#anyway if this gets more than 5 notes i'll be shocked and scared lol

[nyerusnova]

Glad to see that Tim being a giant Dick Grayson fanboy is finally being highlighted again, and sparking more discussion especially on their early relationship! (Please gimme more!!! I love them so much, augh!)

Probably as a result of that surge, there seems to be reciprocal chatter on the topic of how young Tim actually felt towards Jason, too. It's honestly pretty interesting, because it's more nuanced than it appears at first glance.

Which means it's very fun to dissect! ✨

There's a degree of subjectivity to keep in mind, because readers are going to have different interpretations of the same scenes, or will pull from entirely different scenes than one another to form their individual view on this topic. That's just how it is in comic book fandom, for many things! Regardless, in this case... if the scale ranges from the extreme of "Jason was Tim's Robin" to the other extreme of "Tim actually hated Jason [as Robin] or thought he was a loser that got himself killed" — the actual truth is closer to the middle, as is often the case.

At least, in my opinion.

Mainly I want to focus on those relatively early days with this post, to highlight Tim's initial(-ish) feelings towards his heroes, and touch on the point at which they really begin to change. This turned into a very long post, though. Brevity is beyond my skill, so grab snacks and water lol. Transcripts for each image will be posted at the very end under the cut.

So, the two storylines I want to cover are "Rite of Passage," which is rolls into "Identity Crisis." (NOT to be confused with the major crossover event "Identity Crisis™" which came years later, and is where Jack Drake dies.... But it sure is an interesting coincidence that Tim deals with the loss of each parent in two similarly named stories!) These take place before Tim is even Robin, and I'll be considering them as one arc for this post.

Detective Comics vol. 1 #618 (July, 1990) -- Pages 1 & 2

"When Gotham needed him, he was there. When the Batman needed him, he was there. He was a hero."

"One day, I'll be as good as Jason. One day I'll wear the suit."

To start off, we have this opening from "Rite of Passage." Tim is still in training here, mainly helping Bruce with minor stuff from the cave. His parents are off traveling, alive and well as of these next few pages. He's still bright-eyed and full of wonder. An extraordinarily weird but ultimately innocent kid.

So his view on Jason is positive and fairly simple: a hero, and someone to look up to as Robin. Clearly, Tim here doesn't think Jason was deficient in his role, either as a protector of Gotham or as Batman's trusted partner.

Moreover, Tim already held Dick in very high regard because he was amazingly skilled before he became Robin. To Tim, that's not something he'll ever be able to achieve. Meanwhile, Jason wasn't like that. He was a regular kid without crazy acrobatic training since practically birth. Yet he still went on to be a hero—which is obviously motivational for Tim who finds himself in similar shoes.

It's true that Tim only ever knew or thought of Jason as Robin, and idolized him in that regard. But that's kind of all that mattered to him at that point, because he was this kid who was utterly star-struck by his heroes. Even if he's technically aware of their shortcomings as people, it's overshadowed by the hero-worship.

It was kind of the same with Bruce as Batman at first. (Which was still enough for Tim to risk life and limb to help his beloved hero, before Bruce even knew his name.) Dick was the only one Tim had any sort of "personal" relationship with beforehand, so there is an extra level of attachment—and hence why it was the nidus for his obsession with Batman. Yet even then, it wasn't like he actually knew anything about Dick as a person until later. Until then, Tim's ideas of him were all he had, too. With Jason, Tim just didn't get to know him at any point before his return (oof), apart from what he heard over the years secondhand (also oof).

Ultimately, it's the loss of innocence—along with the ricocheting bullet that is the unresolved guilt of those around him—that begins to change Tim's perception. Not just of Jason, but of things in general.

Batman vol. 1 #455 (Oct., 1990) -- Page 13

"I know why they do it now. Why they put on the suits, and the masks, and go out into the night. They're angry, they're full of rage. They want to hit back."

Losing his mother was a major shift for Tim, obviously. This is right after the previous storyline, and Tim's had the worst week or two of his life (so far). His monologue here is a reference to what happened to both Dick and Jason. The unbearable pain of loss, the rage masking the grief underneath. And importantly, that he feels both of them were justified in their anger. (And Bruce too, indirectly.)

