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“Using your ten marbles, you will play the game of your choice with you partner. Whoever takes all ten marbles from their partner, is the winner.”
Tommy was going to be sick.
He’d barely eaten anything of value for the last six days but he was sure he’d throw up anyway. What kind of sick game was this?! A survival game, he tried to remind himself. The kind of game where friendships and alliances meant nothing if you wanted the cash prize.
Still, this was needlessly cruel right? He’d been doing good- great even! He was alive, Tubbo was alive, they’d not lost anyone of their friends yet and now? Now half of them were going to die.
Now either him or Wil were going to die.
“Wilbur? Wilbur what do we do?”
Nothing.
“Wilbur!”
Why wasn’t he saying anything?
“Will come on we only have thirty minutes what are we going to do-“
Wilbur just sighed. Like he was dealing with an annoying problem, something small but aggravating, he sighed.
“Sit down Toms, let’s just talk, okay?”
__________
Technoblade was really wishing he’d just died in the dalgona game right now. Sure, it would have been a stupid death, he doesn’t doubt Tommy would have laughed at him over it, but at least he wouldn’t be here right now. Staring at Phils shocked face and hearing his nervous laugh.
Why did he pick Phil?
He should have just gone with the blonde guy when he’d asked to team up, he didn’t even know the guys name, how easy would this have been if he’d just gone with him?
But no, he picked the man he trusted and cared for. And now they were absolutely fucked.
“So… what do you wanna play?”
God why did he always sound so monotone? Even after finding out one of them was about to die he couldn’t convince his voice to display one single hint of an emotion, anything to show the anguish he felt.
“I’m not sure mate, I only know odd or even, not very good with marble games”
Phil just stared at his bag, almost as like if he willed it too, twenty more marbles would appear and they be set.
But that wasn’t going to happen.
“Yeah okay we can play that.”
__________
Ranboo didn’t say anything, when it was announced he’d be playing against his partner. What could he even say? I’m sorry I teamed with you? Yeah right. He just sort of stared, swallowed down his grief that they’re little group would be cut down in half, and asked Tubbo what game he wanted to play.
__________
“Talk? Wilbur, we have less then thirty minutes to play a game! They’ll kill us both if we don’t hurry up!”
Wilbur just sat down on one of the steps leading to a small house, seemingly unaware of Tommy’s fear.
“Just relax okay? I’ve got a plan, you’re going to be fine. Just talk with me for a bit, okay?”
Wilbur always sounded so sure of himself, it’s what Tommy liked about him, why he’d come to trust him despite their circumstances. He just had this aura around him. When he told you you were okay, you were safe, you felt as if you should believe him. It’s why (against his better judgment) Tommy sighed, put his marbles in his pocket and found himself sitting on the same step as his pseudo brother.
Brother. Tommy wished he’d had more time to truly think about Wilbur as his brother. In truth, he wondered what might of been if instead of meeting Wilbur by robbing him they’d met somewhere else. Maybe at a coffee shop, or a park or something. How would his life have been different? If they’d never joined the game, if they were able to be brothers.
What would that be like?
Tommy wished he’d been able to find out.
“What are we going to talk about then big man?”
He tried to lighten the mood. It didn’t work.
“Whatever we want. Things we’ve never told anyone I guess, after all, one of us is going to die soon so we might as well, you know. Get it all out in the open.” He sighed.
He looked at the timer. Twenty four minutes left. Twenty four minutes with this gremlin, then it’d be over. Twenty four minutes wasn’t a lot of time, really. He always thought he’d have more.
“So where did you get all that money? The three hundred I stole from you when we first met.”
Tommy always knew what to say to make Wilbur laugh, he was really going to miss that, he thought.
“Won a bet” he laughed out- well, more breathed then laughed. It was rather difficult to find the humour in this situation.
Twenty two minutes.
“I don’t think I ever asked, what will you do? If you win the money?”
