" He sighed, he was so over this by now.

"Technoblade you will come with us"

"Mmm... I think I'll refuse" he hummed.

There was no way he'll just leave Tommy alone.

"That wasn't a question Technoblade, neither a request" Quackity said, approaching slowly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you"

"Why fucking not?"

"Listen, as I've said I'm a retired man, I do not wish to kill you"

"You won't then"

"I said I didn't wish to do so, not that I would hesitate to rip your head off if you approach me that way" Threats, that'll make them second guess their options.

Quackity stopped dead on his tracks.

"Ghostbur could you go away?" Fundy asked.

"Oh? So we're fighting then?"

"You don't leave us another option"

"Alright then" He turned around, 'You should never give your back to the enemy' was always recommended, but Techno wasn't no normal opponent "If there's no other choice"

"..."

"I CHOOSE BLOOD!" And with that he splashed on the ground a bunch of potions, their full effect falling into him.

KILL THEM

MAKE THEIR LEADER FALL

BLOOD!

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

KILL THEM ALL!

The voices chanted.

He sprinted toward Tubbo, and swayed his axe to decapitate him.

He blocked.

A sword was raised in his direction, Ranboo attacking him.

He easily dodge, kicking the guy on his stomach, launching him a few meters away.

Tubbo tried to strike him in the head, Techno easily punches him aside.

Another sword was brought next to him, a little too close for Techno's comfort, but he swings his own axe blocking and then kicks him into the air, him falling into the snow with a huff, Techno steps on him, keeping him in place, restraining his every movement, He lets go as soon as two people approach him, he doesn't recognizes the faces anymore, red filling his vision.

He swings his axe and he's almost sure that he almost cut someone's arm off.

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

It was just a sea of voices in his head, all in unison.

He hit once, twice and then a man was on the floor trying to block the axe that was so near to cut his face in half.

"BIG Q! BIG Q DO SOMETHING!" The call sounded desperate.

A whinny sound took him out of his trance.

"Leave him alone Technoblade! Leave him alone or I will fucking kill this horse!" He said grabbing it by the reins, keeping him in place, a sword close to its neck.

Carl...

"Wow, what are you doing?! Leave the horse alone!" He stepped away from Tubbo, apparently under his boot.

"Drop all your stuff or I'll kill it!" He demanded.

"Hey! Don't hurt him! He didn't do anything wrong!" He took a step closer.

"Don't get any closer! I'll kill it!" He put the sword closer, it didn't move.

Techno froze.

"Why are you taking the horse? He didn't do anything" An echoing voice asked.

"Shut up Ghostbur" Quackity stressed.

"Okay"

Techno growled.

Predator

Their minds screamed.

He tried to activate their more animalistic instincts with a more strong one, it worked for a second or two before they were back at their senses, it hadn't been enough time for Techno to do something.

"Drop all your stuff Technoblade!" Quackity repeated.

"Why do you even need my stuff?!"

"DO IT! Or I'll kill it"

Techno clenched his fists, defeated.

He could defeat all of them in battle, but if they were to take a hostage there wasn't much he could do against them.

"Drop it!"

"Alright, alright" He put his hands in the air "Don't do anything rash yet"

Carl!

Don't let him die!

How dare they?!

Kill them!

Save Carl!

Against his better judgement he dropped his stuff, his axe and sword, the belt his potions, gapples that he had.

He kept the totem, just tucked inside his shirt.

"Drop it all!"

"That's all I have!"

"Your mask and cloak too" He said.

"I just don't think that's necessary" his hands were still raised.

"JUST DO IT!" he pointed the sword dangerously close to the horse's neck, it neigh in distress.

"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT! Just don't hurt him" He dropped his cape, it getting wet on the snow.

He carefully took the mask off his face, placing it carefully on the ground, it was a gift after all, the only thing he had left of his mother, he looked up.

They gasped.

Only now could they see the resemblance between him and Wilbur.

Of course, they didn't know.

They were so different, both in style and personality.

Wilbur dressed in casual clothes, a bit fancy but nothing really flashy, Technoblade dressed like royalty, everyone looked like a mere commoner in his presence.

That and Wilbur had short brown hair, Techno dyed his long hair pink, but everyone thought it was naturally that way.

Both Piglin hybrids, maybe just a mere coincidence.

When they were kids maybe it would've been easier to note that they were twins, as they color of their eyes was their only difference.

Techno always kept his face hidden, behind a mask, just like Dream, only that you could see a bit of his face, the cocky smiles he uses to give.

"W-what?" Tubbo murmured.

Fundy was speechless.

"Are you two related? Is he your cousin or something?!" Quackity turned to Ghostbur, who just stared blankly.

"He is my twin!" He said smiling.

Techno sighed.

Not like he didn't like being Wilbur's twin, in fact he loved it, they always had such a special connection.

They called it their twins power.

They could read each other like an open book. They always knew what the other was going on about.

Techno mourned.

He was supposed to know.

He still wonders how could he let Wilbur fall into distress, into insanity.

He should've known ... why didn't he notice?

He only did when it was too late.

As his brother heart was stabbed and it felt like his was too.

Their bond broke.

Now more than ever he didn't like to be reminded of his face, the same as Wilbur, he was dead, and Techno was still here.

The afterlife had taken their connection with it.

His heart ached.

And Techno felt ... incomplete.

"Now I understand why Phil didn't want to sell you out-"

"Quackity don't" Tubbo interrupted "Let's just go"

Go? He couldn't go!

TOMMY?!

WHAT ABOUT TOMMY?!

HE'S STILL AT THE HOUSE!

THESEUS!

GET HIM!

DON'T LET THEM KNOW HE'S HERE!

Techno let huffs fill the air.

He couldn't let them know.

Prime knows what they would to with him.

He allowed himself a glance at the cabin, just to quickly look away.

Anxiety creeping into him.

He couldn't let himself be taken, he couldn't tell Wilbur to stay, they might suspect, he couldn't just kill them, he didn't have his weapons anymore, not that he needed them but, what about Carl? They could just kill him the moment he decided to fight again.

Techno was trapped between the wall and the sword.

Rage filling his insides quickly.

He apologized to the air.

A promise that he would come back as soon as he can.

He would sprint to L'manburg and back in seconds if necessary.

"Can I take the mask?" Ghostbur asked as the Fundy and Ranboo took Techno's stuff.

Quackity looked over to Tubbo, who nodded.

"Fine, but you're coming with us too" He stated.

"That's fine with me!" he got the mask on the floor, grabbing the cloak too, it making a hissing sound as he put it over his shoulders, it burned, but he couldn't feel it, he couldn't feel pain, not anymore.

Techno just looked at him to get his mind distracted, he didn't want to look back, he couldn't look back, not when he knew he was leaving Tommy behind.

He would be back, that's was for sure, but Tommy had no way to know it.

Tommy had no way of knowing that they were even leaving in the first place.

Despite everything Techno kept an unbothered expression, he couldn't let them know that something bother him in the first place.

Chains were put onto Techno's wrist, they pinched at his skin in their tight grip, restraining him from moving away.

"Is this really necessary?" He could walk willingly to L'manburg, this was just a little too much in his opinion.

"Very" Quackity said as he pulled at the chains.

They walked over to the shore, neither him or Ghostbur said a thing about the little boy hiding in the cabin.

Ghostbur understood it was a secret and Techno wondered if their bond was still somewhere, just harder to reach.

They walked over the frosty shore, ice between the cold sand and the ocean, the layers of snow became thinner as they entered another biome.

"How are you going to bring Carl across the ocean?" he asked watching as three boats were placed, one for him and someone else, other for the other two and one for Ghostbur and his sheep.

"It'll have to swim"

"Heh?! He can't swim across the ocean! He'll get tired and drown!"

"He won't"

"How do you know that? Not even you can swim all the way there!" He pointed at the avian.

"How are you so sure about that?"

"Look I know you're like a duck hybrid or something but you can't swim across the ocean, that's why boats are for"

"Well it'll have to manage"

Techno fumed in rage.

"If he dies I'm going to kill you all"

"You can't, don't have your stuff anymore"

"I don't need it"

He truly didn't need anything more than his bare hands, armor and weapons were just a tool to make ripping his enemies into pieces much easier, to make the blows against him less effective, but he didn't need them, that wasn't an empty threat.

"Sure..."

Techno went up the boat with Tubbo, Quackity and Fundy used the other one, Ghostbur was behind them in the last boat.

As they went through the ocean, Techno glanced at Quackity who had Carl's reins attached to his boat.

What a cruel man, they could've at least made another boat an attached it to their own.

Quackity pretended not to notice Techno's harsh sight on him, but his body betrayed him, making his wings press on his back.

Techno looked closer at them, they were a dirty yellow color, well taken care of, clipped, probably by Jschlatt, the man wouldn't be able to fly again if the wings were clipped in a bad way, the feathers will never grow up in that case.

They looked similar to Tommy's, but in Techno's opinion his were prettier, they shined a bright gold color, even when untaken care off, they were a bit dull, but they would shine again once they took proper care of them.

He huffed.

They arrived to the coast, with a forest just in front of it, Techno was glad Carl was still fine and that the journey hadn't taken his energy away.

As they walked through the forest Quackity spoke.

"You're going to get what you deserve Technoblade" His wings opened in pride.

"Oh yeah?"

"You're going to face Justice!" He yelled at they made it to the borders of L'manburg.

"This isn't Justice..." He muttered for himself.

As they crossed a wooden bridge into the town, he saw what appeared to be a huge tower, a cage, presumably for him on a stage, a stand and a lever at its side.

"What did you say this was Tubbo? A trial? I'm not so sure about that one" He spoke as his tail swayed nonchalantly.

"If I say it is a trial, then it fucking is Technoblade" Tubbo hissed.

Techno growled back.

"Techno?!" A familiar voice asked above him.

"Phil?! Phil what did they do to you?! Are you okay?!" He tried to approach him but was quickly restrained by his chains.

Phil fumed at the sight.

"I'm fine mate!" he said with a soft smile "Are you okay?! Did they hurt you?" he leaned a bit into his balcony.

They snorted behind him.

Techno shook his head.

"I'm fine" he assured.

"We didn't hurt your son Philza" (not yet) Quackity wanted to add.

Phil stared at them surprised, and only now did he realized that his mask was gone, the boy's face being so familiar to him that it didn't bother him until now.

"Where is your mask? What did they do to it?!"

"I have it dad!" Ghostbur spoke behind Fundy, shacking the mask on the air.

Phil sighed.

"What are you going to do with him?!" He asked turning his attention back to Techno.

"He's here to be judged for his crimes"

Phil snorted.

"Sure mate" He hissed.

Quackity pushed Technoblade over to the cage, he didn't falter at the man's movements, but eventually he did go in by himself.

He looked up, noticing now the anvil just above his head, meters in the air.

"I feel like this isn't a trial as you said, and that you've already decide the outcome" He kept his gaze at the sky.

Phil now looked over where he was watching, he saw the anvil, and if Techno didn't look over at him, his confident look meeting a preoccupied one, Phil would've launched himself and take the anvil away, no ankle monitor could restrain him from doing so.

Phil stood there, just watching.

"Listen Technoblade" Quackity called and made Techno look down to him "This isn't a fucking trial" he murmured.

He hummed, in a way of saying he had already figured out the obvious statement.

"That anvil over there, we're going to drop it on you head, and it will fucking kill you" He spoke fire in that last sentence.

"This is an execution" Tubbo said, muttering to Techno.

Techno just stood there unimpressed.

Phil tapped his feet anxiously against the wooden floors.

"Will you explain to everyone what he is doing here Tubbo?" Quackity asked.

Tubbo nodded, taking his place at the stand.

"Technoblade has robbed our country, of everything that made it special" he began, talkin to the people on the audience.

Techno leaned back into the bars, crossing his arms.

"He created chaos, he ruined the government-" A snowball what thrown at him, he looked up on the windmill and saw Punz, clearly the culprit.

Punz pearled to the main area from where he was, throwing potions of weakness to the audience.

And panic began.

He dropped TNT wherever he ran to, the rest of L'manburg's citizens quickly picking it up.

"PUNZ WHAT?! NO! DON'T DO THAT PUNZ!"

"CHILL OUT PUNZ!"

Punz didn't respond, only kept running in circles.

"GET HIM!" Quackity yelled, trying to swing his sword against him.

Punz dodged easily, placing more explosives on his way.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING PUNZ?! STOP!"

Techno looked around, but he didn't change his position.

Phil laughed at the scene.

"Techno! Techno look!" That voice did make him shift his posture "I named him friend!" he whispered to him content.

Techno sighed.

"That's fantastic Ghostbur, I'm a bit busy right now Ghostbur" he said kneeling down to be closer to the ghost.

"FUCK IT!" A yell behind him.

"Big Q pull the lever!" Tubbo yelled from the audience.

Technoblade looked over, and Quackity pulled.

A clicking sound coming from it, redstone lamps lighting their way up the tower.

Phil raised his bow if only to stop the dropping anvil.

Techno reached over his shirt.

An arrow was fired, it barely missed.

A loud sound, and blood splashing everywhere.

Phil shrieked in horror at the sight.

Bright flashing lights almost blinding came and suddenly Techno's body was pulled back together.

Techno gasped for air, blood still covering all over him, staining his clothes and hair, his face was a bloody mess.

Without time to react he climbed over the anvil on the floor out of the cage, looking over at where Quackity had left his horse.

Phil stared in shook.

A man took the horse and ran into a cave, Techno being quick to follow.

"He's got Carl!" He yelled over to Phil as he ran away.

As he entered the cave he saw a green hoodie and a familiar smiling mask, Dream blocked the entrance behind them.

Techno just stared, still catching his breath.

Dream handled him armor, potions and gapples, without ever speaking a word, Techno took them in the heat of the moment.

Not being fully able to process what was happening.

Dream handed Carl's reigns to him and pointed over at a tunnel at the end of the cave.

When Techno looked back he was already out of sight.

He took a moment, maybe two to catch his breath, process what was happening.

Right, he had died.

He died but the totem brought him back.

He was still on enemy territory, he needed to get out.

His hair fell on his face a sudden blond lock caught his attention.

"Tommy" he said in a soft voice.

He looked at the enderchest beside him, he grabbed everything he might need.

He had to go back to Tommy! And fast, he had already spend to much time here, he'll come back for Phil later.

He had to make it to Tommy.

He put the armor on and tied the potions on the bell to his waist.

He grabbed the rains of the horse, quickly making his way over the end of the cave, where there was a tunnel.

"What the fuck-" somebody wheezed behind him.

He looked back and saw Quackity, with an axe on his hand.

"HOW THE FUCK DID YOU SURVIVED?! That anvil should've killed you!"

It did ... but not for long.

"Well... I guess the myth was right" He shrugged "Technoblade NEVER dies" he hissed.

"This isn't over Technoblade, I will kill you with my own hands if I have to"

Techno huffed.

"You don't understand ... You just don't understand what I'm- what WE are trying to build here" He took a step forward.

"A government I suppose"

Quackity laughed.

"This is far more than a Government, is far beyond your Anarchy thing"

Techno stood in place, a pickaxe that he had left on the ender chest on hand.

"I have worked so fucking hard! You don't get to come here and destroy everything we've build!" he was desperate, and Techno could notice it "I'll kill you Technoblade, I really will"

Techno laughed.

"Do you think Quackity that you're enough?! That even unarmed in iron armor! You really think you could kill me?!" He dared.

An unspoken challenge that he was willing to take.

The voices began.

Blood for the Blood God

"I think I can"

"Really now?" He snorted.

Blood for the Blood God!

"You know what? LET'S FUCKING FIND OUT!"

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

Techno grabbed the potions on his belt and and Quackity launched himself forward to attack, he splashed the potions on himself, quickly dodging the sword that was being thrown over at him.

He used the pickaxe as his shield, it wasn't a really powerful weapon, not as useful as an axe or a sword, but it's pointy sides still worked.

He dug the tool into one of Quackity's shoulders, to then leave his side and the wound open, Quackity cursed in pain.

Then launched himself again.

The netherite pickaxe and the diamond axe danced with together, giving loud clangs and thuds every time they met each other.

"You have done so much fucking damage!" he stressed.

Techno kept himself quiet, focused on the fight, his vision starting to go red.

The scraping sound of the metal being too loud against Techno's ears, he was just starting to notice how weak he felt.

Not like it would make him lose.

He believed his motives to survive stronger than his.

He would win the fight.

And go back to his little brother.

They shouldn't have taken him from his side.

"I have a pickaxe!" He spoke in rage "AND I'LL PUT IT THROUGH YOUR TEETH!" He attacked from underneath, ripping the man's face, going through one of his eyes and mouth.

His body fell on the floor, quickly dissolving into nothing.

He had lost a canon life.

Techno stood there a few seconds, before grabbing Carl and make a run through the tunnels.

He found himself under the sewers, he traveled fast on them.

He didn't look back, it felt like a timer would run out and Tommy would be gone if he wasn't quick enough.

There was light and suddenly he was outside, he looked around, trying to recognize his surroundings.

It was raining, it made his clothes and hair wet but didn't take away the blood on them.

Mountains surrounding him, he was near where he first appeared when he joined the server to help his brothers.

He was quick to recognize a path to his house, so he climbed over Carl apologizing that he had to make him carry him for a bit, he would later reward him with extra carrots or something, but Techno felt so bad, he felt like he was the one who swam across the ocean and then ran a marathon, he felt exhausted, but he couldn't stop now, he had to go back, he must.

He reached the shore, there were boats already there, he took a rope that was nearby and tied up the boats together, Carl climbed into the back one, Techno taking the first, and he began to row, his arms starting to fell numb on the middle of the ocean, he was pushing himself, but he couldn't stop.

Prime, Tommy must be so scared, it's been hours, the kid just recently discovered that he can't see, and he was all alone, why didn't they gave him more time?! He only got Theseus back three days ago and they had to pull him from his side like that.

He kept going, despite how his muscles ached, and the chains were still on his wrists, now broken, despite how weak he felt, he refused to stop, not even to catch a breath, once he stopped he didn't know if his body would have the strength to push himself to keep going.

Once he arrived to the shore of the snowy biome he rode Carl the rest of the way, quickly going through the plains.

