(December 7, 2020)

spoilers for the DreamSMP but I doubt you haven't heard of what happened

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okay so I was scrolling on tumblr and people were like, yo what if Xisuma found Tommy after he was exiled and took him in because fanfiction!Xisuma has a tendency to do so

and I'm just here like, what if Evil X found Tommy because both were technically banished, just one was more literal than the other

i wrote out a full concept in my concept book yesterday i think. or the day before. i dont remember. you can read it if you want, it's just the plot outline, not many specific details mentioned.

Category: crossover
Warnings: spoilers and swear words. seriously, it's Tommy.
Word Count: 1432

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For the past few (probably) years, every sound EX heard was produced by himself, but he knew the sniffles and sobs that reached his ears did not come from his mouth.

(Would he stoop so low to resort to crying? No, not these days. He's far over those days where he'd weep and sob because of the loneliness.)

So he turned with a glint of annoyance in his eyes hidden behind his dark visor, searching for the source of the sound. There was nothing at the moment. No animal, or--curse it--no person in render distance.

Oh, but he jinxed himself. Of course he did, dang it, his hopes were too high for it to not be a person. How can you even ban animals? Irrational thinking, Xisuma would slap him upside the back of his head for that.

The sound of anguish began to increase, and that was when the player came into visibility distance. It was a young player who slowly drifted towards him, unable to control how he moved through the Void. They must be a newly banished kid, but who would ban a kid? Evil X forced himself closer, a frown on his lips as he thought of what the player could have done to get banned to this hell.

The player finally saw him, yelping at his seemingly sudden appearance. He pulled back, foolishly trying to get away without knowing how. It seems like he tried to run on ice or something of the like, his feet and arms moving but his body not moving.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you," EX monotoned, reaching out and tightly holding his flailing wrists.

The kid pulled away, his fists weakly thumping in a pathetic attempt of a punch on the red clad player's chest as he sniffled obnoxiously.

"Let- go of me- you bitch," the kid said, his voice thick with snot stuck in his throat. He rubbed his eyes silently, meeting EX's gaze with a weak glare.

EX pursed his lips, grasped his wrists again, firmer that earlier, and held it to his own chest. "Really now, there's no need for that language," he said with narrowed eyes. He hoped the kid saw it through his visor. Probably not, though, since he started using his legs when he couldn't free his hands.

"Let go of me you basta-"

"What's your name, kiddo?" EX sharply cut him off on that swear word purposefully, looking him up and down. The kid was tall (almost his height, he scowled), lanky, and had a bit of muscle. He sported some scars in many concerning places, but he'll ask about those later. The faded brown slacks and white t-shirt with red shoulders stood out against the dark Void behind him, but EX couldn't help but think it was rather generic.

"Tommy, but don't call me a fucking kiddo," the kid spat, his voice gruff and defensive as his eyes darted around.

The former Hermit raised an eyebrow. "Don't be so sharp and there's no need for all those swears. But I'm EX," he monotoned, holding his hand out. A frown pulled at the kid's lips as he visibly retracted at the peace offer.

The thoughts that went through the kid's head were almost visible. To trust or not to trust the random stranger also floating in the Void like he was? The stranger that obviously hated dealing with other players, and preferred to be alone. The stranger that... for some stupid reason, offered him his hand an a proper greeting despite how rude he's been acting.

"EX? That's just a damn letter," Tommy instead deadpanned after an awkward silence, running a hand through his hair and refusing the offered hand.

The man in question glared, despite it being hidden by his reflective visor. "With an E." He knew, though, the kid wouldn't just accept it without another comment. Kids always have to commit to their insults, don't they?

True to his theory, the kid blinked, narrowing his eyes at him.. "... Relationship problems much?"

EX stared, and the kid surprisingly met his deadpan gaze. Tommy didn't squirm or seem uncomfortable in the slightest. He didn't try to tear his gaze away or try to make him look away. He just met his gaze, neutral and emotionless.

No normal kid should have that much emotional control over his facial expressions.

