Our misunderstood side characters seek comfort and reassurance.

      Or, we lean into people who hurt us.

"What's wrong, Tubbo?"

Tubbo heart jumped in fright as he looked up to see Schlatt standing above him. He was sitting on the wooden path. He looked away quickly. "F-fine, sir."

"It's that kid again, isn't it?"

Tubbo felt Schlatt sit down next to him, sending chills down his spine. "I told you not to talk to him."

Normally, Tubbo would scoot away, but he felt so weak. He needed comfort, he needed something, someone to hear him. But he didn't want to tell anyone. He didn't want to bother people with his problems.

"It's crushing, isn't it?"

Tubbo looked down at the grass slightly waving in the wind. "To do everything for someone and get nothing in return."

Tubbo glanced over at Schlatt in surprise. His voice was filled with genuine sympathy as he clutched Tubbo's shoulder. "And then you're left broken and they never seem to care."

Tubbo's hand drifted up to his heart once more, rubbing his thumb over the small crushed petals. He wondered why he even kept the thing. It was just a flower. It meant nothing.

It meant nothing to Tommy.

He meant nothing to Tommy.

He was just a throwaway, something that didn't matter.

Tubbo, the stupid, dumb, clingy kid that likes weird bees.

Tubbo the coward.

I'm nothing.

And before he knew it, tears were streaming down his face. He tried to stop them, but he just couldn't stop choking out sob after sob. Tears blurred his vision as he cried out like a wounded animal, holding his stomach. He barely registered Schlatt's hand patting his back reassuringly.

"I'm here now, Tubbo. Nobody's going to hurt you now that I'm here."

Tubbo didn't remember moving, but suddenly he was sobbing into Schlatt's shirt, soaking it with tears. Fingers combed through his brown hair.

"You can trust me. I'm here now."

And Tubbo didn't care who it was now. Schlatt was here now, and he was the only person that was there for him. Schlatt was the only person that had hugged him and the only person that had comforted him. Tubbo needed that comfort.

He had to be good. He couldn't lose the comfort.

"I'm the only one you have."

Tubbo's sobs receded into sniffles as he felt his body become like lead, his eyes hurting. The warmth pulled away, leaving him cold and alone.

"I need to take care of business. Take your time, Tubbo."

And he was alone again, clutching his arms to his chest as he tried to recreate that flash of warmth. But his hands were cold, and the night was so cold, and he felt so cold.

He didn't feel any better. It was like Schlatt had hugged him, but it wasn't for long enough. The hug was like salt. Just enough to make him want more warmth, more anything. But it still felt violating, and dangerous. Like someone had ripped something out of him, and left him empty.

So he stayed there, staring ahead dejectedly, his eyes faded. He reached up to run his finger across the bottom of his eye.

All I ever do is cry.

The petals of the flower tickled his wrist, and a sudden burst of anger shot through him. He grabbed it out of his pocket, ready to crush it into little pieces.

But for some reason he couldn't. It was smushed, split, broken. Yellow swirled in his palm.

The bee next to him buzzed, and he looked up at it. It tilted its head happily, flying in circles around the flower excitedly. Tubbo clenched his fingers again, closing his eyes.

When he opened them, the flower was still there. Unharmed. He couldn't do it.

He couldn't just let go like that.

Tubbo sighed, tucking the flower back into his pocket. He stood up shakily.

From now on, he wouldn't cry. He needed to be happy. He wouldn't get anywhere if he let his mask crack.

If he cried, Schlatt would be the only one there.

Maybe Schlatt wasn't so bad.

At least he was there.

Tubbo tied his tie tighter around his neck, lifting his chin up higher.

No time to cry.

He marched forward, through Manburg, through the wooden streets, past the broken walls. He marched straight into the White House.

"Tubbo!" Schlatt stood up, grinning. "I've been expecting you. Why don't you make yourself useful and do some paperwork for me?"

Tubbo felt his arms be weighed down with stacks of books, but he didn't falter. He plastered a watery smile to his face.

"Yes, sir."

Just smile.

---

Techno felt his boots crunch into another layer of snow as he hiked up the steep mountain. His thick red cape fluttered in the wind as he plunged his diamond sword into the little crevices, hoisting himself up.

He finally reached the top, looking out over the vast mountainscape. His breath swirled in the air in front of him as he squinted his eyes, catching a glimpse of a figure facing towards the sea. The sunlight outlined him in black, a flash of blonde hair waving in the wind.

"Always the one for dramatics, aren't you?" Techno's cape was swept by the wind, filling the sky with a flash of blood red.

"I've got to keep my opponent on his toes." The figure turned around, bringing bandaged fingers to remove his lime green hood.

Techno smirked. "Hello, old friend."