“Hmm” Tommy pretended to think, as if he didn’t repeatedly remind himself when he got nervous, when he thought about trying to call another vote to leave and just go home.
“Buy a big house for me and Tubbo, maybe ask Ranboo to come if he’s going to be bugging us anyway.”
He crossed his arms and huffed whenever talking about Ranboo, Wilbur noted, trying desperately to pretend he wasn’t as fond of the tall guy as Tubbo was.
“What then?”
“I’m going to visit London. I’ll be so rich they just have to let me meet Liz”
“Liz?” Wilbur asked, almost apprehensively.
“Queen Liz of course! She’ll love to meet me!”
Wilbur laughed out loud at that, the image of Tommy meeting the Queen and yelling constantly entering his mind.
“Then I guess I’ll have to come with you, I can’t have my little brother embarrassing us like that, no someone will have to be there to keep you in line.”
Tommy’s smile faded, he leaned back against the step.
“Oh. Sorry… I forgot”
Fifteen minutes.
“Halfway there big man.”
A shot rang out.
It took everything in his willpower not to grab tommy and pull him away from the woman dropping dead to his left, but he doubted to boy would appreciate it.
“Player 34, eliminated.”
Wilbur knew her. Not really, he’d never spoken with her but she was one of the ones who’d dropped to their knees and begged to leave after the first game, but upon seeing the prize money, voted to stay. He only remembered her because he’d laughed at how hypocritical she was, and how she’d then begged to stay after the vote.
How far that had got her.
Tommy let out a shaky breath.
“What would you do then? With the money?”
“Pay off my debt.”
An easy answer, what else would he do?
“After?”
After, Wilbur hadn’t thought about after. What would he do after the game, if Tommy wasn’t there? If his new family didn’t join him in victory, what would he do?
“Go to London with you.”
__________
“Odd”
Techno was gripping his marbles so tightly his knuckles had gone white.
He didn’t want this, this stupid unfair game where they had to play against their friends, people they’d grown to care about. It was stupid! They hadn’t even been given a game, just the materials to make one and thirty minutes. It was stupidly unfair.
“Guess you win again.” Phil laughed lightly as he opened his hands to reveal three marbles. They clinked against each other before Phil poured them into Technos hand.
He was shaking. Of course he was, they were less then ten minutes in and Phil only had four marbles left.
‘This isn’t fair’ Techno thought, as he placed his new marbles into his growing collection .
“I wanna switch partners.”
He spoke up, looking away from Phil and towards the pink guard.
“Please can I switch with someone? I don’t want to play with him.”
Th guard didn’t respond. He don’t care if Techno wanted to play with Phil or not, both of them knew that. He could beg, plead, refuse to play and all it would get him is a bullet in the head.
So after some prompting, he place two marbles into his hand and made a fist in-front of him.
“Your turn.”
__________
Tommy had stopped paying attention to the elimination reports, terrified the next one would be one of his friends numbers.
Number 001
Number 005
Number 111
Number 433
He knew two of them were going to die, but the idea of sitting and chatting with Wilbur as a shot rang out, and his friends number was announced was enough to knock him sick.
“How did you end up here?”
Wilbur turned away from him, focusing on the face of a dead man across the ally from them.
“Moved to the city to start a career in music, completely failed.”
Tommy listened with intent, after all, this may be one of the last thing he ever hears.
“Took out too many loans from the wrong people, I’d rather die then go back home with nothing to show for it.”
Tommy could vaguely remember some guy- number 23? Seemed to have a problem with Wilbur, something about him owing money to the other. Maybe that’s who he owed money too?
Doesn’t really matter, he’s dead anyway.
Ten minutes.
He wanted to talk more, ask Wilbur his favourite colour, to sing him one fo his songs again to ask him something he’s never told anyone before to know every single thing about him.
He thought they had longer.
Ten minutes is not a lot of time, really. Tommy always thought they’d have more.
“What are we going to play Wilbur? Only ten minutes left we have to be quick.”
