Jschlatt was a businessman; that's one of the things Tommy admired about the man. The slightly aged and wrinkled poster of the man in a stiff suit winking, smiling, and pointing to whoever glanced at the paper with the subtitles, "I'm better then you," (saying 'then' instead of 'than') was grasped in Tommy's calloused right hand. His left hand was occupied; in fact, his whole left arm was, as it was in a makeshift cast to heal his broken arm.

The fact that Schlatt was a businessman wasn't the only reason Tommy admired the man. They must be similar as the boy was told he was irresponsible, shifty, and untrustworthy, much like the things he had heard about Schlatt. Jschlatt was also the only one that the boy could look up to and use as his example. Too many people had failed him. People who he thought were like his family. People like Wilbur, Techno, and Philza. He could kind of understand Techno betraying him; he was always distant and only tolerated Tommy. But Wilbur was so much more like a brother to him, and Philza... like a father. Tears came to the boy's tired icy blue eyes as he thought of them, but he quickly wiped the tears away. They betrayed you, you idiot. You shouldn't be missing them.

Tommy walked through the grass and smelled the warm air. Water trickled in a nearby stream and leaves danced with the wind as they fell to the ground, twirling around Tommy but somehow excluding him from their ritual. The wind messed his blonde hair, mocking him as the sunlight shone like a spotlight to capture the scene. Tommy just let it happen.

He walked over to the stream, where there was a large bed of soft, lime green moss. He sat down with his legs crossed, opened the poster, and stared at the man. Tommy could trust him. As long as he never met the man, he could never hurt Tommy.

The boy stumbled over to a tree and leaned against it. He sat by the tree and leaned his back against it. Resting his right hand over his broken arm, he was lulled to sleep by the stream and the very distant shouts of voices calling his name...

~~~~~

The following could be disturbing to some. It may suggest the idea of suicide, though that's not what I was trying to do. It might trigger something, so please be cautious and remember: I love you <3

"Tommy, what's with you?" Wilbur shouted at the 15-year-old boy, obviously angered. Wisps of Wil's curly brown hair blew with the haunted breeze, seemingly knowing what was to come.

"Get over yourself, you nerd!" Techno's displeasure cut through in his voice like he could care less about how Tommy felt. Tommy stood still in disbelief. He looked hopelessly to Philza.

"Why can't you just trust me?" Tommy's voice wavered, and tears built in his sad, blue eyes.

Philza just looked at the boy with disappointment, his brow wrinkled. He held his hand on his head as a weight so the wind wouldn't carry his striped umbrella hat away.

Tommy took a step back from them dejectedly.

"Stop it!" Wilbur screamed.

Tommy looked at the people who he had once called his family and then down at the cliff below him with the almost unnoticeable pond below it.

He looked betrayed and... sad? Techno felt that the boy had no right to feel that way after what everyone had said he'd done. His anger grew as he heard Wilbur's breathing grow louder and shakier.

"You're such a jerk, Tommy."

No one breathed but Techno while waiting for Tommy's response.

His eyes widened as he looked at Techno, who had Wilbur clinging onto his arm

And took a step back.

Wilbur and Phil screamed.

"NO!" Philza yelled. "TOMMY!" Wilbur shrieked as he ran to where the boy had been just moments before, and Phil followed at the same speed, his hat flying off his head as he grabbed Wil's arm to hold him back from jumping after Tommy. Right before they reached the edge, Phil pulled Wilbur into a tight hug, letting him cry on him.

Techno stood cemented to the ground with his eyes filled with confusion and shock, staring at the spot Tommy had just been and now where a sobbing Phil and Wilbur sat...

~~~~~

Techno awoke with a start. Tommy's dejected face that day somehow always found a way into his head. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. It had been two weeks since the accident, and they still didn't find the body. It might sound like bad news, but it gave Wilbur just a sprinkle of hope that Tommy was still alive out there, and that's what kept the smile on his face. As long as Wilbur smiled, everything would turn out to have a happy ending. That's just how things worked.

The 20-year-old got up out of his bed and grabbed his red cape off a chair next to him. He fastened the cloak around his neck and walked over to the french doors that led out to a balcony. He stepped out, the moonlight immediately coming and pouring its light onto Techno's pink hair, which made it a shade lighter, almost white. His face refused to be illuminated by the stars. A small amount of pain and regret were visible until his face twisted and his eyes closed, causing hot tears to burst from his eyes. He covered his mouth with his hand as the tears streamed out his eyes. It really is my fault...

The realization slapped him, and it hurt more than anything in the world. He sobbed almost silently as he fell to his knees, one hand touching the ground, the other still covering his mouth. His cape blew in the wind, a sign of regret.

He stayed that way for a while.

~~~~~

Wilbur barely slept anymore. He spent most of his time exploring the unknown forest with several of Tommy's friends. Sometimes it was just him and Tubbo, him and Bitzel, or him and Deo. Tubbo usually went out with Wilbur in the forest in the mornings while Deo and Bitzel would spend the nights searching with him. The boys were all about Tommy's age, Deo being the oldest, 16. Wilbur found their ages to be vital to his- er, their- search for Tommy. He wanted to know how a 15-year-old would think and act. Since they were Tommy's friends, they would know even better what he would do.

Wilbur, with Tubbo's help, was making a map of the forest that Tommy had fallen into. So far, it was only 25% done. Wilbur stayed optimistic and told Tubbo, "We're 25% closer to finding Tommy." Tubbo would always smile and nod his head in agreement, but he would often think to himself, what if he doesn't want to be found?

~~~~~

Philza opened his eyes slowly. No birds chirped. None that he could hear anyway. The sunrise turned the sky orange, pink, and yellow, and little rays of sunlight hit his face. The first thought that came to his mind was the same thing that it had been for the past fourteen days:

Tommy.

Tommy was accused of attempting to join with traitors in setting fire to a village. The proof had seemed so clear, though Tommy swore it wasn't true.

The boy's last words stung Phil, and he heard the desperation in his voice:

"Why can't you just trust me?"

They had found out that Tommy wasn't guilty just two days after he went missing into the unknown part of the woods that lay below the cliff.

He would've cried again, but Wilbur had come to wake him up.

"Good-morning, Phil," he said cheerily. "It's a lovely day today, and I can't wait to go find Tommy." Wil smiled and adjusted his beanie. Phil just looked into the 19-year-old's deep brown eyes, and he soon smiled too.

"It will be a good day."