on temporizing || Dream SMP Timeloop Fic

Chapter 14

"Tubbo," Tommy said. His voice was cold. Tubbo hesitated, a chill passing down his spine. "You shouldn't be here."

"I haven't seen you in two weeks," Tubbo replied as he came to a stop five feet away. "I was worried."

"You shouldn't be here," Tommy repeated. He turned around. Tubbo stiffened, horror sinking into his bones.

A familiar mask was strapped over Tommy's face, an onyx smile etched into its surface. One edge of it was chipped and slightly singed, but the rest of it was pristine as ever, an eerie bone-white that glinted under the dying sunlight.

"T-Tommy?" Tubbo breathed. "Why. . . why are you wearing that?"

Tommy tilted his head, fingers coming up to brush the mask. "Oh, this? I took it from Dream."

Tubbo swallowed. "And. . . and where is Dream?"

Tommy hummed. "He ran away."

Tubbo blinked. "Ran. . . away? From exile? Does-- does that mean he's in the SMP? In L'Manberg?"

"No." Tommy turned back to the house. "He left the beach. He's not supposed to leave the beach."

Tubbo frowned. "It's fine as long as he stays out of the mainland, Tommy."

"But if he's not here, I can't keep an eye on him," Tommy snapped. He kicked a piece of rubble with his foot. "And if I don't keep an eye on him, who knows what the fuck he'll get up to. I'm gonna go hunt him down."

Tubbo frowned. "I-- wouldn't it make more sense to stay back in L'Manberg and defend it? Tommy, you're the vice, we need you back here. We can-- we can send a search party after Dream--"

"No, Tubbo." Tubbo took a step back as Tommy stepped forward, his fingers curling into fists. "You don't understand-- the shit he says. I know his tricks-- if you send a search party out there, he'll turn them to his side with some fucking pity story."

"We need you back in L'Manberg!" Tubbo protested. "I know you're worried about Dream, but--"

"I'm going after him." It wasn't a request, it was a statement. "Just fuckin' try to stop me, Tubbo. I dare you."

Tubbo felt his heart sink into his stomach. "Tommy, please," he started. Tommy snorted.

"Tommy, please," he parroted, and Tubbo got the distinct impression that he was rolling his eyes behind his mask. "Prime, you've grown soft. Either get a backbone and stop me yourself or go back to L'Manberg. Don't just stand there looking pathetic."

Tubbo said nothing.

"Don't know what I expected you to do," Tommy muttered. He turned away. "Well, Mister President, I'll be back as soon as I track Dream down. Don't come after me."

He disappeared into the fog, leaving Tubbo alone in the smoking ruins.

~~~

Technoblade held his sword up to the firelight, squinting, before lowering it and running the whetstone over it again. The shhk of metal against stone and the crackling of the fire washed over him, mixing with the low murmur of voices in his head. For the first time in a while, he felt calm. Content.

A knock shattered his momentary peace.

Technoblade narrowed his eyes at the door. It was snowing something fierce at the moment, the wind battering the windows and whisking freshly fallen flakes off the ground. Nobody should have been out in weather like this.

He calmly rose to his feet, newly-sharpened sword in hand, and stalked to the door. "Who's there?" he called. There might have been an answer, but the voice was so faint the words were lost in the wind. Technoblade let out a huff and opened the door.