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Tubbo's troubles begin the minute he steps off the bus. He barely takes a few steps, focusing on the scene in front of him before finding himself tripping over the ledge, dropping his large bag with a loud grunt.
A few people stop and stare at him before moving out of the bus, not pausing to help him up as he struggles to pick up his bag and get to his feet. He frowns, looking around at the city's buildings and the wandering people.
The buildings are too tall, the crowd much bigger than he's used to, and the noise louder than anything he's experienced before. To put it simply, Tubbo can tell he's out of his depth in the new city.
He has no clue where he should start. Though he remembers someone once saying to him that the local library is the best place to find fellow witches. That they're usually there poring over old books for potential spell and potion ideas or trying to work through the details of their history. He has no clue if it’s true or not, but Tubbo figures there isn’t any harm in trying it.
Perhaps once he finds out something, he might find it a bit easier to get settled in. At the least, it's a community to start organizing around, and maybe find a way to start studying magic again with people who actually know it.
Getting a new start after leaving home is the hardest part of any young adult’s life. And Tubbo is no different. Even if his circumstances aren't exactly the most typical.
He wanders through the streets of people, glancing around at the ornate older buildings of the city. The sun shines brightly above, giving everything a warm cheerful tone. The vibrant streets carry Tubbo through, the sounds of cars mixing in with people's voices.
He’d done a bit of research, and when he’d left home he’d found a local restaurant that had a job notice posted and he was determined to get it. He can figure out the details of where he’ll live once he has it secure.
It’s a small hole-in-the-wall type restaurant, and Tubbo can smell the fire going and hear the sizzling of meat. He grins, seeing a man at the cash register.
“Hi- um, I called a few days ago?” He rubs his neck. “About a job position?”
“A job position…?” The man stares. “Oh, right you’re that college kid. I remember you, sorry I couldn’t afford to wait so I ended up bringing in my nephew. He’s been looking for some spending money recently.”
He gestures and waves to the kid washing dishes who waves back with a smile.
“Maybe if something opens up again.” The man offers with a smile.
He takes a breath, tucking some papers deeper into a bag. There went his main plan. It was okay, not the end of the world. He can find something somewhere else. “No. It’s fine. Thank you.”
“You could look on this street?” The man suggests, pointing to the door. “I think there’s still a few places hiring.”
Tubbo glances out, he’d also seen the particular street was a hot spot in the city for witches. So, maybe there would be something for him. He can at least get some supplies. Wherever those were. He can do it, he just has to keep marching on.
“Thank you!” Tubbo waves, walking away from the shop.
He tries every single door he can find that says hiring. Perhaps he could garden, he didn’t know much about it. Or even help with pottery. He could also try his hand at cooking at the dozens of restaurants. Each however turns him down, some too full, others realizing they didn’t have the funds for new employees, and still some tell him they’ll put his application ‘on file’ (meaning never to be looked at again until the store fell on desperate times).
He became tired of hearing the cheerful tingling of bells as he walks into door after door, seeing a dozen brightly decorated storefront in a matter of a few hours.
The worst part is he’s pretty sure whatever he found saying that it was a hotspot for witches, clearly lied. He can’t so much as find a decent hat in the few clothing stores he finds. Well, it’s that, or a sinking feeling starts in his gut that maybe it is a hot spot. And there are just not enough witches for even a single storefront.
The light is getting low as Tubbo considers defeat. He has enough money for at least a month of rent, maybe he can settle on an apartment first. Though he hadn’t even considered looking into which ones had empty spaces, and none of the ones he passed that day had anything signifying that they were looking for new tenants.
Well, he’s screwed.
He groans, approaching a repair shop. It doesn’t have a hiring sign, but Tubbo’s willing to try anything. He walks in, his expression somewhat tense as he approaches the counter. He smells the oil and grease in the front room, and a new man with bright green hair sits at the register fiddling with some sort of car part Tubbo’s not familiar with.
