Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

An order had been sent out by the king to search for a flower said to have been sent by the sun, a prophecy. The queen, carrying their third child, had fallen ill. Fearing both his wife’s life and the child’s, the king had quickly ordered people to search the nearby forests and mountains to find a flower said to have healing powers. 

The royal guard had scurried off to look for the flower, coming up empty handed. Except for one, fateful day. 

The queen’s condition had worsened, she was on death’s door when guards had rushed back with the flower. A remedy had been made immediately, the queen given it and she healed. 

The queen gave birth to a healthy boy, with golden hair like the sun and wings, like his father. 

However, after the birth, the queen succumbed to her previous illnesses, the power of the sun not enough to keep her alive. 

The kingdom mourned for weeks at the loss of their beloved queen. Kristen Craft had been a wonderful queen, a kind and humble ruler from a farmer’s origin, and she made sure to keep her husband and children in check. 

With the news of her passing, the kingdom fell into grief. The king was devastated, and he could barely make a speech to the public with the news of his wife’s passing. The children, Wilbur, Technoblade and the newly named Theseus, were not present to the public, the king not wanting to subject his children to any unnecessary questioning about their mother’s passing. 

It had been about a month since the queen’s passing, and the kingdom still did not fall back into its original rhythm. The king did not make any public appearances, the children could not be seen at all, the palace seemed abandoned. 

People could not even see their king spread his wings and use his gift as he so often did, to check up on the towns farther away from the capital. The king was barely functioning without his beloved wife, so much they could see. 

One fateful night, a man with a white mask broke into the castle, into the king’s quarters where the baby Theseus lay sleeping soundly, and took him. Stole him from his father’s arms, another loss for the royal family. 

The king had sent out another order, this time for his son. No one had been successful. 

After another month, people gave up. But the king did not. He knew his son was alive, he could feel it. His instincts told him so. The king searched endlessly for his son, ending up empty handed each time. 

So instead, after a year of nothing and empty hopes, he sent a lantern up into the sky on his son’s birthday. It had become a tradition now, a celebration for his people. 

Philza Craft, king of Antarctica, wished for his youngest to come home and hoped the lights he let into the sky would lead him back into his arms. 

Tommy bounced around the tower. Dream was coming home today, or at least he estimated his trip to be only around four days, and the fourth day was running up. Tommy was excited, Dream wasn’t around as much anymore, Tommy felt lonely, although he did have Shroud. 

Shroud was a spider Tommy had found some time back, and still to this day it was alive and thriving. Tommy and Shroud were best friends, Shroud was all Tommy knew aside from Dream. 

Tommy had been in a tower all his life. All of his seventeen years of living confined within walls of brick. 

He didn’t have time to dawdle on his past, or how lonely he was, or how empty the tower felt even with Shroud. He had to clean and make everything pretty for Dream’s arrival. Maybe he might even get a reward for his good behavior. 

Tommy mopped the floors, cleaned the sheets, dusted every shelf, rearranged the bookshelves, and cleaned up after his attempt at baking he tried this morning. It didn’t end well. 

Shroud was somewhere around, Tommy too occupied with his cleaning to look for him. 

At the end of his cleaning session, the whole place practically shining with his own reflection. The tower was quite tall, and even after all of these years Tommy didn’t know how he entered the tower. 

Tommy himself had wings the color of gold, yet he had never tasted the freedom of flight. His wings were a mere accessory for Dream to admire. Dream loved to play with his feathers, he didn’t preen him as much as Tommy would’ve liked, but the few times he did, Tommy would feel like he was in heaven. 

Preening was a big part of being an avian, and if one’s feathers weren’t regularly preened they became messy and uncomfortable. 

Tommy ruffled his feathers, stretching his wings out. He couldn’t count the times his instincts cried for him to just jump out of the tower and soar away. His inner bird cried and cried for Tommy to escape from the clutches that was the tower and yet, Tommy continuously ignored him. His own instincts. 

He was barely a functioning bird, and he knew for certain that if he tried, he wouldn’t be able to fly. It was probably too late for him to learn it now, he was almost seventeen years old. He was long overdue for flight lessons, and his wings probably wouldn’t support his weight. 

Tommy sighed and made his way upstairs and into his bedroom. It was rather messy, but when was it not? Discarded feathers lay on his bed and on the floor around it, the broken feathers falling out. 

He was in desperate need of a preening, but Dream wouldn’t let him do that. Dream was very strict about when Tommy’s preening sessions would be, and when they would not. But with Dream coming home, Tommy was sure that he’d been a good boy, that Dream would be nice to him and preen his wings. 

He whined into his pillow, wanting to claw at his wings to get rid of the broken and misplaced feathers, but he knew it’d only leave his wings red and raw. Even if he would start preening himself, he knew that once Dream returned he’d be punished. 

Tommy froze when he heard the creaking of a door. The clanking of armor was present, and he sprung up from his bed and rushed to the door, seeing Dream in all his glory in the middle of the floor. 

“Dream!” Tommy exclaimed, the armored figure turning towards him. The white mask with the poorly drawn on smiley face stared back at him. The avian ran up to the older man, excitedly jumping into his arms. 

Dream let out a chuckle, a hand in Tommy’s hair and ruffling the blonde curls. Tommy fought back the urge to lean into the touch, knowing he would most likely just get reprimanded for it. He was no longer a child, he couldn’t act on his impulses like that anymore. 

“Welcome back! I’ve missed you!” Tommy said, a beaming smile on his face. 

“It’s good to be back. The trip had a few bumps in the road, hence why I am a bit late, but I’m here nonetheless.” Dream said, putting down his bag and sword on the table. He started disassembling his armor, putting it on the armor stand sitting by the bookshelves. 

“Do you need me to shine it?” Tommy asked from behind Dream, watching the older man finish putting the armor on the stand. It was a shiny purple, made from a rare kind of metal found in a different dimension. 

Tommy had asked Dream about his armor and weapons multiple times, always having the same response. It was a gift from someone who was close to me. Nothing more. 

Tommy didn’t exactly buy it, but didn’t want to ask further in case he would anger Dream. 

“Not right now.” Dream said, putting his mask down on the table besides his bag. He turned to Tommy, showcasing his bruised and cut up face. Tommy’s heart dropped. 

Dream was injured. He was hurt. How did he get hurt? Dream never got hurt. Not this badly at least. Although there was that time Dream barely crawled into the tower with a stab wound- 

“Tommy.” Dream said, snapping Tommy out of his thoughts. “Let’s sit down so we can heal, okay?” The younger blonde nodded, rushing to grab the pair their usual chairs. 

Healing was something Tommy had been capable of since he was a kid. The powers appeared around the same time his down feathers grew in, when his wings grew out the golden feathers that sat on his back. Dream had begun vigorous training for Tommy’s healing abilities since they revealed themselves, overexerting Tommy to see for how long he could heal, how big the wounds could be, etc.

The process of training had been awful, Tommy collapsing multiple times a week due to the amount of stress he was putting on his body. Healing took a lot of physicality, a lot more than one might think. 

Tommy could heal with his hands, and his tears he had found out. He cried a golden liquid, much like his hair and wings. He preferred using his hands, it was an easier method although it did cost more energy. 

Placing his stool in front of the chair he had dragged onto the middle of the floor, he grabbed Dream’s hand and ushered him to sit down, Tommy doing the same. “Heal first, then preen?” Tommy asked, hoping he would get preened first. Gods knew he needed it more than healing. 

Dream stayed quiet for a beat. “Let’s preen. Your beautiful wings look a mess.” Tommy could cry when those words left Dream’s mouth. He ruffled his feathers, then expanded his right wing and allowed Dream to run his fingers through the feathers, fixing the misplaced feathers and picking out the loose ones. Tommy crooned and peeped during the entire preening process, his peeping growing louder as Dream worked on the oil glands, letting his wings be massaged properly. 

Gods, Tommy had missed this. He was so happy, just wanted to wrap his wings around Dream and get lost in his instincts. He was close to it anyway, it was that time of year when his instincts would go haywire and Dream would lock him in his room for the week. 

“Alright, songbird.” Dream said, voice soft as he moved his hands off Tommy’s wings, who whined in response. “No complaining.” Dream sternly reminded, Tommy quickly shutting up and shutting off his instincts as best he could. 

“Your turn.” Tommy turned to Dream, putting his hands gently on the older’s face and let his power flow. His hands felt warm as a light emerged from his hands, the bruises and cuts on Dream’s face slowly disappearing. It was a painless procedure for the second party involved, however for Tommy it was physically exhausting. 

Small bruises and cuts would cause nothing more than a very mild headache though, but larger injuries like a gash or a proper wound would make him pass out. Even with all of the training he had gone through with Dream, his body wouldn’t allow him to keep healing. 

Dream sighed, Tommy lifting his hands off of his face to admire his work. Dream’s freckle-filled face was clean of any bruises or cuts, safe for a small scar above his eyebrow. Unfortunately, Tommy’s healing powers could not stop the healed from getting a scar, it was a reminder of the wound he healed. 

“Thank you.” Dream said simply, standing up from his chair so Tommy could put it back in its original spot. 

“Your birthday is coming up.” Dream commented, watching the teenager bounce around as he grabbed the proper supplies to shine the armor and weapons. “It is.” Tommy replied, filling a bucket with water and putting it on the ground by the armor stand. 

“What would you like? As a present, that is.” Dream asked, having gone into the kitchen to presumably pack away the supplies he brought in from his trip. “To see the floating lights.” Tommy replied, dunking his sponge into the bucket and starting to clean one of the arm guards. 

Dream didn’t reply for a moment, Tommy’s anxiety growing at the silence. “The what?” Tommy huffed, pushing his hair back. “Yeah, you know. The lights that always appear in the sky on my birthday. I thought you know- since I’m turning seventeen I could finally- finally go out and see them in person.” 

Tommy moved to the shoulder pad, dunking his sponge back into the water. “And what makes you think I’d let you do that?” Dream barked out, Tommy’s wings ruffling in fear and moving to cover him a bit. 

Tommy didn’t like it when Dream raised his voice, it never meant anything good. “It-It was just an idea.” He quickly said, trying to get Dream to calm down. “I didn’t expect it to go anywhere.” 

Dream appeared behind him, hand grasping his shoulder harshly and turning Tommy to face him. Tommy’s eyes were struck with fear, his heart wrapped in anxiety as he avoided Dream’s face. 

He looked everywhere but at the looming figure. 

Tommy and Dream were relatively the same height, in fact, they shared a lot of similar features. The hair color and the height were two leading factors, whereas in Tommy’s eyes were a bright blue, Dream’s were green. They were a light green, it reminded Tommy of the forest below. 

“It won’t go anywhere. Ever. You know the rules, Tommy.” Dream gritted out, eyes boring into Tommy’s. 

“I do- I do.” Tommy’s hands were shaking, he was trembling in fear. Dream was angry, meaning something bad would happen. Some kind of punishment, Dream leaving for a while, being locked in his room, wings tied together. Tommy’s wings wrapped around himself, but Dream’s hands grabbed a handful of the feathers and threatened to yank. 

Tommy winced in pain, keeping down a distressed peep. “Please- please. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Why was his flock hurting him again? What did he do this time? He only wanted a birthday present, was that so bad?

Dream kept his hold on the feathers, threatening Tommy to disobey, to say the wrong thing, to test Dream’s patience. “You know the fucking rules, Tommy. Don’t ever suggest something like that again.” Dream exhaled sharply and let go of the feathers, Tommy collapsing as soon as the feathers were free. 

“Go to your room. Don’t come out until you have the go-ahead from me.” Tommy scrambled to his feet and ran up the stairs, shutting the door behind him once he was inside his room. 

He collapsed again in front of his door. With his back against the wood, he curled in on himself, his wings coming around him again to provide some sort of safety, some sort of comfort. His wing still hurt where Dream had gripped his feathers, threatening to pull them out. 

Tommy shuddered at the thought, the anxiety clawing at his chest once more. He made Dream angry again, he messed up again. 

That seemed to be a really good talent of Tommy’s. 

Bringing his knees to his face, Tommy let the tears fall as quiet sobs wracked through his body. It wasn’t often that Tommy cried, he had gotten a lesson from Dream a few years ago that crying was for babies, and Tommy was no baby. 

He never showed his weakness in front of Dream. He was taught better than that. 

So Tommy pitifully sobbed quietly in his room, while Dream figured out a way to punish him.

Chapter Text

Ranboo made a noise as he tightened the rope around Tubbo’s waist, making sure there was no way the rope would snap or loosen as Tubbo would be lowered down into the throne room. The ram hybrid tightened the bandana around the lower half of his face, to make sure no guard would be able to pinpoint any super obvious features. 

Unfortunately it was not so easy hiding large horns on one's head, so Tubbo had to do with what he had. “How’s it looking, bossman?” Tubbo asked, watching the incredibly tall boy fuss over the rope. 

“Rope is safe and secure. We need to go over the plan once more.” The younger groaned, just wanting to get this over with. Tubbo and Ranboo were doing this job with another duo of thieves, known as George Notfound and Sapnap. They were more known than the younger pair, which is why they decided to collaborate on this job. 

They were stealing the crown of the lost prince of Antarctica. 

“Don’t complain, we need this job. It’ll pay us well, especially if we do decide to make a run for it once we have the crown.” Ranboo said, not caring for Tubbo’s scowling. 

“We’ve been over the plan a hundred times by now. Let’s just get this over with.” Ranboo sighed, grabbing the other end of the rope and tying it around his waist, walking over to a small box he had planted for support and putting his feet by it. 

“We’re good to go.” Ranboo said, Tubbo grinning behind the bandana and climbing into the castle. 

The room was grand, cold colors of blue and white with a splash of red in sight. Three thrones, all made of gold with the middle one grander than the ones beside it, a giant green emerald sitting in the middle of the back. 

Tubbo was almost tempted to go after it. 

Many guards were positioned around the throne room, yet none faced the crown. Ranboo had found the guard patrol plans and studied how each was positioned, making the job a lot easier than it would have been if they were going into it blind. Tubbo silently thanked his friend as he hit the floor, tugging on the rope to signal up to Ranboo that he had landed safely. 

Tubbo worked quickly, grabbing the case that the crown was under and lifting it up, snatching the shiny metal under it and carefully putting the case down. Tubbo grabbed the pouch from his satchel that had been specifically made for the crown so as not to damage the metal or any of the gems, and stuffed the crown in it. He put the pouch in his satchel and yanked harshly on the rope, Ranboo starting to drag him back up. 

They couldn’t waste any more time doing this job. The king, a wholeass avian predator was very territorial and protective over what was his, and Tubbo had read somewhere while doing his extensive research on hybrids, avian predators were very possessive and territorial creatures, so they had to bounce. 

Tubbo was almost at the top when the large oak doors opened up, slamming into the wall. 

Entering the room was none other than king Philza Craft, feathers ruffled, eyes glossed over and huge dark talons growing from his hands. The king was lost to his instincts, coming for the intruder in his nest. 

“Hey, Boo?” Tubbo called up, seeing a speck of white and black hair come into view. “Might wanna hurry it up. There’s an angry bird coming for my throat.” Ranboo only made a vwoop noise in reply, Tubbo’s eyes fixated on the king who was clearly preparing to rip him to shreds. 

As the large black wings spread out, Tubbo was in distance to climb out of the room and he wasted no time in doing so. The woosh of wings flapping made his heart race, and he just narrowly escaped as large and sharp talons reached for him. 

“Teleport time?” Tubbo asked sheepishly, Ranboo growling at him in disapproval before wrapping his arms around the younger’s torso, and they disappeared off the roof of the castle. 

When the king arrived at the roof, there was no trace of the two thieves except a cut up rope from where his talons had almost slashed the intruder. The avian growled, wings taking off as he returned to his nest and went straight to his sons. 

Ranboo and Tubbo landed harshly in the forest just on the outskirts of the capital. Sapnap and George were waiting for them in a clearing a little further into the forest. Tubbo started laughing, the adrenaline was wonderful. 

They could have died for a stupid crown, and were expected to meet two little bitches who didn’t even do the job with them to split the fee. Tubbo thought about the pros and cons, and he decided in his head that they would not be meeting with George and Sapnap to split the revenue. 

Fuck that. 

“Ranboo,” Tubbo began, his voice a whisper. The taller squatted down to Tubbo’s level so he could whisper into his ear. “Let’s ditch George and Sapnap. They don’t deserve the cash we’re about to get for this heist.” 

Ranboo looked at his friend with a weird look. “Are you out of your mind? They are notorious for being killers, Tubbo, we’d be dead before even getting out of the forest!” Ranboo exclaimed, hands motioning as he spoke to accentuate his point. 

Tubbo brushed it off. “We already have a killer avian on our tail, why not a shroom fae and a fireborn to add to it?” He said, tone joking and nonchalant. Ranboo wanted to explode, his friend too casual about the amount of potential bounty hunts being placed on their heads. 

“Tubbo, we will be dead before even the king can get to us. Sapnap and George have a whole army of favors they can call on, let’s not get into any more trouble with them.” Ranboo tried to reason with Tubbo, as stubborn as always. Whenever the ram hybrid was set on something, he would not let it go unless a better alternative was set or revealed. 

Ranboo would grow grey hairs before even reaching his twenties at this point, this job was so stress inducing. The enderman hybrid sat down under a tree, suddenly feeling exhaustion ache his bones. 

“You okay Ranboo?” Tubbo then asked, voice laced with concern. Ranboo, having shut his eyes, replied, “I’m fine. Just exhausted.” Tubbo made a noise, then Ranboo heard shuffling before a body of warmth dropped beside him. A heavy head was laid on his shoulders, Tubbo’s soft hair and heavy horns touching his face. 

“I’m sorry.” Tubbo finally mustered after a moment of silence. 

Ranboo opened an eye to peek at the ram hybrid, who was idly playing with the grass beneath his feet. “I’m sorry if I pushed you too much, or put too much pressure on you. I didn’t- I didn’t mean to, and I’m sorry.” 

Ranboo didn’t say anything for a bit, only raising his hand to card his fingers through Tubbo’s hair. “Don’t worry. This was an exciting job, and for what it’s worth, I understand your reluctance to return to Sapnap and George.” Ranboo understood, he did, but the risks were far too many for this to be a successful heist. 

“Sapnap and George didn’t do anything except approach us with the job. We did the entire thing by ourselves, even with our own supplies. They couldn’t even give us some of theirs and they looked loaded.” Tubbo rambled, Ranboo merely listening and humming in affirmation. 

Tangents like these were many, and Ranboo always enjoyed listening to Tubbo ramble about things, even if it was about the strangest of things. One time Tubbo decided to ramble about ducks and how they bred and it evolved into how birds in general recreated. All in all, a strange tangent of his but nothing unusual. 

“I still think we should ditch them. If we cash in the crown before they get to us, they should only go after the people that gave us the cash. Or- I don’t know, we just go to the Captain’s Call and get Puffy to help us.” Tubbo suggested, a sheepish smile reaching his face. 

Ranboo sighed, retracting his hand which made the other whine. 

“Even if we’d ditch them, I don’t exactly want to bother Puffy with our problems. She did it last time as well, and it ended in her being injured.” Tubbo exhaled sharply, not happy with the reminder. 

That job had been a death wish, both teens knew it, yet they still took it and Puffy had been caught up in the mess. Tubbo didn’t like being reminded of it, the guilt was still crawling in his chest whenever he thought about it. 

“True, but this time Sam and Foolish will be there. They could both take on Sapnap and George.” Ranboo rolled his eyes, pushing Tubbo off his shoulder and standing up. Tubbo frowned, watching the enderman as he started to pace. 

“Tubbo, for Gods’ sake, we need this job to succeed. No more risks, please.” Ranboo reasoned, tail whipping around uncontrollably, a sign of stress and anxiety. Tubbo stayed silent, allowing Ranboo to continue on with his rant. “I agree with your statement, but it’s too risky. Even if we’d escape George and Sapnap, they would constantly be on our tail, and until we’re either caught or dead,” Ranboo breathed. “We’d be on the run our entire lives.”

Tubbo scoffed. “Nothing unusual, then?”

Ranboo glared at the ram hybrid. “Stop it, Tubbo.” 

“Stop what? That we’ve spent our entire lives since escaping that fucking orphanage running? Whether it be from officials, orphanage workers or criminals, we have never had a moment of rest, of peace. Why the sudden rant about it now?” Tubbo exclaimed, anger flushed in his face. 

Ranboo vwooped, enderman instincts coming to the surface. It happened in high-stress situations, and if it would continue he’d teleport to a safer place in his opinion. “Tubbo, please. I don’t want to argue, let’s be reasonable about this.” Ranboo begged, voice wavering as he watched Tubbo approach him, horns first. 

“No, Ranboo. I’m tired of you not taking my ideas seriously. You always fucking dismiss me, even when I’ve fully thought out the fucking plan and calculated each outcome. You still fucking dismiss me! It hurts, Ranboo, it hurts a lot more than I want it to and I’m tired of not being appreciated in this friendship.” 

Ranboo froze. 

Had he really been that bad of a friend? Had Tubbo always felt so in the dark when it came to their planning? Ranboo felt his chest collapse from anxiety, he felt so bad, he felt like a horrible person. He knew he had been harsh on Tubbo, but he never knew it was this bad. 

Gods, he was such a bad person. 

Tubbo put a hand on Ranboo’s forearm, snapping him out of his thoughts, stopping him from spiraling further. 

“Big man, relax.” The ram says softly, voice quiet and comforting. Ranboo takes a few moments to steady his breathing, eyes cast downward to the floor, tail whipping uncomfortably around. 

“I shouldn’t have dropped all of that on you, but I was just fed up with the ignoring and dismissing.” Ranboo didn’t say anything, still calming himself down from his panic attack. “Sapnap and George must be wondering why we’re held up.” 

Ranboo bit the inside of his cheek, watching as Tubbo started gathering up their supplies, checking the satchel to see if the crown was still in place, and then continued on. Ranboo knew that Tubbo was mad at him, he knew they had to fix and reconcile because they couldn’t work properly if either or both parties were mad. 

“Tubbo,” Ranboo said, voice a little hoarse and disoriented, enderman instincts still present. “We still need a plan. If we combine both ideas, maybe- maybe we can come to a better conclusion than arguing and fighting.” 

Ranboo saw Tubbo’s shoulders physically lift and drop as he inhaled and exhaled, continuing to gather their bags and weapons before finally turning around, “Look, we are both angry at each other so let’s just get going and cool off while we walk. Sounds good?” Ranboo wanted to make a rebuttal, argue about how that sounded like a bad idea and might just make them angrier but decided not to do it, seeing how fed up Tubbo looked. 

“Fine. Let’s get going then.” Tubbo handed Ranboo his satchel and weapon and walked ahead, expecting the freakishly tall teen to keep up, which he did. 

They went further into the forest, to meet Sapnap and George at their rendezvous point as agreed on in the beginning of the job. The sun had started to set, a nice warm glow having set over the forest. 

It was calming, the crunching of grass and leaves under their boots, the faint noises of birds and other animals of the forest chiming in every now and again, it was… peaceful. 

Ranboo wanted to furrow his brows at the thought, because as Tubbo had said, the pair had not known peace since escaping that orphanage, and at this point, they probably never would. With the king on their tail, and potentially ditching Sapnap and George for a better shot at more money, they probably wouldn’t be able to slow down for a few months, maybe even years. 

Ranboo vwoopped, being careful of his step and regularly ducking his head as to not hit the branches. They would reach their rendezvous point in a few hours maybe, if they held their course and pace. Tubbo was quiet, Ranboo was quiet, everything seemed so quiet. Almost a bit too quiet. 

Like a calm before the storm. 

The flapping of wings caught Ranboo’s attention. It wasn’t soft like those of the birds native to the forest, it was aggressive, strong like a bird dive bombing a prey. Ranboo looked to the skies, seeing two large pitch black wings in view, and he gasped. 

He scrambled over to Tubbo, grabbing him haphazardly and shut his eyes, concentrating on the teleporting. A terrifying sound could be heard from the king as he dove down upon seeing the intruders, Tubbo finally clocking to what was happening. 

“Oh fuck,” He cursed, grabbing properly onto Ranboo as he kept trying to teleport. Purple particles started filling the air, a sign that they’d be gone soon. But would it be soon enough? The king was a few mere seconds away from them, when finally, they felt like they were floating. 

Tubbo shut his eyes, not quite used to the plain they went to when they teleported. Ranboo was obviously used to it, he was an enderman hybrid (although more enderman than human) and he teleported regularly. Tubbo did not do that regularly, and he would never get used to the feeling of practically floating through non-existent space and then reappearing into the existing world. 

They landed harshly on soft ground, both panting. “Woah, what the fuck?” A voice said, Ranboo recognizing it to be Sapnap. So he did teleport to the right place, thank the gods. 

“Oh, hey guys,” Tubbo greeted between pants, a grin making its way onto his face. “How do?” 

“What the hell happened to you guys? Did you get the crown?” George asked, eyeing the younger duo. “What do you take us for, Gogy? Amateurs?” Tubbo said with a scoff, sending the shroom fae a wink. 

“So, a successful job?” Sapnap asked, Ranboo nodding in response. “Slight bump in the road though,” Tubbo said, finally having caught his breath. “You know the king? Who am I kidding of course you do- yeah he’s on our asses now. He’s a predatory avian hybrid, they’re insanely possessive and territorial, and we,” Tubbo pointed at himself and Ranboo, “are intruders in his territory. We better go and cash in this fucking crown or we’re toast.” 

Sapnap and George looked at each other. “Well, that is indeed a bump in the road. But the fucking king?” Sapnap said incredulously, not really believing the two teens. “Yes, Sapnap, the fucking king. He’ll be on our asses until he either gets back that crown or kills us- or even both!” Tubbo explained, clutching his satchel. 

“What’s to say you’re not just lying to us? To get away with that crown and get the money all for yourselves?” Sapnap said, Tubbo rolling his eyes in reply. 

“And if we’d do that, we wouldn’t be so obvious about it.” Ranboo bit back, tail whipping around angrily. He was clearly tired about the amount of questioning Sapnap was doing. 

“Sap, they look rough, I don’t think they’re lying.” George said, his stupid little mushroom hat capturing Tubbo’s attention. Shroom fae were a weird type of fae, but apparently were really powerful, somehow. 

Ranboo eyed Tubbo, who only sent back a smirk and hoped that Ranboo was picking up what he was putting down. Oh gods, Ranboo thought, knowing exactly what that smirk meant on Tubbo’s face. 

“Yeah, asshat. So go stick it and shut up.” Tubbo said, reaching into his satchel to pull out the pouch he had placed the crown in. “The crown,” Tubbo shook his hand holding the pouch, “is here in this pouch, It’s shiny and protected, for obvious reasons.” Sapnap took a step forward, clearly wanting the pouch. 

“ However, ” Tubbo said, voice stern, “you won’t get the pouch. Or the crown, for that matter.” Sapnap’s brows furrowed and George scoffed. “What?” 

“Yeah, you won’t get it. You two did fuck-all for this job, me and Ranboo did everything. Why should you reap the benefits? You guys don’t have the fucking king on your tail, and you should get all that money?” Tubbo laughed. “Fuck no.”

Sapnap grumbled, fire appearing from his palms. “Don’t do this Tubbo.” He said through gritted teeth, only receiving a smirk from the younger. George grabbed his staff, pointing it at the taller teen who was emitting particles?

“Oh, I think I will.” Tubbo jumped towards Ranboo, who wrapped his arms around him and they disappeared into thin air, leaving Sapnap and George alone in the clearing, one who was threatening to burn the whole forest down and the other trying to stop him. 

“Fuck! I knew we shouldn’t have trusted those kids!” Sapnap exclaimed, punching a tree, hands now extinguished. George rolled his eyes, “Or, I don’t know, your idea was just entirely shitty.” Sapnap looked at George. 

“Fuck you say?”

“You know what I said, Sapnap. We did absolutely nothing in this job, why should we get the money? We brought them the job, they still did the whole thing by themselves. We sent kids into the fucking castle and we expect for them to share the rewards?” George explained, Sapnap scoffed. 

“I don’t fucking care George, they still took the fucking job, didn’t they? They decided to do it for us, no questions fucking asked so why should we just let it go?” Sapnap argued- more like snapped- back. George exhaled sharply, tired of this argument. “I just explained it to you! You and I did nothing in that job, the king is hunting two teenagers and we just get to go with our pockets full with no consequence?”

Sapnap stayed silent, clearly thinking about his points in the argument. “We can go chase after them and hope we can make a deal, but with whatever Ranboo just did, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re already at Captain’s Call now and cashing in.”

“Highly doubt the kid’s control over that is that good. Captain’s Call is too far away from here, they’re probably not that far from here.” Sapnap said, turning to the fae with a grin on his face. 

“Wanna go hunting?”

George only mumbled a curse in response. 

Chapter Text

Dream had left without saying a word. All he left to give Tommy a clue of where he had gone was a note on the kitchen counter saying Went into town, don’t break any rules :) - Dream. Tommy didn’t know for how long Dream would be away on this trip, but based on how everything went down just now, Dream would purposefully stay longer away. 

He did that whenever Tommy messed up, left for a few days, sometimes even weeks to teach him a lesson, as he had said one time when Tommy was just a kid. What hurt the most right now, (aside from his wing), was the fact that Dream decided to leave a day before his birthday. 

It had been a while since Dream had been around for a birthday of Tommy’s, last time he remembered Dream physically being there was four- maybe five years ago? Tommy had at least been young, well, younger. 

“Shroud, you can come out now.” Tommy called, looking around for the fluffy spider. He didn’t have many hiding spots, but he had a few he liked the most. One was in the mud of a potted plant in the corner of the main room of the tower, which Tommy found him most often hiding in. 

“I should probably put away the supplies Dream brought in.” Tommy thought out loud, something he often did to drown out the silence. Talking to Shroud helped, but Shroud was still in hiding and Tommy couldn’t be bothered to go looking for him. Besides, Tommy had work to do. 

He could busy himself for the next couple of hours, before either boredom came or he’d finish his chores. The chores he did every day, and had done every day for almost seventeen years. 

Tommy’s life was quite sad, when he actually thought about it. Pitiful, even. 

No, no, of course not! Of course Tommy’s life wasn’t pitiful, Dream gave him the best life imaginable!  Dream protected him from the dangers of the world, had kept him safe all his life, Tommy should be grateful. 

That never stopped him from dreaming, though, as ironic as that sounded. 

Even after all of this time, Tommy had never even set foot outside of the tower. Never felt the wind against his skin, climbed a tree or laid in the grass. Never soaked himself in the rivers flowing around the tower, never smelled the flowers or watched the bees up close. The outside world looked so far out of his reach, yet it was just a few meters away from him. 

It felt.. empty. The tower, even if Dream was around, Tommy still felt empty and alone. Even with Shroud by his side, Tommy was still alone, and would still be alone probably until the day he died. 

Dream had made sure to beat his ideas of the outside world into Tommy, quite literally. Tommy had always asked Dream for books from the outside though, as curiosity was hard to drown and Tommy never stopped asking for them, so Dream eventually gave in to Tommy’s whining and begging and showed him the large library that the tower held, hidden behind a wall. 

Tommy frequented the library, and at this point had probably read every single book the library held. Tommy was constantly asking Dream to bring new books to add to the library, some on specific topics and some Tommy asked Dream to specifically pick himself. 

