Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

    It all starts on his fourth birthday. Everyone from his old small village had showed up and he had even had a big party with tons of presents from families he wouldn't remember. Even had kids his age come over to play with him, because the birthday boy was always famous during these times. They had played all sorts of fun games that came to mind, until someone decided to play kickball.

  And of course one of the girls had kicked it a little too hard, causing the ball to go flying into the woods, and no one wanted to get it. Because they were kids who listened to the tales a parent would tell them in the dead of night, they are just kids who had listened.

 Except Tommy never liked to listen, he could have cared less about monsters, all he really wanted was his ball back. Ignoring the other kids' sayings of "It's not safe!" as he moved towards the fences that saved them from the woods.

   "My mommy says we shouldn't go in the woods, monsters live there!"

"We can get another ball Tommy, c'mon let's just go ask!"

  And sure they can ask for another one, But that was his ball and the scary monsters can't have that ball. He liked that ball a lot even if he only had it for a day. And he was gonna get it back! So he crawled under the fence and ran towards the woods not caring about the shouts of comebacks from the others.

  And here he is, walking through the woods looking for his ball, the search wasn't going well so far and he knew the farther he went the more he would get lost. If he didn't find his ball soon it would mean he would have to turn around and go home with nothing but his ruined pride.

  That was what made him start crying, not the scary woods or the thought of monsters taking him but the thought of losing his favorite ball. When suddenly through blurry eyes he saw the blue sphere shaped ball fly from the corner of his eye.

  Gasping he immediately turned to where he saw it go when he saw it just laying there, in the middle of the path, he started smiling knowing he could finally get his ball and go back home! Those thoughts paused when he saw someone come out from the bushes picking up the ball. 

  "Found it! You can't just kick it that far Ranboo, who knows when we'll get another one!" The new person spoke, who might he add, already seemed like a giant to the boy. Tommy stood there staring at them. He even noticed the transparent wings coming from the person's back and the fuzzy antennas from the guy's head.

    The first thought he has is, "Why is this person dressed up like a bee?"

  The bushes rustled again as an even taller person came out sighing, "You're the one who wanted to play with it already, don't get on to me just because I can kick farther out." This guy looked even more strange in Tommy's opinion, He was really really tall, probably more taller than his papa and his papa was really tall! The guy also had a long tail and he didn't have normal skin like Tommy and the other guy.

  No, this one had black and white skin, which reminded Tommy of a sweet snack he had once. He even had long long ears which Tommy kind of wanted to pull and see if it was fake.

  His second thought is, "Hey- why is this one so weird looking?" 

  Tommy stood there for another minute, a small part of his brain telling the toddler that he shouldn't stick around and should go back home. The other got upset because these guys stole his ball, the very vball he got for his birthday not theirs.

  The four year old glared at them now, because hey wait- they stole his ball!

  Stomping his foot he pointed at the two and yelled, "You can't take that!"

  Both the boys flinched and turned to stare at the blonde, He watched as the shock turned into glares. And normally he would've started crying but right now? He was very upset at these strangers and refused to back down.

  "Oh c'mon I was really hoping we wouldn't have to do this today.." The black and white one spoke out, still glaring at him. The Brunette one started walking over to Tommy with a look that should have made the kid run.

  But Tommy stood glaring, "You took my ball, I want it back...please." He squeaked when the brunette guy picked him up holding him very high above the ground, which he didn't like.

  "Didn't your parents tell you the woods are dangerous for babies like you?" The bee guy taunted Tommy, causing the boy to glare harder at him. Though it did nothing to phase them.

  "I'm not a baby! I'm a big kid now you stupid..stupid!" He yelled out as he squirmed trying to get out the guy's arms.

  "I don't know you kind of look like a baby to us?" He heard a voice come from behind him making him flinch, when he looked he saw the taller one behind him.

  How he got there that fast confused him a lot, But he stays oblivious to the purple particles that fade away behind the boy.

  "Well I'm not! I'm this old now!" Tommy spoke proudly as he held up four fingers proudly, "And the ball is my present!" 

  That's when Tommy paused again, looking deep in thought before he looked back at the brunette, "Who are you anyway? Mommy says the woods aren't safe so we shouldn't be in here long!" Just because they were thieves doesn't mean they deserved to have monsters get them, Tommy wasn't that cruel. 

  Both of them snorted before he was handed over to the other guy, who he now noticed had really sharp claws. "That's pretty cool-why can't my fingers be pointy? " He thinks, staring at the claws.

  Though the guy really seemed to make sure it didn't pierce his skin, which he appreciated because it reminded him of needles and he hated needles.

 "Well your mom's right, It isn't safe, For people like you of course, In here me and Ranboo are safe with the others." The Brunette said, making Tommy tilt his head.

   "His name Tubbo by the way, since he wants to shout my name out," Ranboo says Pointedly, "But other than that it doesn't matter if you know who we are seeing as you won't be telling anyone." 

  Tommy frowned, not realizing the dark threat hidden in the guy's words, "Well no duh! My Mommy would be really upset if she knew I came in here, and I hate time-out so I won't be saying anything dummies!"

  That made them pause but Tommy wasn't done. "I wanted my ball back, but none of the other kids were brave like me to come get it! So if I could have it back please?" 

  The Brunette man shook his head and looked down at the ball before looking back at Tommy, "We want it though. You won't be playing with it anymore so it's ours now."

  "No it's not, I got it not you!"

  They glared at each other.

  "Well we found it so suck it up?"

 "That's not fair! You can just get your own!" Tommy shouted out wanting to cry again.

 "No we can't. We aren't allowed to get toys like you." The Multicolored guy said, Tommy looked back at the guy confused.

  "Why not? Can't you just go to the market and get one?" 

Sighing, the one holding him shook his head, "I don't know how much you know kid, but things like us aren't welcomed in the public eye. Going to the market is like signing up for a death wish."

  He felt upset at that, he didn't know what he would do if he wasn't allowed to go to the market. Pausing in thought he remembered how his mom always praised sharing, last time he shared something he got a present for it! He remembered her telling him once,

   " Some people can't afford things like we can, so the things you don't really need we can give to them!" She spoke, one of the rare times he had heard his mothers kind voice, as she put some of his toys in a box.

   He pouted at first not fully understanding why he couldn't just keep his things. 

  He remembers his mom picking him up with a taunting laugh, "You'll always get something new honey, But we have to make room for the newer things right?" He nods "So instead of throwing the old things out we send them off to someone who needs it more!"

   Picking up one of his action figures from the box she hands it to him, "Like this, you haven't played with this in a while right? I'm sure some other little boy or girl out there would have the same fun you used to have with it!" 

  Tommy looks at the toy for a second thinking, he hands it back to his mother who places it back into the box, "And they'll treat it nicely?" He asks.

  "Of course, I'm sure it'll go to a very nice home to a loving kid who will cherish it for a long time!" 

   Tommy doesn't protest giving up his toys anymore, always remembering his mothers promise.

  Looking back at the guy with his ball he frowned, he liked the ball yeah, But if these two weren't allowed to get toys then maybe he was ok with giving it away.

  Besides, he might get a new one anyway! So with a small sigh he spoke quietly, "You can have it...But next time don't steal! I'll just bring you guys fun things now!" He ended with a bright smile.

  Both of them paused in shock, originally they planned on killing the boy. Something they had to do when someone saw them, and the kid didn't even seem to realize the danger surrounding him. He was human too, and if they knew one thing it was that humans were incredibly selfish and crude.

  So suddenly having a toddler show them kindness and willingly give them something was new, it was foreign and the kindness they received from the human hadn't been something they witnessed in so long.  Ranboo stared at the kid before setting him down as Tubbo kneeled to the kid's height.

  "What's your name? If you wanna bring us things then we can't just keep calling you kid now can we?" Tubbo said softly, they both heavily distrusted the kid still. But if the kid wasn't a threat at the moment then neither of them saw a point in being harsh. Besides, he seemed useful enough for them, if the kid really meant it when he said he’d bring them things then it meant Tubbo and Ranboo wouldn't have to wait for things anymore. 