The major theme of the aptly named "Identity Crisis" is to mirror aspects of Dick and Jason and Tim's lives—to show how they converged onto the same tragic road. It's something that Tim notices early in the story, and was frightened by. Now, horrifically, it's become a part of him as well. His parents are gone, and he was entirely helpless to do anything about it. Dick was the same way, Jason was the same way. The cycle is repeated.

In particular, the part about him wanting to go to Haiti for revenge—for his mother—sort of struck me as being an intentional parallel to Jason and Ethiopia. It's a bit of a stretch, especially in isolation, so others may see it differently (e.g. the angry ramblings of a grieving child that does sound like something anyone might say). But it always stuck out to me because of how much Tim is compared directly to Jason in this arc. More on that below.

It's not something I can really give an accurate feel of because it's a lot of subtle things that begin to add up, so I'd encourage folks to read this arc themselves to see what I mean. (Or maybe you'll still disagree which is fine too lol.) Again, many things are in reference to both Dick and Jason in relation to Tim, but it's weighted more on Jason's side.

Batman vol. 1 #455 (Oct., 1990) -- Page 18

"You think my anger will boil over, the way Jason's did. I can assure you, it won't!"

Tim's grief has begun to pull away the veil of idealism that enshrouded his heroes in his mind. It doesn't apply only to Jason, but to the rest of them. Plus add the fact that Tim's keenly aware that he's being managed, even if the adults around him are careful to not outright say certain things. He still knows.

Bruce, Dick, and Alfred are all worried about Tim potentially turning into "another Jason." They (and mainly Bruce) caution Tim to not ignore his emotions, but they're still concerned that he may be overly eager to prove himself in order to cope, and could get hurt or killed as a result. While they aren't wrong for their caution—especially at how unsettlingly similar all the circumstances are—they aren't very subtle about the elephant in the room.

Imagine how that would affect Tim's perception of his predecessor, especially when he's in the midst of a traumatic event he hasn't had time to fully process. The negative association is pretty much inevitable.

Tim's known from day one that he's walking in Jason's shadow, and now it's become inescapable. Tim went from seeing Jason as a goal to reach, to feeling that unless he surpasses him, he wasn't going to be taken seriously by anyone. However, as of this arc, Tim doesn't even fully come to that point yet.

Batman vol. 1 #456 (Nov., 1990) -- Pages 14 & 15

"Drop-outs don't make it. And dead heroes are no use to anyone!"

It's really easy to take away "Tim totally thought Jason got himself killed" as the main thing here, but I think that's missing the forest for the trees.

First some context: Bruce has gone out on a mission to get Scarecrow, and expressly forbade Tim from doing any shenanigans. Meanwhile, Tim is grappling with wanting to prove himself and trying to help Bruce from the cave, all while trying to deal with his emotions. At some point, he falls asleep and ends up having like... exhaustion-grief hallucinations of Dick!Robin and Jason!Robin who confusingly caution yet encourage him. The main theme of this part is facing your fears.

Depending on how you want to interpret the intent of Jason's dialogue here, you could go several ways with it. Ranging from "writer's feelings towards Jason" to "a peek into Tim's mind as his fears manifest as visions of his heroes" or some mixture thereof.

Though Tim argues with Bruce that Batman needs a Robin, we're shown that Tim is understandably scared of joining Batman's "war." He's still not willing to let Bruce go it alone, though, and that's something he feels more strongly than his fear.

Meanwhile, hallucination!Jason's warnings are a lamentation of what happened to him in a way, but it actually exactly describes Tim's current situation even more so. Unlike Jason, Tim is under-trained, under-experienced, doesn't even have a suit of his own yet. But like Jason, he can't sit by and do nothing while someone he cares about is in danger. Tim knows that if he goes out there, he will probably get himself killed, and it will be his own fault. So he's about to disobey Batman's orders, and fly right into danger. If that got Jason killed, then Tim—who is in a way worse position experience-wise—has every chance of ending up the same.

Like... it's about Jason, but it's also about Tim. It's Tim's worst fears made manifest, via the representation of why he is even here in the first place (Jason's death).

That's my theory anyway, but perhaps this is an overly charitable reading of this scene on my end. (Not that I think that makes me wrong lol.) However given that Grant wrote both parts of this arc, and the beginning of which is especially favorable towards Jason, it certainly is something to ponder. I have a lot of thoughts on it I can't expand on here tbh but perhaps that'll be another post.