Damn it was cold, the chill wind breaking its way through his his skin, his wet clothes, the snow that fell on his hair, everything felt so bad, so sore, he noticed now that it was much worse without his cape, he will surely catch hypothermia if he doesn't get to a warm place, he would've froze that instant if he wasn't a piglin hybrid, able to raise his temperature a little more above the rest.

He could barely make the cottage on the distant, it mixing with the snow very well.

There wasn't any smoke coming out of the chimney, and that sent alarms going off in his mind.

The fire must've run out, the cabin will be freezing cold depending on how long it's been ever since, he hurried, making quickly his way to his house.

He tied Carl up to the wood stomp on his stable, and ran up to the front door, his muscles couldn't move more any longer, he still moved.

He gave three knocks on the door.

Then he entered.

Chapter Text

He heard the door close behind Techno, he was gone.

He was alone.

In what appeared to be a tiny box, he would complain about being dark in there, but his whole world was already dark.

He tried to calm his sobs and cries, tried to make his breaths consistent.

It's okay.

He'll be back.

He promised.

Techno was never a man of empty words.

He would come back, surely.

He could hear faint voices outside, but he couldn't quite make who or what where they talking about.

They were angry, he could make that much.

They're voices didn't make anything but stress Tommy out even more.

He could hear the faint sound of what he thought was a horse, Carl perhaps.

He tried to focus on that instead that in the constant raising voices that yelled to each other.

He couldn't make Techno or Ghostbur's voices out there, they always spoke too quiet, he could only hear the people who yelled.

The voices got quiet, and Tommy gasped slightly.

Were they gone?

Techno would enter the door in any moment then.

A second passed, then two.

"I CHOOSE BLOOD" He heard.

A loud crash of glass could be heard.

Tommy's body starting to shiver at that.

Loud clangs were the new sound that filled the air.

They are fighting.

Tommy thought, putting his hands over his mouth, as if his thoughts would be so loud they would escape his mouth.

Who said Techno were coming? Old enemies?

They came here for Techno.

It appeared like there were multiple people outside.

Should he worry? No, no of course not, C'mon it's Techno who we are talking about, the man himself, it was said that he never died for a good reason, he had never lost in a fight, maybe he did, while Phil was first training him to use a sword, but after that he was unbeaten.

He would be fine.

Still Tommy worried, what if he gets hurt? What if they enter the house? What if they find him? What if it's Dream and some friends?!

Dream was his friend, if it was him, he should go out and greet him.

NO! DREAM ISN'T OUR FRIEND!

Stay here! Obey Techno! Here is safe!

His own thoughts loud on his head.

Techno tried to focus again on Carl's neighing, but was met with silence.

Also, when did the clanging stop?

Had Techno kill them already?

He waited for the door to open ... it didn't.

Everything is fine!

He tried to reassure himself.

His breaths started to become inconsistent again, he needed to concentrate in another sound, the cracks and pops of the fire being his only

Techno couldn't die, he just couldn't...

Techno can't die...

He couldn't, he can, he just can't ... if he died ... he wasn't like Wilbur or Him ... Techno was like his father, he inherited from him.

Just One Canon life.

If Techno died then his life would be over... he wouldn't come back.

But what was he thinking? Technoblade Never Dies! ... right? RIGHT?!

He had stopped breathing, his heartbeat being too loud on his ears, he gasped for air, quickly shutting his mouth, what if they were still there? What if they found him?!

No ... they had to still be there, Techno had to still be there ... surely they were just talking now.

Or Techno had killed them and decided to clean up first before entering.

Yeah.

That had to be it.

He was just cleaning after himself.

Silly he for thinking otherwise.

His brother was fine, he'll just take a moment longer than expected.

Yeah...

The door will open any second now, letting his brother in, he'll then come for him.

He'll tell him everything is fine, that the treat was gone.

The teen tried to breath properly, keep his body from shivering.

He just had to wait.

And so he did.

Time passed by slowly for Tommy, who tried to keep his focus on the cracks of the fire.

He was curled in a ball, hugging his legs, wings pressed in his back, his head rested over his arms.

Staring at the fire would've been more entertaining, he might even notice that it was dying out, only a couple hours left on it.

He waited, a second, then another.

His mind plaguing him with thoughts.

Nasty ones.

'But what happened to Carl? Wasn't he outside too? Why couldn't he hear him anymore?'

Didn't he say there was a village near here? he probably went there first, he took Carl with him, that why I can't hear it

He tried to stay positive

'It's so quiet outside'

He said we were in a tundra, I imagine not many people live here

'It's so dark'

It's fine ... I'll get used to it

'Will I be blind forever?'

Dad can fix me up

Just like a broken doll.

'Why hasn't Techno come back?'

...

'What if he's dead?!'

He's not-

'What if I have to go out and find his dead body?'

I won't

'Feel the sticky snow, staining my hands to guide me to his corpse'

...

'He isn't dead is he?'

Tears started to pour from his eyes.

What about Wilbur?

'W-wilbur?'

Isn't he outside with Techno?

'Yeah he is...'

He is a ghost, they can't kill him

'They can't... he must be with Techno then!'

And with that Tommy tried to be patient, he cleaned the tears from his eyes, and concentrated in taking long breaths, it was okay, he could calm himself, he had already done it a million times on the island.

Exile...

That's right ... Dream must be looking for him.

At least he would expect him to do so... they're friends, aren't they?

No

'No? .. But he said we're friends ... best of friends'

There was silence on his mind.

'I should tell Techno to take me to Dream later'

DON'T, IT'S NOT SAFE

"W-what?" he whispered, as soon as he heard his voice, he closed his mouth with his hands.

SILENCE! HE WILL HEAR US! HE WILL FIND US!

Tommy started to tremble, his bones hurt in that position, how long has it been again? He couldn't tell, probably just a couple of minutes, an hour top.

He stood there, eyes wide, shacking, for what it felt like forever, the crack of the fire being his only company, that and the sometimes intrusive thoughts.

He sighed.

They would be back right ... They had to be alive ... so why weren't they back already?

The village couldn't be that far.

'They left didn't they'

'They left me alone'

'They abandon me'

'They won't come back'

'This was all fake'

'Why I am so dumb?!'

'They said they wouldn't leave!'

'They say they would stay!'

He sobbed.

The fire didn't crack anymore.

His mind was quiet.

Hiccups and soft cries filled the room.

He grabbed his wrist, scratching it like it itched, his long nails, almost claw like, left marks on his skin.

'They left me'

'I'M ALONE!'

'I'M ALONE AGAIN!'

'IF I NEVER DISOBEYED DREAM THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED!'

He sobbed more.

'I'M ALONE! THEY LEFT! THEY LEFT ME!'

'I'LL DIE HERE!'

The cold started to make it's way to his little space, even more because he was under a window.

It was closed of course, but the cold could still find a way in.

The chill started to ache on his bones, freezing his muscles, he scratched himself more.

He sobbed and cried.

Something wet fell from his arm.

He keep scratching, the tip of his fingers was now covered in the substance that was running down his wrist.

Blood.

He was bleeding, yet he couldn't notice, lost in his trance, once the skin around his arm started to burn he switched to the other.

Making a similar injury there.

He sobbed and cry, the cold didn't help, it only made things worst, he started to not be able to feel his limbs, the tip of his fingers and feet now numb, his ears cold as ice, his feathers behind him shivered, but they couldn't keep him warm, he couldn't see it but his breaths started to come out in white puffs.

The tears froze and burned as they came down his cheeks, he couldn't feel his arms anymore.

The air around him too cold for him to sob loud, his hiccups came out as dry coughs.

He kept himself as quiet as he could.

There was no point anymore.

But he couldn't help himself.

He preferred to die to whatever could find him outside, but he couldn't disobey, Techno told him to stay .... what if he actually comes back and Tommy's not where he left him? Then Techno would actually leave him for good, and he would be alone, or Techno could kick him to the cold Tundra and leave him to his own luck.

At least it was warmer inside the house that it must be outside, if Tommy went outside, he would probably freeze the instant he steps out the door.

He cried until his lungs ached, not being able to handle the cold.

Tommy waited and waited, and waited, and suddenly it had been hours since Techno left.

Since he told him to stay.

He sobbed.

He had so many tears left to spill, but he was pretty close to not being able to feel his lungs, he could stop breathing any second now, his lungs having froze entirely.

The cold ground being now as cold as him.

The hypothermia would get him in any moment soon.

He would die, the cold and the blood lost would be his doom.

He really should've never left exile, he shouldn't have made Dream mad.

He might then still be able to see.

He might then still have a warm body.

He wouldn't be alone.

He sobbed and hugged himself, his movements so slow from his frozen limbs.

Blood stained his clothes, his injuries quickly clot after a while, but the blood that he lost would affect him.

He felt anxious, dizzy.

He wanted to throw up, so many emotions on his stomach.

But he didn't have anything in there anyways, just a mere cookie that he ate, the rest of the bag still sitting on the couch.

He didn't feel hungry, he was used to this, to not eat.

But the cold, the blood lost, the anxiety he couldn't deal with all at once, it overwhelmed him.

The soft sobs started to be nothing but mere whispers, he was a mess, blood and tears all over him.

He started to feel tired, really tired.

Prime, he would die here.

This might as well be his final moments.

Alone.

In a little box.

Trapped.

He couldn't give up.

Did he really come all this way in life to end up dying here?.

He always thought he would die in a cool way, in a fight maybe, or something peaceful perhaps, of old age.

He didn't thought he would die frozen to death in his brother's house.

What a shitty way to go...

Tears started to pour again, sobs loud again, as if they were his final second wind.

A protest to his fate.

There were three knocks on wood.

Tommy froze, his limbs gaining sudden energy again to cover his mouth.

Just muffled sobs and hiccups came out.

Techno opened the door just after a couple of seconds.

"Theseus?! Oh Prime it's freezing in here" He said noticing his little cabin was almost as cold as the outside "Tommy?!"

He approached, the little space he had left him in, opening it slowly.

It was dark inside but he still could see the blood and the tears that stained his brother's body, he was so pale, how could he not?.

"Tommy?!"

The teen just muffled sobs into his own hand.

"Theseus come here" He grabbed the boy and pull him close to his chest, noticing how there was almost no difference between him and an ice cube "You're freezing! I'm sorry! I should've left more wood on the fire before I left"

He pulled him closer, carefully, he could have hypothermia, then sudden movements could kill him.

He had to get him warm, NOW.

He raised his own temperature, for the time being, he then carefully place him on the couch, he whined a bit to the lost touch.

The kid trembled so bad.

Techno took a bunch of wood and threw it into the fireplace, then he light it up with the flint and steal Ghostbur had left there.

"T-techno?" The kid whispered behind him.

"Yeah, I'm here"

The teen cried.

Oh god.

KEEP HIM WARM!

HE WILL FREEZE!

IT'S NOT ENOUGH!

GET BLANKETS!

He really needed to get Tommy warm, but it would be bad if he himself fell to hypothermia.

He ran upstairs and quickly changes his clothes, not bothering into cleaning the blood on his face and body, he would stain the new clothes probably, but he could always just wash them later.

He quickly sprinted downstairs, almost falling on his way back, with more blankets on his arms.

He ran over to the couch, just hearing sobs and whines came out from Tommy, he covered him in blankets.

"Theseus?" His body shivered but not as much as the boy's even when he was wrapped between a bunch of blanket "Theseus can you hear me?"

He put his hand on the teen's cheek.

"You're burning up" he stood up an went to the kitchen, filling up a bucket with water and grabbing a small towel on his way back.

He soaked the towel and wring it until it was just wet, he carefully held it and put over his brother's forehead, he whined at the cold fabric on his skin.

"Tommy? Tommy can you hear me?"

"W-what?"

"Good you're awake"

"T-techno?" He murmured.

"Yeah, I'm here Theseus"

"T-techno"

"I'm here"

"Te-techno" he started to sob again, only repeating his name again and again, like a broken tape.

"I'm here Theseus" the whines and sobs seamed to settle once Techno put his hand on his cheek again.

His brothers breathes became more calm and he could swear that for a moment he stood shivering.

"T-techno?"

"Yeah?"

"I-I'm cold T-techno" he said softly.

"You're burning Theseus, your body is too hot right now" He said as he pulled back his hand.

The whines and complains immediately began.

"T-techno?! T-techno!" he shouted, even thought his voice was almost lost.

"I'm here, I'm here" Techno put his hand back on his cheek.

"Y-you left"

"I know... I'm sorry, I'm here now"

"D-don't leave" he sobbed pressing himself on Techno's hand.

"I won't go anywhere"

"P-please d-don't go" he whined.

"I won't leave you Toms" he whispered back.

"T-techno... p-please!"

"Theseu-"

"I-I'll be good! I s-swear!"

"Tomm-"

"P-please!" He begged "D-don't leave!"

He cried and sobbed, Tears falling down his face and onto Techno's hand.

"I'm right here"

His words didn't reach him, his sobs and cries constant, it ached in Techno's chest, Tommy didn't feel safe.

He didn't feel safe even thought he was with him.

The best protector of the sounder

His mother had called him multiple times.

He couldn't believe her words right now, not when his runt was shacking and crying, cold and with a fever, not when he didn't felt safe with Techno's presence.

He felt like the name mocked him.

You're doing good! You're a good brother!

The voices said trying to appease his broken heart, other ones just mock him as well.

"I-it's cold" Tommy repeated once and once again.

The kid probably had a fever, the stress he was constantly put in may be the cause of it.

"You need to drink water ... I'll go get you a glass, I'll come back I promise" Techno hand left Tommy's cheek and he whined and cried.

"T-techno! Techno p-please come back! I-I'll be good I swear!" The kid tried to get up on his sit, failing miserably almost falling on the ground, Techno being quick to catch him.

Tommy clung on to him the second he was on his arms, letting sobs and hiccups escape his mouth.

"Theseus I'll just get you-"

"N-no! D-don't l-leave me!" he cried pressing his head into Techno's chest "P-please!"

"I'm not going to leave you"

Techno finally noticed in the light of the fire the blood that dripped into his shirt, he thought it was his own, but then he saw the kid's forearms, scratches around them, his heart stopped, without thinking he sat Tommy on the couch, he gasped at the sudden move, Techno grabbed at his wrist.

"Theseus what happened?!"

The couch and blankets will probably be stained as well, Tommy just cried harder at the question.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean-" He hiccupped, not being able to finish his sentence.

"Did you do this?" Techno asked softly.

"I'm s-sorry! I ... I didn't-" he sobbed "D-don't hate me! Please don't leave!"

"I would never hate you ... I won't leave I promise"

Techno felt so helpless, if only he had been here, If only Tubbo and the other ones hadn't ripped him aside from his little brother, this would've never happened, Tommy wouldn't have harmed himself, if he had never left Tommy's side, they should've never stray from their only path, Wilbur might still be alive then, Tommy wouldn't be blind, Techno's heart wouldn't feel so heavy, Phil will just make them sweet treats and sing along with Wilbur as they stayed content.

Techno felt like crying.

He wouldn't, he didn't have time for that kind of stuff, he was never the one to show emotions either, he hadn't cried, not when his mother left, not when his brother, his twin, his other half had died, he wouldn't cry now ... but he just felt ... so overwhelmed, exhaustion making him more vulnerable.

He took a deep breath.

"I'll get you a healing potion" He said but before he could do anything the kid launch himself forward, if Techno hadn't been there, he wouldn't probably launch himself into the fire, Techno caught him with a huff of breath leaving him.

Tommy just held his arms around Techno's neck, holding him like a like a lifeline.

"D-don't leave me" His voice soft and cracked.

Techno held him close, they hid their face in each other's shoulder.

He purred and chuffed.

He was so close to just letting himself fall back into his instincts, but he was able to control himself, and pull himself up, with the kid on his arms, his little legs quick to surround his waist too, not being able to let go.

He walked over to one of the brewing stands, he had left some potions there while he was in a rush, he took one, it was still a drinkable potion.

"Theseus I need you to drink this, can you do that?" Tommy just held himself closer.

Techno sighed.

"I need you to drink this please ... it'll help with your wounds"

Tommy whined.

Techno left the bottle on the stand and lifted his hand over to pat Tommy's hair, he absolutely melted into the touch, lifting his wings a tiny bit.

Techno purred and Tommy warbled.

He had loosen his grip on him.

"I think you're lost on it now" Tommy let out a confused chirp "It's okay ... you lose a lot to your instincts now days ... probably because you ignored them so long"

He would say the same of himself but he actually left himself get lost from time to time, just to play with his golden jewelry and gold coins.

He shifted Tommy in his arms, now holding him like a baby.

"Can you drink this?" He pulled the bottle closer to Tommy's lips, he whined at the liquid entering his mouth "You need to take a sip, so your wound will heal"

Tommy tried to swallow, but his throat was sore, it was strain to swallow, he let out whines and sobs at that.

"Shh it's okay, I'm here ... could you take another sip please?" He did as asked and then turned his face into Techno's chest, feeling his skin ache a bit, the wounds were healing.

Techno left the bottle down and shifted him so he could hold him better, then he returned to the couch, settling in with Tommy on his arms.

Tommy whined and shivered, it didn't matter how much he pressed himself closer to Techno he couldn't find the warm, Techno didn't have energy anymore to raise his temperature that much.

He felt his eyelids tired, as he completely lied down the couch, Tommy on top of his chest, he grabbed one of the blankets he had put on Theseus before and arrange it over both of them.

Tommy sobbed.

"I'm here, I'm here, don't worry" he patted Tommy's hair.

Techno purred and Tommy let out small little chirps, shifting his wings every once in a while, Techno carefully reached at them, caressing the baby feathers on his brother, it and the exhaustion of the day made his fall asleep quicker, snoring softly into his chest.

Techno didn't feel able to doze off yet, coming back from death had left him just absolutely done, he didn't have energy to do anything anymore, the fever was still present on his baby brother, the towel and bucket were still within arm reach, so Techno soaked and wring the towel to the best of his abilities.

He gently put it over his brother's neck, he flinched away in his sleep, just slightly Techno held him close after that.

He felt drained he had no energy left.

He took a last glance at his baby brother, his golden feathers shining bright in the fire, it will probably last until the next morning, Techno will wake up to feed the fire again.

