#maybe it is more tnt focused wait

[bipolbur]

okay i actually mapped out part 2 of b&c, it’s going to be 3 chapters 🫡🫡

[days-until-burnout]

Can I request Magic Mountain going kaboom dramatized. Also, bonus request that you include a ship you consider underrated. Love your work,

-Internet Rando

OKAY. okay. i got the first part. but the underrated ship will have to be another day! i just got back to writing 'properly' today so it took a long while to get a hang of words. and thank you! glad youve enjoyed these writing. hope you like this one too!

_____

📧 Day 31 -

Characters - Grian & Gem, Skizz & Scar (ft. Joel & Impulse) Words - 1,034 Time - 55 mins Content - Hermitcraft

“Okay, Joel, next you are going to cut the—” Grian said, an audible strain in his voice. Gem squeezed his forearm, and he looked up at her, their faces colored the same. Equal amounts of worry. Anxiety. Any wrong direction or movement would send all of them into the skies, them and their bases. He swallowed as her expression became encouraging, his own mirroring. “—red wire with black and yellow stripes. Tell us what happens.”

Over the communicators, the pair heard a snip, breaths held. They waited a couple seconds, panic slow to sprout before the line crackled, a quiet sigh in the background.

“He’s got it,” Skizz whispered, and they sighed. “No boom, boom yet.”

“You know, G, I still don’t understand why you didn’t let Skizz and me go. Don’t you trust us?”

“Not now Scar!” Gem hissed. They heard a startled yelp from Scar, a stumble back and almost falling. Luckily, no signs of an actual fall. 

Grian breathed in and out a couple times, though Gem could see how hard he was trying to keep it together. Instead of pushing the conversation further, they focused back on the manual in front of them. All the papers and pictures, the thousand combinations of situations and specifications. It was overwhelming, yet she grabbed the pad of paper on her lap, grabbed the pen, and awaited to jot down the response. 

“Some– Some sort of panel opened up on the side. There are numbers… dots and lines… weird scribbly symbols.” Scar re-told a couple seconds after. 

“Still have wires. Same rotation. Five out of seven lights on top,” Skizz added. 

They flipped through the pages, cross-examining their information and findings. Quietly, they discussed, and quickly, they argued. 

Impulse would’ve been much better interpreting all these manuals and instructions. And like Scar said, he and Skizz should have been the ones to disarm the tnt triggers. Which would have let Gem and him as information relayers, and more than anything, interpreters. Maybe if they survived this one, they could swap. 

Gem glanced at the timer, nudging Grian, sharing the same unspoken feeling. 

“Okay, Impulse, ignore the new panel for now. Let’s finish the wires, then we’ll get around to that later.” Gem jumped in, trying to keep a steady tone in her voice. She waited, hearing Skizz and Scar shuffling about, then they gave the go-ahead as they had done the previous times. “Okay. Okay. So we shouldn’t have many wires left, right? From the solid colors, we’ve cut red, black, and blue. From the stripes, we’ve cut blue with black, blue with yellow, and red with black and yellow. And they are not done yet, correct?”

“Affirmative.” They replied in unison. 

“Okay. White then yellow, and that should be all for wires.”

Involuntarily, their eyes glossed over the timer. Still ten minutes, but any wrong move and they could cut their time by half, or even have an explosion. They really, really did not want or need an explosion that big. Just a couple more triggers to minimize the damage, just a couple more and they would be free to go crazy with the remaining tnt clusters. 

A snip. Then another. Silence. Eyes glued to the timer. Every second felt different, like they had somehow forgotten how time worked. Like after every second, every blink, the universe changed the rules of time, bent it at its will, and left them a mess of stringless puppets. 

But no explosion yet. 

Luckily. 

“So?” Gem asked, unusually quiet, like speaking would shatter their reality. Maybe the tnt had gone off, and it had lagged the server so much they were yet to experience the horrors. Maybe they were all dead, and this was her purgatory. Hers and Grian’s. Forever stuck on the place and time frame that doomed all their friends. She bit her lower lip, holding her breath before closing her eyes with an exhale of relief. Never had she been more glad to hear Scar and Skizz tripping over their own feet. 

“Wires down!” Skizz cheered. She heard them high-five, and she could only smile at Grian. He gave her a nod, relief in his face and shoulders too. 

“Alright, boys, two more modules,” Grian spoke next, an airy thing. They could see the end of the tunnel, this was almost over. “To verify, our last modules are the new decoder panel and blinking lights, correct?”

“Correct,” Scar replied. 

“Got it. Alright. Press any button when there is a zero at any point in the timer.” His eyes snapped to the timer as Gem’s did, counting down the seconds until nine minutes. 

Six. Five. Four. Three…

Two…

One—

“Order of button, clockwise rotation, from top. Red. Blue. Green. Yellow.” Skizz sounded nervous, stumbling through some words but still clear and in time. Grian bit the inside of his cheek, flipping to the right page. Gem beside him, pen hovering over the new page, diagram drawn and assigned, ready to write down the patterns. “Yellow battery, if that means anything.”

“Press blue.”

“Nothing.” 

“Follow the pattern. Blue.”

“Blue. Blinked red.”

“Blue, green.”

“Blue. Green. Blinked red.”

“Blue. Green. Green.”

“Blue. Green. Green. Nothing.”

“Blue. Green. Green. Blue.”

“Wait, isn’t Joel colorblind?”

It was comedic. Grian barely caught the tail end of Scar’s words before the whole mountain shook. Debri flew high in the sky as the ground under them collapsed, dirt and pebbles against their arms, screams ripped from their throats. In the distance, past the ringing and erupting floor, they hear more screams. Their papers slashed the air above them as they flailed to each other, holding on as tight as they could. 

Everything stopped eventually, with grumbles and groans of the ground, sobs in their own lips. 

Minutes were like hours. Everything stilled. Frozen. In place. Waiting for them to move. Instead of white clouds and blue skies, they had dust clouds and walls of dirt all around them. They had fallen a couple blocks, not enough to kill them, but enough to take substantial damage. 

The line crackled, so far away suddenly, “Gr– Grian? Gem? … Are … okay? Where … Level … We are … Gem? … G?... Any– … there?”

_____

CLIFFHANGER UPON YE in my defence, i had 5 more mins to write but i didnt want to rush the ending. so this is what you get. also. again. been a week since ive written anything. gimme a break :[ anyhow. WE BACK IN BUSINESS 💪 sorry to joel and impulse, whom i wont be tagging because they dont even appear 😓

[fell-is-suffering]

heya everyone- i know i probably ain't too active now on here, since i feel a little unmotivated and maybe a bit stuck right now lol-

but! i made a new ask blog (not really-? its been there since last month 😭) that i most likely will focus on more- but that doesn't mean i'll abandon this blog of course- just focusing on my attention elsewhere!

this one is something that i am..quite self-conscious to announce, really. it's a little embarrassing for me to actually make a blog about- and i just hope it won't flop ^^'...

it's about a multiverse i made! tho, i won't tell you what it's all about...that would be spoilers :)..

but anyways- yeah, i made another blog that i'll take a lot more seriously than fell's (his wasn't planned..at all-)

and i have someone helping me out! ..since i can't do that by myself at all TnT"

and they're a friend of mine ^^! and his really cool (me saying this as if they aren't the friend that made art of my swapsona lmao)

anyway, i probably shouldn't keep any of ya waiting huh? your probably wondering what i'm working on!

so...here it is :)

@ask-starverse

[sheinthatfandom]

How I see tonight’s full Gear going this is gonna be a long one. Also TK a damn liar cause it still went to 13 matches so far not 10 and yes I count the buy in matches. We really not going to bed til after midnight and I wish everyone in Newark a safe drive home and anyone watching in movie theaters a safe ride home.

Nw lets start with the buy in or zero hour. My choices for how the matches will be scheduled is just me guessing and its only for these 3. Blue is who I want to win red is who I see TK picking

1) Ricky vs Brian

One of the few times tonight who I want to win will match who Im guessing is actually booked to win. Ricky and Brian have history and I can’t wait to see Taz’ reaction to his two former team members/ftw champions go at it. Ricky all the way.

2) Eddie vs Jun

I want Eddie because I want him to live his dream to basically beat his hero and idol and just ugh this match on its own us everything to me. But, Eddie also said he could walk away after beating Jun like that’s his dream so I can see Jun getting the win and setting up another match maybe next forbidden door? Or a match for Eddie in Japan and tk booking this in a way that aew will have a foot in to travel and go somewhere else with this.

3) best friends vs the factory

Last match before the show and the match that will be looked at as the one to get people to pay for the PPV. We are getting horrorhausen/whorehausen/darkhausen whatever you wanna call him. It would be beyond stupid booking to have him lose when this has been building up. Its like having demon king balor lose you don’t fucking do it and if you do youre a dummy. Plus champ orange is in there you don’t want a champion losing even if hes not the one getting the pin. No reason for factory to be booked ahead.

For non title matches (and I was really going back and forth if Toni counted since its interim but then decided any physical belt will count)

4) Jungle Boy vs Luchasaurus

This shoulda been in the buy in or not at all. In all honesty is anyone still hyped for this feud genuinely id like to know. With the back and forth injuries its gone cold for me. I want jungle boy to win get a new gimmick and move on luchasaurus can stay a Dino and id very much like to see Christian in a loincloth. Tk would probably have luchasaurus win to keep the feud going until Christian is cleared.

5) Britt vs Saraya

This could really go either way. Honestly im just scared as fuck for saraya getting injured because she was never supposed to wrestle again and its nerve wracking. That said I want Britt to win I want Britt as a tweener I want her to be the legend beater while everyone claims ring rust for saraya and this pissing Britt bad and lengthening the feud. But I can also see saraya beating Brit and being that legend that can’t go down.

6) sting/Darby vs jeff/lethal

I do not care couldn’t even guess what tk would choose I do not care bathroom and snack break

For title matches and we had more than I realized

7)tnt championship Wardlow vs Jo Vs Hobbs

Now with this it can really go anyway. I would like to see Hobbs with gold but I realize they have not focused on him enough to where I think that’s where the booking is. With wardlow i can see him retaining beating both men and then basically stating t hhh at he has in fact NOT lost his momentum so fuck the wrestling tabloids

8 ) womens interim Toni vs hayter

Its Jamie’s time she needs that belt she deserves that belt its hers the crowd is hers the moment is hers the spotlight is hers just give it to her. Tk wants Toni vs Rosa so shell probably retain to combine the belts later

9) ROH championship Bryan vs Claudio vs Chris vs Sammy

Bryan has yet to have gold but honestly hes booked to lose and put over young talent so often I don’t see him winning Claudio should have his fucking belt back we are no where near the roh tv show gibe him back his mf belt. Jericho will probably retain they most likely have a big name ready to take the belt off of him and supposedly he has the belt because they’re shopping the company around to different networks. Homicide and jay briscoe are not names known enough for tv execs, Cody Kevin and Seth aren’t leaving wwe (not that most will realize Tyler black is Seth freaking Rollins and Kevin steen os Kevin owens) so most likely the plan is for Adam cole to take it back or someone new and homegrown. That said if the homegrown is Sammy I will get a plane ticket and fuck everyone up. (Yes I know they’re in nj and i can drive down but it’s Saturday and I don’t wanna go to jail in jersey id rather get arrested in Florida for fucking tk jeriblow and Sammy up) So Chris retains most likely to fuckery

10) tag team belts the acclaimed vs swerve in our glory

I have no idea and I don’t know who I want it could really legit go either way but someone fantasy booked if bowens is injured billy fighting in his place and retaining and keeping the feud alive and like fucking yes please

11) tbs championship Jade Vs Nyla

I know its supposed to be kris and that jade will probably retain but like Nyla has been doing so well and killing it with the stolen belt like gimme more

12) trios world championship Death Triangle vs The elite

They were suspended had an investigation and are still evp’s you don’t get rewarded for bad behavior. Plus death triangle and are really building something here between the heel pac story and then busing up the belts that honestly outside of elite fans no one was excited for cause we ALL knew it would just go to them the whole fucking tournament. Let the belts float freely and give others a chance to do something with it. IE death triangle, best friends, hob, BCC, the firm its way more exciting knowing anyone could lose it at anytime. Elite win cause its their show.

13) world championship Moxley Vs MJF

I love Jon hes had a fantastic several reigns and has carried the company on his back pretty much the whole year. Let that man go on vacation be with his daughter and wife and chill out so he doesn’t break. Mjf has earned this just keep him heel we love to hate him. And regal stays with the bcc.

[etheriaaly]

Just The Two Of Us [C! Tommyinnit x GN! Reader]

FLUFF TO ANGST (PLATONIC)  WARNINGS: Mentions of suicide, suicidal thoughts, character death, cursing

Reader pronouns: They/them 

A/N: Hi, this is my first DSMP fanfic so uhh I hope u enjoy lmao. There might be grammatical errors so pls do not mind it :D

ɴᴀᴠɪɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ∣ ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ

—

[Y/N] already lost count of all the pranks and chaos they made with Tommy. They didn't like causing havoc or pulling pranks on people but if Tommy asked them to tag along, they would. Tommy is their best friend after all. Plus, where's the fun in life without a little risk?

[Y/N] was just at their Cottage house, peacefully making the potions that Quackity ordered just hours ago. Since [Y/N] is a skilled witch, it was no shock when they owned a Potions business. Everyone in the SMP server knows about this and they usually come and buy their potions. 

They were about to finish the last set of potions that Quackity ordered until they ran out of ingredients. "Dammit." [Y/N] muttered under their breath. They turned around and immediately went to find if they have any stock ingredients in their barrels or chests.

When they saw no stock ingredients, [Y/N] sighed and decided to do some last minute ingredients grinding. It was until they opened the door and saw Tommy standing in front of their house door.

[Y/N] knew that his presence is no good because that motherfucker is grinning ear to ear. They playfully groaned and asked, "What is it this time child?"

"Hey, I told you not to call me a child anymore!" Tommy suddenly protested, feeling insulted but went back to his sly grin and said, "Let's prank Skeppy and Bad." 

"That's a horrible idea." 

"Come on, bitch. It'll be fun." 

And they did come with Tommy. A couple hours had passed and [Y/N] had already forgotten about the ingredients they were gonna get for Quackity's potions. Tommy said that Big Q's order can wait but the prank can't. 

It wasn't long after Bad and Skeppy saw the two teenagers doing their little harmless prank on them. 

[Y/N] caught sight of the two and immediately tugged on Tommy's shirt. "Fuck, Tommy we gotta go." 

Tommy, unfazed and still focused on the prank, said, "Just a little longer." 

[Y/N] nudged Tommy's side using her elbows as the two teenagers can now hear Skeppy and Bad's incoherent yelling drawing closer and closer to them. 

"RUN!" [Y/N] yelled as they both left the things they used to try to prank BBH and Skeppy. 

The two let out a laugh as they ran away. Tommy constantly turned his head back to see if Skeppy and Bad are still after them. 

[Y/N] and Tommy continued to run even though Bad and Skeppy stopped coming after them. It wasn't until the two teenagers finally stopped running so that they could catch their breath. 

"What now?" [Y/N] gasped, who is still out of breath from both running and laughing at the same time. They looked at Tommy. 

Tommy grinned again and then grabbed their arm, "I have something pog to show you." 

[Y/N] didn't question Tommy and just let him drag them to a mountain. 

Once they have reached the destination, [Y/N] let out a 'wow'. The view is breathtaking and it is very peaceful. The mountain isn't that very far from the SMP but it looks like very few have come across this part. 

"So, what do you think?" Tommy asked, looking at the view. The view consists of the calming ocean waves and a peaceful sunsetting with birds passing by. 

[Y/N] turned to Tommy and smiled, "This could be our secret spot." They slowly walked towards the edge of the mountain cliff but were immediately stopped by Tommy. 

"Oh, [Y/N] wait. Be careful, the edge of the cliff looks really faulty." Tommy warned. 

[Y/N] immediately stepped back a little and took note of what Tommy said. But, they were still curious and looked down at the edge of the cliff, only to see the water from below. 

If someone would fall from this cliff and took a heavy impact on the water, that person wouldn't survive due to how high the mountain cliff is. 

[Y/N] then proposed, "You know, when things are stressful and stuff. We can just go here, sit in silence and look at the view as the wind or the waves takes away our problems for a while." 

"Just the two of us." The blonde haired lad said and then they both stood in silence, admiring the view and beauty of the server. 

Oh, if only you could turn back in time and relive this memory. If only things are still the same the way it was before. 

It's been so long since [Y/N] had fun and peace. Probably so many months since Tommy first showed them their secret mountain hangout area. 

[Y/N] currently stood still, gazing at the view that was once calm and peaceful but was now replaced with sounds of flying TNTs, fireworks and screams from the background.

They were in no state of mind as of the moment. They don't even know what to do anymore. A lot has changed ever since the wars, the exilation of Tommy. 

[Y/N] sniffed, wiping their tears using their now mangy sleeves caused by the current chaotic event. They continued to stare at the ocean, a potion of poison glistening in their hands. 

[Y/N] looked at the Potion of Poison that they were holding and pondered whether to drink it or not. 

Maybe it's best to end it once and for all. They don't have anywhere to go anyways. They don't have any friends or family to turn back to since everyone is against them or thought badly of them now. 

