A Guide For The Outsiders

Chapter 18: take my peace, my pain and pleasure

TW: neglect, verbal abuse
Please let me know if I missed any

"Hey Tommy?" Tubbo asked tentively.

"What?" The blond snapped back, ignoring the way his friend flinched in response.

"I- I was just wondering if you'd like to come to the park with me an' Ranboo. Y'know, play tag, an' watch the clouds." Tubbo felt tears welling up in his eyes when Tommy scoffed.

"I'm busy, you've asked that twice already this week."

"I know, I- I just thought that- y'know, I'd ask today."

Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Listen," he sighed, "It's hard being a new hero, and it's hard keeping up with everything. I'll try to come with you guys next time," The blond turned to look at Tubbo, for the first time in a while. "okay?"

"Okay."

Tubbo went back to wherever he existed now a days. Tommy mustn't've spoken to him in a while, as he didn't remember the blond's eyes being turquoise.

● ● ●

Toxin, Error, and Techno stood on a landing, overseeing all that has been done, all that will be done. None of them spoke, none of them really could. There was nothing to be discussed.

Five Days.

In five days, wrongs would be righted.

In five days, they'd be free of the goverment.

In five days, Tubbo would get Tommy back.

"What if he is still-" tears welled in his eyes again. I'm too busy, why are you so annoying? Why are you still here? Why do you keep coming back? Stop bothering me! I'm busy Tubbo.

"Still mean?" Ranboo said sympathetically, sitting down beside him atop a building.

They had revealed that they were Ranboo, that Error was Ranboo, or Ranboo was Error. In the shadows of an inconsolable night, the two had revealed themselves, Ranboo collapsing the bee into their chest. 'I'm sorry Tubbo, I'm so sorry. It's the government's doing, we can fix it, I'm sorry.'

Tubbo nodded as he removed his mask, tears slipping down his face. "Wh- What if- if, this isn't the g- government's doing. What if th- this is just h- him." His voice pitched up into something closer to a wail. Tommy was his best friend, he was Tubbo's everything.

Ranboo flicked the tears away delicately, "We have to hope it isn't," they said with fierce determination, "we can't lose face until it's over."

It won't be over.

It will never be over.

The enderian sighed, "He came into the cafe a few days ago. Was weird for a time, and then it felt more comfortable, he felt more like-"

"Himself?" Tubbo asked, pulling away to look up at the taller.

"Yeah. It's probably the feeling the Café gives off, Niki’s doing."

"Niki does it?" The brunette's eyes widened.

"Yeah, she has a fine tuned branch of mind control for positive feelings."

"Could she help us? If she can break people out, she could be our solution."

Ranboo glanced around nervously. "I- can ask. But she's not too keen on making her abilities known though."

Tubbo's face fell, and Ranboo looked to his side. "I'm sorry Tubbo." The enderian wrapped the brunette into a hug, something they've done a lot since Tommy- changed.

The bee's eyes wandered from where he was hugging Ranboo. They met his discarded mask, radioactive symbols painted over it, over everything he did. I'm a threat, it said, I could collapse the whole nation with a simple flick of my wrist. His power thrummed through his veins, as sure as his heartbeat. He could, he knows he should.

The brunette hugged his friend tighter both of them mourning the loss sure to come.

Ranboo pulled away with a rueful smile, "I should probably do some patrolling, keep the heros in shape and all." He joked dryly.

Tubbo barked out a startled laugh. "Do you want me to join you? Stir up some stupid shit?"

The enderian shrugged, "Do what you want, but leave it as a surprise for me." He grinned with a salute before dematerializing.

The beeling sat down with a sigh, swinging his legs over to dangle over the edge of the building. Regardless of what happened, people would die, whether it be friend or foe, it was still people. Whether Tubbo looked upon the land after and saw hundreds of charred corpses on a flattened turf, or just a dozen or so that he could make out with deafening confidence, they would still be there.

Tubbo would still be there. He hopes it's beside Tommy and Ranboo, that in the end, they'd still be friends.

He hopes they'd still be friends.

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I have a new book idea, it's not a fanfiction, should I publish it here after this is done? Would you read it?
Love you friends! 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