:› (also screw it, Ranboo is still a teen, says me). Also if I accidentally spell Tommy's name as Timmy I am not fixing it and you are obligated to point it out if it happens. Trigger warnings for this chapter aren't as hefty as the last one, just amnesia and possible trauma references plus swearing of course.

(Only the beginning was beta read by my beta reader, the rest is me)

𖦹𖦹𖦹

It was strange, to say the least. Everything was quiet and dark, his own thoughts couldn't be heard. Then, slowly things got ever so slightly brighter, and noises started to make themselves known.

"Is he ok?.." He heard a voice ask, it sounded far away and muffled. Like he was underwater, and people were talking above the surface. However, it didn't feel like he was underwater or anything, he wasn't cold, or sinking, there wasn't a beach or tent in sight. He was actually kind of warm.

"Still stable, he also still hasn't woken up.. I think he might've had a concussion or maybe something worse. I can't be sure yet though." A different voice replied, slightly less muffled. No less unfamiliar.

"He's been asleep for almost a week, Ponk. I'm.. I'm worried. Others are worried too! Like.. like, Puffy, and Sam, and even Wilbur. Maybe even Quackity and and Eret-" The first voice replied.

"Look, Ranboo, I know-"  The second person cut themself off, and he twisted his head to listen. The names Ponk (what type of name was that anyway?) and Ranboo (again, who would name their child that?) vaguely sounded familiar, like an obscure name you forgot existed until someone brought it up again, but you still don't quite remember it.

"He moved." 'Ranboo' or whatever their name is, whispered. Their voice was clearer now, and it seemed like they were starting to breath heavily.

"Tommy?.." The other person asked slowly, and he could only assume it was the Ponk person.

"Hm?..." He tried to make a sound, and it came out muffled and quiet, but apparently still heard as he immediately felt long stick like arms wrap around him.

"Oh my god, you're awake! I was so worried.. I thought I lost you too.." Ranboo said, sounding much closer. He opened his eyes when he heard sizzling, and he saw a half black and white person, with one green eye and one red eye. Tears ran down his face, his skin being burnt away in what looked to be quite painful, like his tears were boiling or something — they weren't though, some of them fell on his shoulder, and they were completely normal. Ranboo had pre-existing scars that also looked suspiciously like tear tracks, and they were only getting added to in redness.

"Huh?" Was all he said, as he forced himself up. His head hurt, spots dancing in his vision for a few seconds before clearing. Ponk, who he assumed was the other person, wore a red, yellow, and black hoodie-mask-hat thing that covered most of his face and torso, and black pants. He could see two dark eyes and chocolate coloured skin.

"Hey, Tommy. You doing ok?" Ponk asked, but he didn't see another person in the room. He looked around just to make sure, before cautiously pointing a finger towards himself.

Ranboo pulled himself away, he looked even sadder now though. "Tommy?..."

"Oh god, uh, dude, what's the last thing you remember?" Ponk asked, trying — and failing, in his eyes — to hide the panic in his voice.

"Uh..." He hummed, trying to desperately think of something. In truth, he doesn't know. He doesn't know what happened last. He doesn't know where he is or why he's there. He doesn't know these people. He doesn't even-

He doesn't even know his own name.

"I.. fell." He says finally, because that would explain whatever head injury Ponk was talking about. He may not remember shit, but he's not dumb.

He's a big man.

Whatever that means.

"You're joking. This is just some stupid joke. Well, it's not funny, Tommy." Ponk said, after a few seconds. He sounded slightly hysterical, in a "don't get me fucking started" type of way, and Tommy could only shrink in on himself.

He wasn't joking.

There was silence in the room for a good minute, or two, maybe more. He couldn't exactly tell, there wasn't a clock in his range of sight, and he couldn't turn more than his head due to Ranboo holding him in a hug, tense and unmoving.

"Hey, uh, who's your best friend?" Ranboo finally asked, voice barely above a whisper. The heterochromatic boy winced slightly, the question seemingly hurting him to merely ask, but it was all he could think of.