[Y/N] can't even go back to L’manberg as well since they're now a wanted criminal for breaking the laws and escaping from their house since they're supposed to be on house arrest for the crimes they didn't even do. 

They opened the cork of the potion, but they didn't drink it yet. They let their mind wander for a while and process everything that has happened. 

Maybe Dream was right. Maybe the people they loved never even cared for them at all. Maybe it was all just a lie. Maybe—

"[Y/N]." A familiar voice that they haven't heard in a while. 

It was windy. The cool breeze of air touched their skins. But along with the wind, there are particles of TNT or fireworks dusts. 

The [H/C] haired person turned around and saw their best friend for the first time in months. 

"Tommy." [Y/N] replied. Their voice were hoarse and dry. "What are you- What are you doing here?" 

"I could ask you the same thing." Tommy glared at them.

[Y/N] quietly groaned, closed their eyes for a while and pinched their nose bridge, still holding the potion on their other hand. "So, you believe all that shit?"

"Enough for me to believe the fact you tried to murder Tubbo, burn my invites and team up with Dream." 

Tommy added, "Maybe they were right about you. You're Dream's sibling after all." 

[Y/N] scoffed and threw their available hand around the air, "He may be my sibling, but we are never alike." 

"Why, [Y/N]? Why did you do it?" Tommy asked, hands gripping tighter on his sword. "Did Dream finally get into your head for you to commit these crimes? Or did you just do it because it's in your blood?" 

"You don't know a thing that happened," [Y/N] harshly spit back, completely trying to avoid the topic of Dream. "Of course you don't. You were exiled."

Tommy never understood why. Why had they turned like this? He felt rage and betrayal. During his exiled time, Tommy thought that they were gonna be that one person who would try to find him. Comfort him or even send him secret coded messages. But no, he received nothing. 

It hurts. Hurts like hell to know your best friend turned their back on everyone. A best friend that he has known for years. A part of him wants to believe they didn't do it but the proofs are enough for him to believe it was really them. 

"Well, you really can't blame me can you? You can only blame yourself," [Y/N] said. "This all started because of you and your stupid discs. All you ever care about is the FUCKING DISCS. Wars started, lives were lost, relationships were destroyed, all just because of those discs." 

They had never done this before. This was their first time just being angry and shouting at each other. Although this might be new to each other, it was obvious that they have been bottling up their emotions way too long. 

"You know what?! Things would be so much better if only you didn't exist." Tommy instantly regretted what he said as soon as he saw a potion glisten from [Y/N]'s hands. 

He may not be an expert but he knew well enough of the potions due to him hanging out too much with them before. "What are you doing?" Tommy immediately asked. "Is that a potion of poison?" 

"Nothing for you to care about." [Y/N] turned back towards the cliff and stared at the view once again. 

"Just the two of us again here, huh?" They said as they pulled the potion towards their mouth, just inches away from the lips now until Tommy hurriedly ran towards [Y/N] and tackled them. 

"What are you, an idiot?!" Tommy scolded as they both fought each other while trying not to fall from the cliff. He tried to pull the potion of poison away but it was hard since they kept gripping on it. 

It wasn't until Tommy was finally able to remove the potion from [Y/N]'s grasps. He threw the potion far away as it got smashed on the ground. 

The two of them were too busy fighting over the potion to notice that one of them is now standing on the faulty edge of the cliff. 

[Y/N] was on the edge of the cliff and accidentally backed away from Tommy, thinking there was still space. A loud shriek came out of their mouth.

Tommy immediately ran towards the edge, scrambled on his feet and looked down. Luckily, [Y/N] was able to hold onto the edge but their hands are shaky and tired from all the things that just happened. 

"I got you, I got you." Tommy frantically muttered, his breath increasing as to not knowing what will happen next. 

[Y/N] grip is slowly failing. Once their hands slipped, Tommy instantly grabbed their hands and tried to pull them back up. But, he too was tired from everything that has been happening. 

He tried to pull them up again but it was no use. Stress was adding up even more the moment they both felt the edge of the cliff shaking once more. 

Tommy can't do it anymore. So, he let out all the tears he's been trying to fight back. 

"It's gonna be okay, Tommy. Let me go." 

The blonde haired teen's eyes widened at [Y/N]'s statement. He can't do it. He can't bear to lose another loved one in his life. 

"I can't lose you too, [N/N]." Tommy croaked. 

The two might've fought just minutes ago but this is now a life and death situation. Problems and angst aside, they still care for each other. 

"You already did." Tommy's eyes widened in confusion and sadness. [Y/N] forced their hand to slip from his as Tommy tried to tighten it even more. [Y/N] had a few energies remaining, so they used it to push themselves off the cliff with their foot, making Tommy let go. 

For Tommy, everything is going so fast that his mind almost stopped working. 

But everything was in slow motion for [Y/N]. The fresh wind was so refreshing, almost making them forget what is currently happening to them. 

They closed their eyes, not wanting to see anymore reactions from Tommy. This is their end. This was meant to be. 

The moment [Y/N] chose to fall out from Tommy's grip, the blonde panicked and set aside all items he had with him. Without thinking properly, he lunged himself off the cliff. The only goal he had in mind was to save [Y/N] before it's too late. 

But he was, indeed, late. 

Everyone's communicator beeped. They all took at least some time to look at what the message could be on the communicator. As soon as everyone read the 2 words, their jaws dropped. 

[Y/N] drowned. 

[saturnsstufff]

Hi Saturn!

I HAD AN IDEA!!!!!

I was watching Foolish’s interaction with the Eggheads. Maybe you could do a fic based on that interaction. Like y/n helps Foolish and Sam find tnt then when the Eggpire guys show up, Foolish would tell Y/n to hide a safe distance. Or the egg boys trying to use y/n to scare Foolish into joining the egg and foolish going full angry megaladon totem god. Also post protect/rescue wholesomeness and cuddles maybe? ☺️

I think Foolish is cool.

~🐈‍⬛

*happi happi sat dancy* big bad handsome god make brain go brrr

Warnings: swearing

Foolish- Goddess

   Well building you don't exactly expect to see much. As you know its mostly just placing what you need and then leaving. So in the middle of you building, it was easy to say you were shocked to see TNT. But sure enough with gentle hands you took the small dynamite sticks into your hands. You knew foolish wasn't the one to play around with TNT, especially around his sacred temple. You set the sticks down and looked around more, wanting to make sure none were lit or close to being lit. when you rounded the corner you were speechless. barrels upon barrels were filled with TNT. whoever put it here had full intentions to blow this place sky high.

   “F...Foolish...” You went to turn, try and run to find your lover. Tell him about the danger that lurked below his craft. Yet to your dismay that wasn't what happened. Instead you turned and smacked your head into a Netherite chest plate. the impact was enough to knock you off your feet, causing you to look up to who wore the armor. Bad.

   “well hello there” bad said, his head turning to face you. You couldn't see his face, only his white eyes seemly glowing down at you. you tried to shuffle away, not wanting to stay near the demon man. You don't know much about bad and company, but foolish told you steer clear of them and anyone associated with the Eggpire. so when you literally ran into them you were more than unnerved. You tried to Scurry up and away, yet Bad grabbed your arm and pulled you back against him. “Where do you think your running to, little one?” well you struggle to get away, Bad simply adjusted his arms into a choke hold. Intending to try and put you to sleep so you couldn't cry out for foolish.

   When Foolish went looking for you he was more than worried. No matter where he checked he couldn't find you. In the end he went for where you said you would be. When he found the remints of your work and the discarded TNT it was fair to say the gentle god was beyond pissed. With no trace of where you went he didn't know where to start. Luckily he didn't have to look far, when he stepped out of his temple he saw Sam running up to him. Asking if he has seen Hannah, Foolish declined. explaining that similarly he cannot find you. When the two boys turned to head for the portal they were disgusted by the sight. 

   Within Ponk’s arms was you, sword held to your neck as a deadly threat. It wasn't hard to see that you were a bit out of whatever was happening. Your eyes were droopy and were having a hard time focusing, they had even put a fabric around your mouth to keep you quiet. Your wrists were bound together, assuring you wouldn't be able to fight back. Not that you really could with your state.

   “Foolish I have a new proposition if your finally willing to listen!” Ponk said, his voice carrying across the desert land. Foolish couldn't help how his jaw locked. Using you as leverage was just absolutely crossing the line.

   “I suggest you let her go, Ponk.” Foolish’s kind demeanor was replaced with ice. He wasn't going to play around anymore. “You can blow my temple up... But if you dare lay a finger on her you will severely regret it...” At Foolish’s words you let your head roll. Trying to find where your lover was. Wishing nothing more than to curl up into his side and fall asleep.

   Ponk simply laughed at Foolish’s words, assuming the god was simply bluffing. “You cant do anything Foolish. Your just a simple man with no leverage!” Ponk paused briefly well his eyes locked with Foolish’s. “If you join the Eggpire no one has to get hurt. We’ll let her go. you’ll be happy, my brothers and I can promise you that.” 

   “I’m a peaceful man Ponk. Let her go and I’ll spare you...” Foolish’s calm tone was terrifying, he never rose his voice and yelled. He always choose to play it quiet.

   “You see, I cant do that. You either join us, or I’ll kill her.” Ponk stated flatly. At his words your blood ran cold, looking up at the man who held you. You couldn't tell if he was bluffing or not, but your eyes flashed to Foolish and Sam. pleading for one of them to save you at least.

   “One” Foolish said curtly. His eyes were flickering green, showing his patients was fleeting, soon he would morph into God mode.

   “You don't scare us Foolish.” Ponk said, slightly adjusting his footing. Showing he was slightly unnerved.

   “Two.” Foolish’s size was now growing. his skin hardening into pure gold. His anger was coming out, and god help anyone who stood in his way.

   “Were warning you Foolish...” Bad said carefully. Drawing his trident, drawing it back to throw.

   “My friends...”  Foolish stated. Bad attempted to throw his Trident at the God. A final attempt of beating the God. But it simply wasn't enough. Foolish merely held his hand out an snapped the trident within his hand like it was a small stick. 

   “You have made a grave mistake...”

   When you woke back up you were within Foolish’s arms. His hand gently rubbing your cheek as he laid out on the shared bed. The cool breeze blew through the Temple causing you to shift into your lovers side. Checking to see if you were ok, he looked down to you. Your eyes slowly fluttered open and glanced around. you couldn't recall what happened, all you could remember was Foolish growing in height before everything went black.

   “Good morning my goddess...” Foolish’s tone was gentle and loving, concern lacing through his words. your hand gently felt for his clothing, but instead found his bare chest. 

   “Wh... where... What...” you mumbled, trying to figure out where to start. He hummed and rubbed your back gently, a silent show that there was no hurry in finding your words. “What happened?...” you asked carefully, gently tightening your hold around his waist.

   He pressed his lips as he thought on his answer. Unsure of how he wanted to explain it, or even if he wanted to elaborate on it. “A new enemy of mine decided to test my boundaries...” he paused as he thought. “In the end they over stepped and paid heavily for it...” You nodded slowly as you hugged to him. His calm nature offering you peace. 

   The silence lingered for a bit until he spoke up again. “Do you feel ok?” he asked softly. You thought a moment and nodded. 

   “I feel... Different… But I'm ok” you said softly. He nodded and thought back to the moment. Would he tell you he had to kill you, to save you? He was your protector, but even then maybe he would wait to explain the extent of his power. You were too precious to him to loose. He never wants to scare you away... so maybe some things should stay hidden, that is, until you understand how much he would sacrifice for you. Because anymore everyone should know...

   You are His Goddess.

[theres-an-impulstor-among-us]

So, I know you made a post about Martyn's comment about Grian having Stockholm Syndrome, but I feel like there's a lot of angst potential. Maybe something about Martyn and Skizzle trying to convince Grian to join them, but Grian refusing to even leave Scar's side of they kill him.

i feel like this one kinda accidentally became Grian’s villain origin story but ngl i’m not complaining

…

Martyn and Skizz are walking together through the forest, on their way to the desert to do some surveillance. They’re just walking up the hill near the edge of the forest when a random thought occurs to the latter. “Hey, what’s that thing where you, like, get close to your captor?”

“Huh? Oh, uh… Stockholm Syndrome, isn’t it?” Martyn responds.

“Yeah, that’s it. Stockholm Syndrome.”

“What made you think of it?”

Skizz shrugs. “I dunno, I was just thinking about Grian and why he doesn’t seem to be eager to leave Scar anymore.”

Martyn shoots him a sideways look. “You think he’s got Stockholm Syndrome? Huh. Honestly, I think you might have something there. I’ve known Grian for a long time and I know for a fact that hates people telling him what to do.”

“I really wanna save him, dude,” Skizz says. “I hate the idea of him having to slave away under Scar for even another day.”

“I do too,” agrees Martyn. “But I don’t think we can-.”

“My ears are burning,” comes a familiar voice.

The two look sharply up to find Grian himself sitting on a high branch in the tree directly in front of them, right at the top of the hill.

“Eavesdropping again?” Martyn demands. “How much did you hear?”

“Just something about slaving away under Scar. That’s how I knew you were talking about me. Not nice to talk about someone behind their back.”

Skizz and Martyn both frown. There’s something different about Grian today; he’s not his usual self. It’s worrying particularly to Martyn, who’s known him for a very long time.

“Grian, we need to talk to you,” says Martyn. “About Scar.”

“Uh huh.” Grian hops down from the tree and dusts off his hands. “You’re not gonna kill me, are you? Oh, no, wait: neither of you can. Martyn cuz you’re green and Skizz because you’re spineless.”

Skizz blanches. “Wh-What the hell?! That came out of left field!”

Martyn steps towards Grian, carefully making eye contact with his old friend. “Grian, this isn’t you. Scar’s red life energy is corrupting you, turning into something you’re not. It’s not healthy.”

“Healthy?” Grian tips his head on one side. “Huh. That’s one way of looking at it.”

Martyn pushes on: “We can help you leave him. Either we can take your first life or we can help you escape him.”

“We can keep you safe,” Skizz adds, pushing aside his hurt feelings over Grian’s prior comment. “If you’re worried about what he might do to you.”

“You think I wanna LEAVE?” Grian scoffs.

Martyn and Skizz exchange a look. “What do you mean?” asks the former slowly.

“Scar is my excuse to kill people,” Grian responds. “That goes away if I leave him.”

“Yeah, you’ve already killed at least five people, including me,” Skizz responds. “Are you really sure you wanna keep going?”

A grin slowly appears on Grian’s face as he grabs a block of TNT and lights it. “Let’s find out.”

“Skizz, move!” Martyn yells in a panic.

The two simultaneously spin round and take off running but the TNT quickly explodes behind them, the force sending them both tumbling off the top of the hill.

Martyn groans as he pushes himself up, his whole body aching from the rough landing. His left ankle, which he felt himself land heavily on, throbs. He glances warily around him and finds Skizz lying on his side a few blocks to his left, unconscious.

As Martyn crawls over to him to check on him, he spots a figure emerging from the trees. His breath catches in his throat as he registers Grian slowly and dangerously coming towards them, a flint and steel clearly in his hand.

“Grian, get away,” Martyn snaps, unable to hide the fearful shake in his voice. He moves awkwardly in front of Skizz, protecting him from Grian. “Get away from us.”

“Killing Skizzle will be delicious,” says Grian, grinning maliciously. “His last life. I wonder what it’ll feel like to take a red life? To know that the person I’ve killed will not respawn?”

“Don’t you dare!” growls Martyn. “Kill me if you want but don’t hurt him.”

“Martyn, Martyn, Martyn…” Grian shakes his head in mock disappointment. “You keep doing this. Every time you swear you don’t care about people, every time you swear you won’t get attached to anyone else, you do. Would you really sacrifice one of your lives for him, Martyn? Someone you’ve only known a few weeks?”

“Skizz has proven himself a generous and loyal ally,” Martyn replies steadily. “He’s shown himself to be perfectly willing to sacrifice his last life for us so I’m willing to sacrifice my first for him.”

Grian shrugs. “Okay, that can be arranged.”

As he steps closer, Martyn pushes himself to his feet, holding his left foot gingerly off the ground. “Please, Grian, don’t. You don’t have to let yourself get corrupted by Scar any longer.”

“Corrupted?” snorts Grian. “That’s cute.”

“Seriously, you’re suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. You don’t-.”

Grian laughs loudly, interrupting Martyn. “Stockholm Syndrome?! You really don’t get it, do you, Martyn? Scar is useless on his own. You think he would’ve been able to do HALF the damage I’ve done? If it weren’t for me, he’d have lost his red life about half an hour after his second. I’m the one keeping him alive; not because I care about him but because he’s my excuse to kill people as a green lifer. I have the highest body count on the whole server and I’m still green. Martyn…”

He moves closer to Martyn and grips his shoulder almost painfully, a terrifying smile on his face. “I’m the mastermind. Scar thinks he’s in charge and that’s what ties this whole arrangement together so neatly. Everyone focuses on Scar because he’s the red lifer and oh poor innocent Grian is stuck doing everything he says. Nobody EVER suspects that I’m anything more than just Scar’s puppet.”

“He’s yours,” says Martyn quietly. “Isn’t he? He’s just your puppet.”

