Lavender Snow

Brothers

Dream sat on his throne, silent.

Tommy sat on the floor, silent.

A book hovered in front of Dream, pages flipping by an invisible hand. Each page displaced a tiny glowing symbol that floated up and arranged itself among the others.

Tommy shifted. "How long is this going to take?"

"Not long," Dream said simply. "I'm almost done."

The symbols finally stilled. The purple light blurred, then reformed into letters.

"Wilbur Soot Watson," Dream said.

✿❀✿❀✿❀✿

Scratches covered the walls of an empty train station.

Wilbur sat on a bench, silent, counting the seconds.

Fifty eight. Fifty nine. Sixty.

He stood, picking up a piece of tile that had broken off of the floor, and carved another tally mark into the wall.

"Day three thousand two hundred fifty."

He chuckled dryly, and sat back down.

Twenty six. Twenty seven. Twenty—

A rumble came down the train tracks. Wilbur paused, looking up. A purple light appeared down the tunnel, and then a train pulled into the station.

The doors slid open.

"Wilbur Soot Watson," Dream said.

✿❀✿❀✿❀✿

Tommy surged forward as soon as Wilbur had appeared, latching on to his coat even as he bent over and vomited on the polished floor. "Wilbur, oh my god, Wilbur, it's you, right?! It's really you?!"

Wilbur wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "What did you promise him, Tommy?"

Dream stood, sweeping over to them. "Welcome back, Wilbur. You're about to go home, isn't that nice?"

Wilbur stared at him, expressionless. "Earth."

"I had to, Wilbur, he was— you were dead," Tommy stammered.

"I don't blame you, Tommy," Wilbur said. He glanced over at him, and Tommy noticed a white streak in his hair, matching Tommy's own pale curls. A symbol of life where death was meant to be.

Dream clapped his hands together. "Alright, Tommy, your turn. I've been dying to meet everyone on Earth."

Tommy nodded slowly. "I have to be touching you, or else when you teleport I won't be able to come with you and take you back here."

"Of course." Dream held out his hand. Tommy hesitated, then put his hand on his arm, shuddering at the contact.

Okay, focus. Tommy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Charge up.

Wilbur's alive. He's okay. We even have matching hair streaks now!

Wilbur had been in limbo. Was he mad at Tommy for their deal?

No, he said he didn't blame Tommy.

Tommy squeezed his eyes tighter, throwing his other hand out into the air. After a few seconds, Wilbur's hand settled into his, hesitant but solid.

Wilbur's here. He's alive.

Ranboo's on Earth with Sapnap. Probably still alive.

Ranboo needs me.

Tommy's stomach lurched, and he opened his eyes to find himself in his living room.

Dream laughed. "YES!"