Chapter Text
“Sam! Are you here? I brought Tommy!” Tubbo called as he entered the temporary workshop, the blonde and Ghostbur following behind. Tommy sat down in one of the metal benches by the door. It was cold and not exactly comfortable, but Tommy was starting to get a little tired. After this visit he’d probably want to go back to the hospital.
He wanted to go to his home, his little dirt hut, but everyone knew that would be a bad idea. His hut sorta fell apart and needed major repairs before anyone could live there, nevertheless a kid who had just lost a limb and was still recovering.
It also didn’t help that Dream was probably still gunning for his head. At least in L’Manburg there were always people around, always worried and looking out for him. It could be a bit overbearing sometimes, but Tommy was still grateful they were around.
Besides, he knows how much worse the alternative is, and he never wants to go back there again.
“I’m coming!” Called the creeper hybrid. There were a few loud sounds that made Tommy flinch, and Tubbo laid a hand on his shoulder for comfort. “Just give me a second!”
A few minutes later Sam came stumbling in, his comically large hands holding a small, black device. “Is this what you’re here for?” He asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Tommy tilted his head in confusion as he reached his hand up to grab the device. He looked at it for a few seconds, before realizing it was a communicator.
It didn’t look like the communicator he got when he first joined the server, which was bulky yet durable, and more of a grey color that tucked easily into his inventory without taking any space.
This one was jet black and thin, with a sheened cover that had a red stripe on it. He hit the on button, and the screen lit up with vivid colors, so unlike the normal black and white. He scrolled through, noticing all the usual apps. Communication, contacts, clock, and camera. Then he paused at two new apps, compass and maps.
“Hey Sam, what are these two?” He asked, pointing them out to the tall hybrid. He leaner over his shoulder, his mask hiding his expression and making Tommy a little nervous, but he didn’t say anything. Still Tubbo must have sensed this somehow and he leaned over, ‘coincidently’ putting himself in between the two. Sam then leaned back, and seemed to smile.
“I just decided to add them, so you’d never get lost. The map isn’t perfect, I’ll warn you, but the compass app works just fine. You can play with them, but be sure to tell me if there are any glitches.” He said, before taking a few steps away to give the boy his space.
Tommy thought for a second, before hitting the ‘contacts’ button and seeing that everyone was already there, no matter their relationship with Tommy. Alyssa, Antfrost, Awesamdude, BadboyHalo, Callahan, Captain Puffy, Connor, but where he expected Dream to be Drista was instead. He looked down a little further, but Dream wasn’t there.
Tommy didn’t need to ask why, but it still made him frown.
Then he went to messages, and froze at what it said.
Dream was slain by Captain Puffy
He felt his hand start to shake, and those around him quickly realized something had happened. “Tommy whats wro-oh.” Tubbo trailed off, leaning over to see the screen. Gingerly, Tubbo reached a pale hand forward. “Here, I’ll take care of that.” He said, taking the communicator from Tommy, who did not resist. Very quickly, Tubbo deleted the message before handing it back, but knowing the damage was already done.
Tommy held the black device in his hands, but didn’t move for a few minutes. Finally, he swallowed. “Was… Was it canon?”
Tubbo and Sam both looked at each other nervously, but Ghostbur piped up “Yep! Now he’s down to one!”
Sam and Tubbo winced, not sure how Tommy would react, but surprisingly enough Tommy just laughed. It wasn’t a strong laugh, or loud. It was pretty soft, but it was genuine. “Good.” He said, quietly but clearly.
Then he opened the map app. It just looked like a normal map, only more interactive. He could zoom out and in, and there was even a search bar. When he typed a location into it the map showed that location, and a ‘directions’ option popped up on screen.
“This is pretty cool Sam” he said, both as a genuine compliment, and a way to distract from the awkward atmosphere.
“Thank you. It doesn’t work on the old devices, but anytime anyone needs an upgrade it’ll be included.” Tommy nodded, before leaving the app, and opening the Compass app.
Instead of a compass popping up like he expected, there was a simple list of things that didn’t seem to go together. There were a few different options. Most of them were locations, The Community House, L’Manburg, Church Prime, Nether Hub, and a few others. There was also a Spawn option, and then there were two others. Techno and Tubbo
Tommy bit the inside of his cheek before hitting the first option, Techno. A compass popped up on screen. It was pointing somewhere to Tommy’s left. “You’re brother insisted I add that, in case you ever needed help.” Tommy was still a little confused, but nodded, before going over to the Tubbo option.
A different compass popped up, pointing directly to the right of him. When Tommy realized that's the side Tubbo sat on, his face split into a wide grin. “Hey look Tubzo! Now you can never get rid of me!”
Tubbo couldn’t help but laugh as well, throwing his arm around his best friend.
“So that’s what you needed the compass for!” He laughed. Sam nodded.
“Yes, it was. I have the original if you’d like it back.” Sam offered.
Without thinking Tommy jumped up, before he could get proper bearing on his crutches, and nearly collapsed to the ground, before Tubbo managed to grab him. “Yes please!” He yelled, rather undisturbed at the fact that he nearly face planted into the hard, concrete floor.
Sam laughed lightly, before going off to his workshop. When he opened the door Tubbo could see a glimpse of the metal leg he was working on. He also remembers Sam’s borderline disgusted face when he was shown the one Eret had gifted them. Tubbo still isn’t entirely sure what the issue was. The original one was very well made, and Tommy seemed to like it. Still Sam clearly found fault with the device for some reason.
Or perhaps he was just being competitive. Tubbo wouldn’t be surprised if that was the answer, he just hopes no one gets too into the competition. There's no way it could end well, especially with Tommy in the middle.
Then the door opened again and Sam came in, cradling the golden compass like it was the most precious thing in the world. “It still works, but it’s pretty banged up. I fixed what I could, and got rid of the rust, but I don’t know how much longer it has.” He passed the compass over, and Tommy took it in his shaking hands.
“Thank you” He whispered softly, looking at it in amazement.
“Dream must have tried to destroy it.” Sam said solemnly. “That must be why it’s so damaged.” The mood damped ever so slightly, before Tommy piped up.
“Actually that's from when I beat a skeleton to death.” He smiled.
The statement was so absurd Tubbo couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Seeing his friend so ecstatic made Tommy smile even wider, and soon enough he started laughing as well.
The whole situation was absurd, but what wasn’t? Compared to everything else it wasn’t even that crazy, beating a skeleton to death with a compass. At least it was something to laugh about, something to remind them that despite it all they were still Tubbo and Tommy.
Despite Dream, despite Wilbur, despite all the explosions and all the abuse, it was still just them. Just the two of them, hand and hand, till the end.
But now, at least they weren’t alone. They were together, but not alone. They had their family, their brother, their father, and the whole community looking out for them, protecting them, and who wanted Dream’s head on a pike.
And for once in their young life, it wasn’t their job. The adults would take care of it, and finally Tubbo and Tommy could just be kids.
About time.