They Rely On Hope. What Do I Rely On? - Tommyinnit Adoption AU

Chapter 159

Tommy POV:

Tommy honestly had no expectations to wake up. He's been shot- or at least he was pretty sure that was what had happened- it had been a warning shot seconds before his vision faded, so it made sense.

So, when Tommy's vision returned enough to see the figure standing in the void, smiling softly at him, Tommy couldn't feel anything except relief. His gut told him he was home. He had escaped that, one way or another.

"Hey Tubbo," Tommy sighed, sinking into his brother's outstretched arms, "I tried, I really did..."

"I know Tommy, I know. We'll stay here a while, until you're feeling better, is your stomach hurting now?"

It was. Tommy looked down, noting the blood stain on his shirt. Oh...

"That's ok, it'll heal in time, for now, shall we rest?" Tubbo asked, and when Tommy nodded slowly, Tubbo sat, curling an arm around Tommy.

They talked for hours about everything and nothing, about memories and new stories, about good things, and the bad too. Tommy couldn't help but remember that this complete relaxation he felt around his brother was something he couldn't have with anyone else. Tubbo was so completely safe.

Eventually the two fell into a comfortable silence and Tommy leaned on his twin's shoulder, drifting in and out of sleep.

When he woke again, they walked, his stomach hurting less then it had. This time Tommy brought up Drista, wondering if Tubbo had any memories of a sister. Tubbo just shrugged slightly.

"I don't know anything that you don't know," Tubbo replied. The phrasing was odd, but Tommy brushed it off, his brother had a habit of odd phrasings, and it seemed his time here had only increased that.

The two carried on with mindless comfortable chatter, playing games, which ended up including hangman- which was very hard to play verbally, before that was given up on.

Still, Tommy wouldn't change this for a thing. Not a single thing. He just curled up next to his brother, letting the blanket of the void wrap him up in warmth, before letting himself drift off into an empty dreamless sleep.

Days past, filled with beauty and freedom and calm, Tommy's pain slowly fading as each day went past. It was a nice gift of the void that one. It seemed that while it took a while, even Tommy's body adjusted to the void.

"Do you think we'll stay here forever?" Tommy asked Tubbo absentmindedly, feeling the comfort of his brother lying next to him in the empty void. Free from all their tormentors, and finally able to speak without fear.

"I can't know for sure, but I do think I will stay here," Tubbo said after a long period of thought. Tommy was ok with that. He didn't need some fancy afterlife to call heaven. All he needed was Tubbo. Tubbo was his world, his heaven. Tommy didn't need anything else. Not when just sitting in his brother's presence was enough to calm him completely.

Of course, he was Tommy, so good things never lasted. He could tell something was wrong from the moment he woke up to see Tubbo looking down at him soundlessly.

"Tubbo?" Tommy asked, sitting up.

"Your stomach doesn't hurt anymore does it?" Tubbo asked, his voice faint, seeming a thousand miles away, even though the boy sat right there.

"No but that's ok, that means I've adjusted to being here... right?"

"No Tommy... it means your body has begun to heal, it means your going home..."

"But- but I am home, you're my home," Tommy begged, his eyes filling with hot tears. He couldn't lose his brother. Not again. Not like this. He was finally happy. Finally felt safe in his brother's warm company. Why did he have to leave? He didn't want to leave!

"They need you Tommy, it's not just me any more, so many people care for you," Tubbo explained, pulling Tommy into a side hug and pointing into the void, where Tommy could see images of the group he had met, images of them hurting, sad, crying. Images new, and some older, of them telling Tommy that they cared.

Tommy didn't want to go back. It wasn't that he didn't want to see them, but he just couldn't stand the thought of loosing Tubbo.

"You're going to be ok Tommy, I want you to love, not just for me anymore, but for everyone who loves you."

Tubbo held onto Tommy for a long time, before pulling away and saying the words that were still ingrained in Tommy's mind, still scarred there.

"Don't follow me," Tubbo said as he turned away and began to walk, "Live for me," He murmured as his figure began to fade into the darkness, "I love you."

And then, he was gone, and Tommy was left alone, sobbing over a brother he still couldn't follow.

The feeling of the tears on his face slowly morphed slightly, and Tommy began to be aware of more. Aware of the feeling of cloth surrounding him, aware of the consistent beeping near him, aware of the slight mumbled conversations he couldn't really make out. He hated that awareness, because it meant he had left the void completely, and Tubbo was out of reach once more.

He let out a small sob, needing some form of release.

"Tommy?" An anxious voice asked, calling his attention back to the world and his mind from sleep. Who was that?

"Eret! Eret, he's awake!" The voice came again, and this time Tommy recognised Ranboo's words.

"Nurse!" Eret called, rushing to Tommy's side, "Tommy? Tommy are you ok? We've been so worried!"

Tommy forced his eyes open, staring, bleary eyed, back up at him. Danger? Or no? Tommy couldn't work it out. He didn't know, didn't have the world sorted out in his head anymore and he hated that. He wished it was quiet again, wished this awareness would leave, but he was stuck here now. Very aware and very uncertain.

Words: 1000

A/N: sorry for the massive gap between chapters, but here's the update!!