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Chapter Text

Tommy didn’t just wake up and decide that his life was going to spiral out of control that morning.

He woke up and ate a carrot for breakfast because he and Ranboo and Tubbo were fucking poor and couldn’t afford a better breakfast.

Then he listened as Tubbo lectured Ranboo again about getting a job because they needed to pay rent and Tommy’s job paid barely enough.

And after spending the day job-surfing with Ranboo, Tommy went out to patrol.

Which leads us to now.

The vigilante Theseus—that was Tommy—was not overly popular. Although well known to be reliable and happy to help, he was also known to be an incredible pickpocket among other things.

Tommy ducked to avoid the punch to the cheek and kicked out a leg, trying to get his opponent to fall.

His opponent was some drug dealer, who apparently knew to fight. Tommy was quite upset when his kick did not land, and was even more upset when metal knuckles crashed into his ribs.

A small cracking sound.

Fuck’s sake, man.

That was enough motivation for Tommy to just use his power—that of enhanced speed—to dodge and attack faster than he could be reacted to.

The opponent fell to the ground. Tommy stood back, satisfied.

And went home.

Now, Tommy was a very honest guy.

He only lied to people about his age, family, occupation, legal name, ability, and his favorite color.

See? All in all, so much honesty.

But that did not, by any means, imply that he would tell Tubbo and Ranboo the truth about his rib(s).

”Hey, you good?” Tubbo questioned, not looking away from his laptop for a second.

”Yeah, just bruised me torso.” Tommy grimaced, exaggerating his accent for a moment. “‘aving a bit of pain, I am.”

Tubbo chuckled. Tommy caught a bag of frozen peas instinctively, them having been tossed without warning.

”Sold our ice packs on E-Bay for 7 dollars each.” Ranboo informed Tommy as the latter stared in disgust.

Tommy gently pressed the bag to his ribs and took a shaky breath, willing himself to suck it up.

He awkwardly limped over to his bedroom before collapsing on the mattress.

Now that he was alone, it was time to cry.

Tommy’s “room” was a section of the singular bedroom that was sectioned off by a bookshelf that Tommy actually had filled and a stack of well-fitting boxes, with a curtain for a door.

His bed was a dirty mattress. He let Ranboo have the nice mattress for that poor suffering long ass spine.

On one wall of the area was a collection of pictures printed from a disposable camera. All of them were of Ranboo or Tubbo, with a couple of both or Tommy with one or both.

On the other wall were other miscellaneous things. Notes on things, drawings, and a single smiley face that Tommy had embedded a knife in over and over.

His stupid older brother had abused him for 12 years before Tommy had escaped to be with Ranboo and Tubbo in this apartment. Four years, it had been, but Tommy was nowhere near over it.

Sleep was fitful at best.

Early the next morning, through white-hot pain in his ribs, Tommy crunched on a carrot and got ready for work. Monday mornings were horror movies in real life.

Ah, work. Tommy choked out a hello to the receptionist and managed to get to his desk.

The Hero HQ. That was where Tommy worked.

He was among the lucky 10 people who did desk work for the HQ.

Things like filing away signed off documents, influencing Hero approval rates through social media, and occasionally fixing the often broken coffee machine.

It was SO out of Tommy’s payroll to deal with the armed, masked dudes who appeared during his shift.

One of them called for the SBI. A terrified coworker of Tommy’s called them.

But they got no warning. The elevator dinged open and a gun was immediately fired at Blackwing, member of the SBI.

Okay. Tommy was the closest to the elevator, and he had enhanced speed.

What else could he do but leap out of his seat and stretch out an arm to save Blackwing?

Ow.

The bullet embedded itself in his arm.

Ow.

”Did you seriously have to shoot him?” Tommy asked, disappointed in the masked man who’d shot him. “Now look, I’m fuckin’ bleeding, man.”

True. Ow, his ribs. Fuck.

”Oh my god, are you okay?” Blackwing yelped in shock. “Th-thank you.”

”I got shot, man, I’m far from fine.” Tommy grumbled.

The man with the gun that had shot Tommy stepped closer, placing his gun against Tommy’s chest.

”Out of the way or I shoot.” He ordered.

Tommy glared at him.

Instead of complying, he unexpectedly grabbed the gun and pointed it at the roof, twisting it out of the man’s grasp.

Four gunshots rang out. The masked men were all unconscious but not dead.

”Well.” 

Tommy collapsed too.

God, he thought. I am so getting fired.

Chapter Text

Tommy heard the Blade before his eyes opened.

"--rib. Who comes in to work with a cracked fucking rib?"

