Not Tommy Anymore

Chapter 4 - My Friend??

Trigger Warnings -

Tommy woke up in a familiar bed. He had been with Ranboo for the past 4 days, he didn't mind, but it confused him, everyone was supposed to hate him, like Dream told him they did! Maybe he'd ask Ranboo about it later.

Sliding off the bed he wandered around the house to find Ranboo cooking something in the kitchen. "Good morning Tommy!" He looked up and smiled at the blond boy. Tommy would have preferred him not to say anything at all but he waved back anyway, sitting down he waited for Ranboo to finish while thinking about what Dream was doing. Dream would be looking for him yes? Maybe he was waiting a week before coming back to see Tommy, not that's not right, Dream knows he can't last long without water so he should be looking for Tommy by now.

The thought of Dream finding him sent a shiver down his spine, Dream had beat him so much, but Dream had good reason too did he not? Dream was always right so if he decided that Tommy needed a lesson then he did! Dream knows better, and that's why Tommy felt so much guilt enjoying his time at Ranboo's, because the ender hybrid took time to make sure Tommy was comfortable and fed, he knew he'd have to go back to Dream sooner or later..

"Tommy!" The blonde boy jumped and looked at Ranboo eyes wide and shaking. "Oh.. sorry, you zoned out- I- here." He placed down a plate of buttermilk pancakes with some strawberries and blueberries by it.

Tommy was skeptical but he took a small bite of the pancake, just hoping Ranboo didn't want to hurt him now. Tommy fell in love with the pancakes immediately, so he began scoffing it down happily. Ranboo laughed at his reaction, inside glowing with happiness that Tommy was eating something. In a few minutes the plate was cleaned off and Tommy put it back down.

Tommy's smile dropped and he looked at Ranboo. "Ranboo... why don't you hate me? D-dream said everyone hate-"

Ranboo cut him off. "Why would I hate you Tommy? I don't know if you remember but you were one of the first people I met on this server..." He stopped there wondering if Tommy's exile was a sore spot.

"I don't remember a lot..." Tommy muttered, if he tried really hard he could remember meeting Ranboo, but he didn't want to think that hard. He remembered exile being a pain and wanting to end it all, that's when Dream took him, but the beginning was confusing because he was yelling at Dream then, which is something he would never do now.

"Well- what do you remember?" Ranboo would be lying if he said he wasn't curious.

Tommy hesitated, he remembered Wilbur and the other L'manburgians, he remembered the war, and the election and even pogtopia, not down to every detail but he still remembered them no matter how much Dream's manipulation clouded his personality now. Tommy remembered Tubbo and exile and Ghostbur, he remembered it all and that's what pained him. "I remember it all..." He muttered. "L'manburg... Shlatt... Pogtopia.... T-tubbo.. exi-" His voice cracked and he felt Ranboo pull him into an embrace.

Ranboo held him there, he could feel the broken boy tensing up but he didn't let go. Tommy eventually leaned into the hug, trying to soak up the affection. Ranboo smiled at that.

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Tommy had been staying with Ranboo for over a week now, and Ranboo thought it'd be a good idea to let Tommy see everyone again, though they'd have to take it slow since Tommy might get overwhelmed quickly.

Ranboo brought Tommy to a small field by a forest that had regrown. "What are we doing here, Ranboo?" Tommy asked standing behind Ranboo. "I told you we were going to have a picnic!" Ranboo looked back and smiled at Tommy.

Tommy's eyes regained some of their old brightness and cheeriness from before, they had been doing that a bit more lately and it made Ranboo happy every time. "A few others are going to join us, is that okay Tommy?" Tommy nodded, though Ranboo saw him inch closer and tense up.

A few minutes later Ranboo and Tommy were sitting on a blanket with a basket of food, nearby were a few other people, like Nihachu, Jackmanifold, Captain Puffy, Awesamdude, and Fundy. Tubbo was sitting across from Tommy who was sitting right next to Ranboo.

"Tommy!" Tubbo could barely contain his happiness, he wanted to cry and apologize a hundred times over to his friend, after all it was his fault Tommy went to exile. He thought his best friend was dead! "Hi!"

Tommy felt mixed feelings towards Tubbo, he wanted to leap over and hug him but he also wanted to yell at him, and then he wanted to run and hide behind Ranboo afraid Tubbo was going to yell at him, after all these people around him are supposed to hate him! But they were all calmly talking to each other. "Tubbo.." He muttered quietly. "My friend??" He butchered the old line he used to use as a greeting but that was expected, Ranboo assumed.

Tubbo smiled, a sad smile, but still a smile... "How have you been, Toms?" He asked calmly, genuinely interested in how his old friend has been.

"Better." Tommy answered, he didn't say anything else on the matter.

A certain man watched from a far, holding an enderpearl in hand, and smiley mask as clean as ever, there he was, Tommy, the boy about to be put back in his place.