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Phil had sent Techno out to hunt anything he could find so he could blow off some steam and Tommy usually left to go hang out with Tubbo and Ghostbur. Which meant he had a good chunk of time to get the house prepared for what he was planning.
Techno liked listening to Phil’s stories no matter how many times he heard them. Phil had asked Techno why when the piglin was much younger and he had said that there were no bad endings and he knew how it ended. The stability of the stories was something he enjoyed.
Wilbur much preferred singing and music to Phil’s stories but when Phil pointed out that stories can be turned into poems which can be turned into songs he got more into it. Phil wondered if Ghostbur still liked music.
Tommy did like Phil’s stories but the ones that played out more like fairy tales. The ones where Phil was slaying dragons, or taking down hordes of zombies, or ones where Phil saved people.
And with Tommy and Ghostbur missing chunks of their memory, he figured the best way to maybe help jog their memory was by telling them stories. Ones from his travels, ones from them as kids, maybe letting Techno tell some from his adventures if he was up to it.
So he wanted to make the house comfortable.
Phil laid blankets down, placed a couple of pillows all near the fireplace which he hadn’t lit yet, and when Techno said he was on his way back he told them to grab his brothers.
Phil should’ve expected Tubbo to also come over. Tommy and him were attached at the hip and it seemed like that continued into death.
Phil explained his plan and Ghostbur seemed excited about it, Tommy less so but still interested, Tubbo had said it sounded wonderful, and Techno shrugged.
But Phil knew that even with his stoic face Techno was at least somewhat excited.
Storytelling nights had been something Phil did when all of his boys were young. It helped them fall asleep, they were usually a relatively good audience and he enjoyed spending time with the three of them.
Phil sat with his back to the now lit fireplace as he began to tell his story.
Tommy had always been stubborn. Especially when he was young. He would insist he wasn’t sick until he collapsed, insist nothing was wrong even with tears in his eyes, and insist that he could keep up with his brothers. But the thing Tommy had been most stubborn about after Phil found him? Staying by his side.
Tommy interrupted, not knowing this story but having an idea of where it was going. “That is not true! I would never be clingy!”
Phil chuckled and Tubbo nudged him with a smile before Phil continued his story.
Phil had found Tommy, wandering in a small village when the boy was about 7. He had been small and scrawny and clearly not taken care of. Phil of course looked for his parents but when nobody knew who he belonged to or just didn’t care and there was no one else to look after him Phil took Tommy under his wing.
Tommy had of course needed time to get comfortable as both Techno and Wilbur had. But once Tommy was comfortable he refused to leave Phil’s side. Any moment Phil was awake and Tommy was as well? Tommy was practically attached to his leg. Sometimes Phil would wake up with Tommy cuddled up next to him when he hadn’t been there the night before. Of course, he would never push Tommy away he had found the child’s clinginess endearing.
Until he really thought about why Tommy was so clingy.
Phil hadn’t known what happened to Tommy of course and he doubted he knows now.
“I don’t remember any of this.” Tommy crossed his arms and Ghostbur gently shushed him, Techno hiding a small smile from his spot on the palette of blankets.
But Phil knew that Tommy had been wandering a near-empty village alone from a very young age. So of course he clung to Phil. Phil was his dad now and he figured Tommy was afraid of him leaving. It broke his heart to think about so whenever he woke up with Tommy cuddled close to him or had to maneuver with Tommy on his leg he paid it no mind and made sure he knew he was loved.
“Aww, Philza that’s really sweet!” Tubbo smiled as Tommy sunk into all the layers that had been gifted to him and grumbled, a dark grey spreading on his cheeks which got a giggle out of Ghostbur and a chuckled disguised as a cough from Techno.
“Do you guys have any stories you want me to tell? Or any of your own?” Phil asked, looking over everybody.