Tommy wanted to be able to answer that question, he really did. He knew, he knew he was supposed to have an answer to. His heart felt like it was being squeezed, he chalked it up to the fact that he can't answer a question that should come easily, because he can't remember. He ignores how it feels like he's grieving something lost.

He's probably sad about his memory, subconsciously.

Probably.

"Oh my gods..." If Ranboo's tears had stopped, they'd be returning with a vengeance. Tommy could see it in the other's eyes. Ranboo just looked so sad. He didn't know why.

He didn't even know these people.

Except, what if he used to? What if.. they thought he was dead?  And now, he can't even remember them. Oh god, he's hurting these because he forgot them.

He forgot his friends.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, suddenly choked up. He felt it now, a deep feeling of loss. He lost. He forgot these people that cared for him. They cared and he forgot them.

He was probably a bad friend if he could forget them so easily.

Though, he also forgot his own name. His home, and plenty of other things he hasn't even had the time to try to remember. His favourite colour? Non existent. Favourite food? Who knows!

So hopefully, god he hopes, he wasn't a bad friend. They wouldn't care this much if he were, right?

Right?

He watches as Ranboo and Ponk talk quietly amongst themselves, probably discussing what they should with him. He doesn't know how long he sits there, watching from a bed which he doubts is his own, before he stands up and walks around. They don't notice.

He finds a few things. A coat, with a flag on the sleeves and red patches on the elbows. On the tag, in chicken scratch like hand writing, is the name "Tommy Innit" written. Ranboo and Ponk called him that, so it must be his. The flag was probably the flag of his home nation, maybe red was his favourite colour. He doesn't know.

Looking inside the pockets for more things, he doesn't find much. There's a candy wrapper, an apple core — why would he carry that around? — and a few other things. One of said other things is a compass, half the label torn off, and it just says "Tubbo". Something wet rolls down his cheeks.

He quickly looks up, ready to catch whoever poured or spilt water on his face but no one is there, Ponk and Ranboo are still whispering together on the other side of the room, too. He reaches a hand up to his face. Was he..

He was crying.

Why?

"Tommy, uh, we think it'd be best to take you to your house for now. It's getting late, and we want to give you time to adjust before uh, tomorrow. So, how does that sound?" Ranboo asked, voice addressing Tommy without looking at him. He stood up quickly, pocketing the Tubbo compass in the jeans he was wearing — black and skinny, albeit kind of long and a little loose, definitely at least one size too big.

"Yeah, that sounds good. Lead the way to my house, big man." He says, forcing a smile, his sentence forming itself without much thought. Then he quickly adds, "Oh wait, sorry, is it ok if I call you that? I don't know why that came out-"

Ranboo, on the other hand, who had stopped crying, seemed like he might start again. Luckily he didn't, but he nodded vigorously. Perhaps it was an old habit of Tommy's, calling people "big man", and it might've made Ranboo feel better.

Or maybe it made the tall, tall teen even sadder.

He doesn't know, yet.

Ranboo starts to walk out of the room, waving to Ponk and motioning for Tommy to follow, but then stopped. "I forgot uh, you should grab your coat and-" Ranboo stopped, finally looking at Tommy, and saw the coat at his feet. "Yeah uh, just grab that and we'll head out."

Tommy nodded and Ranboo walked out the door, and he picked up the coat and followed him. Ponk said a short "See you later!" And he replied with a quiet "bye." He didn't know how he should be like around these people. He hopes they were friends, considering how much they worried about him, but it's possible that they weren't on good terms or something. There's so many possibilities floating through his head, and it's so overwhelming.

Did they have any recent arguments? He doesn't remember.

What was the last fun thing they did together? He doesn't remember.

What was their last conversation? He doesn't fucking remember.

Then,  Ranboo pushed open a door that lead to what he could assume was outside. It was bright, and the grass was green and the sky was blue. It was the embodiment of a good, happy, summer — maybe spring —  day. It's– it's not what he was expecting, to say the least.

