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English
Series:
Part 1 of Canon Drabbles
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Published:
2024-09-08
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2,027
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1/1
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Pay the Price, Play the Cards

Summary:

After his exile, after the prison, Tommy just wants to be safe.

He can't trust anyone to protect him out of love. Wilbur is dead. Tubbo exiled him, Techno turned on L'Manburg, and Philza never saw him as a son. So, when Quackity proposes a contract of citizenship, Tommy knows it's his best chance at a somewhat peaceful life.

Then, a notification goes out:
WilburSoot joined the game

Work Text:

CONTRACT OF PERMANENT RESIDENCE

All persons naturalized in Las Nevadas, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of Las Nevadas and the land wherein they reside.

The signing of this document subjects you to the rights and duties of the nation.

TAXES.  Residents are required to pay a jurisdictional and financial charge to the nation to fund future projects and development of the nation.  Failure to pay could result in the extinction of your permanent residence and possibly death. ADDENDUM: The below signed is NOT approved for termination of citizenship unless personally approved by the President of Las Nevadas.

MILITARY PARTICIPATION.  One of your duties as a resident of Las Nevadas is the complete protection of the nation.  You're reqiured to participate in any wars, conflicts, or disputes of the nation in favor of Las Nevadas.  ADDENDUM: The below signed is NOT approved for participation in war at the present time. Should further amendement be necessary in the future, approval will come from the President of Las Nevadas.

LAND. One of your rights as a resident of Las Nevadas is a self-assigned plot of land, approved by the proper authorities, to develop productive businesses, homes, entertainment centers, etc.  ADDENDUM: The below signed will take up residence within the Presidential suites.  Approval of their self-assigned plot of land will come at the discretion of the President of Las Nevadas.

GAMBLING. Gambling is defined as staking of something of value, with consciousness of risk and hope of gain, on the outcome of a game.  Gambling is completely legal in Las nevadas, but subject to constantly changing regulations. ADDENDUM: The below signed is NOT approved for participation in gambling unless approved and directly supervised by the President of Las Nevadas.

THE LV LEGAL SYSTEM.  Las Nevadas and any disputes within the nation will be settled in the Las Nevadas court (TBA), with the presence of the conflicted parties, and the proper authorities.  ADDENDUM: The President of Las Nevadas reserves the right to appear in court in the place of the below signed. All disputes regarding the below signed must be held in the presence of the President of Las Nevadas.

FAILURE TO RESPECT THE CONSTITUTION AND THE DUTIES WHICH ARE ASSIGNED TO THIS RESIDENCE WILL RESULT IN THE IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF CITIZENSHIP, AND, IF GUILTY OF A CRIME AGAINST THE NATION, YOU ARE SUBJECT TO DEATH.

SIGNED . . . 

TommyInnit



--<>--<>--



Tommy caught sight of them on the road crossing the desert. He turned from the Needle's balcony railing and ran for the long water-elevator down. His comm buzzed in his pocket, flooding with messages from Sam. From Tubbo, from Ranboo, even from Purpled.

From Fundy.

God, Fundy.

Tommy rushed out of the needle. The main plaza shimmered in the heat and light of the noon day sun. The fountains gurgled and danced, distorting the figures making their way across the main plaza. The green of Charlie's slime was visible even through the spray of water. He was bouncing around the taller figure dressed in a long dark coat, probably chattering his ear off even as the slime attempted to slow down the intruder. Charlie turned as Tommy rounded the fountain, the stick embedded in the goo of his head bobbing wildly.

"TommyInnit from Las Nevadas, this guy says he knows you!"

Tommy swallowed hard.

Sam had warned him. Nearly drowned him in comms messages, insisting that Tommy find somewhere safe until Dream could be questioned. Until he could confirm that Ghostbur was really gone and Wilbur wasn't. . . well.

He'd seen the message. They all had.

WilburSoot joined the game.

"Yeah, Charlie." He managed, staring at his dead brother. "Something like that."