Anyway, returning to the point of the similarities vs differences between Tim and Jason: since this is the arc that solidified Tim as the next Robin in comic continuity, it makes sense that the writers really pushed the comparisons between the two of them, specifically. (Even though Dick was pretty similar, as going against Batman's orders is the Robin thing to do, it's not his shoes Tim is directly filling.) So making Tim's "debut" story arc mirror Jason's "swansong" is an obvious narrative choice.

To drive home the parallels, I wanted to include this panel from just a few pages prior to the "daydream":

Batman vol. 1 #456 (Nov., 1990) -- Page 9

"The suit is magic."

That so distressingly close to Jason's famous "being Robin gives me magic" line (Batman #385, page 6). Given all the previous context, it's hard for me to just dismiss it as pure coincidence. Even if it is, the point still stands. Tim is shown having the some of the same heartbreakingly naive views as Jason once did, right in front of Jason's memorial, just as he's about to go and run off into the night against orders.

I think that speaks for itself. There's a lot to take away from it, if you so choose. Especially given the context of that specific Jason arc.

Alright, back to the main course:

So in the end, Tim actually goes out in civvies and a ski mask because if he fails, then at least he wouldn't bring shame to Robin's legacy™. When he gets fear gassed saving Batman, it's once again both Dick and Jason that he hallucinates encouraging him to push past his fear. (Shout out to the fact that he's literally more afraid of tarnishing the legacy of Batman & Robin than he is of dying.... I'm sure this will not be a recurring thing for him in the future.)

Tim's ideology is shown to be similar to Jason's, and the actions Tim ultimately takes are similar to Jason's... but the outcome is different. And it really isn't just "Tim succeeded where Jason failed." At least, that's not what I took away from this. Rather, Tim had no reason to succeed any more than he had to fail, just that he did. Luck combined with caution because he knew what happened to his predecessor, and the fact that Batman was there to finish the job all made the difference.

You could say (and I know some will) that it's just classic Jason character assassination and the writers trying to implore readers that this new kid is different we promise pls don't hate us look how much better he is! But in this case, that feels like it undermines the whole point of this story. It doesn't fit with what the characters actually say.

Thus, we return to the question of how Tim felt towards his predecessor. And the answer is different from where we started, because Tim is different. Not that different though. Because even though at this point Tim—like all the adults around him—has probably attributed Jason "going off on his own" being what led to his death, Tim still thought of him as a hero to look up to. It's about Robin, first and foremost, yes. But Tim is fully aware of the people who made that suit mean what it does, because it's all intertwined.

Batman vol. 1 #457 (Dec., 1990) -- Page 20

"I mean--Dick made it into a symbol the whole world knows. Jason gave his life for it."

Even further, Tim thinks of it in terms of Jason having given his life for what he believed in, for the legacy that now falls to Tim. There's a sense of gravitas there. He's afraid of failing both the Robins who came before him.

Ultimately do I think Tim adored and loved Jason on the same level as Dick or something? No. It's not comparable. (Dick was like part of some of Tim's earliest memories and everything! They have a really unique bond ok.) Yet Tim was also far from thinking poorly of Jason so early on. Frankly, it seems that Tim thought of Jason as a noble hero and a cautionary tale. Yes he took risks and sometimes went too far, generally stuff that Tim doesn't want to repeat and all that. At the same time, Tim still saw him as someone whose legacy and memory was worth honoring.

It's complicated, which is why I like it so much—because it feels real. Having conflicting feelings towards someone is... so human. Especially someone you never got to know, yet who plays such an integral role in your life via the shadow of their death. How can you feel anything but complicated towards them?

It has to be said that, yes, Tim's views—even before Jason's return—change over the years. He becomes more jaded as a person and is surrounded by people who are even more jaded than him... and who often mention Jason as the "failed Robin." It's something that's hung over Tim's head all the damn time. The curse of the Robin mantle.

So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Tim's idea of him becomes more akin to "sounds like a skill issue" as the years go by. All bets are off after Jason's return, and the Titans Tower Incident™. At that point it's firmly "I am better than you, loser" lmao.

And... that's all without getting too into things like authorial intent and general "moods" of different DC writers towards Jason at a given point. Or retcons that played a role in his characterization and how other characters talk about him, depending on what "era" you're reading. That's way beyond the scope of this post though!

