Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In this world there are Heroes, symbols of hope and salvation. 

There are Villains, who seek pain and despair.

There are Vigilantes, the ones who toe the line and do what needs to be done. 

There are Healers, so sought after that the ability has been rendered nearly extinct. 

Though what always tends to escape the minds of the populous is that within all of these roles and titles… there are People.

 People who sacrifice, love, scream, cry, destroy, laugh, and breathe.

This world, it is strange.

People hold powers, those of which haven't always been around.

Three decades ago, the idea of a man soaring through the smog-filled sky with inky black crow's wings would have just sounded like the plot of a bad superhero movie. 

Then one day, without warning, the people of the city woke up with unimaginable abilities. 

Electricity shooting from fingertips, feet moving faster than the speed of light, reality bending around a lone figure with nothing but a single thought.

Sure enough, some people inevitably would choose to use their abilities for good. Though, as is human nature, there came those who chose to use them to insight chaos. 

In true honesty, through his eyes, powers seem to have brought more good than they have bad.

Tommy couldn’t be more certain in his beliefs.

Seriously, who wouldn’t want to shoot lasers? Lasers are awesome!

The insanely talented, multi-acrobatic, fiercely charismatic, and excruciatingly hilarious light-hero Apollo loves to shoot lasers. And… well… Apollo is Tommy. 

So again, who wouldn’t love shooting lasers?!

The feeling is exhilarating! Like having a deadly kaleidoscope dancing across the tips of your fingers at all times. He’s used his abilities hundreds of times before in the heat of intense battles, and even uses it now. 

Blasting color changing lasers comes as easy to him as blinking as he runs across rooftop after rooftop. He’s practically a one-man rave chasing the notorious villain known as Feline.

He will give it to the cat-man, he is fast. 

He doesn’t mind a good chase though, because Apollo is simply the biggest and best hero—probably ever—and with the way Tommy is shooting he’s certain the furry-idiot will lead himself right into their trap.

All according to plan.

Though, despite unknowingly running himself into a trap, Feline is always annoyingly good at getting away. It makes sense though, considering he is associated with the villain group known as Nether.

The famous villain group is actually name “The Order of The Nether”, but Tommy decided the name was too wordy and helped them out in shortening it. Every time he’s suggested the name change he gets cursed at then attacked. Weird.

Either way, the villain gang has been ravaging the city for years. They’ve gathered some of the most notorious, awful villains in the city’s history… and for some reason they decided cat-man should be part of their team.

He’s a recent addition, so maybe they’re just testing the waters with him. Though, unfortunately for them, it makes Feline the perfect target for The Syndicate’s best plan yet.

Tommy raises his hand once again, colors dancing at his fingertips and shooting out as sharp daggers. “Could you slow down, ya’ puss? I’m trying to capture you!”

The cat-powered man looks back at him with a sneer and continues running, dodging to the left in an attempt to ditch Apollo.

Though Tommy only smiles at the predictable move, and with a well-shot blast his troubles come to an end.

Feline jolts as a laser catches the side of his thigh, losing his footing as his momentum sends him rolling across the rooftop before landing in a heap.

From the corner of his eye, Apollo sees Corvid—The avian-based superhero and one of the few legends to have protected the city since the dawn of powers—stand from his position two buildings over.

The man dives from the taller building, large black wings unfurling as he gains speed. Then before he lands he softens his fall, though does not hold back as he rams into Feline with a well-timed kick to the side. Just enough to disorient the man once more, yet not seriously injure him.

Within the same second that Corvid allows himself to land a crack of lightning crosses the sky, and there at the hero’s side Blade. The cape-clad hero appears mere inches in front of Feline’s face, his sword drawn at his side..

The villain stops his attempts to stand quickly, blue eyes going wide as he scans the blade and also well… The Blade. He then holds up his fur-covered hands as they shake in surrender, moving from his knees to his haunches in an attempt to get away. Feline’s tail twists behind him, an anxious tell, as he realizes he’s been backed into a corner.

Apollo smiles, the corners of his mask wrinkling as it widens. “You really had to run all that way just to get caught by a glorified bird man and the pig?” He looks over the villain as his steps slow to a stop beside him. Then he’s stepping forward, scanning the man's outfit as he rests a hand on the villain’s back. A practically invisible device slips into the folds of the man’s vest, Apollo passing it off as a taunting pat on the back. 

The man startles, a sneer making itself known even if the villain doesn’t move. He won’t, so long as Blade tilts his sword threateningly at his chest. 

So Apollo prods with another taunt. “Quite a shame, innit Feline?”

The villain narrows his eyes, the ears on his head airplaning. There's something nervous in his stature, but confidence continues to bleed through his gaze. As if he knows something that the heroes do not. Despite this, he hides his nervousness well by curling his lip and tail, as if he's the one doing the threatening. 

“Brat.” He growls.

Apollo, well, he nearly laughs. Seriously? ‘Brat’ is all the guy could come up with? What a PG-rated villain.

He rolls his eyes beneath his mask, playing up his disappointment by jutting out his bottom lip. “Aw, how rude. Corvid? Corvid, did you hear him? He called me a brat-“

The older hero gives him a pointed look from beneath his mask, though Tommy knows he’s hiding a smirk beneath the faux beak and feathers that make up his mask. Nonetheless Corvid sighs, “Apollo, quit pestering the villain, mate. I’ve told you time and again about messing with criminals." 

Apollo flippantly waves around his hand in a faux show of annoyance. “Whatever you old buzzard, the cat is in the bag anyways. I can pester all I please!”

The elder doesn’t show as much as a hint of emotion, but shifts his left foot back about an inch. Just enough to lessen the span of his wings just slightly. Apollo groans, licks his lips, then looks off to the side as if there is something important hiding in the bricks of the wall. Blade slides his sword back into it’s sheath and turns his “stabbing hand” away from Feline. 

Corvid then tucks away his wings, ‘conveniently’ opening up a path for Feline to get away. "Apollo this behavior, young man-"

Without hesitation, the cat-themed villain darts to the edge of the building closest to the street and leaps away. His robotically enhanced claws dig into the brick of the building as he slows his descent off of the roof, disappearing into the night. 

The heroes still stand on the roof, not agonizing over a pitiful loss, but rather smiling beneath their masks.

“Really, Corvid? You had to hit me with the ‘ this behavior young man- ‘? That is so very ancient of you.”

“Ya know Apollo,” Blade taunts as he adjusts the knives on his belt, “if you weren’t so annoyin’ I truly think you could be a good actor.”

Apollo turns on him, dramatic betrayal written all over his face. “Being annoying is exactly how I am such a good actor! I'd say I'm something of a Lin Manuel Miranda, Apollo Hamilton they'll call me. Don’t discredit my talents, bitch.”

Corvid moves beside him and flicks Apollo in the back of the head, eliciting a squawk from the younger before he chuckles. “Enough you two. We did what we came here to do. What do you say we head back to base and wait for Mindis to get the coordinates, hm?”

Apollo groans, though he quickly lifts up his arms awaiting to be lifted into the sky. Without hesitation Corvid slips his arms underneath the younger hero's, then spreads his wings and shoots into the night. 

Blade watches them from below, and Apollo flips him off.

The regal hero flips him off right back, then takes off as he runs along the buildings beneath them. Blade is just as inhumanely quick and agile as ever, yet still just a blur beneath the two.

Apollo keeps his gaze on the city below with wide eyes as it blurs by, hundreds upon thousands of different colors mixing together like when paints meet water. The wind whipping around them and whistling the tunes of urban life. 

He’s done this hundreds of times before, flown so high above the city that not even the people below can see him, but it never gets dull. For a moment each time he can try and believe he is the one flying.

As cars honk, lights flash, and the blur that is Blade beneath he and Corvid pass by, he feels free. He feels… content. 

This is how life should be. Colors and wind and family and… and family.

The moment always ends soon after it arrives, curling back into the recesses of his mind for another time.

His mood sinks as they close in on their destination, as Corvid rights himself and lands smoothly on the rooftop of a simple bakery. 

Corvid moves towards the green and blue colored eye that had been so heinously spray-painted on the roof of the building by some totally unknown and unaffiliated blonde teenager. A terrible crime, really.

Blade joins them after a moment, in the very same moment as thunder rolls across the sky.

Apollo glares at him. “How do you do that?”

Blade shrugs, smiling beneath his mask. “Eh, just takes practice.” The hero walks forward to join Corvid, turning his back to Apollo.

The younger hero looks to the sky, squints, then gapes. “It isn’t even stormy out! There’s hardly a cloud in the sky! Blade please tell me I want to be badass too!”

Blade ignores him, simply rubbing at his head and messing up Apollo’s hair.

‘Bitch.’

Corvid is pointedly ignoring their bickering, pressing a brick in the center of the eye before the roof itself clicks. The older herds them into the center in the platform, then they descend into their base. The platform groans and creaks as it moves, though continues to go completely unnoticed. 

As they descend through the “janitor closet” of their family bakery they can hear the rattle of the doors as the final worker of the night closes up shop to return to their home.

‘Family… home…’ Tommy thinks. His mood dips again. Gut churning with unpleasant thoughts. Empty pedestals at his side, like wide chasms that could never be hoped to be filled. 

Tommy hunches his shoulders slightly, pushing the thoughts away best he can as and leans into Technoblade. His brother catches on, putting a tender hand on his head and smiling from beneath the terrifying pig mask that covers the upper half of his face.

Then, they cross the threshold between businesses, and light floods over them. The platform reaches the main level and they quickly step off before it creaks and rises once again.

Tommy removes his mask as fast as humanly possible, tossing ‘Apollo’ aside and collapsing onto the lobby couch as if he’d just moved a mountain. He groans, his muscles barely aching from where he’d run after Feline. He’d rather die than admit that to his family though. So instead he whines, "Phiiiiiiiil, my bones! They ache and throb so baaaaaaaad!"

Corvid chuckles above him, reaching behind his head and removing his mask, becoming Phil once again. His father swats him lightly with the ends of his wings, telling him to move over. “Don’t relax too long kiddo, Mindis is going to get those coordinates for us soon. This is just a short break.”

Another voice chimes from the side of the room opposite of them. “Very short, actually. Considering I already have them.”

Mindis, otherwise known as Niki, crosses the room with a purpose. Dressed entirely in her superhero outfit, freshly re-dyed pink hair braided high on her head. She taps away at the tablet in her hands without so much as looking down at it, eyes trained on them instead.

“Niki!” Tommy shouts, sitting himself up on the couch with palpable excitement. “Niki I have got to tell you all about the chase-“

She holds up a hand, making him pause. “You know I cannot wait to hear it, Apollo, but we can’t drop formalities yet. Nevadas is on their way. So-“ she situates her stick-on mask over her eyes, “I would get your gear back on. By the time we’re all in the room and seated, Nevadas should be arriving.” She flicks her hand, shooting a burst of water in the form of a whip to press the hidden button beside a bookshelf that opens the door to The Syndicate room.

Which is… basically just a fancy office room, but ‘ The Syndicate Room’ sounds cooler.

Tommy and Phil both return their masks to their faces as they stand.

Technoblade huffs, adjusting his mask where it still sits. “Are we expectin’ this to go over easy? ‘Cause last I recall, anythin’ with Nevadas is never easy. Vigilantes are messy and unreliable.”

The heroes move towards the door to the meeting room. Tommy prods at his brother’s side. “You were a vigilante, dumbass. You and-”

Techno glares at him and obviously wanting to cut in with a retort, but the creaking of the platform stops him.

Then a taunting laugh echoes through the lobby from someone unknown. Their feet being the only visible part of themselves as they come down prevents him from identifying them. Though as they speak, Tommy immediately knows who it is, to his misfortune .

Poker Chip cackles as the platform lowers, arms crossed in a wide stance as he flips a card between his fingers. “He’s right, Blade. Did you suddenly become so ‘anti-vigilante’ in the last year that you have nothing to say about your old team but that we’re messy and unreliable?.”

Techno reacts with his characteristic monotony. “Yes, and there’s a reason I’m an ex-vigilante .”

Poker Chip just continues to smirk, the scar spanning his face showing off his golden tooth but disappearing under his mask. He flips the card and it disappears into thin air as he adjusts the straps of his suit cockily. “We know better than anyone, Blade.” The vigilante’s smirk then flickers, and he drops his head. “The disappearance… trust me, it scared us all half to death. We- most of us didn’t go out again until months after.” Though he quickly recovers, a less confident but more determined smile returning to his face. “So, what do you say we get this thing over with, then go back to being distant allies?”

Blade stares at the vigilante through his mask for a long while, then chuffs: “Fine by me.” 

Poker chip nods, then steps off of the platform first. He’s then followed by the rest of the Nevadas team. Monarch, the vigilante with a penchant for fashion and the power of disorientation when a person looks into their eyes. GildJaw, a new vigilante who simply wears a shark head as a disguise and has the strength/appearance of a golden god. The Gloop, who is their resident healer and is an oddity in and of himself.

They saunter across the room towards The Syndicate room. Apollo watches them as they confidently make their way in.

Tommy looks to Phil, who looks to Techno, who looks to Niki.

Mindis nods, then disappears back towards the hallway she’d come from to go and find her hero partner, Jupiter. 

Apollo, Corvid, and Blade enter behind Nevadas alone. Each of them take their own seats, and the vigilantes move to the empty ones beside the marked chairs. They sit silently for around a minute before Mindis enters with Jupiter. The two heroes take their seats, then Mindis presses a button on her tablet that automatically pulls up the screen at the end of the room.

Jupiter clears his throat, shifting in his seat. “So, as of two minutes ago the tracker placed on Feline sent out a signal at this location.”