Most of the books Dream picked were fiction novels, never really books like encyclopedias on animals or books on the stars and open space. Those interested Tommy the most, and he had spent long nights looking at the stars. 

The stars were such a wonder, and they looked the best on his birthday, accompanied by the floating lights that danced and sparkled in the sky alongside the shining embers some billions of light years away. Tommy always stared in awe, wanting to touch them, be near them, see them up close in all of their glory. 

Tommy would never reach the stars, even with those wings of his, but he could possibly reach the second best thing; the floating lights. Tommy had never really thought about going outside the tower, to venture out into the world only to see some lights get released into the sky. 

It felt foolish, but Tommy had always dreamt of releasing one of those floating lights into the sky himself, it felt like such an adventure in his dreams, he longed for the taste. 

Of excitement, of adventure.. of freedom. 

He ached for whatever freedom was, whatever that meant. His wings itched for flight, something he had yet to taste, he longed for the feel of the wind against his feathers, in his hairs and rustling his clothes. Tommy was stuck, empty, alone. 

Tommy sighed, ruffled his hair and went into the kitchen to put away the new supplies. Dream had brought a bunch of fruits, vegetables, some meat and spices. Most stuff they needed, although he seemed to have forgotten the dairy products. Tommy began putting away the vegetables and fruits, and despite the old ass tower he lived in there was indeed a device for refrigerating, which was used for fruits, veggies and other fresh stuff. Dairy was also stored there. 

Tommy wasn’t long putting away the supplies, deciding on cleaning the kitchen thoroughly to pass more time. He had already scrubbed the cabinets, most of the table, even cleaned the chairs. 

As he went to grab the mop from the supply closet, a loud noise was heard from the main room. Tommy froze up, hands grasping the mop tightly. Was Dream back? He never returned so quickly after an argument with Tommy, his punishments were never so mild. 

As he opened his mouth to speak, he heard voices, “Where the fuck are we?” One voice said, tone aggressive and confused. Another voice spoke- well they made a sound before speaking, “I panic-teleported us to the closest location with a building. That seemed to have been a tower, in some hidden valley.” A deeper voice commented. 

“Wonderful.” The higher voice replied, Tommy heard shuffling. He assumed they were moving, he needed to do something. He needed to protect his and Dream’s home. The bird in his head was yelling at him to run, to hide, there were predators in his home and he needed to get out, but he had bigger things to worry about and ignored his instincts. 

Tommy inhaled, his grip on the mop tightening as he sprung from the closet, whacking the nearest person on the back of their head. The other person, who was incredibly tall may he add, stared at Tommy with wide eyes, clearly in shock. Tommy took his chance, with shaking hands whacked the taller person on the head, watching as they crumpled down to the floor to join their partner. 

Holy fuck, holy fuck, did Tommy just kill them? He didn’t hit them that hard, but Tommy had no idea how much strength he possessed or how much a human could take a hit. He was panicking, and would not be able to do anything if they woke up while in his state. 

Breathing in and out a few times, Tommy successfully calmed himself down and relaxed. 

First thing’s first, he had to figure out if they were dead or not. He crouched down on the floor next to the smaller person, and put his hand up to his nose, feeling the air hit his hand in a repeating pattern. He also checked his pulse, as a just in case, and found it alive and beating. Thank the Gods. 

Now he had to check the other person. The freakishly tall, two-toned person with two-toned hair and a weird jaw? They also appeared to have a tail? Were they a hybrid like Tommy? Everything added up for them to be one, yet Tommy had no idea what kind. No features of theirs looked even remotely to what Tommy had seen in his multitude of books on hybrids. 

He checked his breathing, felt the same pattern as with the smaller person and checked their pulse, same thing again.

 Now for the hard part, what the hell was he going to do about them? 

He should probably tie them up, right? That sounded like a good idea, sounded like a smart idea, in fact. Tommy looked around, trying to figure out what he could even tie those two up with. He knew Dream stashed rope somewhere in the tower, he just had to figure out where they were. 

The hybrid looked like simple rope was too easy to escape out of, so Tommy needed to figure out something different for them, maybe, if he felt like it. He moved a chair onto the middle of the floor, a few meters away from the shorter person and went up to the attic to look for the rope he knew Dream had stashed somewhere. 

After a few moments of searching, Tommy finally found the rope hidden in some dusty old box way back in the attic. Tommy made his way back towards the main room, seeing both people still knocked out which was a relief. 

The rope was quite long, so Tommy would need to cut it a bit but it should be fine. Hopefully. 

Tommy grabbed the smaller person, and with a bit of struggle he got them in the chair and worked to tie them to the chair. Dream, for some reason, had taught Tommy how to tie a sturdy knot, something no human or hybrid, (unless you were maybe a piglin hybrid) could break through. 

Once he felt the knots were sturdy enough, he went into the kitchen to grab a knife to cut the rope, and once he turned around he saw two blue eyes staring at him.

“Hello.” The person said, voice a bit too cheery for Tommy’s liking. Tommy froze, feathers fluffing up as he was stared down by the tied up ram hybrid. “You live here?”

Tommy didn’t respond, didn’t dare move a muscle, take a breath. He was terrified, there was a stranger, a danger in his house, they were staring right at him, probably planning how to kill him, steal him to use him for his powers!

No, Tommy was panicking again. 

“Hey buddy, still here.” The tied up hybrid said, sending a small awkward wave as Tommy made sure to tie up his hands. He also tied him to the chair, and his legs. 

He made sure he wouldn’t be able to do anything. “Who-who the fuck are you?” He sputtered out, putting the knife in front of himself to look threatening. He probably didn’t, he was trembling and his knees felt ready to buckle right under him. 

The ram hybrid smiled sheepishly, clearly relaxed about this whole thing. “My name’s Tubbo! Can I ask you a question now?” Tommy opened his mouth to respond but got cut off, “You look young, do you live alone? What’s your name? Why do you live in a lonely tower?”

Tommy felt overwhelmed. 

He never expected human interaction to be so tiring. 

This.. Tubbo was distracting him. He still needed to tie up the other person. “Oh, you know a rope won’t stop Ranboo here.” Tubbo said, watching Tommy fuss and huff as he tried to figure out how to tie up a humongous person that was at least 3 meters taller than he was. 

Tommy looked at the ram hybrid. “He’s an enderman hybrid. Well- more enderman than human but whatever! He has the ability to teleport, so a simple rope won’t keep him anywhere.” 

Tubbo was a very talkative person. Tommy might be able to use this to his advantage. “What would work against him, then?” Tommy hoped Tubbo would take the bait. 

And lucky for him, he did. 

“Endermen are weak to water. It melts them, hurts them. Don’t you dare fucking hurt him.” Tubbo threatened, Tommy putting his hands up in mock surrender. Tommy wouldn’t dream of actually hurting someone, but he would use water to his advantage. Since the person could teleport and rope wouldn’t affect him, Tommy would probably need to use water to his advantage. 

“I would never hurt anyone.” Tommy said, Tubbo didn't look very convinced. “What’s his name?” Tommy asked, as he worked on putting the tall person in a chair. “Ranboo.” 

“Ranboo.” Tommy mirrored, the name sounding funny. “Add another B to the end of that and it’s Ran boob .” He said, a chuckle escaping his lips. Tubbo snickered, “I’ve made that joke. He always complains when I do.” 

For good measure, Tommy tied Ranboo to the chair, going into the kitchen to fill buckets with water. He wasn’t going to use them, of course! He was just going to surround the chair with the buckets and if or when Ranboo would wake, he would be able to hopefully scare him enough not to teleport away. 

“The fuck are you doing?” Tubbo chimed from behind him, the chair scraping against the floor. Tommy looked towards Tubbo, seeing how he had moved the chair to get a better angle. 

“It’s only a safety measure. I have no idea what you guys want, you guys could be serial killers for all I know.” Tommy said, tightening the rope around Ranboo’s legs. 

“Yeah, don’t worry about that birdbrain. Me and Ranboo can’t even hurt a fly, we only fight if it’s necessary.” Birdbrain? How rude. 

“No need to be a bitch.” Tommy murmured, finishing placing the water buckets down. 

“So,” Tubbo began, again. Tommy had never imagined someone could be so talkative, but then again, he only ever talked to Dream and Shroud in and in both cases he was the more talkative one. Maybe Tommy and Tubbo could be.. friends?

No, no! That’s crazy! The only friend he needs is Dream!

The bird in his head screeched in distress, clearly not happy with the fact that Tommy was for one, facing his danger head on, and two, was still in the presence of said danger. Tommy ignored his instincts, his wings still fluffed up and stiff. 

“Care to answer my previous questions?” Tommy sighed, deciding to sit on the floor in front of Tubbo. “I’m turning seventeen tomorrow. I- I live alone and in the tower because I.. don’t like people.” The lie tasted poisonous on his tongue. It felt bad to lie, especially when he had no reason to lie. 

Tubbo had shown no signs of being a person coming after Tommy, maybe he could trust him?

“My name is Tommy. It’s nice to.. meet you, Tubbo.” Tubbo shot him a smile, happy with his answers. “Wonderful to meet you bossman. Now, why are we tied up?” 

Tommy tensed. “Well, you are intruders, you could’ve been dangerous and here to harm me. I couldn’t take any chances.” That piqued Tubbo’s interest. “Harm you? Why would anyone do that? This tower is in the middle of the forest, in a hidden valley. Very few people would even know you’re here, let alone have a reason to harm you.”

Tommy didn’t respond, Tubbo continuing on. “Unless you’re a mega important person, like a certain lost prince of Antarctica, then no, no one is after you.” 

But people are after him, Dream said so. His entire childhood had been terror stories of how society was after him for his healing powers, how dangerous life was, how dangerous people were.

Dream had taught him that, had made sure it stayed imprinted in his very bones, all Tommy knew that the outside world meant danger. 

Could Tubbo and Ranboo help him?

“Why did you two come here?” Tommy asked, picking at his fingers, a habit he did due to anxiety. “We didn’t mean to. We were almost attacked and had to teleport in panic and ended up here. We thought the tower was empty before you whacked us on the head with a mop.” 

Tommy chuckled. “Yeah, sorry about that.” Tubbo smiled. “No worries, I’d probably do the same if I were you.” 

An awkward silence fell over the pair, as Tommy picked on his fingers and Tubbo scanned his environment. Tommy didn’t really know what to do, had no idea how to communicate but he did know Tubbo talked, a lot. And he could use that to fill up the silence lingering over them. 

“How old are you and Ranboo?” Tommy asked, looking up at Tubbo. “We’re both turning eighteen.” So they’re older, duly noted. 

“Why did you guys even come here? Who would want to be here?” Tommy asked, a nervous laugh escaping his lips. Tubbo raised an eyebrow. “Well, like I said, we came here by accident. We can’t exactly escape since Ranboo is knocked out and I’m tied up.”

Tommy chuckled. “How long have you been here?” Tubbo asked, Tommy hesitated to answer. Should he answer with the truth, or should he bullshit some lie like he did in the beginning?

“My whole life.” Tommy said quietly, Tubbo’s face twisting into a frown. “You’ve never been outside the valley?” Tommy shook his head with a wet laugh, “I’ve never left the tower.”

Tommy’s hands were shaking as he spoke, eyes welling up with tears, wings coming to wrap around him as they did whenever he was scared or emotional in general. “I’ve never left the tower. For almost seventeen years, I’ve never even felt the touch of grass.” 

“Damn man, you need to touch some fucking grass then.” Tommy burst out laughing at Tubbo’s sudden comment. “What the fuck man?” Tommy exclaimed in between laughter, Tubbo eventually joining him in his laughter. 

“So, is there any chance we could make a deal?” Tubbo asked once the two had settled down from their laughing high. “A deal?” Tubbo nodded furiously, a mischievous smile on his lips. 

“There must be something you want, to let me and Ranboo go, right?” Tommy nodded, Tubbo continued on, “so, what is it that you want? You mentioned never even having touched grass, maybe me and Ranboo can take you outside?”

Tommy didn’t say anything, stuck in though as he thought about the ram hybrid’s offer. If Tommy played his cards right, he could get Tubbo and Ranboo to take him to see the floating lights! Of course, why hadn’t he thought of that sooner?! This is perfect, he can use them to take him to the lights, and maybe, potentially, possibly make friends. 

“I do in fact have something I want.” Tommy said, inhaling deeply. He almost felt scared to even utter the words out loud, given how Dream reacted to his suggestion in the beginning. He exhaled, “I want you to take me to see the floating lights.” 

Tubbo raised a brow in confusion, Tommy continuing on. “The stars?” 

Tommy shook his head. “No, no, not the stars. These are not stars.” Tommy explained, hands moving in motion to his words. “I know what stars are, Tubbo. I’m talking about the floating lights that appear every year on only one day. My birthday. ”

Tubbo still looked confused. Tommy’s shoulders slugged in disappointment, his energy dying down. “Hold on now.” Tubbo then said, “I know what you’re on about! You’re talking about the lanterns! That the royal family puts out for the lost prince! Of course we can take you to see them!” Tubbo said, Tommy’s face lighting up. 

“Really? You can?!” Tubbo nodded, Tommy’s face beaming. 

“Are you sure that’s all you want though?” Tubbo asked, Tommy nodding. “It’s all I’ve wanted since I’ve remembered myself. Those lights have always felt like something special, and I really want to see them up close.” 

“You are really passionate about these lanterns.” Tommy nodded again, turning to Tubbo. “It’s been a dream of mine since forever, and it’s just within an arm’s reach now, why should I let go of that chance?”

“That’s fair.” Tubbo said. 

A moment of silence passed. 

“So, you gonna untie me bossman?” 

Chapter Text

Tommy chuckled. Tubbo was persistent, and his offer seemed genuine. Yet Tommy was still skeptical, after all, Tubbo and Ranboo were the first people Tommy ever interacted with outside of Dream, he had no prior experience with them. 

Only stories Dream had told him throughout his childhood, exaggerated retellings of horrors that humans do, and would do if they ever got their hands on Tommy. 

But now, having met two people - technically only one as the other one was still knocked out- he was beginning to question everything Dream had taught him. 

Of course, he could probably never shake what Dream had put him through off, but he could try. And taking the leap that was Tubbo’s offer, to finally taste the fresh air of freedom and go on an adventure, maybe he could break free of the chains he had been shackled to.  

Maybe he could finally taste flight. 

“I’m still deciding whether or not I should trust you. I don’t know if you’re trustworthy, I don’t know if you won’t kidnap and sell me or rat me out.” Tubbo gave the avian a look, who flailed his arms in exclamation. 

“Look! I don’t know what to expect, but I want to trust you. I just need to be shown that I can trust you.” Tommy explained, wings stiffening slightly, the clean feathers feeling weird. He wasn’t used to being preened, it barely happened especially now that he was a teenager. 

Dream didn’t think he needed it.  

“I don’t know how I can get you to trust me, you can really only take my word for it. But I want to get you to see the lanterns, and I know Ranboo would agree with me.” Tubbo said, before adding under his breath, “if he were awake that is.” 

Tommy sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair. “You won’t hurt me if I release you? Or run away?” Tubbo shook his head, and Tommy felt like he wasn’t playing him for a fool. He only hoped his instincts weren’t fucking with him, because this wasn’t the time. 

His life could be on the line. 

“I won’t hurt you big man. I have no need to, and I don’t want to. Believe me, I have no intention of hurting you.”

Fuck it, Tommy thought, grabbing the knife from earlier and began cutting the rope binding Tubbo to the chair. Once he was done, he stepped away from the chair, holding the knife close to his chest as a just in case. 

Tubbo stood up, hands rubbing at his wrists, Tommy noticing the marks on them. He felt slightly bad for it, but again, a safety measure. 

“I’m glad you trust me enough to do that big man.” Tubbo said softly, a kind smile on his face. Tommy replicated the smile, a hint of nervousness to it. “So, we should probably wake up Ranboo.” Tubbo said, glancing at his unconscious companion. 

“We probably should.” Tommy replied, sliding the knife into his boot and approaching the enderman hybrid. “How are we going to do it though?” Tommy asked, Tubbo chuckling slightly. 

“Ranboo absolutely despises anything wet, and obviously since he’s an enderman water hurts. Giving him a wet willy will most likely wake him up.” Tommy scrunched his face in disgust, Tubbo laughing at his reaction. 

“Yeah, if that’s how we wake him up then you can do that. No thank you.” Tommy said, deciding to remove the water buckets he had strategically placed around the chair and pour them down the drain as Tubbo worked to wake up Ranboo. 

While Tommy was in the kitchen pouring down the water, he heard a yelp, a smack and another yelp. 

Well, he thought, Ranboo must be awake then. 

When Tommy returned from the kitchen he saw the tall enderman hybrid clutching Tubbo by the collar, his small form being lifted off the ground as Ranboo rambled in annoyance. 

“You devilish little fiend! Why the heck did you do that, you always do that! Your methods of waking me up are so tiring and I want to strangle you each morning you-” Tubbo only cackled with laughter, Tommy looking amused at the scene in front of him. 

“Good to see you on your feet.” Tommy then said, snapping Ranboo out of his angry rambling towards Tubbo and turning his attention towards the avian. Ranboo spluttered, setting Tubbo down, purple particles filling the air. 

“Ranboo, calm down man. He’s good, we’re helping him.” Ranboo looked at Tubbo with wide eyes. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean what I said? He’s coming with us to the capital. We’re gonna make his dream come true!” 

Ranboo stared at Tubbo, seemingly trying to communicate with his glare, Tubbo looking blissfully unaware. “And is that a good idea?” Ranboo ground out, Tubbo dismissing his worries. 

Ranboo sighed, giving up on trying to get Tubbo to see the potential danger they were putting themselves in by trusting this random stranger. “I’m still here, y’know.” Tommy finally chimed, Ranboo’s and Tubbo’s attention finally settling on him. He rustled his wings, feeling shy under the watchful eye of Ranboo. 

“Sorry about that Tommy. This is Ranboo, an enderman hybrid, and Ranboo,” Tubbo gestured between the two, “this is Tommy, avian hybrid.” Tommy gave the taller teenager a small wave, Ranboo reciprocating it.

“If we wanna reach the capital before the festival tomorrow, we better head out now. I don’t have enough energy to teleport us anywhere, so we’ll have to travel by foot.” Ranboo said, looking around the tower, searching for his satchel. 

“Where’s our stuff?” Ranboo asked, turning to look at Tommy. “I hid it.” Tommy replied simply, seeing the look of horror on the duo’s face. 

“Why? What’s so important?” Tubbo shook his head quickly, Ranboo running a hand over his face. “Will you please grab it for us?” Tommy pondered for a moment, before shaking his head with a smirk on his face. 

“Clearly there’s something valuable in it, so, I might just keep it as a just in case.” Tubbo groaned. “You and your just in case scenarios man.” Tommy’s smirk only grew, Ranboo shaking his head. 

“Gather your supplies, Tommy. We need to leave as soon as we can.”

Tommy bounced into the kitchen, grabbing his own satchel and stuffing it with various food supplies, mostly fruit, some bread, a lot of water as a just in case. He also put some practical items into the satchel, including a rope, some ointment and bandages in case anyone got hurt. He made sure to put a lot of first aid supplies, as judging by Tubbo’s scarred face and Ranboo’s hands, he was expecting either one to get hurt. 

Better safe than sorry. 

When he emerged from the kitchen, Ranboo and Tubbo were scowering through the main room, clearly looking for their stuff. Tommy wasn’t foolish enough to leave it in the main room, and had hid it in the attic when he went to collect the rope. 

“You won’t find your stuff fellas. I’m keeping it until further notice.” Tubbo groaned, unhappy with Tommy’s choice here. “As long as your end of the deal is kept, I will keep mine.” Tommy said, putting a hand on his heart as a symbol of his trust, of the truth. 

Ranboo still looked skeptical, Tubbo shrugging in dismissal. “Fine, I’ll take your word for it.” Tubbo smiled, and the two shook hands, sealing the deal. 

“Okay, now business aside, let’s get going. Tommy, again, grab all the stuff you think you might need and let’s leave.” Ranboo expressed, going to the large window where you could look out into the valley, looking for the best way to go down. Tubbo watched Tommy emerge from the kitchen with a satchel around his shoulder, and a smile on his face. 

“You ready?” Tubbo asked the taller teen, who nodded in response. Tommy was nervous, very nervous. He didn’t know what to expect, his idea of the world was very warped and it was changing, evolving into something he was terrified of. Tommy’s entire world was shattering by the second, his lessons with Dream being disproved by every interaction Tommy was having with Tubbo and Ranboo. 

“Ready as I’ll ever be, big man.” Tubbo bumped his shoulder softly, Tommy sheepishly smiling as they made their way to Ranboo. 

“You found us a safe path down?” Tubbo asked, Ranboo making a vwoop sound before saying, “kind of? It’s tricky, the tower had indents in it which shows that it was climbed and maybe still is, but because of the vines and overall plant growth it’s difficult to make it out. Unless you know it by heart, it’s a risky way down.” 

Tubbo chuckled. “Good thing I’m a ram.” Ranboo rolled his eyes. “There’s a difference between a ram and a goat. A goat would be good for a climb like this, you are a ram. Rams don’t climb.” Tubbo waved him off, securing his satchel and climbing up on the windowsill. 

He looked down, a sudden nervous feeling bubbling in his chest. Fuck, Tubbo was scared of heights. Ranboo’s hand touched Tubbo’s, his attention going from the height to Ranboo. “There has to be a better way down. Besides, you don’t need to throw yourself out of a tower for us to figure out a way down.”

Tubbo didn’t say anything, eyes focused on their hands. 

“Maybe, but that’s the quickest way down. And if I can do it myself, you can teleport Tommy down.” Tubbo explained, fingers tracing over Ranboo’s longer fingers. Ranboo sighed, pulling Tubbo down from the ledge. 

“I can probably take both of you down. I just can’t teleport long distances.” Tubbo looked up to Ranboo, who’s two colored eyes immediately looked away, “you sure bossman?” Ranboo nodded, a crooked smile making its way onto his face. 

“Take me down first then. I’ll secure everything before you bring Tommy down.” The enderman nodded, putting his hands on Tubbo’s shoulders, and Tommy noticed the purple particles appearing in the air before Tubbo and Ranboo disappeared. 

Tommy gasped, running up to the window to see the pair safely on the ground just below the tower. “What the fuck?” Tommy muttered to himself, watching as Ranboo disappeared once again and reappeared behind him. 

Tommy jumped, letting out a screech at Ranboo’s reappearance. The taller teen laughed, finding Tommy’s reactions amusing, before wordlessly grabbing Tommy by the shoulders and then everything was dark. Tommy felt like he was floating, but not in a way he imagined. 

It was almost like he was falling, falling into a void that was never ending. And then they touched solid ground. 

Tommy was outside the tower. Tommy was touching grass. 

Tommy fell to his knees, hands on the ground and touching the grass. It was soft, yet rough, it smelled fresh and full of life, it smelled free. 

Tubbo had a fond smile grace his lips, watching Tommy, his wings flapping happily as a mimic to his emotion. Ranboo vwooped, Tubbo shushing him quietly. “He’s experiencing freedom, shut it.” Ranboo made a noise of protest but said nothing further, the duo only watching Tommy as he chirped happily and flapped his wings. 

“Never did I imagine grass to be like this.” Tommy said, Tubbo and Ranboo burst out laughing. Tommy paid them no mind, moving from the grass to examine the nearby flowers surrounding him, watching the bees work and dipping his hand into the nearby stream. Water was flowing around his hand, even the water was alive and free. 

Tommy couldn’t even describe the amount of feelings he was experiencing, all too many and different to even put into words. 

Tommy’s birdbrain was screeching at him to spread his wings and take off, the open sky just beyond his reach. He could almost taste it, taste the wind running through his feathers as he glided against it, soaring high up in the sky, above the clouds, touching them. Tommy bit back a squeak, eyes glued on the sky. 

“Big man,” Tubbo suddenly said, snapping Tommy out of his instincts. “We good to go? We have a spot we need to hit first before we can head into the city.” Tommy nodded, getting out of the stream, drying his feet before putting his boots back on and joining Ranboo and Tubbo’s side. 

“We need to be on alert. There could be guards running around the forest.” Ranboo said, more to Tubbo than Tommy, but he caught it. “Guards?” He cocked his head to the side, emphasizing his confusion. Tommy did not know what a guard was. Was it a name? A person?

“You know how I mentioned earlier that me and Ranboo are thieves?” Tubbo said, Tommy nodding, “yeah, the guards are after us because we stole something really valuable from the kingdom. If they find us, we’ll be thrown into prison and even possibly executed.” Tommy’s eyes widened, Tubbo grinning. 

“Not to worry though. Ranboo and I have evaded capture this long, we can do it a few more times while we get you to your dream.” Tommy didn’t look entirely convinced, but he trusted Tubbo. Probably more than he should. 

They went through the tunnel leading them into the forest, Tommy gawking at the sights of the too-tall trees that seemed endless, the singing of birds and the faint running of water. The outside world was magnificent, and Tommy had no idea. Why did he ever stay so long in that stupid tower. 

As they made further distance from the valley, from the tower, Tommy began having second thoughts. How would Dream react to him leaving? Tommy was in for such a bad time if Dream returned without Tommy being there. Fuck, he shouldn’t have done this, he should turn back, should stay in the tower- No! 

Tommy’s wings wrapped around himself as he trailed behind Ranboo and Tubbo, his thoughts becoming the only thing he heard. He was fighting a battle with himself, his judgement and rational thought screaming at him while his instincts did the same. He felt confused, he wasn’t present in the real world and he was scared. 

Tommy had never felt so scared. 

“-ommy?” A distant voice called, Tommy shutting his eyes and clutching the sides of his head. He was overwhelmed, he was shaking and trembling, wings ruffled and covering him, Tommy wasn’t present. Everything was blurry and deaf, fuck what was happening?

“Tommy!” Finally, Tommy snapped out of it, eyes snapping towards Tubbo, whose hands were on his forearms, trying to get his attention. “Hey, you’re okay. You’re okay.” Tubbo spoke softly, touch gentle as he tried to calm the avian down. Ranboo warbled, tail whipping behind him in anxiety. 

“You’re okay, nothing is going to hurt you. You’re okay, deep breaths now.” Tommy did as instructed, following Tubbo’s words and motions until he had calmed down. 

Tubbo was a miracle worker. How the fuck did he do that?

Tubbo shot him a kind smile, removing his hands from his arms and backing off, giving Tommy space. “Do you need a break? We can take one.” Ranboo nodded in approval, not minding it even if they were in a time crunch. The duo knew they needed Tommy calm and prepared for the trip, and were willing to take a break for him. 

Tommy shook his head, already feeling bad for making them late. He’d just suck it up, like he did everything else, like he had done up until this point. He had been trained for it, Dream made sure he was capable of handling stuff like this. He’s strong, he’s not weak. 

Ranboo didn’t look entirely convinced, but they continued on. “Captain’s Call shouldn’t be much further.” He said, Tommy making a noise of affirmation, although he had no idea what the hell a captain’s call was. 

Tubbo seemed to have noticed that confusion, “Captain’s Call is a saloon in the forest, some kilometers away from the capitol. It’s where mercenaries, assassins and other quote-unquote criminals gather. It’s run by our good friend Puffy, she’ll help us.” 

Mercenaries? That place was probably filled with people coming for his powers, even his wings! Tommy knew that avian hybrids were rare, rarer than other hybrids, and especially a songbird instead of a predator. “Do you guys have like- like a cloak or something?” 

“What for?” Tubbo asked, falling into step with Tommy, Ranboo still leading the way. “My wings- they’ll attract unwanted attention.” Tommy explained, wings flapping slightly to emphasize. Tubbo’s eyes raked over the wings, taking in the golden gleam they held and nodded. “Yeah, okay. I can definitely see why they’d be a problem. Especially around the people that frequent Captain’s Call.”

Ranboo warbled, taking off his own cloak and handing it to Tommy before digging his hands into his satchel and pulling out a compass, turning into a direction and keeping his course. “Thank you,” Tommy said gratefully, throwing a small smile in Ranboo’s direction to which the enderman reciprocated. 

“You’re a songbird avian, yeah?” Tommy nodded, putting the cloak around his shoulders, hiding his wings from view. It felt uncomfortable, his wings moved underneath the cloak at the hindrance, the loss of freedom making Tommy chirp. 

“Hybrids like you are rare. Avians are practically wiped out, especially songbird ones. There’s only really predator avians nowadays.” Tubbo said, Tommy remaining silent, still getting used to the cloak over his wings. 

“Good shout for you to cover them up.” Tubbo praised, Tommy giving him a small bashful smile. “I may not have been in the real world, but I do have my fair share of books and stories from my-” Abuser- caretaker- friend- Dream. 

“From my- from my friend. He actually owns the tower, and takes care of me. He has a whole library hidden away with hundreds and hundreds of books that I’ve probably read all at least once.” Tommy said with a chuckle, Tubbo now the one remaining silent. “I’m a well-read individual, I know a lot about history, science, hybrids, even the stars! Only thing I’m not well-read about is human interaction and experience. I’ve never lived life like in those fiction books, and it’s been a dream ever since I remember seeing the floating lights for the first time.” 

Tubbo hummed, ear flapping slightly. 

“About time we make your dream come true then?” 

“Indeed.” 

Captain’s Call was in view, finally, after what felt like a life-time of walking (for Tommy at least), and Tommy took note of how small it looked. A wooden house with a stone roof, a smoking chimney and colored glass windows, a pasture in the back filled with horses and some tied up at the front. This place looked like a hot-spot, a lot of traffic must go through this part of the forest. 

“Stay close Tommy.” Tubbo said, before Ranboo whacked the door open, catching the attention of the many guests inside. A growl emitted from Ranboo’s mouth, the guests going back to whatever they were doing. “Boys!” A woman’s voice exclaimed, Tubbo and Ranboo leading Tommy up to the bar where a woman, a sheep hybrid, stood with a bright smile. 

The woman had thick white curls with small horns at the top of her head, she was wearing a poet's shirt and black pants decorated with thigh bands and trinkets, a belt holstering knives and a sword. This woman was badass. 

“Hey Puffy!” Tubbo greeted happily, “Hi Miss Puffy.” Ranboo greeted, a lot more polite than Tubbo’s. “Welcome back! Was the job successful?” Tubbo nodded, Ranboo vwooping behind him. “Slight issue though,” Ranboo said, Puffy raising a brow. “We don’t have the thing we need, since our dear friend Tommy,” Ranboo gestured to the cloaked teen, “has what we need to pawn off to you.”

Puffy narrowed her eyes at Tommy, the teen suddenly feeling really small under her gaze. “It’s nothing bad, don’t worry Puffy.” Tubbo quickly said, diverting the attention from Tommy to himself.

“We offered him our help, and to make sure we’d stay true to our word he hid the item. He has no ill intention, he just wants to experience the solstice festival, so we offered up our help.” Puffy’s glare lessened, yet she still looked hesitant and skeptical of Tommy, which he fully understood. 

“Fine. If you boys are in trouble though, you better send for me.” Tubbo grinned. “Of course Puffy. You know we will.” 