  "I'm Tommy! The coolest person you'll ever meet!" Tommy shouted with a wide bright smile causing Tubbo to smile back.

  "Well Tommy, seeing as you already know our names, it's very er- very nice to meet you!" Tubbo forces out with a more strained smile.

   As of right now, Tommy wasn't a friend. He was just a kid who would help them greatly. Something they could use, not something they would care for. He was a way for them to get things they needed and once he was proven to be useless they would cast him aside like they've seen others do before.

  Oh if only it stayed that way.

    Now see if you were to ask Tubbo, Would you befriend a human? He would look at you like you've just said the dumbest shit and leave. Because that is the dumbest shit he's ever heard, He lived a long time long enough to know humans aren't his friend's and he isn't a friend to them either. He learns they leave you at your worst, they leave when you beg for them to stay.

   He was lucky enough as a child to be found by the family he has now, But he still remembers the trauma he went through before the others found him. He remembers the experiment's and the yelling, He remembers it all. He was saved by Phil and his son's, raised with love and taught to protect. Tubbo learned that he didn’t have to protect himself if they were beside him.

  Ranboo came into the family only three years after him, both sharing the same pain and hatred for humans. Both being brought into experiment's all because they were different. Both stuck together and they grew closer, yeah they trusted the others, But if they needed someone to understand, the other would go straight to them, It was always meant to be Tubbo and Ranboo.

   They've killed together and they've laughed together, If a human caught them one would distract as the other attacked. It's a sad way for hybrids to live, being caught by a human wasn't a good thing so they had to kill them or they had to run faster then they would ever run in a lifetime. Feeling pity and letting them live would only prove to be fatal for all of them. 

   So yeah to answer the question, Tubbo never originally had plans to befriend a silly little human and neither did Ranboo. Tubbo never plans on growing close with people that are allowed to grow, while he sits in the past for a mistake he couldn't control.

  But now he wonders what happened, because now the duo seemed to turn into a trio. The bee, the enderman, and the tiny human. Tommy was never meant to worm his way into their hearts, he was supposed to be an easy way to get things they couldn't get themselves. A toy that they would play with until it grew boring and they would toss it in the trash.

  How they went from using the thing for their own gain to caring for a kid is something not even Tubbo himself can answer, What he can tell you though is if anything bad happened to the annoying ray of sunshine he might actually go batshit crazy. 

  Which leads him to having a near heart-attack because his 'oh so wonderful best friend' was letting the toddler hang upside down on a tree, Another thing he knows is if Tommy wanted something Ranboo would most absolutely drop everything just to give the kid whatever he asked for. Maybe he mother-henned the boy too much, maybe Ranboo spoiled him more than necessary, But for Tommy it was worth it all.

   And apparently the kid wanted to play monkey today.

  "I swear to the core of this world if he gets hurt I'm gonna- I will fuck you up Ranboo." Tubbo spat, crossing his arms as he stared at the two.

  Said enderman hybrid laughed nervously, "Stop worrying so much, I'm making sure he won't fall!" Ranboo smiled down at Tommy, "Isn't that right Toms!"

 "Yeah yeah! I'm not gonna get hurt!" Tommy giggled out looking at the two, the world was upside down for him and he really liked that, it was funny seeing Tubbo all mad like that upside down.

  Tubbo sighed and walked up to Tommy, "Yeah well let's play a new game huh?" Lifting Tommy up off the tree ignoring the boy's whines he set him down, "A safer game, like I don't know, find shit on the ground?" 

  He wasn't that good at coming up with games, but the toddler never seemed to care because everything was a game to him. Another reason why the boy's cared for him, he was just that care-free with things.

  His point was proven when a small bug caught the blondes attention, small chubby hands pointing at it, "Bug, Bug!" 

  Ranboo and Tubbo both kneeled down besides Tommy looking at the bug together, "Yes Tommy it's a bug, no don't touch it-" Tubbo grabbed the toddlers hand steering it away, That's another thing about Tommy was the boy just had to touch everything. It's endearing as it is annoying. 

  Ranboo chuckled as he watched Tommy now start to mess with Tubbos hand's, It was a sweet sight to see. Like Tubbo he never expected to randomly adopt a human into the friendship, but he doesn't really mind it anymore.

   While Tubbo was the more stern one towards the two, He knew just how much love the bee hybrid had for Tommy. He watches as Tubbo holds onto Tommy speaking softly as they point to different things in the forest, He joins in sometimes especially when Tommy points at him which makes him send a goofy face at the kid. 

   When Tommy laughs he swears the sun shines more, Sometimes he wonders if Tommy was even a human because there was no way something like this could be like a human. He grew up hating them all just like other hybrids, Convinced all of them were bad. He witnesses first hand how cruel they could be towards them, how the hands he thought would save him only hurt him in the very end.

  But when Tommy came along he proved them both wrong, and with that came the promise from Tubbo to protect the kid. Teach the kid that hybrids aren't horrible monsters just as Tommy teaches them humans can be good.

   (He ignores the small thought telling him if Tommy knew how much blood was on the twos hands the blonde wouldn't be so welcoming.) 

  They all stiffen when they hear a woman call out Tommy's name, it's like this every time he comes to visit them the kid will stay out all day and sometimes even a good bit into the night until one of his parents realize, "Hey wait- we have a kid!" And go search for him. And because they can’t know their kid is with hybrids in the woods, they have to send Tommy on his way each time.

  (Tubbo likes to rant about how the 'Search' is more; they call his name from the door and wait for the blonde to come to them. He also likes to complain about how a parent could care less about where said kid goes. Ranboo silently agrees each time.)

  Tommy recently started to get near tears when he realized it was time to go home, neither knew why but it broke their hearts when they saw it. Sometimes Ranboo had to remind Tubbo that they couldn't take him home with them, sometimes Ranboo had to be reminded too. 

   And like normal they both stood up ready to bring Tommy halfway and drop him off close enough where they can see him walk home, but no one can see them. And again like normal they have to listen to the begs of wanting to stay.

  "Momma won't worry if I don't come home right away!" Tommy says even trying to use his famous puppy dog eyes, the begging only makes it worse because they are weak suckers for the boy.

  They both refused to look, because last time they did Tubbo had to chase Ranboo through the forest because he decided, "Screw them, He's ours!" While Tommy was laughing like it was the time of his life. 

  "And what happens if others come looking for you?" Tubbo asks playfully, they've taught Tommy that no one but him is allowed to know they exist, unless the boy wants to lose them forever.

  "They won't find us! I'll just scare them away." As the toddler speaks he lets out a fake growl that neither of the two has the heart to tell him it wasn't scary.

   "Ah yes the big bad Tommy scaring away the nasty humans! How scary I might just die!" Ranboo teases back which gets Tommy sticking his tongue out at him. 

   And soon they've neared the point where they had to set Tommy off to go home. It hurts when Tommy whines when Tubbo sets him down, It hurts more when he grabs onto Tubbo's fingers not wanting them to leave.

  "Oh Tom's..we'll be here the next time you come you know that!" Tubbo coos softly at the toddler, Ranboo kneeling down with a nod. "And besides even if we aren't there at home with you physically we can be there mentally!" 

  The blonde human smiles at them sadly, for a toddler he was pretty smart because he knew they couldn't come home with him no matter how hard he begged. With a small nod he let's go of Tubbo's hands and sets off down the path to his house, And right as he nears the end of the woods he turns around and waves.

  "Bye Boo! Bye 'Bo!" The toddler shouts out as he turns back around and runs home.

  The other two smile sadly, waving back as the boy runs home, And they stay till he gets inside where it's safe before turning around ready to head back home as well. 

  "You think his parents would really notice if he doesn't come home one day?" 

  "Tubbo, we aren't kidnapping Tommy. So get that idea out of your head."