Mindis swipes up on the tablet before pressing a button on a small remote, then a map rendering of the location is displayed alongside a photo of the building where the coordinates are.

Corvid points at the image. “That’s on 33rd and West. It’s where the old factory used to be before it was shut down for drug dealings.”

Apollo grins beneath his mask. Corvid glances over at him knowingly, despite this Apollo chuckles. “Of course Nether would choose to be based out of a drug hub .”

The Gloop tilts his head from the other side of the room. The gelatin-looking man’s glasses slide sideways, along with his entire face, before he rights himself and everything stretches back to normal. “Is the Syndicate group not also based out of a ‘Drug Hub’?”

The other members of Nevadas chuckle, though Jupiter quickly interjects with an offended scoff. “No! I’m pretty sure drug dealers and an old renovated pharmacy are two very different things. Plus, it's the bakery now!”

Apollo purses his lips and shrugs from his end of the table, holding up his hands in an attempt to keep Jupiter's fury from being directed towards him. “I mean, if you really think about it-“

“Stop. No.” Corvid sighs. “Let’s not get off track here.”

Poker Chip rolls his shoulders and recomposes himself, hastily wiping away the smile from where he’d been laughing. “Right, mhm. Yeah, yeah let’s stay focused. So we uh-“ he turns his hand over a few times, “how are we going about this?”

Apollo looks to Corvid as his father shifts in his seat. A tension obviously working it’s way through the older’s wings. “We should all go.” He starts with a deep breath. “The more of us the better when facing Nether. Realistically-“

Corvid is cut off as the room is suddenly bathed in red, then the sound of a low alarm rings across their speaker systems. All of the Syndicate members jump to stand and take to positions, but Corvid holds up a hand. Mindis furrows her brows, but doesn’t fight him and presses the button that silences the alarm, bringing up a separate monitor that displays the ongoing attack.

 As the feed loads, an explosion lights up the streets in a large plume.

“Ignition.” Poker Chip hisses between his teeth. “That- he’s on LJ and 16th boulevard. That area is heavily populated. If nobody is sent there will be casualties.”

Corvid is still silent for a moment, then suddenly he takes a deep sigh. “Alright… okay this can—it can work—but we’ll have to split up.”

The Blade shifts in his seat uneasily. “Split? Corvid, are you sure? We’re up against Nether and almost all of them-“

The older nods. “Yes. We split, it’s the only way.” He points to his own heroes, “Mindis, Jupiter, and—if it’s alright with Poker Chip,” Said man hesitantly nods, Corvid nods in return, “then Monarch and GildJaw can go with them. The rest of us attack head on.”

The room is silent for a few moments. Every hero and vigilante turning the plan over in their head twice over. There are obvious flaws with how rushed it is, and the plan is much too vague right now. Yet it’s all they’ve got.

Though the mood suddenly sours as Poker Chip is the first to speak. “By everyone… you imply The Gloop as well?”

Corvid hesitates, but nods.

“No." The man practically shouts, pushing himself up from the table in fury. "No, absolutely not. Corvid, you know better than anyone how important healers are and what they would do-“

Corvid holds up his hands, lowering his wings to seem smaller in his seat. “Poker Chip I- trust me I know . I know that I know better than most, and believe me if we could avoid this I would, but we need everyone we have… and The Gloop can protect himself. Ultimately, it’s up to him.”

The room turns to the translucent man. The Gloop wears no mask, his glasses sit firmly on the bridge of his nose, occasionally slipping as the man’s “human” form melts. A stick in his head is the only thing keeping him halfway together, along with the weird compression… things that Poker Chip had created for the man. Though, as they all stare at him, The Gloop just smiles.

“I would love to go! I can help and fight the bad guys with my sticky slime gloop!”

Poker Chip looks unsettled, yet with a frustrated groan he nods. “Fine… fine. He stays with me the entire time though. In and out, alright?”

Corvid nods, adjusting his crow mask before standing. The older hero leads in placing his hand over his heart, then tilting his head downward. “Ad ruinam.”

Apollo follows suit, as well as the rest of the Syndicate. It’s a saying they hold dear, and even Nevadas joins in. 

The ritual is sacred to the Syndicate, and to all who have been affected by the wickedness of their world. Because as good as powers are, the people using them have never truly been good.

So here they stand, in a dark room with a prayer to an unknown god at the tip of their tongues. Heroes and Vigilantes united in honoring those that they’ve lost to the wicked.

Lady Ameliorate. 

The Ram. 

The Captain. 

Tommy grits his teeth, tears poking at his eyes beneath his mask.

Adonis .

In harmony they say with harsh finality, “Ad ruinam.”

Chapter Text

“This is Monarch, team one is in position. We have Ignition in our sights. He’s pushing down 16th boulevard and firing at civilian-populated buildings. Prepared to move in as instructed.”

Apollo taps his earpiece, holding his fingers in place as he hums obnoxiously. “I reckon you should wait for Corvid’s signal before you engage. Ignition is a bit of a prick.”

The line goes silent for a few moments, then Corvid’s voice crackles to life with a sigh. “Go ahead team, move in on Ignition. Team two, transfer to the second line.” The comms line switches, and Corvid speaks again. “Listen up, we’ll wait until Nether is distracted, or at the very least thinned out, then we strike. I need Poker Chip and The Gloop on-”

Apollo lowers his fingers from his earpiece, zoning out of the conversation and mocking his father’s voice with a hand puppet. He already knows the plan, so he elects to skip the recap. Though he does keep his hand at his side, ready to return it to his ear if he gets a particularly nasty glare from his brother. 

Speaking of, he glances up from his crouched position to where said brother stands peering over the rooftop of the building they’re waiting on with deadly ferocity. Apollo scrunches up his nose playfully before mocking him. “You know Blade, part of being incognito is the whole ‘incog-‘ part, right?”

Blade tilts his head towards him consideringly, though doesn’t look at him. “Incog is not a word, but yeah… and?”

Apollo pushes himself to stand, coming up from behind the edge of the roof just to poke his brother in the arm. “Incognito, meaning out of sight , dipshit. As in, can’t be seen. Unlike how you are just peepin’ over rooftops! ‘Oh I’m Blade and I think I’m invisible as a large pink bastard staring down at people from a roof- ”

Blade raises a hand, effectively cutting him off with a tut. “Ah ah ah, strategically peerin’ at people over rooftops. There’s a difference.”

Apollo gives him a deadpan stare through his mask. “A difference? Really?”

Blade nods, still not looking at him. “Yep.” He says, popping his P. 

Apollo glares at him, opening his mouth to make a cocky retort, but shutting it quickly and grunting in mock frustration. He moves back to where he’d been sitting before, but doesn’t sit down. Instead he looks out at the city skyline, letting the mood fall for a moment or two as he rocks back and forth on his heels. The conversation dies, but his mind is still alight with random thoughts as his nerves become restless. Nonetheless, the city below them continues to bustle. 

Blade turns his attention away from him, still leaning over the edge but refocusing on the people walking unknowingly below them.

The silence allows Apollo’s mind to wander. It lets him think, maybe for too long. Thoughts turning over in his mind relentlessly for a few consecutive minutes until finally drifting towards dangerous thoughts… thought of certain events… the events of ‘the disappearance’. 

Apollo crosses his arms over his chest, looking down at his shoes and glaring holes into the cement beneath them. His stomach churns at memories, plaguing him like an unhealing scab.

His mind then starts to make connections, how wonderful. He doesn’t want to think about the how’s… not how the rooftop they stand on is all too familiar—all too silent. Lacking the warmth and laughter that had once found itself in the exact same spot.

He doesn’t want to think about how the night sky seems dimmer. Losing its vibrancy the day there was nobody left to show him the stars.

He doesn’t want to remember how the small patches on his hero suit were sown on, or how when he closes his eyes there is always a bright smile imprinted behind it that fades with each passing day, or how he’s so incredibly lost—

Apollo swallows the lump in his throat. He evens out his breath, not having noticed he’d been holding it.

Blade turns to him, actually looking at him. “Apollo? Are you alright?”

The younger hero nods, climbing onto the edge of the roof and swinging his legs over the side. He expects a prod about being seen, but Blade doesn’t push. So he finds himself tucking his knees close to his chest. “Techno…”, he whispers.

His brother moves closer at the sudden change of tone and the use of his name. Tommy can’t see his eyes, but he knows Techno is scanning over him like the protective older brother he is. “What’s wrong?” He instantly prompts.

Tommy takes in a short breath through his nose to steady himself, his fingers finding their way under the neckline of his suit to grab at the golden chain that rests there. He spins it in his fingers absentmindedly as he tucks down his chin. “Nothing really, it’s—it really is stupid but it’s just that… what do you think Adonis would be doing right now? If he… you know…”

Tommy can't read his brother’s expression beneath his mask but a still moment passes before the older slowly sighs. He then resigns himself to swing his legs over the ledge and sit beside Tommy. Techno’s gaze turns to look at the horizon, rather than at Tommy. He seems to just stare out onto the horizon of the city, the white mesh covered eyes of his mask making it impossible to try and read what is going through his brother’s mind.

Techno starts hesitantly, “He would… he would have told me I was an idiot, for starters, standing on the ledge. Then he’d probably make up some story about how I could get hit in the head by a stray pigeon and fall off.” Techno bumps his leg against Tommy’s lightly, letting a sad sort of smile creep its way onto his face. “He was a bit of an asshole, wasn’t he?”

Tommy solemnly nods, allowing himself a small smile as well. Though seconds later he’s frowning again and bites at his lip. “You said—you said he was , Techno. We don’t know—I mean he could be alive still!” Tommy starts. “He could still be out there somewhere and if we could find him—“

Techno shakes his head slowly, picking at the gold chain that proudly rests just below the collar of his suit. “Tommy… I know that you and Phil never saw Adonis’ power, and believe me, it’s for good reason. He had kept it a secret from everyone, even me for the longest time, just to protect himself and all of us. It was his choice to make. You know that I had known Adonis since before we both started out as vigilante’s. We were…” Techno pauses, something in his expression shifting, though Tommy can’t tell exactly what it is. “Just, trust me? If he had any way of comin’ back to us, he would have done it already. It took years but… I was one of the few people he’s ever shown his powers to and let’s just say that that day… the one where he… if someone really went after him and actually got him then I would almost prefer it if he didn’t make it out of that buildin’.””

Techno tears his gaze from the horizon with a deep sigh, then wraps an arm around Tommy’s side gently. “Why don’t we just… stay focused, okay? One mission at a time right, kid?”

Tommy leans into his brother’s side, pressing his forehead into the older’s shoulder. His mood is… significantly lower, and he definitely has some questions about Techno’s past with Adonis and exactly how much he knows about the mysterious vigilante that they’d all but adopted into the family. Yet, the only thing he can do for now is nod slowly. “Yeah, one mission at a time.”

Techno gently squeezes him into his side, and they sit that way until Phil’s voice cuts through the relative silence of the night. There’s a harsh crackle, then their father begins. “-eam two, Nether is moving. Multiple heat signatures show movement in mass. Possible civilian lives are at stake.”

Apollo wriggles out of his brother’s hold to press his fingers to his earpiece. “Do we need to intervene?”

Blade stands at his side, balancing himself on the ledge of the building before speaking into his own earpiece. “No, Corvid, we need to move in. Even if not all of Nether has left, enough are gone that we can take the place. The others can handle their job, we have to do this now or we won’t have another chance.”

Corvid speaks once again. “I agree. Apollo and Blade, meet up with the rest of us in five, alright?”

The brothers look at one another, Blade helping Apollo to his feet with a small smile. Apollo smiles back, and presses on his earpiece. “Make it three Corvid, I’m going to beat Blade’s ass in a race.”

Blade lets out a scoff, but Apollo moves too quickly. The pink-haired hero throws out multiple curses under his breath and gives chase. They leap across rooftop after rooftop, running and jumping like they’ve done millions of times before. For all that Blade is known as a stoic hero, Apollo can spot the smirk beneath his brother’s mask. So with a renewed sense of determination Apollo races forward.

Ad ruinam

Chapter Text

Contrary to popular belief, breaking into the super secret villain base is actually the easiest part of their mission.

Blade hums lowly, leaning up against the dirty skylight before him with his boot pressed firmly on the glass. The hilt of his sword sits familiar in his hand as he rubs at the wrapping with his thumb. His eyes scan over the rather boring insides of the base as thoughts of backup plans cycle through his mind. Though, in all reality, he doesn’t believe they’ll truly need a backup plan.

He wouldn’t even be thinking of a backup plan if Corvid hadn’t harped on him about them ever since…

Blade clenches his jaw, dismissing the thought.

They won’t need a back up plan, or at least they shouldn’t . It isn’t as if they don’t know the location of Nether’s base, considering it’s literally right under their noses. Blade almost laughs at his own thoughts, but he has a reputation to upkeep and a little brother at his side who will taunt him relentlessly if he so much as smiles. So Blade keeps it to himself, and returns to noting the aspects of the villain base.

Which, oddly enough, is not much. There are no fancy gadgets or cool fire entrances or spinny chairs for dramatic effect, just some dirt and piles upon piles of loose papers on various desks and boxes. All in all, it’s almost sad. Keyword, almost.

Blade is an emotionless void. He feels no pity.

Which may or may not be a result of incessant nagging from his younger brother. The world will never know.

“ Apollo? Blade? ” Corvid chirps over the comms (ha, chirps).

Blade presses the device in his ear. “We’re here. You’d think the most infamous group of villains in the city would have at least hired an interior designer. It’s so dull -“

Corvid sighs. “ Blade, you can help the villains’ feng shui their lair after the mission, alright? ”

He huffs. “Fine, fine. Your loss. My feng shui skills are impeccable—“

Apollo groans at his side. “Uuuuuugh enough already! I’m going in—“

“APOLLO NO-“

“ Apollo do not- “

The young hero ignores them, and slams his boot into the skylight. It shatters and rains down on the villains beneath them like a violent rain. Then Apollo jumps in.