With that he brought him closer, letting his head fall into the golden curls.

He then completely passed out.

Chapter Text

"He's gone!" The small group of men seemed to panic once Punz left the scene.

Philza wanted to laugh.

He didn't know if it was because of the absurdity of the situation, or out of pure shock of just seeing his son be killed and come back.

He was shaking, his grip tight on his bow and on the railings of his balcony.

"WHERE DID HE GO?!"

His legs gave up on him, making him kneel down.

"WHERE IS TECHNOBLADE?!"

He laughed.

"I didn't see shit!" He yelled quickly getting on his feet and entering his house, closing the doors of the balcony.

"PHILZA MINECRAFT!" Tubbo yelled at him.

Phil could only laugh nervously holding tight into the door's handles.

"I'm under house arrest! I didn't see anything!" He shouted from inside.

"YOU WERE LITERALLY WATCHING FROM THE BALCONY!" Tubbo banged at the first floor door.

"I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU SHIT!" He ran downstairs and locked the door, holding the handle tight just in case.

"Philza open up!"

"Why would I?! You just attempted to kill my son right in front of me! Fuck off!"

"He deserved it!"

"Deserved it?! For what?! Destroying this shitty country?!" A blinding rage started to go up his veins.

How dare they? How dare they try to murder his son?!

He has only one life! A curse he brought upon his child.

He could've lost him ... forever.

He will never be ready for that, not again, he couldn't lose another child.

They were supposed to outlive him not die in front of him or in his arms.

"Open the door Philza!"

He stayed quiet, holding to the door like dear life.

"You can't leave this place, you'll have to talk eventually" Tubbo said to approach the main area.

"I will not do that" He whispered.

"Where did he go?!" Fundy asked, a slight hint of light green entering his vision to leave as quick as it came.

"Where are you going Ghostbur?" Phil heard say and he was quickly again on the balcony, his bow still where he left it.

"Oh! I'm just going around!" he said holding into the leash.

"What's with the sheep?" Tubbo asked.

"Oh! His name is friend! He is my friend!" He said with smile on his lip.

Philza sighed.

It was okay, they couldn't hurt him.

Not anymore.

"Oh I see..."

The sheep took a bite out of the grass below it, and Ghostbur gasped.

"I love him so much!" Ghostbur hugged the sheep's neck, it only busy in chewing the grass.

Phil giggled.

A familiar time brushed his memory.

"I like how everyone is giving me attention now!" He said looking at the men that surrounded him "Hi Phil!" He waved to him.

"Hi mate" He waved back, fond look on him.

"You don't look alike" Tubbo said "Is he really your son?"

"Yes! I take after my mother! She's really pretty did you know?!" Ghostbur answered for him.

"I wouldn't be able to know"

"Wil don't talk about your mother with them"

"Okay!"

"Why not?" Ranboo asked.

"As I said, I'm not saying anything" He crossed his arms.

"Oh I found him! Wait.... it's just his poster" Ghostbur shouted, his ears down as he said it.

Philza laughed.

"Oh primes, your eyes deceive you in a daily basis"

"I thought it was him!" He said holding into sheep's wool.

"I know mate..."

He sighed.

"I can't believe he is gone!" Fundy said.

"Sucks to suck" Phil shrugged.

"Phil!"

"If I had a bow I would shoot you!" Fundy yelled "But I would still hope you didn't die because you're my grandpa"

An arrow was fired in his direction, landing on his shoulder, he let out a growl.

"Tubbo! You can't murder a man just because he said 'Sucks to suck'!" Ranboo held the bow in Tubbo's hand, grabbing him by the shoulder.

Phil held his hand into his wound.

"I know... I'm just pissed"

"Tubbo why do you have armor? I thought the rule was no armor in L'manburg?" Ghostbur spoke, pointing at Tubbo's chestplate, he quickly took it off.

"Uh yeah ... it is!, um this was just an exception, just for today!" He said holding the armor on his hands.

"For today? What is it today?"

"It's ... just forget about it" he looked away from Ghostbur's confused look.

"Tubbo... you didn't change did you?"

Phil stared at Tubbo.

"N-no! Of course not! ... I'm the same just ... this was ... a special occasion" he fidgeted.

Phil growled.

A blue and yellow lighting striked the ground in a hill.

"What?!"

A canon life was lost.

Phil froze.

Thunder echoing in his ears.

His wings shifted and pressed themselves into his back.

A man appeared next to a bed, just behind Tubbo.

"Big Q?! Are you alright?!" he asked.

"Quackity what happened?!" Fundy said approaching him.

"That bastard..." he whispered, just loud enough for Phil to hear.

Phil sighed in relief.

Quackity was the one who lost his life, of course, there was nothing that could defeat, he had trained him well.

He took a deep breath and held into the railings.

"Dad?" Ghostbur asked below him.

"I'm fine mate, just a little overwhelmed" He waved at him.

"Everyone met me in the room" Quackity said, and he launched himself in the water lake below L'manburg the others quick to follow.

And with that they disappeared from Phil's view.

Though Phil stared for a few minutes more.

"Dad! Let's go see Techno! I miss him!"

"You just saw him mate"

"I know, but I miss him!" He pouted.

"I know, I know, but I can't leave my house"

Ghostbur gasped.

"I didn't know! Why?!" he approached the house "It's freedom!"

Phil giggled.

"This entire nation is about freedom! And, and doing whatever you want!" He paced around "I just destroyed the cage!"

He pointed at the little space Techno was in just moments ago, Phil's heart sunk at the sight of the anvil and the blood still around.

"I destroyed the shackles of oppression! I have drained the bog, the mire of injustice!"

Phil sighed and laughed.

The sight of his son talking as a mighty warrior just as he did when he was much younger, when he and Techno talked about bringing down the tyrant kings of this world.

"And I've found PEACE in a land of tyran- Oh hello Ranboo!"

Phil wheezed.

"Hello! Just passing by" he said to walk into his home, Tubbo walking at the distance.

It appeared they were done talking.

They left them alone again.

Phil closed his eyes for a moment, trying to keep his thoughts clear, he felt so tired.

"I heard there was a special place~!"

He opened them wide at the voice.

"Where men could go an emancipate!" He walked around the audience place "The brutality! And the tyranny of their rulers~!"

Phil stood there, frozen in place.

That was the last time he heard his son's voice, while Phil held him close, tears running down his eyes, a sword across Wilbur's chest, a melody was sung between gasps for air and pain whining.

"Come on Phil!" He pointed an invisible microphone to him.

"How do you know this ... that song" he said instead, voice weak.

Ghostbur tilted his head.

"I wrote the second verse! Do you not like it?"

"N-no it's not that! I just ..." he sighed "It's nothing, don't worry about it mate"

"Okay!"

He kept going all around the place.

"I want to go visit Techno!" He said.

Phil laughed.

"You can go visit him if you want"

"Really?!"

"Sure mate"

It appeared that the emotional wave of this night had made him forget he was the one supposed to met Techno, about something happening with Tommy, maybe his senile age was getting to him.

A drop of water fell in Phil's face.

"Oh no! Phil can I go inside?!" He asked almost already at the door.

"Sure!" He hurried to unlock the door, letting his son in.

"Guess I can't go visit him now" He sulked.

"It's alright mate, you can visit him when the rain stops"

"But I wanted to visit him now!" He pouted.

Philza laughed.

"But you can't mate, not until it stops raining"

"Aw that's not fair! Well I guess I have to wait"

"Yep"

"Phil your shoulder is red" He pointed out.

"Oh ... I forgot about that ... guess the adrenaline hasn't really left my body" He grabbed a couple of bandages and took of the coat around them.

He took a sit on the small couch next to the fire, he had to readjust it because the butchers had throw it around when they searched in his house.

"Phil I want to touch the rain"

"You can't"

Phil put the bandages around his shoulder, putting the coat back on.

"Why not?"

"What do you mean why not?" He cackled "You'll melt mate"

There was a hissing sound.

"That was me touching the rain!"

"What?! Don't touch it!"

Another hissing sound.

"Stop it!"

Ghostbur giggled.

"You're still a mess" He sighed.

"Big Q what happened?!"

"Are you okay?! What was all that about?!"

"THAT FUCKING BASTARD! HE KILLED ME!" He lifted his head, showing a pretty nasty scar across his face and his eye.

"What?! Quackity your eye!"

"I KNOW! THAT MUTHERFUCKER!"

"How did he escape?!"

"I don't know?! When I got there he was already going down the tunnel!"

Quackity punched at the cobblestone table

"THAT RAT BASTARD!"

"Big Q calm down!" Tubbo tried to approach him but Quackity pushed him away, Ranboo being quick to catch Tubbo from falling back.

"I WAS JUST KILLED AND YOU WANT ME TO FUCKING CALM DOWN?!"

"Big Q I just want you to take a deep breath, you won't think clearly in that state!"

"Oh fuck Tubbo it's never been more clear to me, TECHNOBLADE IS A MENACE! We have to get rid of him!"

"We tried Big Q! And look where that got us!"

Quackity ripped one of the target pictures of the man in the wall.

He fell on his knees.

"Quackity!"

"He fucking killed me..."

"Quackity?"

"FUCK!" He trembled.

"Big Q is fine! We can solve this!"

"FUCKING HOW?! He's going to hunt us down more than ever! We are fucking doomed Tubbo! I should've killed him! I couldn't kill him!" He grabbed onto Tubbo's shirt shacking.

"You went alone to fight Technoblade, he's the best fighter in the SMP, it must been hard for you"

"BUT I COULD'VE DONE IT! If I wasn't so weak..." His wings shifted behind him.

"Quackity it's okay man" Ranboo talked "You're not weak..."

"I am! And FUCK! Now I have this goddamn scar! What are they going to think of that?!"

"They?" Ranboo asked.

"... doesn't matter"

"Fundy your uncle sucks" Tubbo said, trying to lift up the mood.

Quackity laughed under his breath, but it was more out of shock than from Tubbo's joke.

"I didn't even know he was my uncle until a couple of hours ago!"

"Guess you're in big troubles young man, can't wait to see what Phil tells you, if Wilbur was alive I'm sure he'll ground you"

"Aw man don't even remind me of that , don't want to see grandpa right now"

"Sucks to be you"

"Shut up Ranboo!"

They all laughed.

"I should probably get home" Quackity whispered "Don't want to worry them more"

"I still don't know who's them" Ranboo said.

"I'll explain later ... maybe ... perhaps not"

"That's fine Big Q"

Quackity sighed to then get up.

"I'll get going then"

He left the room.

"I should also get going, grandpa is going to kill me so I have to find a way to avoid him" Said Fundy to then leave the room too.

"What are you going to do now?" Ranboo asked Tubbo after a few moments.

"What?"

"I mean... what are you going to do? Are you going to get home?"

"I mean ... probably ... L'manburg reparations are done and I guess we're not hunting Technoblade anymore"

"What about Tommy? Didn't you say you wanted to visit him once you got time? ... You got time now, right?" he fidgeted with his hands.

"You're right ... I do have time"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah I ... I guess it's just been a long while since I've seen Tommy ... almost three months"

"That's a long while"

"It is"

Tubbo stood there, Ranboo's tail shifted awkwardly behind him, the room was a bit small for him.

"Do you want to visit Tommy?"

"Of course I do! It's just that-"

"You're nervous?"

"I guess so" He grabbed at the back of his head, his hair was getting a bit long.

He sighed.

"It's okay Tubbo, I'm sure you'll do great! You just have to talk it out with Tommy, I'm sure you both can't stay mad at each other, I'm pretty confident Tommy isn't mad in the first place" He put a hand on Tubbo's shoulder.

"How can you be sure?"

"You're best friends! Best friends can't stay mad at each other, right?"

Tubbo chuckled.

"You're so silly Boo"

"What?" his cheeks flustered.

"What?! I um! I meant Ranboo!" He shouted making gestures with his hands.

"I ... um, you can call me that ... if you want" he scratched his cheek looking away.

"I uh ... anyways! Visit Tommy sure!"

"Oh uh, yeah!"

"Um so! I-I'll go do that!"

"I'm sure it'll go great" He smiled.

"Um I ... thanks"

"Anytime"

"I'll leave now"

"Yep ... good luck!"

"Thanks" He sighed to then leave the room.

Ranboo left not so long after.

Tubbo walked down the path to the prime path, a course he had made with Tommy a thousand times, in older times, that weren't so distant yet they felt ages away, simpler times.

Tubbo would run away and Tommy would yell at him that they shouldn't run in the prime path, that it ruined its essence, they would giggle together.

Yet now Tubbo walked down those paths alone.

The community house at the distance held good memories, the sun hiding away in the distance.

Sunsets with Tommy were so calm, they just stared at them and Tommy would talked about how beautiful the sky looked, with its purple, yellow and oranges tones, Tubbo listening to every word said his way, how he said the night sky reminded him a lot of his childhood, and Tubbo would tease that he was still a child, Tommy would always yell at him for that.

He step into the nether portal, being welcomed by the warm breeze of the place, the nether was always loud, Tommy said once that he wished to fly through the lava lakes, because wouldn't that be cool? But Tommy couldn't fly, Tubbo thought many times of how could he give him wings to do so, because his friend deserved to fly high in the skies, he always seemed like he was supposed to, maybe in another life, the universe would give Tommy wings for him to fly above the clouds, free of everything and everyone.

He missed him.

He missed their time together, it had only been months since they didn't see each other, yet Tubbo felt decades had passed by.

Tubbo sighed.

It wouldn't matter.

They could fix everything up, Ranboo was right, they just needed to talk it out.

He'll go and talk to Tommy and they'll hug and shit, they'll forgive each other and be best friends again.

That's how it always went.

That's how it was meant to be.

Tubbo traveled the nether pretty fast, followed a path that he had traversed many times in dreams, he's been itching for this moment.

He wondered how Tommy was doing.

That stubborn boy probably built a giant penis in the beach, oh prime, the first thing Tubbo will do is tear that shit down.

How dare Tommy ruin the beautiful aesthetic of the place with a penis?

He couldn't wait, he was excited to see him, it had been so long.

He went to the portal on the other side.

The sun had left the sky long ago.

Tubbo looked around in the darkness, Tommy really need to put torches up, didn't he know that monsters spawn at night? Silly Tommy he must've forgotten.

Tubbo lighted up a torch of his own.

It was so awfully quiet, was he already sleeping?

"Tommy?!" He called "You here?!"

He walked around the place, but he could only give a few steps before he tripped over a hole and fell on it, with a big oomph, geez Tommy was really bad at terraforming.

He looked up, it was a pretty deep hole, he stood up, now that he took the time to look around, the whole place was covered in them, what had happened? Was Tommy that lazy to cover up creeper holes?

"Tommy?!"

He called again.

No response.

"Tommy?! Are you here?!"

Still nothing.

Did he left?

To where?

He walked more, finding what appeared to be pieces of a tent, it was blown up.

"Tommy?!"

He walked down the beach, there was an empty table with chairs all around, a single piece of cake lied there, it looked like it had been sitting there for a while now.

"Tubbo?" A voice behind him asked.

"Tommy?" He looked back to find a man with a green hoodie and a smiley white mask "Oh, Dream"

"Tubbo I've been looking for you"

"You have? Um, well, I'm here? ... I um looking for Tommy ... Is he here?"

"That's what I wanted to talk with you about..." The man tilted his head down, his voice giving a tone of sorrow.

"Well... what's up? Where's Tommy?" He looked around him.

"Did you see the explosions on the place?"

"I ... yeah, I saw them"

"Tubbo I don't know how to say this to you" He took a couple of steps towards him.

"Say what?"

"Tommy ... he's ... he's gone"

"Gone? Did he just left? Where did he go?"

"No Tubbo ... he's gone"

"I don't ... I don't think I'm understanding"

"Tubbo ... he died"

"What?" He gasped for air "N-no this ... you must be mistaken"

"Tubbo ... he lost his mind"

"No..."

"He rigged the place with explosives-"

"N-no..."

"He blew himself up!"

"No! NO that can't be right!" His hole body shacked "You're lying right?!"

"No Tubbo I'm ... I'm sorry ... I wasn't here when it happened"

"N-no"

"I couldn't do anything about it ... I'm sorry"

Dream approached him, and Tubbo collapsed in the ground.

"Tubbo?"

"I ... no ... that can't be true"

"I'm sorry"

"How long has it's been?!" He grabbed into Dream's sleeves.

"Four days..."

"No..."

"I'm sorry ... I tried to find you before"

Tubbo hiccupped.

"This can't ... this can't be happening, he ... he can't be dead!"

"Tubbo ... he is dead"

"HOW COULD HE BE DEAD?!"

"I'm sorry Tubbo, I wished I was here to stop him ... but ... there's nothing I could do when I arrived" He clung into the man's arms.

"No! Where is his body?! Where is he then?!"

It was his last life, there should be a body around, something he can use to mourn him, or to prove Dream's mistake.

"There was no body Tubbo ... it was destroyed in the explosions... I could just find this"

He handed Tubbo a green bandana, the same one he had gave Tommy when he gave him his, they were sitting on the bench listening to Tommy's favorite song, he hummed with it, while Tubbo listened content.

Tubbo stared at it, frozen in place.

He wheezed holding the fabric close to his chest.

"Tubbo I think you should go home..."

"I- he ... no, he can't ... he can't" Tubbo held the fabric to his face, it still smelled like gunpowder and dirt.

"I'm sorry" He gave Tubbo a hand "Here ... I'll take you to the community house"

Tubbo held Dream's sleeve pathetically as he followed him down the path he just came, but everything felt so off, so surreal, this couldn't be happening.

Once they entered the nether portal back home it was just silence, Tubbo didn't know if it was because of his shock but he couldn't hear anything there, he couldn't hear the popping of the lava, the ghast's whines or the piglins oink, it was so quiet.

Tubbo stared at Dream's boots, not being able to focus on anything else.

They went through the other portal.

The sound of rain and thunder loud in Tubbo's ears, everything changed so fast.

Dream led Tubbo inside the house.

"Tubbo ... I'm sorry ... I wish I could've done something about it ... I know Tommy was your friend ... I'm just ... I'm sorry"

Tubbo stared at him.

"I know I was supposed to watch over him ... I'm sorry I couldn't be there for him"

Tubbo could just shake.