  Ranboo moves ahead of Tubbo looking over his shoulder with a smirk, "Besides if anyone's taking Tommy it's gonna be me!" 

  That gets him a punch in the stomach which believe him hurts, very much actually.

(Neither of them even realized someone was watching them the entire time, Didn't realize that someone had seen Tommy with them. Neither saw that exact someone turn away deeper into the forest ready to spill the information they gained.)

Chapter Text

He had been watching the three for a while now, noting down the actions from the hybrids he knew all too well and the way the human reacts towards them. Waiting each minute and each hour for when they would finally attack and be rid of the tiny beast. 

  A month, it's been a month now and they've yet to pull a move on the toddler. A month since he's gone back and forth following the three and spilling the information he gains to the other's. He's grown agitated now, he knows what it's like to play games with people and make them feel safe, so of course he expects the two hybrids to play with the kid and he expects them to be bored by now.

   He expects for the little blonde's blood to be on their hands by now, for the body to be left behind for the other humans, What he doesn't expect is them going out of their way to protect it. When the thing would fall off a tree, he expects them to let it fall. Maybe have it snap it's neck or leave it hurt on the ground for the animals to kill. What he doesn't expect is for them to catch the human, for them to scold it as if the two were related to the thing.

   He never expected for them to act like brother's towards the small human, and he hates it. Hate's how careless they're being and how loving they are towards it. Before they would've never hesitated to kill a human, wouldn't bother to befriend one either. At first he's proud of them, a little worried, yes, But proud when they use the toddler for their gain.

  He's disappointed when they decided that the blonde was a friend now, he doesn't get it one bit. Humans are a disgrace to hybrids, a horrible no good breed of danger. They've hunted hybrid's like them and murdered them for fun, treated them like trash and experimented on them because they just couldn't understand why they had different attributes then them. 

  Hybrid's are feral because humans made them that way. Sure there's bad hybrid's out there just like there's bad humans, But it didn't matter if you were good or bad. A hybrid was a hybrid and a hybrid was the creation of evil in the eye's of humans. 

  He expected Tubbo and Ranboo would've known by now to not be this dumb, Both having been brought up in the worst part's a hybrid could experience. They've all taught the boy's how to protect themselves against a human, never befriend a human. Never get close, because they would leave you once you loved them.

   So why, just why are they suddenly devoted to this tiny thing in front of him.

  That's the first question Techno has.

  The second is, why the hell is this kid not running away? And why is it fucking staring at him like that-

   "I don't understand why they seem to like you, you're extremely weird looking." Techno speaks unimpressed, staring with pure disgust at the child in front of him.

   The kid had come into the woods, expecting to see the only people that accompanied him in the plant-infested place. But the pink haired piglin had snatched the kid the moment he stepped foot out of any kind of eye sight that could have noticed him.

   Thinking back on it, he probably should've thought this out more. Because now he's pretty sure there's two crazed hybrid's searching the wood's for the boy, and once those two get into a certain mind-set it's hard to calm them down. Another reason why he wishes he brought Phil, if he was caught at least he would have someone help him calm the two down.

  Speaking of said kid, he had done nothing but stare at Techno, didn't even scream when Techno had basically kidnapped him. He just...stared, and that enough unsettled him. He’s used to screams and insults thrown at him, used to them begging for their lives when they realize how far it's gone.

  "Shouldn't, I don't know babies like you be crying by now? Parent's ever teach you about stranger danger?" He asks the blonde, slightly concerned because seriously why is this thing so calm-

   All it does is scowl at him, like he offended the thing! Like Techno was the wrong one in this situation, which well- He was but he still blamed the kid. 

  They stare at each other for a minute. Techno's ear flicks twice, the kid doesn't even blink.

  "I know you're not mute kid, speak, say something." 

  It just keeps staring, it's actually kind of creepy now.

  "Are you- are you broken? Did I hit your head on a tree when I grabbed you?" He asks exhausted, Techno is pretty sure the kid's eyes are halfway dried now. 

  The more he stares at the kid, the more his totally extremely iced over heart cracks. The kids ugly, stupid looking. He's just a thorn in his side right now. He tells himself over and over.

  And finally, the thing blinks, it takes a step forward and Techno doesn't flinch. It takes more steps gaining closer to the piglin hybrid until it stops right by his feet, staring up at the man.

   Techno doesn't sweat, he himself has killed more humans than any of his siblings have. He has almost the same amount of blood on his hands like Phil does. So no, this kid isn't making him nervous, because humans don't make him nervous. He is practically a god, the human was simply an insect he would crush.

   he's cute.

     Keep him! Keep him!

  Sacrifice, he's ours now.

  Toss him into a tree-

  baby prince baby prince soft techno-

    He scowls at the voices in his head, more annoying then he thinks they've ever been. He isn't soft, in fact he's very pissed. How dare this thing come up to him like they were the same thing, hands itching to get rid of the blonde right away. Crush him, save them the trouble it would give them all.

  "Pretty!" The small thing shouts, beaming at Techno, and holy shit the thing's turned into the fucking sun- 

  A second later Techno bangs his head against a tree, he feels his heart warming up. And that's it, the kids a witch! He's cursed Techno with some weird witchy power and that's why he hasn't killed it yet, yes that's why it's still standing.

   It tugs on his cape, smiling up at him still like it wasn't in danger, like Techno wasn't a beast that would've killed him right away. No he smiles at him like he was one of the best thing's the little baby brained boy would ever see.

  It reminds him of Phil, the more he looked at the kid the more he could see Phil. It reminds him of Wilbur, someone who never treated Techno like a demon coming from the ground, instead he treats Techno like a gift from the god's.

  The kid reminds him of Ranboo and Tubbo, so young and care-free. So loving and bright towards him. The kid reminds him of home, a safe place where he could go and be loved forever.

   Techno keeps staring at the kid, refusing to show any emotion on his face. But he reaches down fast towards the kid, he can't fall for this trick he has to get rid of it! He has to break free from the trap the kid put him in, just one inch away from killing it-

   A beat goes, a bird flies out the trees into the sky. 

  Techno stares down in shock at the kid, who's still standing. Who's still alive, who's small hand holds his scarred ringed hand's. Who didn't scream or flinch when Techno went to attack.

  No, the kid just holds his hand like it was something protecting him, "I like rings, pretty!" He speaks softly, so quiet as if he was the one scaring Techno as he fiddles with one of the rings.

    ohmygods

 BABY PRINCE, BABY PRINCE.

        that's it, officially ours.

murder. 

     PROTECT. PROTECT IT.

      Techno stays still for a moment, he could still kill the kid right now and that be it, it wouldn't bother him or his family anymore. But something pulls him towards the blonde, pulls him to keep him safe from danger.

  Sighing slowly accepting his fate, he squats down hand still being held by the chubby little hands, "Yeah? Pretty rings huh, I can tell you about how I got them if you'd like?" He mumbles out, heart no longer covered in ice as the kid smiles so bright at him again. He is a god, he is better. This kid would only hurt him in the end.

  "Yes please!" The toddler shouts out gleefully, and Techno almost almost smiles.

   "Well the emerald one, yeah the green one, I got that a few years ago-"

   Tommy, who he now learns the name of, is just something he can pass the time with. Besides Tubbo and Ranboo would probably kill him if he did harm the kid. Yeah that's the only reason the kid's still breathing, nothing else. Not because everything screamed at him when he even dared to try, not because he felt green ropes threaten to strangle him if he did.

   Something tells him, Hey wait- didn't you kidnap the kid from them- you should actually bring him back before the two teens burn the forest down looking for the toddler.

  "Eh, they can wait." He thinks as he watches Tommy try on his crown, pride filling his heart as the little kid looks so happy. As if it was normal for the kid to wear his prized possession, as if everything was right in the world when the toddler wore the crown. They can wait, because Techno wasn’t about to share his new possession with any of those fools.

  "Oh gods what if something happened to him? What if he got hurt or lost or-" Tubbo slapped his hand onto Ranboo's mouth scowling at him.