“Welcome, I’ll get to you in a minute.” He glances up, turning the screwdriver one more time before addressing Tubbo. “Name’s Sam, what can I help you with?”
“I’m… looking for a job, and I was just wondering if you’re hiring?” Tubbo asks nervously.
Sam looks him over, glancing down at his bags. His expression perks curiously as he sees a book peeking out.
“Wait- are you a witch?”
“Huh?” Tubbo blinks.
“That book there.” Sam gestures. “That's a potion book right?”
“I- um… yes?”
“So you are a witch.”
Tubbo bites his lip but nods. “I’m pretty new to it, I took a break in high school to focus on studying. I’m hoping to find a teacher.”
“Man, you’re in a rough area if you’re looking into that sort of stuff.” He lets out a long sigh, rubbing his neck as he leans back in his chair. “I’ve only seen a few witches around this city, and I only know one.”
“You know one?” Tubbo’s expression brightens. Does Sam know a witch he can learn from? Though if Sam doesn’t seem confident he’ll have an easy time, he can’t imagine they’re close. It still can’t hurt to try and ask.
“Yeah, he’s a really nice guy. I think he’s a bit reclusive though. I’ll tell him you’re around.” He offers, and Tubbo agrees fervently.
“Thank you so much!”
Sam nods with a laugh. “I don’t know if I believe all that stuff, but I know you guys do so I’ll help out how I can.”
“Right, and I uh, didn’t catch if you were hiring or not?” Tubbo pushes back to his original question. After so many hours of disappointment, even some progress makes everything seem just a bit lighter.
“Oh…” Tubbo’s expression falls with Sam’s. Everything returns to how it was just a moment ago, his stomach dropping. “Sorry, no I’m not. I run this place alone mostly. But I do think I know a shop just down the next street, it’s a craft store. I can’t exactly remember the name and it closed a minute ago. You probably can’t get in but you can try to catch the woman who runs it before she heads home for the day.”
His chest relaxes just barely, unable to fully release even with the good news. It should’ve made him feel good, but he’s not confident that his troubles are solved with the information. However, he braces himself, giving a wave to Sam as he rushes out the door.
“Thanks! I’ll come back and you can tell me about that witch later!”
He needed to make it to the shop before the owner left. If it just closed, he’s not far according to Sam.
Tubbo runs along the sidewalk, his feet pounding on the concrete as he rushes forward. He finds his face making abrupt contact with a familiar figure. He attempts to catch himself as he falls to the ground, grabbing onto a light pole as the man’s box goes tumbling over onto the sidewalk.
Various jars of herbs and books are spread about, some rolling away as Tubbo goes running after them. He manages to grab two, turning to the man he’d knocked over. He’s attempting to steady himself before grabbing for other jars. When Tubbo turns, however, he looks up. His black hair falls slightly on his face.
“Jackass!” Quackity grumbles before blinking and staring as he sees him. “Wait- Tubbo?”
“Hey Q-" Tubbo waved slowly, walking over to hand him the jars. "Sorry about that..."
"Hey, don't even worry about it." Quackity shakes his head, fixing up the box and picking it back up.
“How… how have you been?” Tubbo asks, giving an awkward smile.
“Good?” Quackity rubs his neck. “I mean, just, restocking the shop.” He laughs. “Same as usual.”
“You have a shop now?” Tubbo asks, his eyes widening. It seemed a somewhat new direction for Quackity to go in, though Tubbo hadn’t seen Quackity in a while.
He nods, smiling brightly. “Yeah! It’s just down the street, it’s uh,” He shakes his head as he adjusts how he holds the box. “It’s not much, but I manage. Been looking to hire some help recently.”
“Oh, really? Cool.” Tubbo nods. “Sounds hard I guess?”
Quackity shrugs. “Just hard to find someone I trust to help.” He looks at Tubbo with a small tilt of his head for just a moment. “Would you want to come see it?”
“Me?” Tubbo asks, staring at Quackity with wide eyes.