"You should go home Tubbo ... I mean it" He placed a hand on his shoulder, it felt incredibly cold.

"I ... I'm sorry ... Thanks for ... getting me here Dream"

"No problem ... I'll leave you now ... I'm sure you have a lot to think about"

"Yeah..."

Dream waved him goodbye and then he left the place, Tubbo could see a sad smile on his face, just under his mask, and everything felt like cold water on him.

Tommy was dead.

And he had done nothing about.

He spent four days, four days! Oblivious of his friend's death!

Tubbo sobbed.

He sprinted back at L'manburg, stumbling in his steps, the rain water almost making him fall, soaking all his clothes.

He looked pathetic.

With a suit way to big for him, now soggy, his hair dripped water from it, and tears fell down his cheek, though you wouldn't be able to noticed them in the rain.

He fell down on the main path of L'manburg.

And his legs gave up on him, he couldn't get up anymore.

"Tubbo? Tubbo!" He heard a voice from the ground, then a hissing sound, and then he was being carried inside.

He was placed on a couch, something was place over his shoulders.

"Tubbo are you okay?" The voice said, removing his wet hair of his face.

Everything was spinning around Tubbo, he couldn't recognize the person in front of him.

"Tubbo?"

A hand was placed in his cheek, he leaned into it.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

Tubbo stared at the ground.

"..."

"Tubbo? What happened?"

He looked up, a figure half white half black in front of him.

"Ranboo?"

"Yeah, it's me Tubbo ... are you okay?"

"You already asked that..."

"But you didn't answer"

"..."

"Tubbo ... are you okay?"

Tubbo grabbed at the hand on his face, sobbing.

"Tubbo?"

The hissing sound, hadn't stopped.

"He's gone" he hiccuped.

"Who?"

"Tommy! He's gone!" His gripped tighten against Ranboo's wrist.

"What? What do you mean?"

"He is dead!"

Ranboo froze.

"What?"

"HE IS DEAD RANBOO! HE'S GONE!" Tubbo's tears started to flow.

"W-what? Are ... are you sure of that?!"

Tubbo showed Ranboo the bandana.

"He's gone! The hole place was blown up!" he collapsed into Ranboo's chest.

Ranboo held him tight, the hissing sound only grew louder.

"He's dead! He's dead Ranboo!"

"Tubbo.."

"HOW COULD I LET THAT HAPPEN?!"

"..."

"PRIME! I SHOULD'VE NEVER EXILED HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE! THIS IS ALL MY FAULT!"

"Hey! You didn't know things were going to go this way, it's not your fault" He held Tubbo's head, patting his hair.

"IT'S ALL MY FAULT! IT IS! I SHOULD'VE KNOWN! NOW HE'S GONE!"

Ranboo fell completely on the ground with Tubbo on his arms.

"He's gone! I will never see him again! I lost him!"

He cried and sobbed into Ranboo's torso, holding into his shirt tight.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry Tubbo" Ranboo started to cry too.

Tubbo hiccupped.

He passed out moments later.

"I'm really sorry"

Ranboo held him closer.

Chapter Text

Tommy's wings shifted on his back, something like a cold breeze running through them, he pressed himself further into a warm, soft surface underneath him.

It was sometime chilly in exile but never cold, and the light blanket wasn't nearly as warm as this, also did he just feel the breeze on his wings?! They were supposed to be covered! Dream will get here any ... but he wasn't on exile anymore, was he?.

No.

He remember a bit ... Techno brought him to his house, didn't he? Yeah ... then they ... they left ... they left and left Tommy behind, alone and freezing in the cabin, he was alone.

His breath started to become agitated, it felt like a punch in the guts, he felt too bad, dizzy almost.

A hand came down and patted his head.

"Theseus breathe" the voice was soft and soothing.

Tommy tried to take deep breaths, but they were still too quick and shaky.

"Are you awake?" The voice asked.

He opened his eyes but it was still so dark ... even darker than usual.

He gasped for air.

"Okay... I need you to copy my breaths alright?"

The surface underneath him moved up and down with him on it, Tommy tried to follow it.

He tried to remember.

It was true then, he didn't dreamed he was blind, he wished it was just a dream.

A whine came out but his respirations seemed to calm down.

"Good, you're doing good"

The hand kept patting his head.

"You're okay"

Tommy sighed recognition setting upon him.

"Techno?"

"Yeah?"

Tommy pressed himself in what he was now sure was his brother's chest.

"Where did you go?"

Techno hummed.

"You were ... you were gone for so long"

"I know ... I'm sorry I tried to come back as soon as I could" Techno said as he held Tommy closer.

"Tech ... I don't ... I don't feel well"

"How do you feel then?" his hand patted at the blond curls.

"I ... I'm cold"

"I was just about to put more wood into the fire ... I didn't want you to wake up before"

"Techno I'm ... my head hurts" his wings shifted behind him.

"Mmm"

"I ... I feel sweaty and weak"

"Sweaty? Didn't you say you were cold?"

"I ... I am! At least I feel cold"

A hand reached his face lifting it a bit, it went around his forehead and cheeks.

"You probably have a fever"

"I do?"

"You need to rest ... drink water"

A faint smell of rust came to him, there was nothing made of metal around here, was there? ... did the smell came from Techno? But he always smelled like roses and cologne, not dirt and rust ... in someway the rust smell was far too familiar ... it reminded him of-

"You smell like blood" he spouted.

Techno froze under him.

"I do? I'll take a shower after this then"

"Why ... why do you smell like blood?"

"I don't think you want to know that Theseus"

"Why no-"

Tommy's body shivered, and his wings shifted behind him.

"I need to treat your fever first ... I'll get the fire going, then I'll bring you something to eat ... do you want to sleep here or on my bed?"

"Which one do you ... do you want?" his voice sounded weak.

"Bedroom it is then"

He sat up, shifting Tommy in his hold, and laying him down on the couch, Tommy shacked at the lost warmth of his body, Techno put the blanket they had earlier over his brother's shoulders.

"Techno?"

"I'm here ... I'll just go to the kitchen for a couple of minutes, I'll bring you food" He started reaching out towards the kitchen.

"T-techno?" He asked, voice shaky and frail.

Techno's footsteps stopped in place.

"Still here"

"Don't ... d-don't go"

"I'm not going anywhere if you don't want to ... but I do think you need to eat something" He reached at the sides of the fireplace for a logs and threw a couple to the fire, watching as it grew in size.

Tommy stayed quiet.

"I can go make soup for you"

"I'm not hungry..."

Techno frowned at that, the kid needed to eat, he was already almost skin and bones.

"I still think you should have something in your stomach ... I have gapples ... do you want one?"

"Can I ... can I have one? Really?"

"I don't see why not"

Tommy's wings fluttered on his back, the blanket around his shoulders fell a little and Techno stood up to readjust it.

"Wait here okay? I won't be long"

Tommy nodded.

He walked over to one of the chest next to the window, scrounging around for the golden apples, he really needed to organize his main chests.

He grabbed one and walked over to Tommy, carefully placing it in his hands, he would like to say Tommy didn't flinch at the touch but he did.

"Here, can you eat it?"

Tommy nodded, forgetting how weak he felt in his excitement, Techno could've given him a normal apple, Tommy wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

He took a bite of it, chirping happily, it's been a long while since he let himself act as a normal hybrid, he stopped doing things like chirping or warbling after he hid his wings, this being out of fear, just before he met Tubbo, something deep in him told him to hide the fact that he was an avian in the first place.

But now that he was alone with his brother, he supposed he could allow himself this stretch.

"I'll bring you water, once you finish I'll take you to bed"

"I ... okay"

He was about to say that he could walk by himself, but he was not about to deny Techno's commands, plus his hole body felt really week and he didn't feel confident enough to even stand on his own.

Techno walked over to bring water, Tommy focused on his footsteps trying to figure out where he was.

Primes, he was really blind, how will he live after this? What will happen if Phil can't find a cure? What then?

"Here I have the glass of- ... You alright Toms?"

A soft sob escaped his throat while he nodded.

"Tommy is something wrong?"

Tommy stayed shacking in place.

"Theseus?" A hand was place over his, a half eaten apple still on his hand ... he didn't think he could eat it all.

"What if..." he stopped himself after the words left his mouth.

"What if?"

Techno's hand rubbed at his knuckles softly, his warmth hands felt good to the touch, Tommy focused in the callouses of his hands, how they felt a little rough but they were still soft enough for him.

"What if what Toms?" he gave a reassurance chuff, a quiet safe.

Tommy sighed.

"If ... If I can't see a-anymore"

Techno's hand froze over his.

"What if I can't see anymore Techno?"

"..."

"What if Phil can't find a cure?!"

"..."

"Techno?"

The silence was killing him, he didn't know if that meant that he was right, he would never be able to see again then?.

I upset him

He doesn't want to tell me the truth, does he?

"T-techno?" his voice was weak and broken, he didn't meant it to come out that way but it did anyway.

The hand around his tighten his grip.

"I don't want to think that ... I'm sure Phil will find a way to cure you"

Tommy sobbed, just once.

"But" Techno continued "If that were the case ... If you really went to be blind ... I would be there ... I'll teach you how to survive alone"

"A-alone?"

"By yourself I meant ... I would never leave you alone, I shouldn't have left you alone in the first place" There was a clank of glass on the floor and then a hand was reaching out to his face "We'll figure it if the worst comes to happen ... together ... I'll be there in every step you take ... I'm sure Dad and Wil will be too"

Tommy pressed himself into the hand in his cheek.

"You're burning up ... Drink the water to then take you to bed" The hand left and Tommy almost didn't manage to caught himself from whining.

A glass was put on his hand, the apple taken away from him, he didn't complain about that, instead just drinking from the glass of water with a bit of Techno's help, then it was put aside.

Tommy whined.

A hand reached under his legs and his back, he was pulled from the couch, a bit of a scream came out his mouth.

"Sorry I should've warned you ... I'll take you up the stairs then"

Tommy nodded, not trusting his voice to be able to talk anymore, exhaustion setting upon him, he had barely just woke up but he felt tired already, and then Techno was warm and he was holding him so gently, his hand placed on his back careful with his wings, Tommy leaned into his chest.

And could you blame him? He couldn't remember when was the last time touch didn't hurt, last time his skin didn't burn in pain at the contact, it had been so long since careful hands touched him gently, Dream's touch was rough, burning against his skin, even the pats on his back ached, Wilbur's back at Pogtopia didn't burn, but his grip on his shoulders was too tight as he talked mad plans of how to defeat Schlatt, of how he wanted to burn the place to ashes and burn everything with it, even back at L'manburg there just wasn't anytime to comfort each other, War always at their doorstep, and then this last three days he received nothing but gentle pats and strokes from his brothers, he would've thought Techno hated him, and spent his nights overthinking that back at Logstershire but now that he was gently held in his arms he felt nothing but safe, even when the world around him was pitch black, a never ending void, the warmth of his brother kept his mind at ease.

He didn't notice how his brother seemed to struggle in carrying him upstairs, it's not that Tommy was heavy, on the contrary, his lack of food in exile had made him as light as a feather, the only weight on him being the clothes he wore, it wasn't that Techno wasn't strong enough to carry him, he could carry three times his own weight and had demonstrated so in various occasions, but Techno was still so tired, exhaustion still weighting him down, you don't just escape death's claws in seconds and expect to be in full form the next hour, the next day, it'll take at least a week for Techno to recover his full energy, but Tommy was sick, he caught a fever somehow, Techno thinks it was out of stress, but now he had to take care of his little brother, sleep could wait until he was fine.

Tommy was carefully placed in a what appeared to be a bed, it had to be, the soft blankets on it welcomed him, and something deep inside his head told him he needed to make a nest, to be protected, to be safe, he easily suppressed that thought, just like he had been doing this past years, always shutting his instincts down, there was no need, and it would just make obvious the fact that he was hiding something, in this case his wings, if he hadn't hide them when he did, the rumors of him being a hybrid would've reached Dream and if he discovered he was an avian, on exile he could ... Tommy didn't want to think about it, he didn't want to think at all.

He pressed himself further into the mattress, a whine escaping his lips.

"Toms?" he heard a voice call him, right, there was someone just with him ... who was it again? He was ... he didn't know where he was anymore "Tommy?"

Another whine.

"I'll go get a towel and water, wait here" the voice said before he started hearing footsteps getting further away.

His head was spinning, if he could see it would've been worse, the need to throw up would've won over him at the sight of the world turning upside down.

The sound of waves to loud on his ears, he didn't like exile, he wish he could just go back to L'manburg, maybe back at his childhood home even if he stayed alone there, he was already alone.

He whined and shifted around, there were loud steps just beside the bed.

"Tommy" Dream's voice echoed in his ears, Tommy froze, his muscles aching at the sudden tension.

His wings pressed so hard against his back, he wanted them to disappear.

"Tommy!, Toms breathe!" a hand was placed at his shoulder.

Tommy gasped for air, shivering at the contact.

"Tommy?!"

"I'm sorry! I-I'm sorry!" His hands hit immediately to his mouth, a loud clap sounding at him.

"Tommy! Don't do that" Hands reached at his own trying to pull them away.

"NO! No! Please! I'll be good I swear!" tears started to flow down his cheeks as he yelled.

"Tommy! Tommy calm down!" Dream tried to reassure him, running a hand through his hair Tommy didn't like it, he didn't like when Dream touched him, his touch was too rough, even when now he was being gentle it would soon change.

"Please! I-I didn't do anything please!" he begged hugging himself tight.

"Don't you remember?! You betrayed me! You hid stuff from me! YOU LIED TO ME!"

"Tommy you're okay, you're safe Tommy"

"Liar! Liar! You will never be safe! You shouldn't have betrayed me!"

Tommy sobbed, hands pressed over his ears.

"Tommy! Tommy can you hear me?!"

"You're a traitor Tommy! You know what happens to traitors?"

He heard the sound of metal dragging against the dirt below, a hand reached over his low back just below his wings, Tommy flinched as if it had burned him.

"NO! NO PLEASE! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!" He hiccupped and pushed at the body in front of him.

"Tommy I won't hurt you!"

"You're just delaying your inevitable fate Tommy"

He shifted and pressed himself in the walls against his back.

"Tommy, Tommy I need you to breathe"

"No no please! I-I'm sorry!"

"Theseus!"

Tommy gasped.

"I need you to breathe please.." The voice softly begged sounding nearly broken.

Tommy tried to breath only getting shaky panting instead.

"Theseus, Theseus"

Tommy tried to look at the voice that called him only finding void in its place, he sobbed and rubbed the tears out of his eyes.

"Theseus" The voice called again, softer.

Tommy's body still flinched as a hand came over and place itself in his cheek.

"Theseus" the voice repeated, as if it was the only thing it could say.

Tommy sniffed and pressed his head further into the warm touch.

"Theseus are you with me now?"

Tommy nodded.

"Are you okay? I'm still worried"

Tommy sobbed.

"Tommy what happened?"

He flinched at the mention of his name, his whole body starting to shake again.

"Tom- Theseus?" Tommy stopped shacking a bit.

"T-techno?"

"Yes! Yes it's me" He praised.

Tommy felt arms around him pulling him close, the movement even thought it was slow it made everything inside him shake.

"T-techno..."

"Theseus you're sweating so much, you have to rest"

"T-techno ... I ... m-my stomac-" His hand involuntary came up to his mouth as soon as he feel something come up his throat.

"Theseus?!" He heard the clang of metals and the sound of water, iron was pressing to his chest "Use this bucket if you need it"

Tommy searched the bucket with his free hand feeling a violent sickness ran over him, he threw up in it, sobbing, gentle pats at his back.

He sobbed, his face still close to the bucket.

"It's okay Tommy"

Tommy The name echoed in his head, it was no longer a name he wanted to hear, he felt disgusted by it, by the memories it brought, by the time he gave himself that nickname, by how much that name robbed him.

"Tommy I'm your only friend-!"

"The most logical thing to do ... for Tommy to be exiled-"

"You want to be a hero Tommy?! Then die like one!-"

"You're never going to be president Tommy-!"

"The name's Tommy Innit"

Tommy

Tommy

TOMMY

TOMMY

He threw up again.

"Tomm-"

"P-please don't ... don't call me that" he sobbed.

"Okay.., I won't, I promise" He whispered just above him.

"Sorry... I'm sorry" he cried.

"Shhh it's okay, here let me clean your mouth" He said as he passed a towel over his face, his other hand running circles on Tommy's back.

"Sorry..."

"It's fine Theseus" He pressed his brother's head against his chest putting the bucket away "Everything's fine"

"I'm sorry..." he hiccupped.

"Shhh it's fine Theseus really"

Tommy drifted off to sleep in Techno's arms, practically passing out, Techno sighed.

What had happened to Tommy? He really wanted to know, what made him like that, why was he so scared, since when is he like this, he was fine back at Pogtopia ... that was really the last time he checked on him, he should've never left him, he should've never left either one of his brothers, he shouldn't had left them go alone, if he was there with them back at the first war maybe this could've never happened, despite him not liking government, having one ruled by his brother would be thousand times better than this, than holding his little brother after a panic attack, than having to see a ghost of his twin, he wished he was still back at their little cottage, back when they were younger and their only worry was when would Phil make them more cookies, not ... war.

Techno gently placed Tommy back on the bed, going to take away the bucket and get a new one.

He looked over the window, the sun high above, it left him look far into the forest, the gentle snow falling down to the ground.

Runt

Protect

Tommy

No, not Tommy, Theseus

Theseus

Why not Tommy?

He doesn't like Tommy

Why?

WHY?!

Tommy a name he had chosen to himself, why didn't he like it anymore? Why does he flinch at it? What happened?.

Technoblade couldn't do much but theorize, and he didn't like what his mind thought about.

"Phil..."

He now remembered, his father was put under house arrest, wasn't he? ... He wouldn't come to help him with Tom- Theseus in that case ... he needed to free him ... not that he couldn't do it himself but he wasn't sure ... if he could, he would already be here, wouldn't he? Did he not comprehend the urgency of the situation? Maybe not... he said he didn't have the chance to read his letter because he needed to burn it, it had to be it, he was pretty sure Phil would come as soon as he could if he knew his brother's conditions.

