#I miss when things were simpler too Tubbo

[royalarchivist]

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Tommy: We’re not kids anymore. There’s no Wilbur, there’s no Quackity, there’s no anyone -- there’s no any person that’s older than us. This is up to us. Tubbo: I miss when things were simpler. It makes me sad.

[lostjulys]

i bet he thinks about exile. like. daily. it's been almost a year and i think he still remembers it every day. like it just lives with him now. i think he looks in the mirror every day and sees the marks dream left him with. and he doesn't exactly care about that, really. like, there's always that awareness. of how things were. the physical manifestations don't really matter that much. he's too tired to give a shit about that. he knows dream is horrible but he still thinks he was justified. he knows what happened, objectively, but he still makes excuses. even though he knows they're not true. he still misses him when tubbo's braiding his hair. and he hates it because dream was horrible but he was kind and he laughed and brushed out tommy's hair for him, even if he pulled too hard getting the knots out. and he hates that he subconsciously associates good things with him. and he thinks it's his fault that he does. i bet he doesn't even remember most of it. he remembers like, a handful of the bad days. there's a couple things he can recall vividly. he barely remembers the pillar. he forgot about the ocean. he doesn't remember the beach party unless he tries very hard, n even then it's fuzzy. he doesn't want to, though, why would he? i think sometimes he finds himself almost wishing he was back. not like, objectively, fuck no. but sometimes he catches himself thinking, huh, it was simpler when it was just me and my friend. my friend who protected me. and then his brain catches up and he goes nonono, he was not my friend. i think he likes wearing lots of layers and good textures to make up for the time he lost. (wilbur does too and they share soft fleece sweatshirts and sweaters and scarves, and it's good.) idk lol ctommy headpat gif

[sydneydoesstuff]

cobblestone to stone is a stupid metaphor anyways, pop your local boy into a preheated oven and watch as all his scars vanish I guess, philza you fucking donkey thats not how trauma works in the slightest

Thank you so much for the ask and YES!

For real. How is Phil burning Tommy’s stuff teaching him anything? If anything, it’s more likely to traumatize him, because Phil burning his stuff was awfully reminiscent of Dream.

Phil was actively telling Tommy to destroy things that keep him safe—the walls around his house and his fucking god apple (not to mention said apple was from his dead friend). Next he’s gonna tell him he doesn’t need his armor because he relies on it too much, smh.

The metaphor that “the stone is replaceable and so are your sentimental items” holds zero weight. If I threw away my (hypothetically) deceased grandmother’s watch away and told my mom “oh, well you can always just buy a new watch” I’d get my ass handed to me, because that’s not the fucking point. The reason we [humans] feel attached to items is because they represent memories and feelings we cannot get back. There’s no way to relive our past, but items can take us there. They can take us back to happier times and they can promise a future. They comfort us in times of uncertainty, because while people may be unreliable, items and the memories they hold are not.

Tommy is not a bad person for wanting to keep the discs, because they’re not just discs. They’re a symbol of what he won. They’re a symbol of L’Manburg (y’know, the place Phil blew sky-fucking- high). But moreso, they’re a symbol of who Tubbo and Tommy used to be—when it was Tubbo and Tommy against the world. Yes, Tubbo is alive, but it’s not wrong to miss a time when it was just Tommy and his best friend, because those were simpler times. Those were times when Tommy wasn’t so scared.

Things like wedding bands are also material items, but do we fault people for caring for them? No, because they represent love and the vows people made to their loved ones. They represent the past you shared and the future you’ll have together. It’s nice to have physical representations of your feelings, because it makes them more real and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Phil focuses on the wrong details. Tommy was faced with the choice of Tubbo or the discs, but the takeaway shouldn’t be that he hesitated for a couple seconds, it should be that when faced with the choice of Dream’s continued torment over Tommy (and subsequently the rest of the server) or saving Tubbo’s life, Tommy chose Tubbo.

That’s a helluva lot more than Phil can say, because when he was faced with a difficult choice, he hesitated and then killed his son.

Phil tries so hard to take the moral high ground but it falls so flat when you realize what kind of person he really is: a hypocrite and an ignorant character.

[stellocchia]

I really liked Wilbur's lore stream from yesterday, so you guys are getting a short stream analysis from me

As always dialogue is color-coded: Wilbur, Tubbo, Ranboo

And since I'm the least concise person ever everything is under the cut

The stream is (DSMP LORE) A Year Later

The stream starts with Wilbur singing the L'Manburg anthem to Ranboo. It is interesting to notice that, just like all the streams since he's been back he doesn't start off the stream by addressing chat in any way but already taking with someone in-universe.

"I'm a big big fan of the song (...) (Wilbur notices that Ranboo was muted) so sorry, let's try again: have you heard that song before?" "Yeah I have, I have. I have- I've had a friend that sings it quite a lot" “Good, good, and I was gonna say, it’s obviously based on Hallelujah right? But the thing is, the thing is Ranboo, right? But the thing is- the thing is Ranboo, right? Is that the reason we did it is because Tommy used to sing Hallelujah to the plants" "Oh, to the plants?" "Yeah! In- in the- around the- around the uhm... around the thing! You know the- the caravan? (...) so, my man, Tommy used to sing to the plants to make them grow better and that was the song he used to sing and so I thought what a way to honour Tommy, you know, one of the most- one of the most loyal members or of our fair nation than by naming the song after him, you know? And singing it based on his little- his little Muse. Tommy is a- Tommy is all of our Muse really I'd say"

I cut as much of this quote as I could while still leaving it well understandable and leaving in everything I wanted to talk about, but man is it long... So let's break it down a bit at a time:

1) The friend that Ranboo referenced that sings the anthem a lot is most likely Tubbo considering that they met him later on in this stream while he was singing that very song

2) The memory of the song seems to still be a particularly pleasant one for Wilbur, which probably explains why Ghostbur as well was so fond of it. He speaks about it positively throughout and it generally seems like an overall positive moment of reminiscence, probably because it's a callback to a simpler time when Wilbur too was, you know, happier overall. It's a reminder of a time before the worsening of his spiral.

3) Also interesting that they kept it in canon that Tommy singing to the plants was what inspired the anthem. Especially because I'm not entirely sure if that's the case considering that the actual anthem wasn't written by cc!Wilbur but by a fan upon his request (obviously this is outside the story).

4) Last thing I wanted to mention was Wilbur describing Tommy as a Muse. Muses in mythology are the inspirational goddesses of the arts, music, and science, Tommy aside from the anthem obviously isn't that. But it is interesting that Tommy does take a central role when it comes to motivating people. We could say that Techno's speech on the 16th was inspired by him since it was directed at him. Similarly, Niki and Jack had their arcs revolving around him. Tommy was able to rally the troops with ease multiple times. And Dream's obsession with him itself is the main motivator for, like, 90% of his actions. So, while he may not cover the role of a muse literally it's not a comparison that is too far off...

They headed to the museum afterward and took notice of the Ranboo poster being missing. And then they headed off to L'Manburg (which, by the way, looks amazing, thank you cc!Phil for that one).

"It goes by L'Manhole now apparently" "I- yeah it's kinda- ugh- I'm not a fan. It's kinda rude to L'Manburg's history, you know? It- it's called L'Manburg. It's called L'Manburg. NOT Manberg, not L'Crater or whatever. L'Manhole, I don't care, it's now L'Manburg, it's always L'Manburg, okay?"

It's interesting that not too long ago he was saying that even L'Manburg itself (with an emphasis on the name) wasn't what was actually important, the purpose of it was. He admits later on that he lied in that conversation, but it's impressive how quickly he trusted Ranboo enough to let him see how much he still cared about L'Manburg when he was so intent on lying about it not too long ago.

Wilbur's enthusiasm about seeing the flag is another nice confirmation about him still caring deeply for his old nation.

"Damn, I really went down to bedrock, didn't I? Holy shit I did- I did a number on this place" (I wonder why Ranboo didn't correct him on this, because Ranboo knows that Techno, Phil, and Dream are the ones who actually exploded the country down to bedrock...)

They end up seeing Tubbo on the other side of the crater and head over to him. While they're heading there Tubbo is singing the anthem himself in a very mournful tone.

One interesting thing that I noticed it's that it's Wilbur that heads towards Tubbo's location instead of having Tubbo go to him like he mostly did with Tommy for example. I suppose it could be because Tubbo having been a president himself is in less of a subordinate position to Wilbur than Tommy who's always been a simple soldier.

"It's like looking in a little mirror, look you're wearing my suit still? How long have you been wearing that?" "Oh I just put it on, just for today" (in a similar fashion to Jack bringing out the L'Manburg uniform to reminisce, Tubbo also brought out clothes he strongly attaches the memory of L'Manburg to)

"Ranboo have you met Tubbo?" "Yeah, yeah. I've- I've met him, I mean we've, uhm... we've been around" (Ranboo still minimizing his relationship with Tubbo to Wilbur. Of course, this is because he doesn't trust him but it's interesting that he isn't even honest about that)

After a bit of back and forth, Wilbur starts apologizing to Tubbo. At first, like most other times he's having a serious discussion he puts himself in an elevated position to tower over Tubbo. It's a neat way to show how his own desire for control affects him, having Wilbur literally elevate himself over others when speaking to them. Literally putting Tubbo down in this situation. Which does make the beginning of his apology very obviously feel insincere.

"I'm sorry for making you president specifically before blowing it up and I'm sorry for when I did this *pointing at the crater* and blew all this up and making this whole. I'm sorry that I uh- that I said that you were the president of a crater"

This is that first part of the apology I mentioned. Just to clarify, I don't actually think that it was entirely insincere. It just feels less impactful due to Wilbur putting himself in a position of superiority over Tubbo, especially because it's something we've seen him do before. It's also to be noted that this time, like others before, he seems to be apologizing less out of actual guilt and more out of a desire to earn forgiveness. Which is not a critique by the way. I just feel like that's a misconception Wilbur has, that apologies serve the purpose of confirming to him that he's doing a good job at changing more than to actually make amends for what he's done. The reason why I think that's the case for the beginning part of this apology as well it's because of how fast he went to ask tubbo if he forgave him, which did put a certain level of pressure on Tubbo in this situation.

"I mean it wasn't- this wasn't all you Wilbur" (thank you tubbo for finally dispelling some of those misunderstandings)

"Yeah so me and mainly Ghostbur honestly, like-" "Ghostbur" (some more of Wilbur not being too fond of Ghostbur)

"Right is he [Ghostbur] this obsidian crap then I take it and these- these fucking dumb lanterns up here" (a bit more)

To correct Wilbur's misconceptions Tubbo starts off asking if the other knew Dream, to which Wilbur responds with how much he appreciates Dream and how he's his hero, which makes Tubbo backtrack and blames most of Doomsday on Techno and Phil. Which, as we know, isn't actually accurate and I have a feeling that this misinformation will be harmful later on once Dream is out of prison (though I don't blame Tubbo for backtracking with how enthusiastic Wilbur is, that was the basic conflict-avoidant approach that Tubbo seems to prefer).

"They rained tnt for days" (if this is actually canon then Doomsday was even more of a tragedy than we previously saw it as. It was days filled with fighting and destruction. Then again, Tubbo has misremembered traumatizing events before)

"Techno and Phil, they hated the government. I mean it was partially my fault as well" "But you didn't blow it up" "No I didn't. I would never have wished or anything like this to happen" "So it was just Techno and Phil?" *long pause* "Y-yeees"

Two things to say here:

1) I appreciate someone in canon recognizing that it's not Tubbo's fault for what happened to L'Manburg and blaming the people who actually blew it up, similarly to how I appreciate Wilbur bringing up with Tommy that it was clearly Dream pulling the strings with his exile with Tubbo. It's nice having it stated plainly for people to hear

2) This is the misconception I mentioned. This is most certainly gonna backfire at some point.

After that Wilbur commends Tubbo quite a lot for rebuilding New L'Manburg (once again being dismissive towards Ghostbur) and is clearly enthusiastic about it, even going as far as to say that that mattered more to him than them building him a grave.

"I just, I feel lost without L'Manburg. All my core beliefs, everything died with it" "You feel lost without a nation..." "I have no purpose anymore" "I guess that's where anarchy fails" (I think this may be the first time someone admits it to someone else, even though that lack of purpose and feeling disoriented is very obviously a shared sentiment amongst the ex-citizens)

After that, it's when Wilbur invites Tubbo to join Paradise, the, supposedly burger van with a small house attached to it that wasn't supposed to become a nation. I have a feeling that the proposition coming right after that exchange may imply that Wilbur changed his mind on it. He does purposefully put himself again in an elevated position when making the proposition.

"Would you like to come join me in Paradise? Literally" "Hmmm, I'm not sure Wilbur. I'm not sure I trust you man, I need to- in order to follow someone I need to trust them" "Wait, wait but you- I thought you forgave me! I thought it was, you know it-" "Wilbur I forgive you because I like to hang on to the hope that people can change, but-"

This is what I mean when I say that Wilbur's apologies come with expectations for the person he's apologizing to. By asking Tubbo first if he forgave him when he originally apologized, he already made it harder for Tubbo to refute that. And now we learn that he expected trust to come along with forgiveness. He's not doing this maliciously of course, but he does seem to have some misconceptions on this.

"I know you had that- that at the festival? With Technoblade? I never spoke to you properly about this. I- I could have saved you" "But you didn't" (other people brought this up, but this is a neat little parallel to the one scene in exile where Ranboo was lamenting about how he should have gone with Tommy and Tommy shut him down pointing out that anyone could have gone but no one actually did)

There is a second round of apologies and Wilbur is still standing higher than Tubbo, BUT he does put himself on his same level after he did a bit more pushing and found that Tubbo was standing his ground. He finally puts himself on the same level as Tubbo and openly acknowledges his boundaries which is the first actual real effort to change that we've seen from Wilbur. Which I'd say is a pretty important step for him.

"Wilbur in order for you to gain my trust back you have to prove it, I can't just give it out anymore. I used to be able to but I just- I just can't" (acknowledgement of how Tubbo's trauma also affected him deeply)

"You know I still have dreams, right? Of the explosion. And- and of the fireworks. And- and all of it. I- I still- I vividly see all of it. Every day. It hurts. It hurts a lot Wilbur"

I want to commend Tubbo here for being able to open up like this, especially considering how much he generally leans into denial and how much he usually suppress. And on top of that this is Tubbo acknowledging that both Wilbur's actions (the explosion) and Techno's actions (the fireworks) have hurt him and STILL hurt him and affect him deeply. It's quite a big admission especially for him.

"Sorry feels like such a weak word. I feel like there's nothing stronger that I can say" (first time that he's standing on the same level of Tubbo while apologizing)

"You're so strong man. Genuinely. You just- just the fact that you proved to me just there that you have this memories, that you have this nightmares and you still find it in your heart to forgive me. That's... you're a fucking champion man. You- you're a hero"

It's interesting that the reason why he claims Tubbo to be strong here is because he forgave him. It's not something that's inherently about Tubbo, like the fact that he still found the strength to go on and rebuild after the events he mentioned, for example, no. What Wilbur brought up is the one thing that Tubbo did for him. Which tells me that he still clearly has a bit of way to go to learn how to make amends and how redemption actually works, but, you know, that's to be expected honestly.

Wilbur moves on by inviting Tubbo to at least come and see Paradise, just to see what they'd made and Tubbo refuses because he wanted to spend more time reminiscing. Wilbur this time respect Tubbo's boundaries with no pushing which is yet another step forward for him honestly. Wilbur also gives Tubbo a "lucky rabbit's foot" that Tommy gave him to cheer him up and assure him that he had no problems with him not going.

With this their conversation comes to a close and Wilbur and Ranboo head over to Paradise (though not before Ranboo has confirmed with Tubbo that he actually does want to be left alone).

"You know I was gonna say 'this is hard' but obviously it's hard. I mean, you know, I've..." (a bit of reflection on his actions for Wilbur, you love to see it!)

"It's gonna get better! It's gonna get better! And it's gonna be worth it when I see them smiling. All of them. Tubbo, Jack, Niki, Tommy, anyone!" (I'm pretty sure that this is a genuine sentiment right here. It really does seem that wilbur's Big Plan right now is just to make amends and change)

"Do you know who the original L'Manburg group were? Do you know who we were?" "I- I think most of them yeah... I think it was like: you, Jack, Niki, Fundy I believe as well" "Fundy was a bit after. Fundy was after we'd gotten independence"

I wonder if that's an actual misrememberance on Wilbur's part (c!Wilbur, not cc!Wilbur, I'm sure cc!Wilbur remembers this) or just him wanting to put some distance between his good memories of L'Manburg and Fundy. Because Jack and Niki weren't there for the independence war either and yet he singled out Fundy who was. And I doubt that he'd forget about his son being one of the people who lost their first life in the final control room. In addition to that Wilbur didn't mention Fundy before among those he wanted to make smile.

