That had been days ago, Tommy realized with a frown, his hands slowing down in the motion.
He has been blind for close to five days now. Tommy restlessly dug at the dirt in the garden next to his house. The effects still hadn't lessened and he was getting anxious. When is it going to go? He angrily rips out the plant in front of him. He refuses to believe this was going to last longer. It just can't! He had been practically been confined for the past days!
"Hey Tommy, if you continue like that we won't have any weeds yes, but no flowers either." Deo's joking tone snaps him out of his daze. His friend's rather flat voice was close to him. Earlier today Deo had suggested gardening to release his restless energy.
He spoke sharply "It's not as though I can tell."
A sigh echoed from his right and before he felt Deo let himself to the ground next to him, close enough for Tommy to feel him, but far enough not to be invasive.
"This isn't working for you is it?" Tommy kind of wishes he was stuck with someone a bit less perceptive.
"I just want things to go back to normal." Tommy turned his head away from Deo, pushing back borrowed sunglasses and slouching.
A thoughtful hum.
"I know. We're just trying to ease you back in." Deo agreed, patting his shoulder amicably.
"I don't think it's working." Tommy refuses to let the tears drop, he's cried enough damn it!
"Just because you can't ... notice the progress, doesn't mean it ain't happening." Shuffling " You couldn't walk alone a few days ago."
Tommy nods reluctantly. " I guess..."
"You know what? How about you go chop in the woods next to our bay..." Deo suggests.
Tommy startles "What?"
"Yeah, I'm sure you can. It's close, you've done it a thousand times. I'll put myself as speed dial, so you can contact me."
"Are you sure?" Again, he had to be certain he wasn't getting pranked.
"I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't."
"Can I hug you?" This wasn't new for the duo. Tommy had suddenly gotten much clingier, probably as a way to compensate on the lack of sight. Sadly it was hard for him to initiate the contact as he couldn't aim his arms, so he had to ask Deo before hugging him. They hugged, Tommy smiling in his arms.
A few minutes later, he was walking through the forest, a hop in his step. Sure, not being able to look at the sights around him was depressing, but just being surrounded by nature helped brighten his mood. Picking a solid tree, and mindful to remember the way back, he set to chopping.
He had only gotten through perhaps five trees when he felt the raindrop fall on his nose. Frowning, he realized it was raining. Wonderful. A few more drops, and after what feels like buckets, Tommy amends his previous sentence. Never mind rain, it was pouring. He quickly hides underneath a large oak tree.
Biting his lip, he tried to figure out how to solve this issue. He was way too far away from his base to go back there without getting completely damp (sure he might've perhaps gone further then he was supposed to, but Deo wouldn't check.). Never mind the fact his way back probably felt very different from when he came, rendering him effectively lost.
When all hope seemed lost, a miracle happened. He could hear footsteps through the downpour running in his general direction. Then, with little to no warning, a hand grabbed his and tugged him towards the person.
"What?" Tommy barely managed to get out before he's being pulled away. A mumble. Tommy knows that mumble. It's the villagers' language. A villager was pulling him through a forest. That's something that didn't happen on a regular basis.
Tommy doesn't know how long he'd been running before he heard the sound of more villagers mumble. A coat smelling like woodsweataxepinecones - lumberjacks- was thrown over his small drenched stature, the hood turned up over his head as he entered a roofed place. The first villager is still guiding him, mumbling and groaning in what he assumes is a comforting way.
As he stumbles in the dry room, the villager sits him down on a bed, pats his head, drops dry clothes on his lap and a fluffy towel and leaves. Just like that, in and out of his circle of existence, helping Tommy out and then disappearing. Tommy doesn't question it, simply confused and grateful.
A breath in.
A breath out.
He hurries to put on the new clothes, slightly too big on his body, and drops his wet clothes in the corner of the room. He then lies down on the bed, exhaustion creeping into him. He'll contact Deo after his nap. But for now, rest.
--
A splitting noise pierced the air, waking Tommy up in a state of panic. Barely coherent, he tried to identify the noise. It sounded like... a Bell? What bell could..? Oh. A raider bell.