   "Shut up, he's gonna be ok, we don't even know for sure if he even came today!" 

  "He promised he would be here though, Tommy isn’t just one to break a promise unless something actually happened.." The bee hybrid thinks, trying to keep the fear and panic down.

  Ranboo looks near to a heart-attack though, and while his friend was usually always a paranoid person it didn't help in the slightest. Tommy had yet to ditch them on a visit, especially one the kid specifically planned out. So to their surprise when they had gone to pick the boy up only to find out the kid wasn't there they understandably freaked. 

   They couldn't just go up and knock on Tommy's door, not unless they actually wished to die, so they stuck to having to figure out if the boy had come into the woods or not. If he did then that could be a huge issue, Tommy knew better then to roam the woods by himself. Last time he did Ranboo and Tubbo both scolded him for half an hour, sending him home. It hurt having to cut the visit short and it hurt more when Tommy had cried, but it had to be done to teach him better. The woods were far too dangerous for him, and they would have rather had the boy hate them then find him dead.

   So if the blonde had come in, there's no doubt in Tubbo's mind something had happened, But there was also the chance that Tommy hadn't come in, His parent's probably held him back and wouldn't let him leave. That was something Tubbo was hoping for the most, It would mean Tommy was safe and sound away from danger.

    He ignores the part of his brain telling him that Tommy's parents would care less about where the toddler went, they haven't cared about where he had gone since they met the boy, they only called for the boy when they would finally notice his absence. 

 Ranboo breaks his train of thought nervously laughing, "You're right..yeah you're right, Tommy's probably just in his room at his house! Safe and sound, pro-probably just forgot to come today!" His clawed hands comb through his hair, another sign about just how upset the taller one was.

  Tubbo sighed, grabbing Ranboos free hand and gave the boy a soft look, "Look, we can go look around the area again if it makes you feel any better? If we find nothing then that means Tom's just didn't come today!" 

   Ranboo hesitated, the what if dying on his throat before he nodded. As far as both of them knew, the only one's in this area of the woods were just them and the other three. And only Tubbo and Ranboo both came out to this part of the woods, never having to worry about the three older ones following them.

   "Yeah- Yeah let's do that please? If he isn't there this time we can just go home!" The ender-man hybrid spoke almost in a whisper, He was looking forward to seeing their little friend today too.. 

  Tubbo just nodded and led him back to the area where they would meet the blonde, both silently hoping there was nothing out of the ordinary when they would look. Ranboo stared at the ground as they walked, deep in thought.

  "Why would he just not show up? He would at least have shown some kind of sign about not being able to show up? Right..? Tommy wouldn't just ditch us like this for no reason." Unconsciously tightening his hold on Tubbo's hand, said boy not even caring as the bee hybrid was focused on looking out for the toddler.

   There was no doubt just how much Ranboo cared for Tommy, the thought of the little boy he saw as a baby brother getting hurt or leaving them cut him deeply. Ranboo would burn the world if Tommy asked, and he knew Tubbo would help. He thinks about just how happy the boy got with them, how much he treated them like family. Like they were normal, as if they were all one.

   It was that kind of innocence that Ranboo hoped Tommy would never lose. He hoped that a grown-up Tommy wouldn't be different and he would still treat them like they were normal. 

   Thought process getting cut off when he ran into Tubbo, almost taking them both down. Confused he looked at his friend seeing the scared and also confused look on his scarred face, he looked in the direction where Tubbo's attention is at, And his heart drops.

  There right in front of the boy's, is their adopted older brother, in the spot where they would pick up Tommy. And what's worse is the little missing blonde is on Techno's shoulder's, with Techno's crown on top of his head looking like a prince. And while Ranboo would've found this image adorable, he knows just what kind of person Techno is. What kind of darkness swarmed around his brother, ready to break free at any moment,

  However he notices that Techno, The self proclaimed "blood god", The one who absolutely hates humans and had more deaths on his count then either of them, Is smiling- smiling at Tommy, At the boy who is again on his shoulders with his crown! 

  Tubbo shares his exact confusion, just as worried and lost as Ranboo is. " WHAT THE FUCK?!" The bee hybrid shouts making them all flinch, Tommy turning his attention away from Techno and he just brightens even more when he sees his friend's.

  "Boo, bo! I made another friend!" Tommy shouts happily, yelping when Ranboo yanks him away from Techno and teleporting back behind Tubbo as they both glare at the Pink haired piglin.

   Techno just deadpans as he stares at them, "Don't act all pissed, I didn't hurt him." 

   Tubbo just glares harder at him, "You stole him and had us worried about the kid!" He growls out.

  Techno just shrugs as if them being worried didn't matter. 

   "You should've known that I was gonna figure out this whole business you two have going on." He points at Tommy, "Disappearing almost every day, Not coming back till almost night? Not to mention both your scents being off? It was weird and I had to come check out what you two have been getting up to."

   Techno shifts glaring at the boys now, "And to my surprise I find out you've both gotten attached to a human. And at first I was worried, at first I was waiting to just snatch the kid and get rid of the issue, But-" 

   Tommy cuts him off with a shout, "Tech gave me his crown and played game's with me!" He giggles out messing with said crown even more as Techno stiffens, and Tubbo swears he saw Techno blush.

  He coughs out nervously, "The kid's just...he's ok. Useful I guess, and I guess you both can handle a small kid like him so there was no use wasting my time to get rid of him." 

   They all fall silent, except Tommy who's attention went to playing with Ranboo's hair giggling as he did. 

   Techno stares at them as they stare at him, all still glaring at one another when Tubbo crumbles onto the ground snorting, which turns into high-pitched laughter.

   "Yo-you've pfft, YOU'VE GONE SOFT!" Tubbo laughs out as he rolls on the ground, Ranboo silently laughing at the display as Techno screeches at the boy.

   "NO I HAVEN'T, I COULD CRUSH THE NERD RIGHT NOW." 

   "OH- OH THIS IS GOLD, YOU'VE LOST TO A BABY-" 

   Tubbo screams as Techno pouches on the boy, both rolling around pulling each other's hair as Ranboo sighs.

   Looking down at Tommy he smiles as the blue eyed toddler smiles back, "You've scared us you know? Had us both searching for you for a while now Tom's."

   " 'M sorry Boo, Tech's fault though!" Tommy pouts up at him.

   Ranboo laughs as he walks away from the other two fighting, "Oh yeah it's definitely Techno's fault, we always blame everything on Techno!" 

   Tommy giggles as he repeats, "Tech's fault, Tech's fault!" Over and over with Ranboo.

   After a few minutes Ranboo pokes at Tommy's cheek making the boy whine pushing away his claw's, "How did you convince him to let you put on his crown? Last time I asked, he almost killed me!" 

   Tommy gives him a mischievous smile as he put a small chubby finger up to his lip's making a shushing sound, "Secret!" Is all the boy say's, and Ranboo just rolls his eyes. However he dies on the inside at just how cute that was holy shit-

   "Alright alright don't tell me you little bug, I'll figure out your tricks one day!" He shoots playfully as he tickles the boy making Tommy squeal with laughter trying to escape his attack.

  Tubbo and Techno both stopped fighting as they stared at the two, adoration clear in both their eyes. Tubbo looks back at Techno with a serious look as he stares straight in the man's eyes.

   "You have to keep him safe now you know, It's clear Tommy enjoys your company." Tubbo states as Techno stares right back.

  "I know, I don't plan on hurting the kid. Got some curse or something but he's acceptable enough to keep." Techno mumbles as they both nod at each other.

    Attention going back onto the other two boy's, Tubbo whisper's as he stares, "You've still gone soft-"

   Techno slaps the back of his head, halfway knocking tubbo out as he falls to the floor holding the back of his head. Attention going right back to the laughing blonde toddler as if he didn't just attempt a murder.

