Healing takes time, not repression

Wilbur's Arrival

TW: cursing, mentions of panic attacks, mentions of flashbacks, mentions of manipulation, (if there's more, please let me know, I usually don't proof read my stories)

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Just as he got himself settled down in his bed, his communicator dinged, signaling someone texting him. He rolled his eyes and huffed. Who would text him this late? Wilbur went to turn over and go back to sleep, but the thought of it possibly being Techno or Phil made him sit up and look at it.
He turned the device on and read the message.

Techno:
We found Tommy.
XXX, XX, XXX

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Wilbur stared at the private message he had just received. 

"What the hell?!" 

And that is how he found himself tracking further into the snowy biome, keeping his coordinates in his field of view. For all he knew, this could be a trick being played on him. A punishment for things he had done wrong in the past. But then again, why would Techno lie about finding Tommy? He pulled his blue coat into himself, stopping for a minute to zip the zipper, covering his trademark yellow sweater. He flipped the hood of the jacket over his head and beanie. He was cold. Thank DreamXD that he had thought to put on his winter boots instead of his regular sneakers, if he hadn't his feet would be soaked by now. 

After a few minutes, he was nearing a spruce house. Wilbur paused confused, this couldn't be the rights cords, Tommy didn't build nice structures. He built recklessly put together dirt and cobble stacks, not aesthetically pleasing spruce cabins. Shaking the thoughts from his head, Wilbur walked up to the door, knocking on them. He didn't hear anything for a bit, almost deciding to walk away and go back home, but soon he heard rustling and the pitter patter of feet walking towards him. 

A stoic like person opened the door, long hair tangled from just getting up and clothes worn messily on his figure. 

"Hallo Wilbur"
"Hey Techno"

They stood in silence for a bit, not sure what to do. Techno's eyes widened in realization before stepping aside and letting Wilbur in, away from the cold. To be fair to him, he had just woken up. Wilbur tugged off his coat, handing it on a but of pushed out wood on the wall. He looked at his surroundings, taking in the nice but simply layout of the house. HIs eyes settled on Tommy, the now nineteen year old boy whose face didn't hold a childish mark on it any more. He took in the blaze aspects of the kid and decided it suited him. 

Seeing Tommy was also weird though. He felt a disconnect between him and what he was feeling. He knew that he wanted to grab his brother in his arms and never let go again, apologizing for what he put the boy through in Pogtopia and apologize for even ever involving him in the wars, but the other part just stared and recognized a face, not connecting an emotion to it. Maybe it was because he hadn't seen the boy since he had taken one final look at him during his last breathing moments. Sure Ghostbur had seen him, but the memories he had received from Ghostbur are fuzzy, like the Ghost himself had tried to block them out. This was the first time the new and improved Alivebur was seeing his kid brother.

He shook his head, redirecting his attention to Techno who had somehow made another bed and was stirring two cups of what looked to be tea. He motioned for Wilbur to sit down before grabbing the cups and maneuvering over to the little seating area Tommy had. Once they had both gotten seated, Wilbur was about to spill questions, but stopped when he saw the underlying panic and sadness in his twin brother's eyes. He bit his lip and nodded at Techno to start talking, hoping some of his questions would have answers by the time Techno had finished talking. 

"There's a lot I have to say about this, but I know the words aren't going to come out how I want them to or they're just not going to come out at all, so I'll tell you as much as I can." Techno started in a tone Wilbur hadn't heard him use since they were kids.

"Tommy doesn't act like Tommy anymore Will..."
"Well that's to be obvious he's matured-"
"Let me finish" Techno sighed, taking a sip of his tea. 

"All that passion he had is gone. That little spark in his eye he had, even when he was going through shit in exile, its gone." The pink haired man pause, trying to sort his words.

"He flinches whenever we try to get near him." Wilbur stiffened. That was new information. Tommy was a touchy person, it was how he showed his love. His words didn't always work right so usually the family would get small pats on the shoulders or gigantic hugs that would tell them how he was doing. "Hell Will, he move too fast and he flinches and reaches for his sword." Techno sighed. "I thought exile didn't do much to him but this is a problem I wish I could've seen earlier." Techno used a gentle tone, uncharacteristic to his overly monotone one he would normally use around everyone. Everyone but Will and sometimes Tommy. 

Wilbur almost choked on his tea. "Exile? Like the one he and I were sent to during the Pogtopia vs Manburg war?" He watched Techno eye him confused. "You mean you don't remember Tommy getting exile from L'manburg after burning down George's house?" the hairs on the back of Wilbur's neck rose with a chilling anxiety. 

"So he was exiled a second time over a crime everyone on the server does and don't get shit for it?" Wilbur questioned, the twin just looked at him weirdly. "So you don't remember anything after you died?" Wilbur shrugged. "No exactly. I can't seem to remember anything bad after I died. I only remember the happy moments I had like playing with Friend or visiting dadza" Techno nodded at the answer, taking a few breaths before continuing. 

"Tommy was exiled for a second time. Now...I don't know anything but small hints at what Tommy has told me and what I already knew. I visited him and laughed. I laughed Wilbur." Techno burrowed his head in his hands for a few minutes before regaining a more stable mind space. "He was relocated to a half beach, half oak biome and was forced to stay there for like three months. Well, the ending of his three months was from him escaping, but I don't really know how long he was supposed to stay in exile for. Anywho, I picked up that Dream had manipulated him, but I don't know more than that. He appeared below my house with various items he stole from me, but he seemed fine and unharmed so I didn't think much of it." Wilbur chewed on his lip, waiting for the end. He didn't like this.

"He had a panic attack earlier Wilbur. Not just like, a normal panic attack most people have, it was like he was having a flashback or something, but I can't place what he could've been reliving..." 

Wilbur paused. "I know he's fucked up. Not fucked up in the way that he's messed up in the brain, but fucked up in a way that he's probably traumatized..." he said, half yawn. Techno grunted in response.

They fell into both an uncomfortable, yet comfortable silence. 

"We should get some rest. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow and I'd rather not be sleep deprived for it." The brunette stood, stretching a bit. He watched as the other nodded in agreement.

As they both climbed into bed, they couldn't help but worry for what tomorrow would bring. 

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sorry for the sucky ending, I'm just trying to get another chapter out

anyways, stay safe :)