Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

December 18th 10:32 pm

Tommy: I’m boarding now.

Wilbitch: fuck you.

Tommy: Wil

Tommy: I get your mad but i had to

Wilbitch: NO YOU FUCKING DIDN’T

Wilbitch: YOU COULD HAVE WAITED

Tommy: this is really important to me wil

Tommy: please I need your support.

Wilbitch: Fuck you

Wilbitch: I fucking hate you.

Tommy:...

Tommy: Bye, Wil.

December 19th 2:12 am

Tommy: Wilbur?

Tommy: WIL

Tommy: WILBUR PLEASE

Tommy: I KNOW YOUR MAD BUT PLEASE

Tommy: PICK UP THE GODDAMN PHONE

2:14

2 Missed Calls from Tommy

2:17

1 Missed Call from Tommy

2:23

3 Missed Calls from Tommy

Tommy: WILBUR PLEASE

Tommy: I’M FUCKING SORRY OK?

Tommy: PLEASE

Tommy: I’m scared

Tommy: please

March 3rd 2:25 pm

Tommy: hey Wil

Tommy: its been a while

Tommy: I know these won’t go through but this is the only thing keeping me sane right now. 

Tommy: god I feel stupid

March 4th 10:17 am

Tommy: I found a creek today.

Tommy: I still don’t know where I am

Tommy: some sort of island, I think?

Tommy: at least I have fresh water now

Tommy: dehydration is a bitch

March 5th 3:21 am

Tommy: this might be my last message

Tommy: my phone is about to die

Tommy: I just wish I could

April 2nd 4:39 pm

Tommy: holy fuck I t worked

Tommy: I was so sure it wouldn’t work

Tommy: holy shot

Tommy: I’m at this random ass cabin I found a few days ago

Tommy: don’t ask me why there’s a cabin on a random island

Tommy: and I found this phone charger

Tommy: ig the cabin has electricity??? Because my phone charged??

Tommy: I might actually get out of here!!!

April 6th 5:48 pm

Tommy: hey wil

Tommy: sorry I haven’t texted I’ve been busy

Tommy: not like you noticed anyway

Tommy: whatever

Tommy: anyway the cabin was no help so I’ve been trying to find service but theee is none on this fucking island

Tommy: idk how I got here in the first place

Tommy: I’ll try building a raft next

April 9th 7:17 am

Tommy: still no fucking service

Tommy: Idfk how to build a sturdy raft

Tommy: going to start using these as just diary logs

Tommy: happy birthday to me

April 12th 8:53 am

Tommy: set up traps today

Tommy: for food

April 17th 3:38 pm 

Tommy: it’s getting warmer.

Tommy: been catching more food lately

Tommy: might preserve some

April 27th 7:46 am

Tommy: it’s raining. 

April 28th 8:45 pm

Tommy: it’s raining. 

April 29th 3:21 am

Tommy: it’s raining.

May 1st 9:12 am

Tommy: holy shit it stopped raining

Tommy: thank fuck

Tommy: hopefully my potatoes grew

May 10th 8:21 pm

Tommy: I hate this place

May 14th 10:31 pm

Tommy: I made a blanket out of some rabbit hide

Tommy: I feel gross

Tommy: I want to go down to the creek and bathe but there’s usually wolves at this time of night

Tommy: so fuck me i guess

May 18th 1:59 am

Tommy: fuck you

Tommy: fuck

Tommy: i don’t even want to fucking live anymore.

Tommy: Who would even miss me?

Tommy: you already hate me anyway.

Tommy: I’m going to fucking kms

May 18th 1:38 pm

Tommy: please disregard my last message

May 30th 11:33 am

Tommy: MY BERRIES GREW

Tommy: LETS FUCKING GOOOO

Tommy: EATING GOOD TONIGHT BITCH

June 4th 9:38 pm

Tommy: It’s fucking hot outside

Tommy: the sun needs to chill the fuck out.

June 6th 2:39 pm

Tommy: It’s raining

June 18th 2:34  am

Tommy: I hate this island

Tommy: I want to go home

Tommy: I miss you.

Tommy: You were right

Tommy: I’m sorry

1 Missed Call from Tommy

Tommy: i love you.

June 23rd 4:21 pm

Tommy: BRO I JUST KILLED A BEAR WTF

Tommy: IT WAS SO BIG OMG WTFFFFF

Tommy: AHHHHHH

June 30th 8:34 am

Tommy: GM!!!!

