i'm still here .

' I awoke... was it a dream? ' ( FINAL - CH. 5 )

The darkness swallowed the vision whole. Tubbo stared around.

“What is this?”

But it didn't matter. It was a void. You could scream, you could cry. You may stand there in confusion forever wanting an answer.

But your only answer was to open your eyes.

Tubbo did so in a flash. He sprang up, heavy pants leaving his lips as he quickly looked beside him, only to be met with disappointment.

“Oh... A dream.”

He sighed, flopping back down onto his bed, his head hitting the pillow. His breathing was shaky, his head hurt. His eyes clouded and he felt the sudden itch of tears wanting to fall.

He looked over, noticing a framed photo on the other side of the bed. He moved over with slight ease, picking it up into his shaky hands and letting his hand graze over the glass as he looked to the photo with a bittersweet smile.

He remembered that photo. They were all sat down, Michael in his lap and Ranboo beside him, holding Tubbo into his arms. He didn't know that it would all get worse.

Small beads started to form in the corners of his eyes, falling onto the glass and seeping down the glass to be stuck to dry. He couldn't believe he was alone. Tubbo wasn't a good person. The whole marriage? Tax benefits. It wasn't really a real marriage. It wasn't like Ranboo remembered but... It hurt knowing he knew it was only a lie.

But yet, he grew to love the half ender. He wanted to be there for him. He would've sold his heart for him if only it meant Ranboo would stay by his side.

But it was to late now.

Tubbo looked to the photo, holding his hand up with the picture in frame. His sadness, the anger of knowing that they took everything away from him hurt. He just about tossed the photo.

But he stopped.

He didn't know what it was. Maybe he truly was losing his mind but, it felt like a gentle embrace around him. He could hear the sounds of a gentle purr, a small ‘ shh... ’ ringing in his ears. It was so faint, but yet it filled the whole room. The empty room that reminded him of a tomb.

“Tubbo? It's me! I'm still here!”

Ranboo...

“No... You're not. ”