Chapter Text
Clinks of metal utensils hitting against porcelain plates fill the room as various wholesome conversations drown each other. Their bright smiles and piercing laughter makes Tommy's acid rising up to a lump in his throat, slamming his palm to his mouth in reflex to avoid it from escaping. He forces it down his throat and a shudder follows, receiving a watchful eye from someone he doesn't bother himself enough to raise his head. He's quite content with staring at his fucking feet, thank you very much.
He grits his deadly fangs and curls his fists towards his pyjamas, waiting for this fucking act to end. Why is he here? Are they trying to let his guard down to spill the beans about Schlatt?
Sucks to be them, he has no fucking clue why he was brought there in the first place. He heard about the twat dying and it lightened his chest for a short while before realizing that he wanted to kill the prick himself. Heart attack is too easy for the bastard to deserve. He doesn't get to earn the easy way out like the man. If he wishes it hard enough, will someone give it to him? He'll even serve his neck on a silver platter if it means for them to give him a painless death. He's fucking sick of having to endure everything just to survive another day. The lump in his throat lingers and forces himself to swallow it, raises his head with a scowl to give them a fucking piece of his mind.
No more games. Let's just get to the fucking point of this shit.
"Let's just fucking get this over with," Tommy murmurs with his teeth still clenched.
The silence suddenly fills the air, feeling all eyes burning towards him in all directions.
"What do you mean?" It is Wilbur who breaks the silence after everyone seems to stare at him, making a silent conversation about letting him do the talking.
"Don't be a pretentious prick, Wilbur. I know why I'm here, so let's just fucking get this over with." Tommy growls as he reaches his hand towards his scarf but grabs at nothing.
He fucking forgot that he left his backpack with all his belongings back at that planet. He'll just make a quick stop there to retrieve it. He just hopes that no one took it yet or some animal already tore it to shreds.
"I... I genuinely don't know what you're talking about, Tommy. What is this about?" Wilbur asks as he arches a brow, sounding confused. The asshole .
"You all brought me here to fucking gather information about the bitch Aries and Joker, right? Why don't you just bring me to the HQ and interrogate the fuck out of me, torture me till your heart's content if you have to so I'll fucking spill the beans?!" Tommy spats as he forces the hot tears back from flowing out, ignoring the throbbing pain in his chest that render him breathless.
This isn't his family. It hasn't been in a long time since Phil took him in just to replace a dead person. To make them happy despite not being complete anymore. He was supposed to be happy when someone needed him.
He's not.
Even though he wags like a fucking loyal dog at every praise and cuddle they gave him, it doesn't make him happy when he was just used to accept those since a dead person can't receive them anymore.
If being dead gets this much love and attention, he'd rather be one than this .
"Cut the fucking act, already! Just do whatever you want from me and get this over with, so I could go back to my hell for a fucking life!" Tommy slams the table with both palms as he rises from his seat, the chair falls back instantly and fat tears roll down his gaunt cheeks.
His exaggerated breaths fill the suffocating air for a while, accompanied by sniffs from his runny nose and alternation between broken sobs and short gasps.
"Tommy, I swear on my life that we didn't bring you here for that." Phil says in a soft tone as he stands from his seat, walking towards Tommy and picking up the fallen chair back up. He pauses for a few seconds as he sees Tommy flinch tremendously but continues to move the seat a few distance from the teen.
"Cut the bullshit, Philza Minecraft . I know a manipulative attitude when I fucking see one. I'm not as idiotic as you might all think." Tommy growls as he curls his fists on top of the table, rendering his knuckles bone white. "I already experienced it firsthand too many times." He mumbles under his breath, but Phil's pained expression is enough indication that he heard it.
"I don't care what you think but let me tell you this. Phin told us that he already handled everything during his meeting with Callahan. So, you won't have to do anything about the recent incident since he explained and answered everything for you. He was vague about it though, so we don't really know the details." Techno taps his finger as he rests his fist towards his cheek and elbow on the table as he explains.
"Oh, if you don't know yet. Phin is technically Philza but wears red and has a terrible attitu—" Wilbur rushes in to explain but is interrupted halfway.
"I fucking know who Redza is. You don't have to educate me for the person who saved me." Tommy sighs and sits again on his chair as he roughly wipes away the tears with his sleeve, leaning his back on the wood as he mutters.
He feels the heavy sensation lighten up at the thought of Phin. He really did take care of it.
Thank the fuck, he doesn't have to deal with it again.
Tommy is awakened by the freezing sensations on his feet, and the cool breeze brushing against his pristine white skin. He really should fix his body problem as he probably looks like a walking corpse, considering how gaunt his body is. He needs to eat more to gain fat, to stay healthy, to stay fit, to not break when he encounters a bigger enemy that even he can't triumph against. But he can't. He just can't . No matter how he tries, his stomach feels heavy even with just a bite. He fears vomiting everything when his stomach feels like it can't carry all the food he intakes.