Wilbur looked . . . surprisingly good considering he'd been six feet under this morning.  His face was flushed with exertion and the desert sun, but his mouth quirked with a familiar mischief. A patch of white curls fell over his face and covered one of his dark eyes. An exact match to the streak in Tommy's own.

"Wil?" Tommy hated how shaky his voice sounded. 

Wilbur's face softened. Even in all the splendor of Las Nevadas, his brother only had eyes for him. "Hey, sunshine." He didn't take his hands out of his long coat's pockets, but held his arms out in a gesture so familiar it made a knot rise in his throat. Choking down a sob, Tommy surged forward, tucking himself into the open folds of Wilbur's coat, clutching his brother close.

"Easy, you're going to break my ribs."

"Fuck you, man." Tommy squeezed tighter. "Shut up. I'm fucking mad at you."

Wilbur's arms curled around him. It was hot as hell under the coat, and it stank of old cigarettes, but Tommy didn't pull away. He closed his eyes, sinking into the feeling of Wilbur's chest rising and falling beneath his ear. The steady heartbeat underneath.

"TommyInnit from Las Nevadas," Charlie said after a moment. "I don't think-"

"Stop calling him that," Wilbur snapped. Tommy blinked up at him, not liking the way he was glaring at Charlie. "Who the fuck are you supposed to be?"

Charlie's face brightened with a huge smile. "I'm Charlie from Las-"

"What the actual fuck are you wearing?" Wilbur interrupted, his eyes raking over Tommy's dark, fitted pants and clean white button-up. "Is that a fucking vest?"

Tommy frowned. He loved the smooth red silk of his suit coat that Quackity had made for him. It felt like he'd been handed a piece of himself. New, and different, but still him underneath. Now, under Wilbur's gaze, he wasn't so sure.

"It's a waistcoat, actually." 

They all looked up. 

Quackity stood a few paces behind them, hands in his pockets. His posture was loose, relaxed, but his eyes were dark on Wilbur. "I make sure all citizens of Las Nevadas have access to the finer things in life."

Tommy shifted back, feeling oddly guilty. Wilbur’s grip tightened for a moment, but then slackened. "Right," Wilbur said dryly. He sauntered closer to the President, making a show of looking around. "You really took a leaf out of my book, didn't you, Quackity? A new country. Uniforms." His voice sharpened as he leaned close. "Followers. At least the look is original."

Tommy winced.  

Quackity smiled, the gold of his tooth flashing where his scar slashed through his mouth.  "I did, I really did. Something else I learned from you was to protect my borders." He took a step forward, leaning up into Wilbur's space, his teeth still bared in a polite smile. "You're not welcome here, Wilbur. Get out, before I make you."

Charlie slunk to his side, but Tommy barely spared him a glance.  His heart was pounding high in his throat as his president. . . guardian? leader? . . . faced down the man who had been all that and more to him.

Or at least, had been.  Before that horrible November morning.

What was happening? Sure, Quackity had been against them in that fateful election, but he'd fought by their side in the revolution. He'd bled and lost just as much as they had. So, why did Wilbur look ready to rip out Quackity's throat with his teeth?

"Quackity, Quackity" Wilbur held up his hands. "You invited me, remember?" From the inside of his coat, he produced a slim, leatherbound book.

Quackity's smile vanished. "Get out."

Wilbur laughed.

"Wil," Tommy said, his throat dry. They both turned to look at him. Quackity's fierce expression wavered, and he stepped away from Wilbur to clasp Tommy's shoulder. Tommy's throat eased at the solid, familiar touch. "Maybe you should go. We can talk later."

Wilbur's eyes narrowed on Quackity's hand on his shoulder. "We can talk now. You're coming home with me."

Quackity's grip tightened. Tommy shot a pleading look at him. Let me deal with this. Quackity searched his face, then sighed and dropped his hand. Tommy's heart ached at the show of trust.

