absence | bench trio (lore)

ten

As soon as Dream had charged at Ranboo all hell had broken loose. Tommy felt a sliver of panic once his friends let go of his hands, but the feeling was overwhelmed by fear once his brother charged at him with a sword in hand. Wilbur's sword sliced into the wood of Tommy's shield- Tommy stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet. Wil suddenly pushed him to the ground and placed a boot on his stomach, pressing into Tommy's ribcage. Then Wilbur kicked Tommy in the face, near his eye and cheekbone. He yelped in pain- a black eye was already forming, he could feel it. It stung like needles in his skin and created an uncomfortable throbbing feeling.

"Aww, you look unwell." Wilbur said, tilting his head. "Ah!" He exclaimed, and snapped like he had an idea. He took his sword and slashed Tommy's face, giving him a scratch from his nose to his lower jaw. Tommy grimaced, feeling the blood drip down his cheek. "See? That's better. The blood looks good on you, it brings out your eyes."

"What the f-ck, Wil?" Tommy cried painfully. His face ached and he felt light-headed- they had just started and he already felt like he was dying. "Why are you doing this?!" He was crying uncontrollably- was this how his short life was going to end? Taken by the only other man- his own brother- who knew what it was like to die? Tommy didn't want to die, not anymore- oddly, he had never loved life more than he had right then.

"Tommy, how many people's lives have you destroyed since you got here?" Wilbur laughed sarcastically. The blonde boy could see the familiar yet traumatizing twinkle in his brother's eye. "All you do is cause despair everywhere you go! The longer you're alive, the more people will suffer!" Wil exclaimed. Tommy almost scoffed. He knew his brother didn't care for the people. But Tommy didn't bother to ask about the truth- he never did find out the real reason. Wilbur sunk his boot deeper into his stomach, constricting his ability to breathe. He coughed as all of the air escaped his lungs, body convulsing with the force of every cough. "Don't you see that?!"

"Y-you're wrong!" He stammered, on the verge of wheezing. His body could barely function- he grabbed Wil's ankle and pulled with all his might, but it wouldn't budge. "And besides, war is a bit excessive- just don't hurt my family, if you want me gone so bad I'll leave." Tommy said, tears streaking his cheeks despite his relentless efforts against it.

"F-family?!" The older laughed. "Tommy, I'm your family! We're brothers, we're partners in crime, we're-"

"They're better family than you ever were and ever will be." Tommy growled. Wilbur clenched his jaw. Then, he leaned closer to his face, his curly brown hair dangling just above the blonde and his scars more visible than usual.

"War does not determine who is right or wrong, it determines who is still alive." Wilbur said, with a look on his face that said how desperately he longed to slit his brother's throat then and there. Tommy felt a curtain of terror blanket his expression- Wil noticed this and smiled. Wilbur was going to kill him, wasn't he? "You're scared of dying, Tommy. Terrified." He murmured, like he had read his mind. "And that's why, as your brother, I'm going to give you some more time." He took his boot off of his stomach and stood in waiting. Tommy lay there, gasping for air, puzzled. "Come on, now." Wilbur said, gesturing with his hands. "Take a deep breath, spit out the blood in your mouth, and get back on your feet." He said. Tommy stood up hesitantly, pulling out his sword with a puzzled expression. "You still got a few more motherf-ckers to prove wrong."

-

Tubbo pushed his sword up against Quackity's, his muscles aching. His feet slid backwards in the mud as Big Q stepped closer, setting himself up to murder the young boy. Tubbo flinched as he heard his home crackling in flames behind him- so much had changed in a span of minutes. Funny, how your entire life can crumble and burn to ashes in such little time.