doomsday!!

tw for blood and gore-ish and general tteatb graphic stuff !

HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII how are u guys! did u miss me? are you surprised to see an update this soon? good news! i'll be updating every friday until the fic is over from now on!! hope u guys enjoy an actual schedule for the next six weeks lol ^_^

anyways! i know i dont reply to everyone's comments because there are sooo many but i just wanted you guys to know i read and appreciate them all!! u guys r so sweet :)

short chapter today but i think i like doomsday being short and sad. its not some big thing it just. was sad and pathetic and a complete mess.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Ranboo stared down at where Tommy was slumped on his side, breathing evened out and hair falling forward; obscuring part of his face. The blond had been asleep for a few minutes, and the room had been waiting nervously with baited breath, terrified of waking him.

Quackity had fallen back in his seat moments after coaxing him to sleep, exasperated and holding back tears.

Puffy knelt before Tubbo, hand on his knee as she gathered her bearings.

But the screen started up all the same, for this time there was no gap to ponder, no space to cry. Drista seemed to have no sympathy for them, nothing holding her back.

Things were nearing their end.

Smoke flooded the air, pouring out in all directions as it encompassed the world around it. The smog was thick and dark, almost black, and as it filled the lungs of the people around them, there was one boy amidst the crowds who seemed to be accustomed to the soot.

Alone on a ledge carved from tragedy, a platform built from death and destruction, stood Tommy. He’d crawled his way up, scraping his arms and knees as he desperately grasped at jagged rock, and there he was finally; a witness to the carnage.

Ranboo’s tail curled gently around Tommy’s leg, and he leaned over in the smallest amount so that he was hunched ever so slightly over the boy.

The room was quiet, save for the sound of small sniffles and coughs. Phil, who had perked up ever so slightly at the sound of his son’s cries, had gone back to a blank slate, staring blankly ahead of him.

Above him, a man with long braided hair and a large cape stood upon an obsidian grid. His white button up was squashed beneath layers of netherite, barely visible. A grin marred his face, smug and villainous as he stared down at the smouldering remains of what used to be so loved with nothing but contempt.

Around them, the world moved even faster. Large snarling creatures with a stench that felt all too familiar to that of death were spanned across the skies. They spat globs of cancerous sludge, incinerating whatever it touched as it dripped down their chins.

The scene felt all too familiar, and Tommy bit back a snarl.

His ears were ringing.

Explosions went off in the back, making the ground he stood on shake. People dressed head to toe in netherite were running in all directions, brandishing their weapons and waving them around wildly. They all blended together by that point, there was only one actual enemy. The sides had blurred together in a desperate attempt to salvage what little they had. Screams echoed throughout the country and vaguely he could hear laughter as well.

His ears were ringing.

Tommy’s cheeks were rosy in the dim lighting, tear tracks still visible on his pale skin. His hands were cold and clammy, and he shivered even in his sleep. His face was sunken in and ghostly, as though he was sick.

A pang went through Ranboo’s chest, and he bit back tears, revelling in the fact that Tommy was there and he was safe and he was pressed up against him.

I’ll do better this time, he thought to himself, I’ll keep you safe.

Tommy shifted in his sleep, nestling in closer to Ranboo. He exhaled softly, burying his face in the fabric of the taller’s suit, and Ranboo bit his tongue, holding back a pained whine.

The sight of Tommy hurt him. It felt so silly but the truth was that looking at the blond had him wrestling with a tightness in his chest, a feeling so raw and real that it hurt. Every ounce of his body was screaming at him to latch onto the small boy and never let go, to never let any harm befall him again.

Near the back, however, Technoblade was completely quiet, looking uncomfortable but almost… bored in the same sense. He didn’t seem to be very upset by recent happenings. His hands were folded gently in his lap, and he seemed to be more or less unfazed. The only things that had truly got a reaction from him had been moments about himself.

“Look at this!” Tommy shrieked, gesturing outwards at the land devastated by a fool, “How is this what you wanted!?” He demanded, tears pricking at his eyes.