I really think that this was intentional and that it was because, well, Wilbur felt deeply betrayed by Fundy. And we as the audience know that Fundy only ever publicly stopped acknowledging him as his father to be able to stay undercover as a spy, but he doesn't. It wouldn't be so weird that he wanted to erase Fundy from his memories of the time when he was supposed to be happy.

"I try and keep this on the low because I don't want uh- I don't want people to use it against me is the main problem. I do wa- I didn't even tell Tommy, I lied to Tommy" "Yeah?" "I'll be honest I'm gonna tell him soon that I lied to him because if it- it kinda eats away at me. But I told- I told tommy that I didn't actually care about L'Manburg and that it was just like a tool for me to use to gain, you know, power and stuff, but it's not- it's not true. L'Manburg is- was really important to me. And it is still to this day"

Once again I'm surprised how little it took Wilbur to trust Ranboo with stuff he hasn't really told anyone else. Makes you really understand how low of an opinion of himself he has that when the first person that calls him "alright" out loud just gets his undying trust. Especially considering that Ranboo doesn't trust him back and hasn't been the most honset with him so far. It's also a nice spelled out admission for anyone who didn't get how much Wilbur cares about L'Manburg from the longing look he gave to the camaravan's replica in the stream where he said he never cared.

"I wanted history to live on, not as a stain caused by me, you know. I basically took a big shit on the history books it feels like" (just another interesting little insight on Wilbur's view of the situation)

"I've heard about what's Tommy's, you know, moved on... and how jack's moved on, and how Niki's moved on and everyone's moved on from L'Manburg at least partially, but Tubbo man, he's still..." (he only thinks the rest of them moved on because he hasn't spoken almost at all with two of them and he never really listened to Tommy. Also, again, Fundy is not mentioned)

"I don't know where I'd be without you [Ranboo] here right now man, I mean T-Tommy's great and all and he's here but I- I feel like, you know, I don't wanna- I don't wanna string him along too much because he's- I- when I look at him. When I look at him when he's helping me out building things with me I see the same eyes that looked at me when... when... There were some- there weren't some fun times in the ravine of Pogtopia. I wasn't a very well man and I can just see Tommy from that day"

This one was one heck of a confession!

I don't know if this is me misremembering, but I'm fairly sure that this is the first time he's admitted to not being great to Tommy specifically. Again, Tommy is the one person he met with so far that he hasn't apologized to. Heck! He told Tommy to his face that him being sorry for his actions didn't mean he wouldn't do them again. It's a pretty damn big admission to acknowledge that that behaviour (which is the same now, if not worse when only related to Tommy) wasn't good. It also shows that he's at least a bit aware of Tommy's emotions which is rarely shown honestly. Though whether he cares because of Tommy or because being around Tommy makes him feel guilty (which is what you'd expect him to feel) and he doesn't like that is to be determined still, mostly just because the phrasing was a bit uncertain at the moment.

"I know what it's like to have no one- or at least feel like no one trusts you. Uhm, and I- I've realized that if- if no one's with you then how can anyone really know when you've redeemed yourself? So that's why I'm here I guess" (Ranboo's answer to why he trusts Wilbur. Which he doesn't, but still)

And the stream ends with Wilbur saying he hopes Tubbo comes around to try out one of the burgers (though he does repeat that he doesn't want Ranboo to pressure him to join) and complimenting Ranboo a bit more.

[proudfreakmetarusonikku]

Do you have headcanons for Tommy and Dream during the Exile arc? Or in general?

BOY, DO I?

Exile Arc Prime Boys Headcanons:

While Exile Arc only lasted about a week and a half in real time, it lasted about three months in in-universe time.

Dream visited Tommy every single day, usually for hours. He spent absolutely all his free time he could with Tommy, caring about little else.

Dream was very physical with Tommy, both in the sense of, y’know, abuse, but also just in a “friendly” context. Ruffling his hair, holding hands, hugging him, ect.

Initially, Tommy pushed away any sort of physical touch, though usually not literally because that’d probably get him punished, but as exile went on he started leaning into it, finding a confusing sense of comfort in physical touch not meant to hurt (it always did anyway, because Tommy was so bruised and injured), and towards the end he even started seeking it out, insistently pushing his head into Dream's hand until he rustled his hair, because he grew to associate that with him being safe and doing well.

Dream found this very amusing, of course, and always complied.

This is something Tommy still does with those he likes, though absolutely no one but he and Dream know the origin. Tubbo and Ranboo just remain happy that Tommys allowing any sort of physical touch.

When Tommy was “good” (read- obedient), Dream would reward him with stuff from the server he couldn’t get for himself. Usually a can of Coke, but sometimes it was chocolate, cookies, ect.

However, whenever Tommy was “bad” (read- disobedient, lashing out, or displaying his suicidal tendencies enough it worried Dream) he’d be punished.

Usually, this was subtle to the point Tommy didn’t even know he was being punished- Dream would “accidentally” be too rough with touch on the boy, talk more about how happy everyone was without him, subtly mentioning things he knew were a sore point with Tommy in such a way it seemed unintentional.

Sometimes, though, it was flat out severe physical and emotional abuse. This was more common towards the very beginning of exile, when Tommy wouldn’t listen unless he was put through so much pain, and towards the end, where Dream was getting bolder once it was clear no one would visit. Dream would beat him, hit him with an axe, threaten to kill him, viciously tear apart all his flaws, ect.

The Glasgow Grin I draw exile and post exile Tommy with is from one of those incidents! I’m writing a whole one shot about the aftermath that‘ll probably be somewhere between 5k-10k words so look out for that.

Tommy honestly misses Exile, sometimes, in a fucked up way. It sucked, he was alone except for his abuser, and he was physically and mentally broken, but at least it made some sense. He learnt what he was meant to do and not do, and even if it was an impossible goal to strive for he at least knew what he did wrong whenever he failed. It was so much simpler than the wars and conflicts and broken friendships that prevail on the SMP, almost entirely for worst but his mind fixated on the better.

[lin-nin]

Tribulation & Tenderness - Chapter 10

Ship: Main Technoblade x Reader, some Dream x Reader

Plot:   You're a princess in a Kingdom suffering a years long famine. In a   desperate attempt to help your people, you accept one simple offer:   Marriage to the crown prince of a neighboring kingdom. Anything to help  your people survive. Surely it can't be too bad, can it?

Chapter List: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Disclaimer:   Cross-posted on Wattpad (discontinued) and Ao3. This is based off of everyone's CHARACTERS. I do not write fanfic based off the actual people.

--

Chapter 10: Wedding Plans

< | Previous Chapter

Your first night at the new kingdom was rough. You laid in your bed for hours, your blanket pulled to your chin. You wanted nothing more to sleep- it sounded like a blessing at the moment. It didn’t come easy, and you eventually moved to look out the window instead. The blanket hung around your shoulders as you did, a quiet sigh spilling from your lips. The view outside felt completely different at night, the soft glow of the moon spilling over the land. In the surrounding city you could make out the warm glow from the lamps. It was surreal, feeling so much more different than your home.

You pondered about what your life here would entail. Techno hadn’t really said too much. You figured you would be told as the days went on what to expect. You figured most of your time as of current would be dedicated to preparation for the wedding. Maybe even some training, if Techno found time to do so. You didn’t know what his duties would entail, and how similar they would be to George’s. You’d adjust inevitably. Exhaustion was weighing heavy on you, your gaze once more shifting to the bed longingly. You weren’t entirely sure if you would be able to fall asleep just yet. You pondered going to the library, but decided against it. That was on the other side of the castle. You didn’t have the confidence to go alone at night, either. Beyond Techno and his brothers, you didn’t know who to trust.

So, with a defeated sigh, you trudged back to the bed and wrapped the blanket tight around you. Might as well try to sleep. Absorbing yourself into your thoughts would only lead to exhaustion tomorrow. Which wasn’t what you really wanted. You knew tomorrow would inevitably be busy. The wedding had been mentioned multiple times, you knew there needed to be planning for that.

It felt like you had only blinked, head full of thoughts of the wedding, when you were cracking your eyes open. Light spilled into the room through the window you had gazed out of earlier, making you sigh. Breakfast. The thought made your stomach turn a little. This would be your first proper introduction to the court. Sure you knew plenty of people, but you had managed to evade dinner last night due to the tour. You couldn’t as easily escape the obligation of breakfast. If you did, your body would make you pay dearly later. Besides, you couldn’t avoid it forever.

You peeled yourself out of bed, wandering towards the closet. You wanted to make a good impression on everyone, without being so horribly overstated. You freted, before settling on one of your simpler dresses. You set it aside, thumbing through your jewelry for something to wear. You briefly ran your thumb over the necklace Dream had given you, marveling it. It was almost tempting to wear it, to have that comfort and security you had always felt with the blonde. Yet you decided against it, choosing something less understated that your mother had given you on one of your birthdays.

Once satisfied with the choice in clothes, you stole away to the bathroom. It had been a couple of days since you last bathed, and you figured it wouldn’t hurt. You did skeptically eye the full bath, trying to guess when servants had slipped into your room to fill it. No matter. Steam rolled along the surface of it, and you couldn’t help but sigh as you slid into it. It worked rather quickly to relax your muscles and nerves. You definitely needed that. You eyed the small shelf by the tub, picking up a few of the bottles to smell them.

One smelled of vanilla, which you deeply considered. The other you smelled carried the scent of rose and lemon, a scent you easily recognized. It was hardly different from the one you used at home, which you had forgotten to bring. The only thing that seemed to be missing was the base note of patchouli, and you did miss the earthiness just a touch. All the same, you were content that this was here, wherever it came from. You quickly used the bottle to help freshen yourself up. A quick run over with a damp cloth ensured you were rid of any dirt. As the water began to cool, you finally pulled yourself up and out of the tub to dress.

You lingered in the room, fingers running over your dress a few times. Nervously. You really didn’t want to walk into the dining hall alone. As if to answer your silent pleas, there was a knock on your door that you quickly answered. Techno stood on the other end, peering down at you through his glasses. You offered a soft smile, trying to hide your nerves.

“I figured I should walk with you to breakfast. Since we missed dinner and all,” He explained, but you only nodded. You stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind you as you did so.

“Right, sorry about that, still. I appreciate you walking with me.” Your hands once more smoothed down over your dress, almost fussing on if your appearance was perfect. Who all would be there? Perhaps just a few other nobles, maybe the King’s advisors. It shouldn’t be too big, should it?

“Making things seem distant between us would only give people reason to dislike you.” The words only served to make you shudder, a frown on your face. You easily recalled Philza’s words of the advisor, the thought causing your stomach to turn. This was going to be a rough breakfast, you already knew.

“Right. Some people aren’t exactly excited about this. That’s fine. I’m prepared for that,” You muttered in an attempt to reassure yourself. Techno reached up, giving a reassuring pat against your back.

“They’re harmless. It doesn’t matter what they think,” Techno muttered as the pair of you descended the stairs. You sighed but nodded. He was right, honestly. It wasn’t like the king hated you, and the rest of the royal family seemed to at least not hate you. So long as they didn’t hate you, you hoped you could stomach the rest. From down the hall you could already hear Tommy making a fuss, causing you to smile. That helped ease your nerves. It was a different environment than you were used to.

You glanced at the table as you walked in, relieved by the familiar faces around the table. Techno moved towards his father, pausing to pull out one of the empty chairs and motioning you into it. Your eyes scanned the few unfamiliar faces as you sat down, trying to ease your anxiety.

“Mornin’ Techno! Mornin’ Techno’s wife!” Tommy called as Techno sat between you and his father, causing the pink-headed prince to glance at his brother.

“She’s not my wife yet, Tommy,” he simply clarified, sounding far from amused.

“How’d you sleep, kiddo?” Philza detracted the attention from his rambunctious nephew, offering you a smile. You relaxed a little, appreciating the older man’s words.

“I slept alright,” You murmured, offering a feeble smile. You hadn’t slept great, or all that much, and you had a feeling it showed on your face.

“It’s a new place, that’s always rough. I’m sure it’ll get better soon.” You could only nod at his words, thankful for the reassurance. He was nice, and truthfully you enjoyed that about him. He felt very much fatherly. Techno slid a cup in front of you, steam billowing from it. You smiled thankfully, offering a quiet thank you as you picked it up. Tea was definitely acceptable this early in the morning, especially as a slight chill clung to the castle.

The man sat beside Philza cleared his throat, offering a gentle smile. Your attention quickly turned to him, brow furrowing a little. He wasn’t someone you recognized- definitely didn’t meet him yesterday. “A pleasure to finally meet you. I’m Eret- cousin to those three.” He motioned to the prince’s as he talked, and you nodded slightly.

“Nice to meet you. Techno never mentioned having a cousin.” You set down the cup in your hands, glancing at Techno briefly. He furrowed his brow, a soft ‘heh?’ leaving him.

“He likes to forget about him.” Wilbur spoke up, causing Tommy to laugh. You sighed, shaking your head with a small laugh.

“I don’t know how! Eret’s been here since he was little,” Tommy spoke between laughter, making your gaze turn back to the brunette across from you. He seemed almost embarrassed, shrugging.

“I’m sure Techno had a lot on his mind whenever he spoke of the kingdom, there’s a lot of people to remember here.” Eret didn’t seem too bothered by the lapse of information, and you shrugged.

“He mentioned Tubbo, though. Is he forgetful enough to mention a family friend as opposed to his actual family?” You teased, throwing a sly grin at Techno. It was easy to slip into this with the egging on of his brothers.

“Oh- Did he really? I mean, I practically did grow up with Tommy,” Tubbo asked, head popping up.

“You’re like a little brother to us, Tubbo. You were always there, Eret didn’t come to the kingdom until Techno was almost seven, remember?” Wilbur pushed, and the brunette seemed to purse his lips in thought.

“Not well, no. We love Eret anyways!” The man between Eret and Tubbo scoffed, a hand holding his head. Tired brown eyes stared at his plate, a glass bottle in hand. He looked rough, stubble lining his jaw and brown locks falling into his eyes. You eyed the brown liquid within the bottle as silence fell over the table.

“That’s Schlatt, the advisor Philza spoke of yesterday,” Techno’s voice came quietly against your ear, making you jump in surprise. When the hell had he gotten there? Your attention quickly turned back to the man as he took a drink from the bottle. Was that alcohol?

Physically, you could see the similarities between him and Tubbo, but that was about it. Even now, the younger brunette seemed largely uncomfortable next to him. It made your chest pang, wondering what all had happened to cause the rift in their relationship.

Schlatt stood up with a grunt, sloppily pushing in his chair. “Come on, Tubbo. We’ve got work to do,” Schlatt called. There was a drawl in his voice that made you rather uncomfortable. You didn’t like him, and you had a feeling it was similar to the way the princes felt towards him.

Tubbo looked down to his plate, seemingly steeling himself. “Yes, Schlatt,” he muttered softly. What had Schlatt done that had made the brunette become so quiet? You didn’t like it one bit. Before Tubbo could even move to follow his father, you spoke out.

“Actually, I was hoping I could borrow Tubbo for today!” Tubbo’s head snapped up at that, eyes wide. You blinked, not even sure what you were saying. Schlatt stopped his walk, bottle hanging from his hand as he turned to look at you. Perhaps glare was a better word? You swallowed, steeling yourself as you continued, “I’d really appreciate his input on the wedding plans.”

“The wedding,” Schlatt sneered, eyes narrowed. His gaze moved from you, to Techno, then to his son. “Whatever, take the bastard for the ridiculous wedding. Like I give a damn.” With his words, he took a swig from the bottle before sauntering out of the dining hall. With his leave, the tension in the room seemed to dissipate.

A relieved sigh escaped Tubbo’s lips as he slumped in his seat, closing his eyes. “Thank you so much,” He mumbled into his hands. You sighed, shaking your head a little. Not exactly what you had expected, but you’d take it. 

“I hate that he keeps calling you that,” Tommy grumbled, while Wilbur just patted his shoulder.

“It gets him away from Schlatt for today, so what’s it matter?” Wilbur offered with a shrug. Tommy just continued to grumble under his breath while Tubbo offered a weak smile.

“You don’t actually have to help with the wedding. I just didn’t feel right leaving you to go with him.” You brushed it off with a smile. It was true, though. You truly didn’t want to send Tubbo off with Schlatt. The man gave off a bad vibe you didn’t like in the slightest. So, coming up with an excuse seemed the most feasible. The king sighed and shook his head, otherwise staying quiet. You had a feeling this wasn’t too different from a normal morning.

“Actually, I wouldn’t mind helping! If everyone doesn’t mind,” Tubbo sheepishly chimed, moving to rub the nape of his neck. Tommy groaned dramatically, slouching in his chair.