A raider alarm was echoing throughout the village. If Tommy focused through the splitting headache, he could hear the sound of panic, screams and the distinct snarl of ravagers. Panic bubbled in his chest. He had to help. He gets up from the bed, hand on the wall. His fingers barely grab the door handle when someone suddenly slams it open, grabs him by the collar, pulls him back and closes the door.
Tommy opens his mouth to argue when whoever grabbed him lays a hand on his mouth to stop any sound. He then pulls him towards the bed, sitting him down forcefully. Stay. Tommy jumps back up. Before he can get far, the hands pull him in another direction. Then the impossible happens.
The caring village pushes him in a chest he didn't even notice.
And then locks it.
Panic.
He could hear everything, from the door opening in the house to the sound of agony coming from those getting slaughtered outside. He could hear the ravagers' massive steps outside, booming. The house groaned with creaking wood getting abused. The rain continued with merciless drops and were audibly heavy. The emeralds in the chest were digging into his back with their sharp edges and he felt squeezed from all dimensions. The storm outside beat against the window. His breathing was quick and his heartbeat even faster. Panic bubbled up through his throat getting stuck while he breathed causing hiccups.
He stayed still. If they can't find him they couldn't kill him. If they can't kill him, they can't spawn trap him, forcing him to relive his death again and again and again. That's a fate worse than murder- it was torture.
So he held his breath as the raiders barged the house and slaughtered villagers hiding. Like him. His body felt heavy in the chest. Sure, he had a diamond axe with him but that wouldn't do any good in running away from the massive mobs. He's seriously a burden, if he hadn't come to this village there wouldn't have been a raid and then-
Using his hand to muffle the hiccups, he used his other to search for his phone. If he was silent enough they wouldn't hear him. Breathing was getting harder in this enclosed space. He clicked on the screen rapidly at random until he heard a loud noise outside and accidentally dropped the device. Cursing silently he continues, picking it back up again with shaking fingers and continues tapping until he hears it ringing.
"Deo please pick up..."
Tommy started to feel lightheaded when he heard it getting picked up. He immediately whispered "P-...please im stuck in a-" A vase fell over. They were trying to smash the place up.
They're Searching .
"Hurry godammit-" he stuttered out.
The teen was getting dizzy and although he couldn't see, he couldn't tell the difference between up and down. The world was spinning and unsteady. His breath accelerates to intake more oxygen but- it isn't working and his chest was hurting oh god oh no .
"TOMMY?!"
Cracking open his heavy eyelids( when did they close?), he numbly noted his sudden wakefulness. He pushed against the opening and realized that it was locked. Still, he kicked it to attract attention from whoever he recognized. He noted the British accent... He heard fiddling with his chest and suddenly he felt himself getting picked up. He had an odd sense of deja vu...
"Oh poor Tommy... I can't leave you alone for one minute huh?"
He barely heard since he was panting furiously, trying to intake as much oxygen as possible. His cloudy gaze snapped up. Wait... Huh? His brain short circuited, wasn't Deo's voice suspiciously deep?
The man was tapping on his back as he leaned onto the ground. He continued coughing for a few minutes, until he felt less light-headed. Whipping some saliva off his chin, he had an inkling of who this was.
"That wasn't so hard now was it?"
That was Wilbur! But... What was the other Brit doing here? Had he unconsciously called Wilbur instead of Deo? That's impossible since he didn't have Wil's contact, apparently spamming him too much in the past and getting blocked. Whatever that means. Also he couldn't imagine the guy beating a raid, no matter the boost from the enchanted diamond gear he wore. But then...
The door flew open with a loud crack. He heard more footsteps coming towards him and the mystery person grabbed him into a hug. Tommy whimpered as he felt the familiar soft fabric from the cloak they wore. This was Technoblade.
Glassy and unfocused eyes tear up. Tugging at the cloth, he leaned further into the hug. God, all their arguing had truly made Tommy miss his brother in all but blood. He had been so scared, trapped in that stupid box.
They were holding each other, just like on the first day of this hellish week.
"As much as this warms my cold and bleeding heart, could you two explain what's going on?"
(( Author's note : hi guys <3 i made a tumblr blog about this au, its called sensorydeprivationau and uhm im gonna post about this au over there. Don't worry ill continue to update the fic here C; love yall ))