People screamed at their feet, barely dodging explosions as they tried desperately to find cover. It was desolate and cold, a barren wasteland with the bodies of beloved pets and friends littering the ground. Blood was splattered across the stone, dripping down slowly.

It was gruesome. Beyond gruesome. For some reason Doomsday had made it seem like so much more of a battle, a moment where the most powerful people went toe to toe, but that wasn’t it.

Doomsday had been the most powerful people teaming together to take what people loved for selfish reasons. Doomsday had been two men with the world in the palms of their hands laughing as they watched the rest scramble and cling desperately to whatever they had left.

The sight had George and Karl alike feeling sick. They hadn’t been there.

“The end justifies the means, Tommy!” Technoblade cried back, shield held up closely to his chest and axe gripped tightly in hand.

“You’re a fucking dick, dude.” Quackity whispered, eyes still red rimmed. There was no real bite to his tone, no real fire left, “Like… Seriously.”

Tommy narrowed his eyes, taking a shaky step forward, but when he moved to speak, he found himself at a loss for words. “Techno…” He began, looking pained, “I- you-”

“This is what has to be done, Tommy!” The older one shouted, shoulders hiked up high, “There was no other way!”

“It didn’t.” Tubbo muttered quietly. “It didn’t have to be done.”

Technoblade raised a brow, leaning forward slightly. “Go on.”

The former president narrowed his eyes, turning around in his seat, “If you actually cared about power corrupting and hoarding of power then you would have gone against Dream.” He hissed, “You would have helped us.”

“Dream’s not a government-”

“Who gives a fuck about government, Technoblade!?” Tubbo cried, flinging his arms in the air. Tommy shifted slightly in his sleep, and the older boy quickly quieted down. He glared at the piglin hybrid.

“L’Manberg was a free country, okay? We were happy.” His voice broke slightly in desperation, “You- you walked in with some sort of saviour complex, some idea that the citizens needed to be saved but they didn’t! And you were the one that hurt them the most.”

“Alright,” Techno snorted, shaking his head, “clearly you don’t understand that anarchism is the disregard for government, for the absence of government.” He rolled his eyes.

“And clearly you don’t understand that sometimes real people are worth more than that, Technoblade.” Puffy narrowed her eyes.

“At least I stick to the same principles,” The piglin scoffed, “I’d rather go searching for a needle in a haystack than seek out consistency in this server.” He smirked.

“Right,” Sam hummed, “because siding with the ultimate authority is definitely peak anti-authoritarianism.”

Technoblade was very quiet for a moment, a scrutinizing gaze fixed on the warden.

“Let’s just move on,” He relented, “you guys just wouldn’t get it.” He chuckled.

Just feet away, Fundy skidded to a halt, narrowly dodging a wither’s shot. He panted heavily, teeth grit. There was something in his eye, something greying. A sort of loss of colour Tommy had only ever seen in Wilbur’s eyes.

He turned away before he could see the manic grin spreading across the fox’s face.

Fundy shifted uncomfortably, a restlessness in his bones.

“Power corrupts!” Technoblade claimed loudly, “Don’t you see?”

The fox perked up at that, however, eager to talk his way out of the disgusting feeling simmering inside of him.

“Don’t you have the most power?” He implored, quirking a brow. And, sure, there was a bit of smugness there, perhaps a bit more than necessary, but he felt entitled to it as he watched Doomsday play out once more on the big screen.

“That’s different.” Technoblade quipped back, unimpressed.

And Tommy looked out into the expanse, out into the crater that had once been something he loved so dearly, and he tried so desperately to see. For his own brother’s sake he tried with all his might to see, but he couldn’t.

L’Manberg was his home. L’Manberg was the home of so many. He’d lost two of his lives, given up his discs, and watched his brother fall apart at the seams, all for nothing.

All he’d ever wanted was a home and a family that wouldn’t leave him.

“You were-” Tommy began, choking back a harrowed laugh, “you were my friend!” And it was so much more than a brother. Technoblade had been someone he’d considered an ally, someone not bound by familial ties.