So he opened his eyes.

"I do, motherfucker." Tommy croaked, suddenly very aware that he was in the hospital and the SBI were standing over him. "I have a desk job, it's not like I need to move much."

"Oh, you're awake." Blackwing stated obviously. "How you feeling, mate?"

"Fine." Tommy lied through his teeth. "Fine enough to be discharged, I'd say."

"No, no," Blade stopped him. "Tell me how you cracked your rib."

Tommy racked his brain.

"I just got mugged, fellas, it's fine." He smiled. He got several disbelieving stares.

"I'm from Logstedshire, guys."

"IT'S A VERY UNSAFE PLACE!" Tommy added, scowling. Ah, looks of pity. As much as he hated pity, that meant the guilt trip worked. Good. Eat the rich.

Wasn't that cannibalism? Tommy decided to think about that later.

"Alright, fine, we'll let you get discharged." Siren relented. Tommy beamed at him.

The next morning, after relaying everything that happened to a very angry Tubbo and a slightly confused Ranboo, Tommy headed in to work to find a note on his desk.

talk to the sbi  -sbi

Ew, they talked in the third person. Disgusting.

"The Great Tommy Innit would never talk in the third person," Tommy muttered to himself.

He headed up to the SBI floor, only slightly nervous. What did they want?

The moment the elevator doors opened, his non-injured arm was grabbed and he was dragged out.

"Hello." It was the Blade. "You work for us, personally, now."

Tommy stared at him.

"...no."

He turned around and walked back to the elevator.

"It pays double what you were earning downstairs."

Tommy paused, turning back around.

"Consider it done. What do I do?"

Chapter Text

Tommy silently did his paperwork. He silently filed away said paperwork. He silently started drama on social media, then silently counteracted the drama on social media. 

It would've been strange how silent he was, but the answer was clear to see.

He had headphones on. 

If he could afford AirPods they'd be AirPods, but they were old headphones. Good ones, nonetheless. It'd taken a month of eating half a carrot per day to afford the headphones, and Tommy had continued to use them since nearly every day. Any time they malfunctioned, Tubbo went to great lengths to fix them. Nobody wanted to starve for a whole month again so Tommy could sleep at night.

Which he still couldn't, but he at least could soothe himself back to sleep now.

There had been no rule anywhere explicitly stating that Tommy could not vibe while he worked. Therefore, Tommy exploited the loophole and wore his headphones.

khai dreams played in his headphones, then Bo Burnham. Ah, yes. Tommy was neither unpaid nor an intern, but that would not stop him from wholeheartedly enjoying Unpaid Intern by Bo Burnham.

He hummed quietly, not seeing Siren pass by and smile fondly as he did. 

Nearing the end of the day, Tommy walked into the common area, having finally pulled of his headphones, and froze.

There stood Blade, shouting angrily at...

...Dream.

oh.

Tommy nearly laughed.

of course.

living alone didn't mean he'd never see the guy again.

tommy was so stupid.

always had been.

wasn't that what his brother always told him?

it was, wasn't it?

and now here he was. again.

tommy was going to cry.

The argument was getting more heated. It was a screaming match. Tommy could feel the power pulsing in the air. Oh god, oh fuck, oh god, oh fuck, oh fucking shit.

The pulsing was accompanied by the kind of high-pitched sound, like a ringing in your ear. From what Tommy knew, this happened when two powers were getting dangerously mixed.

Oh. Oh.

The ringing came to a crescendo. Tommy knew what that meant, too.

Siren stepped out of his office just as it happened. Tommy instinctively threw himself over Siren, protecting the hero from what was about to happen.

Tommy woke up in the hospital, again. 

Blade sat beside him, half asleep.

"I fucking knew it." Tommy weakly blurted. "You two fucking blew up or something."

Blade's head shot up. He sighed in deep relief.

"Yeah, yeah we did." He muttered. "I'm...sorry you had to see that."

Tommy suddenly remembered who Blade had been arguing with.

"I-is Dream here, too? Please tell me he isn't here, pl--"

"He isn't here." Blade reassured. "Why?"

Tommy shut his mouth and stared at his hands, having sat up in his panic. 

"Okay...um, I'm sorry. He and I shouldn't have been arguing so loud, and we both should've kept our powers in check. I'm sorry for-for hurting you." Blade whispered. Tommy had never heard a hero sound so utterly vulnerable.

"Wasn't your fault." Tommy shook his head. "I wasn't listening, and when I realized I should've just left, or stopped you."

Techno just nodded.

Oh, that son of a bitch.