“He is. But I can tell you’re trying to stall. Don’t worry, it’ll all be over soon.” Grian takes hold of Martyn’s other shoulder, trapping him on the spot. “But I don’t want to kill my old friend, no matter how much you beg me. Not yet, anyway.”

Before Martyn can react, Grian shoves him roughly aside. His ankle rolls again as he hits the ground, causing more pain to explode up his leg. “No!” he yells, as he spots Grian advancing on a semi-conscious Skizz. “Grian, don’t!”

Skizz tries to get away from Grian but the green lifer draws his sword and presses the point against his chest, forcing him to stay still. He stares into Grian’s eyes and sees nothing but evil in them. “Grian, please…! Please, don’t!”

“It’s either you or Martyn,” responds Grian. “You pick.”

Skizz meets Martyn’s gaze, and Martyn knows immediately what he’s going to say.

“O-Okay,” Skizz whispers, tipping his head back in defeat. “Kill me and leave Martyn alone.”

“NO!”

But as Grian raises his sword, a battle cry echoes through the trees and seconds later, three figures burst out of the forest: Ren, BigB, and Etho.

Grian scrambles back in shock as they charge towards him, before turning and fleeing back into the trees. BigB and Etho pursue him but Ren stays behind to drop down at Martyn’s side. “Thank god we got here in time! Are you two okay?”

“Apart from my ankle, I’m fine,” says Martyn, letting out a sigh of relief. “Skizz?”

“I-I think I’m okay,” Skizz responds, pressing his hand against his forehead. “But my head hurts.”

Martyn frowns sympathetically. “You were out for several minutes so you probably have a concussion.”

“Let’s get you two back to Dogwarts to rest,” says Ren kindly.

But just as Ren moves to help Martyn up, a notification flashes up on their communicators.

Bigbst4tz2 was slain by Grian

Ren lets out a low growl. “That’s it. Those filthy desert hippies have gone too far.”

“No, Ren,” Martyn says. “It’s not them; it’s just Grian. He’s the one who orchestrated all this. If you hadn’t turned up, he’d have killed both of us. He’s the real threat, not Scar. Not even Scott and Jimmy. They all do what Grian says; he’s got them all in his pocket. He’s…” He pauses, recalling Grian’s words with a shiver. “He’s the mastermind.”

Ren gazes at him for a moment. “Okay, it seems we have some things to discuss when we get back to Dogwarts. But for now, I need you two to head home while I help Etho and BigB.”

“Yes, boss,” says Martyn. “But I-I may need some help; I’m not sure if I can walk at the moment.”

Skizz sluggishly stands up and makes his way over to Martyn, whom he helps to his feet. He then lifts Martyn’s arm over his shoulder, supporting him. “I got you, buddy,” he says gently. “I got you.”

Martyn lets out another quiet sigh. He still can’t believe he and his friend are both alive and relatively unharmed, but he’s unspeakably grateful for it nonetheless.

“Thank you.”

[considermeharmless]

The Labyrinth Games - Part 2

Hello, hello, you wonderful people! The new day enfolds and it has quite a few surprises. Hold on to your seats! Status of the previous day, then today’s simulation right below the cut. OvO

Night 1

Now, how will some of these new characters act in the darkness of the night...

Hah! Don’t we all! XD

Hmm... Can’t say much about it. On one hand, it seems like a good strategy to avoid getting attacked by surprise, but he also runs the risk of being less focused on the next day! If he survives this long, that is. 

Uuuuuhhhh okaaaayyyy? That’s an interesting pairing XD

Wounds? What wounds? Up to this point, he got fishing gear and a hatchet but nothing really happened to him that we kno-... Wait. Could it be? I’m pretty sure he must have some fishing skills and knowledge but... Could he have messed up with the fishing hook and got his own skin hooked or something? XD That or he really had no idea how a hatchet worked x)

Awww :’c Is it because his little hunting gang (The Night Terror, Leticia, Ventis and himself) got dissolved at some point?

sHe aLrEaDy HaVe sOmE tHrOwiNG KniVeS!!! And she didn’t even need those to begin with!

HAHAHAHA!! Oh the irony! X’D But also... Kinda sad... I dunno, am I the only one to have some weird pity for TNT? Anyway, this coincidence in the wording is outstanding. 10/10.

Good for her to have found some food!

Sweet dreams. u3u

Always a lady with smarts!

Again... What infection? XD He slept through the day before! Infected with good rest??

Ah welp, that’s a shame ^^’ So far, he has had more killing/scary skills than survival ones XD

That’s... pretty impressive for sure. Although, very little surprises me to what this man can do x) But why in this context would you spare such a big threat after you defeated him, Michael?!

NOOOO VEN!! D: Was that really necessary, Chaos, hm?? You already scared Bradley man away and killed Donald! Calm down! And yikes, a molotov?! Who else are you gonna destroy in cold blood!

Cool! Remember to stay hydrated, kids and adults :D

There it is, people! The fried-chicken-feather-duster is no more!

You can now put down your pitchforks XD Oh and slow-clap for Sarah dying by trying to arm a bomb =v=

Day 2

Oh noooooo those 3 are too good at their jobs and too similar. This will probably either go terribly or beautifully.

Yeah, I bet defeating Bigby in a fight the night before must have left at least some little cuts or bruises that need medical attention TvT

What a bunch of peaceful events for Oswald today. He slept well during the night and now spends the day getting fruits!

NDUZHOJDNHOAJNSJND. Good on Mickey for getting away! Not good for the Night Terror though XD It has proven itself to be much deadlier. 

Oh no! XD Chaos and Mayhem?? Working together?! And poor Michael has done nothing but try to hunt for others with no success and cry since the beginning c’:

Oof. Wonder how this came to happen... The running away from Amish, I mean. Not the sprain XD 

O.O 

But why..? And how? But mostly wHY???

No idea where this trident came from but good for her if it gets her a meal!

Labyrinth Event

Oooo, Arena Events! Or Labyrinth Events, really. They’re always fun, wonder what this one will b--

CARNIVOROUS. SQUIRRELS.

Yep. You read it right. I know this, because I triple checked! XD Oh dear stars and planets the absolute madness... But anyway uhhhh sorry still reeling in the craziness of this meeeeean Michael for playing dirty! But a kill is still a kill TvT

OvO

Again... Madness... And also, what? “Separate”? You mean they were sticking together up until now? XD But alas, the Chaotic Lads from yesterday are no more...

Good for them! And impressive since “carnivorous squirrels” seems like a strangely catastrophic threat now.

AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!

What-- what is this?? And why did you have to word it like that, simulation? “In agony”, I... QnQ But, but what if she had survived the attack, huh? D:

“there are too many”... So she died from the attack?! OnO 

“Beware of the creature with four mouths”, “Don’t trust Sarah Songbird”, “Don’t follow the voices inside”, HAH! The squirrels are the real enemies in the Labyrinth, now!

The God of Chaos too??? What are these rodents made of?!

... Well. Both Holly and her version of a different reality/universe, dead in the same manner. How fitting and tragic. TvT

Nice. At least some of them got away from the rats of doom...

Soooo, they were beside each other up until then? :’D Mugsy... You’re a sweetheart, but in these simulation and a bit in story too, you’re a taaad scary XD Still sad to see them both go though! And he had some explosives too...

*weak yay for the both of them after this tragically devastating rollercoaster*

The Fallen characters

So... so many... And such powerful ones too! The Night Terror, Sarah, Chaos, Mayhem, Luka... And the other ones as well! All so much more deadly than rodents or so I thought. 

... Maybe Mickey... survived because... y’know what? I’m gonna shush XD

Status of the day

What can I say? With how murderous the squirrels were, I’m not fazed by the little amount of kills the characters had between each others! Still, I’ll keep an eye on team 10... See ya tomorrow!

[audreyimagines]

hear me out-

dream smp characters with a god friend.

as a god, Reader doesn’t fully understand what it’s like to be human. they go around, having fun and just doing whatever they want. tommy’s sad because he and tubbo only have a life each? boom suddenly Reader gives them back their three lives and a shit ton of totems :D

i like to imagine wilbur’s about to blow up l’manburg and reader shows up like “i’ve been thinking about that thing you said, fighting with words? so because of that i’ve decided to turn of TNT! now go fight with your words! thanks for teaching me Wilbur :D”

when a pet dies on the server Reader always spawns in the same animal and is confused when people cry about it “not being the same”. like, it’s the same species, size, weight and even has a name tag!

when people call Technoblade the blood god they’re so confused like “but i know the blood god! their name is Sangre (blood in spanish) and we had tea yesterday...I KNOW, let’s have them battle it out for the title :D”

quackity is torturing dream and reader thinks it’s a fun human game, and when quackity asks dream about the revive book reader is like “why are you acting like it’s some rare book? i have thousands of copies of that old thing, my parent read it to me when i was like a century old! here you go :D”

you can make this into headcannons if you’d like or just read it as something to (hopefully) make you laugh :D

clueless god

pairing - like half the smp x gn!reader

notes - THIS MADE ME SO HAPPY THIS IS MY FAV REQUEST YOUVE SENT i hope it’s okay i used your scenarios and expanded on them :) <3

——————————————————————————

totem trouble (c!tommy n c!tubbo)

“this sucks,” tommy mumbled

you glanced over at him

“what’s wrong?”

“everyone’s going out and hunting and me and tubbo can’t because we only have one life left.”

you pondered over this for a few minutes. one life? why?

suddenly a great idea came to you

“tommy!” he turned at your words

“yeah?”

“wait okay take me to tubbo.”

he was confused, but he did as told

“why’d you need us?” tubbo asked. the boys stared at you.

“okay be patient.” you focused all your godly energy and suddenly

“I HAVE TOTEMS!” tommy shrieked. his pockets were full of them, and tubbo glanced down to see the same on in his pockets

they stared at you, grins on their face

“i think that’ll work! i gave you all three lives back, but that’s a little iffy so i also gave you totems just in case,” you explained happily.

“you are the BEST!” tubbo beamed

use your words! (c!wilbur)

“why are you here?” wilburs words weren’t filled with anger, but genuine confusion

no one was supposed to find him here, let alone you

not to mention his hand was HOVERING over the button

this shit was time sensitive

“i’ve been thinking about what you said, when i evaporated quackity’s house the second i was upset with him,” you said thoughtfully. wilbur remembered, he told you to use your words to fight instead of actions

“so, i’ve turned off tnt! so you can go fight with your words too!” you beamed at the boy, and he gaped at you. no fucking way.

he spun and clicked the button, waiting

nothing.

“wilbur?” your voice came from behind and he turned again, fully in shock

“you can go argue now!”

dead pet (c!quackity)

you never understood the fascination with pets

animals were beautiful creatures of course, but why would you choose to lock them up? wouldn’t you want them free outside

either way, quackity had a wolf he got from techno and when he raided the egg, it died

you knew because you’d spotted him crying, and quickly teleported over to see what was the matter

“are you okay quackity?”

“GAH!” he jumped away from your touch

“jesus fuck man...the teleportation thing...” he caught his breath

“yeah i just...my wolf died.”

you frowned to see him so upset, before you thought of a solution

“here!”

instantly in front of you guys a wolf appeared. quackity glanced at you, confused

“that’s not my wolf though.”

“yes it is!” you insisted. “she has the same dna down to a code. an exact clone.”

quackity shook his head, more worked up

“that’s not the wolf i BONDED with though.”

you furrowed your eyes

“she’s exactly the same. i can even give you a name tags if you want.”

“you don’t get it,” quackity mumbled, pushing himself off the bench. you watched him go before turning to the dog

“sorry girl,” you pet the dog before it ran off into the forrest

blood god (c!techno)

you were having tea with phil when techno rushed into the house quickly, boots off and blood dripping down his arm

you glanced between him and phil, concerned

“is everything okay?” you asked politely. phil smiled back at you.

“just some blood for the blood god,” he joked.

you looked more confused

“but i know the blood god! their name is sangre! we had supper the other day!”

techno looked over at you as he patched the cut on his arm

“everyone down here on earth refers to me as the blood god,” he explained

you beamed

“oh how wonderful! maybe you two should duel for the real title!”

phil and techno paled

the torture game! (c!quackity and c!dream)

“please!” dream begged. you stood by the side, watching quackity advance on him with his axe

“quackity?” you piped in

he turned to you

“i know you do the torture game because it’s fun,” you started. dream let out a sob at your words

“but is there any other reason?”

quackity flashed a grimace

“dream needs to give me the information for the revival book.”

your eyebrows raised

“why, but i have thousands of those at home! if you want one, i can give you a hundred!”

quackity grip loosened on the sword

“WHAT.”

[stellocchia]

Uhhhh... Motherfucking au where everything's the same but SBI is canon and techno is a person with morals and empathy.

So the 16th was an overreaction and he actually regrets it. He got really swept away with everything in pogtopia and Wilbur egging everything on didn't help. So when he starts his retirement he actually means it and there's no wither arc

He still forgets to tell anyone he's in retirement so the butcher army kinda happens as it did before. He actually willingly follows them back to lmanberg for a trial (he doesn't just immediatelly comply with them of course but no actual battle Takes place)

He gets executed without trial and wether he has the totem or not he doesn't use it. He loses a life, figuring that if he gives them their show of power this whole shitshow is finally gonna be over.

He finds Tommy and like any decent person but especially a brother he takes him in officially. No raccooning needed. He focuses on helping Tommy recover a bit, both physically and mentally while doing his thing and keeping an eye out for lmanberg, if they decide one life wasn't enough.

Hiding from dream and stuff is p much the same

Phil comes back by himself.

They don't exactly have any reason to go to lmanberg so they don't exactly do.

Well. Mostly. They sometimes sneak around especially when dream is there to kinda scout what's going on. It's a compromise. Techno is gonna support him in getting stronger and getting info for his endgoal of getting the disks back and Tommy will hold back for now and be patient.

Butcher army still moves onto dream anyways because... Idk I feel like quackity would've gotten to him anyways like. Why not yknow.

The festival happens and the community House scene is pretty similar

Dream blames it on Tommy, wants the disc tubbo has, Tommy reveals himself.

The whole thing is just hilarious because. Yknow. People didn't know Tommy was alive. So first they thought dream was insane and then Tommy fckin entered the stage. Techno backs him up. Tubbo is pissed. His reasons are pretty different while also being pretty much the same.

Tommy let him think he killed himself and was okay doing so while going after his stupid discs. He's alive so there's the possibility he actually did blow up the community House and give them trouble with dream. Lmanberg and techno aren't cool or anything. After the execution they were just mutually ignoring each other. Lmanberg thinking he was like. Scared or some shit.

Listen. Tubbos just been having a hard time ok.

They still kinda have their shouting match because both have been bottling up shit

Dream gets the disc

Dream announces doomsday

Tommy sides with tubbo

Techno is ok with that. He didn't have an agenda. He's in retirement. He makes it clear though that this means that that's where they part. Techno's taking his retirement very serious. Techno and him had the compromise that techno would help Tommy get ready to get the disks back before releasing him back into the wild. If Tommy gets involved now, this deal ends.

Techno's Not getting involved with this conflict.

Tommy pretends to think for a few seconds but there was never a decision to be made in his mind.

They hug and part ways

Tommy still rallies the people

It still falls apart after he leaves

People are still pissed at him

So doomsday arrives and it goes pretty much the same except. Yknow. No techno or philza.

Dream releases several withers like. One or two hours early because he's a fucking bitch. (Here he actually has wither skulls himself)

And when I say several I mean several

Once he has enough spreading chaos and keeping everyone busy he builds the tnt grid and yeah.

Lmanberg is a crater anyways.

However. Philza (who in this au actually bothered to learn about the country he helped rebuilt and lived in for weeks) went and got all of ghostburs stuff the night before because. Yknow. I want him to a bit more of a good person in this.

Also. Yknow. Friend.

There's still a lot of shit blown up. The minecraft-blade-soot-innit family ain't saints. They got ghostburs shit. That's it.

So afterwards most of the shit goes the same with dream. The scenes on the grid etc etc etc

When Tommy after a long day enters his house there's technoblade and Phil and ghostbur who've been waiting for him to come home after that shitshow. They comfort him, tell him he can always come visit them in the Arctic or even live there with them if he wanted. He declined but thanks them anyways

They spend the night just to make sure he'll be okay.

The next day they go back to the antarctic

Mostly the same stuff as in canon happens

Tommy and Tubbo still get the gear for the fight against dream themselves. Tommy made the decision to do the disc thing without techno during the community House scene and he wants to respect techno by not going back on that. Though he knows if really necessary he could go and barely need to do any convincing for Techno to help him out with some gear

Getting worried about tubbo he doesn't want to chance it but not wanting to put techno on the spot he tries to steal and very similar to canon techno just pretends to be too busy to care.

When they leave techno Phil and ghostbur are also waiting for them though not on the prime path. They're a bit off to the side and them and the duo don't talk. Tommy's already done that with them after he got dreams invitation. Theyre just there to see him go off.

They're not with the saving group but they don't need to be and one of the first things Tommy does after his victory is private message them that he's safe and they won and dreams in prison.

He comes over for dinner the next day to tell them in more detail so they know what's going on and that's about it for season 2

I'm not getting into season 3 now and probably never but a few tidbits about it

Tommy still has to somewhat earn the diamonds for his hotel from philza. The minecraft-blade-soot-innit family might be semi functional but that doesn't mean Phil just gives them money whenever they ask for it. That's not how you raise kids.