“On the topic of that,” Puffy said, the conversation shifting, “tell me why the infamous duo of Sapnap and George Notfound barged in here demanding to find the two of you?” Tubbo looked at Ranboo, who looked at the floor. 

“Now, Puffy, don’t get mad but-”

“We ran off.” Puffy’s eyes widened. “You did what? ” 

Ranboo nodded in confirmation. “We ran off. We met Sapnap and George at the original rendezvous point but we thought since we were the only ones risking our butts for this job, we should be the only ones reaping the benefits. Sapnap and George were going to claim money for stuff they didn’t even do, and we have the king on our tails now. It made more sense for us just to reap the benefits, since we’re the ones at risk of being executed if we were to get caught.” 

Puffy sighed, running a hand over her hair. “Well, I understand why you two did what you did. But there is probably someone here that went to get Sapnap and George, maybe even the guards. Stay on alert, cover your faces, okay?” Puffy said, the duo nodding. Ranboo and Tubbo both pull up their masks that had been sitting around their necks. Tommy had never noticed. 

Ranboo turned to Tommy, warbling as he gently pulled up the hood. “Lay low, don’t draw attention to yourself, okay?” Tommy nodded his head, feeling dread and terror crawl up his spine. There were people after them, from what he had gathered, and he was not prepared to deal with two people hunting them. 

“You got a better way for us to get to the capital?” Tubbo asked, Puffy smiling before turning around and shuffling through some shelves before emerging with a map. Rolling it out on the table, she grabbed a knife to point to the route. 

“Quickest way from here to the capital is an underground tunnel from the saloon to the forest on the outskirts of the town. The tunnel is tricky however, it has dangerous parts and it does lead into a mine if you take the wrong turn but it should be good enough for you to navigate it, I’ll give you a map of it,” Puffy explained, knife trailing along the path she was showing the boys. 

“Be on high alert, don’t lose sight of one another and keep each other safe. Especially that new friend of yours, okay?” Puffy said, Tubbo and Ranboo nodding in sync. Puffy reached over the counter to give them a hug, face hidden between them. “I love you boys.” 

“Love you too Puff.”

“Love you too Miss Puffy.”

The hug disbanded, Puffy turning around to get them the map. Tommy had wandered off, walking around the saloon and interacting with the many people there. The term interacting was used lightly, Tommy flinching at every word or motion directed his way. Never had he been around so many people, of such different backgrounds and occupation either. 

The door to the saloon gets kicked open, a man with a white bandana tied around his head and a man with a mushroom hat entering. A sudden silence fell over the saloon, Tommy’s chest tightening with anxiety. 

The atmosphere got thick and tense, and before anything happened Tommy felt a hand wrap around his wrist and he opened his mouth to scream when another hand came up to stop the noise from escaping. Tommy looked at the person holding his wrist and saw Tubbo, and immediately calmed down. 

“We have to go.” He whispered, letting go of his wrist and walking into the crowd. Ranboo let go of Tommy’s mouth and followed, crouched down to an uncomfortable height as he followed Tubbo, beckoning Tommy to do the same. 

Tommy glanced at the mushroom and bandana guys once more before following his friends through the crowd, and they ended up behind the bar where the sheep was standing, mixing drinks and making food. 

“Sapnap! George! What brings you here?” Puffy greeted them, and that customer service smile was bright. “Where are they?” Sapnap gritted out, walking up to Puffy, eyes boring into hers. Puffy raised a brow, handing a man his drink before meeting Sapnap eye to eye. 

“Who? Many people pass through here, blaze. I need more details.” Sapnap clenched his jaw, hands warming up as he was losing his temper. George put a hand on Sapnap’s, taking the lead. “You know who we’re talking about, Puffy.” 

Puffy feigned ignorance, buying the boys as much time as they could. They were making their way down into the tunnel, it was exposed and if the duo in front of Puffy would catch on, they could be dead. 

“No, please, do enlighten me.” 

“Where the fuck are Ranboo and Tubbo? Huh? Where are they?” Sapnap snapped, banging his fist on the counter. Puffy didn’t look amused, already tired of the demands being made of her. 

“Tread lightly here, blaze.” 

“Why the fuck should I?” He spat, eyes glazing over with a fiery orange. 

Puffy gestured with her head to the saloon room, Sapnap and George turning around to see all eyes on them, weapons drawn and at the ready. “People like the gal pouring their drinks.”

“Sapnap, we may just need to bounce, corner them in the capital or something.” George whispered to Sapnap, the fae feeling uncomfortable under the many eyes fixated on them. 

Puffy shot the pair a sly smile as they scurried out of the saloon. “Thank you fellas!” She yelled after them, receiving a middle-finger from the fireborn. Puffy rolled her eyes, seeing Antfrost and Sam standing up to follow them outside, putting her hand up to tell them to stand down. 

“It’s fine, no worries.” Puffy said, before turning around to shut the entrance to the secret tunnel, knowing she bought her boys enough time. 

“Now,” Puffy said, overlooking her friends and customers, “who wants dessert?”

Chapter Text

Tommy kept grumbling under his breath, mumbling about the tunnel and how uncomfortable his wings felt, already having been squashed under the cloak. Ranboo warbled and vwooped from behind him, and Tommy knew he had no room or right to complain. 

Ranboo was way taller than him, he was being ungrateful. He didn’t make another peep the rest of the way, following Tubbo who climbed through the tunnel with ease, being a perfect fit for the tight tunnel. 

As Tommy saw the hint of light bursting in from behind Tubbo’s fluffy head, and he felt giddy, his wings wanted to stretch themselves out. He accidentally let slip a chirp, Ranboo replying with a warble from behind him. 

“Almost there,” Tubbo said back to the other two, picking up the pace as much as he could. Crawling was hard, and his arms were starting to ache. The tunnel was a lot longer than Puffy let on. 

Tubbo reached the end of the tunnel, quickly crawling out and rolling out, grabbing Tommy’s hand and dragging him out and doing the same for Ranboo. Tommy coughed, the dust swirling in the air as he was dragged out of the tunnel. 

He chirped again, squinting his eyes as he got used to the blaring sun. Ranboo and Tubbo were already on their feet, dusting themselves off. 

Tommy got up to his feet, dusting his clothes off and removing the cloak, letting his wings free. He stretched them, almost hitting poor Ranboo in the face. “Oh shit, sorry!” He sheepishly apologized, Ranboo only smiling. 

Tubbo stared at his wings in awe, watching the way the light hit the feathers, making them seem actually golden. No wonder he hid them, people would literally rip those feathers right from his wings if they saw how they looked. Mesmerizing, hypnotizing, tempting. 

“Your wings-” Tubbo said, clearing his throat and averting his eyes once Tommy looked at him. “Oh, yeah.” Tommy acknowledged, flapping them slightly, watching them shine under the sun. “Now you see why,” Tommy said, voice sounding sad all of a sudden, “why I hide them. People would look at them like actual gold, when they’re not. They’re just wings that look like gold. It’s weird to be the object of everyone’s eye but not for the reason I want to be.” 

Tubbo frowned, Ranboo letting out another warble. “Just what the fuck have you been through?” Tubbo questioned, Tommy’s wings ruffling and sitting comfortable on his back now. “ A lot.” 

Ranboo grabbed the map to look at where they are, crouching down on the ground to roll out the scroll. Tubbo looked around the mine, it was massive, a lot of ground to cover. He scanned the environment, looking for one of the tunnels they were supposed to go into. 

“We went the wrong way,” Ranboo spoke, Tubbo and Tommy raising a brow. “We did?” Ranboo nodded. 

“Puffy mentioned that we were supposed to end up in the forest, not in a mine. We must have missed the tunnel while we were crawling.” Ranboo said, showing Tubbo the map. Tommy looked around while the other two argued about the map, seeing the vastness of the mine. 

It looked abandoned, clearly an old mine that hadn’t been used for quite a while. As Tommy’s eyes raked over the mine, he spotted two figures some distance away, both looked to be around the same height, but one seemed to have a hat in the shape of a mushroom. 

“Hey, guys,” Tommy said, Ranboo and Tubbo looking up at him. “We have some unexpected guests.” He pointed towards the figures, who were coming closer ever so slowly. Tommy grabbed the cloak and threw it on, hiding his wings once more, which subconsciously puffed up. 

Tubbo peered his eyes, trying to make out who the two people were. As soon as they entered the sunlight, Tubbo’s eyes widened, and his heart dropped. Ranboo released a distressed vwoop, scurrying to gather the map and stuff it in his satchel. 

“What? What’s going on? Who are those people?” Tommy asked, feeling the anxiety pool in his stomach. Ranboo and Tubbo were clearly nervous about these people, Tommy didn’t like that. He didn’t like that at all. 

“You heard Puffy mentioned two people named Sapnap and George, didn’t you?” Tommy nodded, confusion rising. “Yeah, okay, those two,” Tubbo pointed to the figures coming ever so close. “They’re kind of mad at us for, oh, you know, running off with their part of the deal and now they’re mad at us. And want to attack us.” 

Tommy’s face fell. 

He couldn’t do this. Were Tubbo and Ranboo about to get attacked? Tommy would be useless, he didn’t know how to fight. 

Ranboo put a hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, just stay back and let us handle this, okay?” Tommy nodded and scurried off into the nearest hiding place, which was a crack in a wall just big enough to fit Tommy, in fact he had to squeeze to get inside. 

Tommy watched as the two figures reached Ranboo and Tubbo, and he now realized it was the same men that had driven them out of the saloon earlier. They were still after them? Did they have nothing else to do?

“Hey guys!” Tubbo greeted cheerily, masking his nervousness. Sapnap, the guy with the white bandana, grunted, hands lighting ablaze as he approached the younger duo. “Where the fuck is it?” He growled, fire growing in his hands. 

The mushroom dude, George, looked bored as Sapnap angrily snapped at the teenagers. “Up your ass? I don’t fucking know dude.” Tubbo replied, irking Sapnap further. Ranboo vwooped, a warning to Tubbo. 

George sighed, fixing the glasses he had on his face. “We don’t want any more trouble, okay? We just want the crown.” Tubbo tilted his head sideways, a cheeky grin on his face. “Funny thing about that,” he said, George’s eyes narrowing as he analyzed, “is that we don’t even have it.”

“What?” Sapnap snarled, George putting a hand on his bicep to get him to step down. “What do you mean?”

“I mean what I said. We don’t have the crown, and even if we did, we wouldn’t give it to you guys. Puffy would already have it, and our pockets would be loaded.” Tubbo replied, a grin reaching from ear to ear on his face. 

“You have some nerve coming after us,” Ranboo suddenly said, his towering figure looking quite scary now. “Yeah? And why’s that?”

“Because we’re kind of in a time crunch. And we’d rather not waste our time on some idiots who can’t find better things to do than chase teenagers through forests and terrorizing the local saloon for their heads.” Ranboo spat, George rolling his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Again, we don’t want any more trouble. Just hand us the stupid crown and we’ll be out of your hair, okay?” Tubbo shook his head, flashing Ranboo a smile. Ranboo nodded in acknowledgement, taking a step back. 

“And as I said, we don’t have it.” Tubbo replied, venom dripping with every word. He was getting quite annoyed with this constant demand from the older duo. “Stop lying.” George snapped, fingers twitching with both annoyance and magic. Tubbo knew very well that George was powerful, a shroom fae was among the more powerful magical beings, but that was where his powers ended. 

Tubbo knew Sapnap was the brawn in the duo, George the brains. But with Tubbo and Ranboo, they were equal in skill and strategy, so they could take Sapnap and George. Hopefully. 

Sapnap was a known warrior, he had great strength and skill when it came to his fighting, and Tubbo, although he and Ranboo were good fighters, had never battled a warrior like Sapnap. Tubbo shot Ranboo a signal, which he understood and backed up a bit more, tail wrapping around himself. 

They were making sure that Tommy wouldn’t be found, backing towards the wall to cover him if need be. They weren’t inclined to let the person freshly exposed to the world be attacked by thugs. 

“We’re not fucking lying! We don’t have the stupid fucking crown, so fuck off and leave us alone. We don’t want a fight, or any more trouble!” Tubbo exclaimed, clenching his fists. He was getting annoyed, this on-going argument tiring. 

Sapnap’s hands were now fully on fire, clearly ready to strike. “You better not be lying, Tubbo. Or there’ll be hell to pay.” George said menacingly, turning around, the cape around his shoulders following and walked away. Sapnap hesitated, but with an annoyed groan eventually followed his companion. 

Tubbo released a shaky breath, turning to Ranboo who only nodded before disappearing and reappearing, but with Tommy. “What the fuck was that?” Tommy questioned, Tubbo noted his trembling hands. 

“Some angry people that can’t leave us alone.” Ranboo replied, Tubbo snickering at his tone. They were both annoyed with Sapnap and George, they had always been a thorn in their side. If it wasn’t bothering them, they stole jobs and reaped the glory for themselves. “They were after us in the saloon, right?” Ranboo nodded, tail swishing behind him. 

“We still need to recalculate our route. I don’t think any of us want to go back into the tunnel, so we need to find a proper way out of this place.” Ranboo said, digging through his satchel to pull out the map again. 

“Couldn’t we just retrace the steps of the bandana dude and mushroom dude?” Tubbo thought about it, turning to Ranboo who simply nodded, stuffing the map back into his satchel. 

“Sounds like a better idea.” Tubbo murmured, nose twitching. “We should get going then.” They started walking where Sapnap and George had come from, seeing an opening to the mine. It was a large hill, kind of steep but wouldn’t be too difficult to climb. 

“Are you boys ready to climb?” Tubbo questioned, staring up at the cliff. Tubbo liked climbing, it fulfilled his instincts, although it wasn’t exactly his strongest suit, it felt nice though. And between Tubbo, Ranboo and Tommy, Tubbo was definitely the best climber. 

Ranboo could teleport but as of now, he had wasted too much energy teleporting them about, even if the distances were short. 

“Do we have to?” Tommy whined, a small chirp following. Tubbo chuckled. finding his hybrid mannerism kind of cute. He had never been around an avian, Tommy felt like a museum display (that sounded really bad), but that’s what Tubbo felt like!

“Yeah. Unless you can use those wings of yours,” Tubbo commented, tone joking. Tommy frowned, clutching the cloak tightly, gaze averting to the floor. Ranboo vwooped, tightening the strap of his satchel, making sure it was sealed tightly before finding proper ground and beginning to climb. 

Tubbo followed suit, covering more distance than Ranboo and eventually overtaking him. Tubbo reached the top first, Ranboo second and Tommy was.. struggling. He tried to follow Ranboo’s steps, occasionally slipping or losing his footing. 

Tommy was a ball of anxiety, the threat of him falling to his death so imminent, so close. A single mistake could end him here, he had to be careful. 

“You can do it Tommy, just a little further,” Ranboo encouraged, his voice echoing a bit through the mine. Tommy shut his eyes for a moment, trying to steady his breathing and his hands that were clutching onto a bit of rock like his life depended on it. And it quite literally did. 

Tommy’s wings were practically flailing underneath the cloak, his instincts rising to the surface as the sheer amount of panic and anxiety his body was filled with. Even if Tommy didn’t know how to fly, his instincts sure as hell didn’t care. If Tommy would fall, his wings would catch him. 

Or so he hoped. 

Ranboo and Tubbo’s hands were reaching for him, encouraging him to go forward, to keep going and they’d pull him up, pull him to safety. “You’re almost there, you’re okay. You’re doing great.” Ranboo kept up his encouraging, eyes desperate for him to get moving. 

Tommy moved his foot, finding a different footing and stepped on it, reaching his hand further up and pulling his body upwards. “Almost there, almost there,” Tubbo murmured, eyes focused on Tommy. 

Tommy reached his hand up, fingertips just missing Tubbo’s hand. He cursed under his breath, looking around to figure out where to hoist himself up to grab Tubbo’s hand. Putting his foot down and pushing, he grabbed Tubbo’s hand. 

Tubbo clutched Tommy’s hands tightly, and as they started hoisting him up the ground beneath Tommy’s foot crumbled. Tommy’s feet suddenly didn’t touch solid ground, instead hanging in the air. 

“Fuck! Ranboo!” Tubbo exclaimed, Ranboo’s clawed hands grabbing Tommy’s and they began trying to pull him up. “Come on Tommy, come on,” Tubbo encouraged, Tommy’s breathing quickening as he tried to find support for his legs. 

“Almost there, almost there,” he kept saying, Tommy’s wings flailing and providing a small boost. They finally pulled him up, the trio just laying on the floor, collecting their breath. 

Ranboo was the first to sit up, gesturing to Tommy, “Tommy,” he said, Tommy looking up at him. He was still on the floor, he hadn’t stopped shaking or calmed his breath. “You’re bleeding,” he pointed out, Tommy going to look over his body. 

He noticed the gash on his shin, having cut through his pants and the scarlet liquid seeping into the cloth. Fuck. 

His healing was already coming to the surface to fix the wound, he had to either run away and hide or own it and show Tubbo and Ranboo what he could do. 

He.. trusted them. Even if it was foolish, he trusted them. 

Fuck it. 

“This is actually a prime time to show you guys something,” Tommy said, sitting up and pulling up the pant leg where the gash was, still bleeding scarlet. Tubbo finally sat up, leaning onto Ranboo. 

“Show us what?” Tubbo questioned, raising a brow as he watched Tommy fold the pant leg so it wouldn’t fall down during the process. “A magic trick?” Ranboo asked, Tubbo snickering at him. 

“Well– no, it’s more of an ability. The reason why I’m so terrified of people.” Tommy admitted, putting a hand on his gash. “Wha- dude! Don’t do that! You’ll get it infected!” Tubbo exclaimed, moving to slap Tommy’s hands away. 

As he did, Tommy’s hands began to glow a dull orange. Tubbo quickly backed off, enamored with what was happening in front of him. The gash slowly closed up, Tommy biting back a whimper as the headache began to form. Once Tommy felt the gash fully close up, he removed his hands from his leg, the dull glow disappearing from his hands. He looked at Tubbo and Ranboo, whose expressions were that of shock and intrigue. “Surprise?” Tommy sheepishly said, not knowing how to react to this. 

Nobody except Dream knew about his healing, and Dream had made sure to teach him that people, that the world wasn’t to be trusted, that everyone was after him for his abilities or for his wings. Tommy was a walking target, no matter what. 

“You- you have magic?!” Tubo exclaimed, Tommy wincing at his loudness. Ranboo glared at his companion, a soft look being shot towards Tommy. “No, not magic. I was born with these abilities, I’ve been able to do this my whole life.”

“Fuck, that’s.. amazing!” Tubbo said, a bright smile on his face, his eyes curious. “Can I bombard you with questions or?” Tommy chuckled, removing the cloak to let his wings free. 

“One at a time, please. I’m still freaking out about the fact I even showed you guys.” The duo hummed in acknowledgement. “Of course, of course.” Ranboo said, letting his head fall on Tubbo’s shoulder. 

“What are your limits? Is there even a limit?” Tubbo asked, one hand in Ranboo’s hair and the other plucking out the grass they were sitting on. “There are limits.” Tommy said, running a hand through his hair. 

“Healing takes a lot out of me physically, so if I need to heal like a big ass wound, I’d probably pass out. I was trained during my youth to try and strengthen my stamina when it comes to it, but it didn’t really pay off.” He explained, running a hand over his left wing, the feathers soft. 

“Can you struggle through it though?” Ranboo followed up, Tommy shrugging. “I can if it really is necessary, but most of the wounds I’ve healed weren’t that big. Only one wound was life threatening, and it took me out for a half a day.” 

“Shit, that must suck. I guess you had to be nerfed, having healing abilities is overpowered.” Tubbo said, Ranboo humming along. 

“I suppose so? All my life, I’ve just thought of myself as prey, as something the world is constantly after for either me being avian or my healing abilities. I’ve been taught my entire life that the world is after me, and at this point, I feel like he lied.”

The duo stayed silent, letting Tommy continue his ramble. “I’ve been stuck in a tower for almost seventeen years, never did I ever think for myself, or about myself. I always thought about him , and what he would do, what he would think, that I never even began to think about me and what I wanted.” Tommy’s wings came to cover him a bit, trying to mimic the safety he’s missing. 

“I’m an avian and I don’t even know how to fly,” Tommy said, voice cracking as tears brimmed his eyes, threatening to escape. Tubbo silently moved towards him, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him into his chest. 

Ranboo let out a warble, his arms also coming to wrap around the other two. “It’s okay, just let it out.” Tubbo whispered softly, and that was the final straw. 

Tommy sobbed in Tubbo’s and Ranboo’s arms for however long he needed, the other two teenagers not uttering a single word, letting Tommy release his pent up emotions.

Tommy finally had– at least what he personally thought- were friends.  

Chapter Text

Dream cursed as he made his way up the tower. His recent trip had been less than successful, he even garnered a wound as an extra plus for his foolishness. He decided to test his skills in a fighting ring somewhere off in the forest, where he just so happened to be placed against one of the fucking princes of Antarctica. 

It was an even fight, for the most part, but Dream knew that the princes were both piglin hybrids, one a brute and the other a regular one. And he just so happened to be punched to oblivion by a piglin brute. A fitting name. 

 Dream was bruised, his nose was busted, his eyebrow was cut open and his jaw hurt. It was probably dislocated, the prince did not hold back. 

Dream fished his keys from his pocket, sliding the appropriate one into the keyhole and turning, unlocking the door. He entered, shutting the door quickly and quietly. The door had always been hidden from Tommy, Dream had a feeling if the kid knew of the door he would have broken one of the few rules Dream had put in place for him. 

Don’t go outside. 

It was a simple rule, nothing too extreme or too hard to follow. Yet Tommy had the gall to ask Dream if he could go outside and see the floating lights. Hah! Dream chuckled just thinking about it. 

As he hid the door from view, he made his way into the main room of the tower. He put down his satchel and basket, before turning to put his armor on the armor stand. Once the set was on, he noticed how dirty it was. Blood splatters were dotted around, mostly the arm guards and a bit of blood on the chest plate. 

“Tommy!” Dream yelled, confused. Usually Tommy would be down in the main room already, excitedly talking to Dream who usually was too tired to tell him to shut it and let him ramble. He needed him to heal, his whole body felt like a mess. 

“Tommy!” Dream yelled again, worry growing in his chest. Had Tommy left? No, no, that's crazy! 

Tommy would never leave, he was too scared. Dream had conditioned him since an early age that the outside world was dangerous, nobody was to be trusted but Dream and Dream was the only one allowed to use his powers. 

Fuck, had he actually left?

Dream became frantic, running around the tower, every nook and cranny to look for the kid. He yelled for him, threatening severe punishment if he wouldn’t come out but nothing. Nobody answered. 

Dream was trudging through the attic, looking through everything when he stumbled upon something out of place. 

A satchel, poorly sewn, the seams looking to be ripping away from the leather. Dream knew of everything in his tower, this satchel was new. Somebody had been here. 

Dream snatched the satchel, ripping it open to see another bag, this time a velvet one neatly sealed with a silk ribbon. Dream gently grabbed the bag and took it out of the satchel, opening up the velvet bag. He reached inside, feeling the coolness of metal and Dream ripped his hand out of the bag. 

What the fuck?

He calmed himself, reaching inside the velvet bag again and pulling out the cool metal, being met with a beautiful crown. It was silver, lathered with emerald and sapphire in the top, clearly royalty. 

Dream recognized this crown, he saw it when he took Tommy all those years ago. It sat on a pillow in the king’s bedroom, right by the small Tommy’s crib, where Dream had first laid his eyes on the treasure that was the child. 

Tommy was not Dream’s son, he hadn’t even been successful getting the avian to imprint, which would make him bound to Dream forever, Dream would be a part of Tommy’s flock. Dream read about avians, and knew being accepted as an avian’s flock meant for life. 

Dream had been unsuccessful for almost seventeen years, and he had no idea why Tommy never imprinted. He had a phase, where his instincts were at an all time high and he kept peeping and longing for something, probably someone to imprint on, but he didn’t imprint on Dream. 

It never made sense to him. 

“What in the fuck? Just who managed to steal a crown?” Dream muttered to himself, analyzing the crown a bit further. He noticed a name, carved into the inside of the rim. 

Theseus. 

Was that Tommy’s royal name? How cute, so sophisticated, unlike what the kid actually was. Tommy was anything but sophisticated. He was a spitfire, a fiery ball of personality and endless recklessness. Although, thanks to Dream, Tommy lost his fire a long time ago. 

Fuck. Tommy wasn’t here, he really left. 

He broke Dream’s rule. And now Dream had to find him and clean up his mess, having a crown some thieves are probably after so that puts a target on his head if they know about it. Dream will have to lay low. 

Dream groaned, putting his armor on and pulling his hood up, strapping his sword to his waist and heading back to where he came from. He had to find Tommy. If the people that were at the tower took him, then Tommy wouldn’t have any more ideas about the outside. 

However, there was always the chance that the people that intruded on the tower took Tommy on his orders. When Dream found that stupid brat, he was in for some good old-fashioned punishment. 

Dream smirked at the thought. 

He went back to the covered door, throwing the blanket off and ripping it open and exiting the tower. The way down was long, a staircase winding down from the top to the bottom. It was dark and cold, vines having broken inside and trailing down the walls, moss covering parts of the cobble. 

The tower was old. Dream had found it some years back as a teenager, when he’d first found the kid. When the queen fell ill, Dream had a mission. He wanted to kidnap Tommy, raise him as his own because he knew that the child might have inherited the powers of the flower that had been ripped from the ground and out of Dream’s hands. 

He couldn’t use it, so he had to find the next source. 

The prince. 

It was a risky mission, but it paid off. The king was already depressed due to his lover dying, he wasn’t expecting anything to happen to his newborn child. Dream had snatched him up so easily, a small child defenseless and easy to catch, and left. He ran out of the kingdom, far enough away for the king and his instincts not to be able to scent him out. 

And then Dream raised the child as his own, gave him the name Tommy instead of Theseus and taught him the ways of the world. Or– well, not really. Dream taught Tommy that the world was dangerous, and scary, and regularly punished the kid for even thinking about the outside world. 

Tommy was scared of the world, which meant Dream succeeded in his relentless punishing of the kid. 

But then something flicked in him, and he had the urge to go outside again. To see the floating lights , or the lanterns the king and his sons released into the sky annually in hopes that the lost prince would come home. 

They never stopped, even for seventeen whole years. The royal family was relentless, Dream had to give them that, and they were determined for the youngest addition to return home, even if he didn’t know that the lanterns belonged to him. 

And now, the kid had fucking left to see the lanterns with whoever broke into the tower. Dream’s hands itched for violence, his fingers twitching as he shut the heavy door and covered it with faux moss he had made. The tower was covered in plants, whether it be moss or vines, even mushrooms so it made sense for him to use a moss covering for the door. 

He fixed his hood, before heading towards the tunnel and making it to the other side, ducking under the thick vines covering it. The tower was far away from any civilization, the closest building to it would be the Captain’s Call, a saloon run by an ex-pirate Dream so happened to know liked trading valuable information. The people there also always had something worth-while, it wouldn’t be stupid to try his luck there. 

Dream sighed, his annoyance just building further and further. He was angry, angry at Tommy for daring to escape, to step a foot out of the tower. Dream had to hurry to the saloon, get his information and get the fuck out. Guards would probably be around, to no surprise as the saloon was infamous for housing criminals. 

The owner was a renowned pirate after all, and she had been a target of the crown for many years. 

Captain Puffy, one of the most dangerous pirates to sail the seven seas, but now she has retired. Last time Dream knew, it was because she had adopted a child. He supposed pirating was a dangerous job with a child on your hip, so it made sense for her to put her sword and hat on the shelf. 

Dream was excited to see the fearless ex-captain. They had had some brief interactions, strictly business. Puffy carried herself high, she was feared and respected, the saloon a highly popular place among the most dangerous of men, and of course, you respect the person pouring the drinks. 

He knew he had to tread carefully, Dream wasn’t exactly a well-liked individual among the community that often resided at the saloon. He was a bit infamous, not for kidnapping a child, oh no, Dream was known for being an incredible fighter, a robber, a thief. Dream was dangerous, cunning, a smart man with a cold heart, not an ounce of affection for life in his being. 

Dream, for his entire life, had been searching for one thing, and one thing only. Eternal life. 

There were legends of a relic that could grant someone eternal life, but then the legends shifted when people claimed a flower from the sun had sprouted in the forest around the then new kingdom. 

Dream had gone on a hunt for the flower, and he had found it, but had no idea how to harvest its powers. No one did, and it had been too risky to rip it out of the ground in case its powers would dampen or fail. Dream tested every method he could think of to activate its powers, nothing working. 

Then, one day, the flower was gone. It had been dug up from the ground and taken, and Dream had been furious. After asking around, he found out that the queen had consumed the flower because of her illness. 

She later succumbed to it after giving birth to her son, a boy born with a head full of golden blonde hair. In the sun, it shined like actual gold, and people were enamored. The child was a wonder, and celebrations happened throughout the kingdom. 

Until the queen died. 

Dream struck only a month after the death of the queen, kidnapping the child and running off with him in the night, even as soldiers and a desperate avian king hunted him down. He laughed in the face of the king as he escaped with his treasure, the most precious thing the king had. 

But now, the treasure could very much return back into the arms of the rightful father, and Dream couldn’t allow that to happen. He had to get Tommy back, before it was too late. 

Dream arrived at the small wooden house, the sign displaying the name with bold letters, The Captain’s Call. 

There was clear commotion inside, loud and overbearing voices could be heard even from the outside. Dream secured his mask and hood as he approached the door, and kicked it open, the entire saloon falling quiet upon his arrival. 

Good. 

Dream always enjoyed a bit of attention. 

Entering the saloon and shutting the door harshly behind him, eyes following him as he made his way up towards the bar where the captain stood, thick curly hair as white as it was the last time he saw her, sword strapped to her hips as she poured and mixed drinks. 

“Captain Puffy?” Dream spoke, voice slightly muffled under his mask. He took note of the way she tensed, she clearly knew of his presence. Remembered at least his voice. Dream observed as she served her customers, smiling kindly as she poured more drinks or helped someone make the food. 

She looked so domestic, it was weird to think she was the most feared pirate captain to ever sail the seas. 

Finally, Puffy turned towards Dream, cloth in hand as she wiped down the bar. “What brings you here?” 

Dream smiled underneath his mask, liking how straight to business she was. Must come with the territory. “I’m in search of someone. I was wondering if he had passed through here, or if anyone here has seen someone fit his description.”

“You show your face here for the first time in years and it’s a manhunt? How unexpected.” Puffy commented, eyes narrowed as she studied the man in front of her. Dream shrugged lazily, looking around the saloon. 

“Describe the person to me and we might be able to help you.” She said, continuing her cleaning. Dream cleared his throat, “he’s a teenager, hair as blond as gold, blue eyes, around 6 '2, winged. ” 

That caught Puffy’s attention. Of course it fucking did. Avians were among the rarest hybrids, people sought them out and if news broke out of an avian on the loose, people would be raising hell searching for it. 

Dream might be able to use it to his advantage. It was a risk, but it might just be the risk he had to take. 

“Have you seen him around here?” Puffy shook her head, Dream frowning underneath his mask. Fuck, he was hoping he might have passed through here with his kidnapper friend. “Could I ask around?” He asked, watching Puffy put away the cloth in the sink before standing in front of him again. 