He used to enjoy meals, especially with a company or when someone made them for him. He used to gobble up all the food and enjoy every bite, asking for seconds to satisfy his never-ending appetite. Not anymore . He takes small bites just to barely fill his stomach but at the same time prevents it from being upset, risking spilling everything out into disgusting mash of gunk and acid.
The beautiful, twinkly night sky makes him realize that he's outside the house. He scans his surroundings, and the realization punches him through his guts like a twat, leaving him incapacitated for a long while. He's done it again. It didn't cross his mind until now that he's doing the exact same thing he experienced back at that hell. It sends a chill down his spine, rendering his body to shudder either from the horrid images coming back to him or the freezing water, drenching him and his pyjamas all the way to his knees. He bolts out towards the sandy areas of the seaside, away from the pulling urge to stay on the sea and lets it pull him down to the depths of the cold void.
Tommy's hairs stand on end as he finally feels the cold sticking to his skin. Suddenly, a familiar smell passes through his nose and follows it back to its source. In the distance, he spots a towering man standing by the edge of the sand near the water, staring towards the starry horizon with his hazel eyes as he blows off gray smoke out of his mouth. He stands still for a moment to process the situation. The fucking bitch is smoking again, even after all the threats and measures he had to do just to force him to stop. He never learns, does he?
Wilbur seems to notice him, as he jumps with a yelp and slaps his free hand to his chest, heaving a breath for a moment before relaxing his shoulders to calm down. With his other hand, he places the lit cigarette back to his lips and waves a hand to Tommy, inviting the teen to join him. Tommy, however, hesitates to take a step forward, thinking of his life choices whether to accept the offer or just run the fuck away from there. His feet bring him to the man's side before he can process it. Fuck.
The two stare towards the starry sky, letting the gentle breeze blow over them as they enjoy the comfortable silence. But Tommy decides to sigh tiredly and break the silence.
"You started to smoke again," Tommy mumbles, his voice almost drowned out by the clashing waves.
Wilbur gasps, dropping the cigarette from his gaping mouth as he stares for a long time towards Tommy but doesn't say a thing. Though, he takes a new stick from his pyjamas pocket and places it to his jammed mouth. Fine.
"If you're gonna fucking blow up a steam, at least do it right." Tommy sighs deeply as he reaches his hand and pulls out the cigarette off Wilbur's mouth, earning a betrayed scoff from the brunette as he turns the stick and places it back to the man's mouth, the filter now pressed on his lips instead.
Tommy digs his hand towards Wilbur's coat pocket, while the skyscraper for a bitch yelps like a girl, and takes out a small box, pulling out a stick, presses it on his own dried lips, and drops the box back to the man's pocket. The adult continues to stare at him with wide eyes as if Tommy can answer all the mysteries of the multiverse. His dragged sigh snaps Wilbur back to his staring contest with the stretching sea.
"Aren't you gonna light these?" Tommy says, staring towards the cigarettes as emphasis.
Wilbur forms an 'oh' with his mouth, flickers the lighter to life and lights the two white sticks, shoving the metal back to his coat pocket shortly after.
The two puff a gray smoke towards the chilly air, enjoying the tranquility of the surroundings, but Tommy chokes from the smoke, coughing repeatedly for a few moments. He sticks out his mouth in disgust, feeling a stray tear coming out from his eye. Why is this flavor so fucking terrible? He prefers to use the original flavor rather than... whatever the fucking abomination this is . He shudders, the hair on his body stands on end just by how disgusting it is.
"Are you alright? You looked like you were in excruciating pain over there." Wilbur asks as he chuckles awkwardly, holding the lit stick between his index finger and thumb.
"What do you fucking think? Why did you have to choose the most disgusting flavor in the multiverse? Jesus fucking Christ! I can't get it off my fucking tongue!" Tommy exclaims as he continues to cough and clears his raspy throat.
"Aren't you too young to smoke? You won't croak over there like a fucking fish if you didn't try to act cool and try one," Wilbur places the stick back to his mouth and inhales the smoke.
"I'm not a child, dickhead! I'm sixteen, so I'm already a fucking adult." Tommy clears his throat once more then scoffs, resting the cigarette back between his pressed lips without using it this time. Disgusting. "I already know how to fucking smoke. It's just your shit taste buds that almost killed me."
"From other countries and planets, you’re not. And what's wrong with this flavor?” Wilbur scoffs. “It's good and soothing, though. Excuse me for having a mature taste bud that won't satisfy your childish palette."
"I'll have you know I'm the most mature man there is, enough for women to fall for me. I'm just too pog for you to understand."
"Whatever you say, gremlin." Wilbur chuckles, creeping a smirk on his face.
Another stretch of silence fills the air as they stare towards the horizon once more, seeing the sun peak over the sea.
"Can I ask you a question?" It is Wilbur who breaks the silence. Can't he just fucking shut up?
"You already have, dickhead." Tommy sighs heavily.
"I'm serious."
"Fine. The stage is yours, theatre nerd."