Tommy obviously sends them an invite to the hotel opening anyways and techno asks what the VIP perks are

Tubbo and Tommy still have to work through a lot just like in canon. Add to that that tubbo doesn't quite know what to think about Tommy and his family being this close again. On one hand they weren't involved with doomsday like in canon and have just been keeping to themselves since Techno's execution. On the other Techno's behaviour in season 1 is still fresh in his mind and "he was having a rough patch" kind of doesn't just give him closure on that. Like he's not mad. He just doesn't know what to think of it. Cuz like. Techno's not trying to redeem himself or anything. He started his retirement because after getting out of that ravine and the adrenaline fading and just having time to think and realize what happened he realized that he couldn't let himself be controlled by the voices anymore so it's like. Going from full on alcoholic to no alcohol at all ever within a day. And to make that possible he focuses just on his retirement. This isn't about becoming a better person per se it's about not getting so strung up in shit that you tell your younger brother to die while sicking withers on him. He recognizes that he fucked up. He accepted lmanbergs judgement of executing him. Now he just wants his fckin peace. And that's kinda weird to think about for someone in tubbos position. Because. Yeah.

Thinking about Tommy spending time with his family like everything's peachy irks him because. Kinda makes it seem like everything's resolved. Like he's okay with them just having a happy ending despite them not really deserving one. But with time he realizes that Tommy needs them as a support system and that getting worked up about it just isn't worth it.

Uhhhhh and that's about it I think

Ooooh, semi-functional family sbi and clingy duo angst? Love that!

I do wonder how the whole exile debacle would go if they were actual family, especially considering that Phil was in New L'Manburg and therefore knew about the exile and could go visit Tommy freely, same with Techno actually (except for the being in New L'Manburg part), but, like, for him we can pretend he didn't know. Like, would Phil try and go visit Tommy more then once? Or would Dream find a way to keep him away? Maybe make him think he has no right to meddle with Tommy's life just now?

Also I wonder how Ranboo would be involved in all of this. Because if Techno and Phil were not there during Doomsday I doubt they invited him to live with them and I doubt they made the Syndicate, so would Ranboo live with Tuboo? Would he try to act as a sort of mediator for Clingy Duo?

Like, there are so many possibilities for this....

[votederpycausemufins]

another chapter of the ‘we summoned Tommy and now we found out Grian’s family” fic. this chapter is very long.

also warning, there are some references to sui//cide, but it’s never directly mentioned by name.

Phil tried to ignore the way his chest hurt at the name that had been said. Sure, biologically Grian was his son, but it had been years since they had seen each other, and he had grown up with different people who became a new family for him. And he understood that, but it still hurt that the avian thought of someone else as his dad.

“Er, not quite.”

“Oh, okay,” Grian spoke, matter of factly. The two of them stayed quiet for a few moments before he spoke again. “You found me ‘gain.”

“That I did.”

“You didn’t stop lookin’”

“Nope.” Phil replied, though he knew it was a lie. Of course he always wanted to find his son again, but he had given up actually looking a number of years ago. It wasn’t worth focusing on one child and ignoring the others. But he supposed that’s sort of what happened anyway with him and Tommy. 

“That’s what I thought. It kept me goin’ on th’ really bad days.”

“Am I allowed to know what those bad days were?”

Grian was silent before shaking his head. “Hurts too much…”

“That’s alright mate. How about you talk about some other stuff.”

And so Grian did. Talking with Phil about some of the things he had done over the years. Eventually, Stress arrived and helped out, getting the bots up there with Grian and Phil. At that point the stories stopped and Grian focused on his kids, who were glad for all the attention. Mumbo returned with Tommy shortly, also bringing Tubbo along, and soon Grian’s nest was filled, making him quite happy.

“He’s looking better.”

“Yeah, I think it was your admin who gave me the gist of things. He was tired and using his Watcher stuff which made him loopy.”

“Yeah, that would do it.” Mumbo shook his head.

“Hey, you know what that means?” Tommy asked, smirking and focusing his gaze on the bots. Jrumbot smiled and pulled out some pumpkin seeds, which Grian quickly pounced on and started eating. “That part of the bird stuff is great.”

“And what part isn’t so great?” Philza asked, though for a moment he regretted it, thinking the teen wouldn’t respond and just stay quiet or get angry.

But instead he just crossed his arms and gave an over-exaggerated pouting face. “When he gets all mother hen or whatever and is super overbearing. The other shit is fine.”

“Tommy!” Mumbo huffed but the teen just waved him off.

“Oh come on, they’ve heard me say it loads of times. Jrum won’t risk saying anything cause you’ll just take some of his diamonds away.”

“Yeah! I won’t say stuff like that!” Jrum agreed, before suddenly Phil jumped and looked to see a few of his remaining feathers now in the small robot’s hands. “How much would I get for these Tommy?”

“I’m sure if you meet the right people you can get plenty for those. He’s like, trillions of years old, and not many people have them.”

“I’m not that old!” Phil complained, trying to grab the feathers back. He managed to pull one out of Jrumbot’s hand, but the rest ended up disappearing into whatever the kid had for an inventory.

“You’re right. You’re older.” Tommy taunted. “Old as shit. Dinosaurs are younger than you and they’re all dead.”

Philza glared at Tommy before his gaze fell on Grian. The other avian was still out of it, but getting better. Then he looked at Mumbo before rolling his eyes. “Alright Tommy, maybe so. But it means I’ve got more experience.”

Tommy paused, not used to the hardcore player agreeing with him about something like this. He looked over at the bots, who shrugged. It wasn’t like they had grown up with him. “Says the guy who let two mobs get the best of him.”

“Hey that was one time! And that was also years ago!”

“I’m gonna ‘gree, that’s pretty lame.” Grian spoke up, giggling a bit still. “I’m still alive af’er uhhh…” He started counting on his fingers. “I dunno! Lotta years with Sam!”

Mumbo, Tommy and the bots immediately froze up, looking between each other nervously. Tommy moved a little closer to Grian to make sure he had the avian’s attention. “Hey G? You sure that’s okay to talk about? I know normally you-”

“Pfft, it’s fine! Not like I died! ‘Stead I just hurt a lot, killed some pipul, selled some drugs, stuff like that!” Grian looked over to Philza, who was starting to regret staying around when everyone else arrived. “Ya know, almost didn’ make it. But I didn’ wanna disappoint you by giving up. Mmm… plus Gareth freaked me out too much ‘n I didn’ wanna be like him.”

“Okay Grian! I think you should really get to sleep now! We can talk about this more later! But don’t you want to uh…” Mumbo trailed off. 

“I can get the jukebox once you’ve slept!” Tommy continued for Grian who seemed to really like that idea. He finally laid down and before long he fell asleep.

It was still quiet for a bit, no one sure how to react to all of that at first. Phil and Tubbo were the quietest since they had little to no context. Because of that, they easily jumped when Tommy finally shouted and broke the silence. “Okay Mumboli, when the fuck were you going to tell me about that part of all that shit?!”

“First off, that would be something Grian would need to tell you, not me! Second off, I didn’t even know about that!” The anger on Mumbo’s face quickly turned to some sort of melancholy. “He didn’t even tell me. I mean, he had made some jokes, but I assumed that it was just from the situation. It does make sense he would think of… but…” The redstoner became quiet, his normally pale face much paler than before.

“Daddy?” Grumbot spoke up, making Mumbo look at the bots. Jrum was shaking a bit and Grum didn’t look quite so well himself. “I think Jrum and I should leave.”

“R-Right. Let me help you down.” The redstoner picked Jrum up to help him down the ladder, Grum still well enough to go down it himself. Before he left the platform though, he got Tommy’s attention and nodded towards Tubbo and Philza. “Try to fill them in. If Grian wakes up before I’m back, tell him what he did. He deserves to know.”

Tommy nodded, waiting for Mumbo to leave before saying anything. “So… Grian kinda got stuck in a fucked up place for a number of years. He’s told Mumbo a lot of stories and me some as well, but not everything of course. Basically, he had two friends. If he was me, one of them was like you Tubbo. But uh… the other guy was like Dream. Like, Dream’s an admin and all that, but this other guy was for the most part just a fucking normal guy around my age but he went off the deep end. G and the other friend escaped, but not for a long time. That place was a hardcore world, but they didn’t have potions or healing or whatever the fuck. I mean, there weren’t any mobs either, so death wasn’t at every corner. I mean I guess it was for G because the one guy was a psycho and murderer, but whatever.”

“Wait, are you telling me that this guy just lived with someone potentially worse than Dream for years?!” Tubbo asked while Philza was trying to comprehend it all.

“Uh, well they didn’t live with each other all the time, but yeah. But ‘cause it’s probably good for you guys to know, his main triggers are wearing blue as well as rabbits. If someone else is wearing blue, it’s fine, but if he’s wearing blue it freaks him out. With the rabbits thing, some of them being around are fine, but white rabbits especially freak him out ‘cause the guy was a hybrid.”

“Alright, noted.”

“One of the people most frustrated about it is Grumbot because, well you know how he just suddenly knew who you were, right Phil? They kinda first built him to help with the election here- long story, talk about it another time- and he’s able to look into a lot of stuff, but only based on political stuff. There wasn’t really anything like that with G’s first world. I mean, he gets fragments since Grian’s been a campaign manager before, but all that really comes up is empire stuff.”

“Uh, he had an empire? Was it anything like-” Tubbo timidly asked, glancing to the unconscious avian.

“Nah, basically he just built a big thing in the middle of the ocean and decided he would become the Grian Empire. The only other member was his friend- the good one- but he went off and made his own place pretty quickly. The worst he did is the TNT there was really volatile. If you so much as touched it after placing it, it would explode. He’s told the TNT shop story a number of times where he built the shop out of it and made the stock the walls of the shop.”

“Was that the first time he did something like that, or did it never go anywhere?”

“No that’s the thing!” Tommy started laughing. “He did it so many fucking times and someone still fell for it! That’s why it’s such a great story.” 

From there, Tommy continued to mostly tell lighthearted stories Grian had shared with him. He talked about the prank war and following civil war from the Hermits’ previous world. The hippies against area 77, the time machine, the build height battle. After that he brought up the head games, which freaked Phil and Tubbo out when he suddenly pulled out what at first appeared to be a severed head but was actually a very accurate mask. From there the election was talked about like Tommy had promised, and then the following turf war and its minigame battle.

“I showed up right after the turf war which I’m really glad about because it freaked me out enough just hearing about it. I can’t imagine having to learn what wars here were actually like while in the middle of it all. Instead when Grian visited me when I was holed up in his old place, he just kept talking about the mole people. Around then’s when I really started opening up, especially when Zed showed up.”

“Who’s that?”

“Sheep hybrid that makes contraptions instead of redstone. He made me a bed that just kills me instead of what it should.” Grian spoke up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He was still slightly groggy from just waking up, but the three SMP members could tell he looked rested and more lucid than earlier. “Where’s Mumbo and the kids?”

“He had to take them away.” Tommy answered, covering Tubbo and Phil’s mouths before they could say anything, even though they weren’t going to. “Grian, you were like, super out of it earlier.”

“Oh oof, how bad was it?”

“Well,” Philza pulled Tommy’s hand away from his mouth. “You mistook me for some person named Martin and asked me to swear loyalty to your empire. Then you called me some name resembling your admin’s name.”

“X eye sooma void?”

“Exactly.”

Grian laughed a little. “Yeah, a number of the hermits call him some variation of his name so I took it to the next level when I first showed up.”

Tommy put a hand on Grian’s knee and the avian looked over, smile falling from his face when he noticed the serious look on the teen. He immediately sat up straighter, worried for his brother. “Tommy what’s wrong?”

Tommy noticed the way Grian’s hand moved like it wanted to grab a weapon, something he had seen constantly when the two of them were alone at night and the avian was being overprotective of him when he could take care of himself. Well okay there was the factor that all the mobs here seemed to be stronger, but that wasn’t too bad. Grian asking Tommy’s name again pulled him from his thoughts and he immediately stopped Grian who was now actually reaching for a weapon. “No! No it’s nothing that bad! You’re going to freak out Big T if you do that!”

“Then what’s going on?!” Grian huffed, crossing his arms, mainly so he wouldn’t try that again.

“When you were really out of it, you said some things. Specifically from your high school stories.”

Grian looked a bit uncomfortable from that, but didn’t look too worried. “Okay. I- was I screaming? Did I scare the boys from that?”

Tommy shook his head. “No. You said something new. It- god G, not even Mumbo knew about it at first.”

Now Grian looked worried, eyes flicking between Tommy and the other two and he pulled his knees up to his chest. “Wh-which thing did I say?”

Tommy stood up, being the only one standing adding to his already tall height. “You mean there’s more shit you haven’t fuckin’ told anyone about?! Grian what the fuck?!”

Tubbo tried to pull Tommy back down, but the blonde teen resisted for a bit before falling back to the ground. “Tommy please. If it’s been this long and he doesn’t want to talk, it's obviously really bad.”

“No, you don’t know some of the shit Grian’s talked about. There’s nothing that could be that bad!”

“Tommy that’s enough.” Philza spoke coldly, making him and Tubbo freeze. “Grian’s not you. He decides what he’s going to talk about. Maybe to most people the stuff he talks about is worse than the stuff he hides, but obviously it’s different for him. So you’re not going to fucking yell at him and make him even worse.”

Tommy frowned angrily, but stayed quiet and slumped back. Tubbo tried to help calm Tommy down while Phil did his best to do the same with Grian. “So… can you tell me what I said? Grian tentatively spoke up, looking to Tommy, but Phil answered instead.

“You mentioned someone named Gareth and not wanting to be like him. Obviously Tommy and Mumbo knew what you were talking about, but me and probably also Tubbo don’t know anything and are still pretty clueless. We just know that it’s something bad.”

Grian let out a quiet ‘oh’ as he pulled his knees even closer to himself. “Um, after I disappeared, I ended up in a different world and made friends with some people named Sam and Taurtis.” Philza tried not to react as he recognized the second name. “At some point in high school I moved in with them, but before that it was just the two of them. They had a teacher named Gareth. He um… his wife was found killed and a lot of people thought he did it. He… got fed up with it and uh..” Grian shook his head. “The classroom was closed up when people found his, uh, body. They took that away but left… left behind what he used. There was one time I snuck in and thought about… you know. But his ghost showed up and freaked me out so I ran.”

After that, it was quiet, no one really knowing how to respond to that. Grian just ended up letting his feathers puff up and he hid in his wings, Tommy being able to wriggle his way in there. The wings ended up muffling a conversation the two had in whispers, though Tubbo and Phil could both hear a few curses from Tommy. Mumbo finally came up the ladder while they were doing this and was greeted by the two SMP members with a finger to their lips. The redstoner wasn’t planning to be loud since he didn’t know if Grian was awake again or not, but he still of course complied. He moved closer to the avian before putting a hand on one wing, Grian moving said wing out of the way to see who was there.

“Mumbo. A- How are the bots?”

“They’ve gone to bed. They seem like they’ll be fine.” Mumbo replied in a soft voice. “You can go back to what you were doing, I just wanted to let you know so you weren’t worried.”

“N-no, it’s fine. I… Hey Tommy, why don’t you show off your base.” When Tommy looked like he might refuse, Grian spoke again. “Please?”

“Alright, but not my fault if a war starts up!”

That earned a smile from the avian. “Wouldn’t have it any other way. Remember to bring scaffolding with you. I’m sure you can find some in the chests in the basement.”

“You mean the storage system, or the fucking chest monster.” Grian smirked an evil little grin. “Fuck you. Alright come on you two. You gotta see Cobble Tower.”

The two other SMP members each gave Grian a look of sympathy before going down the ladder behind Tommy. He led them down to the fireplace that was centering the main hall, but specifically to one side of it. “Alright, this is the quick way up and down.” The teen opened some trap doors revealing some sort of donut-shaped object. “There’s one on the other side, but this is the elevator or whatever the heck Zed called it. You sort of lie down in it like this.” Tommy climbed in, lying down in the small structure. “Then you just hit that button and-“

Redstone activated and suddenly Tommy was lowering out of view. He quickly pointed towards the other side of the fireplace before pulling his arm in so it didn’t get crushed. It took a few moments, but an identical mechanism appeared there, ready for Tubbo or Phil to get into. Tubbo was the first to get in and was soon following behind Tommy. Philza, on the other hand, took more time getting situated, trying to be careful of his wings so they wouldn’t get caught or pinched on anything. He was mostly sure it would be fine since this was Grian’s place and he was an avian, but at the same time, the hardcore player could never be too sure.

When he reached the bottom, Tubbo was busy freaking out over all the items filling the chests. And there were plenty of them. There seemed to be a storage system lining the room, but also plenty of extra chests strewn about. “Hey, Philza Minecraft! Help us look for scaffolding, or at the very least some bamboo and string!”

The avian rolled his eyes before helping the pair, the three of them gathering enough for each of them to have at least two stacks. From there he led them out of the mansion’s basement and around the back of it in the direction of his own base. “Okay, so I haven’t been here as long as the other guys, so my tower is still in progress, but it’s got a couple floors. I mainly stay at the hobbit hole that’s back the other way.”