“Yes, of course. Granted, I doubt you will receive any information. No one fitting your description has been here.” Puffy reiterated, Dream only waving her off as he turned around and walked towards the crowd. 

Dream scanned the crowd, eyes catching onto a mushroom hat and a white bandana. 

Sapnap and George. 

Those were the last two people he needed to see. It hadn’t helped that their last interaction happened years ago, before Dream disappeared to raise a child, wasn’t exactly a nice one. Dream and George and Sapnap had all been friends, best of friends even. All orphaned at a young age due to their village being ransacked and burned, and they stuck together after finding each other after the fact. 

Dream loved his friends and missed them dearly, but he had to cut off his ties with them. It would have been too risky having people in the outside world know of his location, or him, or even Tommy in general. It put everything in jeopardy, all of Dream’s plans would be in danger if Sapnap and George knew of Dream. 

But now, he was standing in the same saloon as them, only a few feet away from them. From being reunited with his friends. 

Dream wanted to laugh, he felt like a weakling. He thought he’d gotten rid of his attachments, especially to those two. 

Apparently not.

Dream turned to go the other way, stopping dead in his tracks as his name is yelled, “Dream!” 

He knows that voice. He knows it all too well. 

With reluctance, Dream turns around, seeing both Sapnap and George staring at him with wide eyes. George had taken his glasses off, his brown eyes on display for the first time since forever. 

Dream doesn’t say a word or move a muscle as his two friends scurry up from the table and make their way over to him. They say nothing, only grab his wrists and lead him away, away from the crowd of people and outside of the saloon. 

When the door is shut, the screaming fest begins. 

“What the FUCK?!” Sapnap screamed, his voice cracking towards the end. George remained silent, eyes turned towards the ground. Dream doesn’t dare look at either of them, the guilt rattling his bones, slithering around his heart. 

“You fucking asshole!” Sapnap continued, pushing his hands against Dream’s chest harshly. He allowed it. 

“You fucking bitch! How dare you?! How dare you abandon us?! For years, Dream! You left us for years!” Sapnap exclaimed, tears brimming in his eyes. 

Dream didn’t say anything. George remained silent. 

“You fuck off to gods know where, and then you turn up at the fucking Captain’s Call of all fucking places. You fucking rat, where the fuck have you been?!” Sapnap kept going, his voice having lost the fire, being replaced by hurt and betrayal and sadness. 

Dream’s heart dropped. He hated feeling like this, pitiful, hopeless, guilty. He left his friends, he did, but it was so they wouldn't jeopardize his mission. His lifelong mission of achieving eternal life. He couldn’t put it at risk. 

“Take off your mask.” George suddenly spoke, startling Dream. He hadn’t heard that voice in so long, he hated how the guilt surrounding his entire being somehow doubled. “What?” Dream spoke, his first word to his friends in years. 

“You heard me, Dream,” George said, voice stern and gaze cold. So, so cold. 

“Take. It. Off.” He emphasized his words, approaching him and Sapnap as they stood, crossing his arms over his chest. 

George and Sapnap glared at him in anticipation, Dream reluctantly reaching for the clips behind his head and undoing them, allowing the mask to fall into his hand, revealing his face. 

Dream hadn’t changed, his constant healing from Tommy allowing him to retain many of his more youthful features. While it was obvious Sapnap and George were in their 20s, Dream at times looked younger. Tommy’s healing did have de-aging abilities. 

Scarred and freckled, green eyes stared back at obsidian and brown, teary eyed and filled to the brim with emotion, Dream cracked a sheepish smile. 

“So,” he awkwardly spoke, the other two tensing. “How are we?”

Sapnap rolled his eyes, taking a step forward. Dream wasn’t expecting much, but a full winded punch with a douse of flame was not on the list. 

Dream winced as he hit the ground harshly, his cheek seething with a new burn thanks to the fireborn delivering a punch. 

“That’s for abandoning us, dick.” Sapnap spat, no remorse or regret in his voice. Dream groaned, sitting up. He checked his jaw, making sure nothing was broken before checking the burn. He hissed, skin all too sensitive to touch. 

He glared up at his friends, both who showed no care for it. They were angry, they were hurt and betrayed and they felt like they owed Dream at least a good punch. 

And they delivered. 

“Stop whining,” George said, extending his hand for Dream to use and hoist himself up, to which he did. Dream still towered over his friends, who were relatively around the same height, George only slightly taller. Dream quickly put his mask back on, being careful as to not irritate his fresh burn as he did so. 

“Are we good now?” Dream asked, earning a scoff and a glare from the other two. 

“Not at all.” George replied, Dream rolling his eyes. “What do I have to do to make up for it?”

Sapnap grinned, sinister and full of mischief. Dream didn’t like that. 

“A lot more than just getting punched, old friend,” Sapnap said, “in fact, there are quite a few things you could do for us.”

George nodded, smiling as well. 

“Yes, there are quite a few things indeed.”

Oh fuck me, Dream thought, dreading his next living moments with Sapnap and George. 

“Not to worry, I doubt it’ll be hard, especially for a man of your caliber.” George said, a dark glint in his eyes. Sapnap barked a laugh, making his way towards Dream and slithering an arm around his shoulder. 

“Let’s have a drink, shall we?”

Chapter Text

Dream was escorted back into the saloon, Sapnap and George leading him back towards the table they had originally sat at. Sapnap sat down, forcing Dream to sit down beside him, George in front of them. 

Sapnap grabbed his jug, taking a big gulp of his drink before slamming it down on the table, empty. Dream rolled his eyes, already annoyed. 

His time was being wasted, he needed to find Tommy and disappear again. People were aware of his presence, and now word would spread. It might even reach Tommy. 

If that happened, things could be ruined. Everything Dream had done would be ruined, his hard work flushed down the next fucking river. 

He couldn’t let that happen. 

“Do we have to have this conversation here?” Dream asked, looking around the saloon, seeing eyes flickering to and from their table. George nodded, taking a sip of his water. “It’s loud, more privacy.”

Dream supposed that was fair. “So, I’d love an explanation.” Sapnap said, staring at Dream’s stupid porcelain white mask with a badly drawn smiley face on it. It was worn, clearly done a while ago. “For what?”

“Why you fucking up and left us all those years ago. We were barely adults when you abandoned us! Left us in the dust.” Dream scowled, not in the mood for this conversation. He really didn’t want to, he hadn’t even thought of an excuse if it would come to it because Dream had never expected to see them again. 

“Look, I did what I had to. That’s that, you don’t need to know more.” Sapnap rolled his eyes, already fed up. “Not good enough.”

George sighed. “Dream, it’s a simple question. We just want to know why you left, disappeared for almost twenty years then randomly came back and we ran into you at the Captain’s Call of all places.” 

Dream didn’t say anything. 

“We just want to know what happened to our friend. You abandoned us at the ripe age of seventeen, then you vanished for seventeen years. Just tell us,” George said, voice slightly desperate. Dream didn’t want to break, he had to keep his composure, no weakness is allowed. 

“He won’t fucking break, it’s useless George.” Sapnap said, George’s expression changed from vulnerable to stoic. “Fine, we’ll just get down to business then.”

“Have you heard about two infamous thieves, under the names of Tubbo and Ranboo?” George questioned, boredly staring ahead. Emotion wiped clear from his face and voice, only stoic and business like. Dream didn’t know who this George was. This was not his friend. 

“I may have heard the names once or twice,” Dream replied, looking at the other two. “Why?”

“We were collaborating on a job, and they betrayed us,” Sapnap gritted out, clenching his fists. “They left with the loot. We were planning on catching them here but we just missed them. We followed them, got them cornered but they claimed they didn’t have the loot. We left them alone, we think they might be lying though.”

Dream cleared his throat. “And this loot is what, exactly?” Sapnap and George shared a look, before eventually replying, “a crown.”

Dream stilled. 

“Would it happen to be the crown of the lost prince?” This time George and Sapnap stilled, looking at Dream with shock written on their faces. “Yes. How do you know?” 

Dream smirked under his mask. He knew who helped Tommy, had their names, and with Sapnap and George’s help, could capture him and them. 

Make them pay for poisoning Tommy’s view of the world. 

“Because they have stolen something of mine, left the crown in my home after breaking in. Foolish mistake, but it is evidence enough that they stole from me.” George narrowed his eyes. 

“What’s so important to you that you’re back in the public?” Dream inhaled. “Someone important to me. I need them back quickly, and those sons of bitches took them.” Sapnap grinned, extending a hand out towards Dream, “so you’ll help us?”

With no hesitation, Dream grabbed Sapnap’s hand and they shook. “Partners.”

Sapnap smiled. “Partners.”

Dream couldn’t wait, this manhunt was going to be so much fun. “So what’s the plan?”

Technoblade ran a comb through his hair, detangling the long pink locks. It had been a while since he felt so tranquil, a moment of peace. Ironically, it wasn’t a very peaceful time this time of year. The kingdom was preparing for the lantern festival and ceremony, the castle was preparing for the grand ball at the end of the ceremony, his family was.. coping. 

Or trying to at least. 

His father sunk himself in his work, his brother went to their mother’ grave and played her the songs he had written the other year up until the inevitable, dreaded day. The day where the youngest brother and son got kidnapped. 

It was a bad time for the royal family, Technoblade always despised it but it was always nice to see the people of his kingdom to be so happy, so bright and celebrating an otherwise tragic event. 

It had almost been seventeen years since Theseus was kidnapped, and although Technoblade didn’t want to lose hope, even after almost two decades he never let his hopes slip, always kept them up and high. 

But as the seventeenth year crawled around, Technoblade felt like he should lower his hopes. Finally, simply accept that Theseus was not coming home. It would never make sense for Theseus to be alive or well, or even know of his heritage. As much as it hurt Technoblade, it was unreasonable to think his brother would be alive. 

A knock on his door snapped him out of his thoughts, Wilbur entering quickly after. Techno released a chuff, meeting his brother halfway and embracing him. “Hey Techno,” Wilbur greeted, arms snaking around his form in a comfortable embrace. “How are you?” He asked, Techno continuing to release short chuffs. 

Instincts were hard to fight. 

“Techno, I need to talk to you.” Wilbur said, voice stern as he tried to pry Technoblade’s arms off of him. Techno wouldn’t budge though, the freakishly strong piglin hybrid under the influence of instincts was exceptionally hard to get rid of, Wilbur noticed. 

Wilbur groaned. “Please Techno, it’s about our dad.”

This snapped Technoblade out of his trance, immediately letting go of his brother and letting his hands fall to his sides. “What? Is he okay? Is something happening?” He asked, speaking quickly and urgently. 

“He’s fine, however,” Wilbur said, dread in his voice. “There was a break-in this morning.” Techno narrowed his eyes and raised a brow, “What?” Wilbur nodded in confirmation. “They stole Theseus’ crown.” 

Techno stilled. 

“What? ” Wilbur nodded again, releasing a breath. “This morning, dad told me he felt something was off so he went to check the castle, Found two thieves stealing Theseus’ crown.” Techno’s jaw clenched, releasing an angry growl. 

“How did they even manage that? I thought father had proper security for the crowns, especially  Theseus’.” He bit out, knuckles cracking as he clenched his hands. Wilbur shrugged, a lot more cool and collected about the whole situation than usual. 

“Dad’s been out searching for the thieves,” Wilbur said, plopping down on the four poster bed, just behind where Technoblade sat in front of his mirror. He put the comb down, suddenly not feeling so calm and tranquil as he did while combing his hair. “Any news?”

Wilbur shook his head. “No one has at least given me an update. The king took off the second the thieves left the throne room, and he hasn’t returned since. It’s been hours.” Technoblade huffed, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. 

“Weird. Father should be back by now,” he commented, Wilbur nodding. “We can only hope he’s okay out there. It’s not like he’s an unknown person.”

Techno stayed silent, picking up the comb again and gesturing it towards Wilbur, asking softly, “could you comb it? Maybe braid it as well?” 

Wilbur smiled wide. “Of course.” He replied, getting up from the bed and making his way towards his brother, taking the comb from his hands and began running it through the soft, pink locks. Technoblade was warm to the touch, as always, though he was a lot warmer now than usual, a sign of his anger. 

“Please don’t overheat. It might send your instincts into overdrive,” Wilbur commented, Techno rolling his eyes before closing them, enjoying the comb running through his hair and Wilbur’s soft humming. The tranquil feeling came back, settling nicely in his chest as he released a soft rumble, Wilbur replying with a rumble of his own. 

It was a clear communication, safe , something piglins needed their sounder to be at all times, especially brutes- or protectors like Techno was. Whenever the twins were in their instincts they sought each other out, didn’t leave each other’s arms or nest, not that they were allowed to leave either way. 

“I have good control over my instincts, unlike someone.” Technoblade quipped, Wilbur scoffing in mock offense. “Okay, asshole. No need to rub it in,” Techno smiled at his brother, whose fingers were now running through his hair, separating it into three pieces to begin braiding. 

“What? You don’t like to be reminded of the time you fell into them out in the garden and you stole ducklings, and got attacked by the mom?” Wilbur tugged harshly on Techno’s hair, earning a wince from his brother. “What the hell?!” 

Wilbur smugly smiled at his brother in the mirror. “Serves you right, dick.” 

“I’ll smack you,” Techno threatened, Wilbur’s smile widening as he tugged harshly on the hair again, starting the braid. “Don’t threaten me Techno, I can literally have dad over here in a heartbeat if I really wanted to.” 

Techno chuckled. “That’s true, although his birdbrain would just think we’re in danger and swaddle us in his nest for the next week. We can’t really afford that,” he said, Wilbur releasing a short laugh. “Gods, yeah. Especially now.” 

Wilbur finished the braid, tying it nicely and began adding accessories, different gold pins, some fake flowers here and there. Technoblade’s braid looked pretty today, unlike it usually did. Techno’s hair was always the same, tight braid to keep the long locks out of his face as he fought his soldiers, training them, honing their skills as he did so often. 

Technoblade was no general, but he was close to one. That job, however, had been handed to a previous baker. She was an extraordinary tactician, fierce and loyal and brave. All good qualities in a general of a kingdom such as Antarctica. Technoblade liked her, they even had the same colored hair, although hers was not natural like his. 

“There you go,” Wilbur said, removing his hands from Technoblade’s hair and backed off, a proud smile on his face. “Thank you,” Technoblade replied, watching Wilbur’s smile turn from proud to soft, and he released a chuff, Techno replying with one of his own. 

“Alright, enough with the sap.” He said, standing up from his desk, letting the braid fall down his hair with all of its decorations, Wilbur raising a brow teasingly. “It’s been a while since we sparred, right?”

Wilbur narrowed his eyes at his brother, eyeing him suspiciously. “Yes. Been a couple of weeks, maybe a month. Why?”

Technoblade picked up a stray dagger on his dresser, fingers running over the delicate markings on the scabbard before gently removing it from its sheath, the shiny metal showing his reflection. “I’ve been itching for a good fight.”

He threw the dagger towards his brother, who, in one swift movement caught it a few millimeters away from his face. “Are you soldiers not good enough for you?” Technoblade barked a laugh. 

“You think so little of me?” Wilbur shrugged, handing Technoblade the dagger and walked towards the door. Techno shoved the dagger back into the scabbard, setting it down on the dresser as he looked at his brother expectantly. 

“Meet you at the barracks in ten minutes. Dress appropriately, please.”

Techno smirked, Wilbur rolling his eyes as he left the room, shutting the door behind him. Technoblade wasted no time, grabbing the clothes which were handed out for training and exiting the room, not before grabbing a few daggers and a sword. 

Wilbur was an archer, but he could hold his own in hand-to-hand combat and sword fighting. Techno had made sure to train him well. He trained him harshly, much as he did himself and as he had asked his father. The twins always left their training sessions with bruises littered across their skins, cuts and new scars forming. 

Technoblade loved it. 

Their childhood was filled with training, both physical and mental. Wilbur preferred the mental, the history lessons that bored Techno half to death. Techno loved the physical, the bloody knuckles and aching limbs after every session. 

He threw on a tight long sleeved shirt and breeches, regular boots and a belt to strap the sword and daggers to. He removed some of the accessories from his hair, needing to remember to ask Wilbur to put them back, and headed out of his room. 

He bounced down the hall and the stairs, out of the castle and into the backyard, which was a bit too big even for castle grounds, and made a bee-line for the barracks. All soldiers that were situated in the castle had a station there. It was a large place not that far away from the main building, with hundreds of rooms for soldiers either under training or situated at the castle. 

The whole royal family often trained there, either alongside the soldiers or against. Most of the time it was against each other, and they used it to blow off steam or settle some arguments.

Technoblade enjoyed his jog towards the barracks, the spring air was warm, birds chirping in the distance, the sun beginning to set in the sky. 

A perfect time for a brotherly spar. He couldn’t wait. 

The princes were notorious for their brotherly quarrels, and they were mostly resolved by a good spar. Technoblade preferred a spar, because he had a higher chance of coming out on top, although Wilbur preferred their verbal arguments. 

“Your highness,” Technoblade looked to the side, seeing general Nihachu standing in her training gear, wooden sword in hand. He noticed how battered the sword was, then he noticed the amount of soldiers grunting or moaning in pain behind her and realized. 

“General,” he greeted curtly, the woman giving a slight bow of her head. “Am I interrupting your session?” The general looked behind her at the men she had been training then shook her head. 

“You arrived at the perfect time. I think it’s time for a break!” She exclaimed near the end, the group of men behind her all collectively cheering before getting up from their positions and running off. Niki smiled, turning back to the prince, “what brings you here anyway?”

Technoblade cleared his throat. “Me and Wilbur are gonna spar.” 

Niki chuckled, “you two had a fight?” He shook his head, rolling the sleeves up his arms. “No, we just haven’t had a spar in a long time. That and I suppose we’re both stressed about tomorrow.” 

“I understand. I’ll be sure to keep my men out of your way then.” Technoblade smiled slightly, making his way over the rack that held the training swords. “Thank you, general. I appreciate it.” 

“Of course, your highness. Beware though, they will be watching when they have a free period.” Technoblade snickered, grabbing a wooden sword and swinging it. It was light, the hilt wasn’t too awkward to hold although it wasn’t realistic in many ways. A regular sword was much more heavy, although they used the wooden swords as base training before upgrading. 

“That’s fine. Nothing new there,” he replied, swinging the sword in his hand once more. He’d have to check with Wilbur if they wanted to clash with wood or metal. He hoped his brother chose metal, he wanted a couple of cuts, some bruises. 

He’d been aching for pain. 

“I shall leave you be then. Hope you and your brother take care, and please,” Niki said, sending the prince a look, “don’t kill each other.” 

Techno smiled. “No promises, general.” Niki scoffed playfully, turning on her heel and left the training room, leaving Technoblade by himself. 

He dragged himself up to the dummies and began swinging, the dummy ripping open after only a couple of swings. The sword in his hand was also practically broken, not very good for any type of use anymore. 

As he moved his hands to take another swing, someone clearing their throat stopped him in his tracks. He looked towards the sound of the voice, seeing his brother all smug, geared up in his training gear. 

“Wooden sword? Really?” Wilbur asked, tone teasing and mocking as he made his way to where Technoblade stood. 

“Well I’m not going to waste my actual sword on a stupid dummy, now am I?” Techno retorted, earning a scoff from his brother. “I guess that’s fair.” 

Wilbur walked up to his brother, drawing his sword and pointing it at him. “Shall we?”

Technoblade smirked, throwing the wooden sword on the ground and drawing his regular one. 

“Let’s.”

Chapter Text

The brothers began circling each other, trying to wear one another out. Rule number one, never strike first. Rule number two, always make your opponent think he has the upper hand. The king taught his sons well, made sure they were trained to be top-notch soldiers despite never having been on a battlefield or having really needed to use these skills in battle. 

Wilbur broke first, stepping forward and jabbing his sword towards Techno’s abdomen which he parried flawlessly, dancing around his brother and swinging heavily in retaliation. Wilbur parried, pushing against Techno’s blade and getting him to back away. Techno spun his sword in his hand, beginning to circle his brother before pouncing, slamming the side of his sword into Wilbur’s thigh, immobilizing him. 

In a matter of seconds Wilbur was on the floor, struggling to hold his own against his brother standing over him and pushing his sword down on him. Wilbur grunted, letting his head fall back meaning the fight was over. 

Technoblade backed off, removing his sword and giving his brother a hand. “Good fight,” he complimented, hoisting his brother up from the ground. Wilbur groaned, rubbing his thigh where Techno had struck him. 

“For you, maybe. My performance was shit.” Techno hummed, putting his sword back in its sheath. “Are you falling off?” Techno asked, a hint of a joke in his voice. Wilbur didn’t reply, grabbing his sword and putting it back in its sheath. 

“Unlike you, I’m not training daily among the soldiers. I have more pressing matters to deal with,” Techno shot his brother a look. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Wilbur began limping away, , , not in the mood to speak with his brother. If he would, another spar would be underway. “Wilbur, don’t walk away from me.” Techno said, voice stern and commanding. 

Wilbur groaned, turning around to shoot his brother an annoyed look before continuing to walk off. “What’s wrong, Will?” Techno calls after him, moving forward to catch up with him, Wilbur still ignoring his calls. 

Techno ran a hand down his face, before a brilliant idea popped into his head. A cheeky smile appeared on his face, and he released a chuff. Wilbur stilled, entire body frozen. 

He got him. 

Whenever Technoblade and Wilbur fell into instinct, they tried their best to spend as much time around each other because they gravitated towards one another, as twins and as piglin hybrids, it was natural. Chuffing was a natural thing in piglin culture, it was a sign of comfort and reassurance, but outside of instinct-filled periods, they didn’t really chuff at one another a whole lot. It was only either a tool to mess with each other or used to comfort, like intended. Techno was using it to mess with his brother, and to try and get answers out of his stubborn ass. 

As soon as Techno was close enough to his brother he chuffed again, watching in amusement as Wilbur tried to keep himself from releasing chuff in reply. “You’re a dick,” Wilbur spat out, clenching his jaw as Techno chuffed again. 

“You make it too easy Wil,” Techno replied, crossing his arms over his chest. “Now, wanna tell me what you meant by what you said?” Wilbur shook his head, still staying stubborn. Techno rolled his eyes and sighed, moving to stand in front of his brother. 

“Is this because of tomorrow? Is that why you’re acting like this?” Wilbur didn’t reply. “Wilbur,” he began, voice soft. His brother’s eyes trailed everywhere except him, the frustration and annoyance getting stronger. 

“Just tell me. I can’t be of assistance if you don’t tell me.” Wilbur still didn’t say anything. Technoblade sighed, then released another chuff and gently bonked his forehead against his brother. 

“I’ll be up in my room, if you need me.” He said, turning on his heel and leaving Wilbur alone in the training room. 

After Tommy’s sudden emotional breakdown, the trio continued on until the sun started setting. They had decided that they’d settle down in a small clearing they found in the forest. It was nice, protected by the trees with fireflies flying around them. 

Ranboo and Tubbo had no sleeping bags, despite the ridiculous amount of stuff they seemed to carry in those bags of theirs, but Tommy didn’t mind. He had his cloak and his wings, and they usually covered him when he was sleeping and provided enough warmth for him. 

It did help that his wings were almost freshly cleaned so his feathers were softer than normal. 

“How close are we?” Tommy asked, laying beside Tubbo, gazing at the stars. Ranboo was somewhere collecting firewood, since the wood they had gathered earlier was almost out. “If we wake up when the sun rises we’ll reach the kingdom in a few hours.” 

“Will Ranboo be able to teleport us?” Tubbo didn’t respond for a moment. “I’m not quite sure actually. It might be better to save his energy, in case we need it for emergencies.” Tommy raised a brow. “Emergencies? What kind?”

Tubbo awkwardly chuckled. “Maybe if the person that lives in your tower comes after us, then we’d need a quick escape. Or if those guys from earlier come back, then we’d have to escape quickly,” he explained, scooting a little closer to Tommy. 

Tommy hummed, pushing his head against Tubbo’s softly. “Do you like the stars?” Tommy asked, raising a hand and making a grabby hand towards the small white dots in the sky. “I do. They have a very interesting history.” 

History? Tommy had never heard about any history. “You never read up on things like the names of the stars and the constellations?” Tommy shook his head, Tubbo releasing an excited gasp and quickly sitting up, hovering over Tommy on the ground. 

“You never heard about the names?! And the constellations?!” Tommy shook his head, Tubbo quickly laying down again and began pointing to the different stars and constellations. He talked about the names, the history, showed Tommy each and every constellation he knew of and talked with such enthusiasm that Tommy couldn’t help but listen with admiration. 

Tubbo was so knowledgeable about the world, it made Tommy kind of envious. Tubbo and Ranboo had seen so much of the world, Tommy had only seen a tiny part of the world and he was turning seventeen in merely a few hours.

Ranboo finally returned and added his newfound wood to the fire and laid down next to Tommy, putting him in the middle of the duo. Tommy felt warm and safe, for the first time in such a long time. 

He released a soft chirp, Ranboo replying with a warble and Tubbo with a soft ‘aw’. Tommy felt okay. 

“How is it like,” he said, biting back another chirp, “seeing so much of the world, always being on the move? It sounds like a dream.” Tubbo chuckled, fingers fiddling with the end of Tommy’s cloak. 

“It can be, for sure. But it gets tiring after a while, a bit lonely as well.” Tommy quirked a brow. “Really?” He asked, Tubbo nodding. 

“Life constantly on the move is exhausting. Me and Ranboo are barely eighteen and we’ve never really had a proper place to call home. All we’ve known is the constant change of scenery, the new people and all that stuff. No concrete thing except for each other.” 

Tommy frowned. “What does that mean?” Ranboo vwooped, smiling slightly. “It means that we’ve only ever had each other. No place to call home, no permanent place to stay at. The only thing in this world for us is each other, us against the world kind of thing.” Tommy hummed, soaking in the calm nature of Ranboo. 

Ranboo and Tubbo were an interesting duo, Tommy noticed. While Ranboo was a calmer individual, he definitely matched Tubbo’s energy but knew when to pull back and stop Tubbo from making a bad and big mistake. Tubbo was intelligent, Ranboo as well, and they worked well. 

Combined with their hybrid instincts and abilities, they made an excellent team. Tommy definitely realized just why they worked so well. And he wanted to work well with them too. He wanted to be a part of the duo, he felt like he belonged. 

But on the other hand, Tommy’s mind might just be playing tricks on him, making him think that Tubbo and Ranboo really like him and want to be around him, hell, for all he knows they’re just playing buddy-buddy to get the stupid satchel again. 

No, no, Tommy shouldn’t think like that. Tubbo and Ranboo have been nothing but kind to him, they’re helping him achieve his lifelong dream! He should be thankful, as Dream taught him. 

“Thank you,” Tommy whispered, Tubbo and Ranboo both simultaneously turning to look at him. “What for?” Ranboo questioned, nose twitching slightly. “For doing this for me, for helping me. For risking your asses for this!” He exclaimed with a wet laugh, earning some concerned looks from the other two. 

“Is that so surprising?” Tubbo questioned, Tommy nodding, moving his hands to cover his face.

 “You two are the first people I have ever met outside of him. All I’ve known is that people are bad, you two aren’t bad, at all. It confuses me because I don’t know you’re messing with me or pretending to like me for your stupid satchel or you’re just using me to sell me for who I am in the future and I don’t know anymore!” Tommy rambled, shooting up from where he was laying and backing up from Tubbo and Ranboo. 

“Tommy-” 

“No! No! You guys will hurt me when we reach the city! You guys are going to sell me, or even worse get me back to him. I-I can’t go back, please don’t take me back.” Tubbo and Ranboo shared a look, Ranboo standing up and backing off while Tubbo tried to calm Tommy down. 

“Tommy, we won’t hurt you. Or sell you, or betray you. Nothing like that.” Tubbo assured, Tommy curling into a ball, wings coming to cover him. “You’re lying!” He exclaimed, fingers digging into his head as he covered his ears. 

“Tommy please,” Tubbo pleaded, slowly approaching the distressed bird. “You’re okay, you’re safe. Me and Ranboo won’t hurt you, ever.” He kept reassuring, taking slow steps towards him. 

“Please-please don’t lie to me. Please, please I’ll be good, I’ll be good. I won’t be bad, I’ll be good.” Tubbo frowned, crouching down next to Tommy and pulling him closer, Tommy resisting slightly but eventually gave up. 

Tubbo whistles softly, Ranboo appearing now but with bread in his hands. “Toast it,” Tubbo said softly, Ranboo nodding and began toasting the bread over the fire. Tubbo put a gentle hand in Tommy’s hair, running his fingers through the tangled blond locks. 

A happy trill escaped Tommy’s mouth, leaning into the touch. Tubbo’s frown deepened, but continued nonetheless, Tommy letting out occasional chirps and warbles. “Gods, just what have you been through?” Tubbo asked, no one in particular. 

Either Tommy was lost in his instincts right now because of the panic attack he just had, or he was just so touch deprived. Maybe even both. 

“Bread’s ready.” Ranboo said, Tubbo nodding and asking for a few pieces. “Tommy’s probably going to be exhausted when he comes back from this instinct haze.” Ranboo nodded, sitting down beside Tubbo. 

“What even happened?” Ranboo asked, taking a bite from his piece of bread, Tubbo shrugging his shoulders. “I think this was a panic attack, probably due to whatever past experience he’s had. Ranboo, we can’t let him go back there.” 

Ranboo nodded in agreement. “We’ll just take this one step at a time, alright? Let’s help him achieve his dream first, yeah? Then we can decide on how we can help him further, okay?” Tubbo sighed, but agreed and took a bite out of his piece of bread. 

“I still can’t believe he’s an avian.” Tubbo said after a moment of silence, Ranboo humming. “The only known avian is the king, how insane is it to think that we stumble upon another one.” 

“You think he may be the lost prince?” Ranboo suggested, Tubbo laughing. “We’d be rewarded handsomely if he really was.”

Ranboo bit a piece of his bread. “I mean it makes sense, and the evidence lines up. He’ll turn seventeen tomorrow, on the lantern festival and the actual prince’s birthday. He’s an avian, with blond hair and blue eyes, uncanny to the king. Wouldn’t be surprised if he actually was.”

Tubbo brushed his idea off, thinking it too far-fetched. Ranboo shrugged, thinking it reasonable. 

“Even if he was the prince, we can’t leave him. He trusts us, you know?” Tubbo said, finger twirling a curl in the blond’s hair. “Trust is hard to come by nowadays, you and I both know that, Boo.”

Ranboo sighed. “I know.”

They sat in silence, letting the fire crackle as they continued watching the stars before sleep eventually took over. 

Tommy woke up a few hours later, finding himself between the duo once more. He didn’t exactly remember what had happened, only had a vague idea and would have to ask Tubbo in the morning for the details. 

He sat up, looking around the clearing. The fire had gone out only recently, smoke still steaming from the burnt wood, fireflies dotting around in the air and illuminating very slightly. 

Tommy sniffled, deciding to take a small walk before trying to sleep again. He wasn’t exactly tired, but he could feel the exhaustion settle in his bones, and a brisk walk should be enough to knock him out again. Tommy walked out of the clearing, making sure not to wake up Ranboo and Tubbo as he tip-toed away, before picking up his pace once he was a bit away. 