  Tommy didn't go home until the moon was high in the sky, and as they sent Tommy on his way home Techno looked concerned when He saw the boy having to wait by the already quiet dark house's door for a few minutes until someone finally opened the door letting the boy in. Looking over at the other two boy's, he knows he's not the only one upset by this.

   Brown eyes stares at the three as they all leave towards their home, smiling when he realizes that maybe just maybe there was hope for all of them. He looks back at the house that the little boy had gone into and grinned sharply, the moon shining down on him as he slips into the water going to return home with already made plans for the future. Phil would really enjoy the news about Techno falling down the rabbit hole as well.

   And a little blonde boy stares out from his window at the woods, smiling as he falls asleep to the comfort of dream's for the next playdates to come. An emerald ring shining as the moon's light hit it, a promise of protection for the boy is casted that day.

Chapter Text

   Tommy stares at the old grandfather clock in his hallway, listening to it tick every second. His parents were heard from their room arguing in hushed whispers. 

   He continues to stare, ignoring how the whispers turn into shouts, ignoring the harsh words spoken about him. It's become a daily thing for his mother and father to fight about him, but he doesn't bother to understand why they fight. The clock continues on even when the shouting stops and his mother comes to pick him up.

   He stares even when she brings him away from the clock, only turning his attention away once he can no longer see it as she brings him downstairs. Instead he turns his head to look at her, She doesn't smile around him as much anymore. He doesn't understand what he did to upset her so much.

  Her smile doesn't feel like home anymore either so he doesn't mind, his thoughts going to his friends in the woods. How they're doing, how their smiles feel like home to him. He wonders when he can see them again.

   Thoughts are cut off again when he feels his mother twirl around a part of his hair, realizing they've both been sat down on the couch, the sun's light making the room bright, a part of his senses scream danger.

   He feels his mother inhale as she continues twirling his hair, "Tom's.." She whispers his senses scream more, "You've caused so much trouble for us..just why did you have to be so problematic?" 

   He doesn't understand that word, it's a long one and he never found out what it meant. But the anger disguised in her soft voice tells him it doesn't mean anything good, he hears it so much now.

   Her hand tightens around his small arm, Blue painted nails digging into his skin making him flinch, he hates when she does that.

  "You've made mommy and daddy so very upset, always disappointing I guess! Everyone did warn us about you but we just didn't listen. You know we've had to try and convince Mrs. Stella that you aren't a disgrace to our family name you know?" He wants to cry, wants his mother back, not whoever this is. "And now that old hag is going around telling everyone your a- your one of those horrible pitiful people." 

  He knows what this is about now, he made a comment three days ago when Mrs. Stella's son had insulted hybrids, He had ended up yelling at him and told him that hybrid's weren't feral beasts, Told the older boy the only monster Tommy saw was the one right in front of him. The boy had snitched on him to his mother who had yelled at Tommy's parent's calling him horrible mean names. 

  He tears up when his mother's nails break skin, she doesn't let up and he hates it. Hates how she would hurt him, when before she never put a bruise on his body. Looking up at his mom with fearful eye's he almost cries out when he sees the disgust in her blue eyes, hating how it seemed like they were glowing. He misses the loving look she used to give him, misses when her eye's made him feel safe.

  He hates how she looks like a monster right there, a predator ready to attack the weakened prey. But Tommy was a bad kid, he made his mommy upset by the words he said. His daddy is probably more upset than mommy.

  So he does what he always does, He hugs her chest and cries begging for her to forgive him. And he knows once she let's go of his arm, regardless of how deep her nails went, regardless of the blood, She forgives him.

   Tommy hates his house, hates his family. But he's only four and there has to be a reason they act this way, He won't ever agree with their views and he knows they're wrong.

  Hybrids weren't the monsters in this world, Humans were. And Tommy was just as much of a beast as the rest of them, he was no better.

   But still, Looking out from the window with a hidden smile ignoring his mother's hurtful rants, he can't wait to see his friend's again. A hidden beast among the disguised saviors.

     He runs towards the wood's, his parent's had both gotten caught up in work meaning he was free to do whatever he pleased. It would've been the first time In almost a week since he's seen everyone, the nail-imprinted cut's having been hidden under bandages wrapped around his arm. 

   The moment he left his house he felt the warm feeling he had missed, while inside the house all he felt was cold and trapped. Out here he felt free and warm, and he enjoyed that feeling way more, His friend's have probably been so worried about him.

    He couldn't wait to have Ranboo pick him up, have them all play tag and make Ranboo be on his team. How Tubbo and Techno would pout when he would pick the ender-man boy, and sure maybe they both cheated during the game, But Tommy couldn't teleport like Ranboo could.

   He couldn't wait for Techno to teach him how to braid hair either. Couldn't wait to act like a little prince with the other's as Techno would carry him around like he was royalty. How Techno would tell him stories about the times he fought and won, dreaming of what it would be like to be like the proclaimed warrior. Be so brave and strong, to always win and protect his family.

  He also couldn't wait for Tubbo to lift him off the ground, though they couldn't go very high he still enjoyed the feeling. Sometimes he wished he could have wing's like Tubbo, how he could just fly whenever he pleased. Fly away from the problems he faced and touch the clouds.

   He wonders if Tubbo has ever touched a cloud, wondering if it felt fluffy like a sheep's wool. He remembers when his momma used to read him books to sleep, how some stories made the clouds seem so fun and soft. He would stare at them for a long time outside and wonder, he would giggle when he saw how some cloud's would make such silly shapes. 

   He wonders if clouds are sad like him, maybe that's why they cry sometimes, maybe he was a cloud? Sometimes when he got upset he would cry and cry and he would shout loudly, just like the booming sound when the thunderstorms came through. He wonders if the cloud's have family's, siblings who calm down the crying cloud and parents who make it return back to it's soft fluffy state.

   By the time he finishes his thought he's at the meeting spot. He smiles as he sits down waiting for the other's to come pick him up, staring straight up he wishes the tree's didn't cover up the sky so much. When staring up bores him he turns to picking at the dirt, and when that too gets boring he picks at his bandages.

   Time passes, he doesn't know how long it's been but he knows it feels like it's been forever since he sat down, staring down the path that goes further into the woods he pouts. 

   He isn't allowed to go any further than this, Tubbo and Ranboo made that rule and Techno agreed, But none of them had shown up yet. And he hated that, he wanted to see his friend's.

  "BO? BOO? I'M HERE!" He shouts cupping his hands around his mouth.

    Nothing, all he hears are the sounds of birds tweeting and leaves blowing in the wind.

  "TECH? GUY'S?... HELLLOOO ?" He shouts again, trying to make it louder. He feels himself start to tear up, ready to start wailing when he gets no reply again.

   He notices how everything gets darker, a shadow passes over him. And he notices how the shadow looks weird.

   "They aren't here today, They've been held up!" A cheery voice speaks behind him.

  "So sorry about making you wait, Those idiot's held me back so I left later than I planned on!" 

   He's about to turn around when he feels webbed hand's grab his waist picking him up, He wonders why this person has duck looking hands. He likes ducks.

   "Oooo you're so tiny! I could just crush you in one hit!" They speak again, He whines.

   "Let go, I'm not tiny! I'm really really big!" He yells, wiggling around trying to get free, when he's turned around and sets his sights on the stranger's face, light blue scales are the first thing that catches his attention, a set each on both sides of the strangers cheeks, Weird ears too. He wonders what he would look like with this guy's ears, it would look really funny.

  He also catches a glimpse of small lines hidden on the man's throat, which is covered by the, in his opinion, ugly looking yellow sweater. Not only is he now confused as to what the man was, he was also confused in the shitty fashion choice.   

    Which he doesn't hide, with a blink he looks back up at the man and stares.

  He stares right back with the weird smile, he has sharp teeth Tommy realizes.  They remind him of needles, and he doesn't like that.

   "Your shirt is ugly." 

  The guy blinks twice, his smile slowly falling as he tilts his head.

   "Pardon?" 