“Tubbo, come on. You’re gonna make us do stupid wedding planning all day? With Eret and Wilbur and Techno? At one time?” You snickered a little as he complained, head shaking. Wilbur smacked him in the back of his head in response to his dramatics.

“Your opinion doesn’t count, Tommy.” His voice was so plain, even as the young blonde whined and rubbed the back of his head.

“I’ll show you what does count! I swear, I’ll beat you so hard you won’t be able to remember your own name!” He shoved at his brother, and you shook your head.

“I don’t mind if you tag along, Tubbo. I’m sure the input will be appreciated,” You spoke over the ruckus of Wilbur and Tommy as the two pushed at each other. The words seemed to make Tubbo glow with excitement, almost as if the whole thing with Schlatt hadn’t ever happened.

“Alright, boys, go outside before you break a plate or the table. Go on, do your fighting there.” Philza spoke from behind them, and your head popped up. He must have moved while you were focused on Tubbo. Tommy was stuck beneath Wilbur’s arm, the older yanking him around. Philza unceremoniously pulled out the chairs they sat on, forcing them apart as he shooed them away. He looked exasperated, but fond of their antics all the same.

“I’ll judge!” Tubbo called, standing up hurriedly. He gave a brief, sloppy bow towards the king before running after the two princes.

“Is it like this every morning?” You sat down your utensils, reclining in your seat.

“Not every morning, but a lot of them. It wasn’t always this way,” Eret shook his head but smiled. You turned to Techno, where he stared towards the door with an affectionate look in his eyes. It was almost sweet, seeing the way he gazed after the rambunctious trio.

“It only started to get like that a few years ago. Not quite becoming of princes, but they don’t seem in a rush to behave like royalty.” Techno’s voice had the same fondness his gaze did, and you hummed in acknowledgement as you sipped the last of your tea, cradling the cup close.

“Not anymore, at least. We should go and start doing some planning ourselves,” Philza muttered, turning towards the king. The man nodded, slowly rising from his seat.

“Please see to it your brothers don’t destroy anything this time, Technoblade.” He gave him a pointed look, making him sigh and nod. The king walked away, Philza tailing behind him. Leaving you, Techno, and Eret sitting.

“Well, let’s get started? There’s no telling how long it’ll take. Especially since Wilbur is currently in the process of fighting Tommy.” Eret shook his head as he spoke. You nodded, moving to stand. A hand entered your vision before you could even get to your feet. You shook your head, unable to help a laugh.

“Should I get used to you not letting me get out of my seat on my own?” You managed a lighthearted jab at him as you took his hand, allowing him to gently pull you up.

“Yes.” The way he said it was so flat and monotone, you couldn’t stop the laugh bursting from your lips. You just shook your head, giving a lopsided grin.

“Thank you, Techno. Wanting to teach me to fight but not letting me get out of a chair without hovering.” His lips pursed at that, eyebrows furrowing. Like he saw nothing wrong with it. Not that there truly was, it just seemed almost contradictory. Eret even seemed equally amused, though he didn’t poke at his cousin the way you did.

“I’ll go ahead and get the boys before they destroy each other. I’ll meet you in the ballroom with them.” Techno gently pushed you towards his cousin, before striding off in front of you. You shrugged, walking alongside Eret towards the ballroom.

“It’s gonna be an interesting day, isn’t it?” You questioned, glancing up at Eret. Of course he was tall. It really did run in the family.

“Most likely, yes. They’re never quiet, and Tommy gets antsy quick,” Eret said with a laugh, making you smile. You didn’t think you would mind too much if it made it lively. It would take care of the uneasiness you felt regarding the wedding. A relief to the tension you had a feeling might form if it were just you and Techno.

“You didn’t always live here at the castle?” You broached the silence that had spread over the pair of you, and he hummed a little.

“No. I came around the time I was eight. Their mother was my aunt, and some things happened with my parents. Philza ended up adopting me, so I’m just a cousin on their other side now,” He chuckled, and you nodded. That made some sense. It just seemed the castle was hardly lacking in boys to run the place.

“I see. I imagine that keeps it rather busy here.” You shook your head, following as Eret opened the door to the ballroom.

“Very. Right! This is where the majority of the wedding will be held. The celebrations, namely. The formal ceremony will be held in the gardens, we’ll go through those in a little bit.” Eret clapped his hands together, leading you through the ballroom. He pointed to various spots, explaining the plans he had for the celebrations. You would nod along, pitching in your own opinions when you felt it necessary.

“I think you should go to the brothel and get some women,” A new voice chimed in from near the veranda, making you jump.

“I like the way you think, Big Q! It’s not a party without some women!” Tommy responded, and you turned towards the voices. You blinked at the new person standing among the princes, a lopsided grin on his face. His black hair was splayed messily on his head, smudges of dirt along his face. You had a feeling he had been messing with the other, who also had dirt on their faces and bodies. What a mess. Tubbo and Tommy even seemed to have a few forming bruises on their arms, Tommy’s hidden by the same green bandana he had worn in the portrait you saw in the dining hall. 

“I don’t think the princess is fond of the idea of there being whores at her wedding, Quackity,” Wilbur piped up upon seeing your rather deadpan face. The expression was similarly mimicked by Techno, who stood behind the four of them.

“Princess? Oh- shit!” Quackity did a double take, before giving a hurried bow. Seemingly remembering exactly who he was talking to. Amusement at the almost embarrassed look on his face caused your lips to twitch up into a smile.

“Right. Yes. I would prefer there to not be women from the brothel at my wedding, Quackity.” You tested his name out carefully, and he slowly stood up from his bow. Tommy snickered from behind him, failing to hide his amusement at the fool he seemingly made for himself. He rubbed the back of his neck, laughing softly.

“I would also prefer to keep it that way,” Techno said as he stepped around the group, back towards you. He stood on your other side, leaving you in the middle of the two men. Which made you feel incredibly small.

“You two are so boring, what’s the fun without women?” Tommy groaned, trailing behind Wilbur and Tubbo as they wandered over as well. 

“You’ll have fun anyways, Tommy. You always manage.” Tubbo barely looked at his friend, eagerly listening to Eret as he went over what he had been telling you once more. The group gathered around you, but you hardly minded right now.

“I was thinking, Tubbo and I could do some of the music. We’ll have other musicians too, but I think it’d be nice to be able to play. It’s not every day your little brother gets married,” Wilbur talked, grinning over to Techno. Techno huffed, head shaking as the older affectionately threw out the term.

“Oh, that’d be wonderful!” You lit up with a smile, fully on board with the idea. Wilbur smiled back, seemingly fond of your approval.

“And,” he started, his grin turning almost mischievous, “I think it would be even better if our groom here plays a piece himself. You do play violin after all, Techno.” The words made your hopeful gaze turn towards Techno. He looked almost neutral, though his eyebrows were furrowed and a faint flush painted his cheeks.

“Well, I-” He grumbled, looking down to you and your soft smile. He gave an almost frustrated sigh, looking away. “Fine. I’ll play something.” He huffed a little.

“Perfect! So we’ve got rough plans for the ballroom decorations and the music.” You clapped your hands together, grinning.

“What the hell, Techno? You never play for anyone!” Tommy whined, eyes wide as he looked between you and him.

“It is his wedding, Tommy. It’s only fitting he plays,” Tubbo defended. Tommy, Tubbo, and Quackity bickered about Techno’s playing as Eret led that large group towards the veranda. Techno held your hand as you went down the stairs. Tommy made a mocking gag sound, and Quackity simply imitated Techno, holding his hand out for Tommy.

“Quackity, stop it, I’m not holding your hand,” Tommy complained, nose wrinkling. You shook your head, eyes rolling. They really were like children. 

You peered at the flowers as you walked to the gardens, looking for any you recognized. Eret spoke about the plans, and you absently nodded along. At least until he showed you where the ceremony would be held. “Here?” You murmured curiously, looking at the flowers. Your fingers ran over the petals, trying to note the flowers you did see. The easiest to identify was the roses- why was it always roses? Red bled into the white from the edges, and you smiled just slightly. They were pretty, most of the ones back home were either red, white, or yellow. Rarely hybrids. The only time you received a hybrid of one was from dream, but they were never red and white. Always red and yellow.

Curled near the roses stood a plant with broad green leaves and occasional clumps of pink flowers. It was faintly familiar, and you struggled to place it. You remembered Dream stating that they weren’t the best flower, trying his best to remove it from the gardens. You had no idea why, though, as it seemed to be doing just fine here. A hand grabbed yours as you went to run your fingers along the leaves, tugging it away.

“Careful,” Techno mumbled. He dropped your hand, lifting the leaves carefully. Behind them was a thick branch, coated in thorns. You had barely noticed them, stretching out about an inch. You had been so focused on the flowers.

“Thank you,” you murmured, turning back towards Eret with a soft smile. “This’ll do wonderful. What’s next?”

“That’s most of the basic stuff for decoration at the moment. I think Nihachu wanted to discuss catering? I have to get some stuff together for your dress, but I can come find you when I have,” Eret explained. You nodded, seemingly content with the idea.

“Do we have to come along?” Tommy groaned loudly, clearly growing bored with all of the proceedings. You laughed, head shaking.

“You never had to, Tommy. I think the only people obligated are Techno and I.” You shrugged, letting the group move back towards the castle.

“Come on then, Tubbo. Let’s get out of here, this is so damn boring.” The brunette looked towards you as if for confirmation, and you simply waved your hand. You didn’t expect them to truly tag along for too long. Especially Tommy, he didn’t seem the patient type to deal with planning.

“I’ll come check in later!” Tubbo tried to offer as Tommy, and Quackity, practically dragged him off. For what, you had no idea, but you didn’t want to ask questions. This thinned out the large group, allowing you to let out a soft breath. It was less crowded, which you definitely appreciated.

“Nihachu said she’d be in the dining hall with some samples of food for you to try,” Wilbur spoke, pausing at the top of the veranda. He watched Techno help you up, Eret slipping away from the three of you to go do what he needed.

“Sounds good with me,” You hummed. This might be one of the longer parts of the day, but you didn’t mind. Food was important, especially for a wedding. Even if it was stunning with beautiful music, you knew it would feel empty without proper food. As most celebrations would. Inside the dining hall was the same woman Wilbur was with the day prior, fussing over various plates on the table.

“Nihachu!” Wilbur called, causing the blonde to look up. She grinned up at him, practically bounding over to him to give him a hug. 

“Staying to taste the food?” She asked, focusing on him for a few moments.

“I’d never miss an excuse to eat it outside of meals.” He ruffled her hair, making her wrinkle her nose. She turned towards you and Techno, grin softening to a smile as she curtseyed slightly. 

“I’m Nihachu, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” She greeted warmly. You couldn’t help but return the smile, almost relieved to see another woman among the boys you seemed constantly surrounded by.

“You too. It’s a blessing to have someone who isn’t a prince to deal with.”

“Hey!” Wilbur gasped in offense, echoed by Techno’s quiet ‘Heh?’ of confusion. Nihachu only laughed, covering her mouth with a hand.

“Come on, there’s lots to try and discuss. Everything can be mixed and matched, as well. We have plenty of time between now and the wedding to refine everything.” She motioned the three of you towards the table, pointing to various dishes and explaining them to you. Some of them were unbelievably good, and you made sure to point that out. She seemed pleased with the praise each time, making note to include whatever you praised into the catering.

As she pointed to one of the dishes, you noted the ring on her finger, piquing your interest. “Are you married?” You asked without much thought, motioning to the simple band. Nihachu glanced to the ring, cheeks reddening slightly.

“Oh-! No, not yet, at least. It’s a ring my girlfriend gave me to promise she only had good intentions,” She murmured in embarrassment. Wilbur laughed beside her, trying and failing to hide the fact. She pushed at him slightly, trying to bring the focus back to the food instead. 

After a couple of hours of tasting and discussing, it was finally finished. She seemed content with the feedback, promising she would make sure everything was perfect. She actually seemed quite ecstatic to have the job she did. She simply took the paper she made her notes on, running off towards the kitchens once more.

“Right, all that’s left is the dress. Eret is setting up in one of the spare rooms,” Wilbur informed, motioning towards the exit. “I’m going to help Nihachu clear this.” You looked on in amusement as Wilbur began picking up plates, finding it hilarious that a prince was taking care of dirty dishes. All the same, you didn’t say anything and left the room with Techno. He was quiet as he led you towards the spare rooms, eyebrows furrowed.

“Do you need me to help with the dress?” He murmured, not exactly looking at you as he hovered outside the door. You blinked a little, processing the information. He didn’t want to help? Then you realized you were probably getting measurements taken, and who knew what else. Was he too embarrassed to help?

“I should be fine. Why don’t you go talk to your father about getting Tubbo a room here? Get him away from Schlatt,” you offered an alternative with a smile. A look of relief flooded his eyes, and he nodded.

“I’ll come get you in a while,” He informed, watching as you slid into the room. Eret smiled at you from where he was hovering over various fabrics, motioning you towards the middle of the room.

“I see everyone decided to abandon you,” he joked, picking up a strip of paper and walking towards you. All too familiar with the process that was about to happen, you lifted your arms. Eret took the paper, placing it against your arm and marking it.

“Wilbur decided to stick with Nihachu, and Techno really was trying to find a reason to not come in here,” You laughed, watching as Eret moved around, taking various measurements and marking them onto the strip he was using.

“That sounds like him. You send him off?” He leaned down, wrapping the strip around your waist snuggly.

“Told him to talk to his father about getting Tubbo one of the spare rooms in the castle, the boys mentioned it yesterday and I see why.”

“Schlatt is questionable at best. It would do Tubbo good to get away from him. I need to measure your legs,” He murmured, eyebrows furrowing. His cheeks painted pink, and he seemed to have only just realized what it entailed.

“It’s just measurements, Eret. It’s not scandalous,” you muttered reassuringly. You shifted the skirts of your dress as needed. Eret fell silent, seemingly embarrassed as he crouched in front of you to do the needed measurements on your legs. You tried your best to not laugh at how flustered he seemed, keeping any comments to yourself.

“Right, okay,” he cleared his throat, standing up and walking back towards the fabrics. You followed, peering over his shoulder. “Is this everything you were hoping for?”

“It’s… not, no. I never really planned to have a wedding with the prince of another kingdom, let alone one who was to become king. I thought I’d marry a noble in my own kingdom and live out my life there,” You explained. Eret picked up one of the white fabrics, holding it against your body and examining it. For what, exactly, you weren’t sure. Still, you let him do as he needed.

“That makes sense. Are you disappointed with this, though?” He seemed to want to talk, but you weren’t entirely against it. Not many people had cared to ask you how you felt about this whole thing. 

“No, not at all. It presents options I was never granted back home.” Eret held up a delicate lace, layering it over a fabric to hold against you.

“Good. Hopefully everything turns out as you want it to. I think that should be all now? There’s not too much to be done until the dress is actually made,” He murmured, setting the fabrics down.

“Perfect, just call on me whenever you need me to check in or anything.” You beamed, only glancing at the fabrics as he continued to shift through them. You truly trusted him on whatever he was deciding to make. Everyone here seemed competent enough, though it made you feel a little useless. You supposed all you could do truly was offer feedback, which they seemed content with. 

Techno was leaned against a wall outside the room, glancing up when you opened the door. You smiled at him, and he simply pushed off the wall, motioning towards where your rooms were. “Get changed, put on pants,” He said flatly, making you arch an eyebrow at him.

“What for, exactly?” You questioned, following him all the same.

“Unless you want to learn to fight in a dress.” He glanced at you, eyebrows raised in question. Your stomach flipped in excitement, and you desperately suppressed the urge to run to your room.

“I think pants would be better for that,” you laughed, nerves leaking through the sound. Finally, you were going to learn to fight. Next Chapter | >

[iammissingautumn]

Some other quotes from Tommy’s stream.

Jack: “You died and you think you’re all that. And you think you know everything.”

Tommy: “I don’t think I’m all that! I died.”

Jack: “I died!”

Jack: “We died!”

-

Tommy about Tubbo: “He’s staring at me like I’m not even real. And he’s got a new best friend.... a new husband!”

-

Tommy: “I died! And now I’m not even back!!”

“I can’t believe so many people think I’m dead.”

-

T: “Connor I died and it feels like I’m straight back there. Being punched to death. I need to be honest with you, it feels like I’m right there. I fall to the ground and I die and I see it and then I’m here for months. I was there for months Connor. In the void.”

-

Tommy, to L’Manberg: “I fucking miss when times were simpler. All I had to worry about was defeating one big green guy and all I had to do was follow someone else’s lead. But now it looks like I’m gonna have to follow my own lead.”

-

Tommy to Ranboo, about Tubbo: “He just looked at your ass.”

-

Ranboo: “Did Sam lie?”