Tommy: I was able to preserve some of the bear meat 

Tommy: hopefully I can catch something else today

July 18th 3:55 pm

Tommy: HOLY FUCK IT’S HOT

Tommy: I think i’m going to die from heat stroke

August 23rd 7:43 am

Tommy: sorry it’s been so long

Tommy: I’ve been busy. Big man shit, you know how it is.

Tommy: It’s august now ig so fall is coming

Tommy: I’m scared of the cild.

September 1st 9:32 pm

Tommy: School is starting soon

Tommy: if i ever get home I’m gonna have so much late work

Tommy: i fucking hate everything

September 11th 2:11 am

Tommy: There’s a cliff near the cabin

Tommy: i might jump off it

Tommy: who knows xd

Tommy: finally live up to that stupid nickname

Tommy: do you still hate me?

Tommy: i love you

Tommy: i

September 11th 6:03 am

Tommy: I’m still alive dw

Tommy: I need to go to bed earlier.

November 29th 12:48 pm

Tommy: HOLY FUCK IT’S BEEN A WHILE

Tommy: sorry about that

Tommy: not that you noticed

Tommy: i’ve been super busy

Tommy: it’s cold outside now so I’ve been preserving food and shit.

Tommy: and making blankets

Tommy: that bear from june really came in handy.

December 1st 3:23 pm

Tommy: It’s so fucking cold on this island.

Tommy: it’s snowing. 

Tommy: so grateful I at least tried to insolate this cabin. 

December 12th 11:11 am

Tommy: 11:11!!

Tommy: make a wish bitch boy.

Tommy: I wish that i could go home

December 18th 1:16 pm

Tommy: Christmas is coming up

Tommy: I wonder what Dad got you

Tommy: I would have got you a new custom guitar case.

Tommy: that’s what i got for you last year.

Tommy: i wonder if you ever found it.

Tommy: i didn’t want to leave

Tommy: i’m sorry.

December 19th 12:00 am

Tommy: so it’s been a year.

Tommy: I miss you.

Tommy:         

Tommy: i don’t think im ever gon na make it off this goddamn island.

It had been a year.

A year since Wil had lost the only light in his life, a year since he had fucked everything up.

A year since Tommy died. 

And the last thing Wilbur had said to his brother was that he hated him.

Wilbur stared at the bottle in front of him, sighing as he heard a person sit beside him.

“Hey, Wil. How are you doing?”

Wilbur glanced over at Niki, plastering an obviously fake smile. “Pretty shit.”

Niki sighed. “I know it’s hard,” she began, “But he wouldn’t want you to do this.”

Wilbur couldn’t help the wave of anger that came over him. “Don’t you fucking tell me what he would have wanted!” He screamed at her. “He’s dead! He’s dead and it’s my fucking fault!”

Niki put her hands up, eyes shining with pity. “It wasn’t your fault, Wil. It wasn’t anyone's fault except that goddamn plane.”

Wilbur nodded wordlessly and took another swig of his drink. His phone buzzed on the table, but he ignored it.

“Are you going to check that?” Niki asked. 

Wilbur shook his head. “It’s just Techno and Phil asking where I am. I don’t really want them here right now.”

Niki nodded, but kept her eyes on the phone while it buzzed again. 

And again.

And again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and aga—

Wilbur finally grabbed his phone. “Goddamn it what the fuck could be that important?” 

The lockscreen turned on and he stared at the phone, anger dying and being replaced by shock.

“Who is it?” Niki asked as she tried to get a glance at his phone. Wilbur turned the phone to her, not trusting his voice.

Niki gasped as she read the first message.

2:12 AM, 12/19/23

Tommyinnit (Gremlin): Wilbur?

Chapter Text

Wilbur sat and read through each of the messages as they came through, hands shaking. Techno and Phil were reading over his shoulder and there was a clatter from the kitchen where Niki was making hot chocolate.

Wilbur tore his eyes off of the screen as he read the messages Tommy had sent back in May about killing himself. He felt tears running down his cheeks. He shoved the phone into Techno’s hands and they all sat in silence as Techno kept reading, his expression going from sorrow to anger to fear to hope. He quietly turned off the phone and placed it down on the table.

“Well,” He started, “This is either the cruelest and most well-thought out joke anyone has ever heard of…” he trailed off.

“Or?” Wilbur prompted.

Techno took a deep breath. “Or that is actually Tommy. And he’s alive.”

Phil and Wilbur’s heads shot up to look at him. “What?”

Techno nodded slowly. “The last message is from last night. Or, technically, this morning.” Techno handed the phone back to Wilbur. “Try texting him back.”

