Chapter Text
Wilbur exhaled. Tommy didn’t know.
-
Tommy didn’t know that Wilbur was something far more lethal than a human being; Tommy did not know that Wilbur was a dragon. In fact, Tommy had no clue that Techno and Phil were either. He was the only human in their small family- something many would call impossible (the Sleepy Bois never cared much for what others deemed impossible). They were a clan, and Phil was their clan leader. Perhaps Tommy didn’t understand the intricacies of clan rules, but it was something he followed naturally anyway (being raised by dragons since he was a small child).
(Wilbur noticed the way Tommy imitated him and Techno when talking to Phil, and after they moved to the smp, how he naturally looked to Wilbur for leadership- or the way that he always lowered his eyes respectfully and took a step back, a common dragon custom- the way Tommy tried to bare fangs he didn’t have and the weird looks others shot him when it happened.)
And yet; he knew nothing about the truth. So, Wilbur calmed himself as he paced the ravine, the tunnel Tommy took to visit Tubbo a few seconds before clear in his view. Tommy wasn’t aware that since he was the youngest of the clan his older siblings became anxious when he was out of sight for too long. It really didn’t help that he was still fairly young in dragon years, Wilbur mused. Looking back, it had shocked them all when small four-year-old Tommy started speaking full on sentences. Regardless of Tommy actually being sixteen, Wilbur was worried. He didn’t know if Tubbo could be trusted with his younger brother -If Wilbur could trust anyone- but Tommy deserved to have fun.
A loud clanging interrupted his inner monologue about Tommy; Techno was back. Wilbur was infinitely grateful for the other being here even if he was originally distrustful (Techno had put a stop to that immediately, smacking him with a log one day saying ‘We’re clan, loser,’). Wilbur finally had someone on the server who he wouldn’t have to hide his more feral and destructive side from.
“Hey Wil, where’s Toms?” The monotone drawl entered his ears as he walked to greet his elder brother.
“He left to go visit Tubbo,” Wilbur sighed in slight irritation. It was no doubt the reason Techno had come back so suddenly from mining. All clans had a link between members in order to increase safety. Tommy probably didn’t feel it as heavily as the rest of them, but he was obviously able to feel some of it.
(Tommy going from angry and defiant to sulking after feeling heavy disappointment from Phil. Tommy trying to cheer Wilbur up on one of his bad days with a crude crayon drawing when he was six, knowing somehow his brother was upset.)
“...I see. Wilbur, we need to talk.” The other dragon leaned heavily on his new trident. “I know you haven’t shifted in awhile, and you need to, otherwise…” He drifted off, looking Wilbur in the eye.
Wilbur’s face immediately went sour. “Like hell I will. You know it’ll be practically impossible to not notice me in my other form,” It was true. Wilbur was taller than his family even in his dragon body. He ignored the back of his mind saying he just didn’t want to be rejected by Tommy once he found out. Or to be used unapologetically as a weapon, or feared and hunted. There was a lot that could go south, Wilbur mentally joked.
“How long has it been? Since the revolution? Wilbur, that’s crazy! Wil, what would Phil say?” Technoblade growled at him, eyes flashing into a deeper blood red. However, Wilbur wasn’t going to be deterred.
“Fine, fine, don’t get your horns in a tree,” He mocked. It caused the other to stalk off moodily, grumbling something about nuisance younger brothers. Truthfully, Wilbur had no intentions of shifting any time soon. He knew he’d need to eventually, otherwise his body would make him shift forcefully in a painful manner. But Wilbur didn’t care. He was stronger than that (he once again ignored his brain reminding him he was just being self destructive out of guilt).
He went off up to Techno’s horses; it was his turn to refill the water buckets and polish the saddles.
-
A month had passed. Wilbur was beginning to feel the crawling sensation under skin. He knew what it meant. He knew that someone could get hurt (Tommy could get hurt) if he didn’t do something about it soon. He knew others were starting to notice how snappish he had become. Tommy had flinched away from him during an argument earlier that day, and it had hurt something deep in his chest. Wilbur indeed looked worse for wear, and he could feel his brother’s worry through the link. He ignored it.
Wilbur’s thoughts had started to spiral recently. He grew agitated if his little brother was away from him, or if someone who wasn’t clan got near him. He heard twisted whispers about how L’manberg wasn’t worth it anymore. That it was full of a bunch of wretched humans- worthless, wretched humans that should be crushed within his jaw. This whole thing would be over with if he could just crush it all. Tommy would be safe. Tommy was the only good human around. He dismissed thoughts of Fundy, Tubbo, Niki, hell, even Eret. And then the perfect opportunity arose. There was going to be a festival. In Manberg.
A wide smile stretched across Wilbur’s face, almost too big for it, pointed teeth and sinister eyes unlike a human’s. He met with Dream. He avoided Techno. He made Tommy cry. He got everything set up so that when the time came everything would go perfectly.