Blade huffs. That was supposed to be his dramatic entrance. He’ll pester the kid for that later.

Fortunately, the majority of Nether is currently on a tirade across the city, otherwise Blade would be shaking his brother until his arms fall off.

Apollo lands on the concrete floor lightly, like an agile cat or a flighty bird.

Blade, pointedly, does not.

As he drops down behind his brother he lands heavily, bending his knees before standing to his full height over the villains as the echoing sound of his boots resounds through the wide room. He tilts up his chin, looking at them through the bottom of his mask and clutching his sword with a carefully neutral face.

He counts the villains. 

Three. Only three.

They have to fight off Feline, Diamond, and Abysmal. The bottom of the barrel.

Lame.

Apollo dramatically groans and pokes Blade in the side with his elbow. “Oi?! Blade, they only left the extras for us! Do they not think we’re a big enough threat to their little operation?”

Blade rolls his eyes at his little brother’s antics beneath his mask, but scoffs and plays along. He twirls the sword in his hands for dramatic effect. “S’pose so. Guess we’ll have to show them they’re wrong.”

Apollo’s grin widens, the teen wiggling his fingers as lights dance across them. The boy locks eyes with Diamond. The villain scowls at him, forming sharp diamond blades all over his arms in retaliation. Then Diamond charges forward.

Blade nearly steps in to block Apollo from the attack, the protective older brother in him says he needs to, but before he can even move a black portal appears in front of Diamond. It sucks the villain in before promptly spitting him back out by the villains.

Abysmal, the oldest of the three psychopaths and the only non-new face in this Nether batch, seems to have caught on the quickest to the fact that they’re royally screwed. 

He steps back calmly, holding out a hand behind himself to start forming a new portal. The man shoots a glare at them with an air of confidence. “I'm afraid we’ll have to take our leave now, heroes.” He shoots a glance down a hallway, then turns his attention back to the heroes. “Don’t bother following, you won’t catch us! Not while I’m here.”

This gets Techno to move, acting quickly by lunging forward with his sword raised to catch at least one of them. Though with a shriek from Diamond as Feline grabs the back of his shirt, all three villains are pulled through the portal before he can stop them.

Once Abysmal’s power turns into nothing but simple wisps of smoke in the air and the villains have officially retreated from their base, Blade sags his shoulders with a frustrated groan. “Apollo, have I ever told you about how much I hate that guy?”

His brother struts up beside him, giving him the most serious non-serious face a teenager could give. “No Blade, never. Not even once. Never ever . Not last week on Thursday at three p.m. or a month ago on Monday at six thirty am-“

Blade shoves the younger away light heartedly. “The fact that you know that is weird. Stop that. Go do your job, runt.”

Apollo squawk and curses at him, but as Blade turns to a stack of papers the teen realizes he won’t get a response he begrudgingly begins to search the place. Only because Corvid had ordered it, of course.

Speaking of, the bird-man himself and his team come through the skylight just as flashily as they had. Then once they realize that they’d already scared the villains away, they relax.

They chat a bit about the villains. Why they ran instead of fighting, how awful their costumes were, how they’re cliche assholes… normal stuff.

He expects the searching to take a while, meaning that they’ll finally have some time where Apollo is silent. A rare occurrence. Though it isn’t long before the teen’s shrill voice rings out across the building. “Corviiiiiid, this is so boring. Abysmal took all of the action that actually mattered and ran out of the place scrambling! What else are we looking for? They’ve obviously committed lots of crimes.”

Corvid shrugs, continuing to flip through the documents in his hands. “Oh, I don’t know Apollo. Maybe stuff like incriminating documents, photos, plans, hiding places, villain… stuff? So when they go to jail they can stay in jail.” The hero turns to his son with a sass-fueled smile. “You get the point?”

Apollo rolls his eyes, dropping the stack of papers he’d had in his hands. “Yeah yeah, I get it. It’s boring though… so I hate it.”

Blade huffs at his brother’s antics, then turns his gaze across the room as Poker Chip chuckles. Though before the vigilante speaks he pulls himself together with feigned wisdom. “Apollo, sometimes the best things in life come to those who wait.”

Blade, in a moment of humor, decides to credit Poker Chips wisdom. “Quoted from Heinz Ketchup, circa 1987.”

The youngest hero in the room gapes, turning to glare holes into Poker Chip’s mask. “Did you really just try to wisdom me with a ketchup slogan?”

The vigilante keels over laughing. “YES! YES AND YOU- and you believed it. Don’t deny it, Apollo. I know you did-”

“Fuck off! I did not you unlucky punk ass bitch I will fight you—”

“You did though!”

“Did not!”

“Did too, discoball—“

 “NO I FUCKIN’ DIDN’T-“

Corvid’s wings shoot out from his sides, the black masses effectly cutting through the laughter like a blade and silencing the argument. Poker Chip and Apollo continue to glare at one another through their masks, though say nothing. Apollo makes faces at the older while Poker Chip simply flips him off discreetly. 

Eventually Corvid realizes his efforts are fruitless and quits acknowledging them, instead looking up at the ceiling with his ‘Tired Dad™️’ look. “Has anyone… anyone actually found something worth looking into?”

Blade pauses, looks down at the documents detailing the very finest points of Ignition’s sandwich order, and shakes his head disgruntled. He had hoped to find something of value in the box of trinkets and papers that he’d found. Yet there was nothing other than sandwich orders and so so many fidget spinners. Purpose… unknown. Probably for world domination or something.

As he looks across the room it seems as if most of the others had had the same luck. Then, rising up from the floor out of nowhere, The Gloop appears smiling. The man (a term used very loosely) raises his hand high in the air from where he now stands beside Poker Chip, his skin slightly melting before reforming.

Gloop bounces on his toes with a wide smile as he waves his arm. “I have found a something to look at! It is a very interesting something! I like the something very much!”

Corvid lets a short breath out from his nose and gives the vigilante healer a disbelieving nod. “Well then, Gloop, thank you for finding something. Can you tell us what it is? We’ll add it to the list of potential cases after we look at a few more boxes in here.”

The Gloop turns away from the group for a moment, looking down one of the many hallways connecting to the main room they stand in. The same one Abysmal had glanced towards, Blade notes. Then with a wide smile he turns back to them. “Corvid of The Syndicate, I have found a room !”

Corvid is very visibly holding back a sigh. “A… room?”

Gloop nods, sending droplets of slime flying through the air. “Yes! A room with a something!”

Corvid presses his thumbs into the spot connecting the bridge of his nose and his eye socket. “A room with a something?” He waves his hand to prompt something more. “Is it an… important something?”

Gloop nods his head again, smiling widely. “Yes! It is a very important something! A something who is a friend!”

Corvid removed his hands from his face, shock evidently striking him as well as the other heroes in the room. “Gloop… is this a living friend?”

Gloop hums. “Oh… I did not ask. But I can go to the friend room and ask! Shall I perform an investigate?”

Collectively, the room falls silent.

Poker Chip is the first to actually move towards The Gloop, a hand landing on the slimy man’s shoulder. “You- Gloop, where is the room at? Where is the… what did you call it uh, the— the friend room?”

The Gloop’s smile slowly drops. “Oh, you seem the very serious Poker Chip of Nevadas. Is this not a friend? Is that why he has chains on him?” Poker Chip doesn’t respond quick enough before Gloop’s face turns to worry. “Oh no… oh no he is a sad friend! I do not want my friend to be sad! Sad friend is down the hallway, behind a broken door-“

Then before the rest of them can even move, Poker Chip takes off, and Blade is second as he follows at his heels. A curse at his lips as he follows the vigilante, hoping that this ‘friend’ isn’t wounded or worse.

His thoughts race as he runs. Did they miss Nether taking a hostage during one of their attacks? They couldn’t have! Could they? Why would the villains even want some civilian? Or is it a civilian? It could be a hero or—

Poker Chip reaches the doorway before Blade, kicking through the door in a frenzied manner. Though as he finds his feet the vigilante stills, stopping Blade from entering or seeing the person inside. Then suddenly the vigilante takes a step back out of the doorway, hand raising to his mouth. “Oh mierda, mierda esta vivo… Blade- he's alive. He’s alive-.”

Blade, furrows his brow, stepping around the vigilante as he moves into the room the best he can. It takes a moment for him to readjust himself and take in his surroundings, like any hero would, before he looks up at the hostage.

Then the air leaves his lungs, and he’s frozen in shock.

For a moment, he meets faded brown eyes that he’s only seen in nightmares. Then he sees warm hands that would hold his face like a tether when he went to far into his own mind. He smells sandalwood and ash swirling together in something remnant of home. He hears laughter under moonlit skies with endless stories.

Pauses. Blinks. Then he sees the blood.

His eyes go wide beneath his mask. This isn’t a nightmare, or a dream or some king of illusion. What he’s seeing is real.

Who he’s seeing is real.

Reputation be damned, his voice squeaks in a way that it hadn’t since they were teens.

“Adonis…?”

The eyes move, and the man looks up, his mask stripped from him yet he’s wearing the same suit that he had disappeared in. The deep blue and gold detailing obviously faded, stained, dirty and missing his signature jacket. It’s as if they had stripped him to his core self and let him rot in a cell.

Blade’s fingers twitch, wanting a reaction or something . That’s his brother . His brother in everything but flesh and blood. The brother that he hasn’t seen in a year outside of his nightmares.

His brother is chained to a pole on the wall, hunched over on a small cot with no blanket or pillow. A tray at the side of the cot looking like it may have once held food or water. And in the center of the room there is a hospital bed… stained with dried blood.

The voices in his mind riot .

ADONIS

BROTHER! WE FOUND HIM!

FREE HIM FREE HIM! FREE HIM BLADE!

KILL THEM KILL THEM KILL THEM

YES KILL THOSE WHO HURT

KILL KILL KILLKILLKILLKILLKILL

Though they’re cut off as Adonis’ eyes finally focus on him.

Blade has waited for this moment. The moment he could find his brother and take him back into his arms to shield him from the world forever more. Never letting him out of his sight ever again lest someone face the wrath of his blade—

Then Adonis sighs, a dejected look crossing his face. “Oh… it’s one of these days.” 

And that… that sends him reeling, mentally and physically. He has to take a physical step back as his hands begin to shake.

Is- does his brother not recognize him? Does he have memory issues? Did they brainwash him? Torture him? Why does he look so unfazed? Why does he not—

The chain around his brother’s wrist restricts him from moving much, but nonetheless the bloodied man motions to the bed tiredly as if it’s all he’s done his entire life. “Come on Abbadon, I haven’t all day. I have the one arm to work with and apparently Fallacy’s powers are out of sorts. You look like the Syndicate… again.” He huffs tiredly. “Though Poker Chip is new. How did it happen this time? Blade get him in the gut or something?” Adonis turns to them as if he hadn’t just torn out their hearts, and simply waits. 

Neither Blade or Poker Chip move, too stunned to speak.

Blade’s mind is too loud and confused.

So Adonis takes the non-response and sighs, tired eyes shutting slowly before reopening. He seems as if he’s about to ramble once again and prepares to speak, but as he looks to Blade he pauses. His eyebrows scrunch up, how they always do when he’s thinking hard about something, then his breath stills.

Blade follows the man’s line of sight, which rests at his side. More specifically, at Blade’s hand. That of which is closed tightly, thumb tuck beneath his pointer finger as it shakes.

It’s stupid, a nervous habit he’s had since he was a kid that would keep him from punching the closest thing to him. His brother had actually taught him it and—

Adonis’ gaze meets Blade’s slowly, brows furrowed in utter confusion. “You—Fallacy doesn’t know about that.” He shakes his head, still seemingly confused, but clarity slowly seeping into his features. “Fallacy can’t—he can’t create things if he doesn’t know so- so that—“

Just then, Corvid and Apollo enter the room behind them. 

Adonis’ eyes flicker to them quickly before returning to Blade’s hand.

The room remains silent, the shock of seeing their lost family member seemingly keeping the other two quiet.

Then Blade takes a step forward, hand shaking as he raises it slowly. His voice wavering as he gets closer. “You taught me this. You taught me how to control my anger—“

Adonis shakes his head, eyes slowly widening as tears begin to form.

“ You taught me this, please it’s not— we aren’t an illusion.”

When his lost brother’s eyes meet his own again, Adonis searches over his face for some kind of trick. Though when he finds none and the realization seemingly finally sets in that he’s surrounded by actual people… the tears flow over. Then he falls back on the cot as his shaky legs give out. “You’re here- you- oh- oh- you’re here .” Adonis whispers to himself frantically as tears begin to flow down his face uncontrollably.

Blade keeps his movements slow and gentle, yet determined as he kneels down in front of his brother. They look one another in the eye, and Blade can feel his own tears begin to fall. “Adonis…”, he grabs his brother’s arms gently, then pulls him into a hug. “Wilbur. You’re safe now. We’re here.”

His brother says nothing for a moment, silent and still. He’s worried that maybe he was wrong in touching him so soon. Maybe he should have waited—

Then Adonis shudders, finally letting a sob escape him. “Techno?”, he whispers.

That's all it takes for Techno’s will to collapse. He tightens his hug as his brother digs his fingers into his back desperately. Phil works at the chains, but he hardly even notices the man. Simply pouring every inch of himself in the moment to being there for his brother.

Desperate sobs echo through the room, and Techno can’t tell if they’re his brother’s or his own. He digs his hand into the back of his brother’s hair, ignoring the knotted curls and dirt as he holds him close.