T: “Sam did not lie. I was gone.”

Ranboo: “You were... gone...?”

-

Tommy: “Why’s he looking at you like that? Why’s he— is he your best friend?”

Ranboo: “Yeah he’s one of my best friends, yeah.”

T: “......Cool.”

-

Quackity: “I don’t know what kind of sick fucking joke this is. Halloween was a long time ago and for you to be dressing up as a deceased person. I dont know who’s doing this, I don’t know who’s doing this shit— this shit is so disrespectful. I encourage you to go change your skin right now. Because this is not funny. This is not funny at all.

T: “..okay....”

Quackity: “You sound like him too...”

-

“I know I’m here but... I still feel fucking dead.”

“And I’m not even Tubbo’s best friend anymore....”

“I cant do this anymore. I cant keep being dead. I cant keep being the one in the middle. I cant keep being the one alone in the middle. I need to kill Dream. And I need to do it soon.”

Jack Manifold Stream Quotes!

“Thank you for the raid Tommy! Thank you! Oh just remembered, You’re a dick head! Oops! Brain slipped there!”

“I shouldn’t have grieved Tommy the day he died. I lost my friend a long time ago.”

“Because Tommyinnit isn’t my friend and he hasn’t been my friend for a long time. All that remains is a ball of chaos. [Dream]’s in [prison] and Tommy’s still going the thing that he’s always done. Going after him. And all that happens is other people get hurt. Tubbo, me, Niki, everyone!”

“Dream didnt bring back a friend with that book, he brought back a monster.”

“He said that he came back and learned a lot. What did he learned? Because he just seemed to prove he didn’t change. All he did was belittle me and talk over me. He changed none.”

“Dream needs a *book* to bring himself back. Man does not. Does man need book, right chat?”

“Someone in chat said ‘if you knew what Tommy went through.—‘ if Tommy knew what *I* went through than we wouldn’t have any of this. I’d be up to talk. But he Isnt.”

-

Niki: “We literally tried to nuke this child and he’s still alive, so can you blame me?” [for not believing Tommy was dead]

Jack: “Well Dream beat him to death with a potato so I bet that makes us feel better about the nuke plan”

-

Niki: “Jack, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to kill Tommy. Ya know Tommy has gone through a lot to and it’s not his fault Wilbur..-“

Jack: “He sacrificed nations and people for little discs of vinyl. He’s been through a lot but we haven’t sacrificed others like he has.”

N: “You’re right but... we don’t really need nations... do we Jack?”

-

[After Niki describes her village as people take what they need as they need it and not having a government]

Jack:“What happens when someone comes along and wants to take too much? What then?”

Niki:“Nothing! I just.. I just built this place. That’s all. No one runs this place.”

-

Jack to Niki: “Every time I’ve tried to go on and do my own thing he comes and ruins the picture. I cant go and do my own things. Today he came and shrugged me off and dismissed me. He hasn’t change and he’s gonna keep this up! I want to take him down.”

-

Jack: “ ‘Been through a lot.’ ’been through a lot’ it’s like she forgot everything. Everything we went through together. As if it never happened. How do you just moved on? Knowing that he’s still alive and could do it all over again. It’s great she has baking and chickens and being an anarchist or whatever. But how. How, if she’s really with me, does she turn and look at me and go ‘yeah but he’s been through a lot’ as if he’s not gonna go back and do it again.”

J: “At least Tommy was killed by his enemy. Someone he knew would kill him. I got killed by my best friend.”

J: “That books didn’t bring back my friend. He brought back Dream’s toy.”

“I have never in my life have been so pleased to hear the words ‘You look poor.’ ” - After Foolish gave him two diamond blocks

Chat: “It’s time to ‘be worse’ Jack Manifold. Be worse to make the world better.”

Jack: “That’s a good point, chat. Good point...”

[nyoomgoboom]

not to intrude...

on the note of that last stream... the way everyone reacted? i might have written a lil thing at 3 am... (threw in techno too)

~

The path had never seemed so grim. It never truly belonged to anyone else, not since he walked across and made it his. Weathered from use, the boards leaned and creaked, as if welcoming their oldest friend home. He would never make it home.

The flowers crawled upward in the sky, stretching and spreading in the downpour. Not a day old, they couldn’t know the history. Perhaps it was a blessing, a closure in a new beginning. At least he would get to have that.

Ranboo looked on. There weren’t the right words. The rain poured in small rivers off the edges of his umbrella, pattering against the wood uncomfortably. Was it his own fault? Was this even real? How much did he truly remember? How much would he forget? Nothing seemed to make sense anymore, did it? Not in a long time. But so long as Ranboo had been here, so had he. It couldn’t be that he was... gone. How long would it be until his name would be unrecognizable? How long until Ranboo was? A single, steady exhale blew past his lips. This place, Ranboo thought, was too much. The prison was ever present in all their lives, dominating the skyline beyond the hotel. It was watching them, waiting for them, waiting for Ranboo. Curling in his tail, Ranboo took one last look at the home in the earth. It would make a good resting place. He would be lucky to have that. Stoic, Ranboo turned. The path murmured under his feet, and the thread between him and the prison stretched taut behind him.

Jack couldn’t win, could he? There was nothing in revenge, nothing in death. He was gone now, and Jack felt no joy. Only a strange sort of respect. He hadn’t died a hero, he had never wanted to be. He was a kid, Jack realized, seeing the burrow in the ground all over again. He was a kid who had nothing but the clothes on his back, the discs in his hand, and a sort of purpose Jack never had. He took everything from Jack, and yet never had anything much at all. Perhaps that was worth something. Jack took a step back, feeling the presence of the hotel looming behind him. But what was Jack without him?

It had been a long time since Quackity had spoken to Tommy. The whirlwind he lived, Schlatt to Karl and Sapnap, war games and politics from Manburg to El Rapids to Kinoko, all of it seemed so... fresh. Because he was what started this whole mess, wasn’t he? Drug heists like delinquent children, scamming and cheating like there was no law. And there wasn’t. Times were simpler then. And suddenly there was divide, and work to be done and justice to be served and love to be had and revenge to be enacted... and yet, their battles were ultimately the same. Would Quackity have suffered the same fate? There was guilt. There was regret. But mostly, the painful churn in his stomach that it could have been anyone, but it was just him, just the little boy who wanted to scam and play and laugh. It could have been anyone. Quackity’s eyes burned, proof the wet on his face wasn’t just the rain. He stalked away, too jerky in his movements, too much determination in his step. He raised his chin to the clouds. There was hell yet to pay.

It took a moment to slot the disc into the jukebox; his hands were so shaky, betraying the blank expression on his face. He cradled the other disc to his chest. Safekeeping. He would hold on to the disc for now, until he was back. He was coming back. It’s what he would’ve wanted. The music began to drift, scattered by the rain. It seemed to phase in and out of Tubbo’s awareness as he sat, staring out over the cliff side. The water soaked through his pants as he curled into himself on the bench, the sound of rustling leaves overhead. If he thought hard enough, he was right there beside him, as if they had won another battle, like they always did. They always would. They were always meant to. Tubbo didn’t notice when the music ended. He didn’t notice the new flowers as they lined the entrance of the house as each visitor came, lined up like soldiers in bloom. He didn’t notice the creak of the path, not the light of the sun as it peeked over the horizon, not the unusual quiet in the lands as they woke. He’d be back. And if Tubbo thought hard enough, he was already there with him. It was hard to tell, sometimes.

It was torture, the prison. Watching, just watching the inmate. Watching the blood dry, on the floor, on his knuckles, on Sam’s own hands. Why hadn’t he listened? He refused Bad’s offer to go home, Frost’s offer to take a shift off. He was the warden, and this was his prison, and he was responsible for it, and dammit there was blood on the walls and tears on his face and the inmate, sitting there, indifferent. The monster. Sam seemed to be choking on nothing, choking all the same. Why hadn’t he listened? How could he listen to the screams, trapping him in a cage with a beast... for his own safety? How stupid could Sam have been? He collapsed again, driving his palms into his eyes until he saw red and the familiar flash of twisted limbs and a cold, slack face. Gasping, he opened his eyes again. The monster smiled back at him. It was torture, this prison.

Technoblade took the news quietly. Paper burned in the fireplace, crackling as Phil poked at it, unable to do much more but ease the indomitable shock. Ranboo, for his size, took the smallest space in the room he had ever. It was hard not to, the weight of the news in the room larger than any mob, than any explosion could have caused. Techno took Steve out quietly, the two of them walking, etching a path in the snow until Techno didn’t recognize where he was. It was quiet here. Too quiet. It was quiet everywhere. Not even the voices that plagued his head had much to say, but... the kid’s voice was missing. Of course, it had been gone for a while, but now the hollow of the air seemed so profound, so profoundly wrong. There was no sound of opening chests, no rummaging raccoon, no creaking floorboards or incessant snacking. It was the most oppressive quiet Technoblade had ever felt in his life. It might have been hours until Ranboo found him, collapsed beside Steve, face buried in the fur and throat scratchy and hoarse from filling the silence. It was hard to get used to the quiet again.

This symphony, half-written and ripped; it was never meant to finish. The last notes hung on a beg for mercy and a shaky, bloodied breath. What symphony can you have when your orchestra is shattered?

~

[chandelier-s-notebook]

Doodlewash April 2021 prompt 25: Sailboat

If anyone wants to be part of a taglist of this Pirate AU, feel free to message me/send an ask/ mention it in reblogs/leave a comment.

Taglist: @sleepysnails

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Tommy and Tubbo row their little sailboat to get somewhere. They go for so long that Tubbo gets tried.

“Get some rest. I’ll keep guard.”

“Mkay.”

Tommy takes off his coat and drapes it over his friend’s tired form. “Good night Tubbo.”

“Night Tommy.” He snuggles down into the coat. “Don’t let us get eaten by monsters. Okay ?”

“Of course Tubzo.”

Tommy honestly didn’t know where to go. They had been living the pirate’s life for two years at this point, but it was much simpler to find a job at port than on the ocean. Tommy decided to head due west; he knew there was land that way.

Eventually, hours later, as dawn cusps on their backs, Tommy sees another ship on the horizon.

What to do? They didn’t have any provisions and had no idea where they were. All Tommy knew was that they were probably in pirate waters because Wilbur hated riding the official channels and they had just set off two days prior. They couldn’t have gotten too far. Now to wonder if the ship was friendly or hostile?

Tommy glanced over at Tubbo.

He’d have to chance it.

Tommy went forth and started rowing towards the ship. He was still a good distance away when a voice yelled down at him from the starboard. “Halt!”

Tommy looked up to the banister, where he saw a woman with pink hair and a brown caplet looking down at him through the barrel of a gun.

“Who are you?” she asked. “What do you want?”

“Safety!” Tommy yelled up at her. He brought the oars back up into the boat. He shifted closer to Tubbo and obviously put his hand on the pistol at his side. “Who are you?”

“You first boy! We don’t take stowaways.”

“But we haven’t even stowedaway yet,” Tommy joked.

The lady gave him an unamused smile.

“Tommy! Tommy Soot!”

“Soot?” The lady lowered her gun slightly. She then brought it back up. “You aren’t a Soot,” she accused. “Captain Soot has no family.”

Tommy put one hand up in a placating manner; but he did so in a way that provided cover for Tubbo. His other stayed at the gun. “I took on the name!”

“When?”

“Within the past few months! I was a deckhand aboard the S.S. Sally for Captain Soot!”

“And your friend?”

“Him the same! We worked together!”

“Tommy what’s going on?”

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

The lady moves to point her gun to Tubbo. “What’s your name boy?”

“Tubbo Underscore,” he answers immediately. “You?” he asks, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

She lowered her weapon and looked at them straight on. She saw them not as threats, but as two haggard and defensive boys on a sailboat. “Underscore?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

She pointed the barrel back to Tommy. “And what are you doing with the young Lord Underscore? Using the name Soot no-less.”

“Living!” Tommy responded.

Tubbo smacked his arm.

“I won’t be harbouring rich boys on my ship.”

“Wonderful,” Tommy yelled. “Can we go now? Pretty sure you don’t want to me the lady who kills us either!”

She lowered her weapon, but kept it pointed at them. “You worked for Captain Soot?”

“If you’re gonna keep us just to turn us in for cash we don’t want your hospitality!” Tubbo shouted. “We know he’s a wanted man! We won’t turn him in.”

“A pirate’s life is no place for a Lordling,” the lady says.

“It’s been two years and I’m still alive!”

She turned to Tommy, “Why’s you call yourself Soot?”

“Aren’t we all entitling to our reasons?”

The lady sighed deeply. She brought her gun back over the banister. “We’ll find out your secrets young man!”

“It’s been two years and I’m still alive!” Tommy parroted.

“Do you boys have any helpful skills?”

“Steady hands!” Tubbo said. “I can tie a good knot.”

“I’m a good shot!”

The lady took them in once more. “I’ll go speak to the Captain for you boys. I’m Niki.”

“Hi Niki!”

“I’ll throw you a rope. Stay close.”

“Yes Ma’am!” Tubbo grabbed the rope when it fell to their level. “Thank you Ma’am!” He dragged Tommy back into his seat. “Why did you call yourself Soot?” Tubbo scolded.

“Like I was going to tell a pirate that I’m Tommy Blade,” he scoffed.

“So you decided to say Soot?”

“What was a supposed to do? Say I’m an orphan with no last name?”

“Yes!”

“Then what the fuck am I doing with a protective arm over Lordling Tubbo Underscore?”

Tubbo finished tying the knot and glared at him. “But you literally did that! You just gave yourself a fake last name.”

“Look I just said the first thing that come to mind.”

“So you admit to not thinking?”

“Look.” Tommy put his hand on Tubbo’s shoulder. “That name will get us something okay? And it’s not a lie. Wilbur was calling me his little brother. It’s fine. We’ll have his good word when we find him again.”

“Or this other pirate Captain isn’t going to want an enemy on their ship!”

“Captives are kept safe,” Tommy countered.

“Yeah but I’m Tubbo Underscore, we were gonna get held captive anyways.”

“Oh yeah, why didn’t you bother lying about that?”

“My face is plastered on missing posters all over the country. Wilbur recognized me instantly. There’s no point.” Tubbo sat back in his seat while the vessel they were tethered to started moving. “I don’t know how you get away with it. Your brother is far more famous among men then mine it liked by his favourite supporters.”

“Techno kept me hidden Tubbo. No one even knows I exist. I grew up in your estate. Remember?”

“Yep. That over there is just Tommy innit?” Tubbo nudged his shoulder jokinhly.”Nothing special about him. He’s just working with the guards.”

“Oi shut up!”

“What’s Techno gonna think when he finds out you took a pirate’s last name?”

“Ugh. I’ll deal with that later.”

“Young Lord Underscore!” Niki yelled down.

“If you’re going to call me that please call me Lordling,” Tubbo yelled. “Also please don’t call me that!”

“The Captain is letting you and your friend aboard. We’re sending down a net. Climb in.”

Tommy and Tubbo scrambled into the net. They held on tight as they were hoisted up onto the deck. Tommy jumped up first, and he held out an arm to help Tubbo up.

“This way.”

They then followed Niki to the captain’s room at the stern.

The door opened.

“Captain Puffy.” Niki gestured to the lady with the long rainbow hair in the middle of the room. “Lordling Tubbo Underscore.” Niki winked at Tubbo. “And his friend who calls himself Tommy Soot.” Niki turned to face Captain Puffy directly, “Let us hope Captain Soot can back the claim young man.”

“He can’t,” Tommy admitted. “But he’ll vouch that he knows me.” Tommy looked to the side. “If he made it out of the attack alive,” he muttered.

“Attack?” Captain Puffy asked.

“The ship was attacked. Wilbur sent Tubbo and I on our way.”

Captain Puffy and Niki shared a troubled look.

“Where is he?”

“Don’t know,” Tommy said. “We’ve only been on the sea alone since yesterday afternoon.”

“Was he hurt?”

“He didn’t have a bullet wound when we left.”

Captain Puffy stepped away from her desk and into Tommy’s space. “You called yourself Soot?”

“Yeah.”

“You referred to Captain Soot as Wilbur.”

“Yeah.”

Captain Puffy turned to Tubbo. “Did you do the same?”

“Yes Ma’am. I called him Wilbur.”

“Your friend’s name isn’t Soot is it?”

“No Ma’am.”

“What is it?”

“No Ma’am.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Did you meet him before or after leaving your estate?”

“He grew up on the estate with me.”

“With you?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

Captain Puffy turned back to Tommy. “So you admit that Soot it’s your name.”

“Yeah.”

“Then why did you say your name was Tommy Soot to Niki?”

Tommy looked back to Captain Puffy. “Got us on the ship didn’t it? I mean it was probably Tubbo’s name, but it worked.”

