"No!" Mumbo shouted, standing up and grabbing Etho's arm. Etho paused, looking at him curiously.

"Why?

Mumbo swallowed and took his hand away, looking at his feet. "Remember how I mentioned that I didn't want to get hurt? Well, uh, I don't want to get hurt."

"I'm not following." Etho looked worried, something that was proving to be common.

Mumbo nudged a rock with his toe. "Tommy may or may not have threatened to kill me if I told anybody." Mumbo looked up as Etho's eyes went wide. Before the older man could say anything, he cut in. "But don't be worried or anything. I can take care of myself."

"But-" Etho tried to protest.

Trust me." Mumbo said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I know him better than you do."

Etho sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "I do trust you, Mumbo, but..." He trailed off, seeming to give in. "So, can I still talk to him?"

Mumbo rubbed his arm, thinking it over. Etho would be careful; he knew that. So wouldn't it be okay if he talked to Tommy? Mumbo was relatively sure Tommy would get over it. He would never hurt him. Right?

He took a deep breath.

Right.

"Sure," he said, albeit hesitantly. "You can talk to him. Just, you know, be careful."

He hoped this wasn't a mistake.

~

Tommy was busy brooding in his van when he heard a thump outside, followed by a yelp of pain. He looked away from his brooding-wall and peered out the window, his eyes catching sight of a relatively tall, white-haired man struggling to get to his feet.

Tommy stood and opened the door, hesitantly stepping outside.

The man, who Tommy recognized from his introduction to everyone a few weeks ago, coughed and finally rose, hastily explaining. "It was a rough landing."

Tommy looked cautiously at the mask covering the lower half of his face. He didn't exactly have good experiences with masks.

Etho didn't seem to take the hint and slowly stepped forward, putting his hands out in a sign of peace. "I'm Etho," He said, composing himself. His voice had changed into a slow, careful tone, just like how Dream sounded in exile. Friendly, cautious. Tommy immediately didn't trust him.

"So," The man, Etho, continued, "I heard about what happened."

Tommy stiffened. What did Etho know? His stomach twisted. "What?" Tommy managed, his words coming out in a squeak. He cleared his throat and repeated himself. "What do you know?"

"Um," Etho rubbed the back of his neck. "Mumbo told me about what you went through."

Tommy gave a bitter laugh as his face darkened. "I knew it." He whispered to himself. Etho's eyes widened at Tommy's reaction.

"He was just trying to help you," He tried. "We all want to help you!"

"Help me?!" Tommy exploded, throwing his hands out. "How does lying help me?" He laughed again. "Since you apparently know so much about me, then you should know that that's the worst thing to do!" He sighed. "You're just like Wilbur."

"Tommy, wait-"

Tommy pulled out his elytra and exploded into the air before that bastard could say another word.

~

Tommy wiped his eyes as he landed harshly on the main floor of Mumbo's base. He peered down into the basement, his eyes searching for the man. The blonde scowled as he saw the person he had grown to trust, the only person that hadn't betrayed him. And, now he had. Typical.

Tommy jumped down, his feet colliding with the lush grass that made up the storage room floor. Mumbo turned, startled. The look on his face made Tommy's heart shatter- Mumbo was scared.

It shouldn't be a surprise, Tommy had threatened to kill him! But the fact that Mumbo was scared of him-

Tommy pushed that thought aside. It was just weakness, and Tommy was not weak.

"You liar," Tommy growled, clenching his fists. Mumbo stepped back, and Tommy slowly drew his sword, advancing on the cowering elder. "I trusted you, and you betrayed me. You-"

"Tommy." Mumbo managed, his voice trembling slightly. "Tommy, you don't have to do this." he held out his hands, palms up. "I helped you, remember? I just want to help you." His voice became thick, a sign of incoming tears. That made Tommy even angrier.