“I’ve got you, Wil.” He whispers, burying his face into the man’s shoulder and relishing in the warmth. “I’m bringing you home.”

Chapter Text

As soon as Adonis is stable, the heroes leave Nether’s base. In ashes.

Techno admires the flames, wishes he had been the one to light them. Though, he has his own priorities right now in that, he refuses to let go of Adonis until they’re within sight of the Syndicate’s base (which annoys said-vigilante but whatever Techno gets worried older brother right). Even then, he doesn’t plan to release his long-lost brother for long once they get to the base anyways.

They soon reach the base, step onto the platform, and are lowered down through the bakery into the hideout.

Techno can feel the way Adonis’ shoulders begin to droop, exhaustion surely taking over his limbs. So, as soon as the platform reaches the common area, he begins to lead Wilbur towards the medical wing.

Techno gently squeezes Wilbur’s side as he whispers, “We’re home Adonis. We’re safe. You’re safe.”

Adonis just nods, the light that Techno had once known to find in his eyes now smothered by a dull and exhausted gaze. “Yeah…” he mumbles breathlessly.

Techno wants to pry more. Ask what had happened over the past year that could have dulled his bright personality to nothing short of a glimmer. He opens his mouth to do so, but Adonis cuts him off.

“…for how long though? How long until it’s taken away again?”

Techno blinks, not having an answer. his mouth gapes for a moment before he sets his jaw determinedly. “Never. Never again, Wil. Not as long as I can stop it.”

Adonis looks at him with a pitifully small smile that could be passed off as a grimace. “I have a bad habit of never staying in one place for long… it’s sort of inevitable.”

The joke is clear, but Techno still can’t see the bright light behind the joke that was once Wilbur. His brother, this one in front of him, is tired, weak, and drained. The bags under his eyes are deep and dark and he looks as if a strong gust of wind could blow him over. 

Something inside of Techno aches to see him smile like he used to. Wide and all-encompassing as if challenging the world itself. Brightening up any room like magic-

Techno shakes himself of his thoughts. He shouldn’t dwell on the past. It won’t help him, his family, or his brother. No matter how enticing it is to reminisce on better times. So instead he goes to reassure Adonis once again, “Wilbur, as long as I’m here I won’t-“

The sound of boots crashing against the tile floor rings through the halls, cutting him off. His mind flashes to the possibility of an assailant, instincts snapping and thrashing with a drive to protect Adonis at all costs. His hand twitches for his blade and he readies himself, pulling his brother into his side even tighter.

Though the urge to fight quickly subsides as Monarch rounds the corner in a panicked flurry. Their crown is askew and her eyes won’t meet a single person’s.

Techno looks them over first, trying to find injuries. Though she seems relatively untouched, just slightly dirtied. Yet, the tears in their eyes and their panicked breaths tell a different story, and do nothing to ease Techno’s worry. 

The vigilante looks past him, past the other heroes, to Phil. They stumble forward and put a hand on Phil’s shoulders. Her other hand quivers over her mouth, as if holding back a sob. “It- Corvid, Jupiter he-“, they hiccup, wiping the tears from her eyes, “ Gods, Corvid, Ignition killed him.”

Behind him, Techno can hear Tommy softly whisper, “what?”. He turns to get a glimpse of his younger brother, and sees his fallen face from behind the mask.

Poker Chip mumbles out a quick series of no’s and curse words, but they’re too quick and mingled with Spanish for Techno’s frazzled mind to make sense of.

Techno can hardly hear much anymore anyways. Static growing in his mind like mold because… because Jupiter can’t be dead. Jack can’t be dead. It’s impossible -

Techno wants to drop to his knees and sob or scream until his throat is hoarse and the gods know just how much they’ve hurt him. Yet, his stupor is cut through like a knife as familiar hands meet his chest and push away from him. He doesn’t quite have the time to react before he realizes that it was Adonis who had pushed away from him. 

His mind kickstarts again with worry and panic as he comes to the full realization that his injured and severely traumatized brother with healing powers is the one sprinting/stumbling down the hall towards the medical wing.

Techno’s body finally starts to get the memo, and his shaking legs launch him forward. “ ADONIS ! ADONIS!”

For being injured, Wilbur is fast . Annoyingly so, because Techno cannot let him get to the medical wing. He can’t because he knows what his brother is capable of and he’ll never be able to forgive himself if Wilbur does it in the state he’s in.

Eventually he reaches his brother’s side, trying to hold onto him as Adonis pulls against his grip. Techno gets in front of him though, finally getting him to stop. Though Wilbur continues to try and push forward, eyes glazed over as if not really seeing. 

His brother keeps reaching past him towards the room where Techno can hear Niki sobbing. He starts begging, tears filling his blurred eyes. “I need to. I need to go, I have to help. I need to -“

Techno shakes his head vigorously, holding his brother tightly. “No. No, Adonis, you aren’t there. You don’t have to. I won’t let you.”

Large, desperate tears run down Adonis’ cheeks as he continues to fight. “ Please , It’s m’ job. It- I have to-“

Techno shifts his hold from a restraint to a firm and tight hug, whispering low into his ear. “No, Wilbur , you don’t.”

That makes the man in his arms freeze. They both remain still for a silent moment before Techno feels his brother begin to shake, slowly returning the hug. Techno takes the moment to breathe in everything that is his brother. The blood, sweat, tears, and somehow even his ridiculous sandalwood scent that always lingers. 

Techno opens his mouth to tell his brother exactly how much he missed him, how proud of him he is. Then suddenly his limbs go stiff and begin to tingle, and his heart sinks.

Adonis steps back, eyes set, still not quite all there but determined as ever. He hangs his head, limbs shaking and fingers glowing from where they make contact with Techno’s skin. “ I need to ”, he whispers. 

Then he steps away, and past Techno. The door to the medical bay opens, and Wilbur enters as quickly as he can.

Techno is stuck, unable to move as Wilbur’s power works through his body. Though the healing effects quickly wear off once the power recognizes there’s nothing to actually heal , and once they do he tries to move into the room before it’s too late. He hears the others coming up somewhere behind him, hears Niki’s sobs and screams at someone entering the room, but as he clings the door open his focus immediately turns to his brother.

Adonis’ powers have always been a sight to behold, though few other than Technoblade have seen it in action. Yet, as incredible of a sight as it is, it’s equally just as terrifying . 

Seeing Wilbur standing over Jack’s body, bloodied and broken, with his eyes and hands thrumming with white and blue swirling light as he holds Jack’s limp hand. It’s almost enchanting to watch as the burn marks marring Jack’s face and shoulders heal, as if they were never there in the first place. They wrap around Jack like tendrils, holding him gently and lifting the body into the air.

Techno is removed from his shock, the only one who notices as his brother’s breathing begins to falter. As the glow begins to fade and the tendrils lower Jack back on the cot Adonis stumbles, then falls bonelessly as his eyes roll back into his head. 

Jupiter back hits the cot, and he breathes. Eyes bursting open with panic as his limbs begin to regain function.

Mindis rushes forward to hold Jupiters hand as the newly resurrected hero blinks back into life. At the same time Techno catches Wilbur in his arms, rushing him to a bed across the room.

Niki lifts her head, looking back and forth between the others in the room and where Adonis lays unconcious. “What did he do?! How did- what’s going on? Who is that? Jack was- he was-“

Techno shakes his head, signaling he can’t respond as he frantically sets up an IV and hooks Wilbur up to the vitals machine as his brother’s breaths grow thready.

Poker Chip fills in. “Mindis that- that’s Adonis. We found him and I have no idea how he did that but-“

Phil pushes past everyone, rushing to Techno’s side to help get Wilbur stable. “Everyone out if you aren’t here to help Adonis. Get Jack settled, then give us some space.”

The heroes nod, and Phil moves to grab the separating curtains. Though, Techno isn’t so ignorant as to not notice the way Phil tilts his head back and forth between Wilbur and the now-living Jack Manifold before he closes the curtains. 

He also isn’t so ignorant as to not notice the collective of Nevadas, as well as Tommy, gathered at the door and staring between the two in awe. 

He trusts and loves many of these people, but the stares make him sick . Too similar to that day to- Techno shields his brother’s unconscious body until the curtains are closed. His stomach churns, knowing an inevitable conversation will be held once the confusion dies down.

Techno, with Phil’s help, finally gets Wilbur situated and he sighs with relief. His brother won’t die (again. His mind supplies unhelpfully. But he didn’t really die the first time so does it really count-). He reaches out hesitantly and rubs his fingers over the dirtied golden chain poking out from under Wilbur’s shirt. He smiles, tucks it back into the shirt, then pulls the covers up over his brother.

His shoulders sag, and he looks up at Phil.

The older is trying his best not to stare at Wilbur’s sleeping form, but failing horribly. Though their eyes meet, and Techno grunts. “We have to talk about this. Don’t we?”

Phil hesitates, though slowly nods. “Techno… he just did the impossible . We have to-“

Techno just waves him off. “I know, I know, can I just… can I have a moment with him, before we talk?”

Corvid’s small frown shifts to a smile, voice going soft. “Yeah, of course mate.” He pauses before leaving, though slips out of the curtains and closes them behind him.

Techno finally sighs, and lowers himself down to his brother’s level. Tears spring in his eyes as he presses their foreheads together, just like when they were kids. He sits there for a moment, hoping that Wilbur will press back, though he doesn’t.

He leans back, though quickly dives back in to press a kiss into his brother’s hair before smoothing it back. He whispers, “You’re safe now, ‘donis. Rest brother.”

Then with shaky confidence, and shaking hands, he wipes his tears and he turns to where the rest of the room lies just beyond the curtains. He hesitates to walk out, glancing back at his brother briefly. Then he opens the curtain, and faces the most difficult conversation of his life.

Chapter Text

The room is silent.

It’s the first thing Techno notices as he painstakingly takes his seat at the Syndicate table. The vigilantes in the room stand awkwardly at the head of it, looking back at him as if he’s grown a second head. He taps his finger pointedly, trying to see if they’ll stop staring . 

Though even Mindis and, rightfully so, Jupiter are looking at him strangely and- he pauses, looking around the room. Scratch that, it isn’t just them, it’s everyone in the room.

He hums and awkwardly fiddles with a fold on his sleeve. Like worms under his skin he itches to leave the room and run to his unconcious brother’s bedside. Though he knows if he tries to make any move towards leaving every person in the room, not excluding his own family, will go into an outrageous explosion for some kind of answer.

Though the truth is…? Techno doesn’t have one, at least, not a full one.

He can’t explain to these people what happened in the Nether base. He can’t explain how as soon as he saw his brother his mind went blank, save for the single thought of getting them both to the safest place possible. He can’t explain the revival, well… he sort of can.

Overall, he can’t explain the why’s, the how’s, or the who’s… but he can sit here and be asked questions anyways. Because that’s what a good older brother would do… probably.

Unfortunately for Techno, it’s Jupiter who begins. The newly revived man claps his hands together with a deep inhaling breath. “So…”, he starts,”I feel as if… I have a right to say this, so: what in the fucking hell happened?!”

“Jupiter-“, Mindis lightly scolds.

Though Jack doesn’t stop his tirade. “No! No, I think I deserve some kind of answer! This is- I was dead not more than a few minutes ago and this random… I don’t know, homeless man comes in and saves my life! I'd like something !”

Mindis doesn’t counter back, just fixes her eyes onto Techno through a sideways glance.

The Blade, decidedly (tactically… tactically ), doesn’t meet her gaze. Instead he fixes the path of his eyes up and away somewhere on the ceiling, though it isn’t as if anyone can see it through the mask. He finds comfort in not making eye contact anyways, so… whatever. He takes a breath, internally scolds himself for picking at his fingers, then begins.

“The ‘ homeless man ’ that saved your life? That’s Adonis . As in, the vigilante that we’ve been searching for since his disappearance over a year ago.”

Jupiter’s eyes widen beneath his tinted glasses. “You- that was-“, he looks towards the direction of the medical wing and huffs, “holy… shit. He’s the- he’s your brother , yeah? And you found him-“

Phil interjects this time, holding a hand up cautiously. “Yes. We found him, in Nether’s base. He was… he still is in bad shape and I thought when we first saw him that he-“, Phil pauses to take a breath through his nose. “It was awful, but he’s here with us now.”

Techno feels the question coming, he sinks down in his chair. 

Corvid turns to face him. “I am curious though…”

Techno bites at his lip before sighing. “Yes, I did know he could bring people back from the dead. Yes, I knew he was a healer, but I didn’t- I didn’t think he could still do that in his… current state.”

Poker Chip pipes up from across the room. “I also knew.” Techno blinks, suddenly far more invested in the conversation. “I’ve known for a while now. Hard to live with the guy and not eventually find out. Late night talks and uh-“, he clears his throat, pulling on his collar, “all that.” 

Gloop perks up from where he’d been staring off into space. “Yes I too knew! Even my strongest, slimiest, most gunkly goo cannot bring back the dead. Wilbur is very talented!” 

The slight murmur from side conversations within the room instantly dies. Though Apollo quickly shoots up from his seat. “You- Wilbur? Is that- Gloop how do you know his name?!” 

The translucent man looks to where he’d been staring off into nothingness. “Oh… I have done the spilling of bean juices again. I didn’t mean to. Wilbur is very kind when I speak to him and he told me his human name. I am sorry Wilbur!” 

Poker Chip frowns, placing a hand on his friend’s slightly melted shoulder. “Hey, you’re not quite making sense bud. Can you explain what you mean? Why is he not human?”

