on temporizing || Dream SMP Timeloop Fic

Chapter 5

21. (credit to Smallest, akailana, and Multi_fandom_dump)

"Ten paces, fire!"

"This again?" Dream muttered, spinning around. Tommy grinned back at him, and Dream had a second to realize that he was aiming a glitter-rigged, firework-loaded crossbow rather than a regular bow and arrow. It took him another second to realize that Tommy had pulled the trigger, but by then it was too late.

"What the f--"

~~~

"Ten paces, fire!"

Tommy turned around and was nearly knocked off his feet by a Knockback-I-enchanted pebble. "OW!" he howled, staggering and clutching his sternum. A new bruise was already forming under his fingers. "What--"

"Revenge is sweet," Dream sang. Tommy flipped him off.

~~~

"Ten paces, fire!"

Tommy and Dream turned around and engaged in an intense staring match.

"Uh," Tubbo called uncertainly. "Tommy?"

"Hurry up and shoot him!" George shouted.

Lightning-quick, Tommy clapped his hands in front of his face. Dream blinked.

Tommy jabbed a finger at him. "AHA!" he crowed.

Dream scowled. "That's cheating--"

"Nobody said we couldn't move," Tommy chirped. He grinned widely. "So. Independence?"

"Fine."

~~~

"Ten paces, fire!"

"This is bullshit," Tommy griped as they returned to the duel for the seventh time in a row. "Bull. Shit. Stupid fuckin' timeloops must be glitching or something."

Dream tossed his bow over his shoulder, pulling out a deck of cards. "Uno?"

"You're on."

~~~

"Ten paces, fire!"

Tommy pulled out a deck of cards he had swiped from Wilbur. "Old Maid," he snapped. "We've played Go Fish three times already, I'm not doing it again."

"You're just sore you lost."

"I will fucking murder you, you bastard--"

~~~

"Ten paces, fire!"

Without hesitation, Dream turned around and lobbed an egg at Tommy. It splattered across Tommy's clothes.

The teenager opened his mouth to say something, only to get bombarded with more eggs. Chickens sprung up on the path, clucking in confusion. Tommy brought up a shield in a desperate attempt to protect himself, but it was already too late.

Dream cackled as he hurled another egg.

~~~

"Ten paces, fire!"

"EAT ICE, BITCH!" Tommy shrieked. Dream hadn't even fully turned around before he was smacked in the shoulder with something. . . cold.

"Did you just throw a snowball at me?" he asked in disbelief. "I-- how?"

Tommy smirked, hefting another snowball. "Snow doesn't melt in your inventory."

"Ah," Dream said mildly. "Well then, I should let you know that I brought more eggs this time."