TLDR; even though young Tim Drake was obsessed with Dick Grayson as Robin, he still looked up to Jason Todd as well. He didn't think of Jason as a cringefail loser until later. :)

(image dialogue transcripts under cut ↓)

Dialogue Transcript for Image 1 (Detective Comics vol. 1 #618 -- Page 1):

Narration box (Tim): When Gotham needed him, he was there. When the Batman needed him, he was there. He was a hero.

Dialogue Transcript for Image 2 (Detective Comics vol. 1 #618 -- Page 2):

(Scene continued from previous page)

Narration box: But he was nothing special, really. Just a boy, who was taught--trained--brought to his full potential by someone who knew how. Just a boy... like me. I know I can do it. I know I can. One day I'll be as good as Jason. One day I'll wear the suit. One day I'll be a hero.

Dialogue Transcript for Image 3 (Batman vol. 1 #455 -- Page 13):

Tim: I hate him! I hate him! I know why they do it now. Why they put on the suits, and the masks, and go out into the night. They're angry. Full of rage. They want to hit back. They want to fill the hole that's burning inside them.

Bruce: There's more to it than that, son. Much more.

Tim: I know. It's just--I feel--like going to Haiti myself and strangling that creep with my bare hands!

Bruce: The Obeah Man will spend the rest of his life in a prison hospital. He's history. Forget him! But don't fight against your anger. It's natural. Accept it. Live with it. One day it'll be your friend.

Dialogue Transcript for Image 4 (Batman vol. 1 #455 -- Panels from page 18):

Tim: Because you think my mother's death has upset me too much. Well, it did. But I've taken your words to heart. I can cope. You think my anger will boil over, the way Jason's did. I can assure you, it won't. But that doesn't make any difference, does it? Why can't you have a little faith in me?

Dialogue Transcript for Image 5 (Batman vol. 1 #456 -- Page 14):

Narration box (Tim): Blast it! My head's starting to swim. I'm about ready to give up. I almost wish I'd never heard of Batman and Robin!

Vision Dick: Heroes never give up, Tim.

Vision Jason: You know that.

Tim: Dick--! Jason Todd!

Vision Dick: You're training to fight in a war, Tim. It'll last all your life. No matter what, you have to go on fighting.

Vision Jason: Drop-outs don't make it. And dead heroes are no use to anyone! I thought I knew better than Batman. I thought I could run before I could walk. I killed myself, Tim. Because I couldn't wait. Because I couldn't think it through.

Dialogue Transcript for Image 6 (Batman vol. 1 #456 -- Page 15):

(Scene continued from previous page)

Vision Dick: Think, Tim. Concentrate!

Vision Jason: You can do it.

Both: You can do it!

Tim, waking up: What--? Robin...?

Narration box (Tim): I must have been daydreaming. They're right, though. There's a solution to everything. I can find it! So here I go again... Whim. Caprice. Doing something without forethought.

Dialogue Transcript for Image 7 (Batman vol. 1 #456 -- Panel from page 9):

Narration box (Tim): The suit is magic. It gives you power. It hides your weakness. It makes you give it everything you've got. It makes you a hero. If only I could!

Dialogue Transcript for Image 8 (Batman vol. 1 #457 -- Page 20):

Bruce: Are you afraid of it?

Tim: No. It isn't fear. It's more... the suit carries so much history. I mean--Dick made it into a symbol the whole world knows. Jason gave his life for it. Failing them--what they fought so hard to build--that's what worries me!

Bruce: I appreciate that, Tim. That costume weighs a whole lot more than any symbol should... and I'd be failing you if I expected you to bear that weight. So... let me know what you think.

Narration box: A mask has a double edged, he said. It hides your own anxiety as it strikes fear into your enemy.

#tim drake #jason todd #dcu #dc comcis #batfamily #meta #I'm so sorry this post got out of hand fr #it was meant to be a quick drabble with some comic panels and instead i just...... kept going #this post is specifically for my one (1) bestie who cares and the like 2 ppl who might be as insane as me about Timmy #idk why I'm like this im just obsessed with Tim's relationship with early Batfam & co lately??? #late 80 and early 90s comics my beloveds...... #anyway if this gets more than 5 notes i'll be shocked and scared lol #nyerus.txt #text post #long post

[audioaujom]

23: Succumbing to the Darkening [wrong end 8 ★8]

Corpse Party Hub, < prev, next >

Once again, this is wrong end 8 ★8 from Book of Shadows Episode #5, taking place in Blood Covered’s Chapter 2. Sorry if the recycled dialogue/descriptions from the previous ones is getting boring, but the ending and characters this time are different! Unfortunately I can’t promise something entirely new for next week, as it’s an alt of this one with a much worse ending lol After this one is two more of this section, and then it’s on to more whump, violence, and gore from later in the game!