Both of the SMP members expected to just see a pillar made of cobble, but instead, standing tall in the distance, was a mostly completed tower that looked like it belonged to part of a larger castle that was nowhere in sight.

“Mate what the fuck is that?” Phil stared at the tower. There was no way that was Tommy’s. Or at the very least, he hadn’t built it. He had been close to Grian and they had all just been at Grian’s mansion which was a feat on it’s own. Obviously the avian had been building this for Tommy.

“I said we were going to my tower. And that’s it.” Tommy gestured to the tower before he continued talking. “I gathered all the cobble myself but bought a lot of the wood. Yeah some of it I got myself and I got gifts here and there, but I got a pretty good business venture so paying for it is easy.”

“Business venture?” Tubbo asked.

“Yeah. Speaking of which, I think Bdubs said the shop was empty so I’ll need to refill. Once I show you guys around, I’ll probably fly over to do that.”

“Could I come with you?”

Tommy paused to look at his friend. “I don’t think that’s a good idea Big T. Everyone’s at the shopping district like all the time, and they fly everywhere too. They aren’t all avians like Phil and Big G, and they don’t use tridents all that often, so instead it’s elytra, and those use fireworks to work. I don’t know how you’ve been since I left, but I’m guessing you and fireworks still aren’t on the best of terms.”

Tubbo crossed their arms. “I can use fireworks when I need to. You know that.”

“Yeah, you can use them fine, but you get jumpy when other people use them.”

Before Tubbo could respond, a voice from further ahead piped up. “Hey Tommy my man! Who’re your friends?”

“Hey Ren!” Tommy ran over to his neighbor. “This is my dad and my friend Tubbo. They’re sort of visiting.”

“Nice to hear.” Ren lowered his sunglasses slightly to look at the visitors. “I’m sure X knows about them?”

“Yeah, I sorta got half kidnapped while hanging with Grian and they followed us back.”

Ren inhaled sharply with a wince, his ears folding back as well. “Oof, how bad did Grian scare them?”

“Phil got freaked out cause he did some shit to piss off Watchers in the past.” Tommy smirked while Philza rolled his eyes. “He kinda tried taking me back again as well as the bots. I seriously thought Grian might kill him until Grum kinda shouted at us.”

“Yikes, how bad did it get for him to do that?”

“We kinda kept interrupting him while he was trying to tell us something important.” Ren winced again from that comment. “Fortunately it helped calm things down a little in the violence department.”

“And in the other departments?”

Tommy pulled Phil over closer to Ren. “So Phil isn’t just my dad.”

Ren nodded. “Yeah, you said you had some brothers.”

“Yeah, he’s also Grian’s dad.”

Again, Ren nodded. “Okay, yeah that-” the wolf hybrid completely froze. “Grian’s dad?! But he’s your dad!”

“Yup.”

“But also Grian’s?!”

“Yeah.”

“So the two of you are-”

“Brothers, yup.”

“You know this explains so much my dude.” Ren ran his fingers through his hair as he stared at the avian with his new knowledge. “Who else knows?”

“Right now, Xisuma and Mumbo. Haven’t really gotten the chance to tell many others.”

Ren nodded in understanding. “Does this mean you two aren’t coming to triple H?”

At this point Tubbo finally spoke up. “What’s that? And also it’s nice to meet you. Tommy said your name was Ren?”

“Yup, Ren Diggity Dawg at your service. And it’s Hermits Helping Hermits. We try to meet up once a week to help out one hermit.”

“You say that, but we haven’t even done it once yet Ren.” Tommy piped up, making Ren frown.

“Well that’s how it’s going to work. Hey, if you want, these two could come along.”

“I dunno. There would probably be lots of flying.” Tommy shrugged before slightly gesturing towards Tubbo. 

“Tommy! I don’t need you acting so concerned for me! A few fireworks aren’t going to freak me out! Plus aren’t there unlimited lives here? Even if I do die I’ll just come back!”

Before Tommy could say anything in response, Tubbo took the elytra that were on Tommy’s back and put them on their own back. Ren seemed to be on Tubbo’s side, because he handed them some blank fireworks. He immediately lit one, which made them flinch just a little, but the next one didn’t cause them to have the same reaction. The only problem was while he was using the fireworks, he wasn’t getting into the air at all. “Uh, how exactly do these work?”

Tommy looked like he wanted to shout, but Ren spoke up before the teen could. “Elytra wings open up on descent, so you have to jump first. I’d say we get you some platform to test with before you try launching from the ground itself. Not even every hermit can do that right since you need to hit the sweet spot. Tommy’s pretty good at it though, but he’s got a good teacher.”

Tommy just rolled his eyes when Tubbo and Ren looked over at him. “Grian doesn’t use elytra, he uses his fucking wings.”

“He had to relearn how to fly in season six when he was still hiding his wings.” Ren pointed out and Tommy rolled his eyes again, though the sentence had caught Phil’s attention.

“Why was he hiding his wings?”

“Someone’s in parent mode.” Ren chuckled, which caught Phil slightly off guard. “I’ve heard that same tone plenty of times from X. Usually around the full moon.”

“Wait, so are you-”

“Werewolf, yeah. I know, most people just assume hybrid, and I kinda am. Anyway, to answer your question, he had apparently already gotten used to it in his older worlds. Even hanging around other hybrids didn’t help. He just had them hidden for so long that his standard was no wings. Iskall was the one to really get him with his wings out.”

“Iskall is Mumbo’s sibling, right?”

“Nah, unless we have another case of a surprise family connection. They had a business venture with Grian and Mumbo last season and the three have been really close ever since. They’re not officially related, but at this point they’re essentially all family.”

“I see, well what did he do?”

“They made a shop for hiring them as a hitman since they did that in the past. Someone ordered one on Grian and he got a plan ready and everything, but it involved outflying Iskall.”

“Good to know. I’ll have to meet with them at some point.” Phil nodded and Ren gave a barely noticeable wink at the avian correcting himself.

“Well, I’m sure I've held you guys up enough. If Tommy gives you any more trouble with flying, just shoot me a message.” Ren looked at Tubbo with his second comment, then he waved goodbye and headed off the other way.

Over the course of the next hour and a half, Tommy briefly showed off his tower, but for the most part it was Tubbo learning how to fly with elytra. Tommy was giving out pointers, but mostly was just freaking out whenever Tubbo did something that seemed even slightly concerning. Phil was doing his best to give tips, but wasn’t completely sure how elytra worked seeing as how he was used to just his own wings and hadn’t had access to elytra since they had been damaged.

By the end of the hour, Tubbo was flying pretty well, and Tommy was following nearby. When he had first gotten into the air, it had made Tubbo jolt, but before long, he had gotten acclimated to the firework’s initial sound with no following explosion. Tommy also ended up getting out a third pair of elytra for Philza to try. It wasn’t enchanted like the ones Tubbo wore or the backups on Tommy’s back, but it would do fine for a quick trip to the shopping district.

“Alright, you can explore the place as much as you want as long as you don’t go stealing anything. Otherwise I’ll have to pay for it.”

“You? Telling us not to steal?”

Tommy crossed his arms. “Yeah, no one does that here. I did a bit at the start, but you don’t really fucking need to. Even if you could just pay for shit at the shops, if you really need something, someone’s gonna show up to help you out.”

“Got it.” And with that the three of them flew over the ocean and to the island in the middle of it all. The place was littered with builds that surprised Phil and Tubbo. “These are all just shops?!”

“Yeah. You saw how big Big G’s mansion is. Just about everyone works at that scale. Even if they don’t fucking need to. You get used to it after a bit, it’s why my place is so big. You’d lose your minds if you saw Cub’s place.”

“I don’t even want to know mate.” Phil replied as they landed, sounding slightly exasperated at the thought.

“Right, well that’s my place over there.” Tommy pointed to a shop that looked more like a skyscraper and was near a number of similar buildings. “Most of the land in the actual shopping district is claimed, but Aquwu town still has lots of property.”

“What the fuck did you just say?”

“Aquowo.”

“Stop.”

“Aquwayway.”

“What’s the place actually called?” Tubbo piped up, making Tommy stop the joke.

“Just Aqua Town, but no one pronounces it like that. Even Scar, and he built the place. He normally calls it Aque Town.”

“I’ll be using that.”

“Suit yourself.” Tommy then walked towards his building. “You guys take the diamonds out and I’ll restock the place, okay? You can even keep a few of the diamonds.”

There were some nods of agreement and the trio went inside. Tommy put down his shulker boxes filled with stock as Tubbo opened the first chest, eyes going wide at the amount of diamonds in them. “There’s twenty-seven diamonds in this chest!”

Phil looked up surprised before looking in another chest. “This one too.”

“Well they said the place was all sold out.” Tommy responded as he opened up one of the shulkers and started pulling stacks of cobble out of it.

The avian noticed just what Tommy was grabbing and stared at it. “Mate, are you actually selling cobble for diamonds?”

Tubbo’s head whipped around to look away from the chest where he too saw Tommy pulling out cobble. “Not just cobble. There’s that, normal stone, andesite and granite.”

“And they buy that?”

“Yeah, at first I thought it was out of pity, until one day I got there to stock up and Bdubs was in there and was happy I was there. They all like building, but when they mine, none of the hermits bother to pick up all the stone since they normally fill their inventories with anything else and let the rest disappear. I make sure to go down with plenty of chests and put everything away, so when they need stone and shit, I’m the one they buy from.”

From there, Tommy and the other two stocked the shop. No hermits showed while they stocked, but one did show up just as they were leaving, Tubbo jumping back a little as the two of them nearly ran into each other, the wide eyed look of the hermit adding to the surprise. “Hey Keralis. Just stocked up so you’re good to go.”

“Why spank you Tommy. Who are your friends?”

“Tubbo and my dad Phil.”

“Will they be staying long?”

“Yeah, but Big G’s got them covered with housing.”

“Ah, Brian does have a good place indeed. But if they need a place to stay, I have plenty of room.”

“Almost too much. They’d be like me the first time I saw your place.”

“All the more reason for them to visit!”

“Right, see ya later.” Tommy followed behind Tubbo and Phil who had already slowly gotten ahead. He pulled out his comm and sent a message to Grian and Mumbo about where they were and where they were heading. Mumbo sent a reply that they would be coming over there soon with the bots, and Tommy put his comm away again. “Alright, I have a bit of land on a different part of the island, but it’s not really a shop. It’s more something I sort of brought over from the SMP.”

Tommy led them through the roads before they reached another area near the shore. Sand had terraformed the nearby land and various tables and chairs and other items were all over the place. But right next to the shoreline was a familiar piece of furniture that had Tubbo tearing up just a little. “You built the bench.”

“Yeah. Made it feel more like home sometimes. The rest of it is based on the beach party I held back in exile.”

Tubbo flinched slightly and looked down at the ground. Tommy was slightly confused and looked at Philza, who just gave a slight nod and wandered off. Once he was gone, Tommy led his friend over to the bench. “What’s up Big T?”

“Your… Your beach party. I- I’m sure you had fun.”

“Not really. Didn’t go the way I planned. Especially since you weren’t there.”

“I didn’t think you wanted me there. I never-”

“I sent an invitation, Tubbo. Ghostbur was supposed to give everyone in L’Manberg an invitation. But no one came. I thought it was cause you all fucking hated me. I mean, I did kinda ruin everything. I remember how mad you were.”

“Tommy…”

“I still thought that when I got here. Starting making friends out of spite instead of because I needed them. But then they made me realize some things. I don’t… Ghostbur wasn’t the most reliable, so I thought maybe he just didn’t manage to get the invitations out. But Grian said since Dream was messing with me the whole time I was there, he probably did something. Made sure you didn’t come.”

“Really? He’s been helping out. With you gone he’s become an ally to L’manberg.”

Tommy essentially growled in response to those words. “He’s not a fucking ally to anyone. He plays mind games and fucks everything up. He lies and tries to make you trust him so he can stab you in the back later. He was trying to make it so I’d only trust him. Unless you’re saying he told the truth when you immediately burned your compass for me.”

Tubbo’s hand immediately moved to hold where he had kept his compass, but it stopped midway there. “I… No. I kept it with me all the time.”

“Kept?”

Tubbo started tearing up a little before forcing the tear back. “I sort of got killed by a creeper and the explosion or something destroyed it. Tommy… I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to lose it. I didn’t want to lose you. But-”

Tubbo was cut off from Tommy hugging him. “It’s fine Big T. We lived in a fucked up place, and now we don’t have to. It’ll be you and me again. I’ll build you a tower for yourself. I’ll-”

A loud sound suddenly rang out along with an explosion. A second and third pair of the noises quickly followed. Tommy and Tubbo jumped up from the bench and looked towards the source of the noises to find three withers in the middle of the shopping district.

“What the fuck?! Why are those there?!” Tommy was immediately pulling out his comm and sending a message in the main chat. 

Tubbo, on the other hand, squinted as something that seemed to be standing behind the boss monsters. They quickly shot open as he realized what he was seeing. “Technoblade?”

[nonbinaryeye]

Mutual Curiosity is Foundation of Every Lasting Partnership

Written for @lonelyeyesweek

Day 5 - Gertrude Era

Peter Lukas is a really interesting person for a servant of the Lonely and James Wright would love to get to know him a bit better. Unfortunately his Archivist is there to interrupt their meeting a bit with very unreasonable complaints...

Read on AO3

…

“Mr Lukas, you are late.”

“I told you last time to feel free to start without me, Mr Wright.”

“I have. And I am done. All it needs is your signature. Unless you want to read through it of course…”

“Wonderful. At least I can be done here quickly.”

Even though at this point Peter Lukas could just scribble his signature and turn around he decides to sit on the chair opposite the current Head of the Magnus Institute: James Wright.

It is far from the first time James met Peter. They have been dealing together quite a lot. Rest of the Lukas family has probably realized Peter can tolerate James’ presence and so they have decided to use that fully. Surprisingly Peter does not seem to mind too much. Sure he complains about having to stop in London so often and about how uncomfortable he feels in the Institute or how hard it is to find office of the Head of the Institute but rarely about James himself which is… interesting.

James has dealt with lots of different Lukases during his lives and would dare to say he has always been able to pinpoint what they think about his current incarnation quite easily. Albeit it usually was ‘get rid of him as quickly as possible’ but that is not the point.

With Peter though, he has no idea what goes in his head during their interaction. He would love to just look and see for himself but with servant of the Lonely it is hard sometimes to see in their minds. And unfortunately for James even though Peter is still relatively young, he already has quite a strong bond with the Forsaken. Overall on a first look he speaks and appears as every other Lukas, doing his best to appear as distant as possible but his actions do not always match as sometimes it is Peter initiating further conversation instead of doing his best to avoid it.

“I am surprised you have a normal pen. From the look of this place I would expect I will have to sign it with a quill.”

“I am glad you appreciate the well preserved historical artefacts around the Institute. Do you know there really were only minor changes made in the office since the first founder Jonah Magnus?  It really is as if his presence was still there…”

“Are you just trying to suggest you need more money for the renovations, James?” As always, a subtle hint seems to go right over Peter’s head.

“I was not but when you are mentioning it… there are a few changes I would love to make given I would have enough finances for that.”

“Did we not agree on raising the budget on our last meeting?”

“We did? I cannot really recall…” Caught up in their conversation, James would almost not notice he is about to have another visitor quite soon. And she looks quite angry. “Hold that thought. As much as I would love to continue in our discussion I think you would probably prefer to disappear right now,” James, feeling merciful today, decides to warn his guest who looks at him confused.

“Why-…” Peter starts but then he hears clapping of heels quickly approaching the office and freezes in terror. He regains his senses and disappears to the Lonely just in time, right before Gertrude Robinson barges in.

“James,” Gertrude greets him coldly.

“Gertrude, pleasure to see you. What brings you to my office?” Head of the institute smiles at his Archivist.

 “Elias Bouchard.”

Of course. Of course it is him again… James tries not to sigh and keep his best helpful smile intact.

“What about him?”

“He was distracting one of my assistants again-…”

“Maybe he was just trying to help him?”

“And because he thought I was not there he decided it is alright to smoke there. Now the whole Archives smell like weed.”

“Well… at least he was mindful towards you? As you said – he would not do it in your presence...”

“And documentation on Michael Shelley’s desk caught on fire from his joint. I don’t think files for case 9790916 are salvageable” Gertrude’s voice remains cold but there is a sign of malice. Of course there is. She knows how important case files – the real ones – are for him. She raises her eyebrows waiting to see if James will come up with an excuse for this one too but honestly he is at a loss here.

“How… unfortunate.” The smile remains on the face of the Head of the Institute but he is clenching his fists under the table. He would start planning Elias’ murder by now if it was not planned already.

“I want to see some real consequences for him, James.” The fate of Elias Bouchard will be cruel enough but it all needs its time and James still needs at least a year to prepare everything.

“I’ll talk to him.”

“I want him fired.”

“Ah, isn’t it a bit rushed? Everyone can make a mistake sometimes…”

“Do I need to remind you of all the ‘mistakes’ he has done till now? I’ve actually made a list if you want to look over them,” Archivist offers because of course she has.

“No need to. I will make sure further incidents will not happen,” Head of the Institute says. Tone of his voice implies he is done with this discussion. Gertrude probably does not notice.

“I have my doubts.”

“I am sorry to hear that.”