Quackity laughs. “I mean, you’re a witch too, yeah? Might find something you like. I’ve got all sorts of potion ingredients, books, whatever you need. Not really a lot of witches around, so it's a bit of a one-stop-shop."
"If you're sure-" Tubbo gives a half-hearted smile. He feels it would seem mean to decline, not to mention he could use the help from Q… And he probably wouldn’t be able to catch the craft shop lady anyway.
"Absolutely!" Quackity nods. "It's been so long man, we should catch up. You can tell me what you've been up to."
They start to walk down the street, cars and people passing by as the sun beats down overhead. Quackity smiled as he glances at Tubbo.
Tubbo doesn't meet his eyes as he looks ahead. "You said there's not a lot of witches around?"
"Nope, not exactly a hotspot." Quackity says. "Probably why I wanted to move out here. No one really knows me. "
Tubbo looks more closely at his reflection in the window of the shops they pass by at this. He sees as his expression tenses. There were certain things he would rather leave back home.
"Anyways." Quackity shakes his head at Tubbo's silence, "What about you? You were training as a witch around the same time I was, how's that going?"
"It's going great!" Tubbo nods, trying to make his expression more cheerful. "Yeah, I finished school and well, now I'm here."
“How’s that treating you?” He asked curiously.
“Awesome!” Tubbo says, a tense beat to his tone. “Just great.”
It would be going fine if he could just find a job.
Quackity turns them down an alley, they pass a few other shop fronts. Even though it isn't that dingy or even small, the walls had few windows and there weren't many people.
Stairs guide them further, and Tubbo can make out the shop fronts and signs. He vaguely wondered how hard it would be to make a living in such a back area of the city.
One sign is listed for a local artist, another for a tattoo parlor, and then Tubbo sees the sign. It's an old-style wooden sign with a book and plant-like engravings around it. Across the book is engraved The Nine Hazels.
Quackity pulls out a set of keys, sticking one into the door and adjusting his grip on the box as he attempts to turn it.
"Here- I'll help." Tubbo cuts in, grabbing the box to Quackity’s visible relief.
When Quackity opens the door, Tubbo can't help but stare. It's small, but the shelves are lined with glittering crystals, scrying orbs, bottles, and jars of various herbs. An ornate table is covered in books with a sign reading 'witch essentials'.
The walls also had strings with hanging plants, and Tubbo saw a few crates with different roots and yet more herbs. It gave the entire shop a slightly musty scent.
The wood of the floorboards creaked as Tubbo walked across them, barely muffled by the large rug Quackity had laid beneath the tables and shelves. A set of stairs led to a second level, consisting of a walkway that circles the shop and looks down on the first floor. More shelves cover the walls with a mixture of old and new-looking books.
He takes a breath in the doorway and experiences something familiar, it feels like a mug of cocoa on a winter's day or sitting at the kitchen counter after school. But it also has the feeling of stepping through a portal, as if one side of the door is the present and the other is the past with the door as the gateway between.
"Mind if I help you put these away?" Tubbo asks Quackity as he sets the box on a weathered-looking counter.
He still feels a bit bad from knocking it over earlier. He hopes Quackity isn't too upset about it. Besides, he also wants to spend just a little more time in the shop and see everything.
"Not at all." Quackity smiles. "I appreciate it Tubbo."
As Quackity begins to fix the displays, Tubbo works to put away the jars of herbs on the shelves and set the books in their place.
As he works, Tubbo looks closer at some of the books, absent-mindedly flipping through them. Soon after he's done, and Quackity is sorting the cash register.
"Hey I've got a bit before I should be home," Quackity points out as he notices Tubbo finish. "Why don't I treat you to some dinner?"
"Oh- uh…" Tubbo tries to think of an excuse for why he can't, too busy? No, he just offered to help Quackity with the shop. His parents want him home wouldn't work, even when they had lived in the same city. "Sure."
"Great!" Quackity says, grabbing his keys from off the counter. "Let's go then, there's a great cafe just on the other side of the alley."