"What is this place?" He asks, looking around and breathing the fresh air. The warm air felt so much better than the cold, for some reason ever since he woke up it was like there was this deep rooted chill that had settled in his bones. Maybe the sun could melt that chill away if he stood out here long enough.

"This is the Greater SMP, Tommy. Does that sound familiar?" Ranboo asked, Tommy turned his head to the right only to see that Ranboo was looking down at him with anticipation in eyes, most likely hoping that he would say yes.

That he would remember something.

Greater SMP. Come on, that has got to ring a bell somewhere. He doesn't think he can take it to let down Ranboo again in the span of less than an hour. He feels like he just met the guy and he feels like he's just being a constant disappointment. It fucking sucks, so for the love of whatever thing that still cares, let him remember something–

Primes. Something happened here. He feels it in his gut as he looks around, forcing himself to avoid Ranboo's eager gaze. The entire place, it seems off in a weird way. Everything looks completely normal, there's even a tall red and black hotel next to a nicely built wooden path, and a little further along the path is what he can assume is the rival hotel. It looks nice, as though it's part of a nice little swell community that would leave a normal person smiling and maybe even carefree.

Something happened here. Tommy just can't remember.

"Could.. we explore before you show me my house?" Tommy asked Ranboo after a moment or two — though it might've been a few minutes, he kind of zoned out. He tried to ignore the fact that he didn't consider his house home yet. Afterall, he doesn't recall ever living there.

Ranboo's expression falls for a half second before lighting up again, "Of course! I could even maybe show you some spots you would go to a lot! Starting with.."

Ranboo looks around quickly before stopping, he obviously found what he was looking for. Tommy followed the enderman hybrid's line of sight, and saw the large red and black hotel. Maybe he stayed there once or something.

"The hotel!" Ranboo finished.

So they went towards the hotel, which wasn't a far walk. The silence was comfortable as they traversed the Prime Path and made their way over to the hotel. Which was only around 40 blocks away at absolute most.

"The Prime Path is looking nice. Someone kept it up." He says not thinking about anything in particular, he was still zoning out a bit, focusing on how the sun felt good on his skin and the fresh air was so refreshing for some reason.

Ranboo stopped mid step. Timmy could hear him make a sort of choking sound, and he whipped his head around to see what had happened to Ranboo. "Are you ok-"

"You remember the Prime Path, Tommy!" Ranboo practically shouted, eyes watery and the second biggest smile Tommy has ever seen on the guy's face — the biggest being the one he made when Tommy woke up, and Ranboo had immediately hugged him, so he didn't get to see the smile for too long. The way Ranboo was so happy made him happy too, he decided.

Then it hit him.

He remembered something.

The Prime Path, the path that they were standing on. He remembers it. It's kind of stupid, he thinks, that of all things he remembers a literal path rather than his friends.

The world works in strange ways apparently. Who is he to argue?

He laughs, a genuine laugh and it feels like a new sensation. When was the last time he laughed out of genuine happiness (and not out of hysterical fear-) ? "I do! I remember the fucking– it's the Prime Path! How could I forget it? It's too pog to be forgotten by me."

A part of him feels like he's missing something in that sentence. He doesn't know what yet.

"Yeah, because you're the great Tommyinnit." Ranboo replied, and something in Tommy clicked when he heard that. Not a memory per say, but a feeling of sorts. He found what was missing from that sentence.

How could he forget the Prime Path? It's too pog to be forgotten by the great Tommyinnit.

He feels like himself, even if he doesn't really know who that is yet.

Just you wait, he'll figure it out. Just you wait..

"Ok, this is the Big Innit Hotel, Tommy. You built it with Sam." Ranboo explained, gesturing to the large hotel. He gaped, looking over at Ranboo and back at the hotel as if to ask 'seriously?'.

"I- what? C'mon big man, you can't just joke like that!" He barked, a disbelieving laugh in the back of his throat. He didn't let it out, but it was there and he could feel it. How bad at jokes could Ranboo be if his joke was that he — Tommy — built this fucking massive hotel. "Wait who's Sam?"