Chapter Text

Tommy was discharged from the hospital. He'd only been there as a precaution, since he was caught in a powered explosion.

So maybe he shouldn't have gone out on patrol. And maybe Ranboo insisted he stay home. And maybe he defied Ranboo's orders and snuck out.

Well, Tommy indignantly thought, he don't need that bitch anyway.

Tommy very soon regretted this.

He very nearly missed Blade on patrol--and thank god for that, because he did not want to talk to the guy. 

But as Tommy hurried away, barely paying attention to his surroundings, his foot slipped.

oops. Tommy fell off the roof of a building.

His wrist exploded in pain. Exploded was a horrible word, exploded reminded him of earlier and he did not want to think about Dream right now.

Tommy awkwardly slid into the apartment, well aware of the death glare Ranboo was giving him from across the room. 

"So." Ranboo stalked closer, anger evident in his voice. "Not only did you stupidly leave just to spite me--and I'm not even an authority figure, your rebellious ass shouldn't be spiting me--but you also got injured on the job."

"It doesn't even hurt that much!" Tommy protested, pointedly ignoring the very intense pain in his wrist. 

"--he said, you know, like a liar." Ranboo snapped. Oh, shit. The man was quoting John Mulaney in the middle of an argument; if that wasn't anger, Prime knew what was.

"It's probably not broken--"

Ranboo stepped forward and poked Tommy's wrist. He nearly cried.

"That's what I thought." Ranboo sighed. "Look, you're still slightly injured from the bullet, too."

"You know that's almost fully healed. My enhanced speed makes it easier to heal!" Tommy defended.

"Fine, then. Don't listen. Don't listen and go get yourself killed." Ranboo hissed. Tommy deflated as he realized Ranboo was genuinely angry.

Some pained part of him registered the words literally. Did Ranboo mean it? Was he so angry that he'd want Tommy to go out there again and let some villain put a bullet in his skull?

No, idiot, he meant that's what'll happen if you keep disobeying him. 

Okay, but did Tommy know that for sure? No, so how could he assume? He'd have to just push the thought out of his head.

The two rarely went to bed on bad terms. It was scary, knowing they could wake up in the morning with one of them dead or kidnapped.

Tubbo was technically their neighbour, but they helped pay each other's rent and Tubbo spent more time in their apartment either way. In the morning, he strolled in and recognized the silent tension.

No words were exchanged between the three of them. Tubbo would probably side with Ranboo, anyway.

Tommy left for work. He knew his wrist was probably broken or something, but that didn't mean he had to hold off on work. His enhanced speed would probably help. Probably.

Right?

Yeah, it'd be fine.

no the fuck it would not

Chapter Text

When Tommy walked in to work, he could very distinctly feel how his wrist was angled. Which...that couldn't have been good.

It was very uncomfortable to open the door. And by uncomfortable, I mean Tommy nearly cried. 

Things got much, much worse as the elevator doors opened. Tommy put his foot between the doors so they wouldn't close and looked up, eyes widening.

There stood Blackwing, a peaceful smile on his face.

And beside him was Dream.

That stupid smiley mask. It was burned into Tommy's memory, forever. The laughter, the maniacal laughter, that haunted his nightmares.

"Blackwing, sir, what's going on?" Tommy hoped he sounded calm, but even he could hear how shaky his voice was.

"Dream is here to apologize, right?" His voice was very threatening as he smiled at Dream.

"Yes. I'm just soooo sorry, Tommy, that I hurt you." Dream's voice was dripping with sarcasm. Tommy flinched at it.

Blackwing frowned.

"I...I didn't tell you his name, how'd you know it?" He asked with a laugh. 

"...Techno told me." Dream lied through his teeth.

"Okay." Blackwing shrugged. "How about you two just shake on it and we can go on with our day?"

In his stupor, Tommy held out his broken wrist. Nobody noticed the slight angle.

Dream grabbed it harshly, not even in the hand-shaking position.

Tommy flinched away, pain shooting through his wrist. He hissed, breaths coming far too fast to actually be breathing.

"Tommy? Are you okay?" Blackwing questioned. Tommy's eyes searched Dream's mask for any hint of remorse, but there was none. Of course there wasn't. It was a mask.

It had always been a mask.

Tommy could feel Dream's condescending gaze on him.

oh right.

he may live away now, but he'd never be free.

how did he keep forgetting that?

tommy was so stupid.

"Sorry, sir," Tommy whispered before stepping back into the elevator, letting the doors close.

Phil walked into the kitchen, Dream having left by the stairs.

