MCYT Oneshots And Other Random Stuff

Runaways

This is the first chapter of my story Runaways. It originally began as just this chapter, meant to be a oneshot. So, here it is.

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Tubbo felt the weight of his backpack like a hollowed rock: still heavy, yet lighter. Today was the day. He was running away with Tommy. The cold air of the October morning felt refreshing instead of numbing, as it had yesterday. The Manberg flag flapping in the sky suddenly seemed ridiculous rather than intimidating. The future seemed like a promise, no longer a looming threat.

Reaching the borders of Manberg, Tubbo continued on, walking silently through the woods until he reached Pogtopia. Before he could step into the cave Tommy walked out, green bandana around his neck and backpack slung over his shoulder. Tubbo threw his arms around his friend, hugging him close.

Tommy squeaked in surprise, making Tubbo laugh. It had been a long time since he'd laughed so happily. "I swear to god, Tubbo, you're the clingiest person I've ever met," Tommy grumbled, but Tubbo noticed he didn't pull away. "Did you leave the letter for Wilbur?" Tubbo asked. Tommy stiffened in the embrace. "I did. I— I hope this doesn't make him worse."

With Tubbo's help and occasional suggestions of what to say, Tommy had written a letter, explaining where they were going and why they'd left. Neither wanted Wilbur to worry. Tubbo wasn't sure where Schlatt would think he had gone, but they owed him nothing. They knew they owed Wilbur everything.

Tommy looked into Tubbo's eyes, his sky-blue eyes unusually serious. "It's not too late to turn back, Tubbo. We can still stay. It'll always be us against the world no matter what." That was true. And for a moment, the idea of going back was tempting. After everything they'd done for L'Manburg, could they really leave?

The festival was tomorrow. Tubbo could stay. He could give his speech and watch Manberg burn. He could stay and lose it all.

Or he could run.

He could be happy.

He could be with Tommy.

He found that he already knew his answer.

"Of course I want to run away. Y-you haven't changed your mind, have you?" Tubbo asked, the frightening thought hitting him. Tommy had always been braver than him. Maybe he'd changed his mind. And what if he had? Then grin and bear it, Tubbo ordered himself. He wanted Tommy to be happy, didn't he?

"Of course I haven't. What kind of stupid question is that?" Tommy snorted, and Tubbo felt a jolt of relief. "Come on, Tubbo. Let's go." Tommy took Tubbo's hand, leading him deeper into the forest until they came upon a brown horse tied to a tree. "Brownie," Tubbo read off the tag around its neck. He grinned. "You got a pet horse and named it Brownie?"

"So?" Tommy snapped. "We'll ride him until we're far, far away. Here." Tommy swung himself onto the saddle and grasped Tubbo's arms, helping him up as well. Tubbo settled behind his friend, wrapping his arms around Tommy's torso. "Ouch, you don't have to cling on so tight," Tommy wheezed. "Sorry!" Tubbo apologized quickly, relaxing his death grip.

Tommy unhitched the horse, and they set off at a trot. Hours later they stopped in a flower forest. "Bees!" Tubbo cried in delight as he heard the telltale buzzing. He beamed. It had been a long time since he'd allowed himself to be so happy about something so simple.

They dismounted Brownie, and Tommy tied him to a tree again. "Let's build a treehouse!" Tubbo decided, more because he had wood in his inventory than because he'd actually thought about it. "You do that, and I'll build an assertive cobblestone tower," Tommy added, his eyes lighting up. "Is that necessary?" Tubbo groaned. "Try and stop me," Tommy called over his shoulder, already digging down.

Tubbo sighed but got to work on the treehouse, smiling every time a bee flew by. There were no bees in Manberg. Now that he thought about it, there hadn't been bees in L'Manburg, either. Tubbo had always had to venture outside the safety of the walls to play with his buzzing winged friends. But there are lots of bees here, in this random place we just happened to find, he thought. Maybe it's a sign I was meant to be here.

The sun was just beginning to set when Tubbo finished the house. Unfortunately, Tommy's giant ugly tower was also well under way. Luckily, however, he stopped building when he saw the sun was setting. "Hey, Tubbo, it's sunset," Tommy pointed out, climbing to perch on the tree branch Tubbo was sitting on. "Guess what that means?" Tommy continued, pulling a disc from his pocket.

Tubbo grinned his sparkling smile, recognizing the purple vinyl center. Tommy set down a jukebox, and the sound of mellohi filled the air as the sun sank below the trees. "Do you think Wilbur or Schlatt will come after us?" Tubbo asked, quietly voicing his fear. "How would either of them know where we went? We're thousands and thousands of blocks away from everyone else. And if either of them come here, I'll stab them with my knife!" Tommy declared.

Somehow Tubbo doubted Tommy could find it in him to stab Wilbur if he did show up, but he decided it didn't matter. He'd trust Tommy with his life in a heartbeat. Us against the world, after all. The last vestiges of gold and pink were vanishing from the horizon as the purple and blue of twilight filled the sky. Soon hostile mobs would be out and about.

"C'mon, let's go inside," Tubbo decided, climbing down from his branch to the treehouse with Tommy close behind. They set down beds and climbed in. Tommy started snoring almost instantly, but Tubbo laid awake, thinking.

Tubbo thought about early L'Manburg, singing Hamilton songs as he helped his friends build the walls that would protect them and mixing "drugs" in the van with Tommy and Wilbur. He remembered even earlier than that, too— the cheerful days before L'Manburg, when all he cared about were discs and bees and Tommy. I was happy. Wasn't I?

But he also remembered the rise of Manberg, the L'Manburg flag burning to ashes, arrows raining down on Tommy and Wilbur as they ran from the nation they'd built. The crazy gleam in Wilbur's eyes when he told Tubbo he wanted to blow it all up. Schlatt's insults and backhanded praise. The constant fear he would be discovered as a spy. Hanging out cheerfully with Fundy and Quackity, painfully aware either of these people— his friends— would kill him instantly if Schlatt ordered it.

I was hardly happy.

I'm happy now.

And for the first time in weeks, Tubbo fell asleep safe and happy, with Tommy by his side.

***

The morning of that same fateful day, Wilbur Soot found a letter on a table in the ravine known as Pogtopia. It read:

Will,

A long time ago you told me to do what my heart says. At the time, my heart lay in L'Manburg. I no longer know where my heart lies, but I know who's in it. Tubbo and I have decided to run away together.

We don't feel safe anymore. L'Manburg was our home, but L'Manburg will never live again. Schlatt has torn down our walls and our safety and everyone we cared about is gone. We only have my discs and each other.

Tubbo and I will always remember the happiness of early L'Manburg. You made L'Manburg in part for us, and it made our lives complete. But it's broken and we don't want to see it burn. Tubbo risks his life spying for you. It's not fair he has to do that. He deserves to be happy. I want to make him happy. And I think if you let go, you can be happy too. But we won't be there.

Today is October 15th. The festival is tomorrow, and Tubbo and I will be long gone by then. Make your choice, Wilbur. Tell Technoblade I'll miss him too.

Love,

Tommy (and Tubbo)