Phil didn’t so much as blink.

He’d thought that they’d been linked by blood of the covenant and not just some silly obligation.

“And yet you went back to Tubbo!” Technoblade hissed angrily, “the guy that exiled you!”

The ground shook beneath their feet, and the two had to fight to retain their balance.

“You’re selfish!” Tommy screamed, “All along I thought it was me that was, but you know what? It’s you!” He shook his head, “You’re destroying the things people love for your own selfish reasons! People are above the government, Techno!”

Ranboo looked down once more at the sleeping boy, heart twisting.

Tubbo was quiet, fists clenched at his side.

“And what about me!?” The piglin roared, a hand on his chest, “I’m a person!”

“You are!” Tommy cried back, blinking back tears, “and so are we!” An explosion rattled at the ground just feet away from him and he grit his teeth, steadying himself.

“Oh Tommy…” Puffy whispered quietly, eyes glossing over.

“What about when I stood alone!?” Technoblade demanded, “when I stood against everyone and you and Wilbur watched from the sidelines? Did you help me? Did you offer me anything? No!” His voice cracked, if only just barely, “but you know what I did yesterday, Tommy? I was willing to fight them all for you! I would have fought by your side!”

“Techno…” Niki began, frowning and tilting her head. She leaned forward, as if she wanted to reach out towards him. He let out a low huff, shrugging her off.

Tubbo watched the fray from just a step below the two, mouth pressed into a thin line. His suit was tattered and torn, and his hair disheveled.

Above them all, Tommy heard a light chuckle, a sort of laugh that didn’t belong among the desecration below. His heart stopped still in his chest, and he slowly, so very carefully, looked up.

Phil stood upon the obsidian grid, a lopsided grin painting his face from cheek to cheek. His robes billowed in the wind, one hand holding his hat firmly in place and the other with a bow in hand. Arrows were slung across his waist, hanging lowly at his hip. His wings flared out proudly, one of them preened and gorgeous, an omen of what was to come, and the other frayed and damaged beyond repair, the other with a promise on it’s tongue of what had already come.

Death.

Technoblade looked over to see his father looking deathly pale, a sort of sickly complexion he’d never seen before.

Phil was silent, knuckles white as he grasped at his robes. He didn’t dare breathe, as if something was caught in his throat.

Fundy looked over wearily, expecting his grandfather to react; perhaps to dissolve into sobs or stand in a panic.

But Phil didn’t move. He merely sat with his hands clasped in his lap, breathing steadily and staring ahead, a dead look in his eyes.

Distantly, Tommy heard the screams. He heard the cries of innocent people, the sound of animals shrieking, pinned under debris. He could smell the blood, could smell the death, but his eyes were trained on the man above him.

“...Phil?” He whispered quietly, so quietly that it was almost inaudible. His father stood before him, and suddenly Tommy couldn’t breathe.

They locked eyes for just a moment, a split second, before the ground beneath them shook so heavily it sent Tommy falling to his knees, and he just barely caught himself. The palms of his hands scraped against jagged rock, and when he looked back up Phil had already turned away, walking off into the smog.

The screen went dark.

The room was dead silent for just a moment, the people not sure what to say. Doomsday had felt so much more… energetic in the moment. With adrenaline pumping through their bloodstreams and nothing but ringing in their ears, it had seemed so much more alive.

In reality, it was flat. Doomsday had been a joke.

“It feels like…” Ranboo paused, unsure if he should continue, but many eyes were glued to him, “it feels like the control room all over again.”

Tubbo and Fundy alike sucked in a sharp breath, and for just a moment Ranboo worried if he’d overstepped.

“That’s exactly what it was,” Tubbo murmured, looking at the ground, “a bloodbath.”

“We never stood a fucking chance.” Fundy laughed bitterly.

The screen started back up once more.

Tommy’s shoes crunched against the broken and crumbling asphalt as he walked, echoing throughout the crater that used to be a home. The hand-me-down boots he had been wearing were long forgotten, tucked away in one of his chests and replaced with a pair of worn down sneakers.