Pairing: Tubbo, Aimsey, Ranboo, Bill

Word Count: 3244

Chapter TWs: Blood and Gore, Graphic Depictions of Violence/Gore, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mind Manipulation ("Darkening")

--

Whatever you do, don't look behind you.

The note laid neatly beside the candle on the steps, causing Tubbo to scoff aloud and quickly glance over his shoulder.

“Oh, yeah? What happens if I do?”

He blinked as the familiar figure of Aimee emerged from the darkness below, calling his name out in relief as they recognized each other. “Tubbo…!” 

“Aimee!” Tubbo smiled as she approached, before glancing around in confusion upon not seeing the companion he'd last seen her with at the pool. “Where's Schlatt?”

“I— I don't know. He was with me until a second ago, but then we found ourselves running from this man with… an axe, I think… and we got separated.” Aimee explained apologetically, staring down at the floor and rubbing her hands together anxiously.

“Shit, really?” Tubbo cursed, before noticing the splattering of blood covering the front of her shirt with a worried frown. “Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?” 

“No, I'm okay. This… isn't my blood.” She huffed out a humorless laugh, keeping her gaze resolutely on the floor between their feet. “It's just… this school… it's even more dangerous than I thought. Whoever that guy is, I'm sure he's been going around killing anyone who gets lost in here.”

“Yeah… sounds like a fair assumption.” 

Aimee finally looked up after a long moment of silence, swaying slightly before quietly admitting, “I’m scared, Tubbo. I'm scared that… that if I'm by myself, he'll find me, and…” 

“Well… don't be. I'll stick by you!” Tubbo instantly offered, not liking where she was going.

“Really…? Are you sure?”

“Of course!” Tubbo nodded, watching the way her eyes lit up with relief. “I'd hate to leave you all by yourself anyway, and we can both keep an eye out for any creepy axe-men.”

“Thank you so much!” 

Aimee grinned wide, throwing herself forward to pull Tubbo into a tight hug that he immediately tried to slip out of with an uncomfortable shiver. “Whoa! H—Hey…!” 

“Ah, I'm sorry! You have a boyfriend already, don't you? I think you said his name was Tommy?” She quickly let go, rubbing at the back of her neck with a sheepish smile that started a strange swirl of suspicion in the back of Tubbo’s mind.

“Oh, no no no! Ew! We're not like that.” He immediately corrected, keeping his uneasiness to himself for the moment. “He's more like a brother to me, you know?"

“Ahh… I bet life would be a whole lot less boring if I had a brother like you.” 

“Hah… yeah, maybe.” Tubbo ignored the way her tone made his stomach sink, trying to write it off as a result of the shock she must’ve experienced before running back into him. “It might not always be an enjoyable experience, but if you're looking for something less boring, I can certainly offer you that.”

Methodically checking the next floor as carefully as they could for Tommy, the two wandered around for quite a ways before the ambient light of the school seemed to dim greatly.

“It's dark in here…” Tubbo commented rhetorically as the two were searching the hall, before noticing that she’d stopped at some point along the way and seemed to be looking for something on her person. “…Aims? What's up?”

“Give me a sec... I have a light.” She said without looking up, before shivering a little and frowning. “It's not just dark, but cold, too…” “Yeah... We should turn back. I've got a really bad feeling about this hallway.” Tubbo shuddered a little, though he wasn't sure if it was his ever increasing nerves or the chill in the air.

“But… the way back is gone.” Aimee pointed back behind the two, Tubbo’s eyes finally adjusting to the darkness enough to see that yes—in fact—the wooden floor behind them had seemingly rotted and caved in, preventing them from going back, short of jumping the gap.

“Shit…” He fought the urge to kick something loose from a nearby pile of broken wood, before suddenly remembering— “Hey, do you still have that alcohol lamp?”

“Sorry, that didn't quite make it.” Aimee sighed sadly, before smiling and offering Tubbo the handful of candles she’d been looking for. “I have plenty of candles, though!”