Gertrude glances at him coldly. James reciprocates the stare. They stay like that for a couple of seconds, both of them refusing to be the first one to cut off the eye contact. This silly match could easily last minutes as it has happened in the past but this time they are all interrupted rather early into their unspoken fight by a couple of books falling on their side. As if something – or someone – bumped into the shelf the books are on…

They both turn towards the noise at the same time. James, knowing what exactly caused the mysterious event, focuses his attention back on Gertrude. She is staring right in the Peter’s direction, frowning. She doesn’t say anything but this is still quite interesting… as it is not exactly easy even for him to see through the thick fog of the Lonely.

“Anyhow do you need anything else?” As interesting it would be to test his Archivist’s abilities, he already has different plans with Peter today.

“Yes actually,” Gertrude turns back to him and hands him a file James has not even noticed till now, preoccupied worrying about the Archives. “When I had to climb all the way up here I also brought you a suggested budget for my research trip to India.”

“I will look over it and we can further discuss it tomorrow?”

“I have quite a mess in the Archives because of your assistant. I don’t think I will have time. Maybe you should just approve it as it is,” for the first time since she has entered the room Gertrude smiles at him. James is already worried about what all she wants.

“I will see. Now is that all?”

“Yes that is all.”

“Have a good day then,” James waves his hand towards the door hoping this really is the end of their discussion and the Archivist seems to finally be satisfied as well. She gives him a nod instead of words of goodbye and finally decides to leave him alone. Well, alone till Peter re-emerges from the Lonely. It takes him a few minutes as he probably wants to be really sure Gertrude is nowhere near.

“I don’t like your Archivist.”

“Why I wonder…” James opens the file with Gertrude’s requests. No TNT, no gun powder, no heavy weaponry. That is almost suspicious. Though it still looks like quite an expensive business trip due to travel and accommodation expenses… There surely must be some other hotels than four star ones.

“Though at least you seem to have troubles with her as well…” Peter lurks over his shoulder on the very list of her requests regarding her next work trip. James quickly closes it as he does not want Peter to think he just lets his Archivist just demand and do whatever she wants.

“That is none of your business, Peter.”

“I think it is since it will be money from my family covering her vacation.”

“We will negotiate about it further.” He is sure he can persuade her to degrade her first class seat to a business class seat at least… Yes, Gertrude is hard to deal with sometimes but so far his longest surviving Archivist. She is very effective in what she does and unfortunately she knows it.

James wonders whether Peter will become just another one victim on Gertrude's rampage to stop every ritual. He told him nothing concrete of course but it seems like it will take at least a few more years before he attempts to do something to bring The One Alone here. Maybe he will be smart enough to disappear in time, he hates any kind of social interactions after all… On the other hand Gertrude is Gertrude…

“What was actually your assistant even doing in the Archives?” his Lonely guest interrupts his chain of thoughts with a question.

“I was afraid he would mess up my system here… so I sent him to help there. Apparently I will really have to find him some work he cannot mess up too badly…”

Peter raises an eyebrow but stops himself from inquiring further.

“I have my reasons why I keep him employed. Do you want to hear them?”

“No. Not really,” Peter shrugs as he probably already used up the entire curiosity limit Lonely allows. Which works just fine for James. He plans to switch bodies in only a year or two and he would hate to spoil the surprise for Peter. It will be much more fun if Peter does not know anything.  James is quite fond of the man. And how else can he find out for sure that the servant of the Lonely cares for him at least than to see how he will react to his death.

Ah well no matter what the future will bring why not rather enjoy the present for a bit. And talking about enjoying the present…

 “Now weren’t you mentioning something about lunch before we were so rudely interrupted?”

“No I don’t actually think so.”

“Maybe you were about to invite me to go have one with you?”

“Still doesn’t ring a bell.” Peter might try to look clueless but twitching of the corners of his mouth gives him away.

“Peter!”

“Alright, alright, you are always so demanding... Do you know some place which is not very crowded?”

“Of course I do. If the price is not an issue…”

Peter only sighs and hands James his coat. He has been so far really quite entertaining company for someone dedicated to Forsaken. Also he is handsome and that is something James can appreciate in a man. He can really see some long term partnership between them. He really hopes Gertrude spares him when the time comes.

[crystalirises]

Death was Fated to Be...

... it just never specified whose.

TW: Implied Character Death, Ghost Children, and Blood

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28886223/chapters/83167660

His eyes fluttered open, the taste of ash sharp against his tongue. He felt cold, everything was cold. He shivered, little hands coiled around the stone ground. A red sky greeted him, shrieks and screams echoing in the distance. Faintly, he could smell a metallic scent in the air. A feather floated by, its black hue somehow bright against the red sky. He tried to stand, but a sharp pain ran through his whole body. Tears ran past his cheeks, stinging at his skin. Soon, the mild hurt turned into agony, and he let out a tortured shriek. Arms wrapped around him, the world grew dark. He screamed against the hold, more tears running past his cheeks and burning at his face.

“Shhh, you’re alright, mate. You’ll be alright. Your grandpa’s right here.”

His face was buried in a cloak, the scent of mint and tea reaching his nose as his cries turned into small sobs. He still couldn’t see, but as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw that it wasn’t darkness that covered him. It was a wall of feathers. He whimpered, struggling in his captor’s hold, but they kept a tight hold on him. He could hear explosions, but his captor blocked away the world from his view. He heard the rustle of feathers, their muffled steps, and knew that his captor was moving towards the cacophony of chaos. He whined, hoping that his papa would come save him soon. He didn’t want to be taken, not by a stranger, even if they did have wings.

“I know you’re scared, Fundy. It’s alright. I have you, you’re safe.”

A hand petted the back of his head, fingers pausing at the base of his ears before scratching. His tail wagged, a yip escaping him despite the fear that was still curled in his mind. They curled closer to their captor’s chest, clinging to their calming scent. They smelled old. Fundy would have snickered if he wasn’t a bit too scared to offend the person who was holding him. After a moment, the panic of outside melted away into a tense lull. His captor paused. Fundy sniffed at the air, his nose wrinkling at the strong scent of metal and of withered rot. The wings unfurled away from him, giving him a view of the world outside. He preferred it inside the safety of the wings. His attention focused on the scorched ground and the rubble that scattered the dead earth.

“Phil… I didn’t think you’d be here.”

A gruff and tired voice broke Fundy from his thoughts. He buried his face deeper against his captor’s scratchy cloak. He didn’t like the voice, and he didn’t want to see the voice’s source.

“Well, mate. It’s not everyday you’re told your son has plans to blow up a nation, a nation that he founded himself, mind you.” His captor - Phil - sighed, adjusting his hold on Fundy. The new position didn’t allow him to hide his face. “I just can’t believe it, Techno. He loved this country.”

“Didn’t seem like that to me, Phil. I may have not agreed on the idea of the continuation of government, but I never agreed upon the TNT placement. Wilbur made that choice all on his own. He was the traitor, and I don’t lie when I say that I saw it coming.” The piglin hybrid before them spoke low, his voice barely above a whisper despite the roughness in it. Crimson red eyes met his gaze, a wince crossing the piglin hybrid’s - Techno’s - face. His regal clothing was bathed in blood and ash, the once white shirt now drenched in red. Fundy whimpered, but despite his fear, he tried to hold the man’s gaze. Techno mentioned his papa’s name. Maybe he knew where his papa was. The piglin hybrid snorted, crossing his arms across his chest. “Phil, I know you have an addiction with adopting orphans but this is a bit much, don’t you think? He’s dea—”

“Techno. Not now.” A hand rested on top of his head, petting his… has his hair always been white? Fundy blinked, eyes wide as a strand of white curly hair clung to his forehead. “I’ll tel—”

“Can Fundy ask a question, pwease?” He didn’t mean to cut off Phil, but he was scared and wanted his papa. The man holding him paused, flashing a gentle smile while he nodded for Fundy to continue. He pursed his lips, throwing a cautious look towards Techno. “Where papa?”

The man froze, teeth clenched as he sucked in a deep breath. Techno averted his gaze, attention fixed to the sword that had been sheathed at his waist. Fundy frowned, trying to reach both their eyes, but neither of them could look at him. He tried to squirm out of Phil’s hold, intent on finding his way back to L’Manburg. The sky was beginning to darken, and papa wouldn’t like it if he came home late. Phil didn’t let him go. He whimpered, eyes pooling with tears that were quickly brushed away before they could even touch his skin. Phil shushed him, rocking him back and forth as he paced around the ground. “No, no, no. It’s alright, Fundy. You’re safe, I promise. I’m your grandpa… your Grandza, as I assume Wilbur would have told you to address me as.”

“G-grandza?” He sniffled, wiping his nose on the man’s cloak. Phil laughed, wrinkling his nose, but he didn’t berate Fundy for the action. He looked over at Techno, taking in the strange piglin hybrid who looked extremely uncomfortable underneath his stare. He thought back to his dad’s stories - at least the ones that weren’t as fuzzy in his mind - recalling how his dad would mention his older twin brother who was a powerful warrior. He also mentioned that his older twin brother had long pink hair. Fundy pointed at Techno in awe, all previous fear gone. “Uncle Techno!”

“HEH?!” Fundy giggled, tail wagging as he tried to reach towards his uncle. Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you ask Technoblade), the screams of an angry mob reached their ears. Fundy withdrew, whining as he gripped at his ears. He heard his grandza and his uncle quickly exchange words, and then they were running away, the wind brushing against his hair and cheek.

But… he didn’t feel cold. No. Not at all.

---

Fundy poked at the hole in his chest, phantom blood oozing out in a hue of orange. He wrinkled his nose, the blood splattering against the wooden floor before disappearing into thin air. Grandza had given him a mirror, something to occupy himself with as they continued to build the cabin around him. He wanted to help, but his uncle and his grandza said that he could help decorate the inside of the cabin instead once they finished building. His attention turned back to his reflection, his small frown going back into a smile. He was wearing his favorite sweater. It was orange, warm, and very fluffy. Like his tail! His papa had asked uncle Tommy to make it a few sizes bigger, so he could barely even see his little hands as the sleeves covered them entirely.

His white curly hair nearly covered his blank white eyes, and he couldn’t help but wonder how Eret would feel if he showed them his eyes. They matched now! He giggled, sitting down on the floor after looking at himself in the mirror for as long as his attention remained. He watched his grandza and uncle work around him instead, his grandza having built a small roof above him so that the cold, wet snow wouldn’t touch his skin. Fundy was a bit disappointed to realize that he’d never be able to touch snow or water again. They hurt him, and Fundy didn’t like getting hurt.

“Hey, mate. Need anything down there?”

“No, Grandza!” He looked up, waving at his grandza who was standing on a nearby wall that had yet to be finished. Fundy frowned, floating off the ground for a bit before settling back down. It was snowing heavily now, and he didn’t want to get hurt again. They learned the hard way that Fundy couldn’t touch snow when Phil had placed him down on the snow, in which Fundy began to shriek the moment his feet touched the ground. He sighed, laying down. “Want to help…”

“You know you can’t, mate. Not with the snow.” His grandza stuck out his hand, a snowflake landing against the palm of his hand before quickly melting away. He frowned, turning his head to the white flurry that flowed down around him. Grandza hadn’t thought of how big the space he should have for movement, the two by two wooden roof barely gave him any space to run around in. He looked just as a cold gust of wind slapped against his cheek. He turned back to see grandza back on the ground, his wings had let out a puff of air as he landed gracefully on the ground. Fundy sat up as grandza walked closer to him, ruffling his hair. “Bored? Alright, wait.”

Grandza began to add more wood to the roof, giving Fundy more space to run around in and play. Fundy was happy about it… until he realized that he didn’t have anything to play with. His toys were back in L’Manburg, and his papa was still in L’Manburg. He followed after grandza, the man focused so much on the roof that he didn’t notice the small tugging at his robe. After a few seconds, Fundy gave up on trying to get his grandza’s attention. “When papa coming?”

His grandza winced, eyes darting here and there like any other object was much more interesting than Fundy. He frowned, tugging at grandza’s cloak once again. Fundy heard his grandza let out a sigh under his breath, crouching beneath the wooden roof so he could pull Fundy into his arms. They sat there, Fundy fiddling with the mint tea-scented cloak that helped him calm down. Grandza smelled nice, even his papa didn’t smell that nice. His papa always smelled like gunpowder and freshwater. Fundy only ever liked the freshwater, the gunpowder not so much.

“Fundy…” His grandza’s gaze flicked down, black wings ruffling behind him. Fundy tried not to look as nervous as his grandza, maybe if he looked brave, grandza would be too. A hand petted the top of his head, fingers shaking as it held a strand of white hair. “I need you to understand—”

Fundy looked behind Phil, noticing a familiar figure trekking through the snow in the distance.

“Papa!”

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The sword clattered against the blood-stained cobblestone, red ichor dripping past the edge and landing somewhere far below their reach. Phil could hear the loud thump of his heart in his ears, the rush of adrenaline seeping away from his veins as the body collapsed against the ground. He moved before his mind could process what happened, hands gripping at the corpse that had stopped breathing the moment his sword had struck. Not a single word had been said. Not a cry. Not even the chance to say goodbye. His fingers gripped the back of the body’s head, rocking back and forth even as it began to fade away from his hold. The soul was being claimed, he of all people should know there was nothing to be done to stop the process. He held on a little tighter.

He’d flown miles from the solace of his home. He was an old man, at least as old as his real age would imply. He was an immortal, a man who has seen countless wars. He has seen empires rise and fall. He has seen mortals rise from the ashes and return to the earth. He has watched the world change around, adapting to the times, careful to never fall for the charms of mortals. And he’d stuck to that mora; ever since he realized he could never grow beyond the age of 40. He’d stuck to it even after countless forms of death. He couldn’t seem to die. He’d walked the earth, alone and content with his immortality. Then he’d met Technoblade, a warrior possessed with the spirit of the Blood God. Phil has yet to determine what Techno is, a mortal or a god. Then after, he’d fallen in love with the goddess of death herself, and gained the title of ‘The Angel of Death.’

In all his years. In all his lifetimes. This very moment affirmed his moral to never befriend or ever grow close to a mortal soul. He didn’t know why it burned so badly, but it did. And he’d never felt this pain in a very long time… not since his first lifetime. The body beneath his fingertips crumbled into dust, lost to the winds of time. Blood still clung to his fingertips and to his cloak. His breath stuck against his throat, tears springing to his eyes. He held them back, his hands trembling instead. Phil held his hands close to his chest, eyes fluttering close as he whispered a prayer of death and safe passage. Perhaps his wife will receive him in the afterlife, and maybe he’d be happier there than he was in this life. He shook his head. In all his years. Among all the souls he’d reaped and sent away. He didn’t realize how painful death really was.

“Phil…” He forced himself to look up. The sword was no longer on the ground, instead it had been picked up. Blood slid down its steel blade, staining the ground even more. Phil winced at the noise, at the drip-drop of red. He stood, his shaky knees threatening to give way beneath him.

He let out a shaky sigh, forcing himself to meet his son’s dark eyes. “Wilbur…”

=============================================================

Hm... is the Wilbur coming to where Phil, Fundy, and Techno are Ghostbur or just Alivebur?

:3

[qscarlet]

Dreamland Chapter 4 Fundy's Mother

Tubbo was anxious as he waited for Eret to come back into the cave. He had his back pressed into the wall keeping an eye out for Eret, afraid Dream and his team tried to ambush them. Divide them and capture them, maybe torture them for information- sounded like something Dream would do,form what he had heard. Tubbo looked around the cave, noticing every crack and detail of what could possibly be used to hurt them or save his life. He was so absorbed in it that he didn't notice Eret came back into the cave. 

“Tubbo, what are you looking at?”

“The ceiling, you see the cracks? One small tnt explosion could cause this entire cave to colamps on us.” Eret nodded, that was true but that didn’t mean it was something Tubbo should be concerned about.  

“I don’t think that will happen Tubbo. We're safe.” Eret put a comforting hand on Tubbo’s small shoulder. 

“Not with Dream on the loose.” Tubbo replied, knocking the small pebbles aside with his shoe. 

“He won't, you don’t have to worry about that. This cave is on our border, so we are safe from them.” Eret said, reassuringly nudging Tubbo farther into the cave. 

Eret knew he should have said something but he couldn’t. What good would it have done? What good would it have done trying to convince Tubbo that Dream wasn’t a tyrant and Tommy was taking this way out of proportion? What good would it have done when Tubbo and Tommy are like brothers? What would it have done with Wilbur acting like a mentor- a big brother to bothTubbo and Tommy? What would it have done if he tried to show Tubbo his thoughts when he is competing with 2 other peoples voices? What good would it have done to turn Tubbo on his brother.? To potentially turn Tubbo’s entire family against him. The entire land for a small tantrum because Tommy can’t have or do something he wants and doesn’t want to face the repercussions. What good would it have done if he opened his mouth and spoke?

Those thoughts weighed in Erets mind as he helped Tubbo mine, the usual ease of the conversation and jokes between them felt slightly rough- almost as if they both felt the need to tip toe around each other slightly. Neither one knew how to fix this slight crack between them. The subconscious feeling still lingered with them as they headed back to l’manburge. 

What would opening his mouth and causing more of a crack between his family do? 