"Stop pretending to bother. You don't care. No one cares. About me, about my friends. No one cares if I die. No one cared if I wanted to kill myself. No one came. No one will." Tommy's voice lowered to a harsh whisper. "So just stop." He gripped his sword, backing Mumbo to the wall. "Just. Stop."

Mumbo took in a shaky breath. "We do care! It doesn't have to go like this. Please."

Tommy's eyebrows raised as a new idea sparked in his brain. "No, it doesn't. Get your sword." He gestured to Mumbo's bag. "Fight me."

"What?" Mumbo exclaimed, taken aback. "Why would I fight you? I'm not going to fight you!"

"Fight to the death," Tommy shrugged. "It's obvious you don't want to bother with me anymore, so if you win, you won't have to."

"What! That makes no sense. I'm not going to hurt you! You just recovered!" Mumbo shifted away from his bag. Tommy grabbed Mumbo's sword and tossed it at him. It landed at his feet.

"Tommy, listen. I will not fight you." Mumbo stepped away from the sword.

"Can't you do one thing for me?" Tommy asked, unwanted tears welling up in his eyes. "I want to give you a chance, okay? I promised myself I would get revenge on whoever betrays me, but I want to give you a chance. I don't want to kill you."

"Then don't!" Mumbo shouted.

"It's not that simple!" Tommy yelled back. "I've let people hurt me, over and over, and I haven't done anything about it. I loved them, I trusted them, and they betrayed me, and I let it happen. I can't let it happen anymore." He took in a shuddering breath. "I'm supposed to be a new person. I'm supposed to stand up for myself. And if the person who hurts me is someone I love? I've gotten used to that. It doesn't bother me anymore." His voice harshened. "And I'm going to make them pay."

At that, he charged at Mumbo, his sword in his hand. Mumbo quickly dove, trying to get away without harming Tommy. Mumbo's blade still lay on the ground, ready to be used. Mumbo refused.

Tommy stumbled to the wall, his sword clanging harshly with the stone. He spun and ran at him, swinging wildly. Tommy skidded to a stop as Mumbo dodged again.

"Protect yourself!" Tommy said, breathless. Tears were beginning to run down his cheeks. "Do something! Please."

Mumbo glanced at the sword. "No."

Tommy let out a scream as he charged once more, this time heading for the sword. He scooped it up and threw it again at Mumbo. Mumbo hastily caught it to avoid being stabbed.

Seeing his chance, Tommy ran again, raising his weapon. His blade clanged with Mumbo's, who had raised it in order not to die. Tommy swung again, catching Mumbo's arm. The man grabbed his wound, gasping.

"Tommy, please."

Tommy raised his sword over his head, and Mumbo was forced to ignore his bleeding arm and block. He pushed Tommy's sword off his, backing away.

"Tommy, please. Don't do this. Think of-" Mumbo paused. "Can't you just see that I'm trying to help you?"

"Trying to help me?" Tommy shot back. "Trying to help me? That's what Wilbur said, you know, when he wanted to blow up my home. He said he wanted to get rid of the thing that was causing us so much pain, that it would never be the same. That's what Dream said when I was in exile. That he was helping me see how little anyone cared about me. That's what Techno said before he teamed up with my abuser." His voice deepened into a harsh growl. "Nobody wants to help me, and nobody ever will."

Tommy attacked, his rage blinding him. Every swing was a justice being repaid. To Dream. To Wilbur. To Schlatt. To Technoblade. Even to Tubbo. It made up for every harsh word, every time Tommy was left wondering what he had done wrong. And by the time his vision had cleared, Mumbo was nothing but a pile of ashes on the floor, the once soft grass stained red. Mumbo's sword lay on the ground, somehow not a drop of blood on the blade.

Because it was Mumbo. Mumbo never hurt him. Mumbo never said a harsh word. Mumbo only wanted to help him. He actually only wanted to help him.

All the strength drained out of Tommy, and he collapsed to his knees.

He had hurt the only person who helped him. Not only hurt, killed. He had killed Mumbo.

So that was why no one liked Tommy, wasn't it? He ruined everything.