 "Your shirt, it's ugly. I don't like it." Tommy states, giggling when the man makes a funny offended face.

  "Well now that's just a bit rude huh?" The stranger says, putting that smile back on.

  "Not rude, my momma says lying is bad. But I can tell you it's pretty if you want." He smiles right back.

     "This little shit ." Wilbur thinks as he stares at the child, "He's a baby, he doesn't know anything."

  Sighing he lifts Tommy up higher, a fake laugh falls out his mouth, "Oohh I guess you'll do! Phil and him picked you for a reason, so sadly I have to be nice."

   "I don't think you're a nice mister."

 "Yeah well I didn't ask, so shut it."

  Tommy pouts, Wilbur stares. He won't fall for this like the other's.

   Tommy continues to pout, Wilbur feels his resolve break.

  Internal screaming he gives up and gives the boy a crushing hug, " OOH fine you little gremlin! I see why everyone likes you, you're just so endearingly adorable that it's almost annoying!" 

   The blonde starts to feel dizzy when Wilbur starts spinning around, deciding he doesn't really like this guy that much, weirdo that's what he is.

  "I guess I got to tell you who I am huh? Can't just go off with a stranger now can you," Tommy barely gets to shake his head when Wilbur speaks again, "I'm Wilbur, the way better brother and friend that you're gonna meet, and today I'll be your personal babysitter!"

  Tommy doesn't know what the emotion he feels is called, but he can tell you it's not a good feeling. Sending a pitiful look towards the woods as Wilbur walks away he wishes that one of his friend's would get him. Because he really really doesn't wanna be with this Wil guy anymore.

  Sadly, Tommy doesn't get what he wants. And Wilbur smirks as everything falls into place, and hey the kid was cute enough so he saw no reason to threaten and scare the kid. He was useful and Phil's orders directly said not to harm the kid anyway, a pity though. He enjoys scaring humans to near death, Enjoys luring them with a false voice only for them to face a fate worse than death itself.

   But for Tommy? Maybe, just maybe he might keep the kid safe from that fate. His brothers liked the kid and Phil hadn't said anything about killing him, so Wilbur saw it as a game for him, and he loved having new players.

    "See if you kick your legs like this, yeah like that you got it! You'll be able to move around more!" Wilbur said he was holding onto Tommy teaching the boy how to swim. Originally he was really just going to watch the boy as they walked through the woods and learn some things, But somehow it turned from him learning something to him teaching Tommy how to swim.

   Said boy was having the time of his life too, splashing around learning how to move about in the water, it was almost adorable. Wilbur had to keep dragging the toddler back to the shallow part because the kid kept trying to sneak off into the deep ends, and he couldn't let the kid just die on his watch. The yelling he would get from Phil would be exhausting.

   "Look Wil, I'm swimming!" Tommy squealed, and Wilbur felt his heart go warm. The boy was barely swimming, sure, it was more like he was splashing the water around making small waves lift him up and down, But the boy was so happy about it. The kid was trusting Wilbur, this stranger who he didn't know, someone who could just drown the blonde right there and leave him to die, and he trusted him. He trusted his brother's regardless of just how different they all were, and he was honest with them. 

   The kid gave them the one thing they all wished for at some point in their lives, kindness and hope. It was one of the reasons Phil had let the kid stick around so long, Tommy was a bright spot in the future for hybrids and they've finally found the hope they needed. Finally started to regain their missing piece, the one that was supposed to solve it all again.

  Wilbur picked him up slightly, tossing the boy up making him squeal out laughing again, "Just like a little fish Tom's! You're like me now, fishes in the water!" Tommy laughs, head nodding fast at the words.

  "Me and Wilby, the best 'ishes!" Tommy said placing a chubby hand on Wil's cheek, and Wilbur softened at that. His eye catching the wrapped up part of the boy's arm again, reminding himself it wasn't in his place to question it.

  "Yeah...Wilby and his little guppy, that sounds wonderful doesn't it?" He said almost whispering as the water swayed around them, the sun shining bright onto them and the light reflecting onto them from the water. Wilbur agreed with Techno now, Tommy could rival the sun's light if the kid wanted too.

   "I wish I could stay Wilby.." Tommy said, breaking him out of his thought's as the boy leaned his head onto his chest, yawning as he got more comfortable making Wil move the boy around his arms into a more comfortable position. Poor thing was so tired after having that much fun Wilbur guessed.

  "One day you can stay for as long as you want love, I promise." Walking out the water carefully with the boy tucked in his arms. "And when that day comes I swear you'll have a room of your own with us, and we can swim around till our heart's content."

   Sleepily the younger boy mumbled out, " 'hat sounds..nice" and with one last yawn he closed his eyes, and Wilbur smiled sadly. 

   He stopped walking, staring straight up at the sky now with that same hurt look, the sun was starting to go down now. And that meant the boy would have to leave again, and Wilbur hated it. 

   "We can't bring him here yet. We have to be safe with this or else everything will crash and burn." 

  Wilbur could only nod, as his other three brothers stared at the ground not wanting to face the man in front of them. Not wanting to admit the sad truth behind it all, they were fools from the start. 

   This was a valuable chance that none of them could risk, no matter how much the other's wanted too.

  He glared at the sky before looking away, continuing his walk down the path. Ignoring the sound of wings flapping away, he could only wish that the moment would come fast. It was only a matter of time before everything would fall into place as well and once it did they could only count on the earth's wishes that it would work in the end.

   Looking down at the sleeping boy in his arms he felt guilty, he felt horrible and disgusted. This kid who was giving them all a chance and who loved them no matter what they had, was just a pawn in the game that had restarted the moment he walked in these woods. And he would be the only last survivor in the game to get what they wanted.

   But still, He would protect the kid until the time came, even then he would do everything to protect him. As would Techno, Ranboo, And Tubbo. At this point he didn't doubt the boy would have Phil wrapped around his finger too, and one day Tommy could come home.

  Tommy would be safe with them. Yet it felt like a lie that would never speak its truth.

  Tommy wakes up in his bed, he had no idea how he got there either. He knows that he went to sleep in Wil's arms but he doesn't know how Wil managed to put him in bed without the risk of his parents seeing the man. Exhaustion takes his voice, making it only be a small barely heard, "Wilby?.." He misses the man, he hates how everything feels cold now.

    He doesn't know what Wilbur actually was, just assumed the man was some fish thing. He doesn't know the power in the man's voice and the danger it holds.

   He doesn't know how Wilbur had lured his mother into the woods, her mind elsewhere as the man controlled her every move, As he handed him off into her arms carefully. He doesn't know the man moved his mother away back to their home, and while the body was his mother's it was still Wilbur who laid Tommy down in his bed and it was Wilbur who tucked him in. It was Wilbur who made sure everything was safe inside the house for the night to come.

   And his mother doesn't remember anything either, she doesn't know what happened at all just like Tommy. Only Wilbur knew, and the man had snuck into the water late at night returning home to let the others know about their day. His little guppy is what Wilbur calls Tommy to everyone, someone else he would protect now.

  Tommy started to get up, he wanted to go back outside. Wanted to see Wilbur again and swim, he didn't want it to end yet. 

   A hand stopped him from moving, and he froze. He doesn't know who's in his room and he doesn't like that one bit. But the hand just starts to pet his hair, and he starts feeling sleepy again, especially when he's lifted and moved onto a warmer thing which he assumes is the person's chest, as the stranger coo's softly at him.

  He falls back asleep to the person's heartbeat, warm and safe. And right as he closes his eyes he swears he sees a large black feathered wing. And with one last soft coo he's out like a light, dreaming about a Bee buzzing around and a giant pig chasing a weird tall creature. He hears the songs a fish sings to him as he's pulled into a large feathery place.

   And he feel's at home.

  And the stranger? He smile's as the boy falls asleep. He couldn't wait till the boy could be brought away from this pest infested place, Tommy wasn't like the disgusting creatures that roamed the land. No he was a beautiful creation, He was Phil's son regardless of blood. And that's what made the boy even more special, he was Phil's. 