Though Gloop just shakes his head, droplets of goo flinging off of him. “No, no I do not wish for more bean juices to spill! Wilb- uhm, Adonis can tell you!” He looks back at the empty corner. “You will tell them now, yes?”

The room collectively turns to look at the empty space that Gloop is speaking to. Nothing shifts within the room, not even a slight whisper in the air.

Gloop’s smile slowly falls, though returns as he turns back to the others in the room. “Oh.. oh okay. He does not wish to tell you! You must wait!”

Techno presses his lips together, he opens his mouth to ask, but chooses not too. He doesn’t  know why Gloop thinks he sees Wilbur, but he decides he can ask at a different time. So, he keeps quiet.

There’s a bit of confusion throughout the room, but as a general consensus they drop it since there isn't much left to discuss without Adonis actually physically being in the room. Everyone is fairly used to Gloop’s rambles and pointing out oddities, so everyone seems to chalk the instance up to be just one more Gloop moment. So, they move on.

They discuss what they found in the raid, plans moving forward, the fight that led to Jack’s… situation. The conversation sends the room into a relative lull, at least, until the watch around Mindis’ wrist beeps loudly. 

She glances down at it, then looks back up and right at Techno. “Oh, uhm, vitals are showing that Adonis is awake. Checking the cameras though he’s…”, she pulls them up on her watch, squints, then frowns, “he’s not moving but his eyes are open and sort of… glowy? Blade do you want to-“

Before she can finish her sentence both Apollo and Blade are up and bolting for the medical wing. The door swooshes open, and they both barrel down the hall. Techno shoves his way in front of Tommy to get into the medical bay, for brotherly reasons and for the sake of being the first to Wilbur’s side.

Techno instantly notices that his eyes are glowing, though not quite the same as before. Before, when he had healed Jack, they thrummed brightly. Now they’re much more dull, fogged over and distant.

Techno halts Apollo with a hand to the chest, then gently reaches forward to tap at Wilbur’s face. 

He can’t tell what his brother is doing yet, but what concerns him is Wilbur’s current lack of taking in of any sort of breath. 

Then a memory hits him. Ghostbur .

He knows this, and he sighs, relived.

Typically when Wilbur would accidentally astral project, when they were younger, he would still be able to speak and move. Though now he just sits, staring and acting almost…

Techno shakes his head. He despises that they’ve done so much in a year's time to hurt his brother, to fundamentally change him enough to change how his powers affect him. Hundreds of scenarios flit through his mind, the voices enabling these fantasies, though revenge is for another time. 

Now, he has to worry about keeping his brother tethered to the real world.

“Wil,” he whispers, “I need you to come out of it. I need you to breathe, okay?”

Wilbur huffs out a small breath. The air shifts within the room and Techno can tell Wilbur’s “spirit”, per say, is nearby. There’s a whisper in the air that Techno can’t quite make sense of, but he knows Wilbur is trying to say something.

“Te- erm, Blade , what’s wrong with him?” Tommy presses.

Blade continues to tap at Wilbur’s cheek gently, though turns to the younger. “You know how Charlie said he thought he saw Wilbur?”

Apollo nods.

“Well, I just remembered that Apollo’s got a power that, it’s his place to tell you about it but, it makes him like… this, when he uses it. Can you try to help me get him back?”

Apollo’s face sets firmly, meaning he must be thinking of something. Techno can practically see the smoke coming from his ears as the cogs in his brain work. But the younger nods.

Techno turns away from Tommy and faces Wilbur as he starts to mumble. He takes staggering breaths, fumbling over short stuttered words. Techno catches bits and pieces but very clearly hears, “…’m dead. I’m dead.”

Techno eyes widen, and he takes Wilbur’s head into his hands so he can massage soft circles into his temple. “No, no, Wilbur you aren’t dead. I promise you aren’t.”

Wilbur starts lightly pushing against Techno’s hand, the glow from his eyes flickering. “I d’nt wanna heal. ‘m not- Te’no I’m dead. Can’t heal. Can’t-“

“Shh Shh Shh… Wilbur, you don’t have to heal. You just need to come back. Come back, here, please?”

Wilbur doesn’t react, just continues to take stuttered breaths and stare into space. The air frantically shifts around them as if his projection is trying to get back but can’t. Tommy is obviously trying to hide the fact that he can sense it too. Though Techno ignores the child for a moment and continues to tap at Adonis’ face again, but suddenly his hand is stopped by Apollo. 

Tommy slowly climbs up onto the bed, sitting on the edge. He takes a deep breath, then puts his hands on Wilbur’s face. 

Techno wants to stop him, tell him to at least be careful because he knows how badly it can affect his brother if his astral projection doesn’t return properl and Tommy doesn’t . Though he says nothing. He trusts Tommy, he does and he’ll honor that because they are brothers too but… he’s beyond scared for Wilbur right now. 

Apollo doesn’t hesitate though. He looks Wilbur in the eye, then smiles. “Hey, bitch , pay attention.” The energy in the room shifts, Wilbur’s presence shifts. “I’m only doing this once, okay?”

Techno goes to question him, though doesn’t get the chance before Apollo’s hands move to his mask. Then he pulls it off. 

Wilbur’s physical attention shifts to Tommy, and consequently the air lightens and the glow in his eyes dims. He at least somewhat returns to himself just to say: “Apollo… what… the fuck?” He quietly whispers between heaving breaths.

Tommy just smirks, dropping his mask to the side. “Hey Adonis! I am Tommy Danger Kraken Wife-Haver Big Man Innit, and I can shoot lasers at people, but you knew that already. Pretty poggers, right?”

Wilbur doesn’t fully return… yet, though his look seems less distant and foggy. He hums in distant recognition, then as Techno squeezes his arm he gasps. There’s a burst of light in his eyes before he’s completely back to himself. 

Then Wilbur immediately ducks his head and shields his eyes. “Fucking Void , Apollo you can’t just unmask you fucking child holy shit-“

Techno’s heart swells because that is Wilbur. That’s how Wilbur was before he was taken. That’s how Wilbur has always been.

An absolute asshole, with a side of pathetic wet cat.

Wilbur continues to string together curses and turn his face away. He tries grabbing at Tommy's mask to get the child to put it back on. Though Techno has no mercy for him, stops his brother’s flailing hands, then removes his own mask.

Wilbur’s eyes widen, but he just lets out an annoyed huff. “You’re serious? “Revealing” your identity to me? What are you thinking?! What if I tell someone, huh? What if I go spill all your little secrets Technoblade -“

“I didn’t tell you my name.”

Wilbur squints at him, then flips him off. “You are a dick . Dicknoblade is what I’ll tell everyone your name is. I’ll go spill it to Poker Chip and Kit and Gloop-“

Techno rolls his eyes and leans forward, pulling Wilbur into a deep hug. He sighs. “I missed you.”

Adonis pauses, breaths slowed but steady. Then he returns the hug, and pulls Tommy into it as well. “I missed you too.”

Chapter Text

Philza is a reasonable man. A reasonable father.

He’s probably allowed Tommy to do things that any other parent would call him crazy for allowing. Though he is self-aware enough to know he’s been a little too restrictive with his kid too.

The same goes for Techno. When he first met the boy, still a young vigilante, he knew he already had a soft spot carved out in his heart for him. He has one for all of his children, of course, like any good parent. Though something about seeing a young kid wrapped in a drenched cape, bleeding out on your doorstep and telling you that you’re the only hero in the world he trusts enough to ask for help… well, that changes a man.

It changed him for the better.

It led him to meeting Adonis.

Gods, he remembers the day Techno trusted him enough to tell him about his brother. The boy had been so nervous he was shaking, yet he still led Phil and Tommy to an abandoned rooftop. He introduced them, and from that day on Phil’s family felt like it was finally starting to become whole.

Or, it had until… that night. 

Phil stops himself before he spirals. He has to remind himself of where his boys are. Where they no longer are.

He opens the medical bay doors quietly, hinges creaking as laughter floats through the air. It’s late, and truthfully Phil had expected them to be asleep. It had been a pretty long and taxing day for everyone. Nevadas has long since left the base, wishing their best and assuring they would return the next day to come see Adonis once he was awake.

Phil steps up to the curtain, squeaking his shoes to announce his presence before he steps in. To which he nearly steps right back out upon seeing an unfamiliar and unmasked smiling face. Though, he doesn’t. Instead, he meets the smile and removes his own mask. Glaringly bright blue meeting dull brown.

Adonis rolls his eyes at him (Gods he knew he was the same age as Techno but to see it-). “Not you too.” He groans. “You are all just a bunch of saps.”

Phil gets closer, leaning his weight forward onto the end of the bed. Then he extends a hand. “Philza Minecraft.”

Adonis looks up at him, almost offended before batting the hand away playfully. “Wilbur Soot. No formal introductions, please. It’s not as if we’re strangers.” Though he pauses, then scrunches his brows with a thought and tilts up his chin. “Wait, Philza as in… Dadza?”

Phil looks away, blush dusting his cheeks. “Erm- well maybe-“

“ Gods , you’re telling me you willingly go around telling people half of your name with DAD slapped on the front… as a hero?! Do you know-“

He interjects with a laugh. “Hey, hey, stop that I’m supposed to be the responsible and fatherly one here that scolds you so-“

Wilbur holds up his hand. “No, no I do not want to hear it Philza you are just as ridiculous as your children.”

Phil smiles, opening his mouth for a quick response. Though he hesitates, because well… he supposes he had never gotten the chance to ask the man if it was alright that he was considered a son. He doesn’t want to cross any boundaries too early, so he just huffs. “Whatever, mate. Just glad to see you’re alright.”

Wilbur gives him a half smile in return, then shifts where he’s sitting against the pillows of the bed. 

It’s odd, and Phil wants to ask about the sudden change in mood as the man’s shoulders tense and his smile falls. There seems to be a question written all over his face, but something is holding him back. So Phil pushes.

“Wilbur… are you alright?”

His mouth gapes for a moment, as if he was prepared to instantly say yes so they could go back to smiling and laughing. But he doesn’t. He simply sits there for a moment, lost in his own thoughts before he slowly begins to shake his head.

Phil can sense the building panic, and wants to jump forward and wrap him in the tightest hug imaginable. Though he’s beat to the punch as Techno swoops in.

The pinkette doesn’t do hugs often, but Phil knows from personal experience that a hug from Techno can cure almost anything. Once the moment ends, and Techno backs away to give Wilbur a bit of space, Phil reaches forward.

He doesn’t do much, but fatherly instincts be damned if doesn’t reassure his kid.

So he just put his hand over Wilbur’s gently.

That seems to be what opens the floodgates, and the hesitation Wilbur previously had suddenly disappears in an onslaught of emotion.

“I was terrified .” He whispers, voice quivering. “I was alone and they forced me to heal and revive so many times. It just- I started to lose the days a long time ago. I don’t even know how long I was there. It was almost daily that I would have to heal anything and everything from a lethal stab wound to a light headache and it was hard -“

Phil puts a little pressure on Wilbur’s hand as it starts to shake. “It’s alright, you’re safe now. Why don’t you take a couple deep breaths before you keep going?”

He nods, blinking and slowing his breaths for a moment before continuing.

“I used my powers too often, I think. I have this… other one, astral projection, that I can use to leave my body for a while. So when I would heal it- depending on what I healed it’s taxing and most times I would feel half-dead and then...” Wilbur cuts his eyes down to his hand where he’s idly started to mess with Phil’s fingers. “Then I would project, sometimes unconsciously and most times I- I couldn’t tell if I was still alive or if I had finally died.”

Phil looks to the other two in the room quickly. Techno’s fists are curled tightly at his sides, and Tommy is just standing there misty eyed. He then cuts his eyes back to Wilbur, and finds the man teetering on the edge of letting it all out.

He puts his other hand on top of Wilbur’s, looking him in the eye. “Wilbur… I’m going to hug you. Can I-“

Before he can even finish a brown head of curls lunges forward and buries itself against his shoulder. Phil conforms easily into the hug and squeezes Wilbur close. He rests the side of his face against the back of Wilbur’s head as the man’s shoulders begin to shake with sobs. Phil doesn’t mind though, and simply starts to rub small patterns into his back.

He won’t deny that his own eyes grow less and less dry by the second, tears cascading down his cheeks as he listens to the cries of the kid in his arms.

Eventually, slowly, the sobs begin to soften and the tension that is obviously lancing through Wilbur’s body begins to relax. Phil still holds him, keeping him held together with whatever support the hug is giving.

Wilbur lifts his head, though just rests his forehead on Phil’s shoulder. “I don’t want to heal anymore.” He turns, eyeing Phil with a hesitation he hopes to never see again. “I don’t have to… right?”

Phil puts a hand on his head, gently massaging the curls. “No.” He whispers. “Absolutely not. You never have to again if you don’t want to.”

Techno huffs. “Besides, we have Charlie. His power can heal, so we should never need you to do it unless you choose to.”

“Speaking of Charlie,” Tommy starts, “how did he know your name? I didn’t think you guys had met since-“

Phil cuts him off. “Alright, alright. Why don’t we leave questions for the morning, yeah? We all had a very long and exhausting day, and I think we all need a bit of good shut eye.”

Everyone in the room nods, but Wilbur clutches his sleeve. “Do you think I could… maybe move to a bed? I’m just not a big fan of hospital beds.”

His mind goes back to the one in that dreaded room, the one covered in dried blood and dozen of unidentifiable stains. He shivers, and nods. “Of course Wilbur, it’s already set up so you can just get changed into a set of Techno’s clothes and head off to bed.”

Wilbur nods, and the boys help him up out of the bed, disconnect the machines, and help him walk out of the room.

Phil watches them go with a smile. Then he sighs, and walks out.

His boys are safe. They’re all home.

He can finally put his mind to rest.

