Sibling rivalry

The trio! 2/2

don't want to forget
not your face, not your laugh
but they're so warm
and you're so far away
————————————————————————
tw // gaslighting, manipulation, verbal abuse, physical abuse, character death
————————————————————————

It's pathetic how Tommy whimpers and begs for Tubbo to come to save him as if the boy has any idea what's happening to him. He thinks it's pathetic for him to curl up in his thick blankets, shaking and sobbing like a child, while Wilbur is trying his best to comb through his curls.

"Toms," dramatically sighs Wilbur. Tommy can just hear the slight irritation and the roll of his eyes. "Please stop shaking so much. I'm trying to take care of you here."

"– bbo." It's the only thing he can say, the only thing Tommy begs for every night. The name of that traitor rolling off his tongue like some kind of damn mantra. "Tubbo, where– where's— "

"Tubbo isn't here!" Tommy shuts up immediately. Wilbur's grip on his hair is tight and he pulls his hair back to glare into his younger brother's shaking eyes. "Tubbo isn't coming for you! Tubbo doesn't care for you as much as I do! That traitor is busy prancing off with Schlatt and his cronies!"

Too loud. Too piercing. He misses Tubbo's gentle voice and soft gaze. "B– But Tubbo came back to us," he protests weakly. "He came back to Pogtopia. I don't– "

"That boy is hiding something," Wilbur hisses. Tommy knows it's Wil's insanity speaking, not his older brother. His older brother is gentle, kind, soft-eyed, and charming. He pokes fun and gives him head knuckles that leave his head aching for days. That's his brother, not this dark-eyed, shrill-voiced maniac. "Did you see how happy he was with Schlatt? With Manburg? Why would he leave that place to join a group living in a fucking ravine?"

His nails dig into his skull, drawing both blood and tears from Tommy. It's too deep and dark, Wilbur's eyes, too void of anything but insanity. His jaw is clenched and his teeth are gritted as he thinks of Pogtopia and Manburg and everyone. Too filthy. Too complicated. Too uncontrollable.

"Schlatt ordered Techno to kill Tubbo," Tommy whimpers. "Maybe that's why."

He flinches when Wilbur snaps out of his trance and bores those lightless eyes straight into his. There's a moment of silence as if Wilbur is slowly pondering what to do with Tommy. Like a murderer toying with his victim, he thinks as Wilbur's eyes dance across his face.

But slowly his face relaxes into his old charming grin and he lets go of Tommy. His nails are smeared with blood, but he doesn't notice as he continues to comb Tommy's hair again.

"Let's not think about the past anymore, shall we?" Wilbur hums and picks up a particularly long strand. "Say anything more about fucking Tubbo or Q or anyone else and I'll make sure you'll starve, alright bubba?"

Tommy shudders at the threat and slowly nods.

That's right, Wilbur thinks as he fixes up Tommy. His blonde hair is smeared with a pale red that still oozes from his scalp, but he pays it no heed. Tommy isn't perfect, but he's his little brother. Too desperate to prove himself. Too naive. Too loyal.