Through It All ~ Dream Team SMP ✅

->Twenty-Six<-

I didn't expect them to find me here, in my weakness. But then it occurred to me, that I knew Wilbur, Fundy, and Tubbo. Of course, they'd come looking for me. It had taken me a while to realise, but they cared about me. In all honesty, at this point, I was ready to accept my fate, but seeing them made it worse. Because they'd try to help me...

"TOMMY?!" My already broken heart shattered further at Tubbo's scream. Each syllable snagged on the air, piercing our ears with utter despair and hurt. He was at my side in an instant, throwing himself violently onto the parched grass, not caring that the impact grazed his knees. I tried a smile. The smaller boy's hands shook as he reached out to touch my cheek.

"H-hey." I stuttered. Awoken from their shock by my voice, Wilbur and Fundy also knelt down, their faces like and abyss. I could see the sorrow etched into the lines of their faces.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Wilbur choked on his words, trying to stay strong as the oldest of the group.

"That I could get us independence," Even in my woozy state, I remembered to pause for dramatic effect, "And I did." Their faces warped with joy, only to see my bloodied form again and have tears grace their eyes.

"How?" Fundy seemed only able to speak one word without breaking.

"I gave Dream something, something I'd stolen from him a while ago..." I flinched at a sudden stab of pain from my abdomen, but managed to shift it to a smile before anyone noticed.

"What?" The younger Soot inquired.

"I don't even know... I just know it was importan-" I didn't finish my sentence, instead, I failed to stifle a cry of agony.

"Tommy?" Wilbur's eyes were frantic.

"I-I'm okay..." I mumbled between laboured breaths, "Don't worry about me, focus on this, you're free!" I half chuckled.

"No. We're free. Saying 'you're' makes it sound like you're not sticking around. Everything's gonna be fine, Tommy, we'll take you back to the cottage, and fix you up and everything will be okay, it'll be okay, it'll be okay." Tubbo's words tumbled from his mouth in a torrent, every letter laced with affliction.

"No," I uttered simply.

"No?" Fundy didn't seem to have got the message.

"It's my time... This is the end of the road for me." I sighed, the exhalation ragged with hurt.

"No. Absolutely not. I won't allow it. Goddamn it, Tommy, we did not get this far for you to die, I will not accept it!" Wilbur's anger masked his utterly depressive state.

"I'm sorry, Wil..." I winced.

"But, you... You said we'd get through this together..." Tubbo sniffled.

"And we have... You have independence now, that's what matters..."

"NO! NO IT'S NOT! THAT NEVER MATTERED. ALL THAT MATTERED WAS YOU! I FOLLOWED YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO STICK TOGETHER! I CAN'T CARRY ON WITHOUT YOU, TOMMY! You're my light..." I'd never seen Tubbo angry before. But right now, as he screamed to the world's end, begging me to stay, he finally was.

My body screamed in protest as I reached over and lay my hand atop his.

"You can't follow me forever... All light fades eventually." I smiled sadly.

"You weren't just his light. You were light to all of us." Wilbur's voice had softened considerably.

"Tommy, your optimism, your humour, your jokes... We would have lost hope a long time ago without you..." Fundy confessed.

"Well, I'm sorry I can't provide that anymore."

"No, there's still time! We can look after, this doesn't have to be the end!" Wil insisted.

"This was always the end for me. But at least I can die with my friends at my side." I rebuked.

"Hey, hey, hey, no one is dying!" Fundy's eyes snapped to me.

"I'm sorry to leave you like this."

"No, it's not your fault, it's not your fault, it's not your fault!" Tubbo was hysterical with sobs, each wail pushing me further over the edge.

"Thank you. All of you. Wilbur, you gave me a chance when no one else would. Fundy, you helped me when no one else would. Tubbs, you were there for me when no one else was. You were all my friends when no one else was. I owe you so much, and I can never repay..." I choked out.

"You owe us nothing. You did so much more for us. We didn't deserve your friendship at all." Fundy retorted fiercely.

My entire body contorted with pain. I clenched my jaw, trying to hold on. I'd accepted my fate but I didn't want to go. I didn't want to leave them. But this was always how my story would end. They will live. I will die. Maybe someone will tell my story. I'd like that. To be remembered. It's a comfortable thought.

I let my eyes flutter closed for a second, taking a deep breath. It was hard to open them again.

"Thank you for being my friends." Tubbo had a firm grip on my arm, Fundy unable to look as he wept into his hands. Wilbur's face haunted me. It was the unequivocal epitome of hopelessness and loss.

"Tommy... Please don't go..." Tubbo whispered, voice cracked and barely audible.

"Shhhhh. Everything will be fine." I responded softly.

This was it, I guess.

"We won't forget you," Wilbur said quietly. It was the first time I'd ever seen him properly cry. It ruined me.

I closed my eyes for the last time, a final image of Tubbo's tear-stricken face burned into my mind.

"It's okay..." I assured my best friend limply.

He was cradling my body as I let myself slip away, my last breath leaving my body in a delicate sigh.

At least my friends were free.