Captain Puffy and Niki shared another look. “Are you boys okay sharing a cot?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“We’ll be fine.”

“You each get half rations before you prove yourselves. If you do, you’ll get full rations and a place on this ship if you want it. If you don’t, you’ll stay with half rations and we’ll drop out off at port.”

“Thank you Ma’am.”

“We won’t let you down Captain Puffy.”

[watermelonbird]

A fanfic of Quackity learning how to care for his employees, starting with a slime

I sent an ask about this and you wanted to tagged so @dreamsclock here this is!

Charlie is a weird dude Quackity has to admit. His decision to recruit him seemed smarter at the beginning. Learning about the slime makes him more hesitant to include him in anything. But right now he’s acting odder than usual.

¨I am a normal human and since you are also a normal dude, can I ask you a question, person to person?¨ Charlie asked, pushing into Quackitys office.

¨Fine, keep it quick¨

¨Well, my head hurts? And I am kinda achy? And I feel super warm? And-

¨Charlie! That is all just normal human stuff, that if you were a human, you would know, and since you definitely are a human, these things must be normal to you!¨

¨Us humans are some strange creatures, aren't we? Charlie says with an attempted smile on his face.

¨Mhm yeah, just get out of my office.

Charlie did not realize being a human would be this difficult with all the pains and gross feelings people have to go through. He just wishes he could go back into a nice damp hole.

Quackity called a meeting of some of the members of Las Nevadas.

¨I need some dirt on Karl and Sapnap because they have a riviling country or territory or whatever type of paradise that Kiniko Kingdom is. And that can be dangerous to my whole operation!¨

¨I think, and this might be a dumb guess but perhaps its a Kingdom? Just an idea¨ Purpled muttered.

¨I don't need any of your fucking sass.¨ Quackity rubbed a hand over his face, carefully missing his scar, ¨this is why you dont work with teenagers, they all fucking suck. You and Tubbo and Tommy and even that Ranboo kid was an annoying pushover!¨

¨Dude, it's obvious that the only reason you want to spy on those two is because you miss dating them! It's fine. Love fails, you gotta move on¨ Foolish sighed

¨Where Charlie? I want a nice person who respects me!¨

¨I respect you Quackity and while I do not know what Kiniko Kingdom is since I have kinda been in isolation for a while, I would not mind checking it out!¨

¨Course Fundy, you're such a good pal but I want you to lay back and relax, you don't have to worry about what's happening at all.

¨Cool, yeah yeah I understand¨

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Quackity walks over to Charlie's room which was right next to his.

¨Slimecicle, what's been up with you? I'm a very busy man and I can't afford for my spy to get lazy, you understand me?

¨Ah, well I heard that when humans get sad or feel bad we just lay down so¨

¨We don't have time for this Charlie! We dont have time for your stupid crisis! I need you to suck it up because that's what humans do!

Quackity grabs one of the slime man's arms and immediately regrets it looking at the slime residue that rubbed off on him. He pulls up Charlie and fixes his shirt.

¨Besides we’re friends and it really sucks that I am working my ass off and you are just lazing around because of a little emotion. Nothing like that has ever held me down!¨

Charlie yawns, ¨You make a good point Quackity of Las Nevadas.¨

¨Of course I do, and I´m so excited to see the info you catch of the residents of Kiniko Kingdom, you can do that right?¨

¨Sure! I got you, friend!¨

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Charlie knew he wasn't being the best friend to Quackity but he was not feeling as good and goopy as usual.

But this was his first official spy job and he was gonna do a great job and extra show that he does not need to be killed! Quackity gave him slight directions but seemed strained talking about this place. Charlie wondered if it had anything to do with the drama of their recent relationship and if they were still together or not. But he's sure that this spy job is for purely professional reasons and totally not a pathetic attempt to see if his exes miss him!

Charlie went along the path he was told but he saw a small damp looking hole and decided to jump in. He had really missed this environment. The Casino was always really warm and Charlie wanted to ask Quackity to lower it but the one time he did, the duck hybrid got teary and muttered that if his fiance was here, the heating system wouldn't be necessary.

Slimicicle had felt lightheaded the past few days and he figured a nap would be the perfect way to rejuvenate. Not thinking about his mission or when he was expected back.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quackity was kinda freaking out, It had been hours after when Charlie agreed to come back, he knew he was a bit absentminded but he should have realized when it got dark it was time to come back. He knew that his fiances were jerks who abandoned him but would they attack or even worse kill an innocent slime? He knew he should have done a simpler first mission, he just wanted to hear any news on his fiances and figured this would be a smart way to get info.

Quackity sighed, ¨Hey Purpled, I'll have to rescue Charlie, fucker managed to mess up even the simplest of tasks¨

¨It's obvious you care for him, don't put up that bs with me, I really don't care about you enough¨

¨I don't! And as your boss, you don't get to use that voice with me¨

¨Okay bossman¨, Purpled mocked

Quackity ran out of Las Nevadas and into the forest. He briefly wondered if this was running just to find the corpse of the slime. Or would there be tiny broken Charlies? He shook his head, not wanting to focus on grim things like that.

¨Charlie? It's me! Quackity from Las Nevadas! Your friend! Charl-

He got cut off by falling into a crevice.

¨Oh my god, this is just the type of hole he would have liked¨ Quackity sniffled

¨Oooh can I meet this He you´re talking about? Because I also really like this hole!¨ Charlie exclaimed

Quackity reached out, putting his hands on Charlie's slimy cheeks

¨You're okay? I was so worried!

¨I just sat down in this hole and fell asleep

¨Well I am glad that you learned how to sleep I guess? But man, your face is really warm right now¨

Charlie leaned his head further into Quackitys hands, ¨Mmhhm¨

¨Are you- are you sick?¨

¨Doesn't that mean cool cause if so yeahh¨

¨No buddy, that's not what that means, it means you don't feel well

¨But you said to suck it up if I don't feel well? And you neverr take care of yourself?

¨Well, uh, exceptions can be made of course, if you're feeling bad enough! Which I never am! I sometimes may feel a little down however Its an easy fix that for me, working more totally helps with!

But I guess for you, you'll need someone to take care of you? Is that true? Quackity sighed, already knowing he would regret this but whenever he was sick he just imagined his fiance's caring for him again and he thinks maybe, maybe he should help Charlie

¨Ugh come up and out of the hole, let's go home.¨

¨Well Quackity of Las Nevadas while I would love to go back, this hole is comfy and damp and the environment I should be in. Las Nevadas is great, however it is hot, and I always feel like I am melting in the housing units .

¨Oh, how about I fix your bedroom up? Make it chiller and more¨, Quackity gags ¨damp¨

¨Really? You'd do that? Thank you, friend!

He hops forward and does a partial hug with Quackity, not having the strength to fully embrace him.

Quackity picks the slime up in a bridal style carry with Charlie being in awe.

¨Wow, you're really strong

¨Yeah buddy, and I'll fix you up and you'll be perfectly fine. Uh, just for work reasons, I totally don't care for you.

¨Quackity from Las Nevadas, I think you're being sarcastic and I love you¨

“... I love you too”

[nebraska-is-a-myth]

Mourn the living, raise the dead - Part 8

Sorry for such a long wait for this chapter, please don't kill me

Masterlist

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Tommy has had to do a lot of mourning in his short time on earth. For years he mourned the loss of a mother he never met, and the normal life he never had. After that he mourned the loss of friends and family when his father took him halfway across the world to live in some shitty American apartment, which eventually led to the mourning of his dad. Killed in a car accident and leaving Tommy orphaned at the age of 11. He mourned every single failed foster placement until he eventually found solace in the shadow of Technoblades power and willingness to let scrawny little 15 year old Tommy into his life. But good things don't like Tommy. They let him think that maybe this time it will be better, and then everything crumbles before him and he's back to square one. Alone. Another piece of his heart breaking from the hurt. So when he was forced to mourn Technoblade, Tommy had given up any hope that happiness would find him again. Even when Dream took him in and proved to him time and time and again that he wouldn't leave him, Tommy never really let himself be happy in fear of losing everything all over again. But something inside him changed when he met Tubbo. Tubbo was sweet and kind and chose Tommy over everyone else and he never could quite comprehend why someone like Tubbo would choose someone like him. Countless times Tommy had kept on trying to distance himself from the other boy, but every time Tommy was in a bad mood or tried to push him away, Tubbo always seemed to find him with a hug and a smile (and all the proper tools to cause some chaos, weather that be hotwiring a car or setting an abandoned house on fire, where there was a Tubbo, there was a crime) Tubbo forced himself into Tommy's life and chained himself to Tommy. Physically and metaphorically. So over time, Tommy learnt that maybe letting people in wasn't so bad after all. Wilbur, Fundy and Eret came into his life all at once and one by one they all became his family. Something Tommy never thought he would have in this life. He felt loved for the first time since he moved out of his home town, and maybe he would be okay with everything that had happened in his life if it meant it would lead him to this point. 

Mourning Eret seemed different. 

Tommy felt empty and hollow, like a piece of him had drowned with his friend. Parts of what happened are still blurry to him, but he remembers the pain he felt when he realized Eret would never hold him again. He wouldn't be able to tell him to shut up when he told nonsense stories or chase him around town after stealing something when they were supposed to be out grocery shopping. He wouldn't be able to comfort Tommy after a nightmare or play silly games with him in Wilbur's living room. All he could feel was the pain in his chest and the rasp in his throat after crying into the night. Funnily enough, all his physical injuries were gone. His leg had healed past the need for his crutches almost as if there was never any damage there at all. (“Are you sure you're not in any pain Tommy.” “Yes Will I'm bloody sure now stop poking me”) Mourning Eret felt like a punch to the guy or a black eye, he almost wishes someone would punch him just so he could feel something other than the overwhelming sadness that's taken over him.

Wilbur became his rock in the hours after it happened. First Tommy was mad at the older man after dragging him out of the water, but then Tommy just cried into Wilbur's shoulder and he hasn't really left his side since. He doesn't know whether it's because he doesn't want to be alone, or if he’s afraid that he’s going to lose Wilbur too.

They don't get much time to process everything before everyone is thrown back into the reality that they are still going to war in less than a day. (Tommy barely has time to search the smoldering rubble of Wilbur's office for Erets spare glasses before they’re all called back into training and preparations. The glasses are scratched and a little damaged but Tommy just slips a chain around his neck and wears them proudly around his chest) There isn't time for a proper funeral, not yet. Tommy doesn't really like the idea of having to bury an empty coffin either, so for now the remaining four pay their respects by setting Erets car ablaze. Fundy came up with the idea, sort of reminiscent of a Viking funeral. None of them could bear to sit in it any longer without bursting into tears, so after making the final preparation for their confrontation with dream smp the following day, they all ride out to the beach and park the car on the cool sand. Nobody's left in the city to stop them. Once the sun has set and the stars have come out, Wilbur lights the match and the car goes up in flames before them, along with memories of one of their closest friends. 

They all lie in the sand together for a while, looking up at the night sky and reminiscing about the good times when everything was so much simpler. When Eret was alive. 

“Do you remember Fundys birthday, when we all went bowling and Tommy almost got us arrested?”

“I did not almost get us arrested Tubbo.”

Tommy has his resting against Wilbur's midsection as the older man strokes his fingers through the blonds hair, he feels Wilbur chuckle and he thinks he can almost hear him smile.

“You absolutely almost got us arrested, we practically had to sprint out of that bowling alley.”

“Okay so maybe I shouldn't have thrown myself down one of the lanes, but I needed that strike and Fundy was cheating!”

“I was not cheating, if anyone was cheating it was Eret!”

They don't mean for it to go silent, but the wind steals their conversation every time their friend's name is mentioned. But this time, Tubbo doesn't let it get carried away into the night.

“Do you think he’s up there, looking down on us?”

Wilbur doesn't know how to answer, he continues to stroke his hand through tommy's hair and thinks for a moment. He never really believed in heaven or hell, or the afterlife, just a big vast void of nothingness. But as he stares up at one of the brightest stars in the sky, he sees the way it sparkles at him, almost as if it's looking down onto his little family of four, protecting them from what's to come. In that moment, every thought about the afterlife leaves him, and all he can focus on, is the way the star looks at him.

“I think, in some way, yeah, he is. He’s also probably shouting at us for destroying his car.”

He hears the other three chuckle and he smiles up at the star.

Wilbur was never any good at science when he was a kid, but he knows that stars don't just disappear. He knows that stars can fizzle out, and they can burn for over hundreds of years, but they're always there. He finds comfort in knowing that if he ever misses his friend, he can just look up at the stars and everything will be alright.

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The next day the remainder of L’manburg stands tall against the leaders of the dream smp on the outskirts of the city. Sapnap is standing with a gun already in his hands to greet them and Tommy can hear Tubbo swallow his fear. Tommy can feel Dreams eyes on him the second he comes into eyeshot, but Tommy's face remains impartial to the older man. George sniggers when he sees Tommy wearing the ugliest looking sunglasses and almost makes a joke about the boy stealing his brand, but Dream beats him to it.

“Gentlemen, have you made your choice.”

Dream hopes with all his heart that they choose defeat. He doesn't want to fight l’manburg for power or land or money, he wants to run away with his tail between his legs if it means he doesn't have to raise his gun at any of them. But George and sapnap are twisting his arm behind his back, if he doesn't do this then he’ll be kicked from the top spot in the food chain. And even though he doesn't care for social hierarchy, if George or sapnap were in charge, chaos and death would flood through the city. He doesn't want to fight Tommy, or Wilbur, or anyone for that matter, but if it means sapnap or George wont gun them down without a second though, he will pretend that fighting them is what he wants.

“You have taken everything from us dream, even when we thought we had nothing left you took our oxygen and you left us to suffocate. If it means laying down our lives today for independence, then so be it. But that blood will be on your hands.”

Dream wants to stop this, to stop everything now before it's too late. But he sees the fire burning in sapnaps eyes and his throat goes dry.

“How does it feel by the way, does Erets death feel good on your conscious Dream.”

George lets out a high pitch laugh and even sapnap seems to crack a smile.

“Its not fucking funny you-”

“Not now Tommy.”

Wilbur silences Tommy and turns back to the masked man.

“Independence, or death. You chose dream.”

Sapnap steps forwards and points his gun at fundys face.

“Well if you insist.”

Dream raises his hand and sapnap lowers his weapon, disappointment clearly hung across his face.

“Before all that nonsense, do you mind if we call in one more person, wouldn't want it to be an unfair fight now would we.”

As George finishes speaking a red sports car comes revving into view from behind the dream team, Wilbur wants to vomit at how George looks excited by it all. When the car stops just behind the trio, the team watches the driver's side open and sees Punz step out of the car. Wilbur finds it strange how he doesn't seem to be carrying any weapon, and he clearly lacks the same body armor as the rest of his team.

That is until the passenger door opens.

And Eret steps out of the car.

[pparkerpoetry]

Face Reality (Part 8)

Title: A Touch Too Close to Insanity (and the comfort of a family written in the stars)

Summary: The castle has fallen and so have the skies, but which one of them is the Atlas that keeps it up? Is it the traveler, who carries the burden of what was undone but is forever in his mind, or is it the one that, without, the world would have ended in fire long ago?

or, Ranboo picks up more strays. (ft. family fluff)

- Chapter One  - Chapter Nine

Masterlist

So, Ranboo did his best to make sure that no one was alone for long. He could tell when people needed longer to gather their thoughts, but he made sure to intervene before they spiraled. He made sure to intervene before it was too late. 

_______________

Ranboo didn’t like being alone. He doubted anyone else truly did, either. They might seek out a space of their own, they might avoid contact for a day, but in the end, they came back. The thing was, after all they’d been through, the line between alone and lonely was growing as thin as the good graces of the gods.

Sometimes this extended to people outside of his family, and sometimes, he was late. Not too late, but certainly overdue.

The sun was shining, and Ranboo had woken up with restless limbs. He needed to leave his room, he needed to leave this little hole in the wall. Not permanently, just for a break.

After he yelled out a goodbye to Sam and was answered back several times over, Ranboo took a stroll down memory lane in the form of a thin wood path that was worn and old. There were places where he had to step over rotting planks, and he didn’t entirely trust it, but the buildings that lined it brought him to a different time. He’d changed since then, so had his surroundings, and though he was happy, a part of him wished for simpler times. 

Were they simple? Or was his mind just lying to him? He wasn’t sure anymore.

Ranboo paused at the end of a giant crater, the huge flag set at the bottom still waving. He managed a weak smile, and thought of the times that he hadn’t been a part of. Did the others miss those times? Or was his mind just coming up with reasons to pity himself? He wasn’t sure. He never had been.

