End Of Days

24: Struggle

Leaving Montville left Tommy feeling like he'd finally gotten closure.

Ever since the world had ended Montville had always taken up the back corner of his mind. A thousand what if's, a thousand scenarios and ideas of what might be waiting for them when they finally made it back home. It was soul crushing to arrive and have nobody there to greet them, but it was therapeutic to look through his box of pictures and sit in the common room with Tubbo and Dream, like they had before it all ended.

Even leaving hurt less than he had expected. Because he had a piece of home with him now, and he left his message there. If anyone found their way back, they'd know that Tommy had made it that far. Maybe it would bring hope, one day. Maybe nobody would ever see his words on the wall, and the only closure they would bring would be to himself. It didn't really matter.

It was closure in an unforgiving world, and for now that would be enough.

After leaving they didn't really have a goal anymore. There was no destination to head towards. So they picked a direction and started going, having no idea where they'd end up, but knowing that someone was probably waiting for them somewhere.

And so they walked.

There was less to talk about now, but that was okay. The silence was comfortable, broken occasionally by lighthearted conversation. They joked a lot when they talked, because it was the easiest way to break up the weight of the apocalypse. Most of the talking was saved for the evenings.

After long days of travel, it was rewarding to sit around a fire and eat whatever they could scrounge up. They played Uno a couple of times, and Tubbo was right. It was a better way to spend the nights. There was laughter and smiles, and moments where they could just feel like kids again.

Of course, these moments only lasted as long as they could sit around without a lookout. Tommy wished that they could find somewhere to be safe, just for a little while. Just for long enough for all three of them to get a good nights sleep before the next day.

He and Dream sparred sometimes, mostly hand to hand. It had become a game of who could stay on their feet for the longest before the other inevitably pinned them. Making it a game helped it feel less like training to survive. Tubbo joined in sometimes, when he was feeling like it. Usually he just watched on from the sidelines, calling out insults or commentating horribly.

Tommy grunted as Dream slammed him into the forest floor. He moved to get up, but Dream's full weight rested on his chest, his hands gripping Tommy's wrist and holding them still. Tubbo laughed loudly from where he sat by the fire as Tommy struggled for a moment before glaring at Dream.

"You done?" Dream asked, a grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Get off me you green bastard." Tommy scowled flatly, rolling his eyes as Dream climbed to his feet and offered him a hand up.

"I'm telling you, it's all in the legs." Dream laughed as he helped his friend to his feet. "You gotta get your stance right, or I'll just deck you every time."

"You are such a prick." Tommy trudged back towards the fire, his hands reaching out to warm against the flames. Of course, there was no bite to his words. There never was with Dream and Tubbo.

"I think you should try again." Tubbo chirped with a sly grin. "It's great entertainment."

Dream laughed loudly at that. Tommy did his best to look disgusted with the both of them. "I hate you both. Assholes." But his facade could only last so long before it broke into a small grin, and the laughter was soon to follow.

It was peaceful in the trees. Tommy backed himself away from the fire as he got comfortable, folding his legs out in front of him and leaning back on his palms. Dream and Tubbo were already deep in conversation about something combat related, but Tommy didn't have the energy to pay attention anymore.