"What's wrong?" Techno asked, making Wilbur pause in his singing. "You look distressed."

"Um, I tried to get Dream to apologize to Tommy, but he was all...contempt-y. Tommy seemed downright terrified, and I think his wrist was broken. He just stepped back into the elevator." Phil mumbled.

Techno's eyes narrowed.

"He seemed scared at the hospital, too." He muttered. "You think he's had a bad run-in with Dream?" 

"Maybe." Phil sighed.

Later that day, Phil was startled by Karl, one of the lower floor heroes, running in with a horrified look on his face.

"Phil!" He sounded downright indignant. 

"Karl? What's wrong?" Phil queried. 

"I just found Tommy! He's been curled up in a corner of the elevator all day!" Karl snapped. "What the hell happened?"

Phil was shocked, to say the least.

"I thought he went home!" He defended himself. "Got in a bit of an altercation with Dream."

Karl frowned and went back to the elevator. After a few minutes, it seemed he'd managed to coax Tommy out of the elevator.

"Didn't you tell me you're claustrophobic?" Blade asked as Karl relayed his discovery of Tommy to the other heroes. It was true, Tommy had informed Blade of his claustrophobia to further persuade his discharge after the explosion.

"Yeah." Tommy replied shortly.

"...how did you handle the elevator?"

Tommy had been completely zoned out, crying with his face buried in his knees.

"Wasn't paying attention."

"What happened with Dream, mate?" Blackwing asked, not unkindly. 

"Nothing, sorry about that. I was just shaken up, you know?" He sighed. "Dream's an intimidating fella."

"He's only intimidating if you're a criminal." Siren observed. Tommy froze, then laughed it off.

Blade's eye did not miss it.

"He's intimidating, period." Blade snorted. "Hate that guy." 

Tommy met his gaze.

Oh, god, Blade was so onto him.

Chapter Text

Success! Tommy whooped internally--Philza and Wilbur were off his back about Dream. Techno would probably bring it up later, but no matter; right now, Tommy had to focus on...

"Tommy, is your wrist broken?"

...that.

In his mind, Tommy was screaming loud curse words.

Out loud,

"No?"

Was all that he could articulate.

"Why is it bent at an angle, then, kid?" Techno questioned, amusement lacing his tone.

"Uh...I'm just so incredibly talented that I can bend it like that and--" Wilbur reached out and poked Tommy's wrist, effectively cutting him off. "--ow."

"That looks pretty broken." Wilbur confirmed.

"It's not--!" Tommy squawked in protest.

"Mate, how did you break your wrist?" Phil asked, almost incredulously. "And why did you come into work with an injury again?"

For a second, Tommy drew a blank. He was so disoriented from the whole Dream thing and now this that he forgot how he broke his wrist.

Suddenly, pain was registering. Oh, yeah, his wrist was probably going to remember all the pain from a day of just letting it flop around while broken. Through the haze of pain in his mind, Tommy mumbled,

"...fell down."

"From where, Tommy?" Wilbur laughed. "Like, stairs, or?"

Tommy frowned, squinting at his wrist.

"Roof."

Oh.

He had not meant to admit that.

Wilbur and Phil exchanged glances. Techno kept his eyes on Tommy, scrutinizing his features.

"You sound pretty out of it, are you okay?" He suddenly spoke up. Tommy squinted at him, too. His vision was really starting to blur.

"Uhh..." He swayed slightly, eyes fluttering in an attempt to stay awake. "...hurts."

And then he passed out.

Not sleeping more than 7 hours over the past 3 days probably had something to do with that.

Chapter Text

Tommy opened his eyes to see a white tiled ceiling and he immediately recognized it to be the hospital.

Okay, Tommy, what the fuck happened to get landed in the hospital?

A moment to recall things.

- broke wrist

- got caught

- passed out

Ah, that explained it, he passed out. Probably could've smooth-talked his way out of the situation if his pain tolerance weren't so goddamn low. 

"Tubbo." He croaked. His slightly-scary neighbor turned to him.

"Tommy, you're awake!" He smiled, then it fell slightly. "Dude, Ranboo's seriously pissed this time. Like...thinking about how to kill you serious."

Tommy paled. Ranboo wouldn't kick him out, right? No one knew about Tommy's...history with Dream, but...surely Ranboo had figured out that Tommy didn't have anywhere to go. That if he was on the streets again he'd die. That he'd rather kill himself than go back to Dream.

"I-I'm sure he'll be lenient, though!" Tubbo hurried to fix his words when Tommy blinked several times. "I mean, you guys are best friends! We all are! If Ranboo kicks you out you can just move in with me!"