Wilbur nodded and typed out a message with shaky hands.

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December 19th 9:58 pm

Wilbur: Tommy?

Wilbur: Tommy are you there?

Wilbur: please respond

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“Ok, I sent the messages,” Wilbur told his family. 

Techno nodded and opened Wilbur’s computer. “I’ll watch for messages to come through here so we don’t miss anything.”

Wilbur sighed and stared at his phone, hoping and praying that Tommy would respond. That he was alive. That he was safe. (That Wilbur hadn’t killed his brother)

The minutes ticked by agonizingly slow, and Wilbur found himself falling asleep despite the circumstances. He was only interrupted by Techno piping up from the computer and the familiar buzz of his phone.

“He texted.”

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10:22 pm

Gremlin: AND THAT CONCLUDES THE ONE YEAR MARK!!

Gremlin: wow I did it!

Gremlin: holy shit did that actually send

Wilbur: TOMMY?? 

MESSAGE FAILED TO SEND

Gremlin: Uh

Gremlin: there’s a single bar of service on my phone

Gremlin: when the fuck did that get there

Wilbur: TOMMY

MESSAGE FAILED TO SEND

Wilbur: ARE THESE GOING THROUGH

MESSAGE FAILED TO SEND

Wilbur: TOMMY

Gremlin: WILBUR???

Gremlin: holy shit i finally cracked huh?

Gremlin: hahahaha ha ah

Gremlin: I finally went crazt

Wilbur: NO!

Wilbur: Tommy this is real, I’m real.

MESSAGE FAILED TO SEND

Gremlin: wtf do you mean no

Gremlin: ur not real you cant tell me what to do

Wilbur: Tommy I’m real I promise

Wilbur: Some of my messages just aren’t going through.

Wilbur: oh my god sunshine i’m so sorry

MESSAGE FAILED TO SEND

Gremlin: you can’t be real

Gremlin: that’s

Gremlin: wilby?

Wilbur: Yes!!

MESSAGE FAILED TO SEND

Wilbur: It’s Wilbur!

MESSAGE FAILED TO SEND

Wilbur: It’s me, sunshine.

Gremlin: holy shit

Gremlin: I

Gremlin: I’m sorry Wilbur I’m so so sorry

Wilbur: No!

MESSAGE FAILED TO SEND

Wilbur: I’m sorry, Sunshine!

MESSAGE FAILED TO SEND

Wilbur: you did nothing wrong!

MESSAGE FAILED TO SEND

Wilbur: fucking piece of shit!

Wilbur: send my fucking messages!

MESSAGE FAILED TO SEND

Gremlin: oh.

Gremlin: I

Gremlin: I’m sorry.

Gremlin: truly.

Wilbur: SHIT!

Wilbur: I’M NOT MAD AT YOU SUNSHINE I’M MAD AT MY PHONE

Wilbur: IT’S NOT SENDING MY MESSAGES

Gremlin: oh.

Gremlin: that makes more sense than

Gremlin: i get if your mad at me though

Wilbur: no, sunshine never

Wilbur: I love you 

Wilbur: I love you so much

Wilbur: I’m so so so so so sorry

Gremlin: I love you too. 

Gremlin: shit my phones about to die

Wilbur: Wait!

TOMMYINNIT STARTED SHARING THEIR LOCATION

Gremlin: I love you, Wil.

Wilbur: TOMMY!

TOMMYINNIT STOPPED SHARING THEIR LOCATION (lost connection)

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Wilbur stared at the phone in his hand, tears running down his face. Distantly he could hear someone talking to him, but it was impossible to focus on their words. A hand landed on his shoulder and he flinched away, watching as Phil’s worried face came into view. He tried to remember the breathing exercises he’d been taught. In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. Eventually, he began to hear what Phil was saying.

“—That’s it, mate, just stay with me. Match my breathing.”

Wilbur locked eyes with his father, who squeezed his hand reassuringly. “Back with us?”

“Yeah,” Wilbur whispered. “I— he’s alive.”

Phil nodded with tears in his eyes. “Yeah, mate,” he said, sounding like he was about to cry, “he is.”

Wilbur glanced at Techno, who was typing something into the computer. “Techno?”

Techno looked up and gave Wilbur a smile. “I managed to get the coordinates into google maps before his phone died.”

Wilbur gasped at the implications, feeling overwhelmed with joy when Techno turned the computer around, showing the coordinates of a small island in the Pacific ocean. “We found him.”