SMP Oneshots

Leave [t+s]

this one might be called 'leave' but i like to call it, 'the illusion of free choice'.

this is based on what's been happening on the dreamSMP but not at all correct. the way i portrayed schlatt and wilbur are nothing like how they are on the SMP and i know that. this was just an idea i wanted to explore. call it a diversion of the timeline if you please.

main focus: tubbo and schlatt
cw: schlatt is a main focus

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Tubbo wasn't sure he liked being the "man on the inside". He felt like he was being watched everywhere he went. He hadn't slept in days, every sound in the night sending him into a panic. But, he knew he was being useful. He knew that getting information and bringing it to Wilbur was the right thing to do. It was showing that Wilbur could trust him, and once Wilbur trusted him, he could leave.

Right?

Right.

Tubbo's footsteps echoed in the quiet, cold, empty office. His eyes darted behind him, making sure no one was around before he started searching. He moved piles of paper, opened drawers, read pages of books Schlatt had bookmarked. Looking for anything, anything that he could take back to Wilbur and Tommy. He was careful to put everything back in its place, knowing that even if one pen was slightly off, Schlatt would notice.

His hands were shaking when he picked up a book, about to discard it when a note fell out of the pages. His eyes widened as he reached down, quickly opening it and reading as fast as he could. His mind was moving faster than his eyes could, only able to process a few words. But, it was something, and Tubbo was sure Wilbur would be able to find more meaning behind it than he could ever. Satisfied with his work, he pocketed the note, turning around to place the book back on the self. He let out a breath, his head light and dizzy.

"What are you doing Tubbo?"

Tubbo whipped around, panic and fear painted on his face. Standing in the doorway of the office, the light from the hallway being the only thing to illuminate him, was Schlatt. Tubbo's hands were shaking, and he felt like he would be sick if he said anything. Schlatt waited, taking a step further into the room, eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at the boy.

"Tubbo? You shouldn't be here. Why aren't you at home?"

"I- You- Didn't you tell me to- You told me to meet you here, don't you remember?"

"You know the dementia is a bit. Stop lying," Tubbo was scared, didn't know what to say as Schlatt stepped forward again, "Tubbo. I know you've been running information."

Tubbo opened his mouth to speak, to try and lie his way out of it. Maybe ask why Schlatt hadn't stopped him sooner if he knew. But Schlatt raised a hand, making Tubbo snap his mouth shut. Schlatt sighed, eyes softening as he continued to stare at the frightened teen.

"Tubbo. Why don't you leave?"

That question felt like a punch to the gut, and Tubbo felt winded after hearing it, "Wh-what?"

"Leave. I'm not going to force you to stay here, why haven't you left," He was speechless, because Schlatt was now asking the question he had been trying to avoid. He knew the answer deep down, but he didn't want to say it. Especially not to Schlatt. So he just balled his fists and glared at the man in front of him. Schlatt just sighed again, raising an eyebrow, "Wilbur doesn't trust you, does he?"

"Wilbur trusts me!" Tubbo snapped almost immediately, having a want to defend not only himself, but Wilbur as well.

"Does he? Because to me, it looks like he trusts the information you're giving. Not you."

"That's not true!"

"Then why hasn't he let you join the others? He let Techno live with them, he's practically a stranger. He came back and took Nikki. Why hasn't he come back for you? Told you that you could come back? Why does he need a kid to prove that he can trust them?"

Tubbo grit his teeth and felt angry start to boil in his chest, "You're just- You're trying to mess with me, get in my head. Wilbur told me that's what you."

Something flashed in Schaltt's eyes that Tubbo didn't know the name of, "Is that what he told you?"

"The Devil made a home inside his mind, Tubbo. You can't trust anything he says. He'll make you believe lies until they're truths to you," Wilbur's eyes were cold and icy, and Tubbo felt small under his gaze, "He will do anything he can to keep his power."

"Yeah. He told me you get inside people's heads and-"

"Do anything I can to keep my power, right? That's what he said, am I right?"

Tubbo blinked, mouth dry as he slowly nodded. The anger in his chest faltered, "Y-Yeah, that's exactly what he said..."

Schaltt shook his head, his posture slumping as he gave the teen a pitiful look, "Tubbo, when two people have history, you can't just listen to one side. That's how you get manipulated," Schlatt paused, head tilting ever so slightly to the right as his expression softened, "Tubbo, do you see what he's doing?"

Tubbo just stayed silent, but he could see what Schlatt was saying. But he didn't want to say it, or even bring it to attention. But Schlatt wasn't going to let it go.

"He's doing the very thing he's accusing me of. He's getting in your head, just so he can keep his power. He's having a kid deal with things that he should be doing," Schlatt took a step forward, "Tubbo, if you want to leave, I'm not going to stop you. But you have potential, and I worry that if you go back to Tommy and Wilbur, you won't be able to achieve it."

Tubbo scoffed, "And I'll achieve it here?"

Schlatt shrugged, "Yeah, I think you will achieve it here. Under Wilbur your ideas aren't heard, you're undermined. Your friend, Tommy? He never asks your opinion on anything, only wanting you around to help himself," Tubbo's stomach twisted, because as much as he wanted to tell Schlatt to shut up. That he was wrong, he couldn't. Because there was legitimate truth in those words, "I want you to have a better life here. I want your voice to be heard. I want you to choose your path, to do what you want and not just follow someone."

Tubbo felt like crying, his gaze glued to the ground. His stomach twisted and his legs felt wobbly. He didn't know what to do. He just wanted to go home, but where was his home? He had thought it would've been with Wilbur and Tommy, but what Schlatt had said was right. He wouldn't be heard and only wanted around if someone needed something. Plus, it was true that Wilbur had kept him away and even told him that he needed to gain his trust. If he went back, would Wilbur even let him stay?

But staying here with Schlatt didn't seem much better. Everything felt cold here, all of the personality having been stripped of everything. But, he had been able to speak and have the things he said be heard. He wasn't just being used because someone needed something here. Plus, it seemed that people actually wanted him here.

He slowly looked up, swallowing the lump in his throat, "Can... Can I stay here for the night, and just... think everything over?"

Schlatt gave a smile, "Yeah, of course. If you decide to go back, I'll walk you out as far as I can. The woods are dangerous to be alone in."

Tubbo nodded, slowly reaching into his pocket and removing the note. He glanced up at Schlatt before tossing it onto the desk. Schlatt smiled again, stepping the last few feet that divided them. He placed a gentle hand on Tubbo's back and began to guide him out of the office. Tubbo sighed, just wanting to sleep and start a new day. He didn't need to tell Schlatt if he was going to stay or try and go to Wilbur and Tommy.

He had made his choice as soon as he placed the note back on the desk.