Tubbo follows Quackity the short walk there, the two remaining silent the entire time. He vaguely wonders if Quackity notices how awkward everything became between them. Though Tubbo also hopes he doesn't realize, as he himself didn't want to unpack everything there.
Tubbo figures maybe he should break the ice. "So, Q. Other than the shop, any new developments recently? Any new partners or…?"
"Partners?" Quackity blinks before shaking his head. "Definitely not." He laughs, and Tubbo notes it's a bit more strained than before. "I've decided to take a break from all that stuff for now."
"Oh. Sorry." Tubbo didn't realize it was such a touchy spot for Quackity. Though he supposes he should've guessed.
"Don't worry." Quackity assures. "It's just a long story." He admits.
Tubbo tilts his head slightly but nods, "Yeah, I uh, I get it."
He thought he did at least, he had been pretty sure he knew what Quackity’s issue was. However, Tubbo was also realizing the way Quackity was talking about it didn't make sense.
They reach the cafe, sitting down with a couple of sandwiches and drinks a moment later out front in the metal seats looking out at the street.
"How have you been liking the city so far?" Quackity asks, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
“Haven’t been here long, but… it’s nice.” He nods.
“Right, sorry yeah you probably haven’t.” Quackity sighs. “Well, that’s okay. Look if you need any help or literally anything, don’t be afraid to reach out.”
“Oh no, I’m good!” Tubbo finds himself coughing a moment as he sets down his coffee. “Really Q. Everything’s great. No need to worry about me.”
“Look Tubbo.” His gaze softens slightly. “I know it’s tough getting started in a new place. But you don’t need to be intimidated. The area’s really great.”
“Yeah- it uh… it sure is.” Tubbo nods. And that’s why he’s struggling just to find a place to get back into magic, with Quackity’s shop being the only one around for miles. That’s why he’s been finding it so hard just to connect with people.
“Besides.” Quackity continues. “I’m sure you’ll figure out a job in no time with how smart you are.”
Tubbo inhales sharply at the bit of praise. “Oh, yeah. Thanks, that’s what I’m hoping for.”
They sit for a moment, continuing to snack for a bit. Tubbo’s grateful it’s not on his own dime, at least he’d have something to eat. He also still needed a job, maybe Quackity knew someone hiring?
“Um.” Tubbo finally speaks up. “I actually was wondering, I’m still looking for a job but uh, I can’t seem to figure anything out. Do you have any idea who’s hiring around here?”
Quackity leans back thoughtfully. “Well, not really. All the people I know got their positions filled for now. I can ask around though.”
“That- yeah thanks!”
“Here.” Quackity took out his phone, “Give me your number and I’ll text you when I ask.”
Tubbo pauses, he hadn’t meant to imply they should stay in contact. Though the more he thinks about it, he… kind of did.
“Oh, yeah.” He tells Quackity his number and checks that it’s right.
Soon they finish and clear the table. The barista looks at them with a slightly annoyed expression, and Tubbo glances at the clock. They definitely were almost to the closing time, and the rest of the cafe had emptied in the time it took them to finish chatting.
“Well anyways, should I take you home? It’s getting late and this area isn’t exactly the safest at night.”
Tubbo shakes his head. “Nope! I’ll be fine!” He says quickly, standing up.
“At least let me walk you to the building?” Quackity offers. “It’ll give us a chance to keep talking.”
He takes a poignant pause but nods. It is genuinely nice getting to catch up with Quackity, and Tubbo wishes he wasn’t reminded of home every time he sees the man. But he can handle a little walk down the street.
It’s a quiet night, the lights low along the city streets, and with his outfit, Quackity almost blends in against the dark buildings. He glances up at his hat as well, should he get one? He didn’t have to, but if it got him back into things then maybe wearing something a little more formal wouldn’t be too bad.
Everything is calm in the evening, the streets cooled off after the hot day. Few people walk by them, leaving things quieter than even he is used to. The air hums with grogginess, their footsteps are muffled against the pavement.