Tommy was ready to cry, now, but he didn't. Just leaned over and hugged Tubbo, careful not to jostle his wrist, which was now in a cast. 

"Thank you, Tubbo." He whispered.

They sat in a comfortable silence after that, Tubbo tapping patterns on Tommy's cast and Tommy counting the ceiling tiles to keep his sanity.

Outside the door, the quiet voices of Ranboo and Blade could be heard, but they were muffled. Tommy couldn't tell what they were talking about. His mind told him Blade was probably talking to Ranboo about how shitty of a worker Tommy was, how suspicious he was, and Ranboo agreeing, saying he was ready to kick Tommy out at this point.

Instead, when the door opened, Tommy got rushed by Ranboo. A tight hug that he didn't even register for several seconds.

"Wh--"

"You didn't tell me it was this bad!" Ranboo cried. "When you came home last night I thought you just, like, bruised something after being a dumbass like always, I didn't think you broke your whole wrist!"

Tommy winced, hearing the underlying anger in Ranboo's tone. It was sincere, not lying.

"I...I didn't really realize." Tommy honestly muttered. "I'm sorry, Ran, I know you wouldn't have let me come to work had you known."

Ranboo pulled away and huffed angrily.

"I swear to god, you're so stupid." He spat, hurt lacing his tone.

Tommy flinched.

It's not Dream.

It's not Dream.

It's not Dream.

It's not Dream.

It's not Dream.

It's not Dream.

Clay Dream isn't here. Ranboo isn't him. Ranboo. Ranboo. It's Ranboo.

It's not Dream.

"--mmy? Tommy?" 

"Huh?" Tommy blinked. "Sorry, I-I zoned out for a second there. What were you saying?"

Ranboo, thank fucking god, just looked concerned. He wasn't angry.

"Tommy, are you alright?" Tubbo asked quietly.

Tommy looked between the two of them and an equally surprised Blade.

"...huh? Of course I am, why?" 

"Tommy, you're crying." Blade softly informed him.

Tommy touched his cheek, feeling his tears. Oh. He must've automatically cried at the thought of Dream.

A harsh laugh left his lips before he could stop it. Dream would say he was weak, and he was. What a fucking fool, Tommy was.

"I'm fine." he shook his head. "Just, y'know...tired."

Ranboo and Tubbo exchanged worried glances.

"You sure, man?" Ranboo murmured. "I promise I'm not, uh, kicking you out or anything. I was just really worried about you."

Tommy blinked.

"oh."

Another worried glance, this time between Ranboo and Blade.

"Well, um. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"How did you even fall off a roof, actually?"

Tommy jumped in surprise. Siren stood in the doorway, clearly having heard the entire conversation.

He blinked for a moment, letting his brain catch up to the question. How did he fall off?

right. hadn't he been trying to avoid being spotted by blade?

How to explain that in non-vigilante terms.

Uh.

"I was going for a little stroll," Tommy began, very aware of Ranboo and Tubbo's stares on him. They both knew he was lying, of course. "And I climbed up to a roof to try and get a better look at the stars and all that, y'know? But my foot slipped and I fell and landed on my wrist."

Siren and Blade were the ones exchanging glances this time.

"So you didn't, uh..." Blade scratched the back of his neck. "Like, intentionally jump off the roof, right?"

"Oh, no, no." Tommy shook his head with an easy smile. He'd done that before, and Dream hadn't been too happy when it failed and he found out. "I'm not suicidal." Eh, debatable.

"Okay." Siren sounded unconvinced but shrugged it off. "Well, you're left-handed, right? It's your right wrist that's broken, so I'm assuming you still plan on coming to work."

"Nice that you noticed I'm left-handed." Tommy muttered. "Yeah, I do plan on it."

Ranboo shot him a pointed glare. Tommy did not pay it any mind.

"Alright. Cool." Siren left. Blade shrugged and followed him.

"Seriously?" Ranboo was quieter now, an I'm not mad, just disappointed.

"Ranboo, come on, man," Tubbo tried, "He's tired, just let him rest--"

"I'm not going to let him rest!" Ranboo hissed. "Not until he tells me what the fuck is wrong with him! Coming into work with a broken wrist, acting suspicious as hell in front of the heroes, and then getting put in the hospital again? You're lucky they're paying the hospital bills, Tommy!"

Ranboo was right, Tommy thought somewhat numbly. He was so stupid. How could he not think about this? He was worrying Ranboo out of his mind, looking like a criminal in front of the heroes, and he hadn't even thought about the hospital bills.