The forest was filled with life, so many different trees and plants and flowers dotted around that Tommy felt overwhelmed. Heading straight forward from the clearing, he ran into a stream. Tommy crouched down, putting his hand into the water and letting it run through his fingers. 

It felt nice, although freezing cold, there was something about the way it felt that made Tommy numb to the cold. He smiled, putting his other hand into the water, letting a small chirp escape. 

Tommy was getting more comfortable with his instincts, allowing himself to make the bird noises his hindbrain kept yelling at him to make. He was always scared he’d get punished for chirping or trilling, but nothing ever came. Tubbo and Ranboo thought he was cute for making the noises, which made Tommy burn up. 

Tommy decided to take off his boots, lifting the cloak up so it wouldn’t touch the water and walked in. He squealed, the water cold for his sensitive feet. He let out another chirp, kicking his foot up and letting the water hit his face. 

This was fun!

He continued kicking his feet and putting his hands in the stream, when a snap of a branch caught his attention. His hindbrain was yelling at him again, this time to alert him of danger danger danger . 

Out of the bushes emerged a green cloaked figure.. with a white smiley mask. 

Dream was here. Fuck! Dream was here!

Tommy scurried out of the water, shaking his feet and struggling to put on his boots with his feet all wet. As he struggled, Dream approached him and stopped right in front of him, crouching down to meet his eye level. 

Tommy froze, eyes immediately gazing towards the ground, Dream staying silent. “Hey Tommy,” Dream said, breaking the tense silence. Tommy tensed, feathers under the cloak puffing up. His heart was hammering in his chest as he grabbed a fistful of the cloak to try to calm himself down. 

“Dre-Dream.” He greeted, trying to be respectful. He didn’t want Dream to hurt him, or worse, find Tubbo and Ranboo and hurt them. “I see you left the tower,” he stated the obvious, clearly testing Tommy. 

“Ye-yes. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to. Please don’t hurt me!” Tommy begged, crouching on the floor at Dream’s feet. Dream sighed, fingers suddenly in Tommy’s hair and yanked . Tommy cried out in pain, staring at the smiley face mask in horror as Dream threw a satchel down between them. 

“You’re lucky I have bigger plans right now.” Dream muttered, letting Tommy go who fell down on the ground harshly. Dream stood up and began walking away, when he turned on his heel and faced Tommy. “Give that to those friends of yours,” He said, a mocking smile under his mask. 

“See how quickly they’ll betray you.” Tommy glared at Dream, grabbing the satchel off the ground and standing up. “I will.” He said, voice dark. “I’ll see you, Tommy.”

And with that, Dream left. 

After a beat of silence, Tommy broke down crying. He felt so weak. He was crying again, it hadn’t even been that long since the last time he cried. Tommy didn’t like the effect Dream had on him, how scared he felt. But something about Dream made him feel safe, like he belonged. 

Was his mind playing tricks? Dream hadn’t been a good person these days, hell, the more Tommy thought about it the more Dream seemed like a bad person throughout his entire life. Tommy hid ruffled his hair, squeezed and tugged on it as he lost himself deeper and deeper in his thoughts. He was so scared, and now he had the stupid satchel Ranboo and Tubbo were after.

All of his worries from earlier were coming back, but now he had the thing they were after. He could test their loyalty, see if they really were friends or not. Tommy didn’t know anymore, and he didn’t like the fact that he was doubting his friends. 

But are you really friends?

Tommy sniffled and wiped his face, putting the satchel under his cloak and heading back towards the clearing. Hopefully Tubbo and Ranboo were still asleep. His mind was still moving at a pace too fast, so many thoughts going around, each and everyone was a bad one and it was stressing him out and he was so tired and he just wanted to sleep-

“Tommy!” A worried voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and two strong arms wrapped themselves around his body. Initial panic set in before he noticed just who the person was. 

Tubbo. 

Never had Tommy been so relieved to see another human being. “Tubbo, holy shit-”

“Where the fuck were you?!” Tubbo exclaimed, pulling back from the hug and staring at Tommy. Ranboo appeared shortly after, quickly checking Tommy up and down for any wounds. 

“No wounds, big man,” Tommy reassured, flashing the enderman a smile. Ranboo still didn’t look convinced, but Tommy stepped forward and gave him a hug, Ranboo stilling before eventually returning the embrace. Tubbo joined a bit after, and the trio sat in silence. 

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Tubbo whispered, breaking the silence. Tommy released a small chuckle, before bursting out laughing, Ranboo and Tubbo following suit. 

After the laughing fit had passed, the three of them returned to the clearing and Tommy was interrogated, to which he replied in only half-truths and they all went to sleep. This time, Tommy felt much safer, squished between his two friends.

Chapter Text

As soon as the sun rose on the horizon, Tommy was already up and moving. He was buzzing with excitement, fuck’s sake, it was his birthday! It was the day where the sky was filled with floating lanterns. 

Tommy shook Ranboo awake, practically screaming in his ear about the lanterns and his birthday and Tommy had to admit he had never been scared of Ranboo up until he glared at Tommy with such raw, provoked anger that he backed up and apologized. 

Tommy let the other two sleep for a bit while he walked around the clearing, looking around and started digging through their satchels. It was fun, seeing all of the knick-knacks they had in them. A lot of maps and weapons, a few bits of coins and some food, which Tommy very much ate. 

There was some cold toasted bread sitting on the grass beside Ranboo and Tommy ate it, despite its coldness it was very nice. And he was very hungry, so he didn’t complain. 

He sat down in the middle of where Ranboo and Tubbo were laying after a few moments of doing nothing except snooping in their satchels and eating food. He shook off his cloak, letting his wings free. He extended them, letting them stretch to their full length. He crooned in delight, finally letting his wings free from the prison that was his cloak. 

As necessary as it was, it still felt horrible having them kept under wraps. His wings even felt gross as they hadn’t been preened in a few days, despite the fact that Dream had preened them a couple of days ago. He was being ungrateful, Dream had cleaned them. He had gone longer than only a few days without being preened. 

“This is boring,” Tommy said, to no one but himself, and stood up. His wings flapped a bit, still getting used to being free from under the cloak. He chirped, running a hand through some of the feathers. As soft as they were, some of them were rough to the touch from going unpreened for that long. 

Waiting for his friends to wake up was very boring, Tommy was coming to realize. He started wandering the clearing again, scared to go further away due to what happened the other night. He was still shaken up, and very confused at the same time because fuck, why did Dream just give him the crown and leave? And not take him with him?

Tommy ran a hand through his hair, looking back at Ranboo and Tubbo’s sleeping form. Should he leave? Tommy felt like that would be a foolish decision, but something was nagging him at the back of his head to go somewhere. 

Tommy groaned in frustration, not liking how his brain was in this tug-of-war state about what to do as he waited for the others to wake up. “Fuck it,” he muttered, moving out of the clearing and back towards the stream he went to the other night. 

As he walked around, he took in his surroundings. Watching as the bees went to the lavender bushes, the birds sitting on the tree branches and he even spotted a full on deer! He almost squealed in excitement but bit it back so as to not scare the animal. 

Tommy reached the stream, and in the morning sun it looked a lot better than in the moonlight. He could see the amount of flowers surrounding it, the rocks dotted in and around with moss covering it. He even spotted a frog!

He took off his boots again and sat down on the bank of the stream, putting his feet in. It was freezing, but not as cold as last night. It was nice and calming. Tommy watched as animals came to and from the stream, all drinking or splashing in the stream. 

Tommy was even approached by a small fox cub. It was adorable and clearly wanted to play, but Tommy was scared its mother might attack him so he ushered it away as quickly as it came. 

It was tranquil, the sun shining on his face, the stream in the background was so nice. He was just basking in the sun, while Tubbo and Ranboo wasted time sleeping but Tommy wasn’t exactly complaining. It was nice and relaxing, and he was thankful he actually left the clearing. 

His wings were sprawled on the ground behind him, basking in the sun as well. It felt so nice, he was tempted to just stay there. 

As Tommy continued basking in the sun, some shuffling of some bushes caught his attention. He didn’t pay it any mind as it must’ve just been another animal, but he was quickly proven wrong as a hand touched his shoulder. 

Tommy screamed, instantly getting up from where he was and taking off. Or well- he tried. 

The grip on his shoulder was iron, and Tommy barely budged from where he was sitting. “Calm down, kid.” A gruff voice said, trying to reassure Tommy, who completely ignored them and kept trying to get the hand off. 

He let out a distressed chirp, hands clawing at the one on his shoulder to let go. His eyes widened once he realized his wings were on display. Fuck! This person was going to take him away and sell him. 

“Ple-please,” He whimpered, a chirp following after. “I’m not going to hurt you, okay? If I let you go, do you promise not to run?” Tommy didn’t want to comply, in fact, he wanted to yell at the person and run back to Tubbo and Ranboo. 

This had to be a lesson, to realize that going away from his friend meant bad things. Gods, he was stupid. 

Tommy eventually nodded in agreement, and the hand left his shoulder. Tommy backed off, moving to the other side of the stream. His chest was heavy with anxiety, breathing quick and panicked, wings spread slightly to appear bigger than he was, but he finally laid his eyes on the person. 

A tall man, with pink braided hair and red eyes, in a poet’s shirt with brown pants and tall boots. He had a sword strapped to his hip, and Tommy now just noticed the tusks jutting out of his mouth and the jagged scar across his nose bridge, similar to Dream’s. 

“I’m not here to hurt you,” he hammered on, trying to calm Tommy down but Tommy didn’t trust him. He looked scary, he looked like the brutes Dream warned him of. His wings were puffed up and forced them to stick to his back. 

The sun shined on his feathers and his hair, and he saw how the man’s pupils started expanding slowly. “Ple-please. Let-let me go.” Tommy begged, biting back a chirp. He was already exposed enough with his wings out, he didn’t need for the rest of his instincts to come out. It would doom him if the man knew he was a songbird and not a predator. 

“You’re okay. I’m not doing anything, see?” The man said, putting his hands in the air slowly, making sure Tommy saw his every move. His eyes traveled from the man’s scarred face to the sword strapped to his hip, an uneasy expression on his face. 

“The sword? Is it scaring you?” Tommy hesitantly nodded, the person immediately putting it on the ground a bit away from him. He put his hands up again, to make sure he would not hurt Tommy. 

“Let me leave,” Tommy demanded, voice weak. The person shook their head, pupils blown wide. “I can’t. Not yet.” 

Tommy felt his chest go heavy at that. 

He should scream for his friends, they would come to his rescue. Why didn’t he? His hindbrain was yelling at him too many different and conflicting things, Tommy was getting confused. 

“You look like him,” he heard the man mutter, who started inspecting his face and body. Tommy pulled his wings in further, trying his absolute hardest to hide them to no avail. The man already knew he was avian, Tommy was doomed. 

Tommy sucked in a breath, waiting for an opportunity to either run or scream for Ranboo and Tubbo as the man looked at him. “Let me leave.” Tommy demanded, the man shaking his head. 

“What’s your name?” Tommy froze, feeling stressed and cornered. “Fuck you.” He replied, the man sighing. Tommy watched him put his hands down, and sit down on the ground in front of him. 

“I’m just trying to get to the bottom of a few things here, alright? No harm will come to you, and once you answer me I’ll let you go. I promise you that.” Tommy narrowed his eyes, glaring at the man in front of him. He really should just bolt the fuck out of there and straight back to the clearing. 

“Yeah, I don’t believe that.” Tommy spat back, trying to put as much venom into his words as he could. His hindbrain was still yelling conflicting things like danger-danger-danger but at the same time it was safe-safe-safe. 

Tommy was getting a headache just from his hindbrain playing a game of tug-of-war. The pink haired man raised a brow, “why don’t you?”

“I’m not gonna tell you shit, bitch.” Tommy was tired, was getting a headache and didn’t feel safe at all, and he just wanted to get to the kingdom with his friends to finally fulfill his dream. But this asshole wouldn’t let him go. 

As Tommy opened his mouth to scream for his friends, Ranboo appeared behind the man and struck. 

Ranboo didn’t hit though, and the man parried his attack with such ease that it had Tommy almost mesmerized. “Tubbo, go!” Ranboo yelled, and suddenly arms snaked around Tommy’s middle and he screamed, fighting back before he realized who it was. 

“Tubbo what the fuck! Let me go!” He exclaimed, trying to get rid of Tubbo’s iron grip, wings flailing on his back. “Not yet!” Tubbo replied, continuing to run away from where Ranboo and the man were fighting. 

“We have to help Ranboo! We can’t leave him!” Tubbo ignored Tommy, making him flail harder in his arms while trying to get back to Ranboo. “Stop fighting! We’re saving your dumbass!”

Tommy didn’t want to give into Tubbo’s demands, but he eventually did, laying still as he was carried away from the commotion and back towards the clearing. 

Tubbo dropped him to the ground without any warning, Tommy wincing in pain and shooting Tubbo a look to which he ignored. “Stay here.” Tubbo ordered, before taking off again. 

Tommy was about to protest but Tubbo was faster than him and was already out of his view. Tommy cursed, banging a fist against the grass before eventually letting himself fall on his back. 

Tommy was tired of people keeping him hostage or scaring him or ordering him around. He thought those days ended when he left the tower.

 How wrong was he. 

Ranboo cried out in pain as the pink haired man sliced his shoulder, backing off quickly and out of reach. He was really starting to wonder just where the hell Tubbo was and what was holding him up. He had been distracting the man long enough honestly, he was littered with cuts and bruises already. 

Ranboo could teleport away, but that might send him after Tommy and that was the last thing any of them needed. “So,” Ranboo said in between breaths, parrying another attack. “Just who are you, and why are you after my friend?”

The man didn’t reply, eyes focused on Ranboo and only Ranboo and the look in his eyes was terrifying if he had to be honest. If looks could kill, Ranboo would be dead and long buried. 

“Okay, not one for small talk, gotcha.” Ranboo awkwardly quipped, dodging another attack swiftly and jabbing his dagger forward. A slight issue having daggers, they were close-range which meant more danger for injuries. 

As Ranboo continued to fight the man, Tubbo made his appearance. Without another moment to waste, Tubbo rammed his horns into the man’s back, getting him by surprise and making him fall to his knees. 

“Thanks Gods,” Ranboo panted, putting a hand on the wound on his shoulder to try to hold the bleeding at bay somewhat. “He’s not out, Ranboo. We either knock him or run.” Tubbo said, gesturing to the man wincing in pain as he tried to hoist himself up from the ground. Tubbo kicked his sword out of reach, urgently looking at his friend and partner for approval. 

Ranboo shook his head. “Let’s just get back. We shouldn’t leave him for too long anyway,” Ranboo said, grabbing Tubbo who said nothing and teleported away, leaving the pink haired man still on the floor, in pain. 

The pair appeared at the clearing, their landing not the smoothest as they crashed beside Tommy. 

“Holy fuck, Ranboo are you okay?” Tommy urged, seeing the many wounds littering his form. Ranboo chuckled sheepishly, brushing his worries off. “Nothing I can’t handle.” Tommy didn’t like that, and immediately told him to show him all his major injuries for him to heal. 

Ranboo protested, both Tubbo and Tommy telling him to shut it and let him do this. Ranboo relented, and allowed Tommy to inspect him carefully and begin the healing. Two gentle hands lay on his shoulder, Ranboo wincing as Tommy found the proper spot before warmth replaced the pain. 

It traveled throughout his entire body, making Ranboo slightly tired. Tommy bit back a wince as the headache that was already there worsened, becoming a proper migraine and his vision spun slightly, but he kept going. 

Despite Ranboo’s injuries being minor for the most part, it still took its toll on Tommy who had little to no energy after being constantly on edge and had had around two panic attacks in less than twelve hours. He was mentally exhausted, but he had to keep going for Ranboo. 

“Tommy, I-”

“Shut it, Boob boy.” Tommy snapped, closing his eyes and finishing the job. As soon as the wounds had closed up, he removed his hands from Ranboo’s body and backed up, letting himself fall onto the grass and revel in his exhaustion.

“How the fuck did you get so injured?” Tubbo questioned, looking over the freshly healed wounds. Ranboo shrugged, taking in the new scar tissue on his shoulder. “I have a feeling I know who he was,” he said, Tommy sitting up again and shooting him a questioning look. 

“He said I looked like someone.” And the attention was on him again, great. “Really? What else did he say?” Ranboo asked, putting on his cloak and sheathing his dagger. “He asked me for my name and shit. I didn’t give him any information, of course. I’m no fool.”

Ranboo and Tubbo shared a look, Tommy feeling offended but continued, “one thing I did notice was that my birdbrain kept telling me two different things.” This piqued the others' interests. “No way, what was it saying?”

“That he was dangerous but safe. I ignored it because it was giving me a fat headache but I still find it weird.” Tubbo hummed and Ranboo nodded, laying down beside where Tommy was sitting. “It is weird, because usually prey-centered hybrids never say these things at the same time, unless your flock was there or someone you’ve imprinted on.” 

Tommy cocked his head to the side slightly, “imprinting? Fuck’s that?” Tubbo’s eyes widened slightly, Ranboo staying silent as the conversation flowed. “You’ve never imprinted?” Tommy shook his head, still confused as to just what that was. 

“Gods, am I really educating an avian on their own instincts?” Tubbo mumbled, Ranboo chuckling beside Tommy. “It’s something all avians do. It’s an instinctual thing, something natural and healthy. It’s to establish to not just other avians, but all predators basically that you belong to someone, I suppose. It’s usually done within families.”

Tommy was fascinated. Never did he think about imprinting on anyone, not even Dream, and he was family. At least, Tommy thought he was. Was he? 

“Okay, we can continue the avian lessons on the road. We really need to head into town, and with that guy still in the forest, it’s better to go now than later.” Tubbo said and began gathering up the supplies they had left behind in their haste to find Tommy.

Tommy stood up and helped Ranboo, who was still slightly fatigued from the healing. So was Tommy, but they didn’t need to know about that. 

“How far away is the kingdom?” Tommy asked once they had begun moving again, at a slower pace because again- Ranboo had been freshly healed. 

“Not that far. Should be an hour max, even at the pace we’re going.” Tubbo replied, looking over to Ranboo who looked half-asleep as they walked. “Is he alright?” Tommy asked, scared Ranboo wasn’t taking to his healing well. 

“Yeah, don’t worry. He’s probably just fatigued after the fighting and the healing. He’ll be like this while we walk,” Tubbo said, grabbing Ranboo’s hand and began walking again. “We just need to look out for him.”

Tommy nodded, looking around the forest again. He found it interesting, so full of life and wonder. He discovered a new thing each time he looked towards the trees, whether it be a new plant or a flower or an animal, he was always seeing something new. 

“Have you been to the kingdom often?” Tommy asked, breaking the silence. “A few times. The kingdom isn’t exactly a good friend of mine or Ranboo’s.” Tubbo said, a small chuckle escaping his lips. 

“Why’s that?” Tommy asked, although he had a bit of an inkling. “The crown you’re holding hostage?” Tubbo asked, although it felt rhetorical. Tommy nodded, and Tubbo continued, “yeah, me and Ranboo stole it. From the royal family. We just yanked it right under their noses, it was a job well done.” 

“You guys really are thieves.” Tommy said, finally believing what they had said the other day. “What, you didn’t believe us?” Tubbo asked, kind of shocked. Tommy nodded and laughed. 

“Yeah! Dude, you and Ranboo waltzed into my life and are the first people I’ve met ever . I didn’t want to believe my first friends to be criminals, but you know, fate works in weird ways.”

Tubbo chuckled, throwing an arm over Tommy’s shoulder. “That it does.”

Technoblade was going crazy. His instincts were going haywire from seeing the gold-gold-gold. Both hair and wings. 

Wings.

His mind flashed back to Theseus, when he had just been born and Technoblade and Wilbur had met him for the first time. Despite being a newborn, he had a head full of golden hair and the twins had to be removed because their instincts went off. 

Their father had kept them in his nest while it passed, and the second time they met their brother, they took in the adorable little thing that was indeed their brother. The king had told them that Theseus would grow wings in a few years' time, and if Technoblade was right, then that teenager he met in the forest was his long lost brother. 

As soon as his attackers had seemingly disappeared, Technoblade fought with himself to not go after them and instead turned and went back towards the kingdom. He had to let Wilbur know, and he also had to get back to help with the preparations. 

The lantern ceremony was tonight, as it was Theseus’ seventeenth birthday. Gods, it had really been seventeen years. The king had arrived at the castle late into the night, had collected his sons and held them in his arms and covered them with his wings as they slept the rest of the night away. 

Technoblade had left early in the morning to clear his head, knowing how his family would act as it drew nearer to the dreaded ceremony. 

It was a beautiful thing to witness, the hundreds of lanterns being released into the sky once the official one dedicated to Theseus was released into the air. It was like a sea of stars within an arm's reach, so close, just out of reach. 

Technoblade felt like that when he returned to the castle, feeling conflicted, confused and having a battle with his hindbrain yet again because of a kid who looked like Theseus, except older. 

Techno’s hope that his brother was well and alive was resurfacing, suddenly he felt stupid for even doubting it once. 

He dismounted his horse and asked the nearest guard to take it to the stables, heading inside and straight to his brother. Wilbur had been strumming his guitar when Techno barged inside, telling his brother in piglin language to not fight, and that he was knees deep in his instincts so there was nothing he could do. 

Wilbur only released a comforting chuff, letting Technoblade do his thing. Which was swaddling his brother in a cape, grabbing multiple pieces of golden jewelry and trinkets and putting them on and around him. Techno then sat down, hands finding his brother’s hair and running them through it. The brown curls were soft and nice to the touch, grounding him somewhat. 

Wilbur released another chuff, Technoblade beginning to rumble. His chest vibrated with the noise as he continued, Wilbur humming a tune. “Just what’s gotten you so riled up?” Wilbur murmured, leaning back and falling into his brother’s arms. Technoblade was warm, insanely so, but Wilbur could deal. 

Wilbur sighed and closed his eyes, relishing in the affection he was receiving. He hoped his brother would come to his senses soon, he wanted to know what got him so deep in his instincts, as it was a rare thing to happen, especially to a brute. Techno had a better grasp on his instincts than Wilbur, so it was always weird to see him act like this outside of the hibernation months. 

Wilbur didn’t want to think about it, and began humming a different tune to drone on about while listening to his brother’s rumbles. 

Tommy gaped, his eyes wide and mouth even wider. The buildings were so many, and there was a gigantic one at the top, looming over the rest of them. Tubbo chuckled beside him, grabbing something from his satchel and handing it to Tommy. 

Tommy saw that it was a pouch of coins. He shot him a look of confusion. “What’s this for?”

“To buy something for yourself, of course.” Tubbo said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Tommy barely knew the concept of money, much less how it operated. “I don’t think I’m the right person for this.” He said, feeling uneasy. 

“Well someone has to keep an eye on Ranboo, as he is still feeling bad. I can’t just leave him.” Tubbo argued, Tommy scowling slightly. Although he understood, he wasn’t exactly happy about it. 

“Can’t you find someplace for him to stay?” Tubbo raised a brow, brushing a few hairs out of Ranboo’s face. The poor enderman was half-asleep, if not asleep, clearly a lot more exhausted than the other two originally thought. 

“Like where? All of the inns and guesthouses are probably booked because of the festivities. There are very few possibilities that we can find a spare room.” Tommy did not know what those were but if they worked, he wouldn’t complain. 

“I say we go into town and look. Besides, we’ll miss the festivities if we don’t go!” Tommy countered, Tubbo sighing. “I have a question for you,” he said, voice slightly somber. 

“Does your healing always fatigue someone so harshly?” Tommy shook his head. “No, never. I don’t know why he’s acting like this, maybe with him being an enderman hybrid means he’s not made for abilities like these.”

Tubbo ran a hand through his hair, looking at Ranboo, who they had sat down leaning next to a pillar. “Can you do anything about it?” Tommy shrugged his shoulders. “I honestly don’t know. I could always try to heal him again, but I’m doubtful it’ll do anything. It might just worsen his condition.”

“Well we can’t just let him stay like this, can we? I want him to enjoy the festivities with us.” Tommy frowned, agreeing with Tubbo. He’d love to celebrate with both of them, but Ranboo was kind of out of the picture. “Can you get potions in the town?”

Tubbo shot him a look. “I think so, how the hell do you know about that?” Tommy smiled, “you learn a few things when cooped up in a tower for seventeen years. Books are a great way of education.”

“What kind of potion could fix him up though?” Tubbo questioned, looking deep in thought. “Either healing or regen. Strength might also do something, but it’s better to not risk it.” Tommy explained, Tubbo nodding in agreement. 

“I’ll stay with Ranboo while you go and get the necessary potions. Sounds good?” Tommy suggested, handing Tubbo his pouch of coins and sending a smile his way. Tubbo nodded, handing Tommy one of his daggers. 

“Just in case,” he said, turning on his heels and leaving, going over the bridge and disappearing into the crowd of people. 

Tommy sat down next to Ranboo, leaning his head on his arm, as the enderman was quite a bit taller than he was and it would just be awkward trying to lay on his shoulder. Tommy checked his temperature just in case, and luckily he didn’t seem to have a fever which was a positive. 

Tommy felt bad that Ranboo was in such a rough spot, especially after being healed. Tommy didn’t know how his healing would go for hybrids with ties to different worlds, because as far as Tommy was aware, endermen were native to the End, much like piglin were native to the Nether. 

Ranboo mumbled something incoherent, Tommy quickly moving away and looking at him, gauging to see if Ranboo would wake up. “Ranboo?” He spoke softly, carefully, he didn’t want to scare Ranboo. He definitely looked still half-asleep and dazed. 

“W’re Tubo?” Was all Tommy made out, Ranboo releasing a vwoop. “Tubbo will be back in a little bit, okay?” Ranboo nodded, clearly not very present and Tommy just sighed, sitting back down beside him. 

Tommy clutched the dagger Tubbo had handed to him before he went into town. 

He was on edge, he was alone with a half-unconscious Ranboo on the outskirts of the kingdom as an avian and a person with healing abilities. They were walking targets for criminals or weird people in general, and Tommy desperately needed Tubbo to come back, and quickly. 

He laid his head on Ranboo’s arm again, and began trying to calm himself down. One hand clutched the dagger and the other was clutching Ranboo’s hand. 

Tommy didn’t know how long it had been when Tubbo finally returned, but he wasn’t complaining. He was happy he was back. “What potion did you get?” Tommy asked as soon as Tubbo came back, standing up from where he had been sitting. “I asked the shopkeeper and they told me to get a strength pot. I did get a healing one just in case, but I have the potion so we should get it in his system.”

Tommy nodded, helping Tubbo get Ranboo in a proper position, holding his head slightly tilted as Tubbo unscrewed the cork and put the bottle up to his lips, letting the liquid run into his mouth. “Tilt his head just a little more,” Tommy did, seeing Ranboo gulp as an automatic response to the liquid. 

“He should be on his feet in a few minutes while the potion settles in his system. It shouldn’t take long.” Tubbo said, pulling the bottle back and Tommy put Ranboo back up to the wall. “You guys were safe?” Tommy nodded, handing him the dagger. 

“Thank fuck I didn’t have to use that,” Tommy joked, hiding his nerves behind humor. It was something he always did, helped with uncomfortable situations. “Have you ever wielded a weapon before?” He shook his head, wings ruffling slightly under the cloak. 

“Never. And I don’t exactly plan to.” Tubbo hummed, understanding that. “I mean, my whole schtick is healing, y’know? It never crossed my mind to harm, that sounds so backwards to what my abilities are.”

“That’s understandable. That and you’re sheltered.” Tommy burst out laughing at Tubbo’s bluntness, Tubbo grinning from ear to ear. 

As they continued to joke around and talk, Ranboo finally came to. “What..?” He mumbled, eyes slowly fluttering open and getting adjusted to the brightness. “Ranboo!” Tommy exclaimed, happy that his friend was alright. 

“You alright big man?” Tubbo questioned, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” Ranboo brushed their worries off, looking confused. “What happened though?” 

“My healing kind of took you off the map for a bit. I guess you being an enderman kind of fucks with it.” Tommy explained. 

“Ah, well that could just be it.” Ranboo said, a chuckle following. Tommy clapped his hands, quickly standing up and looking at his friends and gestured to the kingdom in the background. 

“So fellas,” he began, Tubbo already hating the dramatics. “Can we finally embark on this final chapter on our adventure and help me fulfill my dream?” Ranboo rolled his eyes but stood up, standing to his full height, Tubbo grabbing the bottle and stuffing it into his satchel. 

“Yes, now that the final member of our group is healed and ready, let’s go.” Tubbo replied, playing into the bit despite hating it. Tommy beamed, Ranboo and Tubbo smiling as well and they finally went their way and into the kingdom. 

Tommy was scared, not knowing what to expect. He could already see massive crowds of people, he could feel the anxiety bubbling in his chest.

 He clutched his cloak, feeling like it’s going to be ripped off as soon as someone laid eyes on him.

As soon as they went over the bridge, they were greeted by large gates with guards on each side. Tubbo shot them a look and gave them a nod as a greeting, receiving one back and they entered the kingdom. 

Tommy was officially in the kingdom. 

Holy shit! Holy shit, he was actually doing this! He was so close to achieving his dream!

He couldn’t erase the fat smile on his face, and he honestly didn’t want to. He’s never felt so happy. 

“We should get something to eat.” Ranboo suggested, Tommy and Tubbo nodding in agreement. “I think I spotted a bakery while I was running around looking for the potion shop.” Tubbo replied, stopping to gather his surroundings. 

“I wouldn’t mind some fresh bread, maybe some pastries.” Ranboo said, Tommy’s mouth watering at the thought. “Well let’s go then! C’mon boob boy, move faster!” Tommy exclaimed, laughing as he pushed Tubbo and Ranboo forward. 

“We don’t even know where it is!” Ranboo retorted, Tommy huffing. “Who cares, there’s so much to explore! We’ll eventually find it, there’s no rush.” 

“Fine, but as soon as we spot the bakery, we’re going to it. We need food.” Tubbo reasoned, Tommy nodding in agreement before heading off, the other two following closely. 

Tommy was so giddy and filled with excitement, chirps and giggles escaping his lips as he and his friends ran around the kingdom, going from shop to shop and looking at all of the cool merchandise following the festival. 

“Why’s there so much sun?” Tommy asked, taking a bite out of his pastry. It was round, with a hole in the middle and covered in chocolate. Tubbo had called it a doughnut, but Tommy didn’t care about the name. It tasted delicious and that’s all that mattered. 

“It’s the symbol of the kingdom. It wasn’t always the sun though, it changed around seventeen years ago when the youngest prince was born. Apparently people said he had been blessed by the gods to wield powers of the sun, like how the king is apparently blessed with his wings,” Tubbo explained, sipping his chocolate milk. “They changed the symbol, and it’s just stuck. It also fits with the festival.”

Tommy hummed, taking another bite. They were sitting outside the bakery, at a nice table tucked away in a corner so as to not draw suspicion to themselves, Tommy took the chance to look around the area. The bakery was smackdab in the middle of the town, the square just a few steps away. 

Everything was very intricate in the town, the buildings all shared a similar style of stone and spruce wood, lattice details and a lot of plants and growth on each building. The square had an intricate sun design carved into it, a fountain in the middle. Close by the square, Tommy noticed a painting of some kind carved into the wall. 

