Almost But Not Quite Human

I'm Sorry To See You Go

"HELP! SOMEBODY!" Tubbo sat with legs folded under him, clutching Tommy in his arms. Tear tracks ran down his cheeks and his throat felt like he'd eaten shards of glass.

"Tubbo stop it. They'll come eventually, you'll just hurt your voice." For someone with three arrows in his side, and another his leg, Tommy was remarkably calm.

Ignoring Tommy, Tubbo cried out again, "PLEASE HELP! ANYONE!"

"I said stop it!" Tommy said more forcefully, "It's going to be fine." Even with his commanding tone, Tommy's words were quiet.

The brunet was practically in hysterics as his friend was slowly dying in his arms. It seemed wrong, Tubbo thought, that Tommy should be the calm one right now. Was he being selfish by getting so upset?

"I'm sorry," Tubbo's hands shook and choked on his words. "I'm sorry for coming here I'm sorry I couldn't help you remember I-"

With visible effort, the magma boy chuckled and told Tubbo he was being stupid. It wasn't his fault this happened. "And anyway, I do remember. Some of it anyway..."

It was a lie - a sweet little lie - that Tubbo was happy to believe. At least in this moment. "Yeah?" he snifled.

"I remember that tree you told me about. And I remember Jschlatt, and coming over to your house all the time."

With a watery smile, Tubbo said, "We had the best sleepovers."

Tommy shivered. "You know what's funny? Ever since I woke up practically made of lava, I thought I'd never be cold again."

The facade broke, revealing the terrified 16 year old boy. "Tubbo... I'm so cold-" Now his eyes were filled with tears too. They rolled over his cheeks like waterfalls.

"You're going to be okay Tommy I promise. I won't let anything happen to you."

"Please don't leave."

"Wouldn't ever dream of it."

The bright oranges on Tommy's skin were fading to red and maroon. The two boys said nothing for a little while, before Tubbo finally - finally - heard footsteps behind him.

"Guys? What's going- oh." Technoblade, despite carrying Wilbur, was ahead of the group and the first to see Tommy and Tubbo. The rest of them slowly joined him.

With tired eyes, Tommy looked at them all. Niki had a hand over her mouth to stifle her gasp and her face had lost its colour almost immediately.

Ran and Boo unconsciously stepped closer together and grasped the other's hand. They felt so scared for Tommy.

Dream's face was hidden behind his mask so no observer could gauge his expression, but his distress was clear from the way the mutated seemed to curl into himself slightly, cradling his injured arm.

George and Sapnap shared looks of dispare, definitely in shock. While Nick and Tommy had had a rocky relationship, he still cared a lot for the child.

Technoblade felt like his legs were about to buckle, but he couldn't do that without dropping Wilbur. Oh god... Someone was going to have to tell Wilbur when he woke up.

Phil came over and joined the magma boy by Tubbo's side.

Techno was never one for expressing his emotions, and the others felt it wasn't their place to be there. They stayed as silent as they could, watching with baited breath.

"Hey son," Phil said quietly, brushing some hair from Tommy's forehead, "It-  It's gonna be okay." Despite his soothing smile, Tubbo could hear the waver in Philza's voice.

"Thanks dad." Tommy mumbled. His skin was the complexion of smouldering charcoal.

Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Tubbo decided he never wanted to feel cold again.

Eyes half closed, Tommy's hand rose painfully slowly to his neck, where he unclasped the compass from the necklace. He pushed it into Tubbo's hand. The child closed his eyes.

"Phil?"

"Yeah Tommy?"

"Could you... Could you tell me a story?"

"Of course son."

Phil started with the classic once upon a time, and the voice of a comforting father filled the silence of Tommy's last moments.

Phil drew a shaky breath he eventually whispered,"The end."

Tubbo thought that this was when he was supposed to feel the numbness creep into his heart and steal the feeling from his limbs. So why did he feel So Much?

He felt every fold and crease of his clothes, every bruise and every scratch, ever blade of grass beneath his legs, and every detail of the boy he held in his arms. It was too much, and the feeling built up inside Tubbo until all he could do was cry - cry and shout for his friend who had no past and no future.

It wasn't fair. That first arrow was meant for Tubbo - not Tommy.

It was too soon, and not soon enough, when Phil spoke. "Toby." the older practically peeled his gaze away from Tommy to look up at the brunet, "We should go." It was getting dark. Many of them were injured and in no position to fight off whatever mobs awaited at sundown.

Tubbo said nothing but cried silently, staring through tears at the blurry compass in his hand. Was it only in Phil's imagination that the grass around Toby looked... greyer than the rest?

Philza sighed and stood. There were no tears in his eyes, but a deep sadness cradled his heart. There would be no sleeping for a while. "C'mon kid."

When Tubbo still didn't react, Philza had no choice but to take the boy's arm and pull him to his feet. Tubbo was too exhausted by his outburst to resist. Phil waved Boo over, and calmly asked if he could take Tubbo's hand while Phil carried Tommy home.
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As they walked, Dream mulled over the decision to tell everyone about Halo. Now wasn't really a great time - but they deserved to know right? Especially seeing as Tommy... Tommy lost his life to this fight.

Swallowing his doubts, Dream caught up to Techno. The pig man's eyes were glistening, but apart from that, he looked fine, which told Dream there was definitely an unhealthy amount of repression going on. The masked mutated almost lost his nerve.

But it was okay - apart from George, Sapnap, and Phil (who was in no mind space to talk about this) Technoblade was definitely the one Dream felt he could confide in the most.

"Hey Tech?"

The mutated hummed in acknowledgement.

"There's something I think you should know..."
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Angsty chapter pog? Can I get a F to pay respects?

Ngl editing this chapter I legit felt sadness at the part where Phil call Tommy his son. Ma hart. Might have drawn it out a little but meh I enjoyed it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Sincerely, an interesting triangle