He cleaned the bucket on the sink, filling it up again with water, and grabbing another towel.

He'll send another crow over later, he needed to tend Theseus fever first.

He went back upstairs again, he was feeling really tired, he just wanted to forget about everything and sleep, but his runt was sick and blind, he needed to take care of him, even more after whatever that scene was.

He wished he could just erase his brother's trauma and sickness and let him rest safely in his arms, but trauma doesn't work that way, neither did illness.

If Wilbur was here he would know exactly what to say for Tommy to feel better, to calm him down, but Techno was alone right now, even Ghostbur had stayed behind with their father, he hoped they were okay.

Tommy panted from the bed, sweat covering his face, with a tortured expression.

"Theseus?"

He didn't get a response, if the kid was asleep it wasn't a good rest he was having.

Techno approached the bedside, soaking the towel in water, then putting it against his brother's forehead.

His expression got significantly better after that, his breath steading too.

"I want to ask what happened ... who did this to you ... but I don't know if you're ready to answer that" he confessed pressing his face into his brother's arm "I'm sorry ... I'm sorry I wasn't there when it happened ... for all the harsh words I gave to you before ... I really didn't meant them"

Tommy stayed resting.

Techno sighed.

"I should've been there ... for you ... for Wilbur ... what kind of brother does abandoning you both makes me? I'm sure not a good one ... maybe I'm just talking out my tiredness but ... I'm sorry"

Tommy shifted on his side, shivering, the towel fell of his forehead.

"Are you cold runt?" He pressed a hand over his cheek, Tommy leaning into it "You're burning up still"

Tommy whined.

Techno sighed, getting over the bed collecting Tommy on his arms, he put the blanket over the both of them.

"Theseus just rest, you're safe here"

Tommy pressed himself further in Techno's hold and he only hugged him closer.

There was nothing that could hurt him if he was on his brother's arms and that was a promise.

Techno feel asleep soon after, in the comfort of the runt safe in his arms, healing on the soft bed underneath them, a proper den would need to be made later.

But for now they were okay.

Chapter Text

It had been 3 days since Tommy had a fever, he had gotten better, only a few symptoms left, Techno also having taken a couple healing potions to recover from the totem effects.

"Morning" Techno greeted from the door frame of the room.

Tommy shifted on the bed, his wings flapping softly against the sheets.

"How did you sleep?" He approached the bed, sitting besides him.

Tommy shrugged, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Fine I guess..."

"Do you want to sleep in?"

"N-no! I'll ... I'll get up" He sat down, with a bit of groan.

"Alright ... I'll leave your shoes here and a cape over the bed, call me when you're ready to go down, I'll be making breakfast"

"Okay.."

Technoblade left the room, closing the door behind him, he hoped it would at least alert him if the teen tried to get down by himself, Tommy was left alone in the bed, he yawned, stretching his arms, his wings lifting high with them.

He was still sleepy, he wanted to just sleep the day off, his body still felt cramped and his throat sore, plus he had really started to feel like a burden now, I mean, being blind is one thing and all but just sleeping the days away? He couldn't be a burden and then don't do anything about it, and staying in one place wasn't really in his nature, he patted the bed in search for the cape, putting it around his shoulders, hiding his wings underneath it, he might have put it upside down, he wouldn't be able to tell.

He put a single foot down, the wood was cold even against his sock, it sent shivers down his spine, he kicked it softly until he found the shoes, a pair of leather boots, he put them on and got up, he walked over to where he guessed the door was, only able to remember a bit of where the sound had came when Techno exited the room, an arm extended to feel in front of him, he didn't want to bump into the wall.

He found the knob, the door made a creaking noise as he opened it.

"I told you to call me over!" Tommy heard, quick footsteps coming up the stairs, Tommy waited at the door.

"Sorry..."

"It's fine, here, let me help you" He took his legs carrying him up.

"What were you making?" He asked for the sake of the way down not being quiet.

"Pancakes, you still like those right?"

"Wow really?! What kind of pancakes?!" he asked as the wings flapped on his back.

"Just normal ones I guess... You can put fruit in them if you want"

"Oh, okay"

"It's not really plantain season, not here at least, I could travel close to the main SMP land to get some if you really want plantain pancakes"

"I uh, no it's fine"

"You sure?"

"Yeah"

"You can change your mind whenever you like" He said placing him down, putting his hand over a chair.

"Thank you.." he sat down, adjusting his wings behind his back so they wouldn't squish.

"No problem"

Techno placed a plate in front of him, the warm steam and the sweet smell of them reaching up to Tommy's left senses.

"Can you eat them by yourself?"

"I ... I hope so?" Techno handed him a fork.

"Want me to cut it for you?"

"... yes ... please"

Techno grabbed his plate, cutting the pancakes on little pieces, fruit set to the side.

"There" he handed him back the plate.

"Thanks" he said wanting to grab one of the pieces, missing the plate just for a couple centimeters.

"Guess you can't really do that, um ... there" He grabbed at his hand from across the table and guided it down to the piece "You can do the rest, I'm sure"

Tommy kept eating with Techno helping him as he too ate.

"Do you want to go outside today?" Techno asked after a while, he didn't like the uncomfortable silence.

"Outside?" He said still with food on his mouth.

"Yeah, I have a chores to do, you could come up with me if you want ... I feel like staying inside won't do you any good in the long run"

"C-can I go with you? I mean ... sure but ... I ... well I can't see for the moment"

"And?"

"Well I don't think I'll be of much help for you ... I don't want to hinder"

"It's fine really, won't be doing much today, mostly just tending the bees, feeding Carl, checking the area"

"You have bees? Can bees even be in the tundra?"

The memory of certain goat hybrid striked him for a second.

"Well there're surely not as many as in the hotter biomes but yeah"

"Oh, I didn't know that"

"Yep, you can help me with that"

"I... sure! I would love too!"

"Alright, then after you're done I'll go get you some warmer clothes" he said standing up taking away his dish to return to help Tommy.

After that he went upstairs and got the boy some other capes to keep him warm outside, it snowed the day prior, it created a big layer of snow, it was colder still than other days, Techno could shovel a way out while Tommy tended the bees.

He came back and adjusted the clothes on his brother, being careful with the wings on his back, he put bandages around his eyes, not so tight, but enough so they wouldn't fall off and they could be an extra layer of protection over his wounds still being recent.

"There, all ready to go" He pulled the hood over his head.

"Hey!" Tommy intended to sound mad but he couldn't help but laugh at his brother's teasing.

Techno laughed too.

"Alright kid let's go" Techno opened the door, letting the chilly breeze inside.

"It's cold"

"That's the tundra for you" he laughed "Or do you prefer to stay inside?"

"No no! I want to go outside!"

"Okay" Techno grabbed at his hand, leading him outside, closing the door behind them "While you tend the bees I'll shovel a path for us back"

"I'm going to tend the bees? B-by myself?"

"I'll tell you how to do it don't worry ... you just need to keep them happy while I work"

"Keep them happy?"

"Yep, I'll give you a couple of flowers and you just got to stay near their hive, that's all, they'll do the rest by themselves" He guided him to the side of the house to his, storage room, grabbing a couple of flowers, and his shovel "Here, take this" he put the roses on Tommy's hand.

"Okay" he guided him into the bee hive.

"Alright, stay there" He let go of his hand "I'm going to open the hive, they're probably going to fly straight up to you, don't be scared, it's just because you have the flowers not because they want to sting you"

"I'll be fine, I'm not scared of bees big man"

"If you say so ... alright, I'm opening it"

"Sure"

Once the beehive was opened the bees took only a moment before making their way right into Tommy's hand, he giggled as their tiny fluffy bodies rubbed on his skin.

"You got this right?"

"Yeah! I got it!"

"Good, I'll work on the path for a while then" he said before walking away, his boots crunching the snow in every step.

Tommy stayed there, listening to the sound of the wind and the buzzing of the bees, their little wings flapping around as fast as they could, Tommy wishes he could do the same, he never learned how to fly, his wings weren't fully grown when he started hiding them, his father always told him how he would be able to fly up and high above with him, watching the beautiful land from the sky, touch the stars and clouds, when he was young he remembers his father holding him in his arms while he glided in the night sky letting him practice with his own little wings, and even now as he extended his wings, lifting the cape over his back, as the cold breeze went through his feathers he could imagine that he was high above, he didn't need to, the bandages already doing the work for him but he still closed his eyes just for full emersion.

A couple of tears streamed down his face, freezing and burning, he didn't dare to wipe them in fear of squishing a bee by accident.

He could hear the snow being pushed aside in the distance, soft footsteps crunching the snow below them.

He stayed, only humming a familiar melody to himself, and his new little bee friends.

"Where's that song from?" Techno approached him after a while.

"Huh?" he hid his wings again under the clothes.

"That song, where's it from?"

"Oh ... Wilbur wrote it ... back at L'manburg"

"Ah ... sounds good"

They stayed a couple of seconds in silence before Tommy broke it.

"Are you done? With ... With the path?"

"Yeah I'm done, want to go say hi to Carl?"

"Y-yeah!"

"Alright I'm going to take the bees from you now" He took the flowers from his hand and only now did Tommy allowed himself to wipe his frozen tears, thankfully Techno hadn't noticed them "Bees are gone now, all good"

Tommy reached to grab at Techno's hand but he grabbed at his tail as Techno was facing the other way, Techno flinched for a second and Tommy let go.

"Ah! Sorry! I was just..."

Techno looked over at him, staring for a couple of seconds before his tail brushed against Tommy's hand, he gasped.

"You can hold onto it if you want"

Tommy took a couple of seconds before holding into his tail again, Techno then started to make his way into Carl's stable, he neighed as soon as he saw his owner, Techno took the carrots from a chest of the side, and fed them to the horse.

Tommy approached the noise and reached a hand into the air, trying to find Carl, Techno took his hand and put it over the horse's snout, he beamed at the soft fur of it.

"Hi Carl!" He said as he pet him.

"You want to give him a sugar cube?"

"Yeah!"

Techno put a cube over his hand, and Tommy put it close to Carl's snout, he ate it as soon as Tommy opened his hand, huffing into his face, he giggled as the air tickled him.

"He still likes you"

"Can he even recognize me?"

"Of course he can"

"That's awesome Carl! Can you do that? I think I look pretty different from the last time we met"

"You don't look that different"

"Don't I? Mmm I thought I did I mean ... after ... this" He reached to his face, a sad smile on his face.

"You look just the same to me runt" He patted his head over the hood.

Tommy huffed.

"I'm not even that small anymore, you don't have to call me that"

"You'll always be my runt, doesn't matter how old or tall you get" he laughed.

Tommy grabbed at his hand still on his head, pressing his head on it.

Tommy let out a warble and Techno chuffed.

"Let me go get my axe and we'll go take a walk around alright?"

"Yeah..."

Tommy stayed back with Carl hearing footsteps go up the few wooden stairs in the front.

"How have you been Carl? ... long time no see ... Well I guess I can't see anymore ... it's probably a temporary thing ... hopefully ... Wilbur said Ph- Dad could fix it" He shifted his wings in a more comfortable position "Until then guess you're just void for me huh?"

The horse neighed.

"At least I can hear you ... You think dad can fix me?" He leaned into him "I don't know ... what if I stay like this? What if I'm never able to see again? Carl I don't know if I could take that" He let a small sob "What if I have to live in darkness? I ... don't like that"

He sighed for a last time, hearing the crunch of the snow getting closer.

"Ready?" A tail brushed again Tommy's hand and he took it.

"Y-yeah"

Techno started to walk away from the cabin, slow for Tommy to keep up but still staying somehow in front so he could make something like a path against the layer of snow for Tommy behind him.

Tommy focused in Techno's footsteps, the snow breaking underneath them both, the wind that made leaves in the trees make something close to a whistle, the little rays of sun that touched at his skin felt nice and warm.

"What are we looking for?" Tommy asked after a couple minutes.

"Nothing really, just going around" Techno wanted to say that he often patrolled the area for unwanted visitors, but he hoped there wouldn't be any today, just like the day before and the day before it, he hoped that bringing his little brother didn't change his luck around this time.

He stopped over on a river, the tides of it running slowly, crashing into the ice borders.

"This is a good place to take a break, don't want you to overwork yourself, you're still recovering from your fever" Techno was recovering too, not fully able to rest because he needed to aid Tommy, the totem effects weighting on him, if his brother could see he was sure he would ask about the most obvious one, the golden strip on his hair, made from the same magic that brought him back to life.

"I feel fine" He said while he tried to catch his breath, Techno would go even slower on their way back.

He sat down on top of a rock and pulled Tommy to sit on his lap, not wanting the boy to sit over a cold surface.

"What do you hear?" He asked while leaning over Tommy's head, resting his own in his.

"What do I hear?"

"Yeah ... what do you think is surrounding you?"

"Mmm ..." He tried to focus on the sounds around him, the water running in the background, the soft breeze whistling from the trees, the soft crunches of snow and the rustle of leaves, probably from rabbits or snow foxes "I ... hear water ... probably a river? and the wind on the leaves ... small animals going around too"

"Good"

"Why did you ask?" He leaned over his chest.

"Just checking"

"Checking what?"

"How good is your hearing" (If you stay blind you're going to need it) he hummed.

"Oh... Um I think it's fine ... decent even"

"If you say so"

They stayed a while like that, the silence being rather peaceful.

"Theseus?"

"Y-yeah?"

"I want to ask you something... you don't have to answer if you don't want to or if you're not ready for it but ... I want to know"

"Yeah?" Tommy was starting to doze off to sleep, the warmth on Techno's arms and his soft chuffs lulling him to sleep.

"I just ..." Tommy shifted pressing himself further into Techno, he sighed "Nevermind ... it's nothing ... I'll ask later"

"Okay..."

"We should get back, so you can sleep in the bed"

Tommy wailed.

"I'm fine here"

Techno chuffed.

"I would prefer you to be on bed Theseus ... come on, I'll carry you there"

Tommy didn't complained as he was being lifted up in the air, only putting his arms around Techno's neck to not be dropped.

"You have to eat something before you go to sleep tho, you're as light as a feather"

"I'm fine~" He said before yawning.

"Tired it's what it looks like you are"

"Mmm"

"I'll take you home don't worry"

Techno walked back through the forest, careful with the child on his arms, he wanted to finally ask what had happened back on exile, who had hurt him, he had his suspicions on Dream, as the man was supposed to watch over his little brother on exile according to Ghostbur, Dream has never been so fond of Tommy, ever since the wars according to Tommy, there was something on the man that also just felt .... off, something felt wrong about him, about the hood and mask he always used, it felt strange, but Techno couldn't judge, judging people and making assumptions of them always went wrong, maybe another person visited Tommy on exile while Dream wasn't there, he couldn't expect the man to just be there 24/7 with Tommy, the culprit, to that person he would drag them into Hell even if he had to go there himself, he would make them beg for their lives and then make them wish he had killed them instead.

Whoever did this to his little brother would pay the price of their actions, a very expensive price and a thousand times over, there will be no mercy that person could ask their god to.

Techno arrived to the cabin, and as he closed the door, he felt an unsaid pressure go off his shoulders, the voices stood silent for a moment, they hadn't noticed that weight either, he ignored it bringing his attention back to Tommy, who shifted by the warmth in the room coming from the fireplace, he placed him on the couch, a single light blanket placed over him, the capes that he still wore could keep him warm enough. Techno went over to the kitchen and started making food, something simple, he would like to make Tommy a hole buffet, but the kid was still recovering from starvation, his stomach wouldn't be able to take a good enough meal for another couple of weeks, so instead he made soup, he was getting kinda tired of it, but he would endure it, he instead tried to get creative with the things soup could be made out off, mushroom and beetroot bored the first four days so instead now he tried potato soup, it reminded him a bit of their time of Pogtopia, where he would try and get creative into the many things potatoes could be made into, as it was the only thing they had.

He wasn't fond of his memories of Pogtopia, it was a good time, they played around with Tubbo sometimes, he remembers when Tommy got stuck trying to build a redstone machine and his friend placed a bucket on his head, Wilbur laughed and so did he, they were good times in retrospective, but he didn't like them, he didn't like the fact that it was his last chance, to note the way his twin was slowly loosing his mind, he cursed Wilbur for having so good acting skills, so good he managed to trick him too, perhaps he just wasn't paying enough attention, he just assumed his brother was fine, that thing would get better after they defeated Schlatt, but the moment they did everything went down, he wondered when was really his last chance, his last opportunity, was it when he was giving them armor an resources? Was it on the battle field while they fought the enemies? Was it when Schlatt was in front of them? drunk and defeated? Was it before? Before the revolution? Before the plans? Before the letters of help? Before both of them took their own separated ways?.

He stared into the pot mindlessly, wondering what he could've changed, it was useless, he knew that, you should always look forward, only look back into the past to learn from your past mistakes, but he couldn't help it, he couldn't help but think there must have been something he could've done, something he should've made, something he could've said to save his brother, he was dead now, and he didn't know what was he supposed to learn from that, by the looks of his younger brother it didn't seemed as he had learned anything.

He was always too late to help.

He sighed, putting the soup into two bowls, placing each one carefully on the table.

He walked over to the couch, kneeling in front of it, he watched as his brother slept peacefully, his wings slowly rising with every breath just under the blanket, he looked over at the scar on his face, he remembered the time when Tommy only had a couple of scars, mostly on his legs from falling off trees and from running around, he would've never expected to see half his face covered in them, he hoped their father could fix his vision.

Techno took the hair out of his eyes, his hair was getting really long, he might need to cut it soon.

Tommy frowned in his sleep.

"Theseus" he whispered slowly "Wake up"

The kid's wings shifted.

"Theseus wake up" he shook his shoulder gently "I said you needed to eat something first"

"Wha-"

Techno chuffed as the teen stretched his arms in his position.

"Wake up, I made you food"

"Techno?" He asked rubbing his eyes, still with bandages around them.

"That's my name"

"Techno..."

"Yeah?"

"Um ... nothing" he sat up in the couch, the blanket falling off his back, brushing against his feathers, he flinched at it.

"You okay?"

"I .... yeah"

"You sure?"

"Yeah, yeah ... all good Big man" he took off the bandages of his eyes sighing.