If he pretended they had to go home, if I’m ten minutes their mother would call them in for tea and they had to finish their game before then it didn’t hurt as much. He didn’t have to imagine one of their lifeless bodies falling to the floor.
Wilbur stood up, Tommy quickly joined him.
“You see that wall there?” He pointed to the wall he’d been eying for a while, covered in plastic plants and blood, “We’re going to throw our marbles at it and whoever’s ends up closet to the wall wins, okay? That way we don’t have to waste time playing long games.”
“But that’s only one round Wil? What if we mess up?”
“You won’t”
And with that, Wilbur drew a line in the dust and opened his pouch, revealing one stunning blue marble.
“You can go first, since your the youngest.”
“Hey I’m not that young, I’m nearly eighteen you know…”
Slowly, he stepped up to the line Wilbur had drawn and pulled out a bright red marble, leaning as far over the line as he could, Tommy gently threw the marble in the direction of the wall.
It hit. The marble rolled backwards slightly, leaving a more significant gap i between the brick and ball then he liked to have hoped.
“Shit” he quietly cursed.
Wilbur stepped forwards, he leaned over.
‘This is it’ Tommy thought ‘it’s going to be closer, I’m dead.’
Wilbur brought his arm backwards and-
Dropped it.
“Oops”
The marble hit the ground, barley a few centimetres away from the line.
“Butterfingers”
__________
Techno didn’t have the best upbringing. His mother died when he was young and his father shortly after, it was for the best really, Techno didn’t like his father without his mother. He wasn’t a good man.
But no matter what happened, what hardships he’d faced, what he’d had to do to others to make enough money to keep his small apartment and earn enough money to live, he’d do it again.
He’d do it again and again and again if he didn’t have to see Phils face when he handed over the marble.
Phils last marble.
It was a beautiful green colour, it shone with specks of yellow and blue, mixing around to cause a beautiful colourful swirl.
Phils eyes sparked the same way, now however, damp with unshed tears.
He’d really lost. All of this, all of that fighting to give himself and his wife a good life, a warm home and security and he’d lost that future, the chance to give her happiness over a game of marbles.
How ludicrous was that?!
Still, he had no regrets. He didn’t regret picking odd even though he knows Techno keeps putting up evens, trying to get him to pick right and win some marbles back, to prolong the inevitable. He didn’t regret asking Techno to join their group after they all returned, despite that fact that their growing friendship would end in his own murder.
No, he didn’t regret that. He’d done what was right. Techno would leave and help his sisters, Techno would go help his family. That was right. Kristin would be okay without him, he was sure of that.
And with that thought, Phil patted Technos shoulder and congratulated him for a good game, desperately trying to ignore the tears welling up in Technos eyes, for he’d never seen the younger show that much emotion before. Wow, he must have actually cared about Phil.
He rose from his seat on a step while Techno stayed, staring at the point Phil just was.
“Thank you Techno.”
“What-what for” he managed to get out, without looking towards Phils retreating figure.
“I’m not sure, everything I guess.”
He stood in front of the pink solider as he raised his gun, he turned to face Techno, finally making eye contact.
“Win this for me, okay mate?”
“Player 005 eliminated”
Techno let out a sob.
_________
“Butterfingers?! Will cut the bullshit and throw it again!”
“We said one round remember? Guess I lost. Wow, that really sucks! Can’t believe I messed up so badl-“
“Wilbur please!”
He was crying. Tommy was shaking and crying, gripping tightly onto Wilburs jacket.
Wilbur wished he’d never met Tommy.
He wished Tommy had never joined the game, had laughed in the salesman’s face, taken his money and left. That way, as painful as his life would have been without his in it, Tommy would be safe. Wilbur wouldn’t have to carefully pry the boys hands off him and step away.
He couldn’t bare the thought of leaving him, they’d only just found eachother, he couldn’t lose his brother that quickly. But he knew he couldn’t live on knowing Tommy had died for him. He hoped Tommy could.