“Yeah, well, I don't think the candles will be enough.” Tubbo retorted a little sharper than he meant to, though Aimee didn’t seem to be bothered by it as she put the candles back and headed off down the hallway again.

“Hey… look! There's a room.” She cheered a moment later, gesturing into the darkness with one hand and reaching back to grab Tubbo with the other. “Let's go see what's inside. Okay?”

“Hey, wait a second! It might not be safe! We need to—!” Tubbo tried to stop her, but in the process of the two of them heading in different directions and grabbing at each other, they ended up toppling over and falling to the floor with loud shouts of surprise. As soon as Tubbo realized he was on top of her, he quickly tried to scramble away as an uncomfortable blush settled across his face and down his neck. He got up to his hands and knees as quickly as he could, panicked as Aimee stared back up at him with a strange look on her face. “Shit, I'm really sorry... Are you okay?”

“I'm just fine.” Aimee seemed all too comfortable where she landed, biting a little at her bottom lip—much to Tubbo’s confusion.

“U—Um… please don't think I meant to do that, or anything like that. I— I really didn't mean to—” Tubbo rambled on in an attempt to apologize, but she just shook her head lightly and blinked slowly up at him with a coy smile.

“Never mind that. What say we have a little chat?”

“...huh…?” Tubbo wanted to get as far away from her as he possibly could, but stayed rooted to the spot as his brain tried to follow her off-putting offer.

“Don't you like me… Toby…?” Aimee’s voice seemed to change pitch suddenly, becoming deeper as her eyes bore holes straight up into him. He felt himself flinch, opening his mouth to shut her down only to notice the first drops of blood forming in the corners of her eyes. 

Any words he had to say died in his throat as tear tracks of blood ran down her face, more blood beading out of her nose and dripping over her lips, a sense of horror washing over him as he came to the conclusion that something was very, very wrong. “Wh—Who… are you?”

“Who do you think I am, Toby?” Despite the blood now pouring out of her mouth, her words weren’t garbled at all, Tubbo shaking his head as the horror gave way to dread in the pit of his stomach.

“S—Stop that…!” He demanded in a panic, trying to find a graceful way back to his feet before adding on, “And don’t call me that!”

Tubbo then went to push himself up off of the floor with his hands, only for Aimee to tightly grab both of his wrists to keep him down on top of her. 

“L—Let me go! How do you know about me? About Tommy?!”

Whoever this was—she most certainly wasn’t Aimee, at least not anymore—only giggled, a swirling panic beginning in his stomach as he tried to pull away from her. Her grip was unnaturally strong as it bruised his wrists, no amount of yanking able to break the grip for several long moments until a particularly hard tug got one of his hands free, his arm then swinging wide and smacking one of the girl’s bloodstained cheeks.

“Oww! How dare you raise your hand to a girl… Toby…” Her voice distorted as she giggled again, thick trails of blood starting to leak out of every available orifice of her face: eyes, nose, ears, and even more from her mouth. The skin of Aimee’s face began to peel back like burning paper, curling away from the waterfalls of crimson and flaking off in disgusting, bloody patches. A new, blue tinted face was emerging from underneath the peeling, flayed skin—it was young, child-like, and covered in slimy guts and more blood. Whatever was left of Aimee disintegrated to the sides as the rest of the young girl’s figure emerged, though half-submerged in the floorboards. Long, dark hair framed the sides of her face, a long red dress covering her body that began to shimmer in the low light of the hallway to make her seem to glow as she grinned up at Tubbo, his mind finally catching up with the carnage surrounding him as the rank smell of death started wafting up from the piled remains and ever growing lake of blood around him. The girl still held onto him, him swallowing back vomit as the two stared at each other, waiting for someone to make a move.

“You… were you always… her?” Tubbo stumbled out, anger boiling up fast as he exploded, “You fucking bitch! What the hell did you do to Tommy?!"

“Now what did I do to him? Hmm. I remember he wouldn't shut up. He kept calling for you, you know. Over and over… just like a bird.” The girl mused, giggling to herself as Tubbo tried to keep his mounting rage under control. “But he's not chirping anymore! Wanna see for yourself?”

“No… no! No, that's not true! You're lying!” The only thing keeping Tubbo from completely swinging on this ghost again was her tight grip on his arms, the twinges of pain barely enough to keep him grounded as his mind swirled to keep up.