Chapter Text

“Gooooooooooooooooood morning, Wilba! Time to rise and shine! Greet the day! All that bullshit.” Tommy yawns from the doorway. “I know I’m already up, awake, and ready to go-“

Wilbur reaches to the side of his head with a groan, patting around until he finds and firmly grasps a pillow. Then he chucks it in the vague direction of a certain blonde teenage hero. “Shu’ up, child.” He grumbles. 

There’s a yelp near the door, and then the pillow is returned to sender, hitting Wilbur in the side of the face. He huffs and whines, “L’mme sleeeep.”

There is an annoyed scoff much closer to his bed. “No, bitch! I’m making you a special breakfast this morning, and Nevadas is coming back! So, you are not allowed to sleep through it!”

Wilbur cracks open his eyes and sneers at Tommy. “I’m traumatized , leave me alone.”

“I’m TrAUmAtiZeD meh meh meh… I’m Wilbur and I don’t want to come see my friends cause I’m an emo prick.”

Upon realizing he will not, unfortunately, win the battle to keep sleeping, Wilbur groans and slowly pushes himself up and partially off of the comfortable bed. Honestly, he most likely would have just laid there the entire day if he could have. He hasn’t slept in a comfortable bed since sometime before… everything.

Tommy purses his lips and makes a circle motion with his hands. “So… you gonna get your sad, sappy ass up sometime this century and come eat the pancakes I’m gonna make?”

Wilbur wipes his hand over his face, pulling at his eyelids, then flips off Tommy. He hears the teen squawk but doesn’t stop as he stands and stumbles his way towards the bathroom. Chills run up his feet and through his spine as he steps onto the cold tile floor. He smacks his lips and rubs at his eyes as he flips on the light. Turning to look in the mirror he…

Oh.

Fucking hell .

He leans forward, slowly getting closer to the mirror and starts touching his face as if it wasn’t really his own. Mirrors weren’t a luxury he was granted in that shithole of a base he was held in, so he hasn’t properly looked at himself in… a long time. And what he sees? It’s Awful .

The Wilbur he remembers didn’t have deep, dark eye bags or the accumulative muscle mass of a twig. That Wilbur didn’t look sick, like he'd died and been dredged back to life. He didn’t have hair that was tangled, matted, and hanging in his eyes. He didn’t look so incredibly fucking lost .

Wilbur takes a shallow breath as he runs his shaking fingers underneath his eyes and over his cheekbone, tracing the deep bruises resting there. He then sighs and drops his hand to the hard countertop. 

He should have expected this… his haggard appearance.

You don’t exactly go from being kidnapped and dehumanized into nothing but a tool, then right back to normal after rescue all in one night. Hell, he’s not even sure if he’ll ever be normal again. Above all things he’s sure of though, despite his appearance, he knows he needs to take care of his own mental well-being. Truthfully, he hasn’t put much thought into it thus far, aside from knowing that it can’t exactly be healthy , by any means, as is.

He wonders if maybe a hug and a little food can set his journey of recovering his mental health into motion. It might be just what he needs.

Well, he also needs a shower.

Gods , no, he needs a shower now . Wants a shower.

Before he pushes away from the counter he contemplates asking if it’s allowed, but with a giddy rush of what could only be described as unadulterated freedom… he decides not to ask, but just to tell.

With quick and fleeting determination he makes his way over to the main bathroom door to shut it, poking his head out and calling out to the boy in his room. “Tommy, I’m going to shower.” He swallows, waiting for protest where none comes. “I’ll be out for breakfast in a few.”

The teen moves into his line of sight and throws him a thumbs up, standing from where he had sat on the bed. “M’kay, Big Man! Just meet us in the dining area. Breakfast is going to be amazing, I promise! No costume or mask needed.”

Wilbur just gives him a thumbs up, then shuts the door with a deep breath. He shuts his eyes for a second and just… stands there, relishing in the normalcy . Then with a new vigor, he turns to the shower.

Setting the dial to warm water, immersing himself in the present as steam fills the room, he couldn’t imagine anything more wonderful. The shower is heavenly . Every single orifice no longer feeling as if it had been plugged up with scum and grime. He wastes away time as he draws silly little pictures on the steamed up glass, sings his favorite songs to the shower head and runs his fingers through his soap-filled curls as tangled masses fall apart. He allows himself to laugh, to smile.

Eventually the high of his rediscovered freedom ebbs away as his fingers begin to wrinkle. So, he reluctantly turns off the water and grabs a large, fluffy towel. He tousels his hair, wipes off his shoulders, then covers up as he steps out into the room.

He scoffs and rolls his eyes as he crosses the space to shut the door that Tommy had left wide open… because of course he had.

It doesn’t take him long to get dressed, throwing on a pair of slacks and a wrinkled white button up that is just a bit large on him. He slips on a pair of Blade Brand socks that read: “Blood for The Blood Good” on the bottom, and rolls his eyes once again because of course Techno would give him merch to wear.

Finally, he stands to leave. It only takes him a moment to get to the door. Though as he reaches out to grab the handle, he pauses. His mind wrestles with itself for a moment because he knows he can leave, he can just open up the door and walk out yet…

His hand flexes in the air, reaching out and wanting to turn the knob but being held back by the instincts driven like nails into his own mind.

He wants to open the door, but he can’t . Why can’t he just open the door-

“Wil?” Techno calls from the other side. “I was just going to ask if you want to walk to breakfast together?”

Wilbur takes a breath through his nose, nods, then realizes Techno cannot see him. So he grabs the door knob, and hesitantly pulls it open.

He finds himself face to face with his brother and they just sort of… stare at each other for a moment. Hundreds of emotions pass through one another’s eyes with each second.

It hits him now… how desperately he had missed his brother.

Techno flicks his eyes down the hall, then back at Wilbur. Shifting and pulling at his sleeves as he awkwardly rocks on his heels. “So, breakfast?”

Wilbur finds his voice slowly, blinking at his brother until the words finally tumble out . “Oh… yeah, yeah. We can… yeah.”

A brief silence stretches between them for a moment, Wilbur pulls the door shut behind him and shuffles out in his socks. Techno smiles upon noticing the branded socks, then reaches out and pulls him into a hug. Wilbur freezes for a moment before sinking into it. It’s warm, and tender, and he realizes it’s everything he’s been missing wrapped up into one moment all over again. Then in a blink it’s over, but it doesn’t leave him.

Techno pulls back and gives him a small smile, keeping an arm draped over Wilbur’s shoulders. “Come on, let’s go make sure the child didn’t burn anything.”

Wilbur chuckles. “Knowing him, the kitchen is on fire.”

They laugh, poking fun at the kid and talking quietly as they make their way to the kitchen. It’s so… domestic. It feels right.

It isn’t long before they reach the dining room. Wilbur rounds the corner first, sock-covered feet thumping gently against the tile floor to announce their presence. Though, unexpectedly, two new unmasked faces turn to greet him.

Mindis and Jupiter… he assumes. Tommy had mentioned something about being unmasked, but seeing their bare faces so suddenly makes him have to pause for a moment. Identities have always been something that everyone kept secret… so that must have changed during his time imprisoned as well.

Mindis smiles at him cheerfully, regardless of his awkwardness. “Hello!” She chirps as she moves around the kitchen, flipping something in a pan. “Would you like an omelet?”

Wilbur smiles back. “Oh uh… no thank you…erm-”

“Niki.” She chuckles, then she uses the spatula in her hands to point over her shoulder at Jupiter. “And that’s Jack. Don’t mind him, he’s grumpy in the mornings.”

The bald man crosses his arms, leaning back in his chair with an offended look and a scoff. “Am not! ‘Ve just got a lot on my mind, thats all. Seeing as I was dead yesterday.”

Techno keeps his grip tight on Wilbur’s shoulder, changing the subject as he pulls out a chair. “What happened to Tommy’s big breakfast surprise?”

Niki hums, flipping the omlet once more before sliding it out of the pan and onto a plate. “Let’s just say, the fire extinguisher has already been used this morning.” She puts a small garnish on top before spinning around to walk over and set it on the table in front of Jack. “He’s still got a surprise breakfast treat for you though, don’t worry. Pancakes might not have worked out but he’s run up to the bakery and should be down soon.”

Wilbur slips out of Techno’s hold and into the chair. His brother runs his fingers through his hair before ruffling it and pulling out his own chair beside Jack. Wilbur finds himself resting his head on his hand as the scent of freshly cooked eggs wafts over him. Maybe he had been wrong earlier with the shower, because he swears that this must be heaven. His mouth is practically watering at the smell of freshly cooked food, but he holds off for Tommy’s sake. He wouldn't want to ruin the kid’s big surprise after all.

So he waits patiently, idly chatting the time away with Niki and Jack as he gets to know them better. He’ll admit he’s cast some longing looks at the omelets Niki sets out in front of Techno and herself, but his will outweighs his wants. He’ll wait for Tommy… he will.

Another few minutes pass and his steadfast walls of resistance start to crumble as she dishes one up for Phil when he joins them… and she adds cheese .

Wilbur takes a steadying breath through his nose. He must remain strong, for Tommy .

Footsteps echo in the hall and Wilbur is sure it must be his saving grace in the form of a wrapped puff pastry. Though instead of starving eyes meeting a pink and white wrapper, they connect with the crystal blues of Poker Chip.

“Wilbur…” Quackity breaths, a smile at his lips.

In an instant he’s up out of his chair and wrapping the smaller into a stunned hug. Surprised laughter filling the kitchen as Wilbur spins him around in their embrace. Quackity pulls away slightly to get a good look at him, then proceeds to punch him in the arm.

“YOU ASSHOLE!” He screeches, fake anger scrawled over his features. “You owe me soooo much money. Do you know how many poker games you missed, dickhead?”

Wilbur falls into the routine, the banter, almost seamlessly. “Oh darling , you wouldn’t make me pay would you? You wouldn’t do that to your best friend- “

Now Quackity fully pushes away from him, a giddy smile still hidden beneath the feigned anger. “Shut up! Shut up! You don’t know anything, asshole, and you are not my best friend . Charlie is.”

At the mention, the slime coated man pops into the room. “Hello! I am a human!” He smiles, reaching out to shake Wilbur’s hand. “I have friends!”

Wilbur takes it, shaking it as firmly as he can while keeping his eyes locked on the man’s face. There’s something in Wilbur that screams at wanting to stay close to the slime coated man… though he says nothing and instantly wipes his hand on the side of his shirt once they let go of one another. He’s about to make another quip at Quackity when he’s cut off by Techno clearing his throat.

His brother swipes hair from his face and sighs, pushing away his plate. “Well, watching you two fight like an old married couple has made me lose my appetite.” He quirks up a brow and looks between them. “You two done kissing already so you can introduce us, officially, Wilbur?”

He huffs, rolling his eyes. “Well, A, rude because we weren’t kissing. We were discussing terms of payment-“

Quackity nudges him. “You’d like that though-“

Wilbur doesn’t entertain him, simply cutting him off and pushing his face away. “And secondly , this is Poker Chip, otherwise known as Quackity.” He turns back to his friend, blinking. “I assume Tommy got to you about the whole identity sharing thing?”

Quackity shrugs, crossing his arms. “Yeah, he did. Not like I wouldn’t have told all of you eventually anyways. We’ve worked together frequently enough that it was bound to happen anyways, plus you’re Wilbur’s family.” Quackity points to The Gloop next to him. “You all already know Charlie, or Gloop, but the others have agreed as well to show their identities so long as-“

Quackity is cut off by a high pitched squeal, and thundering footsteps before a small orange blur impacts with Wilbur’s side and nearly takes him to the ground. As soon as his mind catches up to him he stabilizes and recognizes the small blur.

“KIT?!” He laughs surprisedly. “Fundy?!”

The boy looks up at him with tears in his eyes. “I thought you were dead. Then when Quackity said we found you…”

Wilbur smiles and pulls the kid into a tight hug. He places his chin on top of Fundy’s head and hums. “Well, I’m not.”

Fundy buries his head into his chest and mumbles. “Mhm, you’re not.”

They spend a quiet moment there, just absorbing one another’s presence. Mentor and mentee finally reunited. They had always been more than that though. More like father and son, even if Wilbur was only really a few years older.

The moment is broken as Jack and the others stand to put away their plates from breakfast. Phil disposes his and clasps his hands together. “Right, well, why don’t we all move into the main room? Then we can all properly catch up and get to know one another.”

Wilbur’s stomach continues to ache with hunger, but he can push it aside easily with each squeeze from the kid wrapped around him. He directs them towards the door, and eventually Fundy gets the memo and sheepishly lets go so that Wilbur can actually move. Though he stays latched onto his wrist.

Everyone shuffles out of the dining area and towards the long, cushioned couches. Wilbur finds himself drifting unconsciously towards Charlie, surprisingly enough. So he drags Fundy over next to where Charlie had sat down beside Monarch and GildJaw.

The Syndicate sits opposite of them, and Wilbur has never felt more surrounded by love.

It’s weird, but nice.

Quackity opts to stay standing and points at the other two on the couch, making sure to include Wilbur in the introductions since he… hadn’t been around when they had joined.

“Wilbur. Syndicate. This is Monarch, or Eret, and this is GildJaw, or Foolish.”

Both wave and the group begins to chat idly as they get to know one another. Phil and Foolish end up chatting about their common interest in architecture. Niki, Eret, and Jack talk logistics and practicality in hero/vigilante suits. Then, of course, Quackity and Techno start bickering lightheartedly.

Meanwhile, Wilbur finds himself drifting a bit. His stomach twitches, unsettled, but he ignores it as another figure presses into his side opposite of Fundy.