He turned when his eyes started watering with the tears he’d never shed back then, and his eyes landed on a castle. The castle, he supposed. Eret’s. The beacons had long since stopped shining, and the walls were crumbling. No maintenance had been kept up, and it showed. It really was a shame that such a beautiful thing had fallen, but so seemed the theme of this story.

His legs moved without him telling them to, bringing him to the entrance. He walked past the towers that once had stood tall and proud, but now bowed to the power of wind and rain. The staircase that brought him to the castle was full of loose stones, and the grass was overgrown. He frowned at the state it was in. Hadn’t Eret been looking after it?

There were holes in the structure, as if there had been smaller explosions, or maybe just a really strong fist. Anger can change people. 

Eyebrows furrowing, he raised a fist to knock on the door. Maybe someone was there.

The door swung open when he brought his hand down. A wave of dust flew into the air, making him cough. When he recovered from his coughing fit, he continued down the hall to the throne room, feeling as if he was intruding.

All signs should’ve pointed to something. That something was wrong, not completely conforming to the rest of the narrative.

Footsteps in the dust that was so thick they could only be recent. Dried drops of red on the stone. The lack of wildlife in the building when the entrance was open. And, if he listened hard enough, the ragged breath that could only be that of an injured human. 

It took a while for Ranboo’s eyes to adjust to the darkness of the throne room. In the pitch black, he could almost see the ghosts of the memories running through the halls, laughter and chatter filling them with painful reminders of times that would never return. All he saw, though, was a crumbling throne. And, on top of it, a crumbling king.

“Eret?” He whispered, scared to get closer.

Eret, if that was who it was anymore, looked up. Their breathing was ragged and pained, their voice low and filled with emotion. “Ranboo?”

Ranboo walked closer, even daring to walk up the slight stairs to the throne to put a hand on Eret’s shoulder. “What happened to you?”

“What didn’t?” The laugh that followed was bitter and grateful at the same time. Bitter at what he’d done, grateful that everything had happened to him and not someone else. “Creepers, skeletons, other mobs. Myself. Time. No one cares about me anymore, Ranboo. The castle is dark. Nothing matters anymore. It used to be so beautiful, Ranboo, and now it’s all dark.”

The castle was dark, but as Ranboo looked into Eret’s eyes, it wasn’t the only thing. “What do you mean? Didn’t you get a fresh start after Dream was imprisoned? Tommy and Tubbo forgave you. They did a long time ago, I think.”

Eret let out a laugh that sounded a touch too close to insanity. She was still hunched over the throne that had stopped being a comfort a long time in the past, a curse remaining from times that had faded. “I was forgiven by everyone. Almost, at least. I was forgiven by everyone that mattered, anyway. I was forgiven by them, yes, but not by myself. And now? I pay the price for what I did.”

Ranboo moved closer, and he could see himself in the reflection. Not just in Eret’s tarnished crown, the metal showing his face and his concern. Not just in their eyes, that looked up at him, hopelessly, begging him silently for a reason to stay alive. Not just in their shaking body that brought him back to the panic room, but in his soul. Eret’s soul was dark and unmoving, a flame gone out. A flame that had once burned so bright that it brought the world down with it.

Maybe they weren’t so different, after all.

The hybrid held out his arms and gathered Eret into a hug, tightening it when his body began to shake with the emotion that years in isolation had kept him from showing.

“Tommy and I used to be so close. He’d make these stupid paper crowns that always got ruined in the rain, but he’d run back inside and make more. He followed me around. I like to think that we were like brothers,” Eret’s voice cracked. “But then I went and ruined it, for a title that was never even real in the first place. And then, in Dream’s cavern, he hid behind me first, and I thought that maybe we’d get back what we had. But I saw him with Techno. Sam. Tubbo. He didn’t need me anymore. I thought that he’d need me just as much as I needed him, but when I plunged a knife into his back, he was the one that healed it when I should’ve. He’d grown up without me, and he would never need me back as much as I needed him. It hurt.”

Ranboo hummed, but stopped when his hand hit something damp. He pulled his hand back and to his horror, blood stained the fingertips. “Eret? Are you alright?”

Eret cackled. “I never was, Ranboo. I never was. They all realized that when they stopped visiting, or they would’ve, if they’d bother to check on me. But they didn’t. I was a whisper in an orchestra of tragedy, and no one heard me. Why would they? Some part of me didn’t want their help anyway. It’d just hurt them- no, me- more.”

Ranboo slowly helped Eret up, trying to remain calm. Trying to hold together a facade that Eret would lean on. Trying to help someone that needed his help more than ever. 

“C’mon, Eret. Let’s go home.” He walked past the dust, trying to kick up as little of it as possible. 

They’d made it pretty far into Sam’s forest before Eret went completely limp. Ranboo tried to not let the panic seep into his bones, but he knew that this was bad. Very, very bad. He set Eret down so that he was peacefully laying on the ground, and he messaged Sam his coordinates.

Hurry. Eret injured.

Sam’s response was swift.

Omw. stay put

It didn’t take long, as Sam was true to his word. Together, they lifted Eret up and managed to get back to Sam’s base, but it took longer than Ranboo would have liked. But then again, he couldn’t be picky.

As much as he wanted to stay, Sam made Ranboo leave the medical room that had been constructed. Sam’s eyes held too much regret to be healthy. Ranboo followed his order.

He walked out to where some of the others were. Tommy and Tubbo immediately went up to him, claiming that Sam had made them stay out of the way and wouldn’t tell them what happened. 

“It’s Eret.” Ranboo started, unsure of how they would take the news. “He’s uh… He’s been alone in the castle. Hasn’t forgiven himself for what happened.” He didn’t elaborate, but Tommy and Tubbo got the implication.

Tommy’s feathers fluffed up. “He’s been alone up there? I thought he’d left.” The unspoken ‘me’ at the end of the sentence echoed through the silence. No one had the courage to mention it. 

Fundy sniffled. “I- me, too.”

Tommy sat down and put a wing around Fundy, wincing a little at the pull on his feathers, but staying. They stayed that way until Sam came in, hair sweaty and hands suspiciously clean, as if he was hiding something.

When Sam walked in, they stood up, asking if Eret was okay.

“He will be,” Sam started, “but not for a while. His wounds need to heal.” He didn’t mention how deep they were. Physical and mental. 

Again, the hidden message was received. They were getting good at family communication, Ranboo mused. 

Eret needed a reminder that he was needed, and if he got it in the form of a fox barreling into his chest and a protective wing around his shoulder the minute he was awake, no one mentioned it. They didn’t need to, Eret was already part of the family. Puffy nearly cried the first time she visited to see him. They’d been old friends from lands that had been forgotten in the minds of many, and they missed each other more than they’d care to admit. Even Niki teared up a little, and offered him a room at their house. 

Eret was needed, and no matter how long it would take to convince them that it was true, they’d be there. No more would their love be lost to time, fated to be the wisps of a ghost wandering through the hall of a dark, abandoned castle with a crumbling throne.

_______________

Though he might not have realized it, Ranboo was gaining the odd little hobby of adopting strays. They were rarely animals, although there was the occasional bird or cat. But, no, they were mostly humans. Or at least, partially. Fundy, Eret, Purpled. It didn’t stop there, though. 

He’d remember the day that he found this particular stray for years after it had passed into the horizon of time, his questions lost to the winds of destiny. Some of them were never answered. 

Ranboo had another one of his itchy fits, which he was starting to think of as his sixth sense of someone in need. It’d been pretty accurate so far, but as he found his way to a gently rolling plains biome, there was nothing in sight. No one in sight. His itch had faded, instead replaced with a heavy feeling in his guts, keeping him there. 

It was towards dusk when something actually happened. The wind picked up and it got chilly, then cold, then freezing. Ranboo stood up and backed away a little, and if he squinted right, he could’ve sworn that the air was blowing in a circle formation.

It was- there, it was getting clearer. 

The colors started next, all purples and blues with hints of green and black. Ranboo realized a beat too late that it looked like a portal and therefore he should get out of the way more- instead, he was thrown down the hill in a tumble by the increasingly strong winds as he barely registered something (someone?) getting pushed out of the portal.

He stopped moving at the bottom of the hill and didn’t even bother getting back up before the winds had gone and all was peaceful again. Then, he climbed the gentle slope again.

He paused when he saw a lump on the peak, and froze more when it turned to look at him.

The brown hair was straggly and grimy, and the eyes told stories that his voice would never bear to tell. Ranboo recognized the hopeless look, but it wouldn’t occur to him until much later that it was the same look that had stared back at him in a water reflection back in the End. 

“Karl?” Ranboo asked incredulously.

Karl lay there, too weak to do anything but sigh in relief. 

Ranboo waited a moment for Karl to catch his breath before asking another question. “Are you okay?” It seemed the easiest of his questions to answer, but Karl still hesitated.

“I am now.”

If Ranboo was waiting for Karl to elaborate, he didn’t. At least, not then, but he did a bit later when he’d gotten the energy to sit up and look up at Ranboo.

“I’m a time traveler. D’you know that?” Ranboo wordlessly shook his head. It wasn’t the oddest thing to happen to him. “I can’t really control it, though. Not completely. I did what I could, though. Interfere to keep the worst things that might happen from actually happening. And, finally, I’m done. I can rest.”

Ranboo thought about that. “You knew I’d go to the End? Why didn’t you stop me?”

Karl hummed. “I actually didn’t. That’s unique to this timeline, but then again, so is this whole family you’ve got going on. There’s fragments of it across times, but nowhere as full and pure as this one.” Karl tried to look at Ranboo again, but flinched at the gaze of a red eye. “This is the best possible outcome, I think. Even if it has its faults.”

“Do you know what I’m going to do next? How do you know what timeline you’re in?” 

Karl looked up at the sky, thinking of a white city and the shining books left there for him. “I just do, uh…”

“Ranboo. My name is Ranboo. I can’t really blame you for forgetting, because it’s me, but… are you sure you’re okay?” The hybrid squinted at the man that still sat on the grass.

The man chuckled. “I like to say so, but… I’m losing myself. I barely remember Quackity, and…” His eyes filled with horror. “Who’s the one with the white headband? The name? Why can’t I remember?”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Ranboo said, sitting down as well. “His name is Sapnap. What else do you not remember?”

So, they sat there until the sun started setting, talking about everything and anything. Ranboo couldn’t help but feel the urge to protect someone who had memory issues like he did, and Karl? Well, Karl knew just what Ranboo had been through and what he would’ve gone through if he hadn’t placed that inconspicuous purple and black book right where Tommy would find it. 

They sat there until the stars showed their beauty, because the pair hadn’t had time to just rest and look at the sky in ages. Ranboo looked over eventually. Karl was looking tired, and if Ranboo was a time-traveling superhero, he would be, too.

“We have an extra room, if you want to rest.”

Karl smiled slightly, the lopsided grin looking odd on a face that had only known sadness and grief for so long. “Thanks, but no. I need to find Sapnap and Quackity. They’ve probably been wondering where I am, and I miss them.”

They both stood up and exchanged a hug. Ranboo sighed. “Well, don’t be a stranger. Bring them to visit sometime, too. You’re always welcome.”

They’d be parting there into opposite directions, but Karl paused to say one last thing. “Y’know, Ranboo? You’re the one thing keeping everything together. Without you, this world burned a long time ago.” Ranboo could see the flames in his eyes, and he knew that Karl wouldn’t lie. Not about that. “Just remember that. You’re important.”

With that, the two turned so their backs faced each other, and Ranboo made his way home. Sam was still up, waiting on him like a typical dad or older brother (he really was a mix of the two depending on who it was, wasn’t he?) would. 

“Where’ve you been, Ranboo?” It was clear Sam was concerned, even though he could’ve messaged any time.

“I was chatting with Karl. Sorry, we got caught up with the conversation.”

Sam visibly sagged with relief. “Alright. That’s fine, I was just-”

“Worried?” Ranboo teased. “Okay, dad.”

It was said in a joking way, but it was the first of many times. The second person to call Sam their dad wasn’t surprising. It was Tommy, of course, said in the midst of a wing-preening session. 

Tommy was purring, for when did he not, when his wings were involved? It just felt so nice-

Fundy laughed as Sam was preening Tommy’s wings. “Look at you! You just melt, awww.” It wasn’t said in a mean way, it was endearing and affectionate. 

Tommy managed to get a hand up to flip Fundy off. “Fuck off, fox boy.” This was said a little more maliciously, but there was no heat behind it. Not when the words were slurred with sleep and happiness.

Our favorite enderman hybrid walked in next, and sat down by Sam to help with Tommy’s wings. They all fought over who would help, but no one bothered to take Ranboo’s place. Sam must’ve touched a part that was particularly sensitive, because Tommy leaned into the touch with a ferocity that knocked Sam down.

“Whoa,” Sam said. “That’s new. You’re getting stronger.”

“Of course I am,” Tommy mumbled, “I am a big-” Ranboo touched his wings again.

“A big what?” Ranboo asked, a grin finding its way onto his face.

“A big m-”

Ranboo touched the wings again, and laughed as Tommy trailed off into another purr.

Sam smiled affectionately. “You’re a big softie, that’s what you are, Tommy. All of you guys are.”

While the others tried to protest, Tommy didn’t bother. He just wanted his wings to be touched more. “Only… Only for you, dad.” He leaned back into Sam and promptly fell asleep, and didn’t even wake up when the room laughed at the ridiculousness of it all.

They all had a slumber party in the living room that night to watch a movie, and everyone got to take turns preening and petting Tommy’s wings. Eret looked overjoyed to be allowed to touch them, and at the end of it all, Tommy got distressed that he couldn’t cover everyone with his wings, so everyone crammed together so that he could as they watched a movie. 

“Whose foot is that, digging into my side?” Fundy asked, poking it.

“Mine, stop.” Ranboo said. Then, “Ow, who's pulling my hair?”

“My bad.” Tubbo said. “I can’t see the screen.”

Sam ducked down. “Sorry.”

Puffy and Niki were fine, cuddling at the edges of Tommy’s wings while Eret was curled into the feathers closer to Tommy. Purpled had been apprehensive about joining the group, but Tommy’s distressed trill had convinced him, so he found himself stretched across everyone as he was the last to join.

And, in the middle of the chaos, Tommy purred loud and contentedly, wings stretched across his family. He radiated warmth, and everyone knew he wasn’t even watching the movie in his cuddly euphoria.

Miles away, there was a house with three others, close and safe. Karl smiled as he watched a fireplace crackle, and he knew that finally, he’d done something right. He was safe, and so was everyone else. 

[marmalade-mir]

you were my first asker!! <3<3 thank u unrelated but i am brainrotting so if you are down to word vomit what are some of your fav dsmp dynamics?? 👀👀

Thanks for the ask ! I’m always down to appreciate & lovepost about the characters :) Warning though: I wrote a Lot. For me, characters and their relationships are at the heart of any story. And I think that’s a big reason why so many people are so drawn to the Dream SMP specifically. The variety in personalities of both the content creators and their characters make for some really phenomenal dynamics! Here are my personal favorites:

1. Quackity and Technoblade:

The potential ??? The potential. Maybe it’s my love for rhetorical analysis, but these two are such clear narrative foils! For starters, the clash between Quackity’s melodrama and theatrics versus Techno’s dry deadpan is so fun to watch both in and out of the Dream SMP canon. They compliment each other to a tee. I adore them. 

Things get even more interesting when they so adamantly oppose each other in canon. As much as opposites have a great propensity to attract, they have just as much potential to clash. At their core, they both want to undermine institutions of absolute power, but their definitions of what that power is and what it looks like vastly differ. Quackity is at his strongest when he utilizes his social and political power. Technoblade, on the other hand, is at his strongest when he utilizes his physical power. 

Quackity and Technoblade’s characters were practically destined for one of two extremes. Their mutual hatred of absolute power could have been a bridge between the two. If they were to ever both play to their strengths and team up against a common enemy, there is no doubt that they would be extremely powerful together. But for now, they remain diametrically opposed.  

*posting the rest under read more, in case anyone doesn’t want to be subjected to whole ass essays lol

2. Ranboo and Tubbo: 

Two words: absolutely adorable. Their real-life dynamic plays a big role in their character dynamic, and that’s a good thing! Although I don’t religiously watch their streams, whenever I do happen to catch one, it’s sure to make me smile. Tubbo’s quirkiness stands out a lot when he’s with Ranboo, who often plays the “straight man” to Tubbo’s eccentricity. Flirting competitions to see who can make the other one more flustered? Very fun. I too have jokingly flirted with one of my friends and until it ended up in a joke marriage,,, I suppose I have a soft spot for that very specific dynamic because of that...

