Seeing Buttons

Chapter 16 (W)

Chapter 16: Rusting

Wilbur had been sitting in the dark for too long now. Too long with the screaming feeling to get out, and get out now.

He'd struggled keep calm this whole time. His head reeling from Tommy returning to the other world.

He could barely keep from hyperventilating, but at least he'd stopped crying.

His breath hitched as the trapdoor swung open, and the Other Tubbo went still.

"Y-YOU'RE BACK, ARE YOU?!" Wilbur shouted. "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO D-DO TO ME! I WON'T REACT! YOU MIGHT AS WELL LEAVE!"

Wilbur didn't really believe that lying about him reacting to her torture would solve anything.

A Yelp, and someone tumbled to the ground.

Wilbur blinked.

"You're... You're not that woman." He muttered. The person got up and mumbled a stream of swear words.

They looked around slowly.

"Tommy?"

His head snapped to where Wilbur was.

"Wilbur?" Tommy slowly walked up to him. Putting his hands on the bars. Bad things always happened when people out their hands on the bars. Whether it was that woman or the Other Tubbo shouting.

"P-please don't put your hands there."

"What? Does it scare the fish?" Tommy asked sarcastically.

"... Would you make fun of me if I said yes?" Wilbur asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Sorry..." Tommy said putting his hands down. Wilbur sighed at that. "Is there any way to get you out?"

"There's a door to the cell, but it's locked." Wilbur said. Slowly standing up. He hadn't stood up in there in a long time, his hair brushed the ceiling of the cell.

"Other Tubbo?" Wilbur questioned the Other Tubbo. He looked up at the two of them.

"Mustn't talk when she's watching..." Other Tubbo mumbled.

"You say that when she isn't." Wilbur said. "Hey, remember that thing you all want?"

Wilbur couldn't forget when they all started shouting for him to help them.

"Don't let her be fed right?" Wilbur asked. The Other Tubbo shushed him, but nodded anyway.

"If you help us then I can help you."

Other Tubbo thought for a moment then said, "Under the doll." Then curled up again.

Tommy wandered about the workshop. Looking for the doll in the dark.

"Is this where you've been all this time?"

"Uh huh."

"What do you do?" Tommy asked.

"Uhm, ... Cry." Wilbur said.

"That's... That's not true is it?"

"I've genuinely become dehydrated from it."

"That's very concerning- oh I found it!"

The doll was perched in a corner on the floor. Tommy picked it up and retrieved a small silver key. Which he used to unlock the cell.

The amount of euphoria that swept over Wilbur when he stepped out was almost enough to make him cry again.

Tommy gave him a brief, bone crushing hug before going back towards the trapdoor on the ceiling.