For some reason the sight left Techno feeling angry.

He held his bandana over his mouth and nose, squinting in the thick grey smoke. Tubbo was at his side, armour discarded at some point. His hair had been messily shoved back.

The two slowly made their way towards the stairway that led to the obsidian grid, sidestepping piles of flesh and glass. They tried to ignore the smell of the rot already sinking in.

They ascended in silence, sticking close to one another as they did. Explosions still went off haphazardly, spewing debris across the land.

Jack winced at the sight of it all. He’d been trying so desperately to pretend that day had never happened, specifically the aftermath.

Dream was sitting quietly upon the grid, dressed in netherite head to toe. His legs were hanging over the edge, swinging back and forth carelessly as he stared down at the wreckage.

Almost all of them tensed at the sight of the man, growing weary.

Ranboo looked down at Tommy, watching the sleeping boy carefully.

Tommy hesitated for just a moment, breath catching in his throat, but Tubbo was quick to grab his hand, squeezing it once.

Tubbo felt bile rising in his throat.

“Look,” Dream began softly, as if he’d sensed them approaching from behind, “in all destruction,” he paused, “there’s a new beginning.” He nodded towards the ground, looking down at the carnage.

Sam glared.

Tommy shook his head, tears building in his eyes. “You did this,” he muttered, “to everyone,” he laughed, “not just to me but to all of us.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sapnap tilted his head.

The masked man looked back down, eyes scanning over the ground.

“Beautiful.” He smiled. “It’s the- the uh- unfinished symphony, right?”

Niki glared, biting her tongue.

Tommy went rigid, and beside him Tubbo was silent. He looked over the edge, staring down at what used to be something so loved and something so cherished. The bodies of the hound army littered the area, and blood coated the ground in thick red globs.

“Why?” He whispered, “Why Dream?” He paused, blinking back tears, “couldn’t you have just… couldn’t you have just burnt the discs?” He looked over at Tubbo, and then to the smoldering remains of L’Manberg, “couldn’t you have just done it to me?”

And oh.

Many heads turned to the present version of the blond, as if surprised. Tommy was still, breathing gently against Ranboo’s side, and for whatever reason the enderman felt a need to shield the boy from prying eyes.

“He would have rather lost the discs over L’Manberg.” Fundy said plainly, face unreadable.

“He never acted like it.” Niki scoffed, crossing her arms.

Tubbo narrowed his eyes at that, turning around to stare at her. “Were you not paying attention when he gave up both discs for our independence?” He cocked a brow, “or minutes ago when he gave Dream both the discs again?”

Niki flushed almost instantly, eyes widening. “That’s not what I meant!” She hissed, “of course he gave them up sometimes, but he always gave them up knowing he could steal them back!” She gave the former president a knowing look, “did you really think he’d ever really be willing to burn them?”

Tubbo was quiet for a moment, looking down. He cocked his head to the side to get a glimpse of where Tommy was slumped over, shivering still.

“For me he would have.” He muttered quietly.

Without another word he turned back around, looking up at the screen, and Niki didn’t bother with a reply.

The three were quiet for a moment, and Tommy clenched his fists at his side, pushing back his tears as hard as he could.

“...Well this is much more fun.” Dream said finally, as though he were amused.

Quackity grit his teeth, seething at the screen. Beside him Sapnap looked just as furious, and for the first time he realized, truly realized, that Sapnap had chosen to fight against Dream on Doomsday.

Sapnap had denounced Dream before the vault.

For Tommy.

A chill went up Tommy’s spine as his eyes glazed over and he looked the man up and down. Dream who had starved him, who had beat him, who had loved him, all for some sick satisfaction; some desperate plea to not be overshadowed.

“You’re a monster.” He spat, using as much malice as he could possibly muster.

Puffy nodded quietly to herself, tearing up.

“Okay!” Dream chirped, and Tommy could hear the smile in his voice.