Fundy was in the middle of fixing his nest when Wilbur walked in acting off in Fundy’s eyes. Wilbur looked angry and nervous? Maybe scared? Why would he be scared? There's nothing to be scared of here.Unless it’s Dream. 

“Fundy?” Wilbur said in a soft voice forcing a smile, stopping just outside his nest of clothes, cloth and wool. 

“Yeah Will? What’s up?” Fundy asked.

“I need to talk to you, can I come in?” Wilbur asked, looking at the nest fondly. 

“Yeah of course, is it about the revolution?” Fundy asked scooting back to make room for Wilbur and his long limbs. Taking off his boots Wilbur murmured. 

“Something like that. Do you remember your mom?” He asked, his hands shaking slightly from nerves. Wilbur focused on getting into the nest instead of on Fundy’s face. 

“No, not really. Why?” Fundy started at Wilbur in confusion 

“Your mom– well we agreed to not bring this up until I thought you were old enough but with the revolution coming I thought you should know now in case something happens.” Wilbur still hadn’t looked at him. 

“Will, what do you mean? What are you talking about?” Fundy asked, starting to get concerned. 

“Your mother was a fish named Sally, and she was the love of my life. We met when I was swimming, me and the boys were rough housing around and your mother was behind me when I got shoved into a rock. Some of her scales got torn off and I offered to help her with her injuries. She didn’t want me to at first but I eventually changed her mind. It was like love at first sight. It was a miracle we were able to have you, it..took a lot of searching and bargaining for a solution.”

“Where is she now? Can I see her?” Fundy asked. 

“In bargaining for a solution it came at a cost, during the birth she wasn’t able to make it. But was gave me the greatest gift of all time -you.” Wilbur had a crying Fundy in his arms by the time he said his last word. 

“I love you Wilbur.” At Fundy’s words a slight tinge of guilt wiggled its way into Wilburs heart. He ignored it as he focused on hold Fundy, rubbing his back slightly until he fell asleep.

[onecanonlife]

careful son (you got dreamer's plans)

Wilbur gasps back to life with mud between his fingers and rain in his eyes.

Wilbur was dead. Now, he is not. He can't say that he's particularly happy about it.

Unfortunately, the server is still as tumultuous as ever, even with Dream locked away, so it seems that his involvement in things isn't a matter of if, but when.

(Alternatively: the prodigal son returns, and a broken family finally begins to heal. If, that is, the egg doesn't get them all killed first.)

Chapter Word Count: 5,687

Chapter Warnings: swearing, implied s.uicidal ideation

Chapter Summary: In which Wilbur visits L’Manhole, has his first encounter with the blood vines, and finally sees Tommy again.

(masterlist w/ ao3 links)

(first chapter) (previous chapter) (next chapter)

Chapter Four: head in the dust

L’Manberg really is just a crater in the ground, now.

He knew, of course. Ghostbur saw it in the aftermath, in the aftermath of the TNT and the withers and Techno and Phil standing shoulder to shoulder with Dream, an unholy alliance that no one else stood a chance against.

(is he angry at them, for allying with Dream? he’s done the same thing, and business is business no matter the devil you’re dealing with, as long as you don’t mind your soul being blackened)

(for Tommy’s sake, there is anger. for anyone else’s, well. he doesn’t think he has a right to be indignant on their behalf, not about this, not unless he wants to add being the worst type of hypocrite to his stack of crimes)

But Ghostbur was focused on Friend, then, and not so much the ruin of everything else. It hits differently, to see it now, to see a crater in the ground filled with rubble and broken buildings, the remains of something that used to be more, that used to stand for something, that aspired to a symbol that it could never truly embody.

(not when it was built on a flawed foundation, traitors and child soldiers and a flight path too close to the sun)

Overhead, thunder rumbles. Distant, but there are clouds gathering.

The melody comes to his mind unbidden, lilting and soft. He hums a few bars experimentally. And then a few more, staring out over the wreckage, eyes tracing over the remains of structures that are both familiar and not. So little of his L’Manberg was left by the time Phil and Techno destroyed it, and it is odd to recognize what it turned into, Ghostbur’s memories at odds with the knowledge that he wasn’t here to see it, was very much dead and at peace.

He keeps humming. There is a

(symphony)

song, the song, begging to be played, and he wishes he had his guitar. He’s not sure where it is. He can’t remember whether Ghostbur had it, whether it was left to be destroyed along with everything else. Or whether it was abandoned in Pogtopia, and there it still lies, gathering dust in an empty ravine with the remnants of the potato farms and the training rooms and the corridors they hollowed out and called their own.

The words won’t come to his lips. He knows them intimately, like he knows his own name or perhaps even better, but he holds back.

Lightning forks through the sky. For a second, all the world is black and white, his vision painted with stark shadows. The clouds are darkening; the skies will open up any moment now. He feels a burst of fear, a burst of get inside, get inside now, you’ll melt, and then remembers that he is not Ghostbur, and that a little bit of rain won’t hurt him at all.

It is time to move on, though. Lingering here will gain him nothing.

He looks out over what is left of L’Manberg one last time. And then turns on his heel and continues walking down the Prime Path, his coat flaring out behind him.

It feels so odd to be here, to be walking this road so openly. He hasn’t seen anyone yet, and he probably has the oncoming storm to thank for it. And he is thankful; he’s not sure how he would react if he ran into anyone, or how they would react to running into him. There are old friends here alongside old enemies, as well as people that he hasn’t even met, not really, not properly, not as himself. Time’s marched on without him, and if he’s being honest, he doesn’t know what to make of the changes that have happened in his absence.

He does know that he doesn’t particularly want to see anyone. Anyone other than Tommy, that is. So he’s glad that no one seems to be out and about.

He’s lost in his own thoughts. So he doesn’t notice the vines until he trips right over one, barely catching himself before he falls. He frowns, his humming dying in his throat at he stares at the obstacle.

This is definitely new. Did Ghostbur know anything about it? He can’t remember whether or not he did, which is hardly a good indicator of anything. Either way, now that he’s seen one, he sees a lot more, dotting the landscape all around him—and they were down in the crater too, weren’t they? Thick vines, blood red in color, creeping across the ground and over buildings. They fill him with a sense of uneasiness; the way they grow reminds him of kudzu, covering things and choking the life from them, parasitic and nigh on impossible to get rid of.

He crouches by the one he tripped over, examining it. It’s so large that a person would need an ax to make a dent in it, and frankly, he’s surprised that no one has by now. At least in the case of this one, which is definitely a hazard to anyone trying to use the Prime Path.

He reaches out and pokes it, not sure what he’s expecting, and then his mind fills with

(a warmth, glowing and red and sickly and creeping and wrong wrong wrong)

(a warmth, glowing and red and comforting and familiar and right right right)

(s t a t i c and it h u r t s)

He jerks his hand away, trying to shout, but the sound that escapes him is more of a whine. His momentum carries him backward, and he scrambles back a bit for good measure, his eyes fixed on the vine, half-expecting it to rise up and attack him or something of the like. It does not, but it takes a moment before he feels steady enough to stand, and even then, fine tremors run through his limbs, his body breaking out in a cold sweat.

What the hell was that?

He looks around, forgetting about his earlier trepidation, hoping that there is someone nearby to ask about it. But there is no one.

“Schlatt?” he calls, hating the shake in his voice. But there is no flash of blue, and no smug asshole stepping into view, so he assumes that the ghost isn’t nearby at the moment.

He lets out a breath. Runs a hand through his hair. And he keeps walking, not sure what else to do. He still doesn’t have any weapons, couldn’t do anything about that—that thing, even if he tried. So he keeps walking, giving it a wide berth, and tries to calm himself down, tries to focus on seeing Tommy. Nothing is more important than that. Not the wreckage that was once his city, not the strange and slightly terrifying red vines, not the corner of his mind that is whispering for him to get out while he still can, to leave before he’s well and truly trapped here, stuck in a new lease on life that he never wanted.

(rest rest rest if you want to rest again there’s no one to stop you yet but this is your last chance)

None of that matters.

Tommy’s house comes into sight a few minutes later, and he smiles to see it. In the end, it’s not much more than a hole dug into a hill, but it’s Tommy’s, and that’s always been what matters. He ducks inside, surveying the chests that line one wall, the doorway that leads to the room with the jukebox, a set of stairs leading downward. There’s not much in the way of decoration, but Tommy has never been one for it.

Tommy’s not here, though. The bed looks slept-in, and no dust gathers on the chests, so he’s been here recently, which is a relief. He probably won’t have to go hiking across the entire server looking for him. But he’s not here, and Wilbur’s not sure what to do while he’s not. Should he wait in his home? Maybe. But then, he doesn’t want to startle him too badly, and no one likes returning to their house and finding an unexpected guest, no matter who that guest might be.

He purses his lips, glancing around again. And this time, something tucked in the corner catches his eye. Its shape is familiar, and his heart leaps and stutters, but—no. It can’t be.

(he doesn’t remember whether Ghostbur had it or not but that shouldn’t mean that Tommy does, shouldn’t mean that Tommy managed to hold onto it all this time, between war and exile and war again, because that would be impossible, and even if it weren’t why would he want to keep it for so long why would it matter so much to him)

But it is.

He lifts his guitar with hands that have begun to shake once again. Plucks a string. It’s out of tune, but that can be fixed. It’s a miracle that it’s here in the first place.

He lets out a breath, thin and wavering. He looks around, at this home that is Tommy’s, not his. It wouldn’t feel right to wait here, not when he doesn’t have permission, not when Tommy’s not aware of him at all. So he steps outside, and takes a deep breath; the air is humid and electric, the anticipation of the rain permeating it already. The clouds have grown darker in the minutes he spent inside Tommy’s home.

He takes his guitar and heads for the bench.

It’s Tommy and Tubbo’s bench, really. But with this instrument in his hands and rain about to fall, nostalgia is is tapping out a three-four waltz in his chest. He sits gingerly, setting his guitar across his lap, his fingers already flying across the strings and frets, testing chords, turning the tuning pegs. It takes a few minutes before he’s satisfied with the sound, and by then, a drizzle has begun to fall.

Briefly, he considers going back inside, or mining a few blocks and building an awning of sorts over the bench. But there’s no point in it, really; he enchanted this guitar to last a long time ago, and a bit of water won’t do a thing to it. And what can the rain possibly do to him now?

(he gasps back to life with mud between his fingers and rain in his eyes, and the water means imprisonment and freedom all at once, and something settles inside him, something that pulses with the pattern of the raindrops)

Thunder rolls. But the rain doesn’t seem to be getting any worse than this light shower, so he strums a few chords experimentally. His fingers remember them better than he expected, because he’s not sure when he last sat down and played, truly played. Before Pogtopia, at least, and with that thought, he picks out a familiar melody.

(i heard there was a)

He stops. Stares out into space. The view really is nice from here, vines notwithstanding, though he’s sure it would look better in the light of the sun. Still, there is something about the rain that soothes him, fills in a few of the shattered cracks of his soul. He feels odd, distant, and he doesn’t think it will last, but he’ll take his moments of peace when he can find them, now.

He plays a different song. Something simple, something peppy. And then something else. He doesn’t dip into his own songs, doesn’t feel quite ready to do that

(though there is a song, a symphony, waiting just beyond his hearing, and if he lets them his fingers will fly)

yet, so he dips into the repertoire of songs that he knows, that he’s learned over the years, nights spent around campfires and in forests and under trees and beneath the stars and by the crackling fireplace of the house he once called home, his brothers lounging nearby and calling his playing shit, his father laughing and chiding them and watching him with a gleam of pride in his eyes, his wings tucked behind him and at rest. All of them, at rest.

He doesn’t sing. But he hums along. Quietly, at first, and then with more confidence. The sound of the rain fills his brain until it’s just about all he can hear, the rain and his guitar and his humming, and it’s as if the rest of the world has fallen away for a little while, leaving only him and this bench and the water that is slowly soaking his clothes and plastering his hair to his forehead, and this rain isn’t at all like the rain from last night, really. That rain was cold and biting and it hurt, really, especially in those first few moments when his skin felt so raw, so new. This rain is gentle. Like a caress, almost.

He barely notices what he’s playing. Until he settles on a song, and he is struck by the memory of playing it for Tommy when they were kids, trying to help him fall asleep. It always worked like a charm. Phil used to joke that it was a magic spell, or Tommy’s off sequence, a hack into his code. And then Tommy would scowl and call him a bitch, and Phil would laugh, and Techno would roll his eyes and claim he wanted to leave, but he never did, not really.

(until he did, that is, until he left for Hypixel and the only thing any of them knew of him for a long while afterward was what they could glean from his short messages and the newspapers announcing his wins)

He tilts his head up for a moment. His eyes are watering, but it’s the rain falling on his face. That’s all. He keeps playing, playing and humming, and

(Tommy is drifting off, his eyes sliding shut before he gets through the song, and he lets the chord fade away and his nah nah nah trails into silence, and he smiles and ruffles his little brother’s hair and whispers good night)

Tommy says, “What the hell?”

(take a sad song and make it better)

He hits a wrong note, his fingers spasming, and he flinches. He is suddenly very aware of himself, of the way his coat has begun sticking to him, of the water dripping down his face. The rain is coming down a bit harder now, hard enough that he perhaps should have made that awning after all. He swallows, his gaze fixed on his guitar, on the way the water evaporates when it makes contact with it, the enchantments still holding strong even after all this time.

The rain stops being a comfort. It’s just rain, now, and he feels so terribly present in this moment.

He shifts on the bench, and turns so that he can look behind him.

And it’s—

Tommy. And Tubbo, too, standing next to him. They’ve got an umbrella held between them. They’re staring at him, Tubbo in shock and Tommy—Tommy in—he doesn’t know, can’t tell

(shock yes but what else he doesn’t know is there excitement does he dare hope for happiness please let it not be horror please not anger even though he deserves it he does he knows he does)

what he’s feeling beyond the obvious surprise, and perhaps a bit of disbelief.

His fingers finally still on the strings.

“Hello, Tommy,” he says.

It’s pithy, in the face of everything. It’s weak. It’s too little, too late. It’s all he can think to say.

“What the hell,” Tubbo is saying, an echo of Tommy’s exclamation, “what the hell?” But Wilbur really only has eyes for Tommy, who is standing there, unmoving, unblinking, and worryingly mute. Tommy is never so silent. In the face of a challenge, in the face of something undesirable, in the face of anything unexpected, Tommy’s first instinct has always been to be loud, to shout and yell and puff himself up like a bird playing at being predator. And yet here he is, quiet. Just staring. Eyes wide.

Slowly, Wilbur puts his guitar to the side, and stands. No more words come to his mind. Getting to his feet seems to take all of his energy, all of his willpower, and then he’s glued to the spot. Frozen, his heart in his throat, beating out that traitorous rhythm. Tommy is still just staring, and he wishes he would do something, anything, would rail at him or curse or step forward or run the other direction, because anything would be better than this stalemate, this thick tension that rests between the two of them. Maybe then, Wilbur would be able to find the courage to bridge the gap.

(unless the gap doesn’t want to be bridged and Tommy’s changed his mind after all, has decided that he doesn’t want the return of the man who made him a soldier and then a fugitive, who stole the remainder of his childhood away and replaced it with shadows and paranoia and enemies at every turn and the worst one of all right in front of him, who was supposed to be his brother but turned into a monster and who could blame him, really, if he decided that, if he decided that his life would be better off without such a one in it)

“Tommy—” he starts, not knowing what will come next, and his voice cracks. His voice breaks, terribly, like the word doesn’t belong in his mouth anymore, like he doesn’t have a right to say the name like he used to, and perhaps he doesn’t, after everything he’s done, and then—

“Wilbur,” Tommy whispers, barely audible over the rain.

“It’s me,” he says. It’s a confirmation and it’s a promise and it’s an apology. He wonders if Tommy can hear it.

And then, Tommy is running, is charging straight at him, and Wilbur doesn’t have time to react before Tommy is barreling into him, taking them both to the ground, and all the breath exits his lungs with a soft whumph. And then, there is a fist in his face, and he sees stars, pain erupting in his nose, and he grunts. His vision clears after a moment, and Tommy’s face fills his line of sight, red and splotchy and twisted up. He’s all but sitting on his chest, making it difficult to get that air back. His fist is still raised, still poised to strike again. Wilbur’s surprised that it hasn’t.

“You bastard,” Tommy says. “You bastard, what the actual hell is this, Wilbur you bastard, you can’t just—how are you even here? What are you—how are you—”

Wilbur reaches up and touches his face.

It’s an instinct, really, to touch Tommy when he gets worked up. He’s a bit like a cat, in that way; he’ll pretend until the cows come home that he doesn’t like physical comfort, that he’s too much of a big manly man to do anything more than slap someone on the shoulder, maybe, much less hug them, but as soon as contact is made, all of that flies out the window. If it’s timed right, that is, and Wilbur has had years to become a study in Tommy. So he reaches out and holds his hand against Tommy’s face, and half of it is to calm him down and half of it is for Wilbur to reassure himself that his brother is here, that he’s fine and that he’s real, because he didn’t think that it would be an issue but now that he’s here, looking at Tommy in the flesh, he can’t get the image of Tommy-in-exile out of his mind, worn down and ragged and eyes entirely devoid of life, at the end of his rope even if Ghostbur couldn’t see that, couldn’t understand the pain he was in.