He stepped towards the guard.
“You’re my brother, okay?”
“Wilbur please don’t go”
“And what kind of brother would I be if I let you die?”
“Please just throw it again!”
He was begging now, screaming at Wilbur to throw again, it wasn’t fair! He shouldn’t just give up like this! He should at least try to live!
“Thank you for playing with me Toms”
Tommy screws his eyes shit and covered his ears.
A gun shot rang out.
It’s not him it’s not him it’s not him it’s not him it’s not-
“Player 062 eliminated”
Tommy screamed.
__________
Tubbo was too kind.
Ranboo had found himself growing rather attached to Tommy and Tubbo, the pair that asked him to team up when he joined back, he suspects its because he’d looked out of place, he’d felt it too.
Tommy said he didn’t like him, but it was clear from the way the younger acted he was rather fond of Ranboo too. He hoped Tommy would make it past their game.
Ranboo was sure he’d die here. Him and Tubbo settled on a game with only one round, if you could guess weather there was an odd or even number of marbles in the opponents hand you would receive all of them, they played Rock Paper Scissors to chose who’d guess, Ranboo won.
Tubbo was calm, worryingly so, throughout the game. Upon realising he’d be paying Ranboo, he’d seemed pretty torn up about it, but then continued joking around as if it was all fun and games.
They had only fifteen minutes left, they’d spent a good chunk deciding how to play, and even longer choosing who’d go first.
No ones number had been called yet.
All their friends were still alive.
Ood or even, just saying one single word could change or end Ranboos life. It felt funny almost, he might’ve found the humour of he wasn’t shaking. Tubbos calm smile was even more off putting, he held his hand out in a fist, in his hands he held Ranboos life.
What if he chose wrong? Well he’d be dead. He couldn’t imagine Tubbo just accepting it, but with the way he was smiling maybe he would! He’s going to die. He’s going to get it wrong and he’s going to die and Tubbo won’t care and-
“Stop thinking so loud and pick”
Tubbos voice shook him out of whatever funk he was getting into.
“O-okay.”
“Don’t overthink it, just go with your gut. If you’re meant to live you’ll get it right”
Totally not terrifying.
No pressure Ranboo, just your life here.
“Odd.”
He went to open his hand-
“No wait! Even! Definitely even! Or maybe it’s odd-“
Tubbo opened his hand before Ranboo could get another word in.
Five marbles stared back at him.
“You said odd first. You win.”
Tubbo continued to smile as he pressed the marbles in to Ranboos hand and handed him the half empty pouch.
“See? It hold you to go with your gut!”
Ranboo was stunned. How- how could he just accept this? How could he stay smiling- didn’t he know he was going to die now he’d lost?!
He asked Tubbo such questions, voice breaking as he bit down a sob.
“You won fair and square. It’s my time to go, so, you and Tommy better win for me, okay? Get that nice house we talked about. Get yourself a cat or something”
They we’re both crying now.
“Say goodbye to Tommy for me, tell him I’m sorry and I’ll see him later.”
Ranboo couldn’t watch, he didn’t move until a pink solider dragged him away from his friend. His first friend. Who’s head had splattered blood all over him when the bullet entered it.
“Player 433 eliminated”
__________
Dream did the right thing. Of course he did, he had a sister back home to take care of, what did George have?
(He doesn’t know, and now he never will. He never asked him)
So despite how close he’d grown with the other over the last four days, when it came down to it his life didn’t matter. If George couldn’t help him win he’d have to die.
Dream didn’t want him dead, he’d truly thought they could both win, but it was him or Dream.
Despite this, he couldn’t deny the fact that he felt his heart drop when he heard George call out for him. It was too late to go help, he was one step away from the exit and the pink solider was waiting, he really needed to hurry up and move before-
“Player 404 eliminated”
Before that.
With a shaky breath Dream steadied him self and stepped forwards, away from his last friend and towards the next game.