"I made you food ... you can go back to sleep after you've eaten something" He put a hand over his leg, Tommy place his on top.

"Isn't it like midday or something?"

"That doesn't mean you can't take a nap"

Tommy hummed.

Techno got up, taking Tommy's hand, he stood up soon after, and Techno lead him into the kitchen.

"Alright, same dynamic I guess, you okay with that?"

The teen nodded.

Tommy ate half the bowl before admitting to Techno that he couldn't eat anymore, Techno hummed in agreement, he would like for him to eat more but he wouldn't press, and that sometimes confused Tommy, because Techno never pressed him to do something he didn't want to, even with the little things.

Techno took Tommy upstairs, placing him in his bed, he had been sleeping there for the past days, it was better than sleeping in the couch, Techno would sleep there if it weren't for his brother saying that he felt cold even when he had put multiple blankets on him, and that how the piglin was naturally warmer that he should sleep with him, it was mostly said under the influence of the fever but still made Techno's heart lighter.

And so now Techno found himself trapped once more, under Tommy who was sleeping his wings caging them both, sheets over both of them, the capes long discarded.

"Techno?"

"Yeah?"

"I ... am I ... am I burden?" He wailed.

"What? Why do you say that?"

"Because ... because I can't see and I tend to annoy people ... that's why I ... got exiled"

"Do you want to talk about that?" He patted his hair, gently running his fingers down his scalp, brushing off the tangles of it.

"No... not really... not now"

"That's fine ... we can talk when you want to" He rested his chin over his head.

"Really?" Tommy tried to look up at him, but realized midway that it was useless.

"Of course Theseus" His question now will have to linger in the air a bit more, if he didn't want to talk about exile then there was nothing Techno could do, no matter how much he wanted to know, how much the curiosity was burning him inside along the firing rage of not being able to do anything about it, he could just hold his brother tightly, safely let him rest in his arms, until he was ready, until he could open himself to Techno once more, and then he'll avenge him.

"Techno?"

"Yes Theseus?"

"When is ... when is dad coming over?"

Techno hummed.

"I actually don't know ... I might send him another letter, maybe the first one didn't reach him, I'm sure he would be here now if it did" The first letter had reached him, but Techno knew their father didn't have the time to fully read it in the heat of the moment, maybe he totally forgot about it after the execution, the shook of it would've distracted him "Don't worry about that, I'm sure he'll be here soon"

"Okay..."

"You should rest now runt" Tommy huffed at that.

"You won't go, right?"

"Don't worry, I'll be here when you wake up" He pressed a kiss on top of his head.

And with that Tommy felt asleep on his chest, his breaths slow and steady, Techno purred until he too fell asleep.

Chapter Text

"Tommy" a voice echoed.

"W-what?" his voice was shaky and low.

He found himself standing in the middle of a field, the soft wind brushing pass his feathers, moving his hair with it.

He looked around, there was nothing, only the grass and blue hyacinths and purple aconites below his feet.

Tommy wasn't wearing any shoes, walking barefoot on the plains, the sward was soft, ticklish, it felt good, there wasn't a single rock that pressed in his skin.

He wandered a bit more, trying to find an end to the biome, but there was none, it only kept going.

The sound of waves crashing suddenly made itself present, echoing from the air, Tommy couldn't identify where it was actually coming from, but the air carried a bit of salt with it leaving his throat a bit sore.

"Tommy" the voice said again, now with a hint of dis appointment on it.

The air around him suddenly became too hot, burning his skin, at his clothes.

He yelled in pain, gasping for air, but there was nothing but smoke.

He looked around him and the last thing he saw was the once green grass now grey.

His vision became black, he felt a hand around his throat.

"You lied to me! YOU LIED TO ME TOMMY! YOU HID STUFF FROM ME!" The hand pressed around his neck, making it hard for him to breath, he gasped and tried to remove the hand from his skin but he felt so weak.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm s-sorry!"

"You lied to me Tommy you betrayed me! Now you hide yourself from me! I know where you are"

He gasped, eyes wide.

"I-I don't know, w-what are you t-talking about"

"I'm not a fool Tommy, I know where you are, Did you really think you could hide from me? Be safe? Tommy you were safer with me"

His wings flapped against his arms, a hand grabbed at one and Tommy screeched.

"You can't hide from me Tommy"

He cried.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"There's nothing to be sorry about anymore, you fucked up"

"I'm sorry! Please! I'm sorry!" He pleaded nearly screaming out his lungs.

"Theseus!" a thunderous voice called.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

The hand around his neck left him, and he fell on the ground, it was warm, he coughed trying to recover the air.

"Theseus!" the voice called again.

A hand now ran over his head, soft and gentle.

Tommy cried, tears streaming without stop down his face.

"Theseus?! Theseus are you with me?" a hand on his back ran circles on it.

Tommy sobbed pulling himself up to the touch, he needed comfort, it didn't matter if it was his head making it up for him, he would cling into it for as long as he was permitted.

"Theseus?" the voice spoke softer this time and Tommy sniffed.

It took a couple of moments before realization sweep into him, he wasn't on a field, near the ocean, empty and grey, the only colors of it being the burned flowers.

He was on top of a person, his brother in specific, he knew it by the constant rise and fall of his chest, the warm hand on top of him and on his back, just below his wings that shifted ever so slightly, the low chuffs being directed at him.

"Theseus are you alright?"

He nodded, still sobbing, he left himself be pulled into a hug, he felt Techno sigh.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

Tommy only pressed himself further into his hold.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want"

Tommy sniffed.

"I was-" his voice was strained, he wondered if he screamed at his brother.

Techno hummed, drawing circles in his back.

"I... was on a field, I thought I ..."

"Shh it's fine, you're alright now, breathe Theseus" The hand on his hair patted at it.

"H-he choked me and I-"

"What? Who chocked you?" He asked still with a calm voice, the slightest hint of worry on it.

"It.. h-he" Tommy struggled to breath, his hands trembled as they grip into Techno's shirt, his wings pressed tightly on his back.

"Shhh Theseus, you're alright, it's fine, you don't have to tell me" He lied, he wanted to know more than anything, put a face on the person who did this to his brother, but he wouldn't press, revenge could wait another thousand years if it meant that Tommy didn't have to suffer.

"I-it was-"

There was a knock on the door.

Tommy froze and Techno took him in his arms and got up with him, carefully taking a look over the window, he looked as a man with a green hoodie knocked again.

"Dream's at the door" and with that Tommy locked his limbs paralyzed, curled further in Techno's hold "Theseus? Hey! Theseus breathe!"

"Shhh!" Was the only thing take came out of him.

"Theseus?" He whispered.

"He's going to hear you!" He said almost inaudible. "No! No he is going to find me, he's knows I'm here Techno!"

"Theseus? Breathe" The hand came up and down his back "It's fine, it's fine"

"No! No no! He's going to find me Techno! Techno!"

PREDATOR PREDATOR his mind screamed.

"These-"

"Technoblade?! Are you home?!" another knock on the door.

Techno took a couple of steps away from the window.

"N-no! No I don't want to go with him!" He tried to jump out of Techno's arms, but Techno hold him closer.

"Shhh it's alright, I'm not taking you with him"

"Technoblade?!"

Tommy froze not being able to breathe, scared that he would hear even the smallest sound.

"Technoblade can you open the door?! I need to talk to you!"

"Shit ... I'm going!"

"T-techno!"

"Shhh I'm going to give you an invis potion, stay here, don't make a sound" He placed him over his desk "Don't move"

Tommy froze as Techno went over to the next room and came back with and invisibility potion, placing it over Tommy's hand.

"Drink it"

The bottle shook in his hand.

"I-I can't" he wheezed.

"It's fine, it's fine Theseus" he rubbed his back gently holding his hand.

Tommy chugged the whole bottle down, his whole body twinkling, disappearing.

"Stay here, breathe Theseus, it's fine, he won't find you here, don't move, I won't be long"

He walked out of the room closing the door behind him, loud footsteps as he came downstairs, messing his hair a bit to appear just woken up.

"Technoblade?!"

The door was jerked open, Techno kept an unimpressed face at the man in front of him who flinched at the door being opened.

"Technoblade"

"What are you doing here?" he asked leaning on the door frame.

"Good to see you too" the man tilted his head, looking inside.

"Good to see you, what are you doing here?"

"Well no need to be so rude, can I go inside? It's kinda cold out here" He pointed inside with his arms on himself.

Techno stared him down.

"I know you're a piglin hybrid and you guys tend to be territorial, that's why I'm asking"

Techno huffed but ended up letting him in, despite everything in himself telling not to.

"So..."

"It's weird seeing you without your mask, did you just wake up? Your hair is kinda messy" he said looking around.

"I lost the mask, guess Ghostbur has it and yes"

"Kinda cozy place you have here, didn't expect you of all people to have a cottage"

"Just because I'm an anarchist doesn't mean I can't have a nice house"

"I guess you're right"

"So ... what brings you here?"

"I'm looking for something ... someone in specific" he walked around the fireplace.

"Someone?" He closed the door.

Intruder

Get him out

Kill him!

Intruder!

Theseus is scared of him!

He did it!

Kill him!

Blood for the blood God

"Yeah, I'm looking for Tommy" He sat himself on the couch and a growl grew in Techno's chest, he managed to send it down.

"Tommy?" the name felt wrong on his mouth even with the kid not present.

"Yeah, I was taking care of him on exile, but he ran away apparently"

"Exile?" He asked, he might not like the man right now, but this may be the only way he was getting some answers without triggering Tommy.

"Oh, right, If you're living this far off you wouldn't be able to know" He hummed "Tommy was exiled, from L'manburg"

"For what? I knew he was a troublemaker but I didn't think it was that bad" Insulting his younger brother felt bad, it didn't feel the same as when he and Wilbur teased him.

"He burned down George's house, I took matters into my hands, and Tubbo exiled him ... Your place is really close to exile, you didn't happen to run into him?"

"I don't think so, haven't seen the kid after the revolution" He shrugged, lying through his teeth, this wasn't useful information, nothing that Ghostbur hadn't told him already, Dream could just leave in that case.

"You don't mind if I check you house, do you?" he stood up.

"What?"

"You might not ran into him but you know Tommy, he's too stubborn, he could be hiding in here in this very moment" He looked around.

"I don't think he'll just live in my walls"

"Mmm I will still check"

"So we're just over this asking permission thing now?"

"You wouldn't mind unless you had something to hide, you wouldn't hide anything from me right? Not after I saved your life"

Gaslight

Is this how he talked to Tommy? Techno frowned.

"You can check around" He said crossing his arms, there was no way he could find Theseus, and even if he did, Techno wouldn't let him get close to him.

As they walked over to the kitchen, Dream walked around the table and Techno discretely took a knife on the counter, he was glad he got rid of the dishes just before they went to sleep, a pair of empty plates would've risen his suspicions.

"I'm going to go upstairs" he announced before taking the first step, Techno kept a neutral expression, but his tail did flinch ever so slightly.

Dream didn't seemed to notice, even when the voices on Techno's head grew louder with every step and how he seemed to huff more, maybe he'll just think that he didn't like him being near his stuff.

"Technoblade are you alright? You seem kinda anxious"

"I just don't like you near my den" he just said.

"Why?"

"You're not part of my sounder, it's just natural"

"Do you even have a sounder?" Dream looked back at him.

"That's a rather rude question, why do you think I don't have one?" he huffed, just because he was a fearless and deadly warrior didn't meant he didn't have a family.

"Oh right ... Wilbur was your twin, wasn't he? Guess Phil is also your father"

"Where did you heard that?"

"Rumors spread a lot through L'manburg after your execution" he was now standing outside his room, a hand over the knob "You do look like Wilbur a bit"

"A bit?" He didn't know if that was meant to offend him but it did, mixed feelings about that sentence, he always pride himself on having the same face as his brother, but now that he was gone he didn't like the constant reminder.

"I can see the difference"

Techno hummed and Dream opened the door, Techno huffed trying to cover for whatever noise Tommy would make from it.

Constant chuffs at the air, and huffs and growls at Dream.

"I won't be long here don't worry" he walked around the room, staring for a couple seconds at single golden feather on his bed, he didn't mention it, but Techno cursed inside his mind.

KILL HIM

HE KNOWS TOO MUCH

PROTECT THE RUNT

DON'T LET HIM GET CLOSE TO THESEUS

KILL HIM

Techno chuffed and huffed louder as Dream got closer to the the Window near his desk where Tommy was, he stared the man down, it wasn't suspicious, the window was just between his bed and the desk, the man shouldn't know which one triggered him.

"Why are you looking for him anyway?" he asked as they entered the guest room, who was usually where Phil stayed, not wanting to ask before in fear of frightening Tommy with the man's voice.

"I told you, I was meant to watch him on exile"

"How did he even escape your watch in the first place?"

"He rigged the place with TNT and ran away"

Well if it was some bullshit if he ever heard one, and oh he had heard things like that, mostly from Wilbur trying to cover for some mischief he'd made.

He frowned.

Now if that didn't send red flags over his head, he didn't know what would, the voices just yelled louder for blood.

"Do this house has other rooms?"

"Only the storage room, the entrance is outside" The voices screamed in his ears to kill him, to rip the man's throat apart, to cut his limbs off, but Dream had armor and weapons, he only had a kitchen knife, it wouldn't do much against the netherite barrier, it was mostly a last resource for if Dream found Tommy, not that he wasn't confident on his abilities, he was sure he could take the man, even more with the burning rage now growing loud and wide in his chest, but he would prefer not risking it.

"Let's go then" Techno stayed behind to close both doors, first Phil's then his own, he spared a glance over to where Tommy was, fully closing the door as Dream walked downstairs walking just behind him.

"Do you really think he would've exploded the place?" he said as he placed a cape over his shoulders.

"He burned George's house, why not explode exile?" Dream opened the door for him, letting the chilly breeze inside "Don't you think so?"

"I don't know, I really don't see him blowing the place up ... that's"

"That's more of a Wilbur's thing yes, the man was crazy ... but then again Tommy did spend a lot of time with him"

Techno huffed annoyed at the comment, his brother wasn't a crazy arsonist, well sometimes he was, but this was not the same, he was just pushed to his limits beyond repair, he growled.

"Oh sorry, I guess you don't like me talking about Wilbur like that"

"No I don't"

"Won't do it again, alright let's go check the storage room"

Tommy heard as Technoblade closed the door behind him, walking downstairs to open the door that Dream was knocking on.

He tried to breathe, it would be bad if his body tried to gasp for air and Dream heard him, he tried slowly, holding it for as long as he could but not pushing it so he would have to suck the air in.

He didn't her their conversation from here, where they even talking?

Techno wouldn't hand him to him right? That... no he wouldn't, if he was going to hand him over to Dream he wouldn't have wasted an invis potion on him.

No.

His older brother was trying to protect him ... right?

He wouldn't let Dream take him.

What was he thinking? Why is he so afraid of him?! They're friends aren't they? Dream had told him so in many occasions.

Predator

He's here!

He's going to find us!

Run

Hide!

This isn't enough!

Intruder!

He's going to kill us!

His head was loud, he wanted to press his hands over to his ears, but he couldn't dare to move, his limbs frozen in place as he thought the slightest movement would cause Dream to find him.

The cold breeze was getting to him, the tundra wasn't really the place for him to stay far from a fireplace or without fabric over him, he only wore light clothes, the warmth of Techno usually being enough for him, but he wasn't here in that very moment and he couldn't wrap his wings around him, scared it would blow up his cover.

He heard footsteps growing louder as they came upstairs, a pair of them, it wasn't just Techno.

Surely he wasn't leading him to him, was he?!

No, no Techno wouldn't do that ... or at least he wanted to think so.

"Where did you heard that?" Techno's voice asked.

"Rumors spread a lot through L'manburg after your execution" Dream's voice asked, and it made his mind go silent for a moment, he tensed "You do look like Wilbur a bit"

Wait...

Execution? What did Dream meant by that? Techno's execution? But he was here, he was alive, did they.... Did they really tried to kill him? Wait, Dream knows that Techno looks like Wilbur?! But Techno always wears a mask, to not be recognized, what had happened?!.

"A bit?" Tommy didn't recognize the tone on his voice, he didn't know if he sounded disappointed, a bit mad perhaps.

"I can see the difference"

Could he? No one except his parents and he could, if they closed their eyes, they were practically the same person, that's why Techno started to dye his hair pink.

The door was opened, and Tommy bit back a sob, staying completely still, he wanted to press a hand over his mouth but the idea of Dream hearing him do that terrified him, he couldn't even see where the man was, and it took everything on him to bit down cries and whines that wanted to come out of his throat.

His only comfort was the low chuffs his brother send to the air, mixed with huffs that he knew were directed at the man, snooping around his room like that, this was practically Techno's den, and he wasn't welcomed.

Dream wasn't fucking welcomed.

He didn't know what kind of hybrid Dream was but he hoped he understood what a den meant to a Piglin hybrid and left.

A growl wanted to grow deep in Tommy's chest but he swallowed it down, shocked at the fact that it was there on the first place, he wasn't mad at Dream, they were friends!

NO!

NOT FRIENDS! PREDATOR!

DANGER!

HE'S NOT OUR FRIEND!

He was always left confused every time he thought about that, and he didn't like how his voices grew closer to his instincts with every passing second, his animalistic senses having freed themselves once Tommy's wings were freed from those bandages that kept them grounded to his back.

He was only grateful they still weren't strong enough yet to take over him, he would've been screwed the moment the man entered his brother's further part of the den, he would've squealed and revealed his position, he was truly grateful that wasn't the case, still his heart raced and beat loudly on his ears.

The footsteps grow louder, closer, and it took a heck of a lot of will power for Tommy not to scream.

The chuffs in the air also grew in their volume.

He panicked when they stopped for a second, before continuing again.

He heard the footsteps going away, apparently leaving the room, Tommy wanted to sigh and gasp for air, not being able to know when he actually stopped breathing.

"-ran away"

He heard his passing voice, followed by the shut of a door far off, he heard a soft chuff before he heard a door close again, probably the one in the room he stood.

Footsteps coming down the stairs.

He felt his body shiver, shacking some papers at the end of his hands, he panicked at the sound, only shivering more, he couldn't stop, the frozen temperature now starting to reach out of the window to the desk.

