He Taught me Love

Chapter 13

While waiting for his dad to return and play, Tubbo sat huddled with his stuffed friend and favourite duck in hand, But as time passed, Tubbo became increasingly frustrated by the empty spot next to him where his dad should be sitting.

In an attempt to spot his father, Tubbo leans back from his spot on the carpet, craning his neck to see through the archway and into the kitchen.

He jumped back, the sudden sound of muffled shouting startling him. He scurried back to the corner, pulling his knees to his chest, the sound echoing off the walls. He squeezed his eyes shut, as if creating a dam between the tears pooling behind his eyes and his cheeks.

"Daddy?" He cries voice strained by the ever-growing fear.

Standing on shaky legs Tubbo slowly tip-toes into the kitchen corridor catching sight of Clays and George's shadows creeping into view.

"Feel something! Feel me! Hear me!" He overhears George's shout, "tell me you love me as you mean it because I don't believe you anymore!" Tubbo watches as George starts to continuously hit Clay's chest crying.

A faint feeling of deja vu arose in the small boy's mind. As the scene unfolded in front of him. Past memories of being back in Florida, constant fights his mom and dad had flashed through his mind, he hid away upstairs many sleepless nights the only source of comfort was his best-stuffed friend Benson.

Tubbo ducks under the kitchen island, crawling to the side not far behind George. The sight of red catches his eye as a few drops of the substance touches his hand. He gasps seeing the blood soak his skin, eyes wide, tightening his grip on Benson.

"We need to stop this" Tubbo whispers

"Daddy? Dad" he calls, taking a small step forward. His voice, however, was too small for them to notice and so Tubbo stands helplessly in overwhelming confusion wondering why his parents are so upset with each other.

It became too much room spinning vision blurred.

"STOP STOP STOP STOP!" He shouts over the two,palms pressed tightly against his ears. "NO FIGHT! PLEASE DON'T WANT TO MOVE AGAIN!" Tubbos body shakes with emotion, large alligator tears rolling down his flushed red cheeks.

Tubbos' distressed voice catches Clay and George's attention, the sight of the young boy's wet cheeks and puffy eyes horrifying them.

"Oh Tubbo" George whispers "come here buddy" he opens his arms wrapping them around Tubbo "Can you get some tissues please Clay" He glances over to the worried-looking blond

Nodding Clay turns to the counter grabbing a few tissues. Crouching down behind George to wipe away the boy's running nose, his unoccupied hand resting on Tubbos' back.

"No fighting" he mumbles face burrowed in Georges sweater

"No, no more fighting buddy we are so so sorry" George hugs Tubbo tighter to his chest pressing small kisses on the crown of his head.

"No moving"

"No Tubs we are staying here" Clay adds, feeling a heavy weight of guilt drop onto his shoulders.

"Promise?"

"Pinky"

George shuffles Tubbo in his arms and turns him toward his father, pinky finger lifting to cover Clay's larger one.

"Daddy and I are so sorry we just got into a silly little fight, but we are all better now," George says while wiping away Tubbo's stray tears as he tries to hold back his own.

"Not mad at each other any more?"

"Nope, we're all good!" Clay smiles

Looking between the two the small boy nods happily "Now you hug!" He cheers "Karl says hugs make everything better"

"Of course he did" Clay mumbles

George's eyes meet Clay's green ones with an annoyed gaze. Though they had told Tubbo everything is fixed between them they both saw broken pieces of their relationship scatter the tiled floor knowing how far from the truth that is.

"YOU HAVE TO HUG!" Tubbo orders with a small stomp

"Okay okay," The two men give in.

Standing to their full height Clay and George awkwardly maneuvers themselves into a hug, the blond's arms tight around George's waist trapping chest pressed together.

They stayed like that- in each other arms until George pulled back using his sleeve to wipe away new tears "There everything is good now" He says forcing a smile, "now why don't you and daddy finish lunch while I go and get some work done before tomorrow" George suggests voice filled with a fake cheerfulness.

Taking Clay by the arm and dragging him back to the discarded vegetable pile, Tubbo nods contentedly.

"Are you sure- "Yes Clay just make lunch with Tubbo I'll be down later"

The bedroom door is pushed open, George entering with a defeated sigh, he glances over to his bag full of unmarked worksheets, but the thought of working in this moment causes an uneasy sickness to build within his stomach and so instead the brunette falls back onto the bed.

George lies there motionless and tired, tired with nothing, tired with everything, tired with the world's weight he had never chosen to bear.

He's hurt suffering in silence to keep others happy, a curse bound to this life trapped in a never-ending loop to be an anchor for them- serving the consequences of that title, drowning alone in an ocean of tears.

An urge to feel something else starts to rise, to do something about this mental pain pushing to relapse into old habits.

"You can't," he tells himself with fingertips sliding across his covered thighs "You can't" George cries knowing how simple it would be to allow this sick relief. He could feel the phantom touch of cold metal running across his legs.

He tried to fight it he really did, but exhaustion got the best of him as it would for most and there he was falling into an all so familiar darkness.

"You can't," he laughs with pity.