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When Schlatt came up with the idea of an interesting, almost irresistible trade, Tommy and Wilbur was more than happy to agree, ignoring the heavy suspicion lingering in the air. Their friend and little brother, Tubbo, had been working under the ram hybrid for quite a while, his freedom long gone. The brunette was unable to visit his friends and family, he was bound to the old ground of Manberg. He was captured when the two siblings got exiled, forced to stay behind the strong obsidian walls like a caged up bird, longing to fly freely.
No matter what the two men offered to the ram hybrid in exchange for the small brunette, he didn't budge. It was a smart move, really, capturing someone so valuable for the other side. With Tubbo, he had power, real power over his enemies. A single threat agains the brunette's well being was enough to make Wilbur's side retreat. He loved the strength that made him blind, he liked the sickeningly sweet tone he always used when he talked to the short kid. He liked to be insane, charming, two-faced, to be in control, using tricks and terror left and right.
And Tubbo? Oh, the sweet, sweet child, so little, so fragile, so easy to break. Schlatt was able to manipulate him as easy as he pleased in a blink of an eye, planting dark seeds into his head with just a few words he spoke... It's not a surprise he quickly became the ram hybrid's new rug doll.
Knowing this, it was a surprise Schlatt wanted to let go of him so easily. The brunette was his source of power, someone he always kept his eyes on. Something was not right, the darkness was slowly but surely growing in the background, creeping out ever so slightly, bubbling uneasily. The venom was choking and heavy, tightly wrapping its ugly hands around anyone's neck who dared to get too close. Yet...
A stack of diamonds for someone so important? A trade they could never shy away from...
Tommy and Wilbur had worked hard, spending long, tiring days underground, searching for the blue tinted gems. And when they couldn't find more in the mines, they were searching for allies instead. People who were willing to give them diamonds for anything Wilbur and Tommy owned in return. Gear, food, animals, valuable potions... Even the brewing stand was sent to its new location to a new owner.
At the day of the trade, the two brothers were as poor as never before with a bag of diamonds on the taller one's shoulder. It was worth it thought, anything for their long missed family member.
But as the trade was happening, Tubbo seemed... Off. He was unfocused and seemingly unbalanced, leaning against the wall for support. He didn't even register at first when he was pulled into a tight hug by his brothers. He was standing awkwardly for a few seconds, his foggy mind fighting agains the darkness's cold touch before melting into the comforting warmth that was wrapped around him like a soft blanket. And as the warm touch remained on his skin, he grew more tired and tired. Just a few minutes. He thought before finally closing his glossy eyes.
The next few hours were a blur for the small brunette. He was in a soft bed with fluffy pillows and a warm blanket, a cold towel on his forehead. Warm orange light was illuminating the small room he was in, and the bedsheet smelled like pinecones and honey. A strange mix but comforting regardless, nostalgic even. It belonged to his beloved Tommy. Tubbo couldn't help but smile a little, burying his face into the pillow. He just felt... Tired, the shivering never leaving his fragile body. And while he should have felt scared... He was in peace.
He hummed happily when someone held his hand. The touch was warm and familiar, the skin a little rough on the palm. Tommy was holding onto the smaller boy as if his own life was depending on it, praying to whoever god he could think of. He was scared and stressed, worried for the his long lost friend.
Wilbur was spacing left and right in the small room, biting his lips. Both of them knew the small brunette wouldn't make it like this.
All they needed was a potion of healing. A small glass bottle with a sweet, red liquid in it, nothing more. And yet, they couldn't give it to the boy. They had exchanged all of them for diamonds alongside with everything that was needed for potion making. They were too poor to help.
Despite knowing all of this, Wilbur quietly left the room, hurriedly running to god knows where. He needed someone, Dream, Bad, Skeppy, hell, even Eret if he had a spare potion to help a long known friend out. He at least needed to try. For Tubbo.
Tommy was left with the panting brunette. He talked about nothing in particular, telling small stories with little to no interest as he changed the towel on Tubbo's forehead every once in a while. The shorter boy's body was burning up, the fever clouding his mind, making it extremely hard for him to focus on anything the blonde was saying. Yet he still fought with all the power he had, ignoring the nausea and coldness that hold him hostage. His body ached as the world spun around him in a sickening manner.
But as the minutes passed, he grew more and more tired. Tommy was holding his hand desperately, pressing his forehead against the brunette's warm skin. He was pleading for Tubbo to stay, but both of them knew the brunette's time had come.
"Tommy?" he asked quietly, his voice raspy and powerless. It's been a while since he had to speak, he was stumbling on the words like a toddler who tried to walk for the first time.
"Yes Tubbo?" he blonde asked with a pained smile on his face. He couldn't force his brother to stay for any longer, not when he was in so much pain. He had to let go.
"I-I love you both... You know that, right?" he asked tiredly.
"Yes Tubbo, I know that. We love you too..." he breathed out, leaving a small kiss on the brunette's hand before pressing his forehead against the pale skin once more. He closed his eyes in hopes his warm tears won't be able to escape their prison for a little while.
"Tommy?" the brunette asked again, getting a hum in response. Tommy looked at Tubbo with half lidded eyes, a tear tracing his sun kissed face "C-can you maybe... Visit my bees?" he choked out "I-I haven't taken c-care of them the way t-they deserve it. C-can you please... T-take care of them for me?"
"Yes Tubbo, I'll do it. Now don't talk more, rest well" Tommy reassured the smaller boy, caressing his warm cheeks with his free hand.
"Thank you" the brunette breathed out, smiling a little, finally closing his tired eyes for the better. It was not as unbearably cold as it was before.
Tommy felt Tubbo's skin growing colder after each passing minute. He was hugging his brother tightly, sobbing uncontrollably into the smaller one's chest. He didn't even look up to Wilbur who was standing in the doorframe...
With a potion of healing in his hand.
Months have passed since Tubbo's death, and the two sides were facing each other with weapons in their hands. The fight was seconds away, the tension dancing in the air like electricity.
And unaware to anyone, a transparent figure was holding onto Tommy's shoulders with a tight grip, hugging the taller boy protectively. He was holding a potion of healing in his faded hands, the red liquid dancing in the glass bottle playfully.
He will make sure the blonde won't suffer any harm. It was not his time to go after all.