On the painting was a family. A blond man with wings, a dark haired woman holding a small blond- no, golden haired child, and two pink haired boys standing in front of the man and woman. Were they the royal family?

“What’s that?” Tommy asked, pointing to the weird painting thing. “That’s a mural of the royal family.” Ranboo replied, leaning back in his chair. He finished his food ages ago, he was just waiting for Tommy and Tubbo to finish theirs. 

“A mural? What’s that?” Ranboo released a vwoop, “it’s just a work of art on a wall, basically. It was installed when the youngest prince was born.”

Tommy continued looking at the mural, the baby catching his eye. Bright blue eyes and a head full of golden hair, much like his own. The royal family was beautiful though, Tommy could admit.

The king’s wings were massive, and based on how dark they were, he was a predator. 

That could become a problem. But for now, he would ignore that as ignorance is bliss. 

“Can you guys please just eat your food? We’ve been sitting here for maybe forty minutes!” Ranboo complained, Tubbo sticking his tongue at him that had chewed up food on it. “Ew dude! That’s not on.” 

Tubbo snorted, going at it on his pastry to finish it finally. 

Once they finally finished their food, they headed towards the square because that’s where the most foot traffic was. Tommy decided to buy a small cloth that had the symbol of the kingdom on it, the design intricate with many different details on a light blue background. They walked around, looked at the many different stalls and saw what people were selling, when suddenly music started playing. 

The music was lively, nothing Tommy had ever heard but all he heard were the tunes Dream would hum in his childhood. He didn’t even know how they were producing the music, Tubbo did enlighten him about the instruments. Tommy started bouncing on his feet to the beat, feeling light as he danced around. He ushered Tubbo and Ranboo to join, who were reluctant but eventually joined as they danced around the fountain. 

Eventually more and more people started joining, and soon there was a whole group of people dancing with them around the fountain. Tommy laughed, clapping his hands to the beat and continued to dance. 

He felt so happy, almost euphoric as he danced and spun and jumped with the rest of the townspeople. It was so much fun, why did he never do this before?

The music stopped after a while, the trio leaving the square panting and thirsty. They got themselves something to drink and kept walking around the town as the sun started to set. 

“Let’s get to the boats.” Tubbo suggested, Ranboo looking uneasy at that idea. “Boat? Are we going on the water?” Tommy asked, Tubbo nodding. “Ranboo doesn’t look too good about that though.”

Tubbo frowned. “It’s the best view though. I know you’re uneasy about it, but I’ll make sure nothing will go wrong. Okay? You just need to trust me,” he said, trying to win Ranboo over. 

“Tubbo, you know I don’t do water, and you even know why . Is it worth it?” Tubbo sighed, and looked between the two. “It’s for him, though. He wants us both there, and I don’t want to do this without you, so please.” 

Ranboo sighed, running a hand through his hair. He was in a debate with himself for a few moments before finally answering, “fine, we can go on the water. But please, please, be careful.”

Tubbo beamed, jumping on Ranboo and giving him a bone crushing hug. “Thank you Boo! I promise you nothing will go wrong.” 

“Let’s go then!” Tubbo exclaimed, running off towards the docks. Ranboo and Tommy shared a look, then smiled at one another before chasing after him.

Chapter Text

They found an empty boat by the docks, quickly jumping in and settling, Tubbo grabbing the oars and began setting course. They weren’t leaving the harbor, just moving a bit away from the docks and a bit further away from the ships to see the kingdom in full glory. 

Under the shining moonlight, it looked peaceful. Not the same busy place it was just moments ago. 

The water wasn’t filled with boats, in fact, most people by the harbor had situated themselves in the ships docked nearby, leaving the three friends practically alone on the shallow water. 

Tubbo had apparently bought a bag of flowers to throw into the water. It was supposed to bring good luck; and supposed to honor the fallen to the sea. 

“Have you guys been out to sea?” Tommy asked, grabbing another flower and gently dropping it into the water. “Tubbo has.” Ranboo replied, still skeptical of the water. 

Tubbo had made sure to row them slowly, so as to not splash any water into the boat. The weather was calm, no wind in sight despite some slight chilliness, so no waves carried into the harbor. 

“How was it?” Tommy had always wondered what it was like to sail on the open sea. He couldn’t swim, but he thought that didn’t matter. 

“It was so cool. Puffy took me on one of her expeditions one time, and I’ve never experienced so much adrenaline,” Tubbo gushered, hands flailing around to show his excitement. “Puffy is so cool as well, a previous badass pirate captain turned bartender and saloon owner. I think that’s pretty cool.”

Tommy smiled, dropping another flower. The water around them was filled with them, and Tubbo was right, it looked beautiful. 

“Puffy raised us,” Ranboo chimed in from the back. “She took us in when we were maybe like eight or nine years old, and she was on her way to retirement even then. Tubbo got to join her on some of her final expeditions, she was kind enough to let him join though.” 

“Must’ve been nice. Miss Puffy seems like a nice lady,” Tommy said, a slight sorrow in his voice. The way they talked about the woman who raised them made him think, wonder, doubt. 

Tommy was realizing that Dream wasn’t good. A lot of pieces were being added to the puzzle and Tommy was both confused yet relieved. He could rid himself of the abuse. But, at the same time, Dream was the man who raised him. He took care of him, saved him, and taught him all he knew. 

Dream might have his bad moments, but he was still the closest thing to a father Tommy had, and he wasn’t sure if he could let him go. Not so easily, at least. 

He was in a dilemma, stuck between a rock and a hard place. 

“She’s super nice. You guys briefly talked at the saloon, yes?” Tubbo inquired, laying back in the boat. “I don’t remember, maybe? She only really spoke to you two.” 

Tommy moved to grab another flower, when a light in the reflection of the water caught his eye. He looked up, to see a floating light gliding over the town. 

“Guys!” He exclaimed, Tubbo and Ranboo rising from their spots to look at what he was pointing to. A smile adorned their faces, Tommy’s attention stuck on the small lantern. Soon enough, hundreds of lanterns were turned on, he could see it from here even, and got released into the sky. 

It became a sea of lights, so beautiful and magnificent and even better than Tommy had hoped. His dream was happening right in front of him, he was finally fulfilling his dream. Practically twelve years in the making, and Tommy had never felt happier. 

Within minutes, the sky was filled, the lanterns floating towards the ground again. Tommy could see people boost the lanterns back into the sky. He wanted to release one too, but as the group waltzed through the town he hadn't seen any stalls selling lanterns. 

Missed opportunity. 

Ranboo cleared his throat behind him, Tommy taking a quick look behind him to see him and Tubbo holding three lanterns total. “What?” Tommy muttered, confused but quickly moved to sit in front of Ranboo and Tubbo. “I have something for you guys too.” He said, quickly unbuckling the band of the satchel and taking it from under the cloak, revealing it to the others. 

“I know I said I was going to hand it over when you returned me home, but you’ve done so much for me that I feel like it’s stupid not to give it to you,” Tommy explained, suddenly feeling nervous under their gaze. “I also trust you guys, so I want you to have this.” 

He handed them the satchel, Ranboo taking it and throwing it on the floor. Tommy looked at them confused, “What? Why?”

Tubbo smiled, handing Tommy a lantern. “Shut up, and keep living your dream.” Tommy grinned, accepting the lantern and looking between Tubbo and Ranboo. “Ready?” He asked, the other two nodding. 

“Release!” Tubbo exclaimed, the three lanterns leaving their hands and floating up into the sky. Tommy stared in awe at the lanterns as they floated in the sky. 

Tubbo wrapped his arms around Tommy, embracing him tightly. “Happy birthday big man.” Ranboo eventually joined in on the hug, maneuvering very carefully so as to not get splashed by the water. 

“Thank you guys,” Tommy replied gratefully, voice shaky and wet. Tears threatened to cascade down his cheeks as he stared at the sky accompanied by his two friends. 

A lantern floated down to the boat, Tommy quickly reached forward and lifted up into the sky. It had a drawing of the sun, and a pattern surrounding it. 

“That’s the royal one,” Ranboo said, watching Tommy boost it into the sky again. “For the prince?” 

“Yeah. It’s the one that kicks off the ceremony.” They stared at the lantern as it floated upwards and joined the rest of them. 

“This is the best thing ever.” Tommy said, the other two chuckling behind him. “Have you ever seen the royal family in person?” Tubbo and Ranboo shook their heads in sync. “The Royal family doesn’t exactly like people like us. We prefer to stay under their radar, but that’s a bit more difficult these days.”

Tommy raised a brow. “The king spotted us when we nicked the crown. He’s been on our tail since, but had to stop obviously due to the festival.” Ranboo explained, sinking back down into the boat. 

“I’d just like to ask the king some questions about his wings, nothing more. Maybe ask him for flight lessons, but that seems too far-fetched.” Tommy said, wings ruffling underneath the cloak, a chirp escaping his mouth. Ranboo replied with a vwoop, tail whipping around. 

They spent the rest of the evening on the boat, watching as the lanterns finally came back to the ground and were cleaned up. Then they finally started making their way back to shore. 

“Yeah! I have this pet spider back at the tower, his name’s Shroud.” Ranboo made a face of disgust, clearly horrified by this discovery. “Why would you ever want a- a spider! Of all things!” 

“Why are you judging?! I’ve kept him alive for several years, he’s outlived his entire family basically!” Tommy retorted, arms flailing in exaggeration. “You’re acting like I had many choices of an animal companion. I live in a tower for fuck’s sake!” 

Ranboo burst out laughing, Tubbo chuckling behind him. The boat steered to the beach, Tommy too caught in watching the stars to notice Ranboo and Tubbo communicating between each other. Tuboo hasten the pace, quickly steering up to the beach and jumping out to drag it the rest of the way. 

Ranboo got out as soon as he felt it was safe enough, breathing normally as soon as his feet touched the sand. Tommy sat up from where he was laying, a concerned look on his face. “Where are you guys going?” He asked, Tubbo’s face turning stoic, Ranboo’s tail swishing back and forth nervously. 

“Is everything okay?” Tommy asked, moving to get out of the boat but Ranboo put a gentle hand on his chest, keeping him from moving further. “Please, just stay behind. We’ll return in a bit, okay?” Ranboo spoke, voice slightly shaky. 

“You guys are making me nervous,” Tommy said, trying to make his voice seem light but he was crumbling. He was scared that his friends were in danger. “Don’t worry,” Ranboo said, a small smile on his lips. “We’ll be back before you know it, okay? So just stay here.”

“Ranboo,” Tubbo said, voice hushed. Ranboo nodded, removing his hand and making sure Tommy would stand still. “Stay.” Ranboo said for one final time before he joined Tubbo’s side, and they walked off. 

The forest looked misty, fog covering a large part of it. The atmosphere was scary, almost haunted. Tommy felt a shiver run down his spine, a sudden breeze shaking him up. Every small little noise or thing made him jump or flinch. Tommy was scared, he felt exposed and unprotected. Despite his disguise, he still felt like he was about to get snatched up by some hunter or trafficker and taken to a far away land to be used for his abilities. 

Tommy wrapped his arms around himself, hoping it would bring him some sort of comfort. Everything felt so eerie, and Tommy didn’t like that. It seemed like the filter that covered his eyes about the world had dissolved suddenly. 

He sighed, getting out of the boat and sitting down in the sand, back against the wood. He brought his knees under the cloak and up to his chest, clutching them tightly. He hoped Ranboo and Tubbo would come back soon. And safely at that. 

As he looked forward, he saw a speck of light and the shadow of a figure. Tubbo! Oh thank the gods he was alright! Where was Ranboo though?

“Tubbo! You’re okay, thank the gods!” Tommy said, a cheery tone in his voice. “Where is Ranboo? Did he get scared and teleport away? He seems like the type to do that, not gonna lie to you-”

Tommy cut himself off, noticing that the figure was now two figures. A pit of anxiety started forming in Tommy’s stomach, who swiftly got on his feet and started backing off. Finally, the two figures came into view for him. 

Bandana guy and mushroom hat. 

Why the fuck were they here? 

Tommy took another step back, wings puffing up under his cloak. He was trembling now, his hindbrain yelling at him to run. “Wha-what do you want?” Tommy croaked out, trying to sound intimidating but failing miserably. 

Bandana guy- Sapnap (?)Tommy wasn’t sure, laughed at him. “You look a bit shaken,” The mushroom guy said, George if Tommy remembered correctly. They started circling him, Tommy feeling trapped and cornered. 

He had nowhere to run, and he couldn’t fly so that was out of the question. He was really trapped. “Where are my friends?” Tommy asked, Sapnap smirking deviously. Tommy didn’t like that, he really didn’t like that. 

Sapnap gestured towards the water, the faint outline of a boat in the distance. “Take a look for yourself,” he said, giving Tommy room to move and see for himself. He looked, saw the boat and narrowed his eyes just a bit, to see Tubbo at the helm, crown in hand. What the fuck. 

“What the fuck?..” Tommy’s voice trailed off, the anxiety in his stomach turning into betrayal and anguish and anger. Why would Tubbo do this? 

“It doesn’t make any sense. I-I– you’re lying.” Tommy accused, voice dropping to a growl. George frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. “We’re not. They gave us a fair trade,” he said, approaching Tommy who stood frozen watching the boat drift further and further away. A hand on his shoulder thrust him back into reality, and Tommy flinched violently. 

“The crown,” George continued, running his hand over Tommy’s cloaked shoulder. Tommy bit back a whimper, tears brimming his eyes. Damn, why the hell is he crying so much?

“For the boy with magical abilities.” Tommy’s eyes widened, his breath hitching in his throat. “No. You’re lying. They wouldn’t do that to me,” Tommy gritted out, tears threatening to spill. George made a tsk sound with his tongue, shaking his head in mock pity. 

“Oh, but they did. And ran off with the crown, guess it was more important than you after all.” 

Tommy shook off the hand on his shoulder, taking a step back. “Stay away from me,” he spat out, steps hurrying as he scurried backwards, Sapnap and George approaching him with rope in hand. 

Tommy turned around just as Sapnap lunged for him, and took off, running into the forest. He ran as fast as his legs could take him, jumping over fallen trees and rocks. He could hear them behind him, they were gaining on him. 

Fuck. 

Tommy kept running, despite how his lungs were starting to burn and his muscles started to ache, he kept running. Running and running, until he jumped over a fallen log and his cloak got stuck. 

Panting, he tried to set himself free by tugging on his cloak but to no avail. He chirped in distress, and kept tugging when a familiar voice called out to him. 

“Tommy!”

Dream. 

“Tommy!”

Dream was here. He was here, he saved Tommy. 

He saved him. Dream saved him, like he always did. Dream was always there to help Tommy, to save him, to protect him. 

“Dream!” Tommy exclaimed back, a chirp following suit. Dream appeared beyond the treeline, masked face had never filled Tommy with such relief as now. “Dream,” Tommy hiccuped, tears cascading down his face as the man quickly dropped his weapon and ran up to him, cradling him to his chest. 

“Oh, Tommy,” Dream said, so softly, so full of care and safety, that Tommy did nothing but cry and chirp into his chest, clutching Dream’s tunic and finally feeling safe. “Let’s get you home, okay?”

Chapter Text

Tommy was like a statue as Dream preened his wings. As he washed his hair and combed through it. Even as he was fed. 

Tommy was a shell of a human, the betrayal cutting so deep into his soul that he felt like nothing. Dream had not spoken a single word since their reunion in the forest, which Tommy didn’t know was comforting or terrifying. 

He knew Dream had a plan for punishment, he always did. But Tommy wouldn’t dare try to defy him, not now. Dream had proved his point, the world was ruthless. 

Dream had asked for healing. Tommy complied without complaint, set out the chairs and healed the wounds, didn’t even wince as the headache formed due to the wounds. Tommy was nothing more than a husk, and Dream was sure to take advantage of that. 

“Dinner will be served in ten minutes.” Dream had said, before leaving Tommy’s room. Silence fell over the room, as it had since Tommy arrived. The only thing Tommy had to remind him of the joys and laughs he had in the kingdom was a small little flag, painted in the colors of Antarctica with a sun embroidered in the middle. 

Tommy sighed, falling back down in his bed, ceiling high as he stared. Tommy had never understood why his room had high ceilings, it didn’t make sense for anything as he didn’t know how to fly or use his wings for anything other than to show for the fact that he was avian. 

It felt like mockery. 

Tommy had been stuck in his mind, replaying the moments he had spent with his friends- or well, what he thought were his friends-, from the dancing, the eating, the learning. Experiencing the lanterns, his dream , and gods could he never forget it. 

He stared at the small flag in his hand, watching the embroidery and running his fingers along the seams, Tommy began to ponder more and more about what he saw. 

The kingdom, the copious amounts of sun, the mural. 

The mural. 

The mural of the royal family, the small child which looked strikingly similar to Tommy’s own reflection. Did Tommy all of a sudden have a twin brother? 

Tommy’s head already hurt thinking about it, but something kept him pondering. Just thinking, wondering if something more was behind the mural. Tubbo and Ranboo had mentioned a lost prince, and it had been seventeen years when Tommy’s birthday rolled around. 

Wait. 

Tommy clutched his head, a sudden strike of pain causing him to wince and groan. Everything felt too much. His breathing was too loud, the clanking of pots and pans downstairs was too blaring, his skin felt too sticky. 

Fuck, what was happening to him. 

He cried out in pain once more, his head pounding even more now and worse. Tommy’s hands started glowing, a sign of his powers, but there was nothing to heal. His body was fine, what is there to heal?

He shut his eyes, hands clutching his head again. Could they heal a headache? He’d never tried, since his healing just gave him headaches instead. 

What was happening to him? He didn’t like this, he was scared. He wanted Tubbo. And Ranboo. He did have Shroud, but he had run off when Dream came into the room. Tommy’s wings curled in on themselves, shrinking to his back as he tried to fight the headache to no avail. 

How did it all go so wrong?

Tommy winced again, clutching his head tighter as his hands glowed brighter and suddenly everything stopped. Tommy opened his eyes and sat up, suddenly in an entirely different place. 

The room he was in was extravagant, large and white. Pillars stood beside the two large oak doors, a giant rug in the middle made out of expensive looking fabric, colored the same as the Antarctica flag. What the fuck?

Tommy continued looking around, seeing very few to no decorations in the large rooms. A small stool sat by a crib, the rug filled with toys and large windows letting in the sun. Where in the Gods’ name was he?

Tommy walked up to the crib, taking a reluctant peak at what could be sleeping away in it. Tommy’s eyes widened when he saw a small child, with such golden hair and such bright blue eyes that it made Tommy still. 

He recognized that child. It’s the lost prince, from the mural.

Fuck, why was Tommy dreaming about the lost prince?

Tommy kept looking at the child, jumping when a hand suddenly phased through him. What the fuck is going on. 

Tommy backed off, looking at the hand and seeing that it belonged to the king. Large black wings engulfed him and the child as he picked it up, chirping and cooing which was making Tommy’s own instincts go wild. 

“Oh, dear Theseus.” The king crooned, turning around to walk towards the stool where a woman sat, dark hair sitting on her shoulders elegantly. “How is he?” She spoke, taking the child from the king. “Sleeping like a rock.” The king said with a smile. 

“That’s good,” the woman said, a rough-sounding cough escaping her lips. “Are you not getting better?” The king asked, sorrow pooling in his eyes. Tommy frowned, watching the interaction. 

From his brief history lesson given by Ranboo, the queen had passed after the birth of the youngest prince. A month after his birth she succumbed to her illness after a long and tough battle. 

“I-I thought the flower would do it. It’s literally from the sun, how would it not heal you?” The king spoke, exasperated as he started to pace the room, wings fluffing up in anger. Tommy fought back a chirp, scared that he’ll interrupt the moment. 

“Phil,” the queen breathed, voice hoarse and weak as she rocked the child back and forth. “I don’t understand! We made the medicine exactly as the book said, we even asked the people who know best to make sure it was correct but why?” The king rambled, voice cracking nearing the end. 

“Why are you not better?” The king said, stopping in front of the queen and dropping to his knees, wings sprawled out on the floor as he sobbed into the queen’s lap. “Why is it not working?”

The queen, so gently, so lovingly, ran a hand through the king’s blond locks and spoke so softly, “My king, please don’t falter now. Our sons need you, our kingdom needs you. You are still a ruler with or without me,” she said, the king looking at her through tear-filled eyes. 

“As you are a father, with or without me,” she said, a gentle hand placed on the king’s cheek and wiped a stray tear. “But who am I without you?” The king questioned, the queen adorning a sad smile on her face. 

Tommy felt tears brimming his eyes, hurriedly blinking them away as he watched the scene unfold. He still had no idea why he was being shown this, it made no sense. 

“Yourself.” The queen replied simply, removing her hand from his cheek to hold her child properly. 

Suddenly everything turned dark again, Tommy alone as a cold breeze passed through him. A shiver ran down his spine, feathers fluffing up and wings coming to wrap around himself to protect him. 

The ghost of a hand on his shoulder made him jump, Tommy keeping a scream at bay as he saw who the hand belonged to. 

The queen. 

“Yo-your majesty!” Tommy exclaimed, quickly bowing in respect. His brain was hurting with all of the confusion, from the pain before falling asleep to the scene he had just witnessed. The queen released a chuckle, a hand underneath his chin lifting him up so he could gaze into her obsidian eyes. 

She was elegant, Tommy thought. Long black dress which flowed so nicely at her feet, gloves to accompany which reached her elbows, a black hat which had a veil that covered her face, but Tommy had seen it as soon as he laid his eyes on her that it was the queen. 

“Hello, Tommy.” She spoke, her voice sounding so soft and soothing. Tommy had to fight back the urge to relax in her hold. “You have been through a lot, my child.” She said, the hand moving from his chin to his hair, and Tommy melted. 

Her touch was like magic, immediately destroying all instincts and defense Tommy had built throughout everything. He slumped in her hold, chirping and crooning as she messed with his curls. 

“My son,” the queen hiccuped, Tommy chirping in response. His brain was half-registering what the queen was saying, too enraptured in the affection to realize what she had just uttered. “How cruel the world has become, hurting you, mistreating you. How dare they,” she muttered into his hair, Tommy’s chirps becoming more prominent. 

Flock-flock-flock-safe, his hindbrain was yelling at him yet Tommy ignored it, not even knowing what it meant. A kiss on his hair, a final scratch and a whispered I love you, and Tommy was back. 

Back in his room in the tower, on his bed, holding the small flag of the kingdom of Antarctica. 

But now, Tommy knew something. 

Something he probably wasn’t supposed to know. 

He was the lost prince. 

Somehow, Tommy remembered being an infant, being cradled and hugged and loved by his family. The royal family . 

The scene he saw play out, Tommy remembered it. How he did it, he had no fucking idea, but he wasn’t complaining. He had clarity, he had realized finally that he had somewhere to go, somewhere where he belonged. 

Tommy tried to stand up, collapsing on the floor with a loud thud, which alerted Dream. 

Dream. 

In all honesty, Tommy had forgotten about Dream for a bit. But that meant, if Tommy was the lost prince, it meant that Dream kidnapped him. Dream was everything he had been warned about the world. 

Dream was what the world was to Tommy, before he met Ranboo and Tubbo. Before he was shown that the world is beautiful and exciting and adventurous. 

“Tommy?” Dream yelled from downstairs, footsteps sounding up the stairs. “Are you alright?” Tommy’s breathing quickened, wings beating as he struggled to get back on his feet. Dream barged into the room, rushing to Tommy’s side and lifting him up on his feet. 

Tommy quickly pushed him away, Dream shooting him a look. It was a warning Tommy knew all too well, but he was angry. He was angry and determined and didn’t really give a fuck about whatever punishment Dream would send his way. 

“What was that? Did you have a nightmare?” Dream asked, putting his hand forward to pat Tommy’s head but he was quicker, grabbing Dream’s wrist tightly and glaring at him. “You fucking lied to me.” 

Dream chuckled, confused. “What?”

Tommy let go of his wrist and pushed him away from him, storming out of the room and down the stairs. “You fucking lied! My whole life, you’ve been lying to me!” Dream was quick to follow, trailing behind Tommy as he rambled and released his anger. 

“What are you talking about?” Tommy chuckled wryly, fed up with Dream’s innocent acting. “You know exactly what I’m talking about,” he said, pointing a finger at Dream. “I’m the fucking lost prince.”

Dream laughed, clearly nervous as he slowly approached Tommy. “What are you saying right now? Did you hit your head when you fell earlier?”

Tommy growled, pushing Dream again, trying to keep a distance between the two of them. “You know exactly what I’m on about! You fucking stole me as a child, from the palace! I’m the lost prince of the kingdom!” 

Dream released an exasperated sigh, running a hand through his hair. “I only did what I did to protect you.” He tried to excuse, Tommy rolling his eyes. “You fucking liar! Everything you told me about the world is wrong! You were the person exploiting me for my powers, you are the reason I’ve been stuck in a tower my entire life! You are the only reason for all of this!”

Dream’s expression suddenly darkened, a gleam in his eyes suddenly making Tommy feel nervous, but he had to stand his ground. He had to escape. 

“Oh? I’m at fault for wanting to keep you safe? For wanting nothing bad to happen to you?” Tommy scoffed, not believing Dream was trying to excuse and explain his behavior. “Yeah, you fucking are.” Tommy replied, Dream scoffing this time in return. 

“If that’s how you want to play this game then fine,” Dream said, voice darkening as he approached Tommy threateningly, “then sure, we’ll play this game like that.”

Tubbo regained consciousness when he knocked against something, finding himself tethered to a boat with the stupid crown tied to his hand. He frantically looked around, seeing that he was by the castle with no Ranboo or Tommy in sight. 

“Fuck,” he muttered, looking around to see if he could use anything to cut himself loose but coming up with nothing. As he struggled against the tightly knit ropes, guards took notice of him and made their way down towards him. 

“You’re in for a treat, scum.” Someone spat at him, the ropes being cut off him as he was hoisted out of the boat, the crown ripped from his hand with no resistance from Tubbo whatsoever as chains were placed on his wrists and he was taken into custody. 

The guards were not kind to Tubbo, throwing him harshly into the next available cell for him to rot in until sentencing. 

Where the fuck was Ranboo? He knew he teleported away as they were ambushed but he had expected him to swoop in and help by now. Tubbo groaned, sitting down on the harsh ground, back against the uncomfortable and jagged wall. 

He needed to get out of here. He needed to find Ranboo, show him a lesson and then they had to go and find Tommy. Tubbo ran his chained hands through his messy hair, the stress and pressure piled on top of exhaustion was a difficult combination to fight. 

Tubbo couldn’t sleep though, he needed to device a plan to get the fuck out of this place and straight to Tommy’s tower. 

Tubbo sat in his cell, wracking his brain for what felt like hours on end, trying to devise a plan for his escape and rescue of Tommy. The dread of approaching footsteps resounded in his ears, the anxiety and pressure suddenly too much. 

Tubbo, lost in his thoughts, didn't even notice when the guards entered his cell and ripped him up from the floor, escorting him out. “Sad end for a kid,” one of the guards chimed in from behind Tubbo, the grip on his arm tightening.

“He’s still a criminal, so I don’t really care for the matter.” Another one replied, voice gruff and rough-sounding, most likely from years of smoking cigarettes. “I still think he should get a pardon and work for the king instead of being hung.”

Tubbo’s breath hitched, heartbeat so loud in his ears. He’s going to be hung, this is where his life ends. Tubbo knew he wasn’t a good person, fuck’s sake he was a renowned thief and a known criminal, but he still thought he would make it at least to twenty. 

Freshly turned eighteen and already got one foot in the grave. Tubbo regretted a lot of things, one of them right now was not protecting Tommy as he said he would, or telling Ranboo he cared for him and adored listening to him ramble about his interests and fuck, Tubbo didn’t want to die. 

“He stole the youngest prince’s crown. Everybody knows how the royal family acts about that, they don’t take anything negative about it too kindly.” Tubbo didn’t hear the rest of the conversation, too busy trying not to break down to even want to listen to them. 

As they walked down the corridor and passed more cells, Tubbo noticed purple swirls in the air. Ranboo?

He looked around, confused because Ranboo clearly wasn’t here. Then suddenly, a guard collapses to the ground, knocked out cold. “What the-?” A guard cursed, another falling to the ground. They stopped moving, the guards that had been clutching his arms let them go, quickly grabbing their weapons and circling Tubbo. 

Tubbo just stood awkwardly as another one fell, leaving one guard alone. Tubbo cracked his knuckles, clearing his throat to get the guard’s attention. Confused, he looked at Tubbo, who smirked at him and sprung into action, headbutting him and quickly knocking him out. 

Tubbo was now alone in the corridor and surrounded by knocked out guards. 

The particles appeared in the air again, now Ranboo actually appearing in front of Tubbo. “I have the urge to deck you, I hope you know that.” Tubbo said as Ranboo worked his magic to release his hands from the chains. 

Ranboo released a vwoop, eyes focused on the chains. “Yeah, save it for later.” Tubbo sighed, letting Ranboo finish the job. 

Soon the chains were released, falling with a loud clang to the ground. Tubbo rubbed his wrists, noticing how raw and red they were from the heavy chains. “Let’s get going. There are certainly more guards on their way since you haven’t been escorted out.” 

“Did you at least get my stuff?” Tubbo asked, fixing his hair. Ranboo nodded, handing Tubbo his satchel, who checked the contents quickly before slinging it over his shoulder. “Now,” Tubbo said with a wry smile, clearly still annoyed with Ranboo. “Shall we?”

Ranboo nodded, putting his arms around Tubbo’s shoulders and then they were gone. 

They ended up on the very outskirts of the kingdom, on the same bridge they had escorted Tommy into the kingdom. “Do you know where Tommy is?” Tubbo asked, brushing his clothes off of any dust. Ranboo cleared his throat, eyes cast downward. “He’s back at the tower, I’m mostly certain.”

Tubbo narrowed his eyes. “You’re not certain?” Ranboo shook his head, Tubbo releasing a frustrated groan. “I get that you’re frustrated, but we have to focus, Tubbo, okay? We need to get to the tower as quickly as possible to help Tommy. If he’s not there, then we’ll find him either way, okay?”

Tubbo closed his eyes and inhaled, held his breath for a few seconds before exhaling. He was exhausted, hungry and thirsty, but he needed to save Tommy. They both needed to save Tommy, and they couldn’t afford to fight right now. 

“Okay,” Tubbo said calmly, looking at Ranboo with a look in his eyes which made the enderman physically relax. “How far can you teleport?” Tubbo asked, Ranboo releasing a vwoop. “To Captain’s Call.”

Tubbo hummed in acknowledgement. “Great. We can move from there.” Ranboo grabbed on to Tubbo, smiling. “Hang on,” he said, before they teleported away. 

Tommy struggled, pulling against the restraints as he followed Dream while he busied himself around the tower. “Oh, stop fighting.” Dream said, voice sounding sickeningly sweet. “Fuck you!” Tommy exclaimed, pulling harder. 

He was already exhausted, his muscles burned and ached and all he wanted to do was curl into a ball and sob his heart out but this was a life or death situation. His freedom depended on this, he had to get out of the tower. 