How selfish of him.

"Sorry about that, Ranboo." Tommy's voice was quiet. Withdrawn. "I'll do better next time, si--man, okay?"

Whoa, almost slipped up and said sir. Couldn't have Ranboo figuring things out, could he now?

Ranboo's expression hardened.

"You don't even fucking care, do you."

And then he stormed out.

Tubbo looked between the two in a panic, not sure who to console first.

"Go after him." Tommy smiled faintly, not making eye contact. "He's upset, he's worried."

"But you're sad." Tubbo frowned. He was always good at reading people.

"Nah, big man. Just don't like worrying Ranboo. Please? Make sure he's okay for me?"

"Okay." Tubbo agreed quietly.

And with that, he left too.

So Tommy wept.

He wept until he fell asleep, wrapped in blankets with a soaked pillow beneath his head.

Crying was all he could do when he was sad, wasn't it.

Chapter Text

Ranboo felt wretched.

On the one hand, he loved Tommy a lot and was just worried about his friend. On the other hand, Tommy was just brushing off his worries.

Tommy had seemed terrified when Ranboo first got angry, so he figured he’d lay off; but then Tommy’s shitty self-preservation came in clutch and he said he’d come to work.

Ranboo couldn’t bear it. He couldn’t watch as his best friend destroyed himself.

Even if he had to be harsh. Ranboo just wanted to protect Tommy. He wanted to lock Tommy in his house and never let him go—

well. That sounded creepy as hell. He meant that he wanted to protect Tommy from all the dangers of the world, locking him in a metaphorical box away from whatever could hurt him.

Whatever had hurt him. It was clear Tommy had some serious shit in his past.

Ranboo found himself shedding frustrated tears. He shouldn’t have shouted at Tommy like that. He shouldn’t have gotten so mad. But he was just so scared…how else was he meant to react?

“Ranboo!”

Ranboo rushed to wipe away his tears, not wanting to worry Tubbo.

He turned around to have his shoulders grabbed harshly and pulled down to Tubbo’s eye level.

Ranboo swallowed uncomfortably as Tubbo scrutinized his face.

”Don’t cry, Boo.” Tubbo soothed without even smiling. His voice carried all of his emotions, a raw, unadulterated sound of sadness.

”I’m sorry.” Ranboo sobbed. It was as though a dam had broken; his tears wouldn’t stop coming.

Tubbo comfortingly rubbed circles on Ranboo’s back, closing his eyes.

Ranboo had taken refuge in a chair in the waiting room of the hospital, so Tubbo sat beside him and swung his legs in his chair and hummed a little tune.

It was one Ranboo enjoyed; the TETRIS theme. A very enjoyable game, fun yet difficult.

Ranboo focused on thoughts of TETRIS and its lovely music. He thought about blocks falling perfectly into place and watched as lines cleared and TETRIS’s went. 

Soon, he’d calmed down. All that was left after the outburst was a weak, thin strip of regret.

In the end, he decided, he’d acted inappropriately.

Tommy deserved a better friend.

”You’re an idiot,” Tubbo observed. Before Ranboo could agree, the short boy continued.

”You’re an idiot, but you’re Tommy’s and my idiot. You’re our emotional beanstalk of a person, our lightning rod and pillar of support to lean on.” Tubbo smiled slightly. “You’re a constant in our lives, Tommy’s especially, that would leave us drowning without you.”

Ranboo appreciated the words, but he wasn’t sure. How would he apologize to Tommy?

”Give him some time.” Tubbo advised. “When he gets discharged, wait at home. Don’t make a grand gesture; they freak him out and make him feel guilty. Instead, make little gestures, like a small smile or a flower. Then verbally apologize.”

Ranboo nodded.

”Are you reading my mind?” He said asked quietly. 

Tubbo giggled.

”Maybe.” He answered ominously. Ranboo was pretty sure Tubbo was reading his mind.

Tubbo suddenly bristled.

He stood up slowly and grabbed Ranboo’s arm, dragging him over to Tommy’s room.

Standing outside of Tommy’s room was Dream.

Ranboo immediately felt his entire body get colder.

Dream was just staring into Tommy’s room.

Watching.

Listening.

The door was just barely cracked open.

Standing behind Dream, Ranboo could see into the room.

Tommy was fast asleep, area around his eyes dark from exhaustion and reddish from crying.

Ranboo felt a wave of nausea when he realized Tommy probably cried because of him, but there was no time.

Siren sat beside Tommy in the bed, also asleep.

