Branded for Failure

Chapter8: Walks With Wilbur

The fourth time Tommy had a memory blank, glitch, gap or whatever you would like to call it, he knew immediately. Having recognized the signs, a pounding headache, waking up in a different place,  people who seemed to know things he didn't, and Dream.

Tommy came around in his bed. The very bed he slept in as a child. But the room had changed a lot, looking distinctly Wilbur and messy. "Not again." Tommy whispered hands threading through his hair like he could comb the pain away.

"Tommy?"

Tommy flinched, red energy summoning to his finger tips, but relaxed slightly when he saw Wilbur sat at the foot of his bed with his guitar in his arms.

"Will," Tommy hissed, eyes darting about the room. "Where is he? Where is Dream?"

And oh, Tommy didn't want to see him again. Now that the reality of actually coming in contact again with Dream was real Tommy was absolutely terrified. He couldn't see him again.

"Dream isn't here Tommy." Wilbur reassured him.

"You're lying to me. Why are you lying to me?" Tommy cried out. "I know he is here. He messed with my head again! It hurts! I can't- I can't remember."

Wilbur opened his mouth and then hesitated. Tommy could practically see the gears turning. Wilbur was thinking so intently. "Tommy, you started screaming and clutching your head, then passed out and we brought you up here. Nothing else happened. Nobody messed with your head."

"No- no Dream is here! He is always here!"

"Dream come out!" Wilbur commanded and Tommy felt a sense of nostalgia when he felt the familiar shiver of Wilbur's charm speak. It was more powerful than when Tommy last felt it.

Tommy knew of two other people who could charmspeak from his time in the Order of the SMP as Red Shadow. The power was not as common as aviation hybrids or elemental based powers, but it wasn't unique. What was unique about Wilburs charm speak was how musical it sounded. Not forced like the villain Bad, or the vigilante Sirin. Those guys used their power to force you to do their bidding. Wilbur made you want to, with every fiber of your being you wanted to do as he said.

Dream wasn't here.

Tommy slumped back into his pillows. "So Dream didn't mess with my head again?"

"Dream did this to you?" Wilbur asked.

"Yes. Well, I thought he did." Tommy faltered. "Maybe it was just a coincidence that it always happened around him."

Tommy watched his brother's eyes darken and looked away.

"Dream hurt you." Wilbur said, not as a question, but a statement.

And as terrified as Tommy as only seconds ago hearing Wilbur say that didn't feel right either.

"N-no he didn't hurt me. Dream would never hurt me. He was a great mentor and taught me so many lessons. He would never hurt me or my feelings. Unless I was being something of an idiot and g-got myself hurt. Then He, Tubbo, and Ranboo would all be on my case." Tommy rambled, he only stopped when he realized Wilbur was just letting him run his mouth, watching him intently. Instead of knowingly cutting Tommy off before he rambled in circled for hours.

"Dream was my friend." Tommy finished lamely.

"Was?"

"Is! Is!" Tommy amended, chuckling nervously.

"Do you really think-"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." Tommy interrupted.

Wilbur sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Tommy realized it was a habit they both shared.