Red Eyes- A Vampire c!Crimeboys Fic.

VIII

The next month was uneventful compared to what had happened the previous months but Tommy enjoyed the sense of family and security that Quackity and Wilbur had given him. He genuinely didn't know what to do when the three months deal was up, since he was fully aware Tubbo and Ranboo would be counting down the days. He knew his friends too well.
He wanted to stay with Wilbur and Quackity but he also wanted to see his friends again. The decision was too hard.

Soon enough, the day rolled around and Tommy woke up with a small ache in his stomach that had nothing to do with his physical health. Just stress.
He sat at his bed, contemplating what he should do, until there was a knock at the door from downstairs.
Oh no. Oh no.
It was most definitely Ranboo and Tubbo. He heard two voices- Quackity and Wilbur were already up, it seemed- and the sound of a door opening. Tommy's stomach churned, he felt sick, he didn't know what to do...

He heard quiet footsteps and a knock on his bedroom door.
"Tommy?" Wilbur's voice said. "Tommy, they're- they're here for you. Your friends." Tommy had never heard Wilbur's voice this sad- he sounded like he was about to cry. "Can I come in?" Wilbur added.
"Yeah."
Tommy's bedroom door opened and Wilbur walked in dejectedly, smiling weakly at Tommy. He sat down next to Tommy on the bed.
"Are you... are you going?"
Tommy's stomach turned unpleasantly again. "If you- if you are going with them, I just, um, I just want you to know what a pleasure it's been, being your big brother, and that I'll miss you, and, uh, I'll never forget you, Toms. So... yeah. I love you. Platonically. You know, in a big-brother way."

Tommy looked away and chuckled weakly, trying to hide his sadness.
"Yeah. I love you too, big bro."
Wilbur gave him a small smile.
"I just want to do what's best for you. If being with your friends is what makes you happiest, then go for it, okay?" Wilbur said, planting a firm hand on Tommy's shoulder.

"Okay."
If being with his friends was what made him happy, then why did Tommy have a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach at the mere thought of going off with them and leaving Wilbur and Quackity behind?
And now they were at the door.
I mean, they were fun to go around with, sure, but for the rest of his life? Why, now he had a family, would he need their company? Did he really want to do this?
"They're downstairs, so if you want to..." Wilbur said, trailing off. Tommy instinctively took hold of Wilbur's cold hand as he got up and headed downstairs, Wilbur next to him the whole time.

At the door stood Tubbo and Ranboo, next to them a saddened Quackity.
Tubbo was bouncing on the balls of his feet, excited to meet his best friend again for the first time in three whole months, and Ranboo had a small smile on his face, which widened when he saw Tommy.
Quackity looked like he was grieving. "Tommy!" Tubbo exclaimed happily. "Oh my God, you're okay!"

Ranboo gave a relieved laugh, presumably at Tubbo's comment.
"Yeah, it's not like he's been torturing me or something!" Tommy replied. "Wait, that makes it sound like he's been torturing me."
Wilbur laughed from next to him.
"I haven't, by the way."
"Are you ready to leave?" Ranboo asked. "We even did up your room when you were gone, it's as clean as anything! You'll love it!"
Tommy faked a smile. The pit of dread in his stomach was getting bigger by the minute.

"Oh, yeah... That's great..! Thanks..!"
"Tommy, are you gonna come with us now?" Tubbo asked with a smile, indicating to the door. Tommy's grip on Wilbur's hand tightened.

"Oh... yeah, haha..."
Wilbur, noticing Tommy's discomfort, said, "Toms, it's okay. You can go, I don't mind. Really. I want what makes you happy."
"Really? Whatever makes me happy?" "Absolutely." Wilbur smiled.
"Okay, I'm going to do what makes me happy," Tommy said quietly. He paused and mentally prepared himself for his next sentence.

"I want to stay with Wilbur."

There was a collective pause- even Quackity seemed surprised (albeit happy).
"What?" Tubbo asked, shocked. "You want to stay with... him?"
Tommy gave an apologetic smile.
"Yeah. I feel comfortable around Wil and Big Q, and we wouldn't really work out anyway, us three, would we?"
"What? Tommy, what do you mean?" Ranboo asked. "What do you mean we wouldn't work out?"
"I mean... I'm gonna be 18 forever, aren't I? And you guys are going to grow old without me, and it'll get to the point where it looks like I'm your son- maybe even your grandson! It'll only work out for the next ten years," Tommy explained. "You guys will be better off without me. Trust me."
Tubbo and Ranboo were stunned. Wilbur grinned next to Tommy.
"Toms!" he said gleefully. "You chose me! You're the best little brother I could have asked for." He ruffled Tommy's blond hair affectionately, who smiled.
"I'm glad at least someone's happy with my decision," Tommy said.
"Hey, man, I'm happy you're staying too!" Quackity said, grinning and heading over to the two brothers. He gave Wilbur a quick peck on the cheek and added, "You've got a great brother, Wilbur."

Tommy's smile faded from his face almost instantaneously as he turned back to Ranboo and Tubbo. Tears were streaming down Tubbo's face, while Ranboo was trying to comfort him- to no avail.
"Tommy! I thought we were friends!" Tubbo half-yelled, clearly feeling betrayed.
"We are! I'm staying with Wilbur to help you guys. For the greater good," Tommy replied.
"The greater good," Wilbur repeated solemnly, having read the room and changed his expression accordingly.
"I just- c'mon, Ranboo, let's go. I don't want to see this traitor's face any more," Tubbo said angrily, wiping his tears from his face.
"Wait-" Tommy started to say, but it was too late.

They'd already left.

There was a short silence.
"Well, that's that, then," Wilbur said. "I'm glad you chose me, though."
"Yeah," Quackity said, "you made the right choice, man!"
"Really? They don't like me, though," Tommy replied, frowning.
"Ah, don't worry about it. Give it sixty years or so, they'll be dead and you'll still be a teenager, going strong," Wilbur said, giving Tommy a pat on the back.
"Yeah, I guess..."
"Toms. Really, don't worry! You did the right thing! You'd have to go through watching them get older and whatnot, and that's just a little traumatising for a young vampire to go through," Wilbur said, "especially when they die. Humans are weak."

Quackity nodded, adding, "It's hard, having to bury your own friends."
"You have a human friend," Tommy pointed out.
"Yeah, but I've trained myself to feel no emotion towards humans," Quackity replied casually. "He's my friend just because we were friends before I was turned, plus he's fun to be around. Feeling emotions towards other vampires, though..." Quackity grinned and gave Wilbur a short kiss, to which Wilbur giggled.
"Hey, lovebirds, I'm having an existential crisis here," Tommy said, crossing his arms.
"Oh, sorry."

"Toms, you did the right thing. This is coming from someone who's been alive for two hundred years, I know what I'm saying," Wilbur said, smiling serenely at Tommy.
"Yeah... I miss them, though," Tommy admitted.
"You can still go after them, you know? I want what makes you happiest."
Tommy paused.
"No, you're right, I'm better off cutting them off forever," he said.
"Good boy! You're learning fast, mate," Wilbur said cheerfully, pulling Tommy into a hug.

Tommy smiled weakly, hugging back. Maybe he had found family.