He heard the the faint sound of the door closing.

Did he left?

Was he safe?

Where was Techno?!

His mind started to scream again.

Flock-FLOCK-I NEED FLOCK

Tommy tried to push his mind quiet.

His avian instincts were the last thing he wanted right now, he cursed them on his mind.

No word being able to leave his mouth.

Yet the helpless chirps on the back of his throat were threatening to come out.

He let one of his hands move quickly to his mouth, it would've be bad if he actually let one out.

Damn bird instincts, he cursed on his head.

He was barely breathing, and his stomach felt like throwing up like last time, losing the food that was on there just for a couple hours.

He felt a twinkling on his body again.

The potion was fading away.

The potion was fading away?!

His heart started to race once more, loud thumps echoing in his head.

Techno!

Techno! He needed Techno! Where was he?!

He NEEDED him! Dream will find him! The potion effect long gone!

Dream would kill him!

His breath started to become shaky.

No

NO

No no no!

Dream will find him at this rate! He needed his breaths to be quiet!

Tears started falling down his cheeks.

He bit his tongue trying to keep back the whimpers and sobs that were at the tip of it.

Iron flavor liquid coming out of it.

He cried softly trying to muffle his noises.

"Kinda rude that you're just going through my things like this" He huffed, watching from the door as the man went through the things on his chest, finding nothing interesting or out of character.

"Just making sure"

"Of what?" He sighed "Listen man, I appreciate that you saved my life or whatever but I don't like you staying on my property going to my stuff like you owned the goddamn place"

Dream only hummed.

"Are you done or do you want to check trough Carl's stuff too?" He hissed.

"I'm almost done, don't worry" He got up and walked outside "You're a bit of on edge friend, wouldn't want to expose your weaknesses to someone else like that"

Techno huffed.

"Piglin instincts are always on edge on winter season, wouldn't expect myself acting any different in the Tundra, and my instincts aren't weaknesses"

"They seemed to be, instincts just tend to be pretty annoying if you asked me" He placed a hand on the sword on his hip.

"I didn't" he crossed his arms.

Dream chuckled.

"Alright, Tommy doesn't seems to be here" He sighed "If you happen to come across him, tell me, okay?" he offered him a hand.

"Sure" He said simply, without reaching at the hand in front of him.

Techno knew the dangers of dealing with the devil, and right now, Dream was like a worst version of it.

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD

He stood still, the kitchen knife still tucked on his back over his belt.

Dream tilted his head, putting his hand back.

"Well a handshake would've been nice, but guess you don't want to touch the intruder in your property"

Techno chuckled.

Oh but that's exactly what he wanted, grab at his throat and rip his head apart, pull away each one of his limbs and leave his lifeless body bleeding out in the snow until it rot away, Techno watching as the snow ate him hole.

But he'll let him think otherwise.

Blissful ignorance.

The promise he made still graved into his soul.

Life will progress faster for him, his end reaching him sooner than later, Techno would kill him in the first chance he got.

He still kept a neutral expression on his face.

"I guess you'll be gone now?"

"I will, I will ... just looking around" He said before giving his back to Techno "I'll see you around" He waved.

Techno didn't wave back, only staring as the man disappeared into the forest.

And once he was gone from view Techno entered the house again, his steps rather calm as he opened the door, he knew he could still be watching, and him entering the door running wouldn't help him not raise suspicion.

Once he was behind the closed door, he locked it, allowing himself to take quick steps upstairs into his room.

He knocked three times on the door before opening it.

Tommy was fully visible now, hands on his mouth and on his head, nails dangerously digging trough his scalp, a small trail of blood coming of his mouth, wings presses tightly on his back.

Crying and shivering with shaky breaths, he didn't hear when Techno opened the door, too immerse in his panic attack.

"Theseus!" He called still from the door, soft footsteps as he approached him.

Tommy lifted his head his hand uncovering his mouth.

Techno froze as he heard a distressed chirp.

It came from the boy.

Tommy chirped again this time, more strained, it was followed from another one, and then another, he couldn't stop.

Tears falling down his cheeks as he peeped his stress out.

"Theseus..." He closed the distance between them, letting soft chuffs out.

Tommy continued chirping and squealing out until Techno grabbed his face.

"Theseus it's fine, you're fine" He chuffed.

"T-techno?"

"Yeah yeah, it's me"

Tommy sobbed again, harder this time, bringing his hands to his eyes, some chirps still coming out of him.

"It's fine runt, it's fine he's gone" He collected him in his arms, Tommy quickly wrapping his arms around his neck and his legs around his torso, crying into his shoulder "Shhhh it's fine Theseus"

He pulled apart to check on the wound over his mouth, Tommy screeched as he did.

"It's fine runt, it's fine, I'm not going to make you get off, I just want to check on you" He patted at his hair, Tommy let himself be pulled away.

There was a line coming out of Tommy's lips, Techno reached a hand over to his mouth opening it slightly, even when Tommy let out a whine.

"Did you bite your tongue?"

The kid sobbed, trying to get words out of his mouth, but Techno's hands still on it impeding it.

"S-sowy" he managed to get out, tears still streaming down his cheeks.

Techno sighed, his hand leaving his mouth as he started rocking him a bit.

"I'll get you a regen potion for that runt"

As soon as Techno walked a few steps Tommy tried again to flee from his hold.

"N-NO! I DON'T WANT TO GO! I DON'T WANT TO GO WITH HIM!" He punched into Techno's arms.

"Theseus! It's fine! It's fine I swear, he's gone"

"N-NO DON'T BRING ME WITH HIM NO!"

"Theseus he's gone, I saw him leave!" He tried to reassure as Tommy started to screech and cry again.

Techno dropped into the ground, still with the teen on his arms.

He rested his back on the floor, bringing the kid closer to his chest.

"NO! NO!"

"It's fine Theseus, it's fine" He chuffed into the air.

"N-no! I don't want to!" He talked with his voice strained.

"Shhh it's fine, you're fine runt" He caressed his hair, Tommy sobbing in his shoulder "You're fine, he left, he's gone, I promise, you're fine"

"N-no..."

"Everything is fine Theseus, I won't let him harm you, not now, not ever"

Tommy sniffed.

"Y-you promise?" He lifted his head from his brother's chest.

"I promise" He held his hand in his, rubbing at his knuckles.

Tommy's breath steadied out a bit.

"You're fine runt, you're really fine"

He closed his eyes on Techno's chest, the adrenaline finally leaving him drained of energy.

"T-techno..."

"I'm here"

"Don't ...d-don't leave me"

"I would never do that" He ran a hand across Tommy's lower back, making circles, slowly rising over the two twin scars, where the nerves were weak, he kept his hand there, purring at his baby brother.

Tommy left a final chirp before falling asleep.

Techno accepted his fate, he knew it would end like this the moment he dropped into the ground, trying to sooth his brother, he sighed with the kid safe on his arms, and he rested there, he would give Theseus a healing potion when he woke up.

Chapter Text

"Theseus?" There was a soft low voice that pulled Tommy out of his sleep "Theseus are you okay?"

Tommy murmured something before he grabbed at the sheet on his shoulders and pull it to cover himself completely.

It had been 5 days since Dream's unexpected visit, and Tommy had been sulking up in Techno's bed after that, refusing to leave the comforts of the mattress, only eating a couple gapples and soup that his brother got for him.

He spent his days shaking under the blankets, Techno brought another one, in fear he was cold, but Tommy's skin was so warm, another fever possibly around the corner.

"Runt you have to get up from bed, at least for a while ... staying here alone won't do you any good" Tommy couldn't see the way a hand was raised to pat at his head under the blankets, only to stop a couple of seconds before it got to touch him, gently being put away.

Tommy refused to have Techno touch him, anyone really, but the only one there was Techno, but if anyone else tried to touch him he would definitely pull away.

That's what he did with his brother, ever since he woke up on his chest he screamed at the contact, waking him up, he jumped out of him almost hitting himself with the desk, his nails dangerously digging in his scalp, Techno tried to stop him, holding onto his wrist letting low chuffs fill the air, but they only thing that they did was make Tommy more anxious, his voice raw as chocked sobs come out of him, distressed chirps at his throat being swallowed back.

Techno didn't dare to touch him after that.

Tommy was left alone on the bed, Techno sleeping on Phil's room for the time being, both doors always stayed open, so that he could hear better if Tommy needed something.

He was careful around him, like walking on eggshells, Tommy always on the border of a panic attack, Techno only being able to sometimes feed him, as he was refusing to eat lately, a lost of appetite on Tommy's words.

But it wasn't healthy.

Both of them knew it, but the only one willing to acknowledge it was Techno.

So that's how he found himself sitting at the side of the bed, a teen hiding under the soft blankets.

"Theseus, I know you're awake, you have to get up" he huffed "This is not healthy, you can't just keep sulking up in bed, refusing to eat"

There was no response.

"It's not okay, and I can't let you keep doing it, you have to get up sooner or later and I would prefer it to be now"

The sheets only shifted ever so slightly.

Techno sighed.

"Theseus, can you at least tell me what's wrong? I can't really help much if you don't tell me what you're thinking about"

"I'm fine..." he said in a soft voice, almost strained and inaudible.

"You don't seem fine" he chuffed "Theseus ... I wouldn't like to force you but this is getting out of hand".

The boy seemed to froze under the blankets, they no longer raising and falling with the breaths the kid gave.

"Theseus..." he sighed, getting up and walking away.

Tommy's mind didn't ease at that.

Wailing the lost of company.

He had done it again, push buttons so far that the persons he loved the most no longer wanted to spent time with him, leaving him alone, to his own thoughts to burden him.

He had pushed another person away, Dream said he always did that, push people away because he was selfish ... Tubbo had said it too, maybe they were right, weren't they? He was so selfish, always thinking about him and the things that he wanted, the things he didn't like ... he thought again of what he wanted, he wanted to be alone, not truly but that's what he thought he needed, but Techno was gone, his brother didn't do anything but try to help him, bringing him food and water even thought he didn't ask for it, even when he refused to take it most of the time. His brother was so kind to him and he had just been selfish, he had to go and ruin everything just like always, he has such a bad person.

Dream was right, he always was.

He sobbed on the bed, pressing his legs up to his chest, hiding underneath the blankets.

He didn't hear the door being opened on the other side of the hall, the things being thrown around, the footsteps going up and down the stairs, clang of metal under someone's arm, the chuffed and purrs that filled the air.

After a while Techno entered the door again. Tommy pausing his muffled sobs to that, to hear what he had to say before he drowned again in a sea of his own worries.

"Theseus" footsteps grew closer to the bed "I just want to ask you something"

Tommy lifted his body, sitting on the mattress, letting the blanket fell off his shoulder, brushing his wings, teared and broken, numb to the movement.

"Theseus ... you can say no if you want, just a heads up" he asked kneeling beside it "Do you want to move to a nest?"

His bird brain beamed at the question.

A nest.

A safe place for him and his flock.

A place when he can hide away and rest.

He had to put his hands on his mouth to bury down the chirping sound that wanted to come out.

"You can say no if you don't want, I won't get mad at you for it runt" he spoke soft "But I do want to know ... why don't you chirp anymore?"

Tommy froze.

"I mean, I know you hadn't chirp in a while .... you've been doing recently .... but aside from the time we preened you, you only do it in distress"

His wings pressed on his back shifting again and again, his body shacking a little, he heated this, how his wings will always be a clear sign of what he was feeling, anxious, he remembered how his father's wings always show exactly how he felt.

"Theseus?" Low chuffs and huffs filled the air.

His brain part wanted to take control of him, he cursed it, he knew this would happen sooner or later, where he would've push his instincts away for so long that they took over at the first sign of freedom they were given, it was the consequences of hiding that part of him, his nature. The voices in his head screaming with his instincts, only fueling them.

"Theseus?" A calm and low voice said again, followed by soothing chuffs.

He didn't want to listen, it confused his brain so much, the promises of a safe nest still filling his head.

SAY YES

GO WITH HIM

GO WITH FLOCK

FLOCK!

His wings flapped behind his back.

He liked the voice, it was so calm, so familiar.

"Are you okay?"

He had to swallow yet another chirp down his throat, only being able to nod in response.

"Runt you can say no to the nest and the question, I won't force-"

A squeal was let out and his wings flapped furiously against his back.

Techno froze.

No! He couldn't take back the nest, he wanted a nest, he wanted...

"Theseus, can I get close?" The voice asked after a few moments.

He couldn't stop himself from nodding, he heard the sheets move and the mattress dip on the edges of it.

He sighed at the soft purrs on the air.

They made his head feel fuzzy, like walking on the clouds.

"Runt?"

He peaked his head at the mention.

Flock! Flock!

His head screamed.

Techno's purrs only seemed to grow, making his rational thoughts leave.

"Theseus ... are you listening to me?"

The teen only nodded again.

"Can you... do you want to talk?"

Talk? Not really, he wanted to curl into the soft blankets, wrap himself and his flock into a warm embrace.

He found himself nodding once more, he couldn't refuse in his state, only able to comply to every request in hope he'll be given the stuff to make a nest.

"Could you talk to me?"

The hands on his mouth left, he opened it but no words left his mouth before he closed it again.

"Theseus?"

A confused warble was out, Tommy didn't even try to stop it this time.

He felt a hand ruffle softly at his hair, he melted to the touch warbling at the contact, going up and down with it.

He heard a low chuckle.

Another confused warble could be heard.

"Guess you don't really want to talk"

Tommy peeped and Techno sighed.

"You're not scared of me touching you anymore?"

What?! How could they ask that?! He could never be scared of his flock, it was his family, his safe space, his and only his, he loved every gentle touch he gave him.

He let an offended peep.

Flock only chuckled, patting softly at the blond curls on his head.

Tommy melted with every pat, it was so soft and warm, so gentle.

"Do you want to go to a nest?"

He fully lost himself at that, his instincts taking over, his wings flapping happily at the mention of it.

He tried to speak up, happy little chirps being the only thing that left his mouth.

He froze without understanding why, but the pats didn't stop and he let himself start up again.

"I'm not sure how to make a nest, I've only made a couple of dens, but I'm sure when Dad gets here he can fix it up"

Tommy chirped louder at that.

Flock! Dadza! Flock leader!

His bird brain cheered with him.

Techno purred while resting his head on the golden curls, chuffing a little bit louder.

Tommy chirped, rising his head to look at his brother, wailing as he could only found void on sight, he peeped in distress, tears at the border of his eyes.

"What's wrong runt?"

He was pulled into a tight hug, his peeps soothed a little.

"What's wrong Theseus?"

Tommy raised his hand to where the voice was coming, bumping into a pair of tusks, he ran his fingers around his face, chirping and warbling confused.

"Oh" the rumbling in his chest stopped so suddenly and Tommy froze "Guess you can't really see me"

Tommy peeped, the purring began again.

"It's alright, it's just me runt"

The hand kept on inspecting Techno's face, running past his eyes to the scar on his right one, across his face to his pointy ears, a tail came across and brushed against Tommy's skin for a moment.

The boy tilted his head, a questioning peep coming out of him.

"It's just me Theseus"

Techno pressed their foreheads together, and Tommy chirped happily, quickly pressing himself further into Techno's hold, his wings flapping vigorously on his back.

Flock?

FLOCK!

WE'RE SAFE!

FLOCK IS HERE!

Nest!

Got to make a nest!

He ripped himself from Techno's hold, almost falling off the bed.

"Careful there" a hand caught him and put him back on the mattress.

Tommy quickly grabbed at the soft blanket on under his hands and put it on Techno's lap, almost missing him, letting happy chirps and coos.

He was gently collected on flock's arms.

I have to make a nest!

He chirped.

"Theseus relax, are you trying to make a nest?"

Tommy cooed.

"Well I don't know how is going to work out for you baby bird, but you could check the one I made and Phil will fix it later alright?"

A nest?

Flock had made him a nest!

He cooed and chirped, flapping his wings rapidly.

"Is that a yes?"

Yes!

He could only hug Techno tighter as he cooed.

"I'll take that as a yes then"

He held Tommy close as he lifted him up the bed, he peeped at him.

"It's alright, it's alright, I'm just moving you to the nest"

He chirped.

Techno opened the door, seeing the attempt of nest he had done, blankets lying across the ground in a big pile on Phil's room, a dip on the middle, gold jewelry and coins at the borders of it, he had thrown some of his and Phil's clothes around too, just for good measure.

He gently placed the boy in the middle, Tommy practically launching himself into the blankets, melting with them, the faint scent of his father on the fabrics made him coo and let happy clicks, making his wings lift high above his head. His brother kneeled down in front of him, Tommy felt as something was being carefully placed on his hand, he inspected the object carefully, two round metal things, he tried to take a bite out of one.

Techno chuckled.

"Don't go eating gold now runt"

Gold?! The nest has gold! It was just perfect! His brain cheered at that, it was just so perfect, the only thing that was left was-

He searched around, an arm raised in the air, until he bumped his hand into his brother's arm, he grabbed at it and pulled, with not nearly as much strength as he would've wanted. He warbled annoyed.

"What's wrong?"

Tommy let out another warble before pulling him close again.

"Do you want me to go on the nest?" He huffed.

The boy chirped and cooed as he felt Techno slowly made his way into the nest, shifting the blankets a bit.

Yes! One flock member was on the nest! He'll call for the others, if his father scent was here then he wouldn't be far away, his other brother would also come if he calls them.

He chirped loudly flapping his wings, he called and called again.

"Are you calling them?"

He cooed, before continuing, where were they? At least his father would've been here by now.

"They're not in the house, remember?"

Tommy warbled.

"Phil and Wilbur, they're not here runt, not yet"

Yet? What? Why weren't they here?! Flock! He needed all his flock members!

He let sad little clicks.

Techno pulled him closer into a tight embrace, rising his temperature ever so slightly, Tommy pressed himself further into Techno's hold, resting his head on his collarbone.

"They'll be here soon or later, I wrote Phil a letter, I just have to send it"

Tommy wailed.

"I'm sure they'll both be here before you realize it"

Tommy warbled sadly.

"It's alright Theseus, it'll be alright"

He started to chirp and coo again when Techno's hands started to preen his wings, pulling the broken feathers away so gently, and bending softly the ones that were misdirected, realigning them.

