𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 (𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐛𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐱 𝐌!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

6

❝ Take me to your heart, for its there that I belong ❞

{《☆》}

Cross-world travel took forever to plan out, took weeks to do the paperwork if Admins were insistent on being lazy. You'd know better than anyone how unreliable it was to travel cross-worlds.

Still, you stand at the edge of a portal, one you accessed not so legally. Was it kind of illegal to bypass all mandated paperwork by classifying yourself as a Jr Helper fixing code in a tiny realm millions of galaxies away? Yes, absolutely. Exactly why you weren't telling anyone you were doing it.

You had your rent already paid for this month but Tommy's dire voice-hoarse and flooded with choked tears- haunts you. You don't care what happens to your things as long as Tommy is alright. You can't lose another brother.

Stepping into the portal, eyes shut and gut sinking to your toes, it feels a lot like a rollercoaster. The weightlessness that somehow still drags you down, a tingling feeling of air dragging itself down your neck, up your fingertips, swirling around your palms. You're physically not moving but your body feels like it jerks randomly in one direction, your mind dragging along and running to play catch up. Motion sickness knocks you to your knees as you suddenly land in the Dream SMP.

The sky is dark, stars swirling through the dense forest. Though none of that you could see, with giant walls of dirt and cobblestone surrounding you. You carefully picked yourself up, wiping the dirt from your hand before stepping closer to the wall. If you were in your prime bedwars days maybe you could figure out how to climb out easily but now you just dug your fingers into the dirt, pulled yourself up to a stray block and started jumping and took multiple tries.

You probably didn't have much time before Tommy or someone went to find you, every entrance must have an announced welcome in accordance with the Bergensten 3-21-13 law. You fished around for your comms, pulling up Tommy's ID with a thin-lipped frown. "C'mon, pick up..."

"Y/N?" His voice picks up, heavy with exhaustion. "I got the message. You're really here?"

You can feel the thinly veiled hope in his voice, the way his question tilts with relief even though you could just ignore his cries for help. The thought of doing that has your chest pinching. "I'm here. I don't know where you are, Toms, but I'm here to help."

"Uh," he fumbles and you can hear him stumble over something, maybe himself. "I can get Tubbo to go find you. He can protect you on your way here."

A few dozen questions burn your tongue but you can handle the pain. You still wander a bit closer to the lights, lingering close enough to spot the buildings that litter the world. "Where should I wait?"

"Stay in the forest, anywhere Dream can see you clearly isn't safe," Tommy says with a bitter awareness and the thought has something crumbling in your brain. Why would he be scared of Dream finding you? What don't you know? After a beat of silence, rapid fumbling on Tommy's side but no talking, he speaks softly. "I'm scared, Y/N. Things are... fucked."

"It's okay to be scared," You say low, casting a look around for any Tubbo to pop out. Pulling your comms closer, as if it will make Tommy anymore closer, you say softer, "I said I'm here to help. I'll protect you."

"Yeah," He says, taking a deep breath in. You can almost see his closed-eyed breathing exercise, shoulders falling as he relaxes. Theo had taught you those and then you had taught them to Tommy. "I know. Stay safe."

"I will," You can't promise it but it seems to reassure him anyway. You mumble a soft goodbye before ending the call, moving towards the steps you heard. "Tubbo?"

A blond head of hair peeks past a tree, adorned in a slightly too big soldiers outfit, links uncuffed and a dark green belt holding up the baggy pants. There are a soft pair of wings on their back that disappear with a pop, feathery hair twisting back into human locks. A shape-shifter, you presume. "You must be the help!"

"The help?" Tubbo latches onto your wrist, dragging you behind them as you start towards human civilization. You crane your neck to take in the builds, houses made of cobblestone, wooden messes that are roughly in the shape of a home, a large building, nicer than the rest, with its floor made strictly out of crafting tables.

"Tommy said you were here to help with the war efforts, which makes you the help," Tubbo said without an ounce of shame, completely out of the loop of social convention. His nails twist into a shaper, more talon shape than curved half-moons as he talks about Tommy. "I mean, you're American so he's going to be in a load of shit for inviting an American but Wilbur always lets Tommy get away with what he wants so you should be fine!"

"That's... reassuring?"

Tubbo laughs at your hesitant words. "It shouldn't be!"

"Tommy!" He starts yelling as you walk into a walled-off area, polished Blackstone bricks looming overhead, yellow and black bits that jut out at the top like they're warning signs. "I've got your help!" He takes a backwards glance at you before excusing himself to find someone.

Someone stumbles out of a van, an odd van with a flaming hotdog atop of it, bandaged arms wrapped around themselves, trembling like there is a frost creeping up their limbs, despite the humidity of the place. Bright blue eyes, fluffed up blond hair, a smile that slopes down as they shake with unbridled sobs. "Y/N!"

You meet Tommy halfway in his run, arms reaching up to hold your adopted brother, fury shaking your heart, demanding you hurt whoever hurt him. So much anger displaces your heart as it had with your Songbird and Theo. He trembles, fingers mottled odd shades of red and purple, bruised knuckles clutching your clothes like a lifeline.

"I'm so scared," He whispers into your chest like those words will be his damnation. "Dream's gone fucking crazy, Y/N. He's fucked. I... I think he's trying to kill me. And I know this is war and I know he's not just going to let us live but..." He takes a shaky breath in, "I'm so fucking scared."

"I won't let him," You say, voice tight as anger floods your chest. Dream was your friend, he was nice and he was funny. You, Tommy, and Dream had been friends... You pull the rage back in, smothering it because Tommy won't just calm down with a vengeful promise. "I've got you, Toms. This... war," You shake the thought out of your head. "I'm here now."

He nods rapidly. You start on a breathing exercise, one he had introduced to you but struggled to remember. He speaks softly, mostly to himself as you work through it. You remember doing something similar to this with Theo before, going both ways. You can't push this thought away, even though you try and focus solely on Tommy.

Theo is curled into a ball on his bed, not looking up even as you settle next to him on his bed. The purple comforter is soft as you smooth out a wrinkle on it, setting the hot chocolate on the bedside table. You don't say anything, knowing Theo's distraught is from his auditory issues. You carefully reach over to gently clasp your hand over his wrist, rubbing soothing circles into his joint.

He doesn't look up, head ducked in between his knees. You reach over to grab the hot chocolate, blowing steam away, cooling to down before you reach down to grab his hand. His grip is strong on the mug when you press it into his hand, his other arm untucking itself from his side to grip the other side of the mug. He glances up at you briefly, faded citrine eyes meeting yours before he stares down at his drink.

He doesn't say anything before he takes a slow sip, shifting to lean against your shoulder, shoulders drooping.

Tommy relaxes into your shoulder. "Thanks."

"It's no problem, Toms." You say, fixing him to not have bony cheekbones digging into your skin. "But I-"

"Now what is this?" A voice, clipped and familiar, pipes up.

{《☆》}

[1414 words]

No flowers this time :p

Huh I wonder who the end is (:

[L0v3, k1ng]