The hero had Tommy curled up in a half hug that Tommy was partially snuggled into. There was something of a guarded aspect to the way Tommy lay; comfortable enough to sleep in Siren’s presence, yet wary enough to have his hands balled up in front of his chest defensively.

Tubbo’s eyes were wide when Ranboo looked at him. Tears pooled in them but were wiped away as his lips curled into a snarl.

Ranboo felt a sharp pain in his head and realized Tubbo was trying to show him something. Tubbo’s ability was that of mental manipulation; reading unsuspecting minds, transmitting images to other people, sorting through memories but not messing with them.

Ranboo felt his nausea climb up his throat and jump back down into his stomach as he swallowed. 

These images…were an explanation he wished he had not needed.

His eyes narrowed. Like Tubbo, his lips curled into a deeply venomous snarl.

He reached down to Dream’s shoulder and placed his entire hand onto it, startling the hero.

In the most intimidating voice he’d ever mustered, Ranboo growled,

”What the fuck are you doing.”

Chapter Text

Tommy was writhing in agony on the floor.

He. They. It. It? It.

It watched in something similarly to joy. Not quite, though; it was detached, thinking about other things.

Tommy’s throat was clenched in its fingers and it howled with laughter because this was one of its favorite memories. 

Its beloved Tommy, looking so weak and unprotected.

Regardless of the hero wrapped around him like a layer of armor, it would get through.

It always got through.

It was excited to get ahold of its plaything again; its punching bag, its prized possession.

Its little brother.

A smile stretched across its face.

It had finally found its little brother again, and it was going to get him back.

Its prized possession could not be stolen without consequence.

Chapter Text

Tommy’s eyes drifted open when he heard Tubbo’s voice.

He could tell by the abrupt change in Siren’s breathing that Siren was awake too.

Siren had arrived a few minutes after Tommy first drifted off and had woken Tommy up and given him a vending machine bag of cookies.

The pair split the four cookies equally and then Tommy started crying again and told Siren,

”I didn’t mean to upset Ranboo!”

And Siren hugged him and they fell asleep like that.

And now Tommy inhaled sharply, seeing Dream leering outside his door and Tubbo and Ranboo glaring menacingly at Dream.

“…pardon?” Dream questioned. Tommy flinched at his voice and felt Siren’s arm tighten around him, if only for a moment.

Comfort inched its way into Tommy’s bones.

”He asked, you fucking creep,” Tubbo snarled, “what the fuck you think you’re doing.”

Dream bristled.

”I don’t know what you think I was doing, but it’s far from the truth.” He insisted. “I was here to apologize about the incident the other day, but it seemed he was busy.”

”Dream.” Tubbo tilted his head, unblinking. “I wasn’t aware that recalling your favorite memory of choking your little brother was the same thing as apologizing to him.”

Siren exhaled sharply and shifted so he was sitting fully up, albeit keeping an arm protectively around Tommy.

“You’re his little brother?” Siren whispered harshly.

Tommy averted his gaze, but nodded.

“I swear on my life he’ll never hurt you again.”

And that was that.

Tommy felt tears leak down his face again. Siren just…believed it.

There was no “you’re a damn liar”, no “he must’ve had a good reason, then”.

Hmmm. Tommy almost laughed at himself. He was well overdue for a new older brother, eh?

Meanwhile, Dream stood paralyzed. Tommy would’ve thought he’d passed away were it not for the rapid rise and fall of his shoulders. Ah, the heavy breathing. Hopefully Dream wouldn’t hit Tubbo or Ranboo.

Instead, Dream surged forward and grabbed both boys’ collars.

”YOU CAN’T PROVE ANYTHING.” Dream hissed lowly. “That piece of shit is my property. It ESCAPED ME. IT BELONGS TO ME. I haven’t seen it for FOUR YEARS. Don’t you dare even DREAM of taking it away from me.”

And then he let go and stalked off, and Tommy laughed wetly.

”Nice to know he still cares.”

Immediately, Tubbo and Ranboo launched themselves forward and the four of them were one big weird cuddle pile.

”I didn’t know he was doing that to you before you met us!” Tubbo wailed in shock.

”That’s so…I’m so sorry, Tommy…” Ranboo sobbed quietly.

And Tommy just hugged them back.

”It’s okay.” He comforted. “You couldn’t have known.”

Several minutes of silence went by when Siren suddenly spoke up.

”My name is Wilbur.” He blurted.

Tommy blinked.

”Um. Sorry, just…thought you should know that…?”

“Like from Charlotte’s Web.” Tubbo offered. Wilbur laughed.

”Yep,” he confirmed.

Tommy smiled.

