We Could Be Heroes, Big Man

10

Christmas break finally rolled around, and Tubbo's theories were proved right, Tommy was going home with Phil for that time.

Unlike most boarding schools (as Wilbur had described it) no one was allowed to stay during break. The school was to be closed so all the staff could go home as well. It then Tommy also learned that Ms. Puffy was Dream's mom. She had come the day before everyone else left to retrieve Dream.

"Tubbo!" Tommy grabbed his best friend's hand, a sad smile on his face. He felt his body become warmer at the touch, the sadness of leaving Tubbo being hard to find in the pit of happiness that started to overwhelm him. "I'm gonna miss you, big man."

"Me too." Tubbo smiled despite the bitterness in his voice. He pulled his hand away from Tommy, going in for a hug instead. Tommy returned it.

The two stayed in the hug for awhile, neither wanting to move away from the addicting skin contact of one another. Though it wasn't the end of the world when they weren't together, they both started to notice just how uncomfortable it was. A discomfort that was hard to describe. It was like being in an unknown place yet still aware of your surroundings. You aren't necessarily anxious or scared, but uncomfortable from being unaware. That was how it felt.

Eventually, however, they had to break apart.

Most kids were going on a few different buses to go back to the city where they would meet their foster parents again, or for the first time for Ranboo. Tommy would be going in Phil's car on the way back home.

  "Hey, Tommy." Niki said, Ranboo and. . . Purpled was his name? Standing behind her.

  Tommy was familiar with Purpled, but he was quiet and tended to keep to himself. Niki mentioned he had sensory problems—hated loud sounds because they hurt his ears, much more sensitive than a normal person. He didn't come to sparring lessons ever, which could explain why he was the only one in their year that Tommy didn't know well at all.

  Their year was actually rather small. All the grades below them were in a separate part of the school so they never really saw them. Their year consisted of him, Tubbo, Ranboo, Niki, and Purpled. It was really small. The year above them, however, as far as Tommy knew, only had three. He didn't know any of them, though, except Minx. He never talked to her though. He only knew her because of Niki. The year above that was a bit bigger. Techno, Wilbur, Sapnap, George, Dream, Quackity, Skeppy, and Schlatt. It was the top year, on the verge of graduating.

  "Hey." Tommy greeted. "I guess I'll see you guys after Christmas."

  "You're not going on the bus?" Ranboo asked.

  "No. I'm going with Phil."

  "Oh." Ranboo scratched his head. "My head really is in a wreck. Should be better by the time we come back. Maybe."

  "Ranboo, your memory is worse than my ability to process sentences." Purpled said.

  Ranboo rolled his eyes playfully.

  "Lucky you get to be in a home with people who you see everyday anyway." Niki smiled.

  Tommy shrugged. "Maybe. I'll probably feel a bit out of place at first though."

  "Sure. But you'll get used to it eventually." Tubbo put a hand on Tommy's back with a smile. "You got used to it here pretty quick."

  "Yeah, I guess that's true." Tommy chuckled. His smile widened again at Tubbo's touch. Oh how he would miss his best friend.

Best friend? That was the right set of words wasn't it? They had grown so close over the past few months.

"Come on everyone! The bus is here!" Sapnap shouted, waving everyone over.