Chapter Text
Tommy's legs shake as the sound dies out, only to pick up as metal hits metal. He can only listen through the thin tent walls as the battle pick up. Yells sound throughout the valley, and Tommy can do nothing to stop them. He’s legs collapse underneath him, slamming his head into the floor.
Lying on the cold dirt floor Tommy has never felt more useless. He’s not strong enough to be a good weapon, and yet not weak enough to go against Dream. So he lets the cold seep into his bones as the fight rages on. Tommy winces at every loud hit, the scraping metal feels like death to his ears.
A selfish voice echoes in his head with every scream, begging that it's not Techno, Phil, or Wilbur. Tommy hates himself for it. He hates himself so much for caring about the enemy, but he can’t stop the worry that floods through his mind at every thud that hits the floor.
The battle feels as if it goes on for centuries forcing Tommy to paw his ears, trying to block out the screams, the unsteady drip from what Tommy can only assume is blood that comes from only a few feet away from his tent. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to scream or cry. He had never felt so powerless. He wasn’t sure why Dream hadn’t come to get him. He could help, he knows he could. And yet he was still trapped in a tiny cage, covered by an old dark tent. Tommy closed his eyes, there was no point in them being open, it wasn’t like he could see anything in the musty tent.
Feet pounded closer to his tent, more growls and slashes grew louder as they did. That was until one last thud, Tommy winces at the horrible sound, curling into himself as best he can. Tommy feels sick, he feels sick and he shouldn’t. This is nothing new to him, he has seen death his whole life, he has killed before. But this time he can perfectly picture one of the werewolves with blood leaking from their mouths, their eyes frozen in a far-off look as they lie motionless on the ground.
The image of it shouldn’t make him feel as awful as he did. Shouldn’t make his stomach churn uncomfortable, but it does. Tommy should be thrilled if they were to die, but he can’t stop himself from feeling so opposed to it. An evil thought lingers in his mind, whispering that he would never care this much if Dream died. The worst thing is, sometimes the most vile thoughts are true.
Tommy finds that his stomach doesn’t lurch every time he thinks about what would happen if Dream died like it does when he thinks about the monsters. It's a horrible realization, one that only serves to make him feel even worse.
Tommy lies his head down on the cold floor, his eyes still closed tight as he tries to drown out his thoughts. His ears stuck to his skull as the battle seems to only get closer, driving the soldiers into the heart of the camp. The thought makes Tommy worry a bit less, because that means the monsters are winning. That Dream is being cornered in his own territory.
Blue light leaks through Tommy's eyelids. At first, he thinks it's just because he’s squeezing them shut too hard, but as he blinks them open it becomes apparent that his wrong. Harsh light streams into the tent as the flaps are pushed back. A silhouette of a head stuck out against the bright light. Tommy squinted at the person, only to see red eyes staring back. It feels as if a weight has been lifted off his chest, Techno’s alive. He is alive and Tommy never felt more conflicted.
“There you are runt,” Techno sighs, his furrowed eyebrows seemed to drop in relief at the sight of Tommy. When Dream found Tommy he was angry, but Technos not. Tommy swallows down the thought, he doesn’t know what else to do.
Techno takes a quick look around, watching for soldiers, before he picks up a decently sized rock. He rears back before slamming it into the lock around Tommy's cell, snapping it off. Tommy slowly stands on shaky legs as the cell door creeks open.
Techno reaches in and against everything Tommy shifts, falling into Techno's arms as he does. He’s too tired to fight it, slowly he rests his head in the crook of Techno's neck. He feels safer than he ever did with Dream. Tommy lets the thoughts continue this time. Even if he is going against everything he has ever known it's somehow better than the constant battle in his head from before.
Tommy watches the fight from over Techno's shoulder. The once green field runs red as Phil and Wilbur cut down anyone who gets close enough. Tommy searches the ground, looking for a bright green hoodie.
He spots it eventually, glaring daggers at Tommy. His stomach drops as he realizes Dream’s alive. He should never have thought he could get away. Even as Techno runs Dream will always find him. He will never escape.
Tommy can’t draw his eyes away from the man even as Wilbur joins Techno and him and the edge of the woods, Phil walking through the field for one last check. Tommy watches as he walks right toward Dream, the text obscuring him from Phil's view.
“Oh thank god you're ok,” Wilbur whispers, gently cupping his face, trying to get him to look away from the massacre. Tommy shakes his head out of Wilbur's grip, making him frown, but Tommy doesn’t care. He doesn’t have time.
He can see Dream unsheathe his sword, waiting for Phil to pass. Tommy scrambles as fast as he can, kicking Techno in the legs. It surprises him enough to drop Tommy, who is quick to get to his shaky feet ignoring the searing pain it sents throughout his legs.
Tommy runs towards Dream, ignoring the confused yells that ring out behind him. He shifts even if it makes his legs shake. It hurts so much but he can’t stop. He can’t let Phil die. Phil has done more for him in the past few days than Dream ever did and he can’t ignore that any longer.
Tommy jumps at Dream's back tearing into his flesh. It tastes like dust in Tommys mouth. Dream falls to the floor with a loud grunt, not expecting the sudden pain. Tommy goes for the kill, ending the fight in mere seconds.
Tommy stares in horror as it hits him what he just did. He shifts yet again, standing over the dead body of the man who raised him. His hands shake. His breath speeds up as he watches the man’s chest exhale one last time before it goes still. He is a monster.
He’s a monster.
He has turned into the very thing Dream told him he would. He can only stand frozen as the others run up to him. He stands stiffly as Phil brings him into a hug.
“You did it mate, I'm so proud of you,” He talks into his hair. And even after everything, his heart swells at those words.
“Phil, I’m a monster. I killed him, he was right all along,” Tommy whispers. He can only watch as Phil drops to his knees in order to be at eye level with Tommy.
“You are not the monster here,” Phil tells him firmly, staring him in the eyes. “He was the monster for using you the way he did. You will never be a monster,” Tommy can feel his eyes fill with tears.
“So you don’t care about everything I’ve done? Phil, I have killed before this isn’t the first time!” Tommy cries out.
“And I don’t care, Tommy, none of us do. We know that wasn’t your fault. You are not the monster, that horrible man is for making you think you were, for making you kill,” Phil wipes the tears off his face as he speaks, a watery smile takes over his face as he does.
“No matter what that demon made you do you would still be a part of our family, our pack,” Phil says to him.
“You still want me?” Tommy asks, terrified for the answer, terrified of the denial that is surely to come.
“Always,” Phil whispers.
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Tommy smiles at the feeling of dirt under his nails. A large stack of potatoes sits in a basket next to him. A soft song floats through the air as Wilbur plays his guitar to get out of work. Tommy doesn’t mind though, he would probably throw dirt at him if he was helping with the garden.
Tommy can’t hold in his giggle as Techno sits up, dirt smeared over his face as he puts another potato in the basket. His laugh draws Phil's attention over, who chuckles with him, leaving Techno confused.
“Huh?” Techno voices his confusion. It only makes Tommy laugh harder. Phil throws Techno a cloth, but instead of catching it, it only wacks him in the face. Tommy feels as if he can’t breathe due to how hard his laughing. Wilbur’s music stops as he too joins the family in laughing at Techno.
Tommy wipes the happy tears from his eyes, as he does he can’t help but think that the best thing that happened to him was leaving. For who would he have if he hadn’t left Dream?