A Mockingbird In The Crows Nest

Nothing Left To Lose

The world is fuzzy when Tommy wakes up. All jagged around the edges and sending sharp pains into his temples as shallow breaths reach his lungs. He tries to take deeper breaths to help ease the pain- but all it does it make his chest stutter, and he coughs as pain explodes behind his eyes.

He groans between his coughs; weakly curling his arms and wings around himself as his head pounds.

"H-Hey hey- Hold on, Tommy." A familiar voice says, and gentle hands cradle his face as he takes in rattling breaths. He whines, weakly trying to turn his head into the hands as his head throbs.

"D-Do you need anything? Water?" The person asks, sounding nervous. "T-Tubbo will be back in a minute with medicine-"

Tubbo.

Tommy sits bolt upright because that can't be what the person just said.

But when his eyes meet Ranboo's mismatched gaze, it feels like the world crashes down on him. His friend has his hair in a messy braid, but he otherwise looks like a mess. His face mask is over his mouth and nose like normal, and all it does is accentuate the dark bags under his eyes. Ink stained hands reach out for him hesitantly.

And Tommy just blinks at him like he's looking at a ghost. And in a way- it feels like he is . He hasn't seen him or Tubbo in weeks. Thought they were dead for the majority of those weeks. And now they're here.

"..Ranboo?" He croaks; his throat closing up to the point that he nearly starts coughing again.

"H-Hey Tommy.." His friend replies, just as quiet. "Do you want some water?"

His mouth isn't working. Still struggling to comprehend the sight of his best friend sitting in a chair beside the bed. He watches- woodenly -as the boy uncaps a water bottle on the nightstand before offering it to him.

Instead, the bottle falls to the floor as Tommy launches himself forward; ignoring al the aches and pains in his limbs as he flaps his frazzled wings a little to propel himself into his friend. He drags Ranboo into a hug; gripping onto him desperately as his friend startles before wrapping his around him.

"Y-You're alive.." Tommy hiccups, digging his nails into Ranboo's jacket. He laughs a little. "Y-You-" He laughs again, shaking his head and squeezing him even tighter.

"O-Of course I am.." Ranboo hushes, rubbing a gentle circle between his wings. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"R-Raptor said-" He hiccups and presses further into him. "H-He said you two w-were d-dead."

Ranboo makes a wounded noise and somehow drags Tommy closer as he cries. And that somehow makes him cry harder. Knowing that he's real and here and doesn't hate Tommy even after what he's done..Yup ok he's crying harder now.

He just can't figure out if his tears are happy- relieved that his friends are actually ok and alive. Or if they're a form of shock from actually seeing his friend after thinking he was dead for a week.