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When Tommy started creating videos, he of course was rather small. The blades of grass that rose up tall under the sky of viewers were obstacles but the trees that were scattered across the forest were giants in his eyes. A level he could never achieve. But every tiny seed had to start from somewhere. So he worked hard, making himself noticeable amongst the seemingly endless rolling fields. And occasionally someone would come down the broken path and stumble across him. Most would continue along after enjoying the content he had to offer but a few helped him in return. One of which was a YouTuber like himself. He blindly gave his trust to Pigicial and it paid off. To this day, Tommy doesn't quite know what his strawberry-haired friend saw in him but whatever it was gave him a base to grow on.
Getting a foothold, his growth was slow. He told himself that trees could take years to mature but it didn't stop his mind from wondering of the possibilities. Tending to the channel every day, he hoped the heated rays of fame would wash over it soon. Someone on his Discord said that a talent show would be a good way to keep his audience engaged. Pigicial offered to be a judge and told Tommy he'd get another friend to help.
"Pig, I keep telling you can't just collab with anyone. He could be a freeloader you know." The boy in blue told him after examining the channel.
"Give him time Bitzel, he's gonna blossom into something so much bigger than you can imagine." So he did. Both on recording and off, he found the "wannabe" to be quite entertaining. Reluctantly, Bitzel began to warm up around Tommy. They did some more collabs and offline they could find themselves talking for hours on end about the most meaningless of things. And when he was struggling to keep his head up as the Earth sent rains pelting downwards, Bitzel knew exactly what to say to keep his head from going places it shouldn't.
"Don't let yourself think like that, you aren't a leech." And Tommy believed him.
***
No longer a sprout but a sapling, he could hold his own against the everyday breeze of life. Still, Tommy was reliant on the passerby's along the roads to help him get an edge on his relentless competition. Of course, the boy still had his worries as the Innit name began to spread. Whispers from the shadows in the pitch-black night would tell him of rumors. People wouldn't hesitate to crush him and tear him up petal by petal to get ahead. With nothing but the oh-so pale moonlight to light up the fog of fear, it'd sometimes get to him. Even a couple of thousand subscribers would get you to put on some people's hit list and it was terrifying. But the sun would rise once more, wiping the mist away in one clean swipe.
The seasons began to change, fall coming faster than he expected. But it was around then Skyblock released and he began his conquest. A YouTuber he was even a fan of joined in on their shenanigans, giving him some ender pearls. Deo could tell he was gonna gain subscribers but at first, he wasn't sure if it was deserved.
"Bit, don't you think his videos are a little... I dunno... low effort? Maybe we shouldn't be giving him this much attention..."
"Let me give you some advice I got from a friend of mine. Give him time. He's gonna blossom into something so much bigger than you can imagine." So he did. Deo played more Skyblock with him and watched him open up. Subtly testing how far he'd go for pog champs in the chat, his opinions slowly began to change. Deo never had any siblings but maybe this is a bit similar to what it's like to have a brother. But as his Skyblock content began gathering more and more views, the forums began speaking of horrible things in the dark corners just out of his hearing range. The words no matter how much mental defense Tommy put up would eventually seep through the cracks to taunt him in his sleep. However, in the mornings where it's remnants would marinate and leave an imprint on his thoughts, Deo could snap him right out of it.
"The forums don't stand for shit ya know. You are a funny guy, don't let them make you think otherwise." And Tommy believed him.
***
The boy's channel has grown drastically since his early days. Passing 69k subs, he felt like maybe his goals weren't so unimaginable. He began using the climate around him to his advantage and soon Tommy would make anyone passing by stop and stare, if only for a moment. At such a young age he built something impressive however he wasn't anywhere near done yet. As his use of SkyBlock started wearing thin, a glimmer of opportunity was faint at the end of the dark tunnel slowly caving in on him. His next destination would be SMPEarth no matter how long it took. Deo, who was already slated to be a member, promised he would talk with the big man himself.
Wilbur Soot looked over Tommy's channel. The content wasn't exactly his cup of tea so he originally told Deo no. But the boy just wouldn't leave his mind. Was it remorse? Was it curiosity? Either way, the musician returned to his channel and looked it over the course of the next few weeks. It was mere days until SMPEarth would start but he decided to speak with Deo again in case if it was worth making a few last-minute changes.
"I feel like Tommy's content is kind of childish... so why is it I'm still going back for more?" The lost SMP admin told him.
"His content might be childish sure but I think he carries himself with some damn good discipline and confidence for his age. Give him time, he's gonna blossom into something so much bigger than you could imagine." So Wilbur did. With only a 12 hour notice, Tommy was let into SMPEarth and he of all people ended up playing a "villain" type role in the events of the server. Wilbur would assume he'd want to paint himself in the best light but his desire for content in any form possible was something the YouTuber could admire. But some fans seemed to think otherwise. In the depths in the nightmare realm that is Twitter stans and casual viewers alike would recoil at the mention of the chaotic child. They'd call him a nuisance, someone forcing bits onto other that's made them "uncomfy". And whenever he'd venture into the sites addictive and lucrative shadows he was met with only a hatred that could break anyone with a sliver of sanity. Tommy's brain started working against him, making him wonder if he really was a burden on the other content creators. He even started considering leaving the server but Wilbur got on a call with him, not wanting to see his leaves continue to wilt and wither in a heatwave of backlash and jealousy.
