An Abandoned Dream (Discontinued)

Five

Dream felt his stomach churn uncomfortably as the small group of four stepped into the Nether Portal. He and Ghostbur helped by carrying small bags that held most of Tommy's supplies that he'd accumulated during his time in exile while the blonde held his more essential items in another. The fact that Tommy was in exile was still very new and confusing information for the masked man.

His eyes peered at the pair of teens from behind his porcelain mask. Tubbo and Tommy led the way across the high bridge with Dream walking in pace with Ghostbur a few paces behind them. They seemed to be conversing casually, but even the dirty blonde could sense the still awkward tension that had stuck between the boys since their departure from the seaside. Dream glanced at the male hovering next to him and opened his mouth to speak but sighed and closed it before looking forward again.

Ghostbur saw the action from his peripheral vision and looked to the tall male with a small hum of confusion.

"Is something wrong?" He asked when he noticed Dream's frown despite the horrid lighting from the lava far below them. Dream pushed his hood back and rubbed at his neck with his free hand, and Ghostbur wondered if it was the temperature that was bothering the other. It was hard for him to say, considering everything seemed quite chilly to him all the time.

"Tommy was exiled...?" Came the soft question, and it clicked in the brunette's head just what was causing the other grief. He made a small noise of acknowledgment and nodded to himself before moving his attention back to Dream once more.

"Yes, he was," Ghostbur answered quietly. His hazy, brown eyes stared ahead sadly at the young boys in front of them.

Dream's hold on the knapsack he held tightened, causing his knuckles to turn white. His heart clenched, and he felt a pang of sudden guilt overwhelm him. Behind his mask, his eyes had widened in surprise at the abrupt bout of emotion. It felt foreign... as if it didn't belong to him but a different person entirely. His lips pressed into a thin line as he set his jaw stubbornly to hide the feeling warring in his mind.

"Why?"

"It's not really my place to say," Ghostbur answered with a small wave in Tommy's direction. Dream managed to shift his gaze from where he'd locked it onto the obsidian under his feet to the apparition's face.

"Was I there when it happened?" Dream asked in what sounded like fear. The dead soldier's posture stiffened, and he fought to keep his face neutral. He didn't want to be the one to do this. He didn't want to be the one who told this man about his past decisions and wrongdoings.

It didn't have to be now. Ghostbur didn't have to tell Dream about it at this moment. And he wouldn't have been lying, but just merely beating around the bush so he wouldn't have to be the one to tell Dream all this. It wasn't his forte, but he could pull it off just this once. Ghostbur decided he wanted to give Dream a chance to start over.

Just like he'd been given.

"You knew about it," Ghostbur conceded, and Dream's frown deepened.

"Was he always alone?" Dream asked all but desperately, and it warmed Ghosbur's heart seeing how much the man had grown to care about Tommy in such a small amount of time. He never thought he'd live to see the day.

"No," Ghostbur said with a small smile and fully turned his head to look at Dream. "You were his most frequent visitor, actually," He added, causing the other to stare in silence.

Dream would never be able to explain the relief that flooded his heart and soul. He looked away from the brunette and stared silently at Tommy, who seemed to be defending himself from some remark Tubbo had made.