3. Schlatt and Quackity: 

Speaking of joke flirting, Quackity and Schlatt. It’s pretty funny when they slip into a similar back-and-forth as their characters regardless of whether they’re doing lore or not. They still play up the bits they’ve developed—overly flirtatious couple giving each other increasingly ridiculous pet names, exes with an awkward tension because of unresolved feelings, or just two idiots arguing with each other over the most randomly inconsequential topics to ever exist (Spirited Away and quesaritos and gun etiquette, to name a few). 

Like these two hadn’t even talked in a month before Sam’s face-reveal stream, but the second that they were in call together they picked up right where they left off. They didn’t hesitate to start spewing their usual obnoxious, lovey-dovey banter like “my sugar plum pumpkin-spice latte” or “I’m waiting at the finish line.” RIP to Sam for having to third wheel for a few awkward minutes.

Within the story, I think some of their strongest character moments were when they were with each other. Other posts have expressed this before, but it requires trust in one’s acting partner to be able to commit to the more intense scenes (it probably helps that they get into a lot of lighthearted arguments as it is). But whether they’re pretending to love each other or pretending to hate each other—if they’re together, it’s guaranteed to be entertaining. Not good for each other in canon, but I miss them anyway!!

4. Jack Manifold and Tommy: 

Jack and Tommy’s characters have a complicated dynamic, to put it lightly. Jack Manifold’s stream after he got news of Tommy’s death revealed a lot. The stream’s cheery celebration title belied Jack’s actual very conflicted feelings towards Tommy and his death. Yes, Jack originally set out to kill Tommy himself. But he made that his main purpose in life. Revenge and resentment gave his life meaning. And consequently, he felt that Tommy gave his life meaning. 

So he grieved. Because, regardless of any contempt he felt, the person that made him cling to life so desperately in the first place was gone. The complexity and thought put into those character motivations is something to be admired!! And now there’s another added layer of complications now that Tommy has returned and just wants everything to go back to normal. Back when things were simpler. 

It’s all very tragic, for both parties involved. And that makes them both very very intriguing and sympathetic characters in my eyes. 

That’s all for now, hope I adequately fed your brainrot <3 I wrote an excessive amount,, but there’s always more where that came from :0

[mihidecet]

Tibi's MCYT WritingTober, Day 15

In honour of tomorrow's festival and of this headcanon that me and @whatimevendoinhere have been thinking about for oh so long.

This is HEAVILY inspired by Lando's comic, which you can find here. If you haven't already go reblog it, it is stunning and it hurts real good!!! (Also they're running for president of mcyttumblr so ...)

From @the-only-gamer-gost 's list of prompts, here is "Male Streamer" (or "Fundy reconsiders")

At first, he was supposed to be a double agent. 

Play pretend, follow orders. 

Prove his loyalty, burn the flag, tear down the walls, forsake his father, erase history-

He would hide in plain sight, act as if he did belong, while he waited for the right moment. The moment to strike. 

All to take down Schlatt from the inside. 

But lately, things have been happening. 

Weird, peculiar things that Fundy is not proud to admit are unusual. 

Unusual for him at least. 

One day, some time after he's rebuilt the flag in his name - hours of mining obsidian paid off in the man's appreciation - Schlatt calls for him in the middle of the day. 

He takes him to Manburg, where the grass has just started growing again after they tore down the walls, and simply … walks with him. Side by side, on the path of wooden planks that somebody - probably either Bad or Eret - took the time to build. 

Schlatt talks about the future, but not of his own: he explains what he plans on doing for what is left of the nation. 

An office building, so that they can have a nice place to work in when (not if) there'll be more people living in their wonderful nation. 

A set of apartments, because you can't have people living in the streets or in ugly houses. 

Restaurants and fast food places, because "have you noticed how there's literally no food around? God bless that Bad guy, running around giving chicken to everyone, but imagine how better it would be if we were the ones selling!"

And then, once they've reached the end of the walkway, Schlatt puts an arm around his shoulder and turns them both around, so that they're staring at what is left of L'Manburg. For a moment, Fundy doesn't see the missing pieces, but the potential for what there could be- how could he not when he's spent the past fifteen minutes listening to plans and projects.

"So, what do you think? Do you have anything to add? Any suggestions?" Schlatt asks, and Fundy's brain struggles to comprehend the question. As he struggles with coming up with an answer and the realisation of how bad it is that such a simple question threw him for such a loop, he manages to stutter out a simple:

"I- uh- I don't know?"

Schlatt sighs, almost exasperated, but instead of letting go, he just squeezes his shoulders tighter for a moment and waves his hand towards the space in front of them.

"Come on, Fundy, don't give me that bull! I know you've got a good brain in your head, I'm asking for ideas, not self doubt!"

And it sticks to Fundy, like a gum to the shoe. It sticks to him, and he doesn't forget, even as he lets himself be swept up in the enthusiasm of thinking up new plans. 

A couple of days later, they have a meeting scheduled to talk about plans for the future and … recent events. There have been some incursions lately, things disappearing, paths being broken, questionable wooden signs being placed, and everyone’s a little on edge.

As everyone presents their pieces of information, Fundy stands to Schlatt’s right.

Tubbo is his right hand man, Quackity is his second in command, but the president himself had insisted on him staying close. 

“You're a good fighter, I trust you to keep me safe" he'd flippantly explained, waving a hand towards him as he fixed some papers, missing Fundy's shocked and awed expression. Responsibility. It’s all he’d ever wanted, so he’d quickly made his way towards him and stood a little straighter. 

And nobody had batted an eye, so there Fundy stands, one hand on his netherite sword, listening to the meeting while his eyes keep scanning their surroundings. 

It’s not like Pogtopia is going to attack them in broad daylight, they’re not that desperate yet. So Fundy can focus on his job, keep the president safe and make him proud- gain his trust. Gain his trust, of course. He already trusts him enough to keep him as his own personal guard, Fundy is doing really well.

With a small tap on his side, Schlatt catches his attention and gestures to the blueprints for a newly acquired project, waiting for approval.

Lately, Fundy's been thinking.

He’s left Manburg for an afternoon, told nobody where he was going, and just walked through the forest for a while. He felt like a bit of time away would clear his head. 

That was definitely what he needed: time to think. 

Instead, as he walks and listens to the sound of the world around him, his head is simply empty. Not a bothersome kind of empty, just a simplicity, an easiness, like a burden leaving his shoulders. 

Not like the burden in his backpack, resting like a stone ready to be cast against himself if anyone were to find it. 

His heart would want him to remember a simpler time, when he didn't spend every day of his life fearing for the moment that will give him away and reveal him as a traitor- and at the same time, he's hoping to be found out to be one, so that he can stop pretending, stop living a lie that has started to fit too well, too perfectly, too comfortably for his own good.

Maybe Wilbur was right to take away his options, maybe he shouldn't be allowed to work for Schlatt anymore, maybe that would stop the thunderstorm in his mind and heart. 

To be fair, there hasn't been a time of peace on the server since … since the beginning. Or maybe just since he was born. Should that make a difference to him?

A rustle of leaves makes him jump in his skin, but it's just the chestnut coloured nose of a fox to peek through the overgrown grass and dark pines. His heart aches for Fungi.

Maybe it did make a difference, how all he's known since he was born is war and conflict. 

Maybe he deserves some rest, some quietness. Some stability. 

An authoritative figure that doesn't dismiss his ideas - no, now is not the time for remorse. Not when he's about to cut all of these feelings loose. 

The forest around him gives way to an endless field, and in the distance he sees the ocean. 

Fundy doesn’t know if he should, if what he’s about to do is the right choice, but he knows he’s going to do it anyway. 

He stares at the brown tint of his spy diary as it sinks into the ocean, words being lost forever, and he thinks. 

Maybe Schlatt is not half as bad. 

[dutchsonjaa]

Wilbur’s last stand

TW: Suicide in POV

(Guess you could see this as a sequel of my story “Just stay out of my way”, and “I’ll lose as a winner”, but that’s up to you. Enjoy!

Wilbur tried to keep his expression blank as he watched his younger brother flee the scene, limping from his leg wound. The teenager dared to cast a glance over his shoulder as he gained some distance, clearly terrified the older man would launch another attack. Something inside Wilbur urged him on to do just that, to finish what he had started. He wanted to see the blood flow from the young man’s neck, to see the light fade out in his eyes… what the hell? Wilbur slashed his knife at the nearest tree, desperately trying to get rid of these thoughts. What was he doing? Tommy had hurt him when he destroyed the pin, and Wilbur had wanted to punish him for that sure, to make sure the young man wouldn’t return. He hadn’t meant to come so close to killing him. Instead, something had snapped inside Wilbur when the young man had raised his arms to defend himself against his hits, and had even managed to bring him to the ground before fleeing. It had been so easy to chase the younger man down, and it would’ve been so simple to finish him... When the cold blade met Tommy’s throat, only then Wilbur had come to his senses and released the younger man from his grip, allowing the young man to scramble away. Wilbur just shrugged. At least the teenager would stay out of his way now. Pocketing his knife, Wilbur turned back to Manburg, to finish what he was about to do before this rude interruption. Gingerly stepping over the shattered pin, he sent a message to Dream. There was work to be done.

 Spurring on his garron hard, Wilbur tried to be on the man before the Enderpearl landed. Badboyhalo had dropped his bow and was now running, but Wilbur was gaining quickly. He would soon be upon him. The sun reflected in his sword as he raised it, ready to cut down on the man. Just when the sword would’ve hit flesh, the Enderpearl met ground, and Badboyhalo evaporated out of thin air. Frustrated, Wilbur turned his horse around, scanning his surroundings for his next victim. TNT was still blowing off in the distance and had already injured, possibly killed, many but there was a lack of Withers in the air. Where the hell was Technoblade? Snorting in frustration, Wilbur realized the other man was probably still sleeping, like he should’ve expected. Blood for the blood god, the man had chanted, and had promised Wilbur he wouldn’t miss it for anything. What a friend he was. It didn’t matter. Wilbur would have a harsh word with the man after he was done here. Riding through the devastation, Wilbur enjoyed the frightened gazes of the people as they hid in the rubbles. The man had taken the vow not to kill the defenseless, and intended to keep that promise as long as they weren’t getting in the way. He still prided himself on having some honor. Rounding a corner, Wilbur came face to face with Antfrost, who was trying to free another man from a collapsed building. As Antfrost lay his eyes on Wilbur, he raised his sword, shaking, but seemingly determined to face his foe. Finally, another challenger, Wilbur smirked as he brought his garron back to a gallop. An arrow hit the horse in the chest and as the animal collapsed noisily, Wilbur was launched over it’s head. Hitting the ground hard, the man was dazed for a moment, but quickly recovered himself and started looking for the man who had just killed his mount. His eyes soon fell on a green man standing in the distance, crossbow raised. “You!”, Wilbur called, charging at Dream as both men readied themselves for a battle. Swords clashed at each other as both men tried to get the upper hand on the other, but Wilbur was being reckless in his anger and had never been the best at duels. As the man lost his balance in a poorly aimed cut, Dream took his opportunity to kick the legs from under him and stepped back as Wilbur hit the ground. Managing to cut off one last blow, Wilbur’s mind raged with fear as he saw Dream’s blade swing down. Pain soared through his shoulder, and then everything went black.

 Flickering his eyelids open, Wilbur found himself to be sitting on the tower overlooking the festival grounds. Dizzy from blood loss and slightly nauseous, he tried to take in his surroundings. Punz was keeping an eye on him, crossbow loaded. Wilbur tried to meet his gaze steadily, only to yell out when another pain shot through his shoulder. “Just stay still, I’ll be done soon”, a familiar voice mumbled in his ear. Hesitantly breaking Punz’s gaze, Wilbur was shocked as he laid his eyes on Tommy, who was working awkwardly around the chains binding his hands as he tended to Wilbur’s shoulder injury. “So you’re finally awake”. A voice shook Wilbur out of his thoughts as Schlatt acknowledged him. The president was standing at the railing, looking down at the ruins of the festival down below. Wilbur tried to reach for his sword, only to realize that his weapons were taken from him and that his hands were tied as well. “I wouldn’t try anything”, Schlatt chuckled. “You know, after Dream brought you here, I wanted to slit your throat and be done with it”. Turning his back to the chaos below, he let his gaze rest on the two men. “It’s only thanks to your little friend here that you’re still breathing. Might be we have some use for you”. Grinding his teeth, Wilbur remembered how Dream had betrayed him. Why’d he be so stupid as to trust his man? Another pain shot through his shoulder as Tommy tightened the bandages. Wilbur shook Tommy off, ignoring the pained expression in the young man. “Just leave me alone, I don’t need you!”, he snapped at the teenager. Tommy scoffed, opened his mouth to say something, then pointedly turned his back to him. Schlatt just laughed “Play nice children. You’ll need all your energy once Quackity gets here. We have some huge plans for you”. Wilbur wouldn’t give the man the satisfaction of a reply. Instead, he just kept his gaze locked firmly on Schlatt, planning his next move. Time went by slowly and after trading some crude jokes with Schlatt and roughly beating up Tommy after a remark the young man made, Punz slowly started nodding off. As another explosion went off in the distance, Wilbur knew that this could be the chance he was waiting for. Throwing himself off the wall behind him like Philza taught him, Wilbur shoved Tommy out of the way and crossed the room to Schlatt. Narrowly avoiding an arrow aimed for his head, Wilbur managed to reach Schlatt as the other got out a knife. A pain shot through his face as Wilbur dodged too late, but he managed to steady himself and threw his arms over Schlatt’s shoulders, holding the other man in an embrace. Turning around the other man, choking him so he wouldn’t resist too much, Wilbur was able to use the other man as a human shield. Wilbur tried to ignore the beating of his heart as he carefully stepped back to the edge of the tower, keeping his gaze locked on Punz and his crossbow. Wilbur’s scar ached as he remembered Punz his deadly shot, almost losing his life to it once before as he got hit as they were being chased from the election grounds. Well, there’d be no running this time. Letting out a sign, Wilbur knew there would be no turning back now.

 Wilbur tried not to feel the wind pulling at his cloak or the flames growling hungrily down below. It would only cause him to freak out, which would mean death at this point. He had almost lost his balance once before, after Schlatt had dared a desperate effort to escape, almost causing both men to fall. Wilbur felt himself growing faint as his thoughts started to wander. Wilbur had loved to pull Schlatt into an embrace without any warning, or jump on his back, back when they were young and in love. Things were so much simpler back then… how did it end up to be like this? They could never go back. Wilbur raised his gaze as Punz started barking his commands to him. He must’ve seen he was weakening too, Wilbur realized with a pang. Trying to stand up a little straighter, he listened to Punz his terms. “Stand down, and you’ll live. You don’t want to die here. You have no other choice!”. Wilbur wasn’t feeling like reasoning with these men. He knew he had the upper-hand until backup arrived, and wouldn’t throw that away. Schlatt smelled of fear in his arms as Wilbur spoke. “Shoot me, and we’ll both feed the flames. Maybe that is what you want? It would make a nice bonfire…”. Punz was frowning at this, which made Wilbur continue, gaining confidence “Release me. Give me a horse and supplies, and send us off the way. I might just let Schlatt live”, he added with a wink. “Don’t do it! Shoot him!”, Schlatt shouted. Tightening the chains around Schlatt’s neck, cutting off his breath, realized he forgot to include Tommy in his terms. Loosening his chains to allow Schlatt to gasp for air, Wilbur found his voice again. “One more th-“. He held his breath as he saw with a shock that Punz had just released a bolt at him. He wouldn’t. Wilbur flinched as the arrow scraped his cheek, drawing blood, but managed to keep his composure.

 Wordlessly urging Tommy on to flee as the young man got to his feet, Wilbur sighed as his brother found his voice instead. “Please Will, stop this madness”, the teenager pleaded. “Take my hand, let’s walk out of here together! Let’s go home!”. Wilbur’s heart ached as he saw Tommy reach out a hand, as far as he could in his chains. For a moment, Wilbur felt hopeful, before his gaze shifted to the young man’s wounded leg. Wilbur had to admit he was badly injured himself. They’d never make it. Feeling his voice break, he asked Tommy where they would go. They had already lost, everything was gone. Tommy just shook his head determinedly as he took another step closer, ignoring Punz’s protests, as he told his older brother that Tubbo was waiting for them. The horses were saddled, they’d soon be out of here, and never have to look back at this mess. Wilbur’s mind was racing until it all came to an halt. He knew what he had to do. He’d make sure Schlatt’s rule would end today, and go out on his own terms. Don’t even think, he whispered to himself, taking a hesitant step back as Schlatt struggled. Don’t even think about… Fundy? He’d never see his son again, would the young man miss him..? Would he know- No! He had to do this. For L’manberg..? Wilbur tried to keep his voice steady as he met Tommy’s gaze one last time. “I’m so sorry Toms, but I can’t. It’s just like you said”, he whispered as he felt a single tear run over his cheek. “I’ll lose as a winner”. He saw Tommy’s heart shatter in the young man’s eyes as Wilbur tightened the grip on Schlatt’s neck, and threw them both over the edge.