"The stans are so full of themselves and forget that they are not us so please don't listen to them. I wouldn't have let you in the server if I didn't think you'd mesh well with the other members." And Tommy believed him... at least to some degree...
***
SMPEarth came and went. Once just a seedling, a mere idea, became a name hundreds of thousands of people knew. TommyInnit was a part of him. After a weird lull of hacking videos, MCC came to sweep him off his feet. With strong roots holding him in the ground, little could tear him down. That was until a tornado came around to challenge him. The natural order never let the weak stay around too long. Can't withstand Earth's raw power and you're sent falling back to square one. Fear and loathing infecting the very soil that kept him alive, the rains of opportunity that typically were a blessing ended up being laced with toxic acid. The wind that whispered rumors of success now roared at Tommy, hollaring of things no child should have to hear.
"He's just a clingy child leeching off of actually talented people's achievements. He basically begged to get to this point. If you can tell good from bad content, you'll unsubscribe from TommyInnit."
"Does this kid not have an ounce of self-awareness? What he does is so cringy. You can't just be annoying and get clout. We as the internet should have higher standards."
"Ok but like TommyInnit is way too immature to have this kind of fame. There are thousands of creators who would do anything for his clout but he did practically nothing to get here! If he thinks for one second his life is hard he should reevaluate everything he knows."
"Tommy is just a child but still, I don't see why Wilbur and them give him the time of day. He just copy and pasted their bits and somehow made them less funny. I'm not watching any more streams with Tommy, the creators need friends with actual intellect."
"So why do they keep the gremlin child around? I mean it's obvious none of them want him around. He should be able to take a hint. Go back to the under-18 Hypixel YouTuber community, Tommy doesn't deserve a spot in the big leagues."
Parasite
Copy-Cat
Leech
Freeloader
Unoriginal
Clingy
Selfish
Burden
Useless
Useless
Useless-
The tornado would've uprooted him right there and then if he didn't start running. Tommy didn't quite know where he was running to but anywhere to distance himself from whirlwind of emotions attacking him all at once. The storm's chilly claws chased after him but he outran it. At least for the moment. Collapsing in an alley outside of a tall tower, he couldn't bring himself to go in the building because he'd start going up and... that wouldn't end well. His phone buzzed. The last thing Tommy wanted to do was go back in the eye of the hurricane but thankfully the calling wasn't from the dark side. It was Techno.
Hey I thought we were doing MCC training today?
I... I just can't.
You've been off for the past few days... are you ok?
TommyInnit is typing...
No reply.
Call from Technoblade: Answer or Deny?
Deny.
Call from Technoblade: Answer or Deny?
Deny.
Call from Technoblade: Answer or Deny?
Deny
Call from Technoblade: Answer or Deny?
...Answer
"Hey..."
"Tommy talk to me... has something happened? You won't talk to us nor train. MCC is in 2 days!" A sniffle. A sharp inhale.
"...Techno I'm gonna drop out of MCC."
"...What?"
"Get Scott or something to replace me. I-I'm hanging up now..."
"No you fucking aren't. What happened to the Dream Team for the win?"
"The Dream Team AND Tommy. I never had a place there." Tears had started streaming down his face at this point. The salt coated droplets only made him yearn for nutrients he was nowhere deserving of.
"Turn on your camera then. Prove to me your not doing this for all the wrong reasons and I'll let you leave the team." Tommy was reluctant. If he did this he'd show all of his cards. But this was Techno. Maybe he'd admit it all to his face. It was better than the others who let him wallow in his ignorance. He turned it on and the look on Techno- No Dave's face turned from relaxed to a truly depressing horror.
"Tom... I-" The shaking boy let it all out. His worst fears that manifested into a cyclone in his mind, the stuff the larger community was saying about him, all of it. "Do you want me to call Wilbur to pick you up?"
"If it isn't a hassle for him..."
"It won't be, Wilbur sees you like his little brother. And he'd do anything for family." The two stayed on call while waiting for the fellow streamer to arrive. Techno did his best to reassure Tommy that they appreciated him and he deserves all the good things that have come his way. Wilbur pulled up in his car across the street and upon seeing the youngling pulled him into a tight hug, sending good vibes into his troubled brain. Positive affirmations has been shown to boost plant growth after all.
"Tommy listen to me and listen well. You gotta give yourself time. Trust me when I say you are gonna blossom into something so much bigger than you can imagine. Just believe in the process and believe in us to guide you. Ok?" For a while the two didn't even drive back, they just sat in the back of Wilbur's car, Tommy letting out months of pent up emotions into the other's chest before tiring himself out and passing out curled up next to him. But when the sky started fading into orangey hues, Wilbur moved back to the front seat and began driving. The storm had passed but the damage was done. The beanie-wearing man swore on everything he loved he'd never let anything like that happen to the boy ever again.
When the pair finally returned to Tommy's house, he was too tired to do anything except go back to bed. However, one little ding on his phone made him look. Once more it was from Techno. A Discord DM.
"Wilbur... can you read out loud what Techno sent...?" He mumbled halfway into his pillow. The other nodded.
"Honestly I don't care what the rest of the fandom is saying, hell what the rest of my friends are saying. I'm always going to think you're worth it. Never forget that Tom."
And Tommy believed him.
~~~