Charlie is leaned over on his shoulder smiling, but more serious than he thinks he’s ever seen the man before. “Wilbur…”, he starts, putting a hand on his knee but not looking up at him. “I am very glad that you are safe now. I very wanted to meet you.”

Wilbur leans his head over on top of his friend’s (which is surprisingly not slime coated at the moment). “I'm glad I’m safe too Charlie.” He sighs. “I'm happy we get to be friends now too… besides just through astral projection.”

Charlie tilts his head up and seems as if he’s about to ask something else, though suddenly all of the attention in the room is drawn towards the lift as it lowers.

Tommy, in all of his teenage glory, steps off the lift with a pastry raised high in the air like some sort of trophy. “IM BACK!” He squawks.

Vision zeroing in on the pastry, Wilbur watches like a starved hawk as Tommy moves across the room. His mouth watering with each step as the teen gets closer and closer. Then he’s just in front of him, and Wilbur nearly reaches out to snatch it.

Tommy smirks. “My dearest brother, your wait is over.” He bows, tipping his head and body weight forward. Wilbur’s heart drops, and in slow motion he watches as his world shatters.

The pastry falls, tipping out of Tommy’s napkin-covered fingers.

It spins through the air as powdered sugar falls like snow.

Wilbur feels his heart breaking, aching .

And then it hits the ground, strawberry filling splattering in a gruesome fruity crime scene.

The room falls silent, and Wilbur’s eyes drift up to meet Tommy’s.

“Uhm… oops?”

He knows not what a dead man he is.

One chase around the compound and a brotherly battle to the death (see: tickle fight) later, Wilbur sits happily at the table with one of Niki’s omelets and his family at his side.

Chapter Text

Hi everyone.

This stings. This hurts in a way I didn’t know it could.

I’ve wrote for character Wilbur the longest I’ve written for any fandom… so this hurts. I won’t lie.

i didn’t want to leave these fics without closure though. They meant a lot to me.

This message will likely be copied across my other ongoing fics, but underneath I’ll provide the unfinished chapters, snippets, blurbs, notes, etc. and hopefully give closure to these stories.

Thanks… Clam of Beans :)

“You’re a bitch.”

Wilbur huffs, turning his head from where he’s flipped over the side of the couch and letting his legs hang absentmindedly in the air. “And you’re a child.”

Tommy hums, but keeps his eyes shut where he remains curled up in a blanket on the floor.

He smiles down at the kid who starts to fall back asleep, then looks up at the ceiling to think about… well… everything.

Much to Wilbur’s own relief, almost everyone who had rescued him had already been some of his closest friends… before being kidnapped. It’s nice, in a way, because if anyone had to see his forcibly revealed identity he’s glad it was them.

Wilbur reaches down and grabs the strings of his sweatshirt, twisting them and picking at the little plastic end as he thinks.

Techno was a pleasantly familiar face to see initially. Even if he was sure that the other was another hallucination at first, it was good to see him either way. It was just a happy surprise that he was finally real .

The pink haired mountain of a man had been practically his only family for years, far before the other joined up with The Syndicate. Though… they’d grown apart for a bit before Wilbur met the others. Wilbur is not antisocial, he’s just… guarded. Rightfully so, too.

Tommy and Phil fit into their dynamic easily and after having met them, Wilbur quickly realized they’d become family in his eyes as well. He’d been so eager to get closer with them, get to know every little detail and quirk about them, but that was before… well…

Wilbur watches as Tommy shifts where he’d fallen asleep on a large pillow sprawled across the floor. In typical fashion the boy is splayed out like a starfish and overtaking nearly all of the living room floor space.

Tommy snorts in his sleep, turning over and nearly waking himself up. Wilbur rolls his eyes fondly and turns to his side with a tired hum.

Quackity, or Poker Chip, is… well, he’s different from all the others. He’d worked alongside the vigilante a few times when he was just starting out, and only found out the annoying man’s name because he’d literally rescued the man from the claws of death. Not that Quackity would remember that part, considering he was basically dead , but… afterwards their relationship grew. First into tentative friends, then tentative roommates, then tentative colleagues, then tentative best friends, then… well, he’s not too sure what they are now. Either way he finds comfort in knowing the man.

He knows the way the man likes his hair combed out. Knows that Quackity likes earthy scents and things that taste sweet. Knows that he hates sleeping in pure darkness and thinks lightning bugs are wishes. Knows that no matter what… Quackity will always be there for him.

It’s comforting to know that Quackity knows him in the same ways. All the little, meaningful ways that he struggles to let anyone see.

Wilbur thinks back to meeting the rest of Nevadas. He dwells on the the faces of those he hadn’t met, lingers on the thought of how greatly things had changed in a year.

Monarch is new, as is GildJaw. Or, he supposes he should call them Eret and Foolish. He had heard of the vigilantes’ start ups on the streets, but he had never run into them before being taken. Similarly, he knows little to nothing of Mindis and Jupiter, or Niki and Jack. 

In his opinion though, Jupiter seems overly eager to speak with Wilbur in the hallways whenever they cross paths. It’s odd… but he supposes it might be because he’d saved the guy’s life.

He thinks all the new faces are welcome though. They’re all kind, and each of them accept him in their own ways.

Jack talks… and talks, and continues to talk. Though Wilbur finds their chats calming and reassuring, after all, he hadn’t been able to just “chat” in over a year.

Niki chats with him too, though she makes sure to always give him some sort of snack or treat to munch on. He discovers she works in the bakery above as a side job and a cover, and that certain things she makes are reserved for those she cares about. It’s safe to say he’s one of the few people on the planet who have tasted her heavenly Apfelkuchen.

Foolish and Eret are more distant, but Wilbur trusts them. After all, Quackity trusts them, so he does too. He finds their trust is found more in spending quiet moments within the same room, just existing within the same spaces.

He finds himself smiling at the thought of the other not-so-new new face that is Charlie. The slime man is… well, he’s lots of things.

Charlie is his best friend, but also not. He is the most comforting presence Wilbur knows, but if he were upset Wilbur wouldn’t turn to him. It’s an odd relationship that they have… somehow so close but so distant. Yet, the more time Wilbur spends with him simply talking and laughing, they shorten the gap.

So, he gets to know everyone. He only really knows Techno and Tommy outside of their hero guises, but he grows close with everyone anyways. He and Charlie speak *a lot* and have way too many inside jokes with one another that brings out a lighter side to Wilbur than anyone’s ever seen. As time goes he eventually tells them about “Ghostbur”, how he can project his consciousness in an astral form and act as a living ghost per say. It goes over pretty well considering and if people begin to notice little blue lumps of an odd chalky substance around the facility nobody says a word.

“It was awful, I- I was there for so long and it was always dark and dusty. I healed so many injuries and did so many resurrections I- it was too much at somepoint and *I* was the one that died but… I don’t actually know but I woke up and suddenly I could project myself? I thought I could leave and escape as Ghostbur but I couldn’t so I still went and eventually I met Charlie and he was the only person I talked to for the longest time andsometimesIdon’tfeelrealandican’ttellifI’maliveanymoreorifI’mstilltrappedintheroom-“

He more or less throws himself into a bit of a panic. They help him work down and after that… we’ll things go pretty well. Wilbur decides he wants to train again. He wants to be a hero and agree to be their healer… though only when absolutely needed. He explains his powers, how he can heal just about anything, bring back the dead, but if he overexerts himself too much it essentially becomes life for life as he uses his own spiritual energy to heal others so revival is spendy.

Our favorite revival boy spends time with Fundy. They reconnect and Wilbur lets Fundy spill out all of his feelings as they sit together. Eventually he has to leave to go back to The Syndicate, and that he does. Though every day he and Fundy get together and just… sit. Sometimes they talk and sometimes they don’t.

It’s on one of these days where they meet on the rooftop of the building that he and Fundy first met… and Wilbur freezes.

Kit, in full costume (thankfully), is standing rigid still. A man he’s too familiar with clutching his shoulder with a smile.

“Hello Adonis… you aren’t where you’re supposed to be, are you?”

cut to next chapter

Wilbur doesn’t move. He’s split between running away from Abbadon as fast as he can and tackling him to try to save Fundy. Which leaves him standing stock still, though his fingers twitch towards the emergency button that Techno had given him. “Don’t hurt him… please. I can come back, just don’t hurt Kit.”

Abbadon’s mask stares back at him blankly, though a laugh erupts from the man. “You- ha, you thought you had choice? You’re coming back with me *Wilbur*. It’s my choice on what I do with Kit. You can’t do *anything* about it.”

Abbadon shifts his hand behind Fundy’s back, at the younger whines lowly. Wilbur comes to the quick realization that the villain is holding *a knife* to *his* son’s back. His eyes begin to glow and go glassy, and then a spectral figure shoots out of Wilbur and attacks Abbadon.

They move away from Fundy, the fox vigilante sprinting away to where Wilbur’s body still stands as Ghostbur and Abbadon fight.

Fundy has never seen Ghostbur, but he has been around for Wilbur’s dissociations so when he gets to his mentor’s side he starts to try and bring him back to himself by rubbing his hand and talking to him. Though Wilbur isn’t technically “gone” from his body, so he half turns and lets something fall from his hand into Fundy’s.

“Wil- Adonis what’s this? Why are you-“

Wilbur smiles at him but doesn’t see him. His voice is low, and he winces at the same time Ghostbur takes a hit. “Fundy… run. I love you. Tell… tell them thank you.”

Fundy hugs him, resists the urge to sob as the arms gently wrap around him but don’t squeeze. Then he presses the button, and runs. He runs because he knows what will happen. He understands Abbadon’s power. He knows Wilbur is fighting a losing battle.

Abbadon has the power of energy and matter manipulation. He can see things many cant, touch things most people can’t even think of.

Ghostbur attacks, pushes the man away, does everything he can to try and stall the man. Though as soon as Abbadon recovers from the shock, he reaches out and grabs Ghostbur.

The transparent man stop moving, his form wavering and the glow now surrounding the rooftop fades. There’s an echoing scream, then a pile of blue dust, and Wilbur’s body collapses.

Abbadon moves to take Wilbur away, gather him up so he can stuff him in a small cell at their new facility. But before he can there’s a sword at his back. “Touch him, you die”

Monarch holds the blade steadily. Their mask not properly portraying the anger behind their glare.

Abbadon lifts his hands slowly. “Monarch… switching sides again, are you?”

Eret scowls beneath their mask. “I never switched Abbadon. I agreed to get Wilbur here only so you could help Ignition. Not so you could take him.”

The villain’s stance shifts. “Monarch… you really are a fool, aren’t you?”

Eret’s eyes widen, then Abbadon disappears. An invisible hand punches them from the side and knocks the crown from their head as they stumble. They raise their sword to attempt to defend themselves, but before they can even turn a cold hand finds the side of their face. Diamonds sprout from the touch, stinging as they take over part of their face.

Fallacy drops the illusion, and the entirety of Nether surrounds Monarch and Adonis.

Diamond replaces the glove on his hand. “Well… that was easy. Bag em’ and tag em’ then, shall we?”

Abysmal nods from his partners side and raises his hands. A shadowed and red tinged portal spawns from thin air. Feline, Diamond, and Fallacy step through. Abysmal grabs Monarch and Abbadon drags Wilbur.

There’s a yell, lasers shooting towards them and the sound of beating wings and pounding foot steps. But Abysmal simply waves, then closes the portal behind them.

Do not fret though friends, for I never actually explained Fundy’s powers.

See… Kit is a majorly unknown vigilante. Sighting of him are rare and sporadic. This is because our vigilante son boy has the power to clone himself, and go invisible.

So when he left, he never *actually* left. He pressed the emergency button, ran to a safe place where he couldn’t be seen, then returned as an invisible figure.

And followed through the portal

Fun fact: the invisible hand that punched Eret was in fact Fundy, because he was pissed that they had sold out Wilbur. But, nobody noticed because at the time everyone was invisible.

Fundy is there though. He watches as they throw Monarch in a cell and drag Wilbur to a room that’s nothing but a bed, a sink, and a first aid kit.

Ignition lays on the bed, severely injured by the whips on his chest and arms from Mindis’ water powers. Abbadon tries to wake Wilbur, but there’s no reaction. So he just chains him, then leaves.

Fundy looks around for cameras, people, anybody that isn’t currently unconscious, then turns visible and crouches by his mentor’s side. “Wil?”, he whispers. But still the man doesn’t react. His eyes are half-lidded but milky and distant, lacking the usually comforting thrum of blue.

Fundy stays the entire time. He can’t be invisible for too lo no or else he grows sick and hungry. He takes the food they bring in and leave for Wilbur, trying to give Wil some but with no response it’s difficult. This goes on for a couple days before finally *finally* Wilbur makes a noise.

It’s a low groan, but it’s still something. So Fundy scrambles to his mentor’s side and helps prompt him to wake up. Wake up he does… but he’s completely out of it. He doesn’t recognize Fundy, doesn’t understand where he is or what’s happening, complains that his head hurts.

Fundy tries to get him to be a bit more lucid, but has to quickly disappear as the keys to the door click in the lock.

Fundy moves away from where he’d been holding Wilbur up. Watches as Abbadon comes in, does his usual poke and prod at Wilbur and then moves to Ignition. Fallacy follows behind him, but lingers around Wilbur. “Ros?”, he asks softly.

Said villain turns, watches as Fallacy nudges Wilbur with his foot then turns as well. “What did you do to him? His aura is… I don’t know it’s just not *there*. It’s like he’s gone.”

Abbadon shrugs. “I didn’t *do* anything Janus. That ghost thing attacked *me*. So I used my powers on it.”

Fallacy’s pulls off his goggles. “You- Abbadon you matter manipulated the embodiment of his soul you idiot! You practically killed him!”