   And the winged man set Tommy back down, tucking the blonde in bed like he was a small nestling, senses screaming like it was in Phil's right to do this instead of the kid's actual parent's, the disgusting fools.

   Phil flew off into the night, the next few day's would be one of the most adventurous things he might have experienced in years.

   He felt content, and Tommy smiled in his sleep as his dreams continued on. His hands clutching onto a left behind feather. Wilbur smiles as he watches Phil land, walking up to the older man with a knowing smile.

  "Everything go well?"

 Phil nods, shaking his wings as they both move to go inside the small hut. "Yeah kid woke up looking for you, but I put him back to sleep."

  Wilbur awe's, "That's so sweet, I hate that he isn't here Phil. It's only been a day since I officially met the kid and he's already pulled my heart!" 

  The old man laughs, pulling open the old creaking door, "The kid's asleep?"

  Wil nods and points back outside, "Yeah and Tech's outside getting some more wood, we ran out after you left."

   All he gets is a hum as the winged man sits down. Wilbur stares at him for a minute and sighs.

  "You want him here too don't you?" 

  He flinches when Phil sends him a sharp look.

  "Of course I do, we all do. But we can't bring him here yet and it pisses me off."

  They both flinch when they hear a new voice join in, "I think it pisses us all off old man, you should've seen Tubbo the other day. Ranboo had to literally tie the kid to a chair because he wanted to go snatch Tommy after what you told us."

  Techno drops the wood down beside the door looking back up as his father and brother. "No one likes this, but it's something we have to deal with for now so no use in getting even more pissed."

  "Technos right dad, the more worked up we get the harder this will end up being." Wilbur speaks up scowling.

  All Phil can do is sigh and stare at the picture above the chimney. "Waiting is a horrible game to play, I never enjoyed it."

  One day, Tommy would be there in that picture. Where he belongs Phil decides. Waiting really was a bitch of a game, his son's stare at the picture too and he knows all of them are on the same page.

  Once the wait was over, none of them would waste a minute. And he hoped Tommy wouldn't either.

Chapter Text

  "He's always off in those wood's, don't you find it suspicious? How he comes out with no injuries, and he comes out alive mind you. When in all our time of living here anyone who went in never came out and if they did they would be near death?" Mrs. Simons spoke, staring out her husband's office windows, looking directly at the blonde little boy in the yard. 

   Her husband sighed as he leaned into his hand's, "Be grateful he's coming out safe, the earful we would get if he didn't stresses me out enough." He goes to reach for a cigarette while she huffs, glaring at the child now.

  "Ah yes, as if the earful from the old bats in this village isn't stressful enough, I hate it. Do you know I can't even go to the market without having to hear about my beast loving child? The 'Devil's spawn' , That's his new little nickname." She spats out, running a hand to smooth out her dress, Blue eyes looking over at her husband.

  "What do you want me to do about it? Go beg on each one of those fools doorstep and deny it all? To hell with them, I can't control what the boy does and in the end what matters is he comes home uninjured and alive." He stands up inhaling the cigarette before blowing out the smoke looking at his wife. 

    They both stare at each other, each daring the other to say something. When Mrs. Simons groans before turning around heading out the room, stopping the minute her hand touches the handle.

   "It would...do well if we could at least get back in good eyes. I refuse absolutely refuse to be known as that child's beast loving mother, so it's either we fix this or," She glares at the window, Mr. Simons followed her sight, "We get rid of the problem."

   With that she stepped out letting the door slam, and her husband fell back against his chair with an exhausted groan.

    "Beast loving family? Disgraceful, utterly disgraceful."

    "Momma and Daddy are talking about sending me to school, and said I'll be nearing the right age to join next year!" Tommy spoke up as he was drawing in the dirt with a stick, The other four turned to look at the boy.

   Wilbur, who had been laying half in the water and half on land was the first to speak up, "I've heard about those dreadful places, I see no reason why they should send you to a school reeking of little brats."

   Tubbo plopped himself beside Tommy and nodded, "Yeah we can teach you all you need to know anyway, we never went to school-" 

  "And yet we're all smarter than a human." Ranboo interrupts teasingly, making Tubbo send him a playful glare.

  Tommy giggled at the three, "I'd like that more than going to a real school, none of the kid's like me anymore so it doesn't seem fun." 

   And it was true, ever since he started coming in the woods and started defending hybrid's he's been bullied by kid's his age and older then him, He even had an old lady attempt to slap him because of a comment he made. Every day while staying in the village with his parents grew more tiresome, he couldn't sneak off to the wood's a lot anymore because of his mother's watchful eye. Getting caught by her led to more hidden bruises and more bandaged arms, and the other four noticed it every passing day.

   "I have to remind you all that Tommy isn't like us, we can't just go up to his parent's an ask them to let us teach him." Techno spoke up, making them all look at him, "I'd like to teach him things instead of going to a human school, but sadly we can't do that and he has to go."

  Tommy whined, falling onto Tubbo who sent him a sad smile, "But it's gonna suck, I'll have no friends and everyone's a bunch of meanies!" 

   Ranboo reached over to Tommy and poked his cheek, a thing he did every visit, and something Tommy found comforting. "Well we're your friend's, and If anyone messes with you you can come tell us."

   " Ooo scary Ranboooo, what gonna attack some kids for lil Tom-Toms?" Wilbur teased and Ranboo took one hand and covered Tommy's eyes before flipping the man off who gave an offended gasp in return. The other two snickering while Tommy whined trying to pry Ranboos hands off his eyes. 

   "Oh yeah just imagine having a tall ender-man hybrid chasing after you, that's a human's worst nightmare I bet!" Laughing out Tubbo picked up Tommy putting the kid in his lap, who was thankful because he could finally see. 

  "I think a hybrid period running at them is bad enough." Rolling his eyes the said enderman stood up dusting off the dirt. "They'd piss themselves and go cry about it, But I bet you they would go, "Oh I survived a horrible attack! Nearly lost my life!" 

  Wilbur put a webbed hand on his head and one on his chest falling backwards into the water, "Oh It was so horrible, but I fought it you know? Nearly lost my arm in the process but the damned thing probably fears me now!"

    Tommy giggled watching the twos dramatic attack, And Tubbo smiled down at the boy before rolling his eyes, "I doubt anyone would be scared of you Wil, I see nothing scary about you!"

   Techno snorted, kneeling down beside Tubbo and Tommy, where the younger immediately reached for the man's ringed hand, which he didn't even bat an eye at and let the kid mess with his hand. The blonde mumbled out distracted by the rings, "Wilby can't be scary, none of you can!"

  "Yeah well that's because we like you, Other humans wouldn't be so open like you are." Techno spoke unimpressed, Tubbo nodding along. 

   "Well I think people who find you guys scary are dumb!" The blonde pouted, making everyone chuckle once more, "It's true I don't understand how they can be so mean!"

   "I get in trouble by just saying nice things about hybrid's, and I really don't understand why anymore..." Letting go of Techno's hand he leaned back further into Tubbos chest, not seeing the sad looks the others sent him.

   "Mommy barely sees me anymore and Daddy only gives me mean looks. The village hates me and I'm not allowed to be friends with the other kids, even then they all bully me!" He starts to tear up, Tubbo starts to shush him while rocking back and forth trying to calm the boy who starts crying.

  Techno stares at them, Moving out the way for Ranboo where both of them worked to calm the toddler down he looked over at his brother, who was staring heartbrokenly at the boy as well. It hurt seeing the kid break down, knowing they have to send him back regardless of what they wanted. None of them were stupid either, they've seen the bruises and they've seen the bandages. 

   Wilbur had been the first to speak up about it to Phil, who already knew as well, it took everything for neither to yell at the old man but Phil had told them how pissed he was at the news, How the man wanted to kill the parents when he found out. When asked why he only responded with, " The time will come where we can act. Acting now will fix nothing." 

