Since I saw Vienna

17| Burns

VIENNA

"Tubbo should have my armor. He's the last person I know that had it." Clay explained. We were currently planning out how to sneak him back into the SMP without getting caught.

The invisibility potions were almost ready, so we mapped out how to get back in.

"We should go at night. It will be less likely that someone will see us." I tell him.

Clay and I hang around the house, gathering materials that we need to make this successful journey.

Wilbur told me where Tubbo's house was and that he should most likely be asleep.

I was outside getting Atlas ready to go when someone ran out of the forest. They're approaching me so fast that I don't have any time to react. As the figure gets closer, I recognize that it's Drista.

"Dris—?" Is all I manage to get out before she jumps into my arms.

"You've gotta help." She pants, trying to catch her breath, "They came to our house. Quackity and all of them."

I take Drista's arm and rush her inside to Clay. I go back outside so I can tie Atlas down and then go back in to make sure that she's okay.

When I get back inside, Drista is clutching her arm, her sleeve covered in blood. She's hurt.

"Clay, get the ointment and healing potion, Drista, come with me." Clay goes into the bathroom to get the things while I take Drista to the couch and lay her down.

She moved her arm away from her sleeve and I could see the knife buried deep into her skin. The fact she isn't crying is shocking but I have bigger things to worry about at the moment. Clay comes back with the stuff and I immediately have her drink the healing potion so she couldn't feel me take out the knife.

She winces and I remove the blade from her arm. Clay is by her side instantly, letting her grip onto his hand. I carefully wash away the blood that is dripping and apply the ointment. It must sting as Drista shouts in apparent pain.

"Will she be okay?" Clay asks, worry in his voice.

"Yes, love. Drista, keep holding onto your brother."

Drista squeezes Clay's hand again as I dab gauze onto her arm. The healing potion must be working because she doesn't seem to be in as much pain as a person usually would be.

After I finish wrapping her arm up, I leave her to be alone with Clay as she rests. I stalk the windows to make sure she wasn't followed or else we would've had bigger issues. Who the hell throws a knife at a little girl. I can't imagine how much pain she must've been in running to my house. I didn't even see the knife.

An hour goes by and I'm making tea for the three of us. I walk into the living room and see Drista still sleeping while Clay rubs her eyebrow. He told me before that's what his mother did when he was being calmed down whenever he was upset.

"I made tea." I say softly so I wouldn't wake the sleeping girl. Clay turns to me and smiles. I take a seat down next to him and he immediately wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me in closer.

"I wonder where mom was during this." He sighs. "I never should have left her."

I gently graze his stubble with my thumb. "You couldn't have known this was going to happen." I tell him in a reassuring voice.

Clay nods and then turns back to Drista. "Can she stay here for a bit? Just until she gets better."

"Of course, my love."

Nightfall arrives and Drista is finally up, petting Patches still on the couch and drinking her tea.

"Clay?" I ask. I need to know what his plan is once he gets his armor back. Will he follow through with his plan and kill Tubbo and Tommy? "What are you going to do once you get your armor back?"

Clay continues to stare out the window. His face goes pale, like a ghost. "I saw movement. Turn off the lights and get Drista."

I rushed into the living room to grab Drista and turned off all the lights. Without saying anything, I grab Drista's hand and pull her with me, opening the closet door and ushering her inside. "Climb up there and don't make any noise."

I run back into the kitchen where Clay is and grab his hand as well, pulling him into the closet. "Stay with your sister. Don't do anything stupid." I say and then shut the door.

I walk back out to the kitchen, walking outside and waiting for my eyes to adjust. Just as they did, I saw a man walking up to the house, and I could immediately catch my breath. It's just Dad.

I open the door for him and he walks inside, taking off his robe and hanging it up. "I saw smoke in the distance. I went to go check it out and there was a house on fire so I rushed here to make sure that you are okay."

I sigh with relief. "I'm fine, father."

"There was a woman there, she's burnt badly with the skin of charcoal."

Just as he said this, I heard the closet door slam open and someone come running into the kitchen. "Is she dead?" Drista asks, worry in her voice.

"She had a fire resistance potion on her when she went into the house. My wife is with her, since the fire resistance ran out, she's tending her burns." Phil explains.

The girl starts to hyperventilate as Clay comes from the closet. Clutching her chest, Drista starts to lose her balance on the ground, soon falling over and collapsing onto the ground. Clay rushes over to her, picking up her limp body as he starts to cry.

He carries her over to the couch and lays her down while I run to grab a wet cloth. I rush back over to Drista and place the cloth on her forehead.

We sit and wait for a bit, waiting for her to wake up. Once she finally does, she starts to cry again.

"I want to go see her." She demands.

"She should be up by now." Phil starts, "I'll take you to her."

Dad and Drista leave, leaving Clay and I alone again. "You don't want to go visit your mother?" I ask.

"No." Clay quickly responds.

"Clay, I know this must be hard but you should be there for your mother."

"I said no."

"She could really use you right now." I continue, knowing very well I should stop pushing, but I just can't for some reason.

"Are you fucking deaf? I said no." He snaps, "Learn to keep your fucking mouth shut when someone says no."

"I'm sorry. I wasn't–"

"No, you always do this. You always make yourself a part of other people's problems and then eventually, you make it about yourself." Clay yells.

"When have I ever made something about myself? I argue. "You know damn well that I would risk my life for you."

Clay huffs, but I'm not done. "I'm sorry for pushing, but you don't need to make it seem like I've done nothing for you. I've given you shelter, I make you food. I could fucking turn you in whenever I want but I won't because I fucking love you."

"Vienna–"

"I'm not going to argue about this with you. All I have to say is, I'm sorry for pushing." I sigh, leaving the room and walking to our bedroom.

I change into some pajamas and get into bed. Footsteps approach and then I feel the bed dip, indicating that Clay must've come to bed as well. I don't say anything to him, just try my best to drift to sleep.