“What do you mean? I just grabbed him and he-“

“Ros… you gave the manifestation of his soul a physical form. You ripped it from its tether to the body. Now it’s-“ Fallacy pauses. “Oh prime… Ros did you, did you re-tether it?”

The room is silent.

Fallacy is very pissed. He’s not sympathetic to Wilbur or anything, not really. But he knows auras and souls and spirits, it’s kind of his thing. Because how Janus’ powers work is he draws on the energy and auras of those around him to produce illusions that will fulfill whatever his goal is. Nobody can feel it unless they have a similar power. But, essentially, Janus is pissed because he *knows* that not having an aura or a spirit is an incredibly awful experience, especially if the spirit is completely detached from its body.

“Abbadon you’re an idiot. A complete idiot!”

Ros scoffs. “Well *Janus* it was him or me! And I’m sure he’ll be fine! He just needs… rest or something.”

Fallacy rubs the bridge of his nose. “No Ros he doesn’t need rest he needs a fucking *soul*. You ripped it out, you put it back. Unless you *want* our revival specialist and healer *and Ignition* to die.”

Abbadon contemplates it for a moment before sighing. “Yeah, whatever, fine! I’ll go find the damned ghost.”

The two leave, and Fundy releases his power to move back to Wilbur’s side. The man is still out of it but at least Fundy now knows why. So he just pulls his mentor into his lap and hums their song.

Back to The Syndicate tho, they don’t know how things went down. They don’t know how Nether even found Wilbur. They call in Mindis, Jupiter, and the Nevadas crew in the hopes that they can find wherever the new base is or at least some clues about what went down. That’s when Charlie spots the pile of blue staining the concrete.

Charlie, for the first time in a long time, doesn’t smile. His hands shake a bit as he reaches out and scoops a small amount into his hands. Though as he holds it he feels warmth and this sparks an idea.

Quackity stares at his friend as he begins to rub his hands together to produce goo. Nobody is hurt, nobody here has been in a fight. “Charlie, don’t waste that stuff big guy you’ll need it when we get Wil-“

The pile of blue chalk begins to glow as piles of goo begin to coat it.

There’s a flash, then a man in a yellow sweater is standing in place of the chalk. He just sort of floats there for a second, arms extended as if he were in the middle of something. Then he gasps and clutches at his arms. He blinks rapidly and curls in on himself a bit before recognizing the people around him. Who are all staring at him like they’d seen a ghost 🙂

Charlie instantly moves and wraps his arms around the transparent man. “Ghostbur! You are not hurt anymore!”

The ghost hugs his friend back, eyes wide and owl like as he continues to “wake up”. Though as soon as Charlie lets go Ghostbur starts frantically looking around. He seems a bit panicked and sluggish.

“I- I need to find Fundy. Kit he’s- where is my kit he’s in trouble please. Charlie tell them I need to find my kit!”

Charlie turns to tell them, but Corvid huffs out a laugh. “We uh, we can see you mate. How are you… are you Ghostbur?”

The ghost’s swirling dark blue eyes sparkle. “Yes! Oh you can see me! This is wonderful! Well… sort of. I don’t like not being with Alivebur. It feels wrong. But I’m so happy! I- oh… what was I doing again?”

Quackity speaks next, his mask is pulled up and his face is pale. “Ghostbur you said you had to find Kit. Where is he? Is he okay? Did he fight Nether?”

Ghostbur is silent for a moment before shaking his head. “Nope! But he is okay. I can feel him kind of close to my body… but I’m not… I don’t feel it very well. Did I… what happened?”

But Ghostbur starts floating from person to person to look at them and say hi now that he can really be seen. They try to prompt him to remember what happened but he continues to say he doesn’t know what they’re talking about. He gives hugs and kisses to just about anyone cause… he can! And he loves it!

Though with no new leads they take Ghostbur back to base and work for days to figure out how to find them. Then in the dead of the night, the security alarms go off.

But before we get to that part imma give y’all some of the silly lil things Ghostbur has done with his time being sorta solid!

“Techno I think your eyes are very lovely.”

Techno sighs. “Thank you Ghostbur”

“Techno I like your hair it is very very long and cool and I would like to braid it.”

“You already are braiding it Ghostbur.”

The spirit perks up. “Oh! Right! But like I was saying Technoblade your costume is so very wonderful-“

“Ghostbur, no.”

The spirit stares at him, mouth agape in shock at being told no. He squints his eyes and moves his hand closer to the mug anyways.

Phil frowns. “Ghostbur.”

The ghost get the begins of a smile as he pushes the cup closer to the ledge. Then with little hesitation he hits it away. Ghostbur giggles and when he catches Phil’s small smile, disappears through the wall.

“Tommy you aren’t listening to me-“

“Ghostbur I swear to fucking prime-“

“TOMMY THE BENEFITS OF SAND TO YOUR DIET ARE TREMENDOUS! THINK OF ALL THE NUTRIENTS-“

“*It’s glass and rocks Ghostbur why-*”

"ITS NOT JUST SAND AND ROCKS, ITS ALSO DELICIOUS QUARTZ AND SALT!"

"Ghostbur no-"

"Tommy I watched you eat mud"

"SHUT IT TECHNOBLADE"

“I don’t remember some of the bad things that happened to me. I think those stayed tethered to my body.”

Niki looks at him from across the kitchen. “So you don’t remember anything bad?”

“No I do! Just… well I know there are a few bad things that have happened that I can’t remember, so I hope Alivebur is okay remembering them right now.”

The attitude of the room shifts. “Ghostbur… what do you mean by that?”

The ghost just hums and fiddles with another cup on the counter. “I have most of our memories right now. I’m the projection of Alivebur, I hold the memories, feelings, consciousness, and everything when I’m not inside Alivebur. So right now he must just have those bad ones and some yucky feelings I don’t take with me. I hope he’s alright.”

Niki and Jack look at one another. While Ghostbur just pushes off another cup.

Back to Son Boy 😌 He’s having a bit of a time trying to keep hiding. They don’t bring much food anymore since Wilbur can’t exactly eat and Ignition is in under meds. He  doesn’t go invis unless he absolutely has to. It’s hard and taxing, but he’ll be damned if he leaves Wilbur alone.

Speaking of, Wilbur has been more active since the first few days. He’ll say something about trains, then explosions, and fires. When he starts to mumble Fundy holds him tighter, squeezes his hands to try and make sure he know he’s not alone with whatever he’s scared of. He doesn’t move, he can’t, though his eyes will flash a bit, every once in a while. Like the connection is trying to mend itself. When it does Wilbur will squeeze back, so at least Fundy knows it isn’t for nothing.

Back at the facility the alarms are blaring. Ghostbur is in Techno’s room when glass shatters. Techno is immediately up, a bit surprised by the ghost in his room, but he grabs his sword and moves to the door.

The door handle shifts then creaks open, and Techno swings his sword, only to stop just before the intruders neck as the man yelps.

“HOLY JESUS- ITS ME! TECHNO ITS ME!”

Techno pauses, then slowly lowers the sword. “Conner? Why are you- did you seriously just break in?”

The man in blue nods. “Uh yep! You called me asking for help so I came!”

Techno deadpans at the man, Ghostbur waves and gets one in return. Once Techno finally relents he walks conner away from his room and towards the main area where everyone else is scrambling.

“Don’t worry! It’s just Conner.”

Everyone calms down and they grill Conner a bit on giving them all a heart attack, but eventually start to all go back to bed after cleaning stuff up and then getting Conner set up on the couch. They’re used to the man showing randomly so honestly it isnt too out of place for him especially. Everyone returns to bed, but Ghostbur decides to hang around and speak with his new friend!

“Hello! I’m Ghostbur! I like your funny mask! Do you know Technoblade?”

The man frowns. “You can see through it?”, he whispers, “Fallacy how can he-“

A man that nobody had spoke to stands off in the corner. “Shhh! And yes, he’s literally made of aura Abbadon. Just get him and lets go.”

The masked man turns back to Ghostbur and that’s when it hits him. There was pain, screaming, then dust. Though before he can move Abbadon’s hand shoots out and grabs him, freezing him in place.

Anyways, so yeah Ghostbur is rendered immobile by Abbadon. They go to make their escape, only for Tommy to round the corner with blankets in hand.

“Hey Conner! Techno forgot to give you blankets so… I…”, he looks back and forth between Ghostbur and ‘Conner’.  Then realization dawns on him. “Fallacy”, he whispers, dropping the blankets and immediately charging up lasers from his hands.

“Shit, ABSYMAL GET US OUT NOW.”

A portal opens, and Abbadon drags Ghostbur through as Fallacy steps in, though before it can close Apollo leaps through.

Tommy is through the portal, he lunges after Abbadon and Fallacy as they run down the halls and away from his lasers. Tommy yells, cusses, keeps up the chase and causes an immense commotion as he does so.

Commotion which wakes Fundy from where he had fallen asleep with Wilbur in his arms. The fox vigilante watches as both of them run past the room, though before he can call out a portal opens from beneath Apollo’s feet and he’s dropped into a cell adjacent from the medical room.

“YOU BASTARDS! LET WILBUR AND ERET GO! FUCKIN-“

Abysmal steps out of a portal in front of the cell and Fundy sucks lower behind the door. “Tsk. You’re just a little spitfire aren’t you Apollo?”

Tommy glares at the man. “Is spitfire another word for bitch?”

“*Language, child.*”

Tommy throws his hands up dramatically. “Fine. Fine! But I’ll only be quiet if you fuckers leave Adonis and Ghostbur alone, ay?”

Abysmal just smiles at him. “We are helping. Fallacy is an expert in the whole ‘aura and spirit’ thing. But I’m well versed in it as well. And I can tell you that Adonis is currently having a very… very unpleasant time without his soul in there. So once we get them back together then we’ll have helped him!”

Tommy still scowls. “Yeah, then you stuff him in a room with chains and keep him against his will. I’m sure he’ll *love* you for that.”

Abysmal says nothing, but continues to smile before turning away and walking off down the corridor.

Abbadon and Fallacy, after realizing the threat was taken care of, make their way back to the medical room.

Fundy goes invisible, and as they open the door he darts out of it and lets them close it behind them. He waits for the door to compete shut, checks down each way of the corridor, then whispers: “Apollo, it’s Kit. Come to the door.”

Tommy instantly shoots to his feet and scrambles to the door. Feigning that he’s looking each way down the hall. “Kit? Where the hell- have you been here the whole time? Why didn’t you ping us or use your-“

Fundy cuts him off in harsh whispers. “First, hush. Second, comms are down in here. Believe me, I’ve tried hundreds of times these past few days. Nothing.”

Tommy nods, confirms by opening his comm to find nothing but static. Then Fundy walks him through how to melt away the lock while also looking around for encroaching villains. Tommy gets the door open and Fundy becomes visible again. They prepare to burst through the door, then a burst of blue energy surges outwards from the room.

There’s two screams, then one. Then the light fades.

As soon as they can see again, they burst into the room. Tommy’s lasers are ready, and Fundy flickered back into invisibility. Though as the door opens they spot both Abbadon and Fallacy flung across the room, as well as the bed Ignition still lays on being pushed away from the center of the room.

Then they spot Wilbur moving, breathing heavily, crying, shaking. Fundy rushes to his side and pulls his mentor close. They sit in the same position as long as they can until the villains begin to stir and Wilbur starts to calm down and regain himself.

“Kit… Kit come on. I know Adonis needs time but we have to move. They’re waking up.” Apollo prods.

Kit nods, then helps Wilbur to his feet as the man steadily becomes aware. Or at least, enough so that he can start to walk. Though before they can leave the room Wilbur starts to reach towards Ignition and his hand begins to glow. Tommy pulls it away, interlocks it with his own hand, and they make their way out of the room after locking it tightly. Then they maneuver through the halls trying to find a way out. It takes a while, but eventually they make it outside and straight into a forest.

So actually they go through the halls, and past Eret’s cell. Monarch’s mask is removed, tattered form where diamond grow painfully from his skin in the same place Diamond had touched them. Tommy moves to open the cell, but Fundy holds him back. “No… no let them stay. They can be rescued during the raids. We have *family* to get back to. They’ll be fine.”

Tommy doesn’t really agree, but can sense that something happened in the way that Fundy glares and Eret simply looks at the ground.

Then they escape. Get outside. Ping the Syndicate.

The Villains fortunately (😌) stay down long enough for them to arrive. They take Wilbur and get him on the quickest flight (Air de Philza) back to base. Everyone else, meanwhile, raids the base. This time they leave nothing unturned and don’t give them time to retreat. They capture Nether, but only after Techno beats the crap out of Abbadon for hurting Adonis for so long. Then they arrest them, take all the weapons, and return to base.

Healing ensues, and bonds are remade. Plus Wilbur gains more control over his projected state (Ghostbur) and is able to let him roam freely as he sleeps or zones out (sort of. He mostly just gets “fuzzy” or blurred then goes back to normal when he focuses again). Everything goes right from there on out, and Adonis gets his rest.

The other endings were 1 & 2 so:

1: Wilbur and Ghostbur don’t bond together again properly, leaving him unable to discern himself and he basically… splits? Ghostbur has intense memory issues and struggles to even remember the good things sometimes. And ‘Alivebur’ is just numb all the time. He can only remember bad things and it takes it’s toll. He doesn’t believe he’s alive most days. Due to the severe damage to both the body and the soul they remain split and unable to bond together again. Though a person isn’t exactly meant to live without a soul for long. So… it’s dealt with 🙂

2: Mans just straight up dies. He dead. They pushed him too far and our boy ended up trying to heal Ignition, and since he was so exerted already it’s life-for-life and off he goes.