«a world of chaos» dream smp

Chapter 9

Tommy hopes that the Blade got his message. 

Heroes need to be more aware of their community's struggles rather than the fame they receive for their "heroic" actions. He watches the hero leave, the medicine bottle hastily shoved back on its shelf.

Something buzzes in his pocket, his phone. It's Tubbo, calling him again. 

Tommy picks up.

"What's up, Tubso?"

His friend sounds exhausted. "We've got a problem, Tommy."

"Is it something Ranboo did?" Tommy asks. He lifts his bag of sodas onto the counter, mouthing the number inside to the cashier who nods and tallies it out into the register. His total is $46.57.

"No, Tommy. Like always, it's something you did."

Tommy gapes as he hands the cash over to the employee.

"Keep the change," he whispers while collecting his bag and walking out of the store.

"What did I do now?"

Tubbo sighs. "I was about to wash the clothes you wore out last night but when I was checking your pockets, you wanna guess what I found?"

"Erm... listen pal, Ranboo and I were just messing around with some fireworks, okay? Sue me."

"What? No, I found a phone that definitely isn't yours."

Tommy sighs in relief. "Oh, alright then! We'll just return it to the owner, who is...?"

"Wait, we can't just skip over the fact that you and Ranboo were using explosives without me-"

"TUBSO, MY FRIEND! Whose phone is in my pocket, pal?"

Tubbo sputters, "It's Willow's."

Tommy stops right in front of their building. He nearly drops his bag of sodas, the cans clinking together at the sudden pause in motion.

"What?" he whispers into the phone.

"Yeah. I think something might have happened during your little... excursion and somehow, his phone ended up in your pocket. I've wiped it of our fingerprints and put it in a plastic bag."

Tommy looks up to a clear sky. 

Small, blinking lights pass overhead, planes on their way to places he's never heard of before. His grip tightens on the device in his hand as he enters the lobby.

"How the hell am I meant to return it? I literally just ran into the Blade and I saw Philza and his son last night. Not to mention when I got in Willow's face a few days ago!"

Tubbo sighs. 

"I have no idea, big man. You keep running into these fuckers and honestly, I can't tell if you're doing it on purpose or not."

Tommy's fist tightens and he hears his phone case crack. 

"You think I'm trying to get myself caught?" he hisses.

"Tommy, listen, I-"

"No, you listen to me, Tubbo. If you really think that I want to be caught by these motherfuckers and thrown into a cell for the rest of my life, then you can say goodbye and pack your shit and fucking leave."

There is silence on the other end. 

Tommy's chest rises and falls rapidly as he pants, the bag in his other hand shaking in time with the fury in his fists.

"I'll see you when you get home, Tommy," Tubbo says. He hangs up.

Tommy feels his heart sink as shame builds up bile in his throat.