Ink Stains (MCYT Oneshots)

[R] Hocus Pocus (Tubbo-centric)

(A/N: request as a pic. continuation of witch's brew for you! tw for attempted execution (burning) scene and like two cliche death threats
this is all platonic. do not make this romantic.)

Being tied up is actually pretty uncomfortable, now that Tubbo is actually experiencing it.

Tubbo tugs on the ropes, and sighs when they don't budge. He'd like to break out of them, but not now. His plan relies on him pretending a little more longer. Unfortunately, that also means that his muscles will be in hell.

Ugh. He should've made another plan. Curse his past self for thinking that it's a good idea to be dramatic and send a message to the magic-hating assholes of this town. He could've just grabbed Ranboo and ran away into the forest with Tommy and Michael, before setting the entire town ablaze, leaving only the parts that Ranboo wanted to keep alive, well, alive.

The Earth rumbles, and Tubbo huffs. He doesn't need the source of his magic telling him off now; he knows that this was a stupid idea.

But all of the people here are a bunch of idiots, and Tubbo has been itching to let loose on them for a while now, make sure they know just how much that they've fucked up, by murdering innocent women and the occasional men who have done nothing wrong. He wants them to realise all of the injustice they have dealt out, all the briberies they have accepted, all of the condemnations that have gone to the wrong people, good people.

Tubbo doesn't pride himself on being anyone particularly violent, but he will admit that the thought of all of these people getting what they are due leaves him itching to get it over with.

That, and being able to offer more nutrition to the Earth emboldens his resolve to see this through more.

He tugs at the ropes again, and groans quietly.

That is, if these ropes don't kill his muscles first.

Sudden screams startle him from his thoughts.

"Death to the witch!"

"Burn the witch!"

Oh right, he's currently in the middle of his own execution.

...he's a little disappointed that his own execution is so boring that he's just spaced out.

But to be fair, it is boring.

Tubbo tunes out most of what the governor says, and only starts to somewhat pay attention towards the end where the governor proclaims that he would vanquish this 'devil' from their town, blah blah blah-

It's only when he hears the flickers of the first fires being lit, and of firewood being thrown into the pit of which his own... crucible? Crucifix? He's not sure what the word is, but the flames are spreading quite fast, and oh yeah, he's supposed to look cool and escape now, isn't he?

Tubbo takes a deep breath. Channels his magic.

The ropes may be 'magic-binding', but any magic user worth their salt would be able to see that these ropes only hold back about 10% of a magic user's magic. And frankly, breaking these ropes and doing what he will do next won't need that bound 10%.

He strains against the ropes. The flames have never sounded closer.

The ropes break, and Tubbo falls.

It's dangerous, but it's thrilling all the same. Tubbo closes his eyes, fire dancing away from him, and lets the Earth bend to his bidding, using at least half of his power for this one cool trick-

He lands and slides down dripleaves, plants blooming where he stands. Tubbo has half a mind to brag, but he needs to get himself and Ranboo out of here, and Phil would be so angry if he was late to dinner.

He turns heel, and runs.

It's thrilling, to run without any magic, knowing that the people would be able to catch him soon. Still, he has a mission, and when he glances up after running for a while-

There.

Ranboo stands on the balcony of his father's house, staring at him wide-eyed. Tubbo grins, bright, as he channels his powers, calls to the Earth that has always listened to him, and there.

"Hold onto me!" Tubbo screams.

Don't let go.

He strains his hand upwards, and for a second, he fears that his height has damned him. That Ranboo will not be able to grab his hand in time.

Which isn't exactly a problem, since Tubbo could just turn back for him, but it would ruin the immersion of everything.

Luckily — and it brings a sense of relief to him, that it works — Ranboo grabs onto him, and Tubbo pulls him from his balcony, catching him.

"Let's go!" Tubbo screams, and without further ado, runs into the forest with Ranboo.

And as the screams slowly get muffled by the quickly overgrowing vines and shrubbery growing at any entrances the people of the town could use to get into the forest and chase after them, the two of them laugh.

Like this, Tubbo has never felt freer.

And when he looks at Ranboo, he can tell that his friend feels the same.