Neutrality Order (TomBoo)

L.R. - Chapter 1

Tommy stared after Tubbo, blinking at his sudden departure and then sighing.

Great. The first outing with most of the class together, and he was alone. Again. He was sure if he looked hard enough he'd see a pattern here and be more offended by it.

"Oh, it's someone from UA! Cool, let me get your autograph!" Tommy looked up just as someone slung their arm around him. He tensed at the sudden invasion of personal space but tried to be polite about it. "You were the one who got all beat up at the UA sports festival, right?"

"...yeah," Tommy answered, keeping his fluster at the attention and the closeness quelled as best he could, inwardly not wanting to make an idiot of himself in front of an apparent admirer.

"And weren't you also one of the guys who ran into the hero killer in the Hosu incident?" the person spoke further, his words giving Tommy a bit of pause.

"...you sure know a lot..." he murmured.

"Man, I seriously can't believe it..." The air around Tommy seemed to thicken. "I can't believe I'd see you again in a place like this."

Tommy froze, beginning to recognize the voice that was speaking.

"It makes me feel like there's something to it. Something like fate..."

Cold fingers wrapped lightly around his neck as he chanced a glance up.

"...or destiny."

Oh shit oh shit oh god oh shit.

"But from your perspective, I guess we haven't met since the attack on UA, huh?"

Tommy was able to see now, familiar black and white split hair, green and red eyes on a face unobscured by a corpse hand grinning down at him.

"Why don't we have tea or something, Tommy?"

Ranboo.

The two stood still in the middle of the bustling mall, everyone going by like they were invisible. Tommy was trying his hardest not to panic or scream or maybe even punch his way out of this.

"Act natural," Ranboo said, keeping his voice low, "like I'm an old friend. Don't make a fuss, okay?" He kept his grip mercifully loose on Tommy's neck. "Calm down and catch your breath. I want to talk to you. That's all."

TALK to me!? Tommy screamed in his head, though he took Ranboo's advice and willed himself to untense slightly, though his mind was racing to find a way out of this clammy hold on his neck. "Just TRY and do something funny," the other man spoke again as though sensing his thoughts, "it's simple. The instant all five of my fingers touch your neck, you'll start crumbling from the skin of your throat." Tommy could feel the other fingers twitch as a fifth yet-unfelt finger flexed temptingly. "You'll turn to dust in less than a minute."

SHIT.

Tommy swallowed, feeling the fingers press against his neck and no doubt feel his pulse pounding as he fought down panic at the gruesome reminder of Aizawa's arm back at USJ, imagining that happening to his own throat and worse.

Or worse, to other people unaffiliated with them, he realized. He had to play this hostage game and pray all Ranboo wanted to do was talk like he said. It was obvious the other didn't want to be noticed, or he would've dragged Tommy away, let alone not allowed him to calm down first.

Act natural, like old friends.

Well, if his only 'old friend' was Wilbur...

Nope. Gotta wing it.

He steeled himself for this 'talk'.

Ranboo was about to speak again, wondering if the younger boy had somehow passed out standing up from fright, and almost jumped when he felt an arm curl around his waist. His eyes narrowed, ready to make another ultimatum to Tommy when the boy lifted his head and beamed at him.