Tommy was off in his own world, bringing his knees to his chest. Aside from being embarrassed he felt… He didn’t know how to describe it. Empty, he guessed, was about the closest word he could use to explain it. Tommy didn’t remember what Phil was talking about at all. No hazy memories, no vague familiarity, no details, nothing. Just blank. It hurt. It was clearly a moment that was important to Phil and he was apparently 7 so he should remember it.
So why didn't he? And why did he feel so bad about it?
He felt hollow. Hollow and sad. Those are the words he’d use to describe how he felt. Tommy’s mood fell but it either wasn’t obvious to those around him or they just didn’t want to say anything as he just sat with his head on his knees and listened to Phil’s next story.
Something about the sky and clouds. Tommy wasn’t really paying attention.
Most of the stories about their family felt distant and like he was hearing about someone else's family but it was his own and he
should
remember.
It upset and frustrated Tommy more than he’d like to admit.
Tommy looked over at Ghostbur who seemed to be enjoying this more than he could. Same with Tubbo and Techno.
He should be having a good time.
He should remember.
His most recent memory is being cold.
Tommy went up to bed early, suddenly feeling very tired as he pulled the jacket and cape closer to himself and pulled the blanket over him. Maybe he’d feel warm if he stacked enough layers on.
Downstairs Phil noticed Tommy leave but decided it may be best to leave him alone for now. He knew full well that it’s impossible to make Tommy do anything he doesn’t want to, including this apparently.
But Phil continued to tell his stories. Ghostbur had asked how Phil had found him.
Phil had found Wilbur on a wanted poster first, in the nearby village. Then he had found the boy wandering around the forest near his house, injured. Phil had been checking for any mobs that happened to wander too close to the house that night, not for an injured boy. When Phil found Wilbur the boy was obviously hesitant. But when Phil proved he meant no harm he brought Wilbur in, patched him up properly, fed him, gave him the opportunity to clean up and get some fresh clothes (even if they fit weirdly cause they were Techno’s but fresh clothes nonetheless), and with some hesitance from Techno, gave him a place to stay.
Techno has always been nervous around new people but once he got comfortable with Wilbur the two hit it off. Soon Techno had shown Wilbur how to tend to the farm and started sparring with him. It warmed Phil’s heart to see Techno opening up slightly by showing Wilbur his favorite things. Eventually, the bickering started. It was all in good faith and just jokes. Most of the time at least.
Phil couldn’t imagine not having taken either of them in, his house being just him all by himself, no late-night guitar practice, no hooves clacking on the hardwood late at night as Techno grabbed snacks while planning to make the farm more efficient.
He couldn’t imagine his house being quiet again after having taken in Techno and Wilbur. They were important parts of his life now. And he would do just about anything for them.
As Phil finished his story he smiled, looking over at Ghostbur with a sadness behind his eyes. There was one thing he shouldn’t have done for Wilbur. And one thing he should’ve done instead.
Upstairs Tommy was comfortably in bed, trying not to focus on how cold he felt inside and how apparently cold he was on the outside. He soon fell asleep, hearing his family and best friend downstairs chatting.
Tommy was on top of a building with Wilbur, both were watching a stage. 2 people he didn’t fully recognize, Tubbo who was trapped in cement, and Techno who was standing in front of him with a crossbow.
To say, Tommy had no fucking clue what was going on an understatement. He had no clue who those people were, why tubbo was trapped, or why Techno was pointing the crossbow at him. Tubbo had never done anything wrong!
A bang went off and Tommy didn’t know where he was anymore.
All he could see was stone, carvings, and a button.
The button was pressed and Tommy once again didn’t know where he was.
This time all he saw was obsidian, a vague outline of ram horns, bright green, and tears.
Tommy was getting sick of jumping around by now.
He was back in the nether but not on a bridge.
No, he was mid-fall.
When Tommy woke up his breath felt tight in his chest and he coughed as he desperately tried to get any air into his lungs.
He didn’t think ghosts could choke.
Tommy wasn’t fully paying attention but he was pretty sure it was Techno who ended up comforting him. Something in the back of Tommy’s head felt that this was familiar but he wasn’t sure.
He wasn’t sure of much right now.