Golden feathers now decorating the nest.

Tommy felt asleep after a couple minutes of caressing, Techno didn't stop after that, his instincts also cheering about being able to hold the youngest of their sounder on his arms, brushing the gold quills so softly.

"You found yet another way of not eating" He chuckled "I'll give you something to eat tomorrow either you want it or not"

He pressed a kiss on top of the blond curls.

"Just ... rest, rest and heal runt" He sighed.

He fell asleep with the kid on his arms

Days had gone by rather slow on L'manburg.

Phil's only entertainment was to water the flowers, drinking tea or hearing the passing conversations of the citizens of the country he now hated.

The ankle monitor keeping him bond to it, not because he couldn't rip the thing to pieces and fly away, but because he didn't want to cause Techno any more problems, escaping execution probably was really hard on him, he needed to rest, and Phil couldn't show up to his door with people now chasing after him.

He sighed, as he leaned his elbows into the rail of the balcony.

The day was quiet, so peacefully quiet, a bit awkward if you asked him.

He saw Ranboo pass by, beelining his way into someplace on the main part of the SMP.

He watched as Fundy and Ghostbur walked over to the Prime path, Fundy had said he wanted to show him something he'd been working on for a while, a mob farm of some sort, Ghostbur happily agreed to spent time with his son, telling Phil that he would be back when he could.

Phil watched as the clouds traveled up in the sky, from one way to the another, following the wind, he misses the days where he flown with his sons on his arms, telling them that he could touch the stars, technically he could, he could spread his wings and fly high up in the sky, the primary feathers on his damaged wing were already healed enough to do so, but that spoken rule Dream had told him bound him on the ground, he could still, how would dream be able to know?

He pushed those thoughts away, sighing.

It was getting really boring to just stay at the house.

Tubbo passed by the stage.

"Hey mate" Phil greeted, waving from the balcony.

The teen stopped dead on his track, slowly looking up to where the voice came from.

"Hello Philza" he waved.

Tubbo had blacks eyebags around his eyes, his skin a bit pale, his hair was also messed up, dirty.

"You don't look too good mate, are you alright?" He couldn't help but ask, yes this kid almost killed his son but he was just that, a child.

At least on his eyes.

Tubbo only chuckled sadly.

"Don't I?"

"Have you been sleeping?" He leaned a bit on the balcony to see the kid better.

"Have I been ... what about you? I don't think your son almost dead was a pretty sight" he looked over to the stage, the rain had washed away almost all the blood, but you could still see a bit.

"No it wasn't" Phil looked away.

"I'm not sorry if that's what you expect me to say"

"I wasn't looking for an apology, not yet at least"

Tubbo hummed.

"Was failure that bad it doesn't let you sleep?"

"I ... that's not it ... Have you seen Ranboo?" he asked instead.

"I saw him pass by, he was walking towards the community house area"

"Oh"

They stayed in silence for a bit.

"Why don't you come inside?, maybe a cup of tea could help you a bit"

Tubbo laughed, though Phil had the impression it wasn't because what he said was funny.

"I literally tried to murder your son I fired an arrow at you, and you're what? Offering me a warm cup of tea?"

"Seems like you need one" He brushed a hand on the rails.

"Alright then, poison me" He walked over to the house door, waiting patiently for Phil to come down and open it.

It took a couple of seconds but Phil opened the door, letting the kid inside.

"You look even worse up close"

"Thanks" Tubbo let himself fall on the couch, watching as the man went to heat a pot.

"So... what's bothering you so much you can't even sleep properly?"

"It's this an interrogation?" He huffed.

"Not really, just asking for curiosity, if it was I would've probably not let you get a cup"

Tubbo hummed again.

They stood in silence, until Phil went a served both cups, it was hawthorn tea.

"Thanks" he said as the man handed him the tea, steam blowing into his face, he only stared at it.

"Your welcome" He stood by the counter, taking a sip of his "It's not poisoned if it's what you're thinking, I wouldn't waste a nice hawthorn tea with poison"

The kid huffed.

"But seriously, are you okay?"

"I ... yeah I'm fine, just a bit thrown off" He looked up at him "Do I really look that bad?"

"Well some would say you almost look like me when I killed Wil, you didn't kill anyone did you mate?"

"I ... I think I did" he looked down chuckling.

"Well, you tried to at least, wouldn't count it as a success"

"No ... I didn't kill Technoblade"

Phil watched how the kids hand trembled a bit, letting some tea spill into his hands, burning them, yet he didn't react.

"Mate? Are you alright?"

"I think I killed him... I ..."

"Kill who? Tubbo?" He got a bit close to the kid, leaving his own tea on the counter to take one on the kids hands "Mate are you okay?"

"N-no"

Despite his wavery voice, there were no tears threatening to fall down, there was only the slight hint of shivering in the boy's body.

"Tubbo? What did you do?"

"I ... I think I killed my best friend" he spouted.

"Your best friend?"

"I think I killed Tommy" he put his hands over his head.

Philza froze at the words.

Suddenly he remembered the letter.

Techno and Wil found him gravely wounded, they threated his wounds, Techno had bad news...

They didn't say he was fine.

He was supposed to go visit them as soon as possible.

But he stayed.

Techno didn't told him anything when he was here.

They were both probably in shock.

Tommy was ... dead?

His baby boy.

He was ... no.

No.

Techno wouldn't have permitted that.

Even with Carl's life in the line he would've murdered Tubbo as soon as he saw him.

A blinding rage was quick to settle in his chest.

He had to see him.

He had to see his nestling.

His instincts took over him for a moment.

He grabbed over to the ankle monitor and ripped it apart.

"Phil?!"

The man didn't listen, only heading outside and taking flight as soon as he could.

"PHIL!"

He ignored the child's calls as he flied rapidly into the direction of Techno's house.

He had to see him.

His instincts craved it.

He has to see his children, his nestlings, they have to be safe.

Tubbo loses sight of him past the clouds.

Chapter Text

Tommy stayed in the nest until the next morning, ruffling his feathers with the few stray sun rays that came from what he supposed was a window, he cuddled himself into the soft blankets, borrowing the heat from a foreign figure.

He felt a hand on his head, patting gently at the golden curls, he heard chuffs and purrs from another being, just above him, a slow and steady thump-thump beating lowly in his ears.

"Morning runt" a deep voice said into the air, the arm around him tightened its grip.

Tommy hummed, something like a peep came out of his throat.

He heard a chuckle.

He liked the sound, too comfortable, too familiar.

"You have to get up and eat something runt" the voice said again, a sparkle of recognition set upon him.

"Techno?" His morning voice was still shaky and strained.

There was a purr and it was like a sweet lullaby for him, only luring him to fall asleep again.

"Theseus" a hand brushed the hair out of his face.

"Mmm?..."

"You have to get up"

"Just fiv-" he paused himself and stayed still in the gentle hold "I'm going"

His brother hummed.

"Do you want to sleep in?"

"No, no I'm fine" he got out of his hold, stretching his arms and wings up into the air.

"You sure?"

"Yep, don't worry big man"

He spend a good minute staying still, patting at the soft surface beneath him, If it weren't for the wings on his back, you could've thought he was a cat hybrid.

"Where are we?" He asked after a moment.

"In the nest"

His wings flapped behind him at the mention of it.

"The nest? But, I thought I was in your bed..."

"You were, you didn't come out of there for a good few days ... I made this and brought you here" he said, the blankets stayed still so Tommy figured the man didn't bothered to move from his position. "I figured you don't remember much as you were lost in your instincts"

"I ... lost to my instincts?"

"Probably for ignoring them ... how long have you been ignoring them Theseus? You fall on them pretty easily for your age"

A tail brushed against his arm.

"I ... I don't know"

"You don't know?" He didn't sound mad, not as Dream always did, mostly amused, it was hard figuring out the emotion placed into his brother's voice but not impossible.

"I guess ... It's just .... It's been so long"

Techno hummed.

"Do you remember when you started?"

"I guess before meeting Tubbo"

"Before that? That was when you were 12"

"Do you remember that?"

"I remember the letters ... it was the first year Phil and I spend away"

"Oh ...yeah"

"Why did you hide them? Was Wilbur giving you trouble for them?" Techno imagined his twin being over the kid, now protective because he was the only one left of the herd back home, he imagined him being extremely clingy with their golden kid, he wonders if that's why he hid them.

"No! Wilbur ... he was .... he was nice ... an asshole at times but ... he was good" his wings dropped behind his back.

"He was..."

Tommy was surprise to find pure sadness on his voice, he guessed that if someone was affected by Wilbur's death it must've been Techno, after all, they both shared a bond so strong, they've been together all their lives, except for the four years he spent traveling with their father.

"Do you ... miss him?" How could he ask that? Of course Techno missed him, they were twins! For Prime's sake ... If he where to die he wondered if his family would miss him too.

They stayed in silence for a moment.

"I do ... I miss him so much" he wailed.

Tommy regretted ever bringing it up.

Techno sighed.

"You should get up and eat something, drink something too, you haven't eaten anything in a while"

"I'm not hun-" his stomach betrayed him, making a low rumble clearly audible for the piglin, who chuckled at him.

"Not hungry huh?"

Tommy's cheeks flushed in a pinkish tone and his feathers puffed behind him.

"I'll make something for breakfast, come on runt" A tail brushed against his arm "Can you get up or do you need me to pick you up?".

"I'm not a baby I can get up by myself" he huffed.

"If you say so"

The tail tugged at Tommy's arm.

"I'm going, I'm going!"

"Just saying, you can pull it if you need to"

"I'm not pulling your tail Tech, that'll be a bit rude innit?"

"Not really, I'm just saying you can"

Tommy hummed standing up in the nest, his legs shook a bit as they were weak after days being on bed.

"Can you get out?"

"Yeah ... I just-" He pulled the tail around his wrist as he fell giving a wrong step, arms came up to him to catch him "Sorry!" was the first thing that left his mouth.

"It's alright, You okay?"

"Yep yep! All fine big T" He gripped tightly to the man.

This all being blind thing wasn't really his thing, it completely sucked.

Techno helped him get out of the rest of blankets and pillows.

"Can you walk alone? Are you sure you don't want me to just pick you up?"

"I'm fine, I'll just ... I'll just walk behind you"

Techno always asked, even for the simplest actions, even when he wasn't sure he would be able to make said action, he always asked, and Tommy wondered if he was taking advantage of that, maybe he should comply more, would that make Techno happy? If he obeyed more? Dream was happy when he did.

"Theseus?"

A hand was placed over his shoulder, he flinched at it.

"Sorry ... are you alright?" Tommy took a gasp now noticing that at some point he had stopped breathing "Theseus?"

"I'm fine big man ... sorry, just ... spaced out for a second"

Techno hummed, like considering something for a minute, then walked slowly away, Tommy gripped at his tail, using it as some sort of lead.

"We'll go down the ladder slowly, okay? I'll give you time for each step"

"Okay" He searched the railing with his free hand and grabbed at it when he found it.

Techno gave low chuffs at every movement he gave, encouraging the actions, you couldn't blame him, he was just so glad that his brother was finally out of bed and willing to move around the place, he couldn't imagine how he felt, how much he struggled with his lost sight, but he hoped that they could fix it, that this had a solution, Phil would know more of the subject than he did, the letter was still on the table, he should probably send it out as soon as possible if he wanted Phil to arrive.

Techno walked backwards trying to prevent any accidents that could happen

"Last step"

Tommy sighed, for Techno to then guide him to the kitchen, sitting him in one of the chairs, the tail finally left his wrist.

He heard ruffling and then fire cracking on the other room, he guessed Techno wanted to put more wood in the fire after spending almost all night upstairs.

"What do you want to eat?" He hear the voice approach.

"Whatever you want"

They fell into silence as Technoblade thought about his answer, he didn't like it but he wasn't going to say something about it either, he didn't want to scare the poor child that he finally managed to get downstairs.

"Do you want mushroom soup or eggs?" He said instead, letting him chose between two options was maybe easier than say what he wanted.

"Mushroom soup is fine"

"Alright I'll get the mushrooms then"

He heard soft steps.

"Where are they?"

"Mmm? I should have some on my storage room, I'll go get them"

"Can I go?" He spout without thinking, well maybe he did, he thought that he didn't want to be alone.

"Yeah, I'll go get your boots and a cape then we can go out"

Some part of Tommy expected his brother to say no, to not ask for things when he had no right, when he didn't deserved them, but his brother was so kind, to him, to his family, to his allies, he might not appear as such but he was the kindest.

"Okay" his wings fluttered behind him.

He heard quiet steps leave.

Is this alright?

Aren't we a burden?

Techno is so kind we're bothering him

No! He loves us!

Does he?

He is flock! Of course he loves us!

He is our flock, but are we his sounder?

He shushed the thoughts, this was not the time, maybe someday he could ask that question.

Trying to think of another thing rather than his insecurities and the vast void that was in front of him.

He wasn't left alone with his thoughts that long, soft steps coming back, cracking the wooden floors beneath them.

"I got your cape and your boots, do you want me to help you put them on?"

Comply

He pressed his lips in a thin line.

"Maybe just the cape ... I can put the boots on my own"

"Of course" He gave the kid the pair of shoes on his hands.

Tommy put them on careful, feeling the end of them to know which one was the right and left one, he stood up after he was done, a heavy piece of cloth was put over his head, gently over his shoulders and wings, he could feel the warmth irradiate from Techno's hands and he had to push down the need to huddle into them.

"Can we go now?" He asked as the hood was put over his head.

"Yep" The man huffed, blowing hot air into his brother's face.

"Hey!" He giggled even thought he meant to sound angry.

And Techno sighed, a small fond smile curling its way to his lips, because he was just so precious, in piglin culture the smaller one, the runt, was the most precious gem of them all, the one who must be cherished like he was worth more than all the gold in the nether, because he was, and hearing his golden runt laugh, just giggle was one of the most melodic sounds, even thought his voice was still low and shaky, even thought is sounded strained, it was so precious.

He lead him to the door, as he opened it he heard the kid's feathers ruffle at the change of temperature, he chuckled.

He repeated the same process with the stairs as before, walking Tommy down, luckily there were just a few steps.

The snow crunched below them and Tommy liked the sound of it, listening carefully to their steps as they walked around the house, he bumped into Techno who laughed a little, then he herd another door being opened, he let go of Techno's tail and stood on the entrance, hearing low neighs at his side, he walked to them, until he felt a snout press on his hands.

"Carl! Hello!" He greeted "How have you been? Any interesting things to tell me?"

It huffed.

"Ah! I see, I haven't been anywhere either ... it's been so long since I've been in other place" He chuckled "Well guess that if I was I wouldn't be able to tell the difference, would I?"

He heard his brother rummage on the chests to then stop.

"I found the mushrooms, but it'll take a while for the soup to cook, do you want a gapple on the meanwhile?"

"Yes!" His wings fluttered.

He could refuse all the other kind gestures but he couldn't refuse a golden apple, he loved the taste, sweeter than any other fruit, and plus it gave you potion effects, it was really a delight.

He heard footsteps and then something was placed on his hand.

He beamed.

"Alright let's go inside"

"Can I stay here? With Carl?" He hugged the horse's snout.

"I can't let you outside alone"

"I'm not alone! I'm with Carl! The biggest horse ever!"

Techno frowned.

"You said it yourself! Staying inside won't do me any good"

"Huh, using my words against me now?" He ruffled his hair.

"All fair in war and love" he took a bite of the apple.

"Alright alright, you can stay here with Carl, I'll come for you once food is ready, if you want to enter before that just call me alright?"

"Yep!" He saluted like a soldier, staying firm on his position even to his wings were happily hitting against his cape.

He heard the footstep quietly leaving the place, then a door close.

He was quietly nibbling at the fruit.

"It just you and me now Carl" He cheered "How's the blade been treating you? I hope good, does he give you lots of sugar cubes?"

The horse neighed.

"Mmm we'll have to fix that then, who cares if he says it'll make you soft" He felt a bite on the apple on his hand and he giggled "You can have the rest if you want"

He patted his snout to then give a couple of steps away.

"Isn't it so nice outside? ... Even when it's cold it's nice"

He walked a bit more, to what he guessed was the front of the house.

"Is it a sunny day? I can feel a bit of warmth from here" He took more than a few steps to stop to where he could barely hear the horse "A good climate to be out don't you think Carl?"

He spread his wings, lifting the cape on his back.

Letting the cold breeze run trough his feathers, brushing at them.

Bathing in the warmth of the sun rays that lie on them.

It's nice.

It feels really nice.

He opens them a bit more, letting them spread up into the sky.

He thinks that it must be a very noticeable contrast between the bright golden feathers and the white snow.

Tommy stays there a couple of minutes, he doesn't know, he's not really paying attention to the time.

Only focusing on the image of him flying.

Maybe in another life he'll be able to fly.

He hears the horse neigh and the soft snow crunching, behind him.

Has it been enough time for the soup to be ready?

Maybe it has.

He pays no mind to the footsteps growing near, Techno has come to drag him in but he will enjoy until the last second he gets to spend outside.

After all.

It's been a while since he was out of Techno's room, let alone the house.

His wings shift behind him as he hears the footsteps right behind him.

The boy sighed.

"You didn't tell me you had wings Tommy"

He freezes.

He doesn't dare to move a muscle, not even as a gloved hand reaches for his feathers, he flinches, letting out something like a hiss.

Dream!

Predator!

He can't touch them!

Dream! He's not allowed!

Only flock can touch our wings!

Flock! Flock! Call for flock!

Where's flock?!

Everyone knows that only family members can touch things like that, every hybrid knows you can't just touch other's people, wings, ears or tails, but he doesn't dare to move regardless.

He harshly swallows the chirp on his throat.

His whole body starts to tremble as the hand brushes at his feathers a little aggressively.

Almost possessive.

But Dream doesn't own him, his family does, his father over all.

He really wants to call for him right now, but the distressed chirping wouldn't be heard from here to L'manburg.

He chokes on a sob.

"Don't be scared Tommy, we're friends"

Tears threaten to fall at the mention of his nickname.

"Why did you run away?" His voice is sickeningly sweet "Why did you hide wings from me?"

He feels like throwing up all over again.

His muscles start to ache at the tension on them.