Dream had bound his wings together, so tightly that Tommy couldn’t even move them a millimeter without feeling pain. Tommy knew what was happening. Dream was moving them, he told them they were going out of the country, to start somewhere new. 

But this time, Tommy wouldn’t be allowed even to see the outside world, trapped in a basement with not even any sunlight. Tommy didn’t want that, fuck that, so he was fighting. And fighting and fighting even despite how his body protested. 

He had to escape from Dream, he had to. If he didn’t succeed at least he died trying, that must account for something, right?

“You know this is your fault, right?” Dream said, approaching Tommy, looming over him where the teenager struggled against the restraints. “If only you hadn’t left the tower, then none of this would be happening.” He said, stepping to run a finger along his wing, Tommy flinching and moving away to no avail. 

“You’re the reason why we’re moving, why you’re chained and bound,” Dream continued, Tommy fighting back a wave of tears. He was so tired, he just wanted to leave. 

“It’s all your fault,” Tommy said, voice hoarse and cracking from emotion and from screaming his voice raw. “You can’t accept the fact that I don’t belong to you, and that I know I don’t. You don’t like it, you’re insecure, you’re a little bit-” Dream’s palm made direct contact with Tommy’s cheek, his head flying to the side upon impact. 

“Watch your fucking tone. You should be thankful for everything I’ve done for you, for protecting you from this disgusting world!”

“You’re the one who’s disgusting!” Tommy screamed, tears finally breaking through and falling down his cheeks. “You’re the one who poisoned my mind, who hurt me throughout my entire life and used me! You’ve done everything but protect me!” Tommy spat, poison lacing every single word. 

Dream looked appalled, clearly not expecting Tommy to grow courage, to see him stand up to him. The spitfire personality was back, and Dream didn’t like that. His years of conditioning were gone, and he worked too hard for it to be thrown away. 

“You listen to me, fucking brat, I’m-”

“Tommy!” Their attention snapped towards the window, Tommy’s eyes wide as Dream smirked deviously, quickly grabbing the nearest piece of rope and tying it around Tommy’s mouth before he could scream out a warning. 

“Shut the fuck up,” he said lowly, pulling out a dagger and moving to hide. Tommy tugged on the restraints wildly, hoping to catch their attention to leave. 

Ranboo and Tubbo appeared in the tower, both equipped with their weapons. Both let out a gasp once they lay their eyes on Tommy, who tried so desperately to warn them as Dream approached from the shadows, and rammed his dagger through Ranboo’s stomach. 

Tommy screamed, Tubbo backing up as soon as Ranboo was stabbed and pointed his dagger at Dream. “Fucking kids,” Dream spat, swinging his bloody dagger before side-stepping Tubbo’s attack, swiping his feet to trip the boy who fell unceremoniously to the floor. 

Dagger to dagger, some blood dripped down onto Tubbo’s cheek as he struggled against Dream. The masked man grinned, moving back and quickly standing up, kicking Tubbo in the ribs, so hard that the boy curled in on himself in pain, breath lost from his throat. 

Tommy struggled even more now, the rattling of the chains clearly annoying Dream. “Stop your fucking yapping.” He yelled, throwing his dagger down on the ground and approaching Tommy, moving behind him to unhook the chains from where they were tied and get him down the steps. 

“Tommy, stop struggling.” Dream ordered, pulling on the chains as Tommy tugged in resistance. Tommy had to get over to them, he had to help them, heal them, save them. His friends were in danger, one was fucking dying and the other was on the verge of being knocked out. 

He had to, if not for himself then for his friends. 

He had to. 

Dream yanked, Tommy falling back and landing harshly on the floor, knees scraping uncomfortably against the ground. “Stop it.” Dream demanded, yanking the chains again as Tommy tried to regain his footing. 

Tommy tried to speak, his words muffled by the rope in his mouth. He was crying, almost hysterically as he fought and trashed and tugged against Dream who was so determined to get Tommy down and out of the tower. 

Tommy saw Ranboo begin to cough up blood, a sign that time was running out. The adrenaline and the fear gave him an extra boost, tugging hard enough and fast enough that Dream lost his hold on the chains, giving Tommy time to run up to Ranboo. 

“Ranboo, Ranboo, I’m here. I’m here.” Tommy said, voice cracking as he spoke, more tears spilling forward. Ranboo let out a weak warble, Tommy replying with a scared chirp. 

He quickly brought his hands forward, and began untying the rope in his mouth when he got kicked in the back, falling over Ranboo. 

Crying out in pain, Tommy quickly stood up again and put his arms on Ranboo’s wound, ignoring how the enderman cried as he did so, and began healing the wound. 

It hurts, by gods, it hurts. But Tommy had to endure it, he had to save him. He had to, he owed him that much for endangering him. 

As the wound was nearly fully healed Tommy was ripped away from Ranboo, thrown across the floor with Dream standing over him. 

“No, please let me heal him!” Tommy pleaded, Dream scoffing before grabbing the chains and dragging Tommy across the floor and to where the steps were. 

“Dream! Dream, please!” Tommy pleaded and begged, Dream continued to ignore him. No matter how many times he pleaded, nothing. 

The least Tommy could do was close up the wound, and that was all he could do given the time he had. He kept resisting as Dream dragged him down, but he could feel his energy spent, the exhaustion from healing Ranboo kicking in. 

Tommy slumped, Dream chuckling before grabbing him and chucking him over his shoulder and began to descend the steps. “There we go,” Dream said, voice soft. “Just had to get the fight out of you.”

Tommy wanted to yell and scream and cry, but nothing, no sound came out of him, the exhaustion too much. Instead, he just let his eyes flutter, falling asleep as Dream carried him to his eternal doom. 

As Dream carried a now-unconscious Tommy down the stairs and out of the tower, he couldn’t prepare as a very angry enderman with glowing purple eyes, an unhinged jaw and elongated talons appeared in front of him and slashed. Dream dropped Tommy without a second thought, the unconscious boy falling harshly to the ground with a loud thud. 

The enderman let out a screech, eyes going from where Tommy was lying to Dream’s white porcelain mask, quickly making a grab for him. Dream drew his sword, swinging as the enderman approached but it teleported, appearing behind him and swiping at him, this time felling him to the ground a few bits away from where Tommy was. 

Dream yelled, swiping his sword as the enderman dipped down to strike at him again, cutting open his forearm. The enderman stopped to assess the damage done to him, before his eyes went back to Dream who was in the midst of scurrying away, approaching him with large yet slow steps. 

“Stay the fuck away!” Dream yelled, swinging his sword wildly as the enderman approached, a growl escaping the unhinged jaws. Dream struggled to get away, still swinging wildly when he noticed a person approaching. 

“You! You, come help me!” He pleaded, the enderman making a swipe for him but narrowly missing his feet. 

The person was quite short, brown hair and.. horns. It was the other person that was with the enderman. 

A smirk adorned his face, a dagger in hand. “You better say your fucking prayers bitch,” he spat, approaching Dream and kicking him straight in the jaw. Dream spluttered, falling on his back, his sword being kicked out of his hand. The horned person said something to the rabid enderman, which got him to back off but he still looked rabid. 

Dream winced in pain as a boot stepped on his chest, dagger placed right on his throat. “Now, you’re going to apply with everything we say, or you die.” The horned boy threatened, Dream visibly gulping. 

“Hey Ranboo,” He called, the enderman releasing an angry screech before approaching. “Watch him, will ya?” 

Dream wanted to disappear into the ground, the fear rattling his bones and shaking him to his core as he faced the rabid enderman was unmatched to anything he had ever felt like. He had faced up against the literal prince and king of the damn kingdom, fought countless fights but an enderman was the thing that toppled him over. 

A warble escaped his mouth, the enderman crouching over Dream, staring at him. The glowing purple eyes were scary, Dream not wanting to stare too much. 

Tubbo was quick to check on Tommy, checking his pulse and head for a concussion. He had thankfully gone mostly unscathed, aside from some small cuts and bruises that would form from the fall, other than that, Tommy was okay. 

“Ranboo, get the keys to the chains from him!” Tubbo yelled, Ranboo looking at Dream expectantly, who wasted no time handing the key over to the enderman, who threw it behind him and slammed it with his tail, Tubbo catching it with ease. 

Tubbo worked quickly, removing the chains from Tommy’s ankles and wrists before cutting his wings loose, seeing them wrap around Tommy. Must be a defense mechanism, he thought. 

Tubbo removed his cloak and draped it over Tommy, before turning around with the chains in his hands and walking up to Ranboo and Dream. 

“Hold his arms for me,” he said, Ranboo quickly grabbing Dream’s wrists, who yelped in surprise, Tubbo slapping them on and locking them, doing the same with the ankle cuffs. “That oughta do it. I’ll grab Tommy.”

“The fuck are you gonna do with me?” Dream asked once Tubbo returned, this time with Tommy slung over his shoulder. “Either keep you for torture, or hand you over to the royal guard. Whichever we want.” 

Dream’s heart stopped. No, no, he couldn’t afford that. He wouldn’t. But it’s not like he could escape with a rabid enderman holding him hostage. “Funny, I don’t think the king has any want for me. I’m no criminal.”

Tubbo scoffed. “It is funny. I’d say the king has every need for the man who kidnapped his son .” Dream’s eyes widened, Tubbo noticing on the way he stiffened that he hit the nail right on the head. 

“Yeah, so shut your damn trap, we have a long way to go.” Tubbo commanded, adjusting Tommy on his shoulder and started leading the way towards the kingdom. 

Chapter Text

When the group reached the kingdom, Dream was handed off to the nearest guard. As Tubbo exasperatedly tried to explain the situation to the poor guard and who Dream was, Ranboo and Tommy were giggling to the side at the frustration on Tubbo’s face. His head looked like it would smoke in a matter of seconds. 

“Please, I’m telling you. This man,” Tubbo gestured to Dream, “is a criminal. He kidnapped the lost prince, manipulated and abused him and now he’s here, in your custody.” The guard looked like he didn’t believe a word Tubbo was saying, and Tommy understood that. 

Who would really believe a teenager with a man shackled spewing nonsense about him being a kidnapper of the lost prince? Sounds like a fairytale to Tommy. His wings were still hidden under a cloak, thanks to Ranboo, and if need be to prove a point Tommy was willing to rip the cloak off to showcase his golden feathers. A rare thing for him to do, but they needed to get rid of Dream and get to the palace. 

On the way to the kingdom, Tubbo and Ranboo spoke of potential punishments for Dream. If the king would have him, either a public execution or a personal one, between the king and Dream. But if Tubbo and Ranboo could have their way, Dream would be nothing but a mutilated corpse. 

It was a grim conversation to listen in on, but Tommy wasn’t present through most of it, only dropping in for a few moments and hearing the disgusting things Tubbo suggested before his mind hazed up again, leaving him gone from the real world and stuck in his head. Tommy hadn’t really been present for a quite bit of the journey, not up until they stepped foot into the kingdom. 

His mind was still shaken over what Dream tried to do to him, and he wasn’t willing to speak about it or address anything, only stuck by Ranboo’s side, who didn’t say a word or force him to talk about anything. Tommy appreciated it greatly. 

“Tommy, can you give me a hand?” Tubbo called back, Tommy flashing him a small grin before approaching him. He made sure to stand farther away so as to not be within reaching distance of Dream. “What is the meaning of this? I have work to do-”

Tommy quickly ripped off his cloak, wings coming into view. The guard quickly shut his mouth, eyes widened as he stared at the golden wings hanging on Tommy’s back. “Please tell me this is enough to convince you.” Tubbo muttered, running a hand over his face in frustration. Dream had been standing still, eyes cast towards the ground as Tubbo explained the situation to the poor guard. 

“I-I-” The guard stammered, too flabbergasted to say a word. Tubbo sighed, grabbing the guard’s hand and setting the chain into his palm and closing it. “Here, now you can put this criminal away, as he should be.” And then he turned around, rolled his eyes and walked up to Ranboo, Tommy in tow. 

Tommy had put the cloak back on in case anyone else were to stumble upon them, and it just felt more comfortable while in town. They didn’t speak any more to the guard, simply walked away and farther into the town, making their way up to the palace. 

“Do we want something to eat?” Ranboo asked, Tommy back at his side, arm looped with his own. “Yes. I’ve been craving some soup, believe it or not.” Tubbo commented, Ranboo and Tommy shooting him a weird look. Tubbo looked back at them, judging eyes of his own, “What? Soup is good, and I haven’t had some in ages.” 

“I thought that was something you only ate when sick, y’know. Easy on the throat and all that,” Tommy commented, Ranboo nodding. “I’ve heard that too, and in my experience it was only eaten for sickness.” 

Tubbo scoffed at their nonsense. “You guys are weird. Let’s go find a restaurant that serves soup.” He grabbed Ranboo’s and Tommy’s hands and led them forward and into town in search of the elusive soup restaurant. 

Wilbur cursed as yet another string snapped on his guitar. He was barely halfway through the songs he was performing at the ball for the festival, and the third string on his trusty guitar just snapped. Wilbur was tired and frustrated, the sun was starting to set and the ball was tomorrow and half of the songs would be performed terribly because of lack of practice. 

Wilbur ran a hand through his hair, setting the curls in their usual spot and set the guitar down, too annoyed to continue on. He stood up from where he sat, walking to the window to admire the setting sun. 

The spring sunset always looked lovely, the sky turning into different arrays of pinks and oranges, painting the sky a gorgeous combination of the colors. As Wilbur calmed himself down, someone knocked on the door and invited themselves in. 

“Wil?” Wilbur turned to see his father, his blond hair tied in a neat ponytail. “I practically heard you curse from the throne room. What’s going on?” Wilbur sighed and ran a hand over his face. 

“The strings on the guitar keep snapping. I’ve barely gotten through the songs for tomorrow but now I have no guitar to play on.” Phil sighed, walking over to where the guitar was set down and picked it up, looking at the three snapped strings. “I can always ask the staff to grab a new one. Unless you only want me to get a repairman to fix it up for you.” 

Wilbur thought for a moment. “Just send a repairman. I really like this guitar, I’d hate to see it be wasted.” Phil smiled, moving the guitar and taking a seat on the chair. “Why are you in this room?” He questioned, looking around the room. 

It was one of the many unused rooms in the palace. Two chairs by the window, bookshelves lining the walls with a painting on another and a small table by the chairs. A rug was on the floor, accompanied by some candlelights. It was a cozy room, practically at the top of the castle. 

“It has the best view of the garden.” Wilbur answered curtly, fingers running along the guitar. “That, and I’m not really disturbed here. Only two people know I practice up here, and that’s Niki and Techno.” 

Phil snickered. “Of course it’s those two. Does Techno bother you a lot?” Wilbur shook his head. “Not really. When he does come up here, it’s to listen to me play and sing. He joins me after tough sessions, so does Niki.” Phil reached his hand out, patting his son’s head softly. “So this is where you all disappear to.”

Wilbur nodded, leaning into his father’s touch. “It’s a very calming place. Away from all gossip and worries and duties. Our activity here picks up around this time of year.” Wilbur said, voice trailing off near the end. 

Phil’s hand briefly stilled, before it went back to running through Wilbur’s hair. “I’m sorry. For how tough things are for you and your brother.” 

Wilbur looked at his father, a confused look on his face. “I know since your mother’s death and the kidnapping of your brother hasn’t been easy, and you boys have barely had the time to grief and heal. Neither have I, because I believed you two needed someone strong in your life to make sure everything will be alright, but now I know that it is okay to grief, it is okay to be sad and feel bad. 

“You and Techno mean so much to me, and I feel horrible knowing I have caused you guys to close yourselves off and not let anyone except each other in. It hurts my heart to know that what I thought was good, was indeed bad and I deeply apologize for it.” Wilbur stayed silent, letting his father’s words settle in his brain. 

He always looked at his father with a great deal of admiration, a man single handedly leading an entire kingdom while also raising two sons and dealing with two tragedies at the same time. Wilbur admired him so much. He strived to become just like him, but it seemed to not be in the books for him. 

Wilbur, a piglin adopted from the nether along with his twin brother, their youngest the rightful heir to the throne as he was the only biological son. Despite the fact that he was never loved any less or treated as less by his father, Wilbur always felt a bit like he didn’t deserve his position of royalty and privilege. 

“I know you and Techno turned distant and cold, but I want us to reconnect, be a real family for once.” Phil said, leaning down to kiss Wilbur on the head. “Me too.” Wilbur said, the thoughts better left unspoken. He doesn’t want his father to worry, when he has better things to worry about. 

Wilbur sighed and removed his father’s hand from his hair. Standing up, he turned to face his father when the door burst open. 

A flustered guard stood in the doorway, sweat dripping down his brow as he said through ragged breath, “the lost prince.” Wilbur and Phil stilled, eyes wide as they stared the guard down, expecting him to continue. 

“He’s here.” The guard added, straightening up, “he’s home.”

Wilbur and Phil wasted no time, racing past the guard and down the hall, Phil’s wings fluttering to take flight and straight out of the nearest window big enough for him. Wilbur screamed for staff to fetch Techno to meet them down by the main entrance of the palace. 

Never had Wilbur run so fast through the long corridors, or down the many stairs. He almost tripped at least five times as he ran through, bumping into staff and officials as he raced through the palace to join his father in seeing his baby brother. 

Finally. Finally he had returned home. 

Wilbur didn’t believe it. It had always felt like such a fairy tale, a far-fetched dream that Wilbur knew would never come true, finally coming true. His little brother was finally home. 

He reached the main entrance sweating and panting like a madman, Techno joining him in practically the same condition as they braced themselves to meet their brother. “You not cut out for running?” Wilbur joked, knowing the shape his brother was in. 

Technoblade rolled his eyes, stretching his back as he caught his breath. “Shut it Wil. It was short notice and I was out on the training fields when all of a sudden the staff was shouting at me to meet you and father at the entrance.” He looks around, narrowing his eyes on his brother. 

“Speaking of which, where is father?” Wilbur straightened himself, finally having calmed down and just pointed to the two large oak doors. “Most likely greeting our younger brother right now.” 

Techno snorted. “You mean scaring him?” Wilbur shrugged. “Shall we relieve the tension?” Techno nodded, Wilbur inhaling sharply as if to brace himself and the twins pushed open the doors, stepping outside into the sun. 

Out on the steps stood their father, a blond boy with a cloak around his shoulders accompanied by a ram hybrid and an enderman. Techno peered his eyes, finding familiarity in the enderman and ram. 

“I recognize those two,” he said, subtly pointing to the aforementioned teenagers. Wilbur looked, then gave his brother a confused look. “From where? They look like your average citizens.” Techno rolled his eyes, scoffing. “Nah, I fought ‘em.” 

Wilbur looked at his brother in disbelief. “You fought a group of teenagers?” Techno groaned, elbowing his brother sharply in the ribs. “Shut it, we don’t want to scare them.”

Wilbur winced and clutched the sore spot, straightening out his back when he saw the blond boy look his way. He shot him a reassuring smile, the boy’s eyes going straight down to the floor. 

“Yikes,” Techno muttered beside him, and it took everything in Wilbur not to yell at his brother. “Shut it,” he whispered back through gritted teeth. 

“Can you remove your cloak?” Phil asked, the twins finally tuned into the conversation. The blond boy shook his head, grasping onto the cloak. Phil put his hands up, trying to keep the poor boy calm. 

“Okay, I see we’re nervous. That’s okay, that’s understandable.” Phil turned to look at his sons, before looking back, “these are my sons, Wilbur and Techno.” He introduced them, gesturing to them both as he did. 

“I remember you!” The ram hybrid exclaimed, pointing to Techno. “Tubbo no,” the enderman pleaded but to no avail. “You scared us in the forest! We thought you were going to kidnap Tommy.” 

Phil turned to glare at his son, clearly not happy about the newfound information of Techno already having met his brother. Wilbur also gave him a side-eye, Techno rolling his eyes again. “How was I supposed to know?” 

“Shut it, traitor.” Wilbur said dramatically. 

“Do you recognize Techno?” Phil asked, Tommy (as the ram hybrid said) nodded. He looked so shaken, curled in on himself like a wounded animal. Techno didn’t like this approach, it felt too forced. 

“Dad,” Techno whispered, Phil glancing at him but still facing Tommy and his friends. “Maybe we should just get them settled in. He’s very obviously shaken up, and doesn’t seem to want to talk to us.” 

Phil pondered for a moment, but nodded and sighed. “I assume you boys need a place to stay, right?” The trio nodded in sync. Phil giggled, adjusting his wings. “Shall we head inside and get you guys roomed?” 

They looked at each other before nodding, Phil smiling and turning to his sons. “Can you alert one of the handmaidens of this? I assume they want to be roomed either together or close by.” Techno nodded and headed back inside to speak with the handmaiden. 

“Thank you, your highness.” The enderman spoke gratefully, Phil brushing it off. “No need. I want my son and his friends to be safe and feel comfortable. I can only guess what you guys have been through, so situating yourselves might make you feel better.” 

“Can we get rooms with a good view?” Tubbo asked, Phil giggling and nodding. “Of course. I’ll give you guys the rooms with the best views in the palace.” Tubbo grinned, Ranboo rolling his eyes, while Tommy gaped in awe at just how large the palace was even from the inside.

“Do all three of you want to share a room?” Phil asked, the trio looking at each other before nodding. “Is that possible?” Ranboo asked, Phil nodded. “Of course. If we have a room and there is a bed missing, we can easily move a bed into that room. Not to worry.” 

The trio followed the king through the castle, scouting and looking and touching everything they did not know of, asking the king millions of questions about his palace, or servants, even his sons. Of course, the king entertained their questions until they reached a different floor with a long corridor full of doors. 

“Is this where we’ll stay?” Ranboo asked, Phil nodding. “This is where me and the princes also stay. You will stay in the same corridor as a measure of safety.” Tommy looked around skeptically, scouting the area. 

“Does our room have a good view though?” Tubbo asked again, Phil giggling and confirming. “Of course, as demanded of the special guests.” Tubbo grinned, bursting into the room Phil had gestured to and immediately went to explore it. Ranboo looked at Tommy expectantly, Tommy only giving him a slight push to go into the room. Hesitantly, Ranboo left Tommy out in the hallway with the king. 

Tommy’s eyes were cast towards the floor, not daring to look at the king. His wings were fluffed up, a distressed chirp fighting its way out of his mouth. “Are you alright?” The king asked, concern laced in his voice. 

“I’m fine.” Tommy answered curtly, clearing his throat awkwardly. “Do you need anything? Food, drink, something warm?” Tommy shook his head, bringing his wings to wrap around his body. A chirp escaped his lips, the king stilling in front of him. 

Tommy became terrified, anxiously mumbling out apologies. He froze when the king replied with a noise, it almost sounded like a purr. The bird in his brain was going all fuzzy, screaming flock flock flock in his head as the king let out another noise, a trill telling Tommy he was safe safe safe. 

Tommy let out a distressed chirp, the king quickly combating it with another trill. The blond started tearing up, another chirp. The king slowly put his arms out, letting Tommy see them and looking at him, for permission. Tommy didn’t say anything, only launched himself into the king’s arms with a small oof. 

“There you go, there you go.” The king said, hand softly running through his curls. Tommy chirped, leaning into the touch. “You’re okay, you’re okay.” 

“I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry-” The king cut him off, shushing him softly. “It’s okay, it’s okay. You have nothing to be sorry for, okay?” 

Another distressed chirp, another calm trill and Tommy finally started listening to the instincts and his stupid bird brain. Allowed himself to calm down in the king’s arms, how warm and soft the hug was. The way his wings folded over them and hid Tommy’s weaknesses from the world. 

“Are you okay?” The king asked calmly, Tommy sniffling and giving a small nod into the man’s chest. “I’m going to let go of you now, okay?” Another nod, and then the wings fold against the king’s back and the arms slowly let go. 

Tommy takes a step back, wiping his eyes and nose with his sleeves. “I’ll tell the servants to bring some food for you boys, sounds good?” Tommy nodded, eyes cast downward again. 

The king let out a comforting chirp, Tommy fighting the urge to respond as he did a quick bow and ran into the room where Ranboo and Tubbo were. 

The king only looked at them, before turning on his heel and walking away. 

Dream tugged gently on the chains, wincing in disgust as his nose caught a whiff of the state of the dungeon he had been placed in. 

The ram hybrid convinced the stupid guard of Dream’s crimes, and immediately he was thrown into a cell and chained to the wall. 

Dream knew he would either have a meeting with the king or go straight to being executed. He didn’t know which one sounded better, as he knew the king could be absolutely ruthless. 

Neither were particularly good choices. 

Dream sighed and sat down, back against the wall. There was not much to do except sit and wait for his inevitable doom. 

A lot had gone wrong in Dream’s life up until his capture. 

His prized possession got taken from him, unfortunately reunited with his brothers, he even met the formidable Captain Puffy!

Dream knew his actions were going to be the cause of his death, but in no way did he regret them. He was on a steady way to immortality with an avian with healing abilities. If only he could have continued his treatment, then he would have achieved immortality. 

As the minutes passed, Dream’s mind wandered further and further into memories long buried. Of old and new people in his sorrowful life. 

Tommy was an edition he was happy about. A feisty child he broke into pieces with ease, but yet, the kid always built himself up again without complaint or whining. It was admirable, the stubbornness he had. Dream smiled at the thought. 

Dream was not a good person. He did everything to achieve his own personal goals, no matter how morally wrong it was. Of course, with such ambitions, a few sacrifices had to be made. Namely, his brother; Sapnap and George. 

Dream deemed it necessary though, and always pretended to brush it off and be unbothered about it but even he knew that deep down, he regretted it. Deeply. 

But all of Dream’s ambitions and hopes were crushed by two teenagers, one a rabid enderman and another a crazy ram hybrid! He had had the power of the sun, in the palm of his hand, and it got snatched away in a heartbeat. 

Dream had to get Tommy back. He knew he had to. 

He got interrupted from his thoughts when footsteps echoed through the dungeon, loud clanking of armor could be heard, indicating that guards were approaching. Dream didn’t exactly know what time it was, maybe it was dinner time?

The footsteps suddenly silenced, and in front of his cell were four guards, swords at their hips and dressed in full armor. Dream cocked his head to the side at the sight. How odd. Standing at the front was a short pink haired woman, dressed in a fancier set of armor with intricate details and carvings along the chestplate and forearm guards. 

“Dream Wastikin?” The woman asked, voice commanding as she gripped the sword resting on her hip. “That would be me.” Dream replied, keeping his voice smooth and confident. “I am General Nihachu. I am here to take you to the king and princes. They await you impatiently.” 

Dream wanted to laugh, but held his tongue. The general signaled two of the guards to unshackle Dream and push him out of the cell. Dream’s wrists were bound once more, this time by a simple rope tightly knit behind his back and then he was pushed forward and through the dungeon. 

Mildew and moss decorated the brick walls as bars upon bars of cells filled the walls, prisoners occupying every other cell. Criminals awaiting trial or an audience with the king. What a sad sight. 

The general led him up the stairs and out of the dungeon, Dream squinting to get used to the sun shining so brightly. Dream had missed it, despite only being in the cell for about a day or so. 

Before he could relish in the warmth, he was pushed forward and he stumbled slightly, before catching his footing and walked forward, after the general and the soldiers.

The dungeon was only a short walk from the palace, probably around like five minutes. It felt like ages to Dream. It felt like he was slowly approaching his doom, the end of his days. 

They approached a large oak door after walking up a few stairs, the general giving a nod to the guards on patrol before the doors were pushed open. 

“The king awaits your arrival.” A guard said, bowing to the general who gave a simple nod. She then turned towards Dream, and shot him a sarcastic smile. “Follow me. We wouldn’t want to keep the king waiting, would we?”

Chapter Text

Dream trailed a little behind the general, marveling at the large and expensive throne room. Columns of marble with intricate details, statues of stone decorating the floors, vases, expensive paintings of the royal family and heritage. Memorabilia for the late queen sat above the king’s throne. 

“Keep up.” The general barked behind her, Dream stiffening up and picking up his pace. Guards were placed strategically at every potential entry point, every exit point and any single point of potential escape. Dream could never even make a run for it. 

He would be cornered from every angle, despite what he’d try. 

The general cleared her throat, gesturing to the three steps that lead to where the throne was. Made of gilded wood, intricate details of wings and feathers were carved into it. Gems had been placed here and there for an added touch. 

To make sure the status was known. 

“Stay still.” The general spoke, moving behind Dream and digging her fingers under the clasp of his mask. He tugged, but she only tugged him back. “Stay. Still.” She gritted out, hooking a finger under the strap and unclasped the porcelain mask, letting it fall into her hand. 

“Now, you may enter into the presence of the king.” She said, gesturing to the few steps leading to the raised platform where the thrones were situated. “Off you go,” the general said, pushing Dream forward and up the steps. She followed closely behind, mask still in her hand. 

“Your highness,” she greeted, bowing deeply, Dream did the same, as all civilians are supposed to. “Rise.” An accented voice spoke, dim and stoic. Dream rose, looking straight into the eyes of the king. 

What Dream first noticed, aside from the lavish and extravagant outfit of the king and the crown sitting on top of his blond head, were the wings . 

Large black wings sat comfortably on the king’s back, the obsidian feathers shining in the gleam of the sun through the window. “Dream Wastikin.” The king spoke, Dream snapping out of his daze and clearing his throat. 

“Yes, your highness.” He spoke, head bowed down and eyes cast towards the floor. “You are quite a known man.” The king said, Dream nodding in agreement. “Yes, your highness.”

“You have amassed quite the reputation,” the king said, walking up to his throne and taking a seat. To his left was one of the princes, the warrior Prince Technoblade. To the king’s right, was the other prince. Prince Wilbur. 

“I know who you are, Dream, I know what you have done, even before your most recent and worst crime.” The king kept talking, crossing his feet, leaning back on the throne. He looked menacing, fearless, powerful. 

King Philza was no man to mess with, Dream was no fool. He knew of his reputation, knew exactly what those beautiful black wings could do, and was in no rush to be at the edge of one of those feathers. 

“Now,” the king brought the attention back to himself, the room too quiet for Dream. A shiver ran down his spine as the king looked deep into his eyes, staring straight into his soul. “Explain yourself. I would love to hear your reasoning and pleading as to just why you would kidnap a royal.” 

Dream visibly gulped, sweat forming on his brow. How the fuck would one explain to the king - the father of Dream’s victim - that he did it for his own benefit. All of his elaborate schemes, all for his own glory and fortune?

Yeah, Dream was dead either way. 

“I have nothing to say, your highness.” Dream replied, head bowed down as to not look the king in the eye. He could literally feel the cold from his glare, those icy blue eyes freezing his soul. “Look Dream,” The king said, standing up from his throne, hands behind his back. “I know you have plenty to say, so I suggest you start spewing your empty lies and nonsense before I decide to impale you with a few feathers.”

Dream wanted to laugh, the nerves dancing so much his entire body felt tight. “Your highness, please I-”

“Start. Talking.” The king emphasized, voice stern and in no mood for Dream’s excuses. “I have nothing to say. As I’ve mentioned before, the youngest prince is someone I do not know.” 

The king smiled. 

Dream’s heart leaped into his throat, the way the king’s ice cold eyes seemed to gleam with such murderous intent, the smile on his lips a cold, calculated one. The king stood up from his throne, the grand wings on his back fluttering before settling on his back as he made his way down the three steps and approached Dream. 