"Wha—?" Wilbur cuts himself off and shakes his head before he continues. "It's been days since that happened and you were awake just recently, so I didn't have a chance to ask this. What's your relationship with Phin? Why was he so insistent on helping you? He even went as far as to negotiate with literally the boss of one of the most influential organizations in the multiverse. I know that prick isn't very kind towards anyone else apart from us. Heck, we just get along only because he's still technically Phil." He explains with a poker face as he waves the cigarette butt around with his fingers, the strong gust of wind extinguishes the light.
"He—He did that for me?" Tommy asks in a high-pitched tone, dumbfounded by the new discovery and makes his chest warm and light.
"Yeah. He did. He’s just like our Phil , being overprotected over the people he cared the most." Wilbur smiles softly as he faces the wide-eyed teen. "I'm so glad you get to be one of them."
"W-Why? Won't you g-get mad a stranger is ruining your relationship or fucking whatever?" Tommy asks, his voice wavers and he clenches his teeth at the end.
"Why would I? If he cares that much about you, that means you're worth it." Wilbur pats Tommy's shoulder and instead of shying away, the teen leans towards the touch.
"Thanks." Tommy mumbles and bows his head as he feels a lump in his throat.
"So, your answer? You haven't given it yet." Wilbur drops the cigarette butt towards the sand as he asks, tucking in both hands towards his coat pockets.
"Just a friend," Tommy replies with a smile on his face. Technically uncle or father since he's basically still Phil, is left unsaid.
"Not another one!" Wilbur dramatically says as he rests the back of his hand towards his forehead. "We're gonna be a family filled with children if Redza as well will decide to adopt you. That old man may act edgy and shit, but he's just like his twin."
"I'm not a child!" Tommy spats, but the thought of being adopted (despite it already happened) might've cleanse all the negativity that weighed within him all this time.
"Shut up, child. I know you enjoy it with just how red your face is. You look like a tomato." Wilbur retorts with a smirk.
"I DO NOT! I don't want to hear that from someone who smoked with the cigarette on backwards!" Tommy scoffs as he points an accusing finger towards the surprised adult.
"I've got something on my mind that I didn't notice it being—" Wilbur exclaims as he places his hand towards his chest but is cut off by the overlapping voice.
"Meh, meh, meh, meh. I'm Wilbur and I fucking suck at smoking just to look edgy and shit towards my fish for a wife!" Tommy mocks as he opens and closes his extended fingers, imitating a puppet mouth.
"How do you even fucking know that?! That wasn't intentional, I swear! I thought Sally shapeshifted into a fucking salmon, so I had no choice but to do that!" Wilbur's face flushes red as he shakes the teen's shoulders back and forth with trembling hands.
"Too bad Sally didn't accept your proposal. Sucks to be you," Tommy snickers.
"EVEN THAT?!" Wilbur pulls his hair with both hands in defeat.
"I'm powerful and shit. I know all about your fuck-ups." Tommy puffs his chest as he crosses his arms. "Do you want me to tell you the story when you accidentally killed Phil on that one planet and—" He says in a smug expression but is cut off when Wilbur's hand slams towards his mouth, only producing muffled sounds instead of coherent statements.
"Don't. Please, I beg you." Wilbur shudders as he tightens his hold on Tommy's mouth, looking like he's about to shed tears. What a sad, old man.
Tommy stares at the brunette with confidence, implying that shutting his mouth is a pointless effort and he'll spill all of the man's humiliating secrets, possibly breaking his spirit in the process comically.
"Stop talking about my embarrassing secrets," Wilbur commands with his harmonizing voice, sending suggestions directly to the teen's brain and forcefully rewriting his actions.
Tommy behaves for a while, making Wilbur slowly remove his hand from his mouth and steps further back, shoulders lax from the chaos finally dying down. However, the scheming teenager knows in his head that for a long time, his friend's charm may successfully enter through his brain. That doesn't mean it worked the way it was intended, though .
"Or do you want me to tell you about the time when you accidentally used whipped cream instead of shaving cream during April Fool's?" Tommy adds in a smug way.
"Wha—? How can you still fucking speak?" Wilbur sputters as his eyes widen in horror.
"What can I say? I'm too great for your stupid powers. No one shall command me except the greatest man himself." Tommy shrugs as he grins ear to ear.
"I regret branding you as my potential brother." Wilbur mumbles under his breath, his eyes lost all spirit as he laughs softly in defeat.
"Too late. You can't revoke it once it's already been decided. You're stuck with me now."
"It seems so. Just you wait, beansprout. One way or another, I'll get back at you tenfold even if it takes me forever." Wilbur points his finger towards Tommy, the fire in his eyes is revived as he declares.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Tommy smirks confidently as he places his hand between them and Wilbur gladly shakes it, mirroring the blonde's expression.
Tommy forgets all his doubts. He forgets all his worries. He forgets all the piling problems awaiting to ruin him from the inside. For now, he enjoys the moment with his head held up high.