...Except. Tubbo is trapped on the podium, a powerful crossbow being aimed at his chest. Tommy is tugging at his sleeve desperately, shouting at him. Constant feelings of PanicPanicPanicPanicPanicHelpPleaseWilburWhatDoIDOPanicPanicPanic coming into his brain through the link, overwhelming Wilbur, feeding into Tommy’s own bursting emotions- and normally he doesn’t feel this much from the link- what’s going on- Oh God- Wilbur’s clutching at his hair, trying to stop it all.
But then he hears Tommy scream and throw an ender pearl and- and suddenly Wilbur sees crossbows aimed at both of his brothers. Wilbur feels an immense rage and so much pain as his back begins to rip open, a terrifying roar interrupting an already disastrous festival; the entirety of Manberg now looking at him. Wilbur feels his wings spread into an intimidating arch, shiny ebony scales flashing. Vaguely, he takes note of a horrified Technoblade and shocked Tommy. It doesn’t matter. The only thing on his mind is to protect his family, and to destroy anything that gets in his way. He feels his chest light up with lightning and he drops his jaw to release a powerful blast.
-
Tommy sees Techno pull back the string on his bow and throws the ender pearl without thinking. He pushes Techno who stumbles backward a few steps before turning to look at the crowd with wide eyes.
“Tubbo! Tubbo, are you okay!?” His eyes are brimming with unspilled tears, and he’s already trying to drag his best friend to safety before the other stares past Tommy in shock.
“T-Tommy, Tommy..?” He shakily points to something in the distance. He turns. There is a giant fucking dragon where Wilbur once was. The entire crowd is staring in awe, fear, stupor at the large animal. Even Schlatt is frozen.
“Tommy, we need to go, now.” A firm hand on his shoulder, dragging him away from Tubbo. He immediately pulls back.
“What the hell is going on? Techno!” He cries as the grip gets harder. In the back of his mind he feels a panic that’s not his own, and a terrible, terrible feeling of rage. The dragon’s talons were crushing the building holy shit. Techno remains silent until the beast has a faint blue glow emanating from it’s chest that is only getting brighter.
“Wilbur! Please, Wilbur, don’t do this I know you’ll regret it!” What is Techno talking about? Why is he calling that dragon Wilbur? It is eerily silent. No screams, nothing, except the faint pulsing sound of whatever is in the dragon’s chest. The beast exhales, the large head turning in Tommy’s direction.
“Tommy…” It growls in a voice that is extremely deep but undeniably his older brother’s. “Tommy, come here. We are going home with Techno. Or else I’ll light this whole place ablaze.” And wow. If the dragon thinks there is any way he is going near it that thing is dead wrong. His brother is most definitely human. But there is no way he will let Manberg be destroyed. Tommy’s head feels like it’s at a stand still. Techno lets go of his shoulder only to grab his wrist and drag him to the beast.
“Techno, what the fuck are you doing!? Are you trying to get us killed!?” He panics, trying to yank his wrist free, but Techno’s too strong.
“Trust me, Tommy, this is the best option if you want the least amount of casualties,” It was grim, and Tommy knew it was probably true. But he was so scared. The dragon spreads its wings and glides down directly in front of them. Tommy feels the gust of wind on his face from 15 feet away. “Tommy, you’ll be okay, I promise you,” Techno murmurs to him.
“What about Tubbo?” Tears are finally spilling over, dripping onto his cheeks. He feels distress in the back of his head when it happens (feeling he unconsciously had linked to his family).
“I’ll take care of everything here.” It was said in the voice Tommy physically couldn’t argue against, just like the next words the dragon spoke.
“Let’s go Toms,” The dragon shifted until Techno motioned for Tommy to climb onto (supposedly) Wilbur’s back. Immediately Tommy felt a familiar comfort. The dragon felt exactly like the true Wilbur, before everything on the smp. When his biggest worries were a scraped knee or disappointing Phil. Everything seemed to slow down. His head no longer ached, and his body promptly shut down as the adrenaline faded away.
-
The winds were calm as Wilbur glided in the direction of Pogtopia with a sleeping Tommy on his back. He felt slightly guilty for leaving Techno behind but the other could get himself out of there if he needed. He knew for a fact Techno was going to be upset with him once they all returned home. His head felt so much clearer now, no longer clogged with twisted thoughts and lies. Explaining this all to Tommy once he woke was going to be a hassle. He didn’t land as smoothly as he had hoped, but then again he hadn’t flown in a long time. His body wouldn’t be able to shift again until the next day. So he made do curling around the young boy with a wing over him as the sun began to set.
-
In a distant land, a man with a green and white striped bucket hat looked up sharply, eyes narrowing.