He stepped around Quackity, extending his hand. Wilbur took it immediately and Tommy pushed down the urge to smile. Clingy bitch. He lifted their joined hands, resting his cheek against them as he tried to find the words.

"L'manburg is gone, Wil." Wilbur's thumb stroked over his cheek as he spoke, catching some of the wetness there. L'Manburg was an old grief, but a powerful one. "We don't have a home anymore. You and every other power-hungry moron on this damn server saw to that."

"Not L'Manburg," Wilbur murmured. For the briefest moment, Tommy saw a flash of that same grief in his eyes. "To the arctic. I've already spoken with Phil and Tech. They're expecting us home."

Tommy's breath hitched.

Phil and Techno were . . . expecting him? They wanted him back? Wanted them both back?

Tommy stepped back, dropping Wilbur's hand.

No. No, that wasn't right. It couldn't be. Maybe they wanted Wilbur back. That would make sense. Techno had praised Wilbur's decision to blow L'Manburg into dust, and Phil had been a mess since his son's death. Of course they'd welcome him with open arms.  If having Wilbur back meant putting up with Tommy, he was sure they would do it.

They didn't want Tommy. Never just Tommy.

"No, I- the contract-" Tommy faltered, stepping back as Wilbur stepped forward, his brows furrowed. "I live here now."

"Well, now you don't." Wilbur said dismissively. He turned back to Quackity, as if it was that easy. "I'd say it was nice to see you again, Quackity, but as I've been given a new lease on life, I've decided it's too short to spend on pleasantries. Tommy and I will be going now."

Wilbur reached for his hand, but Tommy shrank back, clutching it to his chest. The hurt in his brother's eyes was nearly enough to tear him apart. A warm hand settled on his waist, and Tommy was too shaken to protest as Quackity nudged him firmly behind him.

"You heard him, Wilbur." Quackity said lowly. "Tommy belongs to Las Nevadas." 

Tommy's breath hitched as a much bigger hand landed on his shoulder. Sam stood at his back, the long line of his trident coming down in front of him like a wall. A flash of purple caught his eye on a nearby rooftop, and Fundy leaned against a nearby fountain, crossbow in hand and eyes dark on his father. 

Wilbur rolled his shoulders, letting his head fall to the side. He was surrounded and he knew it. Tommy could read the uneasiness in the forced nonchalance as his brother's eyes flitted between each of Tommy's countrymen. This wasn't a fight that Wilbur could win. If it were Technoblade, or Phil, then all of Las Nevadas wouldn't be enough to stop them. But Wilbur? He would die. He would die and go back to that horrible limbo and Tommy would lose his brother all over again.

"Wil," Tommy said again, his voice barely more than a whisper. 

For a long moment, nobody moved.

"Tommy," Quackity finally said. "Please go with Charlie. Sam, will you see Wilbur out?"

Charlie's hand, cool and moist, slipped into his. Fear tightened around Tommy's neck like a noose as Sam moved toward his brother. "Wait!" Slime's hand tightened, keeping him back.

Then, Quackity was in front of him, cupping the back of his neck, catching him in his dark eyes. "Tommy. Sam's not going to hurt him." Tommy struggled, desperate not to let Wilbur out of his sight, but Quackity held firm.

"Nothing's going to happen, Tommy." The president murmured, knocking their foreheads together. "Oh, querido. I won't stop you from seeing him, but not now. Not here."

Tears burned in his eyes. He could hear Wilbur's voice, harsh and cutting as Sam led him away, every block between them a wound. He didn't want Wilbur to leave. Gods, he didn't want him to go. He'd go back to Techno. To Phil. Wilbur would know soon. They would tell his brother exactly what Tommy had become without him. 

Traitor. Puppet. Sellout. 

Wilbur would go and they would make sure he never want to see him again.

Distantly, he heard Quackity sigh. "Charlie?"

The grip around his hand tightened once more, guiding him gently back. This time, Tommy didn't resist.

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