He was in a hospital with a broken wrist. He’d just watched his best friends confront his long time abuser whilst being hugged by his boss after one of his best friends yelled at him.

And yet, oddly enough, there was nowhere he’d rather be. 

Chapter Text

Tommy was getting coddled. Coddled, smothered, babied, whatever you want to call it, it was too much.

He was suffocating in the love of his bosses and best friends and it was kind of shitty.

Siren--no, Wilbur--literally followed him everywhere like a bodyguard or some stupid-ass shit. The others asked of his health and well-being...every few minutes. Tubbo questioned whether or not he was okay once an hour. Ranboo randomly teleported to him and hugged him.

It was so fucking creepy. ANd Dream hadn't showed up in a few days, which was pretty funky. Not that Tommy minded.

Regardless, the rage from being absolutely babied for days built up in Tommy, and his pent-up rage finally escaped in the form of kicking Wilbur in the nuts and running away.

Yes. That was the simplest plan ever, but it worked. He kicked Wilbur where the sun did not, in fact, shine; then, in a stroke of genius, he ran out of the building and far away.

All alone.

All alone.

All alone.

"Hello, Tommy."

Not alone...

Chapter Text

Tommy experienced a full-body shudder when he heard Dream’s voice.

Why had he run away from being smothered in care and affection, again? He’d been safe there. Protected from Dream after Tubbo probably-unintentionally read Dream’s mind and learned of Tommy’s past.

Now it was just Dream and Tommy, alone in the alleyway Tommy had sought refuge in.

”I think the fuck not!”

Tommy whirled around again to see Wilbur standing there, anger burning in his eyes. When he met Tommy’s, Wilbur’s eyes softened into care.

Why did Wilbur care for Tommy so much? Whatever. Tommy didn’t even care anymore; anyone was better than Dream.

Tommy slowly walked backwards—now facing Dream again—until he was hidden behind Wilbur. Protected by Siren.

”Siren.” Dream tilted his head. “Give me my toy back, please.”

Wilbur’s fingers twitched.

”His name is Tommy, actually, and I don’t think I will,” he rebuked.

Dream’s face may have been covered by the mask, but Tommy saw the other telltale signs of rage. The veins popping in his neck. Clenched fists. Heavy breathing.

Tommy swallowed hard. Wilbur took a deep breath, preparing himself.

”How about we settle this like normal people?” Wilbur blurted. Tommy raised his eyebrows. It took a courageous man to say something when Dream was getting angry. Tommy used to be courageous.

He got the courage beaten out of him.

”Like normal people?” Dream sounded irritated.

”Yeah. Fistfight, no powers, just us. Two dudes in an alleyway, fighting.” Wilbur nodded, raising his hands in fists guarding his face.

Dream scoffed and agreed, pulling off his mask so his face would be fair game.

Tommy met Dream’s bright green eyes and resisted the urge to vomit. Whenever, in the past, Dream would take off his mask, it meant that Dream wanted Tommy to remember who was hurting him: Tommy’s own older brother.

His own flesh and blood. Someone raised by the same parents he was, except for longer before they died.

Someone who knew best. Someone who knew Tommy deserved to be hurt.

Tommy shrank further back behind Wilbur.

The fistfight was, frankly, anticlimactic. It was evened out for the first chunk, and then Wilbur got the upper hand, and then Wilbur feinted a punch to the face while he actually went for a kick to the gut and then twisted Dream around into a chokehold.

“Yield?”

Dream choked out something about his plaything. Wilbur tightened his grip.

”Fine. I yield,” Dream coughed. Wilbur released him.

“Leave Tommy alone, you disgusting fuck,” Wilbur snarled, absolute disgust coating his tone.

Dream raised his hands in surrender and left, picking up his mask.

Wilbur didn’t get mad at Tommy for running away. He apologized instead for overwhelming Tommy.

Tommy said thank you and then thanked Wilbur some more for fighting Dream for him.

”But…something’s off,” Tommy admitted.

”What do you mean?”

”He’s higher ranked than you. He should be better. By all means, he should’ve beat you. But he didn’t. He let you win,” Tommy explained.

”Ouch, my ego,” Wilbur placed a hand to his heart dramatically.

”He’s planning something.” Tommy gnawed on his lip nervously.

”We’ll stop it. Whatever it is. We’ll do whatever it takes,” Wilbur said seriously.

Tommy gave him a smile.

He probably still couldn’t fully trust Wilbur. Definitely shouldn’t. But he still chose to put his trust in Wilbur.

He chose to trust that Wilbur would protect him when Dream came back.