Work Text:
Prologue:
Tom stands at the edge of the Diaz residence in the middle of the night, staring at the out-of-place tower sticking out of the left of the building. He looks down to the window below the bottom of the tower. He stares for a minute then walks off with clenched fists, speaking softly under his breath “I’ll fix it.”
Part 1:
Marco sings jovially as he exits the shower and begins to blow-dry his hair when all of sudden a burst of red and yellow flames erupts behind him. Marco tries to scream but a pale hand covers his mouth and drags him through the fiery portal. The moment Marco was released he began to attack spastically until notices Tom pacing around the room, “Tom? What the hell, man?” Marco screams getting Tom’s attention.
“Marco, don’t get mad. I can explain”
“Explain what? You kidnapping me, AGAIN?” Marco is now fuming with rage.
“Well, yes actually, and didn’t you want me to kidnap you last time?” Tom retorts, offering Marco a seat.
Marco blushes “That’s beside the point, the point is that you kidnapped me now, oh and need I mention, I’m in a bath towel!” He says gesturing his sopping wet hair and purple towel.
Tom snaps his fingers and a wardrobe, looking like it belongs to the devil himself, opens up. “Your clothes are in there, I took the liberty of grabbing them as I left your house.” He goes back to pacing while Marco gets dressed.
“So what’s this about?” Marco says muffled while sliding his head through his shirt “You’ve been so concerned with how I’m feeling lately.” Zipping up his hoodie. Tom stops skulking for a second to glare at Marco then returns to it. “Okay, don’t answer me, I know well enough how to leave on my own” Marco bluffs.
Marco starts walking towards a random wall but Tom stops him in tracks with a fireball “sit down” he says surprisingly calm, Marco keeps walking, “I said sit” still calm.
Marco obliges “Okay Tom, I’m sitting. Wanna tell me what your plan is here?” His hands in the air
Tom thinks it over for a second “alright, here’s the thing… I have no idea what I’m doing or what the plan is!” He screams breaking his calm demeanor “I kidnapped you so Star would come to save you but she won’t even want to look at me after this! I’m such and idiot!” He cups his hands over his face.
Marco runs over to calm him down “Tom, why would you think that you have to kidnap me to get her attention? You’ve been so caring for both of us, in your own twisted way, she’d be happy to talk to you.”
When Marco explains this Tom breaks into a mix of laughter and crying “Why, why have I been so nice to you” as he says this a ring of burning flames form around the two of them. “I hate you Marco, you stole star from me, you stole my dance, you stole EVERYTHING from me… then why do I want you to be happy too.”
“You said why, you want to keep Star happy, right?”
Tom screams and with it the flames rise even higher. “I don’t just want to keep star happy, I want you to be as happy as she is for you!” the flames lower, “I want you to forgive me.” Tears forming in his eyes now.
“Forgive you for what?”
The demon looks Marco right in the eyes “For me being me” he looks back down in a wash of shame and sadness. “Even before Star people have said I’m too angry, even for a demon, only they said it behind my back. Star said it to my face but I was too bitter to see it when we broke up, then you came along and when I hurt you, truly caused you emotional pain, you made sure that I knew that I caused it.” Tom is now broken down to sobbing into the ground.
Marco stares at the broken demon with dumbfounded tears in his eyes “Tom…” without warning Marco punches Tom in the back “you jackass, you brought back Mackey Hand for me, you sang a duet of one of my favourite songs with me, you can be an angry, mean, jerk but you always make up for it or at least try your best to. That’s pretty cool to me”
Tom smiles lightly through the torrent of tears “I can’t believe this, the person I thought I hated the most is the person who sees the good in me…” Tom looks up and wipes his eyes “I’m still the king of evil though.” He reaffirms, the flames die down.
Marco grins widely “yeah, of course buddy” He helps Tom stand when Star comes screaming through a dimensional portal “Star!” The princess lands in front of them.
Star aims her wand at Tom “Marco get out of the way!”
Marco steps between Star and Tom “Star, wait, it’s fine” he gestures her to lower her wand “I’ll explain everything” he gives her a reassuring look.
She puts her wand down but is still on guard while Marco and Tom both explain what happened. “Tom, I didn’t know you were so guilty about everything… I’m sorry” She gives him a slightly reluctant hug “I’m still mad that you took Marco.” She moves over to Marco and hugs him with full force, squeezing him a little too tightly “I’m so glad that you’re safe.”
“Uh, Star, can I ask you something?” Tom hesitantly asks. Star nods “Can I speak with you alone for a moment?” Even after what happened both Star and Marco act defensively “You can wait right outside, Marco, I promise I won’t try anything.” He holds up his fingers for ‘scouts honour’.
“Okay, but be quick, okay?” Marco agrees and comforts Star.
Part 2:
After a few minutes of waiting outside of Tom’s lair, the gates open and Star comes out, looking a little off. “Hey, you alright?”
Star looks behind her “I can’t say what he and I talked about but I think he wants to see you now” her voice is a little weak and shallow.
Marco walks into Tom’s home again. “Hey, Marco” Tom comes forward “I wanted to ask you, before you leave, if sometime you would be okay with hanging out?” He almost sounds nervous.
