Do I Need It? (Am I Under Control?)

Epilogue, Part 2

It's over, it's really over.

Tommy's adventure is done in this fic, but his childhood isn't. For more Tommy of this universe, just wait, I guess.

Anyway, enjoy :)
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"He-llo?" Tommy asked, swinging the door open.

It took Tommy a second, but he soon looked up and down to see the boy he knew and loved: Tubbo! The familiar brown hair, now fallen into his face like he was Sia was somewhat distracting, and the unusual paleness of his older friend's skin was quite shocking.

"Tubbo!" Tommy exclaimed, wrapping the boy into a hug, which was quickly reciprocated. Only, it didn't feel like it used to: Tubbo's skin was cold to the touch, and his arms squeezed him constrictingly tight.

"Tubbo-" He grunted, and Tubbo's hands fell away from him, with a speed Tommy knew could only come from one thing. His hair rose up from the speed, and Tommy could finally get a good look at Tubbo's eyes, which were no longer the hazel-green he knew, replaced instead by a dark, bloody red.

"Are you-?" Tommy began, cutting himself off. Internally, he cursed himself for his lack of tact, which didn't happen often, since he didn't usually care about that. But Tommy was speaking to a friend, someone his age, and that meant he had to appear nicer than usual.

"I- Yeah- I- A few months ago." Tubbo explained, answering questions Tommy hadn't yet asked. He looked up and down at his friend, who was such a changed individual, no longer the overall-wearing bee boy blood bag Tommy had (which they'd had fun trying to say fast at one of the countless sleepovers they'd had at each others houses) left behind.

Instead, he was a young man of a vampire, with nuclear goggles around his neck. If Tommy looked behind Tubbo, he could see Schlatt, a man he knew had been one of Tubbo's biggest benefactors.

"So, uh... Cool, cool, congratulations. You- You have nukes, on the goggles. I assume you've, you know, got another job?" Tommy asked, desperately hoping Tubbo had.

"I do, I do!" Tubbo exclaimed, Tommy sharing Tubbo's energy as soon as he saw Tubbo's smile form. Tommy knew he was in for some nerdy Tubbo Time, but he didn't care: just seeing Tubbo was enough.

"So, I'm working for Snowchester Industries, which is, like, a place that makes nukes! You know, the one I told you about? That only hires vampires?" Tubbo asked, surprising Tommy. Though, he knew it shouldn't have, Schlatt had power and influence rivalling the Craft Coven's. Of course he'd get the best placement at the best lab.

"Can I come in?" Schlatt asked, cigarette in mouth.

"Sure, mate." Phil replied, before Wilbur could swear at the man. Tommy could go on and on about Wilbur and Schlatt's totally not gay love triangle with Quackity, but not outside, because last time he'd done that, share prices had plummeted. It was odd how they were all in denial, but Tommy knew vampires were just weird like that, especially Wilbur.

Tommy couldn't ignore how Schlatt laughed, almost bordering the maniacal mess that had been his presidency/emperor declaration speech a few years prior. Tommy could remember well how he had cowered in his home, fearing what kind of closed off dystopia L'manberg could become. Thankfully, though, a recount had been issued, and it had been found that Puffy had received the most votes after all, to the collective relief of most of the population, barring Schlatt's cronies.

"So, Tubso, what's your situation with Schlatt like? A business arrangement, or..?" Tommy asked, sitting down on the sofa opposite his friend whilst Schlatt and his family conversed in the kitchen.

"That... I don't know, really. I mean- at first, Schlatt was a bit against being a coven, you know? But, Tommy, he made me his heir! I'm a Schlatt now, and it's... It's so cool! I have the best job ever, and I can run so fast, it's crazy. You see everything different too, oh, Tommy! You're going to love this!" Tubbo exclaimed, to the joy of his friend.

And Tommy was sure he would. He knew many people were against turnings, and being a vampire in general. But... If Tommy was honest, he'd rather be a 'traitor to humanity' than die and old man in his father's arms. He couldn't do that to Phil, nor his brothers. Tommy's choice had been made up for a while, and so Tubbo's words served merely as a warning that he had a year left of drinking coke and eating all he wanted before his immortal life began.

It would be so fucking poggers.

"Ey, Tubbo?" Said Schlatt from across the room.
Tubbo looked up at his sire, as if flinching, which Tommy knew from watching was something reasonably common in fledgeling Vampires.

"Yes, Schlatt?" He asked, as though awaiting his orders.
"You doin' good next to a human like Tommy? They're hard to resist, that's for sure." He said, stirring Tommy.

He'd never had to think like that before – wondering if by some accident, he'd become Tubbo's next meal. It was disheartening, and made him feel weak in comparison to the boy he'd known for years. Tubbo wasn't supposed to be that much stronger than him, they were friends – equals.

"Oh, yeah... I'm... I'm fine, Schlatt." Tubbo decided, looking between his sire and his best friend. Tommy could see Tubbo's internal struggle, and made an oath to himself to not let himself get hurt around Tubbo for the year until he could join his friend. Accidents could happen, Tommy knew that well...

"Shit mood, innit, Tubbo?" Tommy said, waving his hands around excitedly. Whilst Schlatt had slightly skewed his energy, Tommy bounced back full force, as always. As did Tubbo, but only after his younger friend had made his positive view clear – If Tommy was upset by something, you'd always know.

"Yeah... Can we do something? Or do the Crafts just not let you leave?" He asked, half-joking. They both knew just how cruel vampires could be, and purposely isolating their bloodbags was disturbingly common in their communities.

Tommy pondered his answer for a second. Okay, while he could leave the contract at any time, they had isolated him in the woods away from everyone else and attempted to gaslight him. Was that normal family things, or something a big more nefarious?

"No, no. We can leave." Tommy replied simply, heading towards the door as he knew they were being overheard by his family. He picked up a day bag he'd packed the day before, something he'd always done since his profession was quite dangerous.

Tommy and Tubbo raced out of the door, down the lift and into the busy L'manberg streets.

"So, Where'd you wanna go?" Asked Tommy, gesturing in each direction with a wave of his hands. "We both have near infinite cards, we can do anything, just.. What?"

Tubbo thought about it for a moment. "I don't know, Tommy. Wasn't it your birthday yesterday? I have a gift in the car, don't worry, but we do need something fun to do... Oh, wait! Look!" Tubbo pointed at a lamp post in the distance. Tommy couldn't see what it was, but Tubbo, with his enhanced vision, could.

"Its a sign!" He exclaimed, to Tommy's chagrin.
"Neither of us are religious, Tubso. Unless you joined a vampire cult. Wait... Did you join a vampire cult?" Tommy's comment turned a few heads, but neither of them minded, not when they had infinitely more things to do than care about what people thought about them.

"No- I mean, it's a sign. For a fair." Tubbo explained, exhasperated.

"Wait, can we go?" Tommy asked, turning to his unfortunately taller friend.

"I- Nobody's saying we can't. We have the money this time, no more sneaking into rides!" Tubbo said, as if it was an epiphany.

"Nobody's – We can actually do whatever we want..." He muttered, as though it had just dawned on him.

"We can do what we want..." Tubbo echoed breathlessly.

And so, ten minutes later, one vampire and one human ticket was purchased for the fair, making what would go down in Tommy History™ as the best late birthday party ever...