 Everything felt like agony. His whole body was screaming in pain, and Wilbur would’ve screamed out himself if even breathing didn’t hurt so very much. Schlatt was laying is his arms, staring up at him with empty eyes as his neck was broken by the fall, giving the man the mercy of a quick death. Wilbut hadn’t been so lucky. From the smell, he guessed that his leg was burning, but a pang of horror he realized he didn’t feel the heat, or didn’t have the strength to move his leg. He couldn’t move at all. Somewhere far away people were screaming, but he couldn’t focus enough on the voices to hear what they were saying. Wilbur’s vision was blurring, and he clenched his jaws through the pain. He couldn’t give up yet, just focus. He wasn’t finished yet, Manburg was still standing. The vague outline of a man appeared above him, but Wilbur couldn’t make out a face. Schlatt was carefully removed from his arms. “No, no, don’t take him away. Don’t leave me alone”, Wilbur thought he whimpered, but if any of it passed his lips, no one seemed to hear. They just carried Schlatt’s body away. Wilbur felt himself panic as he felt himself start to fade away, when the first man crouched down next to him, seemingly talking to him. Wilbur tried to calm himself, trying to stay awake as he tried to focus on the voice even though he couldn’t make out the words, when another figure appeared behind the first. This time, Wilbur could see him clear as day. “Dad…?” he whimpered, and suddenly he felt like he was a little boy again, begging for his father’s forgiveness. Philza looked just like he remembered as he shot his son a comforting smile, and held out his hand. Wilbur hesitated for a moment before reaching up, his chains suddenly gone. The man’s hands were soft and warm, and as Wilbur was being helped to his feet, he realized he didn’t feel any pain anymore. When Philza smiled at him, realization about what was happening hit Wilbur. “No, no, I’m not- I can’t-“, hot tears ran over his cheek as he was being pulled in a tight embrace. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry”, he sobbed as he allowed himself to break into his father’s arms. Philza held his son for a moment longer before beckoning him to follow. Wilbur sucked in a breath as he saw the ones he loved but lost through the years waiting for him in the distance. His mother was there, so was Sally, even Fundy’s little sister, waving at him, along with so many others. Not being able to wait any longer, Wilbur started running to them, to be at their side, leaving his broken body behind.

[nebraska-is-a-myth]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERET

In commemoration of one of my favorite streamers birthday, I wrote this lil angst one shot of my own take on Erets de-thronement. I have added some of my own headcannons to this, and if anyone wants me to make a separate post explaining those, I would be happy to. Hope everyone is having a wonderful day on this grand January 9th, long live the king!

Eret has been staring at the message on his communicator for a while now. He fiddles with the cool metal absentmindedly in his shaking hands, he never did do well with nerves. They try to focus on the sound of the peaceful world around them. He hears birds chirping and gliding along in the wind that tussles Erets growing hair. The breeze grounds him for a moment, before past thoughts drag him back into his own desolate thoughts. 

They haven't been this lost since the last l’manburg war.

Tensions are so incredibly high wherever they went, Shlatt was angry, Tubbo was stressed, and Fundy was… Fundy was too caught up in whatever secret mission that wasn't so secret to talk to Eret lately. Her stomach churns, vomiting is less than ideal right now, she doesn't want to smell of bile when she inevitably has to return to her castle. 

Eret glances down at the glowing city below them, the rubble where the walls used to be reminds them of a simpler time, when they would stay up into the cool hours of the morning laying bricks with Fundy and Niki, drinking hot cocoa from steaming mugs that would fog up their glasses and make them laugh. He misses the smell of cocoa, he hasn't been able to travel to the jungle lately to get more beans, what with all the war preparations and the construction of his castle. But the thought of drinking cocoa alone makes her feel rather lonely. She remembers when Tommy had tried to make a cup of it himself, but it ended up just being a powdered marshmallowy mess. Eret had laughed as Tommy was convinced that he could make the drink himself, but Eret saw the way the teens eyes gleamed when Eret had handed him a mug filled to the brim with warm chocolate and a few too many marshmallows. Tommy came to them for hot cocoa most nights after that. (He wonders if the blond had learnt to make it by himself now?)

It makes him sad to think about the good times he had within those long forgotten walls, the comforting touches and warm whispers passed in the night, even as threats of war loomed closer. He craved so desperately to have those things again. Touch was something Eret had always found would soothe their anxieties. It never mattered what it was, a hug or a soft shoulder bump, knowing someone was there that wanted to touch him, wanted to help him feel safe, always made his heart swell. 

She hadn't felt safe in quite some time.

She wipes a rogue tear from her face when she feels her communicator vibrate in her palm.

Dream wants to meet, and it sounds urgent. 

Eret takes a long deep inhale and holds it for a second. They look down upon a nation that once welcomed them with open arms, and remembers the way it shunned them and shot them down time and time again. No matter how many times they tried to offer kindness and comfort after the flames of the war started to simmer, they were always confronted with fists and glares of hatred. Maybe he deserved it, maybe he deserved worse. 

Eret lets out a deflated breath.

Time to go see Dream.

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The throne room is chilled with the crisp morning air, the hairs on Erets arms stick up, and he uses his cape to secure some form of warmth while he can. Eret composes himself when Dream abruptly bursts through the castle doors and Eret moves slowly to correct his posture. Dream stalks up to the bottom of the throne and bows subtly before him. “Your highness.”

Eret holds back the urge to roll their eyes. 

“What brings you and your men here dream.”

Sapnap, George and Punz stand at attention, swords latched in their holsters and shields dropped to their sides. Their nonchalant postures put Eret on edge, she tries to keep her facial expressions indifferent however. 

“Tell me Eret, do you enjoy being king.”

Dreams porcelain mask stairs up at him, the way it smiles had always unnerved him, although he’d never tell the man himself.

“It has its perks.”

And really, they weren't lying. Eret enjoyed being king, it was nice to know that he was more than the little common boy he was raised as. But the hatred that came with being a monarch was definitely not something to be desired.

“Of course of course.” Dream stops his sentence to tilt his head slightly. Piss off already Eret though. “You've got this big castle, a cushy throne.-

-But what do you actually do.”

Eret keeps their mouth shut, better to lead Dream ride out this monologue than interrupt and drag out this conversation for more than was necessary. 

“Nothing, you do nothing! And that okay I get it, I'm not judging. In fact that's exactly what I want you to do.”

There is a sinister tone hidden beneath that mask of his, she knows that there is a point to all of this, but what it is Eret can't quite place her finger on. 

“Kings are supposed to stay neutral after all, not get involved… wouldn't you agree Eret?”

“Actually I-”

Dream cut him off, okay, no talking. Got it.

“And if you want it to stay that way- I suggest that this little war doesn't get any royal intervention.”

Eret pauses. “I don't quite understand what you're suggesting Dream.”

“What I'm suggesting is that you may be royalty in this realm, but what does it actually give you? Does it give you power? Does it give you respect? No. I do.”

“Excuse me?”

“You think you have jurisdiction here Eret when in reality, you have nothing. You hide behind these walls and that crown because you think they can protect you. Well let me be the one to remind you that the only thing protecting you is my axe, and my shield.”

Eret remains speechless for a moment. 

“The respect of the people-”

“The respect of the people means nothing Eret, when it's the only thing protecting you from a knife in your back. Am I wrong?”

Is he wrong?

“I may not have strength in numbers but that does not make me helpless Dream. I am not an obedient little dog for you to order around as you like.”

“I beg to differ my lord.”

“If that is what you believe Dream, then I can assure you my bite is far worse than my bark.” Eret can almost picture the smile on Dream's face as he talks, and if it were not for the severity of the situation, Eret would have mocked him for hiding behind that white mask of his.

“Lets keep this civil shall we. All I'm suggesting is that whatever is going on between pogtopia and l’manburg, you, as a representative of Dream smp, take no part in it. And when all of this is over, hopefully there will be neither, and you can expand your kingdom further. Doesn't that sound grand?”

“So your plan is to let them kill each other and then reap the benefits?”

“My plan Eret, is that there is no manburg, there is no pogtopia. There is only Dream smp, and that's been my plan since the beginning Eret. I have been very open about that, I have never been secretive about my goals. It's why I had you betray L’manburg, and it's why I made you king.”

“-And you're not a vengeful person, are you Eret, you don't hold grudges, you're neutral and that's what I like about you. It's what makes you an excellent king. You sit there, and you look pretty and that is.”

Erets blood boiled, how dare dream come into his castle that he built and tell him that he does nothing. Nothing! Eret has done more for this kingdom than Dream has ever done, and now he is being made a mockery of. Eret wants to stain that white mask red.

“Do you remember when you first became king Eret, when we made that little crown there mean something. Do you remember when we put a chain of command in place.”

“I am aware.”

“Do you remember who we decided was secon-”

Eret uncrosses his legs abruptly, his shoes making a rather loud bang as they hit the floor.

“I've had enough of this dream.”

He leans forward on his throne and interlocks his fingers, it felt good to be able to look down on dream. 

“Get to the point or I'm going to have to ask you to leave.”

Dream lets out a small breath that seems to resemble a laugh and takes a step back from the throne. 

“I get it you're a busy man. So I am going to give you an ultimatum. Either you remain indifferent in this little war that's going on, or Gorge here gets that pretty little crown of yours.”

George? Of all the people he could have given power to, he chose George? Sure George was easy for dream to control and manipulate, but the people would see right through that. They wouldn't respect someone like George. Especially after all Eret had done to build up a community and a kingdom the people were proud of. Sure maybe he had less allies than George does, but that won't buy him respect from the citizens. It almost made Eret laugh at such a reckless decision, Dream was so eager to manipulate and control Eret that he barely even thought about the consequences that came if Eret refused to comply. George didn't have the guts to be king, even now standing in Erets castle he looked small. He didn’t control the room like a king had to do, he blended in, tried not to stand out. George wanted to disappear and go unnoticed, a king had to be at the center of everyone's attention to be able to establish even the slightest bit of respect. But George couldn't do any of that, by the looks of it, George could barely hold his sword. 

“And if I decline?”

“Did you not hear the part where George takes your place.”

“Yes I heard perfectly fine all about your brilliant idea to make George king. I meant, what if I decline both of your options.”

“I’m afraid you wouldn't want to find out your highness.”

Eret, clearly annoyed at this point, rose from her throne, making her way over to dream with quick, towering strides. She holds her hands behind her back, standing up tall and straight, a stance that came with being king. Eret leans slowly with a smile sneaking onto their face, close enough to whisper into Dreams ear.

“Try me.”

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It all happens in a flash, but some part of Eret knows that he is letting this happen. He feels hands on him and someone forcing him to walk forward, almost dragging him. He registers that Dream is talking, but honestly, he doesn't know if he really cares enough to listen to the green man. Eret really is just dragging this out for the theatrics now. The hands dragging him stop just before the castle doors and they wait for dream to come into view and stand in front of him. 

“I'm going to have to ask you to take off your crown now Eret.”

“I'm afraid I can't do that Dream.”

I mean he could, he really could. But where's the fun in that.

“It wasn't a request, Eret.”

“Shame really.”

What Eret would give to see Dreams expression right now, she can almost picture his eyebrows furrowing in annoyance. 

“Eret I-”

The ground rumbles beneath them, Dream tries to ignore it but in Erets mind they know his heart skipped a beat. 

“Dream I’m going to have to ask you to leave the premises.”

Dream draws his sword now, and his goons appear to mimic this action, anger clearly showing in the way his stance has changed. 

“I’m afraid I can't do that Eret.”

Dream thinks he’s witty, using Erets words against her. 

But two can play at that game.

“It wasn't really a request.”

There had been stories told throughout the smp as to why Eret wore his glasses, some speculated that he had embarrassing face deformities (Tommy) others though he had just spent so much time underground that direct sunlight hurt his eyes (Fundy). Someone, a long time ago, had known the truth, but that person no longer cared enough to remember why Eret was always so shy around them. Why they took the most care in making sure her glasses were pushed right up to the brim around them. Why they hesitated to talk around them. No one knew the truth, and even now, as Erets eyes glow brighter than the void, no one will really believe why Erets eyes resembled that of Herobines. 

The Dream team's legs shake as the ground rumbles once again. They lower their swords and their jaws as Erets feet separate themselves from the floor, blocks detach themselves from each other and rise above their heads. Sapnap feels like he’s living in one of the old fables his mother used to tell him about monsters and evil spirits, except this wasn't a fable. This was real. Erets cape flows in the wind he’s creating, it pushes George's hair out of his face and the shiver that makes it way up his spine makes him clutch onto Dream's green sleeve without thinking. He never really was the best at subduing his emotions. 

Eret lets this horrific smirk paint its way onto his face, its smug and terrifying to look at because, He could do this? All this time? 

They could levitate and rip blocks from their place and make them fly just like they could. Surely this was just a hack, some broken code in the server. But Dream checked that regularly, especially after he found Tubbo tampering with it. There were no cheat codes, no secret binary that could allow Eret to do this. Dream was dumbfounded, but mostly, he was terrified. As if they were walking on a floating surface, Eret makes their way over to dream. The latter raises his sword in defense, but Erets simply grasps the blade and shatters it over his knee as if it were a twig. Purple fragments fall to the floor like splinters, years of hard work and perfection gone in a simple movement. Erets hand does not bleed, at least not from what Dream can see. The sharpness enchantments had done nothing to the man's skin except gather magic particles underneath his fingernails. Eret bent down slowly, staring at Dreams white porcelain mask with a smile. She planted a small kiss in the center of it before tilting her head to the side and bringing a hand up to make a little wave motion.

“Bye bye Dream.”

A sudden gust of wind flings the grand castle doors open and a force Dream had never felt before starts to push at his limbs for a moment, the intensity of the force almost makes his legs cripple beneath him. But before his legs give out, the feeling vanishes just as quickly as it came. George braces for the next impact, but he finds that it never comes. He lifts his arms from around his head, and glances up through his goggles and lets out a gasp as the figures before him come into view.

Erets' chest has become incredibly tight, the pressure forces them to drop to their knees, the weight of their own body becoming too much to handle. Eret coughs and splutters and he feels like he's suffocating unit… oh. There is blood dripping from his mouth onto the cool floorboards of his castle, the liquid leaves a bad taste in his mouth. He spits at the floor and is greeted with an unbearable pain in his midsection. God it hurt, so much. Erets shudders and lets a painful wheeze escape her lips, the pain was nothing like she had felt before, it made her want to cry out and scream in agony. But only muffled gasps of air came out. Oh god is she dying? Eret tucks his head into his neck and sends his golden crown clatering to the floor. It rolls into the pool of blood collecting on the newly polished wooden floor, and soon the gold is replaced with crimson red. The ringing in her ears has spiraled into muffled laughter. 

“Oh how the mighty fall.” Eret feels the vibrations of Dreams footprints before they can bring themselves to strain their neck to look at the masked man. Dreams foot comes into view first, it stops just short of the blood and Eret thinks Dream is going to kick him for a second. But no, the green man raises his foot and stomps it down on the precious metal item, shattering it with a horrifying crack. It would be enough to make Eret cry on its own. Suddenly Eret feels fingers brushing through the curls on the top of his head and with a painful yank, Eret is pulled up into a half kneel, spluttering in pain as he comes face to face with dream.

“Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes.” Eret winces as dream keeps a painful hold on his hair. Whatever is causing the pain in his midsection moves violently as Eret breaths, it makes his chest burn and the blood in his throat come spluttering out. “I have to say though, I was right when I called you pretty.” Blood and tears pool at the base of Erets chin and he wants so badly to spit it out all over Dream’s pristinely polished white mask, but the thought of even moving on his own sends a ripple of pain through his body. “Pretty fucking pathetic.” Dream pulls at his hair harder and Erets legs are so close to giving out, he's only held up on his knees and the pressure of dreams hand in his hair. “You really thought you could better me, you thought you could beat me like the hero you so desperately want to prove yourself to be. You're no hero Eret. Those people out there couldn't care less whether I slit your throat here today or if I dangled your corpse in the town square for everyone to see. You're alone Eret, can't you see! And whatever that was, whatever cheats you’re using aren't going to change that. I mean I don't blame people really for leaving you here in this castle to rot. Who would ever want to be near a freak like you.” 

Dream drops Eret with a thud and strides away towards the rest of the dream smp soldiers and Eret curls into himself painfully. “Congratulations on the kingship George, let's go out to celebrate. Give the maids some time to take out the trash.” He hears footsteps start to trail out of the great hall and punz’s voice echoes into the room. It's hard to make out exactly what they're saying but before Eret is left to the silence of his castle, he hears dreams muffled voice past the open gates. “Leave the sword punz, let him pull it out himself.”