It was achingly slow, every step the king took echoed in Dream’s ears like a sonic boom, his heart lodged in his throat as he watched the king get closer and closer. 

The general was only a few meters away, standing calmly as she watched the show unfold in front of her. A small grin was on her lips, and Dream had never wanted to kill someone more than then. 

The king was now only a mere meter away, Dream could practically feel his eyes dig into his soul and rip it apart. Dream gulped, feeling sweat drip down from his brow as the king leaned slightly forward and whispered; “I know you are lying. Cut the bullshit and spill whatever deranged shit you did to my son and you can rot in the dungeon until I decide your death.” After no response from Dream, the king kissed his teeth in annoyance. And then he pulled back, hands behind his back and wings slightly fluffed. 

“So far, our criminal is not speaking.” The king announced to his court, starting to pace around Dream. “Continue interrogation for the next week or two. If he hasn’t barfed up any information by then you have permission to go for a more extreme tactic.” The general nodded and made her way to Dream, harshly grabbing his arm and turning him around, pushing against his back to make him tumble forwards. 

“General Nihachu?” She looked back at the king, grip still tight on Dream’s arm. “Don’t be afraid to go a little rough.” Dream noticed the general’s lips quip into a smile before she replied, “of course your Highness. I won’t go easy on him.” 

And then Dream was pushed out of the throne room and out of the palace. 

“The king is terrifying.” Dream said, making idle conversation which was not reciprocated. “Never did I expect to see him, let alone meet him and be threatened by him. It was kind of awesome.” 

The general shot him a weird look, but Dream only smiled. “I think me and the king would be great friends.” The general snorted. “No? I think so. If only I wasn’t on trial for doing something against his son.” 

The general sighed, pushing him forward and watched as he tumbled down the steps and into the dungeon. “Take him back to his cell, please. I want him locked and supervised all day and all night.” The general barked orders, Dream groaning pitifully as he was hoisted up from the floor. 

“Treat any injuries he may have and give him food and water. I’ll check on him tonight.” And then the dungeon doors were slid shut and Dream was carried into his cell once more and locked inside. 

Dream sighed, clutching his ribs and slowly raised himself into a sitting position. He looked around the cell, the disgusting musk lingering in the air, the dirty floor filled with mold and moss and giggled. 

This was his life now. Until his death, Dream would be confined to a tiny space, chained to a wall and living in filth. 

What a way to live. 

Philza sat down on his throne, head in his hands and wings ruffled as he lost himself in his thoughts. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. 

Before he could decide on a punishment for Dream he had to get at least some sort of confession out of him or a sliver of evidence. Of course, he could get a statement from These— Tommy, but the poor kid was not ready to speak about Dream in any way. 

Phil could always try and butter up his friends, they might have more luck digging underneath the surface of Tommy’s kidnapping and life with Dream. 

He sighed, letting his hands fall back down. It was frustrating. His advisors would never let him sentence a man to death without proper evidence or a confession, so Phil would be at a stand-still until Dream coughed up whatever sick and twisted thing or things he did to his son. 

Phil had to freshen up. He stood up from the throne, removing the crown from his head and putting it on its pillow beside the throne. 

“I shall be taking my leave now.” He announced to the room, the guards and advisors all bowing as he turned around and stepped outside, the doors shutting behind him. 

He needed to find his sons. They had run off as soon as Dream was escorted away, and he was hoping to spend some time with them before dinner. 

A chambermaid came rushing down the corridor, Phil smiling kindly as she bowed deeply. “Excuse me miss, do you happen to know where Prince Technoblade and Prince Wilbur are?” The chambermaid looked slightly shocked that Phil was speaking to her, but he paid it no mind and continued to smile at her. 

“I-I think I saw them heading up the stairs to the east wing, Your Highness.” She stuttered, clumsily bowing again as Phil thanked her and let her go attend to her duties. 

East wing, huh? The east wing housed the library, which housed records of all sorts. What could they be searching for there?

No matter. Phil started his stroll over to the east wing, smiling at his staff when they happened to walk by. 

On the way to the east wing he ran into the general. “General Nihachu.” He greeted, giving her a slight nod. “Your Highness.” She replied with a bow. “Is the prisoner secure?” The General nodded. “He will be under surveillance every day and every night. Not once will he leave a guard’s sight.”

“Good. That settles my nerves a bit.” Phil said, fixing his robe. “How about the interrogations? How are they coming along?” The General sighed, running a hand through her hair. 

“So far, we haven’t been able to break him. But I highly doubt he can continue biting his tongue with the means we have been taking with him.” Phil could feel a sick grin make its way onto his face. “We’ll give it a few days. If he hasn’t spoken up before the next open audience meeting then I want him in my court again.”

General Nihachu nodded. “Of course, sir.” She bowed to Phil before saying her goodbyes and carrying on. 

Phil wandered the halls a bit more, just aimlessly wandering the halls as he made his way to the east wing. The grand library wasn’t too far into the east wing, as it was ginormous and housed many ancient documents. Some even dated back to the start of the kingdom. 

Phil remembered reading a lot of the documents as he was growing up and preparing to become a king. It was a boring read, as most historical documents tend to be, but Phil did it of course as it was his duty. The documents mention some interesting things though, something about the kingdom and its history of magical properties. 

The king ruffled his feathers and fixed his robe slightly before entering the library. As he entered the room, he noticed how eerily quiet it suddenly fell. He knew his sons were snooping around in here somewhere, he was simply wondering why they were hiding it from him. 

“Wil?” Phil called out, looking around. “Techno?” No reply. Phil huffed in annoyance, not in the mood for the princes’ antics. “Guys, I am in no mood for this shit. Can you please just come out from wherever you’re hiding?”  

Still nothing. 

Phil dragged his hand over his face as he walked further into the library and up the steps towards the records section. There was a large section of the library filled with official documents, both old and new, that Phil had a feeling his sons were snooping around. 

He went down one of the isles, looking uninterested through the records as he listened for any sort of movement. It didn’t take long to hear the subtle steps of boots hitting the tiled floor, and Phil could immediately pinpoint them down. 

Phil stepped out of the isle, seeing Techno and Wilbur trying to tiptoe out of the library. “Question,” he said, startling the life out of Wilbur who almost screamed while Techno simply froze. “When did official documents suddenly interest the two of you?” 

“It’s nothing interestin’.” Technoblade said, voice void of any nervousness. “We just decided to read up on the medicine used to heal mom.” Phil stilled, heart leaping in his chest. He thought he had removed all the recorded documents of it from the library. He thought he had locked it in his safe in his office. 

“There are a few minor documents still in the library.” Techno kept explaining, snapping Phil out of his thoughts. “We tried digging up something more interesting than the ones stashed here. All they mention is the expedition for the main ingredient or how the medicine was made. Nothing too detailed.” 

Phil visibly relaxed. Those documents were highly classified, and if even his sons got into them he would be in for a very long and uncomfortable conversation he was in no way ready to have. “Dad?” Wilbur suddenly chimed in, Phil looking at his son. 

“Why can’t we know what really happened?” 

“I.. I can’t answer that.” He hesitantly replied, eyes cast downwards. “Why not?” Wilbur pressured on, taking a step forward to approach him but recoiled when Phil backed off. “I simply can’t. I’m sorry.” 

Wilbur’s face contorted to a scowl, Techno shooting his brother a warning look. “Alright. We’ll be off then.” Technoblade said, giving a curt bow to his father before grabbing Wilbur by the arm and dragging him away. 

As the door closed shut, and the echoes disappeared, Phil was left alone in the dusty old library. He began to aimlessly wander the isles of documents and books, tracing his finger along the worn paper and leather, feeling his heart sink as every second passed by. 

With a book in hand, Phil sat down on one of the chairs. 

“Fuck.”

Chapter Text

Wilbur stormed into his room, hearing the footsteps of his brother trailing behind. He didn’t bother waiting for him, slamming the door shut, only for it to be swung open again. 

Techno entered with his usual grace, except his face was twisted into a frown, concern dancing in his eyes. 

“Wil,” He said, voice elegant and deep as always.

Techno was always the perfect fit for a prince. Always perfectly aligned with the role and image he was thrust into at a young age. The prime example of royalty. 

The golden child. 

Wilbur always wanted to despise his brother, but every single fiber of his being fought against that. So Wilbur couldn’t. He loved his brother so, so dearly, despite the fact that he seemed perfectly sculpted for the role of prince. 

“What’s wrong?” Techno urged, approaching Wilbur where he stood pacing in the middle of the room. 

Wilbur’s mind was a haze, rage so very present and running through his blood like boiling lava, making him sweat and feel too hot to be in the suffocating palace. Wilbur was angry. 

He was so angry. His father was keeping vital information about his mother away from him, and he acted like it was for him. Wilbur didn’t feel like that, he felt like he had the right to know just how his mother got saved. 

For his entire life there had been talk of how the queen magically got saved right before giving birth to the youngest son but it wasn’t enough to save her. She still died, and Wilbur watched his mother be buried and honored and grieved for two whole weeks.
He watched his father turn into a husk of the man he once was, he never really bounced back. 

Wilbur was snapped out of his thoughts when Techno grabbed his wrist and let out a distressed chuff. Wilbur’s hindbrain immediately responded and chuffed back, one of comfort. 

“Please, calm down Wil.” Techno said, voice sounding a little tense. Wilbur let out another chuff again, Techno quickly replying. “Talk to me, Wil. I’m here to help you.” 

Wilbur’s throat tightened, the words he wanted to say dying on his tongue. Wilbur just wanted to scream. To scream every single curse word he knew, direct it at himself, his dad, his brother, the world. 

Everything was so messed up, but Wilbur should feel happy, right? His baby brother was back, finally, after seventeen years, and he was back! They could celebrate the festival with joy, not sorrow. 

So why? Why was he so angry? 

Another chuff from his brother, and Wilbur ripped his hand out of Techno’s grip and stumbled back. “Wil-”

“-stop!” Wilbur exclaimed, putting more distance between him and his brother, Techno froze in his place. Everything was overwhelming. The air felt suffocating, Techno’s voice felt like claws scratching against a plate, Wilbur’s clothes were hugging him too tightly. 

Everything was too much. 

Erratic breathing and a pounding heart in his chest, his voice lodged in his throat and tears brimming his eyes, Wilbur felt blind. His eyes lost focus, the world blurred around him and everything fell silent. He could faintly make out his brother’s outline as he approached Wilbur, hands frantically shaking him and saying something he couldn’t make out. 

Wilbur only smiled weakly, let out a dry cough before his eyes fluttered shut, and so did the world. 

When Wilbur awoke again, his bed was surrounded by doctors and nurses. A woman was checking his temperature, people were chattering in the background, someone offered him water to which he declined. 

Too much was going on. 

The door to his bedroom was swung open, none other than King Philza entering the room, a worried look etched across his face. 

The doctors and nurses all moved aside for Phil to approach, the emotions dancing in his eyes as he looked at Wilbur’s state made him feel weak. Pathetic. 

“Son?” Phil uttered, so softly it could only be heard by Wilbur. It sounded so weak, so vulnerable that he wanted to burst into tears and cry into his father’s chest. But he simply swallowed the tears, and looked his father in the eye, determined to not appear weak. 

Phil sighed, seemingly in relief. He waved a hand to the staff in the room, and they all piled out in a single line, and when the doors were shut, a suffocating silence surrounded the two of them. 

Wilbur wanted to bury himself alive. He looked away, deciding that the barely visible sky from the window was more interesting. Phil sighed beside him, and he felt the bed shift for the new weight on top of it. 

“Wil,” Wilbur could hear his heartbeat as his father spoke. He was certain Phil could hear it. “What happened?”

“Didn’t Techno tell you?” Wilbur replied, voice a bit hoarse. How long was he even out?
“He did, but I’d like to hear it from you.” 

Wilbur bit his lip in frustration. He was in no mood to talk to his father, much less about his panic attack. It wasn’t what he needed, nor was it something his father needed. 

“I don’t exactly want to talk about it.” Wilbur said wryly, his mood turning more sour with each passing moment. His father was bothering him, his very presence was making Wilbur go mad. Even his hindbrain was angry at Phil, and he was considered his sounder. 

Phil stayed silent for a moment, Wilbur relishing in the silence before his father spoke again. “What’s wrong, Wil? Is it because of what happened in the library?”

“I said I didn’t want to talk about it, dad. Please, leave me be.” Wilbur snapped, wrapping his duvet tighter around himself.

A suffocating silence fell over the room again, the clock on the wall ticking the seconds by, the occasional ruffle of Phil’s feathers. It was making Wilbur agitated. He just wanted to be left alone. 

Phil inhaled sharply, standing up from the bed and headed to the door. He looked back to his son, wings drooping slightly and said, “I’m sorry son.” And then he headed out of the room, shutting it and leaving Wilbur in peace. 

Or as much peace as his thoughts could give him. 

Tommy sighed, knees up to his chest as he stared out the window overlooking the palace courtyard. It was beautiful, and Tommy honestly longed to take a stroll through it, running his fingers over the petals of the flowers or sticking his hand in the fountain situated in the middle. 

“Dude, stop moping.” Tubbo groaned in the background, Tommy shooting him a glare. Tubbo glared back, clearly sticking to his words. 

“You’ve been holed up in this stupid room since our arrival here. Just go outside.” Tubbo said, head nodding towards the door. Tommy grumbled something under his breath, digging his chin into his arm where it sat on his knees. 

“For someone who literally just got freedom to finally go outside and live a real life, you’re doing a weird job at living.” This statement floored Tommy. It’s not like Tubbo was wrong anyway, as much as Tommy didn’t want to admit it, but he hadn’t enjoyed his freedom at all. 

He was still terrified, terrified that Dream would somehow escape or come back and torment Tommy. He was so scared of the world because of how he was brought up to view it as. Everything was dangerous, everything could hurt Tommy and everyone was after him and his abilities. 

“Tubbo, let him be.” Ranboo chimed in, putting a hand on the ram’s shoulders. “We shouldn’t force him to do anything.” Tubbo sighed, shaking the hand off his shoulders and heading for the door.
“Where are you going?”

“Out to the garden. Join me if you want.” And then he left, the door shutting behind him, Tommy flinching as it set in place. Ranboo looked at the door, then at Tommy and walked up to him, side-stepping the drooping wings covering the floor and the feathers. “Do you not want to go outside and freshen up? Your wings look like they might want some sun.”

Tommy continued looking out the window, wings twitching slightly. “I mean, I do want to go outside.” He said, Ranboo’s face lighting up. He opened his mouth to speak, but Tommy cut him off.
“I’m just scared.”

Ranboo’s eyes softened. “Don’t worry Toms. Me and Tubbo will be with you the whole time, and you can leave whenever you want.”

Tommy glanced at Ranboo, eyes traveling from the window to Ranboo to the door. Ranboo could see the thoughts swirling around his head, waiting almost anxiously for the answer. 

Tommy inhaled sharply, then exhaled calmly. He stood up, shaking his wings slightly and turning to Ranboo with an anxious smile on his face. “Let’s go outside.” 

Ranboo gleamed, grabbing Tommy’s hand and leading him to the door. “Put on your shoes and let’s go!” Tommy smiled and giggled, putting on his boots and following Ranboo into the hallway. 

They chased after one another until they reached the main entrance. “Isn’t the garden somewhere else?” Tommy asked, Ranboo looking around in confusion. “This palace is way too big for me to remember where I’m going.” 

Tommy chuckled. “We could always ask around?” He suggested, Ranboo nodding and they headed off in a different direction away from the main entrance for someone to help guide them towards the garden. 

As they wandered the grand halls of the palace, guards and servants passed them in a hurry so they couldn’t even begin to open their mouths to utter a single word. They were becoming increasingly more unsuccessful, and Tommy was getting antsy. 

“We could always check the throne room?” Tommy was quick to shut that idea down. “They know the palace best, right? Especially the king. I don’t see why not.”

“Ranboo, you know exactly why.” 

Ranboo huffed, getting fed up with the search for any sort of clue where the garden may be. He looked around where they stood, suddenly seeing the brown haired prince walking by. Ranboo sprung into action, grabbing Tommy and teleporting them right in front of the prince. 

“What the fuck–” Wilbur said, falling on his ass as the two suddenly appeared in front of him. Ranboo sheepishly smiled, giving the prince a hand. “Sorry about that.” He apologized, hoisting the prince up onto his feet. 

Tommy was hiding behind Ranboo’s ridiculously tall frame. Of course, it wasn’t exactly hiding him as he had these big and very noticeable wings but as long as Wilbur was out of sight, he was out of mind. Same was for Tommy. 

“Can I help you.. two?” Wilbur asked, noticing the wings hiding behind Ranboo’s tall frame. Tommy froze behind Ranboo, who gave him a glance and signaled him to stop hiding but Tommy was too busy not panicking. 

“Uh– yes! We need help to get to the garden.” Wilbur raised a brow. “The royal garden?” Ranboo shrugged his shoulders. 

“You guys have many?”

Wilbur chuckled. “Well, we have a private one for us royals. I saw your other friend out there, I assume you want to go to him?” Ranboo nodded. “Well, you’re going the completely wrong way.”

“I knew it!” Tommy exclaimed from behind Ranboo, making the enderman flinch. “What? Excuse you, but it’s not like you were any help!” Tommy’s wings flailed, Wilbur’s attention going to the dirty golden feathers as they did. Tommy finally appeared from behind Ranboo, the two now full on arguing. 

“You suck at navigating!” 

“Like you’re any better! I thought a bird was supposed to have a natural compass!”

“Well you can literally teleport! Why didn’t you teleport us to Tubbo?!”

“Well I-”

“Shut up both of you!” Wilbur interrupted, the two stopping mid argument to look at the prince in surprise. “I forgot you were here.” Tommy spluttered out, quickly covering his mouth once he realized what he’d said. 

Wilbur smiled. “Well, you two were too busy ripping each other’s heads off.” Ranboo rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, Tommy’s wings closing around him. “Let’s get going then. We don’t want to keep your friend waiting, no?”

Tommy and Ranboo exchanged looks and then smiled at Wilbur, who smiled back and started leading the way towards the royal garden. 

As they walked through the palace, Tommy looked around to try and familiarize himself with his surroundings, to map out the areas when he wanted to go back to the garden by himself. He was so enamored with his surroundings, he didn’t notice that Wilbur had stopped and walked into him. 

“Shit– sorry!” He quickly apologized, bowing his head and stepping away. “No worries, no worries.” Wilbur replied, easing Tommy’s anxiety a slight bit. He was so anxious around the prince, he felt like he was walking on eggshells. 

“So,” Wilbur resumed walking, Ranboo vwooping behind him. “Why are you going to the garden?” Tommy wanted to say something but his throat closed up, a lump forming. He was so nervous– why was he so nervous? It’s not like Wilbur was going to bite his head off. 

Or so he hoped. Tommy didn’t know what Wilbur was capable of. 

In fact, he didn’t know what any of the royal family was capable of, so he was skeptical. The last time he trusted an adult person it didn’t end well. 

Tommy wanted to embrace his family, the gods knew he wanted to just collapse in their arms and let his worries and anxieties dissolve as he is protected by them.
But every single fiber of his being screamed in distrust and fear. And it hurt. 

“We felt like we needed some fresh air.” Ranboo replied, Tommy nodding simply. “I understand.” Wilbur said, a solemn look on his face. “The palace can get quite suffocating at times. Especially this time of year.” Tommy raised a brow. 

“Why is that?” He blurted out, shocked he even managed to say more than a word without shutting down.
Tommy wasn’t the only one surprised, Ranboo giving him an encouraging smile and Wilbur faltering slightly. Oh gods, did he fuck up?

“Oh, well, the festival is always stressful. The palace hosts a ball for nobles, and then there’s an open palace day for the citizens. A lot of events are happening, so the palace is kind of turned upside down in preparations.”

“That must be stressful.” Ranboo commented, Wilbur nodding. 

“It is. Especially for me, Techno and dad.” 

Dad . 

Tommy really wanted to call the king dad. Their little moment a few days back was still so clear and fresh in his mind and he longed for it to happen again. He wished and he hoped that something in him snapped and he just let himself go. 

But he was too careful for that. 

“The garden is a really relaxing place.” Wilbur continued his tangent, Tommy listening intently. “Some of the best gardeners take care of it every day of the year so it keeps its beauty throughout the seasons. Me and Techno often go there after tough days, I usually take my guitar and I sing a few songs for us. It’s really relaxing.”

“I bet.” Ranboo chimed in, Tommy’s feathers ruffling. Wilbur stops in front of a red wood door with designs of flowers and plants carved into it. “This is it,” he said, and opened the door up to reveal a gorgeous garden. 

Tommy wasted no time, quickly pushing past the other two to run into the garden and straight to the fountain. It looked even more magnificent up close, and Tommy marveled at the sights around him. 

Rows upon rows upon rows of flowers lined the paths, each flower grown and cared for with such elegance and grace that Tommy felt like he was dreaming. It felt like something he had only envisioned from a novel he read back at the tower, of a girl frolicking in flower fields and spending her days enjoying the sun. 

He dipped his hands in the water, letting the cold bring him back to reality. It felt nice, a small breeze passed by and the flowers seemed to dance. Ranboo approached him, being careful of the water and pointed towards the marble bench a few meters away, where Tubbo sat with his eyes closed, seemingly enjoying the breeze and smell of nature. 

“Should we scare him?” Tommy suggested, Ranboo grinning mischievously. “We’re signing off our deaths here, but I think it’d be pretty funny.” 

They giggle amongst themselves and slowly approach the bench where Tubbo was resting. Keeping their steps light, they get behind Tubbo and scream. 

“Sorry to disappoint boys,” Tubbo said, eyes closed. “But I heard you guys come outside, so.” 

Tommy scoffed. “What are you, some sort of wizard?” Tubbo chuckled, scooting a little on the bench for the other two to join him. Tommy jumped over the bench and plopped down, Ranboo sitting besides the avian. 

“No, I just have better hearing than you expected.” Tommy clicked his tongue in annoyance, grumbling under his breath while Ranboo just giggled beside him. “You complain too much.”

Tommy stuck his tongue out at Tubbo, who pushed his head so he fell into Ranboo’s lap. “Hey!” 

“Serves you right!” 

“Can we please not fight?”

“Too late for that!”

“Oh gods…”

Wilbur’s heart ached watching the three friends laugh and have fun with one another, seeing his brother’s face light up so brightly it felt unreal was a good feeling though. 

Wilbur was conflicted. His head was a mess and so were his emotions. He was hoping for some relaxation after his admitted panic attack. He had been aimlessly wandering the halls of the palace, dodging and weaving the busy servants as he went from corridor to corridor. 

Wilbur’s instincts told him to seek out his sounder, maybe his father or brother, but Wilbur was stubborn and ignored them. Even as they were practically screaming at him, he continued to ignore them and went back inside of the palace to keep wandering. 

Some days, the palace seemed so unfamiliar. 

As a prince, Wilbur knew practically every brick and dust speck in the palace but sometimes he didn’t feel like it. Sometimes, it felt so foreign, like something Wilbur wasn’t supposed to have. 

A Netherborn creature, adopted and taken to the common world and thrust into the light of royalty at a ridiculously young age, expectations were placed upon Wilbur’s shoulders as soon as he was announced to be a son of the king. Techno dealt with the pressure and the weight a lot better than Wilbur. 

Half the time, Wilbur was looking for any reason or excuse to simply run away. To start anew, carry on a career in music maybe, explore the vast land Antarctica controlled. It was a distant dream, one he had when he was still in the Nether. 

A dream of the common world, to see what the humans saw, to experience what they did and live a life of comfort, not survival. And he got that now, but, was it all that dreamy? Was it everything he had hoped?

Wilbur couldn’t exactly answer. 

His aimless wandering led him to the library, as always. It was a place Wilbur had found calming, to sink into a book and forget the real world for the duration of whatever material he found interesting at the time. 

He pulled the door open and entered, shutting it and walking further into the large room. His legs carried him straight to the historical documents, more importantly, documents on medicine. 

Wilbur was still angry at his father for keeping his mother’s treatment away. What if someone else in the family got her illness? Wouldn’t it be better for the palace physicians to know how to treat it if any of the rest of them would get it? 

Wilbur didn’t get it. And he felt like he was rightfully angry at his father for keeping the information at bay. 

He sighed and grabbed a random document from and took it to the nearest table. As he read the aged document he could see it was about an ancient plague which ransacked the land some four-hundred years ago. 

“A plague so violent, so godless and powerful that even those whose hands have been touched by the great Gods will succumb to it.” Wilbur read, skimming through it. It mentioned a lot of religious text, something he wasn’t exactly interested in as he had read it a few dozen times at this time. 

He stood up to put it back, when he was startled by the library doors opening harshly. In came none other than his brother, Technoblade. 

He looked agitated, angry even, and it worried Wilbur. 

“You okay, Techno?” 

No reply. Techno paced around the library, going to and from aisles before finally settling down in front of Wilbur. His leg was bouncing, he was tapping his fingers rapidly against the table and was flipping his head around aggressively, the signs of anxiety and agitation so clear. 

Wilbur released a comforting chuff, Techno’s head snapping in his direction, pupils dilating and undilating, like he was battling against his instincts. Wilbur tried again, releasing a chuff similar to the one before but with a bit more authority. 

Wilbur watched as his brother lost his battle against his instincts and released a desperate chuff, pupils blown wide and animalistic grunts coming from his mouth. Wilbur moved from his chair, regularly chuffing to keep his brother calm as he approached him. 

Technoblade grunted, jumping up from his chair and tackling Wilbur, taking him down and the pair landing harshly on the floor. Wilbur let out an ‘oof’, hands circling his brother’s torso. Comforting chuffs came at a steady pace to keep his brother calm, Techno replying with chuffs of his own. 

“There you go,” Wilbur said softly, moving one hand to glide his fingers through Techno’s silky locks. “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Wilbur slowly started to loosen his grip, Techno snorting and grunting harshly. He seemed to be coming off from his instincts, slowly coming to himself. 

“You alright?” Wilbur asked, Techno nodding into his chest. A sigh left his brother’s lips, becoming limp in Wilbur’s grip. Wil smiled, clearly happy with the affection he was receiving from his brother. 

“‘m tired.” Techno mumbled, Wil chuckling. “I bet. You were in quite the frenzy.” Techno groaned, clearly embarrassed at his actions. 

“Don’t talk about it.” 

Wilbur was most certainly going to talk about it. He was going to tease his brother so much because of this, he couldn’t wait–

“It’s because of dad.” Wilbur was cut off, Techno shaking his grip off of him and standing up. “What?” Techno dusted himself, giving Wilbur a hand and hoisted him off the floor. 

“Dad is the reason I was so agitated.” This made Wilbur puzzled. Techno never gets mad at dad, or rarely. He was the most level-headed person Wilbur knew.
“We argued, he said some things that got on my nerves and it sent my instincts wild. I was acting like a wild animal looking through the palace to find you.” 

Wilbur frowned. That was so unusual. 

“Ever since The– I mean Tommy returned, dad has been different. I understand he’s going through some heavy stuff with his return, especially because Tommy is the only thing dad has left of mom,” Techno rambled, Wilbur listening intently. 

“But he’s acting like me and you aren’t there. His instincts may be too strong right now, and since Tommy is apparently also avian it makes sense, but dad is tossing us aside.” Techno’s voice wavered, his confidence dying down. It had been a long time since Wilbur saw his brother look so small, so vulnerable. 

“What did you argue about?” Techno froze up, fists clenched at his sides, eyes teary.

Wilbur asked again. “What did you argue about?” 

“We both said some fucked up shit,” Techno awkwardly chuckled, trying to relieve the tension. Wilbur wasn’t having it, eyes dark and expression stern. “Fine, he said we weren’t his sons.” 

Wilbur froze. His heart lodged into his throat, tears immediately forming in his eyes as soon as Techno spoke those words. “He- he said what?”

Techno looked so guilty. “He said we weren’t his sons. Not like Tommy was.” 

No fucking wonder Techno was so agitated. Their sounder, their family just said they weren’t family. They didn’t belong, not like Tommy did, not like the one that hadn’t been around for seventeen fucking years. Wilbur was so angry and so hurt to even begin to think Phil could ever utter such words. 

“He tried to backtrack immediately when he said it, like he realized what he said was wrong but it was too late. I lashed out, too deep in hurt and instinct and ran off. I went straight to you, because fuck if I’m going to be with the person who just ripped my heart out of my chest.” 

“Do you know where he went?” Wilbur asked, eyes glazed over in anger. Techno took notice immediately, quickly releasing a comforting chuff that he ignored. “You won’t find him. He’s out flying, probably hours and hours.”

Wilbur growled in frustration, everything in him screaming at him to find Phil, to make him pay for hurting Technoblade, his brother. But he was his father, they were bonded, marked. Wilbur couldn’t do that to his sounder, no matter what he wanted to do.

“Let’s go for a walk. Or spar.” Techno suggested, trying to shake Wilbur out of his rage. 

“Please, let’s do anything except stay in the castle. We could maybe head out to the village?” Wilbur perked at that. “Sounds like a good idea, right?” He nodded, Techno grabbed Wilbur’s hand and began leading him out of the library. 

“Then let’s go. It’ll do us some good getting out of this stuffy place.” Wilbur chuckled, Techno smiling. 

“You wanna race?” Wilbur cheekily suggested, Techno giving him a knowing look. “Don’t challenge me Wil, you always lose–”

But Wilbur was already gone, laughing as he left his brother in the dust. For now. 

“So long sucker!”

“Oh no you don’t!”

Chapter Text

Hello everyone. 

I’m posting this to let everyone know that this work is going to be shelved until further notice. I have lost all passion and drive for this  story, and although I absolutely adore the characters and the world I have built I have not been finding myself wanting to continue writing. 

It does suck that it has come to this, but I won’t force myself to write a story I won’t be happy with.

For now, this work will remain unfinished until further notice. 

If I do decide to discontinue it entirely, I will let you know. 

I hope you guys understand, and I also hope you’ll stick around as I have plans to continue telling stories from beloved characters from the Dream SMP and such. 

I hope each and every one of you has a good day or night!

Chapter Text

Hello everyone! Long time no see!

How is everyone? Good I hope. My life's been really busy, I was working a lot this summer and started university! But, I am here to bring you guys some news regarding this story. I will be rewriting this story!

Now, what does that mean?

It means this: I want to switch up the story, remove and add some characters and change some plot points and pacing, however the main premise should stay the same. Of course, as this is a Rapunzel AU I will stay truthful to the movie as much as I can while putting my own twist on it. The rewrite will take time, so please be patient as I am a full time university student and I need to use a lot of my free time for studying and such. But when I can, I will squeeze in some writing and hopefully get some chapters out soon enough.

The rewrite will be published separately, and when I deem it ready I will delete this version. I hope you guys understand, as this version is something I'm not happy with (especially with some of the characters) and I want to be able to start semi fresh. A clean slate, if you will.

I hope you guys have a good day or night. Remember to drink water and get some food, and don't forget to take your meds!

With love, Jack <3

Chapter Text

THE REWRITE IS HERE EVERYONE! PLEASE GO AND ENJOY THE FIRST CHAPTER/PROLOGUE!

HAVE A GOOD DAY EVERYONE! <33