Marco doesn’t seem to notice “Yeah, that’d be awesome!” He raises his hand for a high-five, Tom returns the gesture. “When were you thinking would be a good time to hang out?”
“I’m almost always free so just give me a call when you want, I’m sure you can use Star’s mirror” Tom tries not to sound too eager “I’m looking forward to it.”
“Absolutely.” He waves and heads home with Star.
Part 3:
A week or so has passed and Marco finally decides to call Tom. “Star, can I use your mirror for a minute?” Marco yells up to star who is on the upper level of her room.
“Sure!” Star yells “Who are you calling?” as if she needs to ask.
Marco goes up to the mirror phone “Call Tom” he says very clearly
“Calling Mom” the mirror replies in a monotonous voice.
“No no wait” Marco tries to stop the call but it’s too late.
“Star how are you- Marco?” The Queen of Mewni, Moon Butterfly answers the phone “What happened? Where’s star?” She immediately thinks of the worst case scenario.
“HI MOM!” Star yells and jumps into frame where her mom can see her.
“Oh Star, good to see that you’re alright. Why did marco call me though?” She pries
Marco waves apologetically “I was trying to call someone else, your highness, my bad”
“I see, well it was good to talk to you but I have work to do” she hangs up before Marco could respond.
Marco has Star place the call to Tom “Thank you Star” Marco says before Tom answers the phone. “Hey Tom! How ya doin?” Marco Exclaims excitedly
“MARCO!” Tom is clearly very happy to see him “I’m good, how’re you?”
Marco is taken aback by Tom “Uh, good, you seem to be in a good mood?” He inquires
Tom realizes how overly excited he seemed and takes it down a notch “oh, sorry, I was just having a good game of ping-pong earlier against myself” Tom snaps his finger and a clone of himself appears “don’t worry, he’s just a poor copy that I control with my mind, he’s not real”
“Hey, alright, you good to hang out? I was thinking we could meet in the park?” Tom nods. “Great, see you in an hour?” Tom gives a thumbs up and waves off. Happily Marco goes to get ready to head out.
Half an hour passes and Marco begins his outing “see ya Star, don’t wait up!” He runs out the door and jogs to the park, halfway there he starts to think “I never thought I’d be this hyped to hang out with Tom of all people” he stops “I’ve never been this hyped to hang out with anyone before… except maybe Jackie or Star.” He smiles “Tom really has changed, hasn’t he?” He thinks aloud “he must’ve if Star trusts him.” His mind returns to a week ago, how Star looked and sounded “Unless…” before his thoughts could progress Tom showed up.
“Hey, Marco!” Tom walks to him with a toothy grin on his face “have you been waiting long?” He’s wearing a black crop cut tank top, surprisingly intact blue jeans, his usual cowboy boots and his spiked collar and bracelets.
Marco waves “no not at all” he raises his hand for a fist-bump and Tom bumps his fist. “So what do you want to do?”
Tom points to the street where his flaming-horse drawn carriage is waiting. “Small road trip?” Tom offers
“Oh hell yes!” Marco yells and they run off to start their day out.
Part 4:
The carriage has more space inside than out, allowing room for a quality entertainment area and living quarters, the familiar space brings back memories for Tom and Marco but they ignore that in favor of having a good time. “So where are you planning on taking us? Marco asks.
“Hell and back, literally” Tom conjures a map in his hands “this is our route” he points to where they are and follows the dotted line straight downward “so once we get down to my town we go through the major landmarks” Tom goes on and on until he notices Marco’s worried expression “Don’t worry, it’s actually safer than Mewni” Marco is skeptical but he agrees nonetheless. “You ready to go?”
Marco breathes deep “yeah, let’s do this!” Tom smirks and snaps his fingers, suddenly the entire coach, horse and all, get shot down into the depths of the underworld. They land “Holy Hell!” Almost fainting Marco looks at Tom who is completely unfazed.
“Sorry for the rough drop, it’s the fastest way to get here, let me get you some water” He snaps his fingers again and a cup of cold water appears. “Here ya go”
Marco chugs the cup in a few seconds, wiping his mouth with his sleeve when he’s done. “I’ve been meaning to ask, what’s with the snapping?” He asks, panting
“Oh, I don’t really need to do it since I only need to think a command and it happens but I was told that it serves as a good warning to people who can’t read my mind” Marco can’t tell if he’s joking or not. “Anyway, welcome formally to Hell, more specifically the underworld dimension.” He opens the door and motions Marco to look outside.
It’s a landscape of burning pits and wild monsters roaming a fleshy ground, in the distance are several volcanoes and a very intimidating castle. “I’m stunned! This is the most metal thing I’ve ever seen” Marco leaves his mouth agape.
“Take it in slowly, it can be staggering for a first timer” He puts his hand on Marco’s shoulder, “This is my home, Marco, this is where I grew up” a sudden sentiment comes to his voice, “It’s a scary, outright traumatizing world, but it’s where I call home and where one day I’ll be king” He smiles softly. “Well let’s get going, we’re killing brimstone-light. Without even snapping his fingers the carriage takes off running.
To be continued...