(you should have been there for him should have been there to protect him to keep him safe but you weren’t and whose fault is that and now look at him he’s grown up without you when he shouldn’t have had to grow up at all)

Tommy goes completely still.

“Tommy,” he says. “I am so fucking sorry.”

It’s like a dam has burst within him, and everything he’s been holding back floods him. He looks at his brother, his brother who is still a child and yet looks at him with eyes that have seen more war and death than any child should, and he is struck with the knowledge that he is the one who did this, that he is the one who planted the seeds, that Tommy went to war with him, for him, and he repaid him by isolating him and hurting him and pitting him and Techno against each other and insisting that there was no one he could trust. And perhaps he’s no Dream, but what difference does that make, in the end, when Dream would never have been able to get his hands on Tommy in the first place if it weren’t for him, for his stupid, selfish actions, for his weakness and his inability to see reality for what it was?

He broke, and Tommy paid the price for it. And now here they are.

His vision blurs. It could be the rain. It could be.

“I am so sorry,” he repeats, and it’s a struggle to get the words out, because his throat feels so thick, like it’s closing in on itself. “So sorry for everything, for—god, Tommy, for all of it, I never should’ve—”

“You’re here,” Tommy says, and Wilbur falls silent as the air is once again driven out of his lungs, this time by the full weight of his brother collapsing on his chest and clutching at his shirt, burying his face in the fabric. “You’re here, you fucking—you’re here.”

“I’m here,” he agrees, and he brings one hand up to rest on Tommy’s back and starts carding the other one through his hair, a motion that Tommy usually protests, but now doesn’t say a word against.

“You bastard,” Tommy mumbles. “You’re such a bitch, you—you left me, you promised you wouldn’t and then you left me,  what kind of shit move was that, huh? You absolute—you complete—you stupid bitch!”

“Gremlin child,” he murmurs, and it comes out so soft and so fond and more than a little bit choked up, “I know, I know, I’m so sorry.”

“You’d better be,” Tommy says. “Fuck, Wilbur, I’m so glad you’re back.”

And that gives him pause, just for a second, a moment in which he has no idea how to respond to that, because he isn’t. Not in the broadest sense. How can he be, when the thought of the void still lingers in the back of his mind like a siren’s call, when he’s been ripped away from that peace and shoved into a body that feels everything too sharply, too keenly?

He’s not glad for that.

(he’d escape, if he could, he thinks, but he can’t afford to think on it too long, can’t afford to let that longing settle into his skin, especially not now and not here)

But Tommy can’t know that. He decides it right then and there: Tommy can’t know that. He’s been through so much already; he shouldn’t have to deal with Wilbur’s shit on top of all of it. Shouldn’t have to know that he doesn’t want to be here at all. That he meant it when he told him he didn’t want to be brought back. That he still means it. That he’s not here by choice, no matter how good it is to see his brother again.

Tommy can’t know that. Tommy can’t know that, because it would hurt him, and Wilbur knows that he is not a good person, that he hasn’t been for a long time, but he’ll be damned before he hurts his little brother again.

So, Tommy can’t know.

It’s easier than it should be, to pull together a quick facade. A bit of a mask, a bit of a farce, a bit of a lie, just enough to give the impression that he’s less damaged than he knows he is. He can be broken in private. Tommy shouldn’t have to deal with that. Shouldn’t have to see it.

(he dragged Tommy down with him once)

(never again)

“Me too,” he says,

(and it’s a lie, a lie, a lie, twisted and poisonous on his tongue, tasting of ash and gunpowder)

and smiles.

Tommy pulls away from him, enough to look him in the eyes. His face is blotchy, but Wilbur doesn’t comment on it.

“You’re not upset?” he demands.

“Why would I be upset?” he asks.

“I mean, earlier,” Tommy says. “You do remember that, right? When we talked? And you said you didn’t—you didn’t want to come back? I thought you’d be upset about it.”

“I remember,” he says. “It’s alright. I’m just glad to see you.”

(the question: how many half-truths can he tell?)

(the answer: as many as it takes, and never mind the fallout)

“Yeah?” Tommy says.

“Yeah,” Wilbur replies.

“Well then,” Tommy says, and then, he suddenly seems to realize the position that they’re in, Wilbur sprawled on the wet grass and Tommy half-lying, half-sitting on top of him. Tommy clears his throat, and his next motion is to awkwardly climb off of him, dusting off his pants and looking away awkwardly as if to pretend that none of that just happened. It’s typical, really; Tommy’s always been allergic to overt displays of affection. That much, at least, hasn’t changed.

He sighs, sitting up himself. And then finally remembers that Tubbo is here, too. Has been the whole time, standing there uncomfortably, white-knuckling his grip on the umbrella. He makes eye contact, and there, in Tubbo’s eyes, is the wariness that he was expecting to find in Tommy, that he was surprised not to see.

“Hello, Tubbo,” he says quietly.

“Hi, Wilbur,” Tubbo says. A bit short, a bit cold; not hostile, but not precisely welcoming, either.

“I owe you an apology as well,” he says. “A lot of them, really. I’m sorry for what I did.”

The expression that passes across Tubbo’s face is unmistakably one of surprise. Is it the apology itself? Or was he not expecting Wilbur to apologize to him, specifically?

“You’ll understand if I can’t quite forgive you,” Tubbo says, and Wilbur nods.

(Schlatt grinning on the stage and he knows, he knows that Techno will be unable to withstand this kind of pressure, knows that what Schlatt demands, he will be given, and there is a boy in a box shaking and begging, a boy that Wilbur has known since he followed Tommy home one day, all those years ago, a boy in a box, a sacrificial lamb, and Wilbur turns aside and doesn’t waver at the sound of his scream)

“Of course,” he says, and stands himself. The rain is letting up a bit, and he casts a glance back at his guitar, still sitting on the bench.

“Have you just been sat out here in the rain?” Tommy asks. “Why didn’t you just wait inside? How long have you been here, anyway?”

“Here? I don’t know. It hasn’t been too long,” he says absently. He picks up his guitar again, though he makes no move to play it, holding it loosely at his side. “I thought the rain felt nice.”

“You thought the rain felt nice—”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Wilbur,” Tubbo interrupts, “but how exactly are you back?”

And that—that draws him up short.

Because for the question to be asked like that implies that Tubbo doesn’t know, which means that whatever Tommy did, or got Dream to do, Tubbo wasn’t told. Which makes no sense; Tommy tells Tubbo everything. That’s just the way of the world. And when he looks to Tommy, Tommy is watching him with a curious expression, like he’s interested in the answer too, and that doesn’t make any sense, because Tommy had to have at least known that something had happened, because if he didn’t, that means—

(how many strings does the puppeteer have?)

“I thought,” he starts, and he can’t keep the dread from his voice, “I thought that I should be asking you that question. Since you said that Dream could resurrect me. I thought you got him to do something.”

There is silence for a very long time.

“I’ve been to visit a couple of times,” Tommy says quietly. “The prison, I mean. I hadn’t asked him about it yet. I’ve—I’ve been thinking about what you said a lot. And I wanted you back, so I was probably going to bring it up at some point, but I wanted to be—I wanted to try to be smart about it. I didn’t want the bastard to get one over me. And uh, that thing you said about Schlatt, I didn’t want that to happen, either. So uh, I haven’t actually spoken to Dream about it.”

“Wait, but that doesn’t make any sense,” Tubbo says. “Dream’s got a book, yeah? That Schlatt had? That’s how he knows how to do it, right? But he doesn’t have that in prison, so how could he have done anything?”

He tries not to let his reaction show on his face. But his eyes dart around, seeking out blue, trying to see if Schlatt is around to hear this. He doesn’t see anything, though that doesn’t necessarily say much.

Should he mention Schlatt? Or would that just make things worse?

“I woke up in a forest,” he says. “That’s literally all I know. I woke up in a forest, and it was fucking cold, and I was fucking alive. Beyond that, I’ve got nothing.” He pauses, gauging Tommy’s reaction, and decides to save Schlatt for another time. As well as the fact that he spent the night at Techno’s. All of that can wait until Tommy looks a little less—fragile isn’t quite the right word to use, or at least, it shouldn’t be, because Tommy has been many things but fragile has never been one of them. But there is a brittleness about him, and Wilbur can’t help but be afraid that if he says the wrong thing, if he steps wrongly, Tommy might snap. Might break into little pieces. Or might not, might fracture on the inside and pretend that nothing is wrong, might pull away and refuse to let anyone help him because he thinks he doesn’t need it, or worse, that he doesn’t deserve it—

“We’re going to have to go speak to him, aren’t we,” Tommy states, and yes, yes they are, Wilbur would love nothing more than to see the green bastard face to face and put his fist right through his teeth and wring out an explanation for himself, but—

Tommy’s eyes are hooded. He’s trying to hide it, trying not to let it show. But he’s tense. Like he’s expecting a blow.

(he rages, boils from the inside out, but he can do nothing because there is no one here to fight. no one here to blame. Dream is not here. Schlatt is not here)

(there is no one but himself)

“Yes,” Wilbur says, “but I don’t see why we’d need to right now. We can wait a bit.”

He doesn’t want to wait. He doesn’t want to wait at all. He wants to march down to the prison right now and demand his answers. But the poorly concealed relief on Tommy’s face makes it worth it.

(there is something in him screaming that it doesn’t matter, that this is more important, that Tommy can be a bit uncomfortable if it gets him what he wants, that there is a bigger picture to worry about and they are all ants caught up in a flood, but no, no, no, he sacrificed Tommy to this voice once and he won’t do it again he won’t he’s going to be better)

“Yeah, let’s make that bitch sweat for a while,” Tommy says, all bluster, but it’s comforting in its familiarity. “I bet he’s just waiting on us to come and ask him about it. Bitch has got another thing coming.” He grins, sharp and wild, and Wilbur almost takes a step back, because how long has it been since that expression was directed at him?

(the scene: the results are in and they’ve got a majority, and Tommy is whooping and hollering and Wilbur hates himself for giving him false hope, because he’s got the results in his hand and they should have won but he’s about to have to crush that infectious joy of his, and there’s really no way to do it gently, so he waits just one more second, one more second for his brother to be happy, and then he speaks and the smile slides off Tommy’s face like chalk washed away in the rain)

Too long.

So when he speaks, his voice is entirely too soft.

“I feel like I’ve missed a lot,” he says, and it’s an obvious non-sequitur but he doesn’t care. “Would you like to catch me up?”

And Tommy grins and grins and grins, and he knows he’s made the right choice when Tommy slings an arm around his shoulder and starts talking his ear off, and Tubbo rolls his eyes but follows along with them, and it feels so good and so right and he’s missed this, he has. If life were made of only moments like these, perhaps he would be able to be happy to be here.

For now, being happy in the moment will have to be enough.

“So I’ve got to ask, you don’t feel particularly like blowing anything up at the moment, do you?”

“Tubbo, that’s so fucking rude—”

It stings, the reminder, but it’s deserved. So he smiles, and he answers, and above them, the rain stops.

[czarojay]

I can’t stop thinking about how Wilbur’s music goes with Wilbur the dsmp character( not the real Wilbur Wilbur, the same thoughts don’t apply to irl Wilbur, don’t worry o/ ). So here it is a post where i’m gonna just talk about my thoughts on this topic. 

Not all songs worked for me like Jubilee line for example, so don’t be surprised they’re not included.

Gonna make it a long post so people uninterested can go on, have a nice scroll across your dash, cya next time :] 

Saline solution, not all the lyrics, but a big majority applies to the smp story of his.  

I think I've lost my mind Blurring the fact and the fiction 

This one i’ve used myself in one of my fanarts and i really think it works well with Wilbur. He’s lost himself in the banishment, unsure of whether they’re the heroes or the villains, until he’s gone insane, unsure of what’s the truth and who’s lying to him. Maybe he’s lying to himself? Maybe everyone is actually a traitor? 

I think I've made my choice I'm a disease playing victim Slip the fate slip the victory I think I've made my choice Sink secluded in hatred Void the plans friends are making I think I've found my voice I'm a leech sucking blood bags Taste defeat, it's a sandbag

This really works way too well in my opinion. Wilbur played the victim for a long time, that he untruly lost his presidentship, despite being the one who proposed the election in the first time. He was a poor overthrown rightful leader, not the terrorist some people viewed him as. 

But in the end he did void the plans friends were making. When Tubbo became the president, he left, he made his choise, he let the victory slip, he decided to throw it all to the ground and blow it up. Wilbur the character, was a leech of L’Manburg, Pogtopia and for a brief moment New L’Manburg. At first a looked up to leader, became a person who manipulates others, causes death and destruction and is the source of problems in the end. 

Your Sister Was Right doesn’t have the same energy to me as the song above does, but I still could quite easily find bits which hit me badly.

I thought I couldn't love anymore Turns out I can't, but not for the same reasons as before I use everyone I ever meet I can't find the perfect match Abuse those I love While I ostracize the ones who love me Back

Wilbur the smp character did abuse and manipulate and use people around him. The first wasn’t as noticeable at first, but in the end, I feel it might have been more emotional rather than physical abuse? It’s hard not to imagine all the ways Tubbo or Tommy could have been traumatised because of Wilbur. The Festival is just one of the examples. Tommy for a very brief moment did consider fleeing. He stayed just because Tubbo didn’t want to go with him. 

After the exile Wilbur started to ostracize people around him. He wasn’t the happy and good big brother to everyone of L’Manburg. He became a twisted man, he didn’t interact with them the same way. They didn’t understand him in the end, did they? They were all traitors, couldn’t be trusted. He was alone, he needed to do this by himself, didn’t he? I’m Sorry Boris doesn’t really feel like I could just take out the lyrics and point at Wilbur and go “This fits”. I’m gonna do it anyways and try to interprete them the best I can! 

I'm not good for anyone here We reached the end of a decade Greenwich morphs into an arcade Southwark turns into a highway Up to hamlets, a tax break Newham, Islington a headache And Richmond's still shit

This could work with L’Manburg. This is the end of this era, isn’t it? All the ideals Wilbur stood for have been abandoned. They don’t fight with words anymore, they use weapons. They’re not fighting against the bad guys, Dream, they became the bad guys, terrorists here. They changed and so L’Manburg has also changed. Into Manburg. The walls are gone, buildings abandoned, the hto dog van devastated, new buildings growing and Manburg looks barely like it used to look like. It’s not L’Manburg anymore and even if they won it back it could never be the same, right?

But they'll knock down the pubs before helping you They'll burn down your towers before helping you They'll charge for your healthcare before helping you They'll let you jump under trains before helping you

If you squint hard enough, this could be Wilbur speaking to Niki. Schlatt taxed her more, Sapnap killed Fungi, Fundy, her friend and co-runned for the presidency, in the end also abandoned her for Schlatt, even if he was a spy. 

Even Wilbur abandoned her, waiting for the right moment supposedly, but taking her under his wing only after the Festival, which was when he would kill her along with countless other people if the button plan did work. She was on her own.

And even though I'm finished I'm not quite done with it No matter how far I run south I'm always there My lovers, my colleagues My best friends and enemies I don't think I want to leave you

This could apply to many things. To how Wilbur was in the room 8 times, yet didn’t press it. To how Wilbur gave countless chances, occasions for the problem to be solved without detonating the tnt. But it could also not work at all, since he wasn’t finished. He said so himself. Unfinished symphony. 

But at the same time, he didn’t want to leave them. He became a ghost and ghosts only stay when they have unfinished business behind. He must have decided he didn’t want to leave them, he decided to stay after his death.

And finally Since I Saw Vienna. The song which pushed my to making this post.

I am not going to copy and paste the whole song here, cause that would be such a bother to read and make sense at the same time, so instead i will just talk about my interpretation instead. And I am not saying this interpretation is the best or the correct one, but it’s how i choose to understand this.

Since I Saw Vienna is about a person of fluid personality, a person who also walks and moves and travels. In the second verse the lyrical subject’s goal are described as " horizon's my target “ and it makes me think of a person who has a goal set in mind and tries to reach it, but can’t. It’s moving so they move as well, trying to reach it (” If I keep on moving, never lose sight of it “). 

And doesn’t that sound so similar to Wilbur? He keeps trying to achieve his goal, but in the end he lost it, he doesn’t know what it is anymore. 

Treating my memory of you like a fire, let it Burn out, don't fight it, and try to move on

And this sounds like Wilboo doesn’t it? His memory problems? He does try to remember, but still it’s a little too close for me, not to think about. 

And finally,

I'll pick up my hiking boots when I am ready And I'll put down my roots when I'm dead

These are one of the rawest lines I’ve seen. Maybe not to all people, but this is the part of the song which hits me the hardest.

This is Wilboo. Wilbur is dead, he moved the whole live, he tried to achieve something, he fought, he lived, he lost, he won and he died. He focused on nothing other than reaching his goal during his life. He said he wanted one day to build a small cottage or wood hut in the forest to retire to one day, but he never grasped any chance to do that, he just kept going, trying to achieve something. 

Really, he settled down only when he died. He’s happy again, as happy as he can be with people being anxious around him and his memory being blank and seemingly becoming more and more empty with each day he lives through as a ghost. Only now, he’s building a house, enjoying his post mortiem life.

He’s putting his roots down only now, when he’s dead.