Work Text:
Tubbo watched numbly as Tommy let Connor go after he had passed Technoblade his crossbow. The sight of the rocket launcher back in Technoblade’s hands almost sent Tubbo into a breakdown. His mind flashing with memories of color and searing pain. Tubbo shook his head, hoping to gain back some clarity. He couldn't lose focus with a traitor, two traitors his mind whispered, so close to him.
Tommy turned back to his best friend. He hadn’t seen Tubbo in such a long time. The corner of his lips started to pull into the barest of a smile before Tubbo started to speak.
“What are you doing here Tommy?” His voice was almost flat, void of emotion, but Tommy could hear an undercurrent of exhaustion and irritation.
Tommy started to get defensive before he could help himself. His anger always burned quick and bright, ready to lashout at anyone who got too close, too fast. But this was Tubbo. And his time with dream, if nothing else, taught him to hold his tongue. At least a little bit.
“Well don't sound too happy to see me” Tommy tried to make a simple joke, hoping to disperse the tense mood, but it seemed to just anger the child president.
“Why would I be happy to see you Tommy?” Tubbos voice was quick and sharp. His words looking to cause as much damage as possible “you only just came back and you’re already causing problems” he threw a hand out in the direction that Connor fled. Tubbo was too stressed out and too tired to have his usual patients with Tommy’s antics
Tommy took a step back at the angry tone Tubbo used. His friend, ex-friend?, rarely got mad at people. Tommy’s mind reminded him of the only other time Tubbo yelled at him, the moment before he was officially exiled. Tommy could feel himself bristle with rage at the tone and the memory.
“I’m only here for Techno’s weapons.” Tommy spat at Tubbo, “If you hadn’t attacked him, tried to fucking execute him, we wouldn’t be here” Tommy glared at Tubbo, completely ignoring the people that still surrounded them.
Tubbo glared right back, “Techno’s weapons, huh?” His voice never straying from the rage filled tone he started the argument with, “the same weapons that he used to kill me, the same weapons he used to kill Quackity, the same weapons he used to destroy L’manburg? Why are you helping the man that destroyed our nation? The nation you helped create! The nation that is our home!”
“Maybe L’manburg should burn!” Tommy yelled. There was a stunned silence from everyone there. Tommy pushed in close to Tubbos face, “Maybe it really was never meant to be.''
Tubbo’s face had dropped in shock. He was stunned for a moment before the rage burned even brighter than before in his chest.
“Well then maybe it's a good thing you got exiled. At least out there you couldn’t hurt anyone” Tubbo’s words were spat in Tommy’s face before he gave the taller boy a quick shove.
Tommy’s arms quickly pinwheeled before he fell to the ground, he hadn’t expected Tubbo to say that. As he fell to the floor he heard the cracking of glass.
Tubbo had gone still at both his words and the crack, he hoped that it wasn’t what he thought it was. He was unfortunately proven right when Tommy reached into his pocket to fish out his, now broken, compass. It was still pointing toward Tubbo.
Tommy let out a humorless laugh at the sight of the cracked compass. He rubbed his thumb against the silver engraving that had gone brass due to him repeating the motion everyday during exile,Your Tubbo. He thought about all the times he would stare at the piece of metal. Dreaming of when he would be able to follow it back to his friend, his Tubbo, his home. Shaking his head slightly, Tommy realised that those dreams really were ridiculous, just like Dream tried to tell him.
He looked up from the compass to look Tubbo in the eye, “I guess I’m glad I got exiled too. At least now I know who my friends are.”
“Tommy, I-I’m so sorry” Tubbo’s voice cracked as he tried to take back what he had said.
Tommy just shook his head, “Sorry doesn’t cut it Tubbo.” Tommy started to speak softly. He quickly gained volume, but he never yelled. “I was left alone, far away from my home. And why? Because of that stupid prank? Why did no one get in trouble when it was done to me?” Tommy’s voice shook a bit before he steadied it, “Have you ever seen my house not messed with? No, you haven’t, because everyday I wake up and find another person has stolen from me. Another person has ripped apart my home just to have a quick laugh. I hoped that at least you would understand the unfairness of that. I hoped that at least you would have visited me, that my best friend would’ve care at least a little.” Tommy took a breath to compose his shaky voice. He knew this moment would mean nothing if he broke during it. “But now I know better. Now I know that I can only rely on those who would never leave me. Not even if they hate me.”
Tommy looked back at Techno on the last line, looked back to his big brother. Techno held himself in a threatening manner during the conversation, but Tommy could see the fondness in his eye when he looked at him. His older brother gave a soft nod. An acknowledgment that Techno wasn’t going anywhere.
Tommy turned back to Tubbo then glancing down at the compass still held tight in his hand. He let out another emotionless chuckle before looking Tubbo in the eyes and raising the compass slightly.
“I guess it’s a good thing you burned your compass. Because I’m not your Tommy, and you sure as fuck aren’t my Tubbo.”
Tommy threw the compass to the ground as hard as he could, stomping on it and shattering it to pieces. Tommy calmly looked at Tubbo, then he turned his back and walked away, Techno walking by his side. Tubbo let them go, in too much shock to even try and stop them.