To Protect

Chapter 5.

I arrived fairly quickly compared to the last time, maybe because I didn't have to lug a child and a ghost with me. I took in the big wooden area that had been built, only a small distance away from where the dirt shack was. Assuming Tommy would be hiding out in there I headed over. It wasn't long before I saw the boy, cross legged in front of a log which held an apple on top. I noted he was muttering to himself while holding something in his hands. He hadn't noticed me yet.

"I mean the house isn't that bad, Ghostbur made it and we managed to do some mining." I took a few steps closer. "Do you like my armour? I grinded for so long just for iron." He chuckled to himself. "I hope that later me and Ghostbur can go looking for some diamonds and then I can mine obsidian to make an ender chest and put you somewhere safe." A little closer. "I'll talk to you later Tubbo. It's not safe to have you out for too long." He finally stood up and turned around, staggering in shock as he saw me. "D-Dream? Hello?" He stuttered on his words, shoving something which looked like a compass into his pocket. He's going crazy out here.

"Tommy! Who were you talking too?"

"Myself." He spat back at me.

"Why the attitude Tommy? Did you have a rough day?" I snickered as he ignored me. Following out of the wooden area I continued, "how are you? You've made the place so lovely." I was antagonising him but to my dismay he failed to react, persisting to ignore me. I didn't like that. I skipped happily in front of him which stopped him in his tracks. Digging a hole downwards I ordered him to place his armour into it.

"Go away Dream. I spent ages making these." He growled.

"Tommy." I held up my axe slightly in a menacing way.

"Fine. Fine." He threw his armour into the hole and I blew it all up with TNT. He should learn not to ignore me in the future.

"Anyway, how's exile going?" My demeaner still cheery.

"You're a dumb bitch." He pushed past me.

"Dream, why don't you just leave the poor exiled man alone." A voice came from nearer the ocean before I could respond. "You're just rubbing it in his face." Sapnap. Why was he here? Did he follow me?

"Yeah exactly." I said with a less cheery expression now that we had company.

"I'm having a rough patch," Tommy mumbled quietly as if he didn't want anyone else to hear. I noticed his expression wasn't angry anymore but more painful. "Why are you here? What could you possibly want more from me? You've already tortured me. You..." His words faded off.

"I'm making sure you're not up to no good."

"He's not." Sapnap joined, now having reached us. "You don't need to check up on him Dream. I am." I laughed, Sapnap was checking up on poor little Tommy? He was really going out of his way to spite me.

"You've exiled me you fucking manipulative stupid fucking green bastard." Tommy finally yelled out.

"You know why I did that! You're the only person who doesn't even listen to me." I snapped, then started to mock his accent by repeating his insults towards me. We were bickering like children.

"So, you're angry that someone won't listen to you? Exiling him because he won't do what you say or act how you want him to act? He's not a puppet Dream." Sapnap chimed in again. I darted him a look which meant shut the hell up. This didn't involve him.

"You're like a little annoying bug in my room Tommy. Pissing me off. So, I've taken you and I put you outside. That's what I did and now I'm just making sure you stay outside."

"Yeah okay." Tommy was defeated and didn't fight back, which seemed to nag Sapnap.

"He just called you a little bug." Tommy shrugged at the statement and continued to his mines, going to get himself new armour. Sapnap had followed along, helping him by mining and then chucking him the things he collected. I just stood watch over them. "And why are you still here?" I peeked towards Sapnap who hadn't even bothered looking up from what he was doing.

"Why not, we're still all friends here." I jumped down into the cave and perched onto a piece of stone. Sapnap laughed, but it was more of a venomous snicker which wasn't very comforting.

"If you say so Dream."

"Why wouldn't we be?"

"Why the fuck would we be?"

"Sap somethings clearly got your knickers in a twist" I had meant in as a joke, but he didn't seem to take it as one. I was clearly missing what I had done wrong here. Among our bickering neither of us noticed Tommy had stopped mining and was stood still, staring at the dark depth of the cave below him.

"How do you know when it's not worth it anymore?" His words were quieter than the stillness before he spoke and lacking emotion. His eyes locked onto the blackness. I didn't think anything of it though, other than him being dramatic.

"Well Tommy, when you have nothing left, I guess." The sound of the back of my heels hitting against the stone as I swung my legs filled the tense hush. Sapnap had stopped mining and was leaning against the wall watching the blonde boy cautiously, a fair distance between us which I assumed was on purpose.

"I have nothing left." Tommy sighed. Putting his pickaxe on the floor he climbed out of the cave and back to his wooden house. The once illuminated sky had grown dark, glistening with stars above us, I didn't realise we were down there for that long. Sapnap clambered out after me, still avoiding my gaze.

"Sapnap?"

"Dream seriously, don't." He started to walk off.

"Sapnap come on now," I chuckled. "The Dream Team can't be mad at each other." I reached for his hand, but he whipped it away.

"I meant it when I said there is no Dream Team. Think about what you're doing man. Me and George love you but you're not the same anymore. We joined you on this bullshit mission of destroying L'manburg years ago and we finally came to a resolution with Wilbur, we helped Schlatt with you, we left L'manburg alone for you when Tubbo became president and we stayed out of the disc thing since like you told us too. You should've left well enough alone yourself after Schlatt, like we did. You're toxic now dude." His words stabbed through my chest like a dagger.

"I'm still me Sap. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep. You should go now." He headed back to Tommy's woodland and I followed. Not accepting my que to leave. Tommy was sat on the steps to his shack Wilbur had built. "I told him to leave Tommy." Sapnap claimed, sitting in the grass area next to him.

"Before you go Dream. How is Tubbo? Tell me."

I shrugged.

He really misses you Tommy.

"He's great. He's being the president he was supposed to be, there hasn't been any issues since you left and I think he's proud of how great his nation is doing. Quackity stepped into your position, Fundy took his. Life is moving on. Tubbo is moving on." I lied.

"You should both go now." He raised his glance to me, darkness seemed to be filling his eyes, weighing him down. It was probably just a bad day, not that I had helped. Sapnap gestured me towards the ocean, not wanting to be near me let alone talk to me and I turned on my heels. I was almost out of earshot before I heard Tommy whisper something to himself.

"If I lose myself, I lose it all."