Us Against the World

Discovery

"You're leaving me again?"

Toby's jaw clenches as he looks over Tommy sympathetically, quietly apologising with his expression.

The sun peeks over the horizon, not yet tucking away.

"I have to get a package from L'm- Manburg." His tone stays flat regardless of his guilt in leaving Tommy to be bored. "Besides, we've been together all day you can survive."

"No but Toby it's so boring by myself. And- and the.."

Tommy's pleas stay unheard as Toby reminds himself of his tasks. He looks out into the sunset and decides to hurry off, dismissing Tommy's complaints. Toby makes his way to the spot he was told to be at, struggling his way through the dark forest even with a lantern. Close, so close. His steps stop as he's met with a large clearing, a cliffside to the right of it. He walks slowly, checking his map and figuring he wasn't far from his meetup place.

The lantern's tunnel of light turns with Toby's arm and shines further past a few suspiciously placed boulders, piquing his interest.

He slips through a now obvious opening and stills as he registers the contents of the cave. Holy shit. He shakily exhales and retreats, rushing to his original destination, heartbeat screaming in his ears.

"Hello."

Toby's shoulders tense when a normally taunting voice greets him calmly.

"Hello Dream." He turns to the direction of the greeting still slightly shaken. "Why did you ask me to meet you? A- wh-"

Dream interrupts, "I see you found the cave."

"It's yours then?"

"Well, no. It belongs to a friend of mine, though. Maybe ask Tommy about it." He slips the last sentence on with his still tone, smiling.

Toby stays quiet, leaving Dream to go on knowing his question.

"Tommy practically begged Schlatt to let him take your place. He thinks... Mm, he thinks you're too- what word did he use? Ah, incompetent." Dream adds almost an elegance to the word as he says it, eyes narrowing with his wide smile.

"Ah, did he."

"Yeah! I can't believe he would say that about you, being your best friend and all." He looks over Toby's grave expression and continues, "I think if anything, he just uses you to feel good about himself. Like he's... insecure, or something." He pauses. "I don't know, though. Just an observation."

Toby doesn't notice Dream's sick smile as he stares at the ground contemplating his next moves. He turns toward the direction he came and leaves Dream satisfied among the trees.

Thought after thought crosses his mind, each one running scenarios of what he could do now, and he settles upon one that would work perfectly for him.

Maybe almost too perfectly.

He finds his way back to the cliffside.

Toby adjusts his shirt as he ducks back into the opening. Must and dampness meet him with each step further into the cave. Light from the lamp spills over the crates in the cave and Toby feels his breath hitch.

His name echoes off the walls, causing his nerves to freeze and stomach to scream in sudden fear. Who is that?

His name is repeated and he slowly turns to the direction of its origin, internally screaming upon seeing Technoblade. His silhouette is intimidating as he stands with his most prized sword in one hand and helmet in the other. He meekly greets Techno before making all too much of an effort to explain his position.

"I know. I found this cave a while before you."

"...do you know whose it is?"

Techno shrugs and his eyes move to hover over a sign Toby hadn't seen before. My L'manburg. Hm that's bizarre. Toby turns back to Techno and rises at his utterance to do so. Technoblade disappears and Toby picks the lamp off the floor and quietly grabs small sticks of dynamite before retreating to where he came in.

The entire way home stays quiet with Technoblade looking above at the stars. Toby stays lost in the lines of his plan and hears metal clank beside him as Techno unclasps his sword's sheath. He watches as he walks with it in hand and pockets the clasps.

Phil and Tommy were bantering as the two entered, almost shocking the two that Techno wasn't returning alone. Toby blows out his lantern and sets it on the floor before speaking up.

"I found something..."

He explains his discovery and watches as the two process it, paying special attention to Tommy's reaction. 'Maybe ask Tommy about it.' He mentally shakes Dream from his head and awaits Phil or Tommy's response.

"Do you know whose it is?" Toby shakes his head and Phil sighs. "Well then, maybe it's Dream's. Most likely knowing that sociopath."

"Yeah," Toby mutters, glancing sideways at Tommy whose stare bore into him. "Probably Dream's"