Amazing fanart by: fairyptic on Instagram
A/N: Hello! I know this is a shorter chapter, but I just wrote this all in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep. I wanted to give you guys something the smile in case the last chapter made you cry. (Again you can't blame me this time, I didn't write it, lmao). I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
TW: Chapter 9: amnesia
Niki was in her bakery, displaying her newly baked pastries on the wood sill just in front of the front window. The brick is hot as she accidentally touches it when pulling her hands away from her pastries. She took a deep breath in and closed her eyes. She could smell the scent of freshly baked bread and early morning dew. She could feel the pastries on the tray in her hands, still warm from the oven, and the breeze as it carried through the open door. Niki smiled as all these things made her calm, calm and happy. Something she had not felt for a while during the Manburg vs. Pogtopia war.
She opened her eyes and saw Ranboo walking around aimlessly. He had only joined L'Manburg recently, but Niki grew attached to him and saw him as a dear friend. When she saw him walking, she noticed that something was different about him today. He seemed uneasy and never looked straight ahead like his mind was in a different place. She figured it was just because of Tommy's recent death. The news about his unfortunate death was spreading around like a virus. [Me getting flashbacks 0_0, lmao]
"Good morning Ranboo!" Niki called out.
"What?" He asked, looking around, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. Eventually, he saw Niki waving at him and responded, "Oh, hey! Good morning to you too."
Niki held out the pan of delicious smelling pastries and asked, "What some? Fresh out of the oven." She smiled as she saw him running towards the treats. Niki knew that Ranboo always had a sweet tooth.
When Ranboo sat down on the big, round table, he heard the sound of dishes clattering and dropping to the ground, behind the counter, and into the kitchen.
"Sorry!" He heard Captain Puffy call out. "My bad!"
Niki set down the tray of pastries and ran into the kitchen. She looked in to see Puffy picking up the plates she dropped. Niki got on the floor and helped her pick up the rest.
"Everything okay in here?" Ranboo asked with his mouth full. In his hand was an already half-eaten muffin.
"You just couldn't help yourself could you?" Niki asked, laughing at the boy.
"What did you expect?! You offered them to me, I couldn't just NOT eat them!" Ranboo took another bite out of the warm, tasty muffin.
They all laughed and Puffy and Niki got back up to their feet, their hands full of dirty dishes. Both the women dropped them in the sink and walked out, following the smell of the muffins and other wonderful pastries, into the dining area of Niki's bakery. The three of them sat down. Talking and laughing like nothing bad had ever happened. Like nothing else was even happening to the outside world.
Not long after Ranboo had his third muffin, they both saw Tubbo peek his head through the open door.
He walked in and asked, "I could smell them from my office, mind if I join you guys?"
Niki smiled and answered, "Not at all! Pull up a chair. Trust me, I made plenty of early morning treats."
Tubbo sat down and started chatting with all of them. They were having a good time. Later, Jack, Fundy, and even Philza joined them. Everyone in L'Manburg was in that small, little bakery. They were laughing, grinning, and having a fun time. They would share funny stories, recall laughable memories. It had become full of joy, smiles, and hope. Something that a lot of people had recently lost, and/or lost a long time ago, but could never find it again. It was like, on that morning, that special bakery had become a compass. A compass that guided the people of L'Manburg back to the hope and joy that they had lost along the long, torturous road of violence, bloodshed, and war.
Just outside the window was Tommy. He was alone, watching as all the friends he couldn't remember, laughed and joked. He watched as they all came together to smile. They all came together, because of his death. They were feeling joyful, when he was feeling sad, alone, and scared. Tommy didn't know what to make of this. On one hand, it was a good thing that his death had brought the people of L'Manburg back together and that they weren't crying or falling apart. However, on the other hand, it looked like his death hadn't affected them at all. Like they didn't care to mourn for him or shed tears for him.
Tommy didn't know what they were all doing the night before though. Niki had spent all night baking because she couldn't sleep. Ranboo was walking around, trapped in the thought of Tommy's ghost. Tubbo had cried himself to sleep, wondering why his best friend chose death over coming home. But Tommy didn't know any of this. All he saw was everyone happy while he was dead.
This made him even angrier at L'Manburg and all of its people. Tommy doesn't remember all of the fun times he had with them. He doesn't remember all of the hardships he shared with them. He doesn't remember fighting side-by-side with Niki or Tubbo or any of them. He just remembers his alleged best friends throwing him out. Throwing him away towards a far unvisited territory, alone and scared, with nothing but a dirt shack. And the people of L'Manburg watched as it happened. They watched, not doing anything, not helping.
Tommy sat there, watching everyone through a window, resenting everyone there. Everyone except for Ranboo. Ranboo was a well-trusted friend. Tommy knew he could trust him because he hadn't told anyone about his ghost form. And he was one of the only people who checked on him during exile, to see how he was doing and if he was alright. Tommy remembered this, so he liked Ranboo. But that still didn't change the feelings of hatred Tommy felt towards everyone else in that small bakery.
A/N: I plan to write more chapters soon. They'll also probably be written at 2 am when I can't sleep. I know I said it was a happy chapter... but now I'll just say it was a happier chapter, lmao. Anyway, feedback is always appreciated! Comment or give it a star if you liked it! <33
Word Count: 1136
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Magma Tears
FanfictionCurrently Discontinued... I haven't looked at this thing in months, I'm sorry :/. Maybe later, but not now. Tommy's had enough. He's done with Dream pushing him around, with Tubbo moving on without him, and with his own thoughts and trauma pulling...
