The lengths you would go for your best friend.

      Or, the breaking of bonds.

Drip, drip

Wilbur stared at the ceiling of the giant cave, flat on his back. He clutched a cool ceramic mug to his chest absently, feeling the warmth of his heartbeat underneath the gray trench coat.

Drip, drip

He turned his head weakly to glance at his crumpled L'Manburg uniform in the corner, L'Dog curled up and sleeping on it. It felt so weird to see it there, sitting dormant and stained. His fingers still felt cold in the black fingerless gloves.

Drip, drip

"I'm over it."

He whispered meaninglessly, words leaving chapped lips in short white puffs. His eyes were glazed as they stared into nothingness.

Drip, drip

A curly brown lock fell into his eyes, and he couldn't brush it away.

I should get up.....

Techno was out somewhere, probably getting food or mining. Wilbur knew he should probably join him and actually be useful, but he felt so...... tired.

He just didn't want to get up.

Drip, drip

He brought his thumb shakily across the mug in his hand, across the chunky, smooth lettering.

#1 Dad

Fundy had gotten it for him. It was a joke.

Hey Dad!

The mug rose and fell with his chest.

Could you sing that song again, Dad?

A tear slid down the side of his cheek as he let out a shaky gasp.

Dad!

The mug clattered out of his hand, the sound of sharp ceramic hitting the floor. Wilbur's hands scrambled around in panic as he felt around desperately like it was a lifeline. He clutched it in his hands, letting out a sigh of relief as he examined it.

It wasn't broken.

It was just chipped.

He laid his head back again, holding the mug tighter.

Drip, drip

Get up.

Wilbur's body felt like it was weighed down.

You're a leader.

Water continued to drip in the cave as Wilbur tried to force himself up. It was so hard.

You lead them.

He couldn't get up.

Tears spilled out the sides of his cheeks.

Why can't I get up?

He could only lay there on the cold stone floor, clinging on to the mug for dear life. It was the only thing left.

I'm no leader.

Suddenly, a warm buzzing shocked his wrist. He blinked his eyes blearily as he glanced over at the small text message scrolling across his communicator. It was from Tubbo.

Wilbur

Hlep

Schlat niki

Danger

Wilbur's eyes widened as he saw two words.

Niki. Danger.

Wilbur scrambled up, stumbling through the ravine desperately as his gray trenchcoat trailed behind him.

Niki. Danger.

He burst into a large room. It was filled to the brim with potatoes plants, and Techno was leaning over one, examining it.

"Techno. We need to go." Wilbur's chest rose and fell quickly, ready to take flight at any moment.

"Oh c'mon!" Techno groaned. "I just finished the farm!"

"That doesn't matter right now, Techno- Niki's in danger-"

"Ooooh, a love interest, huh?" Techno smirked as he let Wilbur pull him up the steps to the surface. Wilbur's skin became heated underneath his coat.

"No."

Wilbur smiled.

"A best friend."

---

"Wilbur thank the queen-"

"Where is she?" Wilbur's hair was filled with leaves and twigs as he stumbled over, grabbing Tubbo's shoulders. "What happened?"

"Schlatt said something about Niki and asked me where she was and I didn't know what to do so I called you and they said they were looking for her and they were going to take her and-"

Wilbur's eyes widened, and he sprinted away from the rambling Tubbo. He was in full view in Manburg land for all to see, but he didn't care.

"NIKI!"

His shoes hit the wooden platform of the boardwalk frantically as he raced towards the beach.

"NIKI!"

The sand crunched beneath his boots as he looked around desperately.

"NIKI!"

The wind bit at his face as the waves crashed into the shore.

"NIKI!"

The curtain in the front of the bakery was torn open.

"NIKI!"

The chests were thrown open and flour spilled onto the floor. Wilbur's heart dropped.

He dropped to his knees, looking around in horror at the ransacked bakery. His fingers curled around a small daisy, dusted white with flour and trampled with boots.

"WILL!"

Wilbur's face lit up as he heard a sweet voice cut through the harsh wind. He spun around.

"NIKI!"

His voice rasped out, almost gone. The cold harsh wind was behind him as he ran, ran, ran.

"WILL!"

A smile broke across her face as she ran too.

"NIKI!"

"WILL!"

And the stars shone brighter as they collided, Wilbur enveloping her in his arms.

"Oh Will, I was so worried- I was so scared that-"

And Wilbur smiled, truly did.

Because in the great shithole of his life, she was one of the only things that weren't broken. And he needed to hang onto that.

But he knew that hanging on to her would weigh her down.

And Niki wanted to fly.

Techno walked towards them, a sad smirk on his lips, Tubbo following behind. "Best friends."

"I remember that."

Suddenly, Tubbo tensed, his whole body shaking like a leaf. Wilbur looked over at him in confusion. "Tubbo?"

"W-we've gotta go. We've gotta go-"

Tubbo grabbed Techno's giant hand, pulling him away with so much force it almost made Techno fall over. "Woah kid what's happening-"

"He's here he's here he's here-"

Wilbur's hand clasped around Niki's as they sprinted to keep up with the young boy. "Tubbo why are we-"

Tubbo shushed him as an explosion of voices erupted. They ducked behind Eret's tower, crisp footsteps pounding on the other side.

"I like what you've done here, Fundy. I'm impressed."

Wilbur tensed with anger at the sound of Schlatt's voice, Niki clenching his hand tighter.

"The flag is much improved."

Wilbur's eyebrows raised in confusion and he looked over at Niki. Her eyes were cast downward in sadness. Suddenly everything made sense.

And it filled Wilbur with rage.

"Thank you, sir."

Wilbur froze in shock as he heard Fundy's voice.

"Tell me, Fundy. What is your relation to Wilbur Soot?"

Wilbur couldn't let himself breathe. He squished himself into the tower, trying to keep silent.

"No relation, sir. He was the founder, and that was it. We never talked."

Wilbur let out a strangled sound, placing a hand over his mouth.

"He was nothing to me."

And Niki watched as Wilbur's warm brown eyes broke into a million tiny little pieces.

And even though she didn't want to admit it.

At that moment she knew he was gone.