It was as if Tommy viewing him as subhuman, as something more, was somehow what Dream wanted.

It left a bad taste on his tongue.

“I’m going to uh… to get away from here.” The masked man began, standing and dusting himself off, “For a little bit.”

“And never come back?” Karl offered, earning a snicker from George and an amused huff from Tubbo.

“If only.” Fundy muttered, “fucking freak.”

“This is too far,” Tommy shook his head, taking a step closer despite everything inside of him telling him to step away, “you’ve gone too far this time. You- you know you’re a monster, don’t you?”

He looked back down at everything that Dream and Techno had done together and felt bile rise in his throat. Buildings reduced to rubble were still smouldering. Something that had been built upon its ashes was doomed to repeat the same fate.

Puffy stared, a frown on her face. “In his head he’s right, y’know?” She murmured, and many people turned to look at her. “We’ve seen him do it before… Twist his words, make people think he’s a good guy… he makes himself believe it too.”

“I refuse to believe anyone who hurts a kid like that actually thinks they’re the good guy.” Sapnap commented bitterly. And not just any kid, he thought quietly to himself, but Tommy.

Tommy who was loud and annoying, who stole and destroyed without ever saying sorry, who talked over people and was so terribly self-centered.

Tommy who was the only one to take Sapnap’s side during the burning of the lemon tree, who spoke to the bugs and slept in the grass, who was so happy and full of life.

“He had us fooled, didn’t he?” Puffy smiled sadly.

Sapnap felt too sick to reply.

“Tommy,” Dream interjected, nearing the boy, “I’m not done with you, okay? Our story isn’t over.” He tilted his head downwards, “L’manberg’s story is over… but…”

The blond didn’t speak, glaring and casting his gaze across the horizon. He nearly choked, however, when he saw Ghostbur standing on the edge of the crater, looking down. He felt shaky in the knees and let out a low whine.

“Our story’s not over.”

“Jesus fucking christ can’t he just- can he leave Tommy alone!?” Quackity cried, throwing his hands in the air. He looked as if he was in physical pain, eyes creased and lips pulled into a tight frown.

Tommy took a deep breath, steeling himself over. He whirled around in a silent fury, eyes narrowed as he stared at the older man.

“Now you listen to me,” he began lowly, “our story’s not over, but it will be.”

Tell him! Tubbo cheered quietly, Tell him off!

Dream was very quiet for a moment, and slowly he tilted his head to the side, like he was sympathetic or perhaps pitying. “I don’t think our story will ever be over, Tommy,” He murmured, “you’re just… too fun.”

A collective shiver ran through the room, and many of them physically recoiled.

“Oh god…” Karl muttered, bringing a hand to his mouth.

“Fun.” George repeated, “He actually called it fun.”

Another delayed explosion shook the ground, but the grid remained untouched.

Tommy felt as if he’d been thrown right back into the icy waters of exile, shivering. He looked up at the man defiantly, ready to retaliate, but found himself at a loss for words.

Tubbo was completely silent off to the side, staring off the edge at the crater.

“Well!” Dream clapped his hands together, startling the other two, “I guess I’ll be off then! I’ll see the both of you later, okay?”

Neither of them replied, merely watching as he stalked off.

The screen faded to black.

A long silence stretched between the group as they sat quietly, unsure of what to say.

“Is he doing okay, Ranboo?” Puffy asked gently, craning her neck to get a look at the sleeping blond.

“He’s fine,” Ranboo assured, nodding, “he definitely needed this. I don’t think he’s actually gotten a night’s rest since his r-” he paused, paling slightly, “Since he uh- since he came back…”

The older woman smiled sympathetically, giving him a tiny thumbs up.

He curled his tail slightly tighter around Tommy’s leg.

I’ll do better this time, he thought once more, repeating it continuously, I’ll keep you safe.

thank u guys for reading!! once again sorry this chapter is so short but chapter 28 is gonna be much longer so there's that to look forward to! see you guys next friday!

follow me on twitter @47batz :)