“I've been watching you, you know. I like you. You've got promise.” The girl grinned, still present blood leaking out from between her lips and staining her teeth. “People like you do show up from time to time. Freaks of nature who have a real affinity for this place.”

“What the fuck are you going on about?” Tubbo tried pulling away from the girl again—harder this time—to no avail. “What… What the hell are you planning to do with me?!”

“Aw, are you scared?” Her giggle was light and completely unnerving, her vice grip slowly inching up his arms as she pulled him closer and closer to her face. “That's understandable. But the thing is, I get you! You're not afraid of people dying. You're afraid of you dying.”

“Shut up, you bitch! And let—let go! I… I—!” Tubbo still continued to struggle in the grip, desperately trying to ignore the way the girl’s breath smelled of a rot and decay that even the viscera around them couldn't match.

“Sure. I'll let you go. And when I do, I want you to walk over to that door. Let the school guide your way.” She shrugged lightly, her eyes lighting up as Tubbo felt his stomach twist with a fresh burst of nausea as she nodded with her head towards a nearby classroom. “It's where you'll find the person you've been looking for all this time.”

A voice then quietly floated through the air, the tone a familiar whisper that sounded from all around. “Toby… don't look at me… not the way I am now…”

“Ahh… Tommy…?” Tubbo froze at the sound of his friend’s voice, a shock of freezing panic shooting through him at the way the girl grinned at his startled expression. 

“I'm looking forward… to your reaction…” In an instant the girl let go, her blue-tinted form slowly sinking into the floor boards as she added, “But if it's boring… I'll kill you.”

As quickly as she appeared, she was gone again, leaving behind nothing but the tattered remains of Aimee’s clothes and the horrific face mask made of his blood-soaked skin. 

The smell alone was enough to rocket Tubbo to his feet, entirely distrustful of the ghost but unable to stop his own burning curiosity and panic for Tommy from guiding his feet to the nearby classroom that the girl had motioned to, sliding the door open and stepping inside.

This can’t be happening… this can’t be fucking happening…

He ran through hall after hall of dilapidated school, his feet carrying him forward even as he wasn’t quite sure where he was going—he just felt a pull that gently tugged him along.

Just hold on a little longer for me, okay Tommy? I’m coming!

Finding Tommy’s body was even worse than he could’ve imagined.

He’d been pulverized to shreds on a wall, the only identifying feature being shreds of the red and white shirt Tommy had been wearing that day and an odd certainty that this was what the school and the ghost girl wanted him to see. The large splatter of blood on the wall was tacky to the touch, nearly completely dried as Tubbo ran a hand around the outline in order to not look at the pile of shapeless skin and organs at the bottom of the wall.

“Oh god, fuck… No, I… Tommy…?” He mumbled as hot tears sprung to his eyes, dropping to his knees as an overwhelming rage bloomed deep in his stomach. Clutching at his own arms so hard pinpricks of blood started appearing across his skin, Tubbo didn’t notice the darkened sheen slowly overtaking his vision as he carefully stood back to his feet. “Whoever did this… and this whole damn place… are going to burn.”

So absorbed in loudly vowing his violent revenge, he didn’t notice the blue ghost girl appear in the air behind him, ecstatic.

“How interesting.” She cooed, deciding to help him along by snagging a pair of heavy shears from the infirmary and dropping them near his feet. In the same instant that he spotted the rusty metal glinting beside his blood-soaked sneakers, she vanished into the darkness surrounding them. Tubbo bent down to pick them up, his eyes fully glossing over as his vision dissolved to darkness and a wicked grin spread across his face.

“Perfect.”

Ranboo and Bill were objectively having a bad time.

The only upside was that they hadn’t lost each other yet, but they hadn’t come across any of their friends after losing Tommy to the ghosts in the infirmary, and it was quickly sapping their will to continue searching for a way out of the school. 

The two were ready to give up by the time Ranboo spotted the familiar head of brunet hair at the end of the hallway, smacking at Bill’s arm to get his attention as he raised a hand to try and help their friend spot them. “Tubbo? Oh my god, Tubbo!” 

“We've been looking all over for you, mate!” Bill grinned wide in relief, running forward at the same time as Ranboo. “What happened? You alright?” His grin faltered at the same time as his steps, Ranboo also slowing down as they noticed the way Tubbo hadn’t looked up at them even once, leaning heavily on one leg and clutching something tightly in both of his hands. “Uh… Dude?”