They pass by dimly lit window after window, Tubbo eventually stopping by what appears to be an apartment building with multiple layers. He maybe didn’t have his living situation figured out, but he didn’t need help with it.
“Well- this is my stop.” He says cheerfully. Maybe it even could be, if he could just grab a place for the evening or longer.
“You live here?” Quackity asks, raising an eyebrow.
“I- yes?” Tubbo tilts his head. “Is there something wrong?”
“Oh, nothing, I just didn’t know you lived in the office district.” And Tubbo sees the way his eyes betray his humor at the situation.
His own face flushes pink at the uncovering of his white lie. “Um, no I don’t. I must have gotten the direction wrong. Everything looks the same around here anyways.”
His humor turns into slight annoyance as he sighs. “I know that’s not true. Is… everything really okay Tubbo?”
“Yeah- of course! Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Because you are a really bad liar.”
“I… I said I’m fine Q.” Tubbo shakes his head. And it is true. He knows how to handle himself just fine. He had a few slip-ups, but that’s normal. He can handle everything on his own. “You don’t need to baby me. I would not move out here if I didn’t have a solid plan.”
“I’m beginning to believe that less and less.” Quackity points out.
“No really.” Tubbo takes a breath. He has to be okay. Because he doesn’t have somewhere else to go, except maybe back home.
“So then, where are you staying? You don’t even have a job.” He reminds him. “At least tell me you came with some money.”
“Of course I did!” He nods, taking out a card. “I saved up a bunch just to come to the city! I’m not helpless.”
“Then why did you lie about this being your building?” Quackity asks, raising an eyebrow.
“I um.” Tubbo glances down at his bags and back up at him. It probably hadn’t been exactly the smartest plan to go off as he did. But he’d needed the fresh start. And how he has no idea how to actually get the start part. He swallows harshly. “Okay yeah, I really need some advice…”
“Alright. Shoot.”
And when he looks into his eyes, everything he’d been bottling up the entire day comes spilling out at once. “I have no clue what I’m doing- I can’t find anywhere to live and there’s no jobs anywhere for me. I barely graduated after you were gone… I was hoping maybe you knew where I could go but then you didn’t-”
“Hey, listen. Tubbo that’s alright,” He’s cut off as he takes a deep breath. “Look we’re long-time friends aren’t we?”
That’s certainly a way to describe it. The best way? The most accurate way? No, but it is a way to describe them. And he’s not sure how he feels about Quackity voicing it in that particular way.
“I- yeah?” He nods.
“How about this.” Quackity offers. “I let you stay with me for a week. We see how it goes, and you repay me by helping out with the shop while you’re there. If you need longer we can look at it at the end of the week. You can go try to apply when you have some time.”
“Are you sure?” Tubbo asks nervously. He didn’t want to worry Quackity, but it did seem like a pretty nice idea. He just hopes it works out. It seems like it can, and if he did well it sounds like he maybe even has a full position.
“Absolutely, Tubbo I’m not just going to leave you out on the street, who do you think I am?” Quackity snorts. “Come on, I’ll take you to my place. I have a spare bedroom you can crash in.”
“I’m not…” Tubbo glances down.”I really wouldn’t want to bother you with all that.”
“It’s no problem, don’t worry.” Quackity gives a reassuring smile that makes Tubbo’s shoulders loosen just a bit.
“Thank you, Q…”
“Yeah yeah, I know.” He rolls his eyes and starts walking. “I’m great.”
He follows Quackity. He has, not exactly a happy feeling, but a relieved one. That’s one, and maybe two problems handled. What he was going to do next, he wasn’t sure. But at the very least he didn’t have to figure it out that night. He had the entire week to work on it.
And an entire week with Q, which did make his stomach turn just slightly. But he’d just have to get over it. Quackity’s right, how he tried to handle the situation wasn’t exactly the smartest. He hadn’t stayed before when Quackity needed someone, but this time… maybe he was worth sticking with.