One Shot Challenge

Wildflowers

Jupit3r_Th3_Ali3n

Flower

River

Blood

Bruises

Despair

(Dream SMP) (AU- Medieval time)

TW: blood, abuse, negligence, orphan. Major character death,

Tubbo walked into the town square. He got a few looks for the bruises he'd neglected to cover up. But never enough for someone to do anything.

For they didn't know him, and he didn't know them.

He ignored the looks he got for pushing into a tavern. The bartender and owner was kind there.

"Evening Tubbo, what can I do for you?" The man with sideburns asked while cleaning some glasses.

"Some words of encouragement would be nice." The brunette mumbled.

"What's got you down this time?" The bartender asked, the corners of his mouth quirked in a grin.

"I dunno, life." He said, flopping down in a chair. "Why does nobody love me Schlatt?"

"Now that's just a lie. The townsfolk all love you, you put such smiles on their faces."

"Then why don't I have a home? A place where there is a safety net for me to fall on?"

"Don't you think this is a safety net place?" Schlatt asked, putting the last glass up.

"Well yes, but you aren't allowed to adopt me."

"You're right- I'm not. But does that make this any less of a place where you feel safe?" He asked, finally turning around to look at the younger boy. "Speaking of, why didn't you start with 'I got hurt.' Come on!" Schlatt everything but dragged him to the second floor of the tavern, which held rooms for staying overnight.

Tubbo had a room reserved for him. As much as he tried to decline it, Schlatt insisted that if he couldn't be his father by legality, he could be his father by heart, and that started with a room.

Schlatt took the liberty to decorate the room for Tubbo, making a little metal honeycomb shape that held candles.

After making sure Tubbo wasn't fatally injured, the bartender hugged the brunette. Not out of anything in particular, just because he could.

And Tubbo, who thought the man was far too attached, hugged back with a sad smile. For he'd have to go back to a place that claimed they were far better guardians, and that the bartender hugging him was unqualified.

He tucked a small cluster of wildflowers into the man's pocket. "They're my favorite."

The man chuckled. "They are my favorite too."

● ● ●

Tubbo sat by the river, gently washing away the blood from his face, and his hands. The caretakers weren't all too pleased when they found he had visited the bartender.

And as punishment, he was locked in a room. A room with a barred window too high for him to reach.

He clawed at the door, and screamed for hours on end. The only breaking point was when he lost his voice. No one came for a day.

Once he had finally stopped screaming, and his hands were bloody from scrabbling at the door handle, they gave him water. It was another two days before he was given food.

He was let out, and a caretaker gave him a sharp smack across his face.

He was unsure where the blood came from. But now he was sitting at the water's edge scrubbing it all away.

He feared going back to the orphanage, but where else could he go? Not to the tavern.

His feet took him to a little shop little further from town square,  where a girl with hibiscus pink hair sold flowers.

He loved looking at the flowers outside the shop, they were beautiful as always. He never went inside though. For that girl didn't know him, and he didn't know her.

All he knew was she had a kind heart, and hair that matched her flowers.

All she knew about him was he was always around, either admiring her flowers, or wandering through town. Flitting around as only he could.

Sometimes she wishes she had that type of bliss. But bliss and ignorance were fragile, and always shattered eventually.

● ● ●

Tubbo had gathered wildflowers today, he sat on the fountain in town square, and gave each passerby a flower.

When he was done, there was one left. So he walked into the tavern. But he was met with a new face.

"Hey! What are you doing here kid?" It wasn't rude, just confused.

"I'm here to give Mr. Schlatt some flowers." He said to the dark haired man. "I can't stay long, so will you make sure these get to him?"

"Of course, kid."

● ● TW: Suicide ● ●

Tubbo found himself at the river a lot these days. It was like his new safe spot when the yelling got bad.

He hated it so much.

He has seen Schlatt less and less, for fear of punishment, and because Quackity was there half the time.

He misses the bartender who cared for him.

He plucks a few wildflowers from their spot near the water. Oh how ironic, to snuff out life to bring others joy.

Oh how convincing the voice in his head. The one that says end it. They don't know you and you don't know them.

And Oh how true it was.

Perhaps if he were to snuff out one more life, it would bring others more joy.

● ● ●

It was rather predictable, that the orphanage held no ceremony for the brunette who died.

He was found by the river. Bloody wildflowers in his hand.

So naturally, the young bartender, and his work partner held a ceremony. And naturally, many people came.

And some words the young boy had said were true. He meant a great deal to the townsfolk, always finding a way to make them smile. But not enough to be loved.

A girl with hibiscus pink hair cried through the ceremony. For oh how ignorant she was. The young boy had struggled much more than any of them would ever know. Perhaps that's why he always kept everyone smiling.

He didn't want anyone to go through what he did.

The girl brought some of the prettiest wildflowers, and handed them to a young bartender to put on the grave.

For she did not know the boy, and the boy did not know her.

___________________________

I was real tempted to write a Hanahaki one shot. But I like this too.