“Something’s wrong…” Ranboo said breathlessly, putting an arm out to keep Bill from getting any closer to Tubbo and experimentally calling, “Tubbo, can you hear me?” 

“Uh… Tubbo?” Bill tried next after a long stretch of silence, him and Ranboo turning matching confused expressions to each other. “Big man Tubs?”

“...Tubbo?” Ranboo slid a half step back as Tubbo’s head tilted to the side and he raised one arm, revealing the sharp pair of scissors he was holding. “What? No, wait—!”

In an instant Tubbo lunged forward, Ranboo barely able to grab Tubbo’s arm with both hands to try and wrestle the scissors away from his face. Tumbling backwards and landing on the ground, Ranboo stared up in horror at his friend’s completely empty and glazed over eyes, struggling to push the smaller—yet much stronger—boy off of him.

“What the fuck, man?!” Bill called out, getting behind Tubbo and grabbing him around the middle to help Ranboo get him off.

“Something’s wrong with his eyes!” Ranboo shouted as the two managed to push Tubbo back enough for him to scramble to his feet, panting for breath as Bill held him tightly from the back.

“How's about we get those scissors away from him first, yeah? And worry about the possession later?!” Bill suggested, Ranboo ducking back as Tubbo swung the scissors for his head and missed by only a few inches.

“I'm trying!” Ranboo complained, managing to pin Tubbo’s flailing arm with the scissors to his side with a loud grunt of effort. “Give me a hand, dude!”

“So needy!” Bill teased as he let go of Tubbo with one hand and forced his hand open to drop the scissors to the floor, kicking them away and down the hallway as they both let go of their friend. “Okay, got it! All clear.”

Tubbo was still for only a moment, Ranboo noticing a moment before his friend that Tubbo was launching himself forward at Bill. “Bill, look out—!” 

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Bill screamed as Tubbo slammed into him, the two saved from falling over only by the nearby wall that kept them upright. “He's so determined! I honestly respect him for that!”

“Tubbo, what happened?!” Ignoring Bill’s snark, Ranboo grabbed Tubbo and pulled him back to demand, “Whatever it is, you need to snap out of it before you kill us!”

Tubbo’s struggles slowed, the sheen over his eyes fading as Ranboo and Bill held him down. He eventually stopped entirely, blinking confusedly at his friends above him. “Ran…boo? Bill? Is that… you?”

“Yup.” Ranboo nodded, letting go of Tubbo with a sigh of relief.

“That's us.” Bill grinned, also letting go.

“What was I…?” Tubbo reached a hand up to his head, wincing, before looking up in with a panicked, “Oh, fuck, I—!”

“It's okay, Tubbo. Breathe.” Ranboo instantly reached out, grabbing his friend’s shoulders and squeezing gently. “Can you tell us what happened?”

“It’s—! I… I found Tommy.” Tubbo admitted, Bill and Ranboo instantly stilling in fear. “He was… god, I shouldn’t have even been able to recognize him, it was just so much blood and—!”

“Yeah, we—” Bill started to admit, but was cut off by an unreadable look from Ranboo.

“—Are so sorry you had to see that.” He continued instead, making sure Bill understood to drop the subject—the fact they’d been with Tommy when he’d died. “Whatever happened to Tommy is no one’s fault, okay?”

“But I should’ve found him, or… something. Anything.” Tubbo lamented angrily, wiping at slightly teary eyes with a closed fist.

“Yeah, cause that would’ve been super easy.” Bill scoffed, crossing his arms and looking away to keep from meeting anyone’s eyes. “Not like this place is a damn maze or anything.”

“This place is keeping us from each other. I know it sucks, but… there was nothing you could do. Nothing any of us could do.” Ranboo soothed as best he could, before spotting a nearby classroom and motioning for the other two to follow him over there. “Let’s go find somewhere to sit down and take a rest, okay?”

“...okay.” Tubbo agreed quietly, his head swirling with anger and grief that was only kept at bay by the close presence of his friends. He followed the two in silence, grinding his teeth together to keep himself from crying until he either had a moment alone, or at least after they’d settled down to rest.

#corpse party #corpse party au #fanfiction #fanfic #cross posted on ao3 #writing #whump #ranboolive #ranboo #ranboo fanfic #angst #tubbo whump #tubbo and ranboo #tubbo mcyt #tubbo fanfic #tubbo #billzo #aimsey #aimseytv