"I know it sounds hard to believe, but you actually built this. Sam is another person on the server, you two used to be friends I think but, uh, I don't know if you were on the best of terms before.." Ranboo told Tommy, and 'before you lost your memory' was left unspoken.

He'd have to find this Sam then, and thank him for helping him with the hotel. Also possibly ask what's the layout, and other stuff regarding it.

Maybe he also wants to get to know other people here. However, he wouldn't simply admit that though. It's not his fault it feels like this is his first time here, like Ranboo is giving him the welcome tour. Who knows, maybe the more people he meets from his past, the more he'll remember.

So far he's only met Ponk, very briefly, and Ranboo. He's only remembered one thing, and that is the very path they're both currently standing on.

Part of him is sad that the Prime Path is the first thing he remembered, but then again, he did help build it a number of times. Why? He doesn't remember yet, but he knows he did it. He's already looked at his own calloused hands once, he can only assume that at least part of that is building and repairing the Prime Path.

"The thing is, Sam kind of hasn't been around lately either. I think he needs some time, he's  — well I probably shouldn't tell you why just yet — but from what I've gathered around the server, he's feeling pretty guilty right now, honestly. I never really talked to him much, and when I did it wasn't because of good things." Ranboo explained further, but Tommy realized that he probably missed some of the explanation.

He thinks a lot. Was he always like this?

"Hey, Ranboo. You never really told me about yourself, big man." Tommy replied, suddenly intrigued by what Ranboo had said. Apparently Ranboo and Sam weren't on the best of terms, but Tommy barely knows anything about them.

He knows Sam helped build the Big innit Hotel and that he feels guilty about something, but that's really it. All he knows about Ranboo is..

He knows close to nothing about Ranboo. Actually, all he knows about Ranboo is that they might have been friends. He isn't even fucking sure of that either.

This is bullshit, Tommy decides.

"Oh, well my name is Ranboo, you know that. We were pretty close friends for a while, then we got kind of distant, but we were still friends? I think so, at least." So that's confirmation of one thing. "I just, I don't know what exactly you want to know. You asked a really broad question, man."

He hadn't considered that.

"I'm gonna be honest with you, Ranboo, it's be pretty pog if you actually showed me where the hell my house is." He starts, and Ranboo's eyes widen for a moment before he started walking again, gesturing for Tommy to follow. Then, he continued, "Let me think for a minute, big man. Uh, hm. What's your favourite colour?"

"I– wow. Ok, I can work with that. I don't actually know my favourite colour, but I like yellow and black, like bees you know? I also like black and white, and purple. They're just nice colours, and everything." Ranboo answered, making various hand gestures to enhance is point. Tommy thought it was a tad bit odd, but he probably did it sometimes too.

"I think, at least, that I like red. Not that your colours aren't poggers, but red is the best colour. Simple as that, man." He joked, and he laughed a bit afterwards. He almost stopped mid laugh when he heard Ranboo join in, but he didn't. They just laughed.

Like friends.

It was probably the warmest feeling he's felt in a while.

Everything was just so cold for so long. He doesn't even know how long. It was just cold. Like a lingering block of ice in his bones, or maybe his bones were simply encased in ice. Whatever it was, it was a feeling settled deep within him. The feeling of being outside in the snow for so long that even while you're sitting by the fireplace you can feel it, you're still shivering even though you're supposed to be warm. You're just still cold and it won't go away.

But here, in the sun, on the Prime Path, laughing with Ranboo — he finally feels that cold going away, being replaced with a warmth that he can only describe as home.

𖦹𖦹𖦹

I really needed to end this somewhere so I could start proof reading it because my beta reader is busy for around two weeks (;—;) but yeah. I ended it on a happy note, surprisingly. I'm more of an angst person. Just a heads up, this might be one of the last fluff chapters (it's also the first but we don't talk about that). I also feel like I've grown and improved as a writer, which is fun. Please, please, please, give me a hot week or two for the next chapter (as of posting this one, I have written none of the second one yet).