notus

Chapter 6: i was sleeping in the garden when i saw you

Chapter 6: i was sleeping in the garden when i saw you

Tubbo wakes up in his bed.

Morning light streams through the window. He catches a glimpse of russet autumn leaves swaying in the wind. The covers are warm, gentle and familiar.

Slowly, he sits up. His armour clinks as he does. His fingers ache. Tubbo unbuckles the empty quiver, sliding it off his back and setting it gently on the ground beside him.

He meets Tommy's gaze - he, who wakes up in his own bed. The Golden Boy shakes his head, ruffling his hair. In his hands, he holds Phil's sword - tinged with a barely perceptible hue of purple.

Their gazes meet across their beds.

"...did we do it?" Tubbo whispers.

Tommy shifts, sitting down with his legs hanging off the edge of his bed. For once, the Golden Boy has nothing to say.

"I think so." Tommy breathes in, sharply. He puts the sword on his bedside, as if it were suddenly made of glass. "I...I think we won."

Tubbo breathes in, sharp. His cheeks ache, and he realises he's wearing the largest grin he's ever worn. And as he stares at Tommy, he finds that their grins mirror.

"Ranboo!" Tubbo clambers down his bed. "Ranboo, we-"

But the bedroom is silent.

Ranboo gives no answer. Ranboo isn't here.

He feels cold, suddenly. Reminded of that time Tommy dumped a bucket of ice water over his shoulders. A chill that freezes him, briefly - renders him motionless.

He glances back at Tommy, wide-eyed.

Tommy stares back.

The Goat Kid breathes a sharp breath.

"Ranboo!" Tubbo slams his way out of his room. He's barely breathing, breathless in panic and dread. " RANBOO?"

Something crashes, with a heavy thump.

"-ell?!" A door further down the hall opens. In a wrinkled sweater, Wilbur stumbles out. He rubs at worn and tired eyes. "Tubbo," mumbles he. "Shut the fuck up."

"Wilby-" Tommy comes up beside the Goat Kid, eyes wide and mouth parted. "I- You see a broken clock around here?"

"A what?"

"A prince!" Tubbo storms forward. He grabs the Elder's shoulders, shaking him awake. "Did you see Ranboo? Do you know where he is?"

"Ranboo?" Wilbur gapes. His eyes focus and unfocus, still hazy with sleep. "Isn't he the End Prince you were gonna try save?"

"Yes!"

"Well, why the hell would he be here?" Wilbur scoffs, lightly pushing Tubbo away. "If he was here, we wouldn't be making the effort of tryna save him, would we?"

And damn him. Damn fucking everything.

"Goddamnit! " Tubbo hisses. He whips around, pacing the hall, pulling on his ears. "Fuck. Fuck!"

" Wh-"

"-at's going on up there?"

The three of them freeze. Tommy, in particular, gapes at the steps leading downwards - his jaw parting and closing wordlessly.

Tommy takes a breath. "Is that-?"

Wilbur huffs, again. "Well, since you've so kindly woke me up," he sneers, already filled with satire on a bright morning. "I'll just go down and see what Tech-"