"I hate kids," EX muttered under his breath despite the creeping concern forming in the back of his mind, before continuing in a more clear voice. "Right. Do you know where you are?"

The kid scoffed, crossing his arms defensively and lowering his head to stare at his feet. "The Void. How stupid do you think I am? Seriously," Tommy continued in a furious mutter, "always fucking assuming things, like always, no shit. I can do stuff, y'know, I'm not stupid. Adults are gonna be adults and always assume I'm some stupid naïve child that can't do a single thing in the world by myself, huh? Unfair, aye? Well I'll show you unfair, you little son of a-"

"Do you always do that? Ramble on about something while someone's in front of you?" EX's voice cut loud and clear through his thoughts. The young player snapped his head up, his jaw clenched so tight his skin was taut.

Tommy snapped, "No. ... Maybe." He paused, a light red spreading across his cheeks. "A bit. Possibly."

This proved to be more difficult than EX thought, but then again, his patience for dealing with others was never top notch. He didn't know how Xisuma did it. He didn't know what he was going to do with this kid.

"What's it to you, huh? I barely even know you, you don't know me! Who are you to judge, you f-"

"Alright. Alright," he sighed quietly, folding his hands under his chin as he refused the urge to slap the kid across the face. "Got a temperamental child on my hands."

"Got a bitch with his head stuck in his arse to deal with on my hands," Tommy naturally snarked in response.

"Could you not?" EX finally snapped. "I'm trying to help you, okay?"

"Well you're not doing a good job of it!" Tommy crossed his arms, defiance sparking a large fire in his eyes.

EX turned his gaze to the side, peering deep into the dark Void as he extinguished the fire in his chest that almost made him want to drift away, leaving Tommy on his own. Years ago, before his own time in the Void, he would have done it the moment Tommy came into sight. Years ago, he would have laughed at the kid's fate, not approach him and deal with his swear words and arrogant manner. Years ago, he would have done anything to make the kid suffer for his own joy.

But they're not in the past. EX isn't the same player as EX all those years ago. His time in the Void... no, he couldn't subject a kid through what he went through, no matter the kid's stubbornness. He wished he didn't care about leaving the kid here, he wished he didn't want to bring him to a certain server to keep him safe, he wished he didn't pity this teenager, no matter how much he may deserve it.

Then again, how much does a kid deserve torture in the Void?

"I can't leave you here in the Void. That's cruel, even for me," he begrudgingly decided, only say it in a low mutter that he barely heard. EX glanced to somewhere above as Tommy slapped his shoulder.

"It's just a void! It's nothing much! I'm not a kid or anything, I can handle it. You don't even know me, what'd you know, huh?" Tommy adamantly rambled.

EX directed a glare at him. "I know enough. I don't want you to end up like me anyways, so, no, there's no talking me out of this."

"What do you mean, 'end up like you'?"

"C'mon, kid," EX said, gently but firmly tugging at Tommy's wrist, blatantly ignoring Tommy's question.

"Don't call me kid!" Tommy all but screamed in his ear. Luckily, EX's helmet regulates all sounds, perks or disadvantages (depends on how you see it) of being from the End, which means literally everything not from the end is overwhelming.

"You look like a teenager and talk like one," EX replied, as if Tommy didn't just abuse his vocal chord privileges. "Now stay still and let me get both of us into a server. It'll be far safer there than anywhere around here."

EX snuck in a smirk and a side look. "And also, they won't allow as much swearing as you're doing."

But he didn't give Tommy a chance to retort before the familiar sense of joining a server overtook both their senses.

And it went dark.

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*Rushed ending go brrrr*

:)

I'm not mentally prepared to actually start writing the entire thing at the moment, so I'll just do the first few chapters, move it, then actually start planning the chapters. Lmao screw Azathagoraphobia and Kingdom Come (my planned books gashdangit) lets write this one-

(the first chapter of the book will be in tommys perspective so it's going to slightly different than this one)

Thank you for reading and have a great day <3