    Techno stormed out after that, pissed at both Phil and himself. Tommy was a baby, he was barely five and yet he's going through so much and for what? For their happiness? For a freedom they wished for? It was disgusting and horrible, he hated himself for it, But..

  But staring at Tommy now, he knows there's nothing he can do to stop the future. He can only be there for Tommy and hope the boy would accept them later. He can only plead to the gods above that the boy wouldn’t hate them, that he wouldn’t leave them.

   Wilbur placed a hand on his shoulder making him look back at the man, confused he waited for Wilbur to speak.

   But he never did, he opened his mouth twice before shaking his head and walked back into the water lost in his thoughts again. He distantly heard Tommy still crying and Tubbo humming with Ranboo as they still worked to calm him down, But all he could focus on was Wilbur swimming away back home.

  Back to tell Phil.

    One last look at the river he turned around heading back to the other three, mind lost as to what exactly Wilbur had planned. Regardless he had to help Tommy now and worry about the other issues later, Tommy was his first concern.

   Tommy was his only concern.

   A plate was thrown above Phil's head, who calmly ducked his head unaffected by all the things flying through the air. He just kept stirring his tea while his son had his breakdown.

  "He's upset, he was crying and there was-" Phil moved when a book went his way, "NOTHING I COULD DO ABOUT IT." The siren screamed out. 

   "Careful with those books, toss the ones beside it-" Wilbur thankfully listened and threw the books, "Thank you." 

   "I don't understand why, just why we can't just take him now!" Wilbur shouted as he took his rage out on another book.

   Phil took a sip of the tea, staring at the book his son was destroying, "Wil I think it's-" The book went flying out the window, "Dead.."

    "And not to mention those utter disgrace of a breathing being he calls Mummy and daddy! Who hurt him for no fuckin reason! While we wouldn't dare lay a hand on him!" Slamming his hands on the table he stared at his dad, who calmly stared back. We wouldn’t mean to hurt him is left unsaid.

   "He cried Phil, He cried because of those stupid idiot's, cried because of that reeking village! He doesn't deserve this." 

    Phil sighed, setting down the cup before standing up, "I know mate, and like I've said before there's-"

  "Nothing we can do about it." Wilbur spat out and Phil narrowed his eyes at him.

  "That excuse is getting real fucking used up Phil." 

   "Watch your tone Wil." Moving towards the kitchen the older winged man stepped over the wreckage. "Don't think I'm not as upset as you are."

   "Oh yeah sure, you've barely met the kid Phil." Wilbur growled, kicking a chair over.

  "I've watched over him enough, Besides speaking of- Wilbur if you break that chair you'll have a month's worth of farm chores. Thank you, Now as I said speaking of meeting him I plan on flying out tonight to finally meet him. Meet him for the first time officially I mean."

   "Phil, Tommy doesn't go into the woods at night, he's still a baby so he sleeps early before us. And he's not allowed out at a certain time!" Rolling his eyes Wilbur picked up some of the trash he created.

  Phil chuckled looking over his shoulder at his son, "Who said he's gonna be in the wood's? I plan on going inside his room again and seeing him. Meaning I'll be gone for a while so you and Techno take care of your little brother's."

   Sputtering Wilbur looked at his dad, "You're actually crazy if you think going in his house, where his parents live too mind you, is a smart idea. Who's to say he won't scream or his Mom won't peek in? Especially for longer than the last visit!" 

  "I have it all worked out Wilbur, I promise I'll come back with all my feathers intact!" Phil said smiling as if he wasn't pulling a suicide mission.

   "Besides, if we want him here he's gonna have to get used to me sometime, And if you're worried I'll hurt him I won't. He's got my heart just as much as he has your's and the other three." Patting his son's shoulder he walked towards his room stopping to look at Wilbur, "And by the way, if this isn't cleaned before I get back I'm making you clean Techno's training gear!" 

   Closing the door with an amused smile he ignored Wilbur's shouts of unfairs, He had to prepare for the night anyway.

  Casting a look at a picture on his desk he frowned, he picked it up and felt his heart tug. 

   Please don't leave us, he pleads. I don't think we can handle the heart break again.

   Tommy couldn't sleep, His arm hurt from earlier when he got home and he was still upset about having to leave again. He tightened his hold on his blanket as he felt like crying again. It wasn't fair, this isn't fair.

   His mom didn't even come tuck him in, his dad didn't say goodnight. Wilbur didn't say goodbye, Tubbo and Ranboo looked hurt, And Techno looked upset. He wasn't happy, and if it wasn't the fear of his mom hurting him again he would've thrown a fit, But instead he settled for crying. He pulled his blanket onto his face and cried, He didn't even hear his window open, didn't hear the grunts from a man getting in. He just cried.

   "What's got you all upset now?" Someone spoke, making him lift his head up, Blurry eyes making out a tall figure with weird things coming from their back. He flinched when they grabbed his face gently and wiped the tears off sighing at him.

   It reminded him of the other's, how caring they were when he was upset. How soft their touches would be as if he would break at any moment, when others held him wanting him to break.

   He felt the person lift him up out of bed, And while he knew he should've been screaming something about the stranger screamed safe, screamed familiar. That's when he could finally realize the wing's coming out the man's back, The wing's he saw a week ago. 

   "Birdie..." He whispered out, voice cracking as the man rocked him, cooing softly at him.

   "Yeah? You're half right, I am a birdie." The man softly spoke, making Tommy smile reaching out for the wings. 

   "Careful now, don't pull anything ok?" He spoke moving a wing closer to the boy's hand, and Tommy nodded, petting the feathery thing softly.

  Smiling as the man walked over to the window, everything about this moment felt right. Tommy in his hands, Him calming him down. Him being the parent. Tommy giggled when one of the feathers tickled his arm, Phil laughing at how adorable it was.

  "What made you all upset little bird?" Rubbing the boy's back he looked at Tommy who had stopped messing with the wing's at the question. He hesitated, planning on not speaking Until Phil made a questioning sound.

   "..I miss my friends...and momma isn't happy with me. I hate it here! Everyone's so mean!" Tommy wanted to cry again, but the man was quick to start rocking him again.

  "Well your friends miss you too, so very much. And you wanna hear a secret?" Phil spoke moving Tommy so They both could see each other fully, the boy nodded, staring at Phil.

  Phil put a finger under The blondes chin softly lifting his head up, "Who cares about what your mother does? We can take care of you, and you should really only care about who cares for you back. Not someone who hurts you." 

  "But she's..she loves me? I made her really mad lately.." He whispered out, Phil sighed again.

  "That doesn't give her any reason to act the way she does, Let's say for example if uhm..Tubbo got upset with you, does he hurt you?" Tommy shook his head at that.

  "No he let's me know what I did wrong But he..he doesn't act like momma." 

  "And the other's don't either, right? If you ask a question do they yell at you?" Another no, "If you get hurt and want their help do they help?" A nod. 

  "But your mom, she doesn't do anything like that does she? Your dad either?" Phil whispered out, shushing the boy when he whined out, "It's ok, it's ok to cry you know? Sometimes things just get too much to handle, especially for little things like you!" Poking the boy's cheek he giggled swatting the hand away playfully.

  Phil chuckled, staring out at the window, Pausing for a moment he looked back at Tommy.

  "Would you care for a small trip? It might calm you down some."

  Confused Tommy looked at his bed, Phil picking up on the confusion.

  "But night-night?" Tommy asked and Phil laughed at the question.

  "If you fall asleep, I'll keep you safe I swear." 

  "Pinkie promise?" Holding out his small Pinkie Phil felt his heart warm, he nodded hooking his pinkie with the younger boy's. It hit him just how tiny Tommy's hand was compared to him. He’s been here before, seen it all before.

  "I promise birdie, no harm will come to you when you're with me."

   Tommy giggled, and to Phil's surprise the kid didn't scream when he shot out the window holding onto the toddler. Instead the kid giggled loudly, like it was the best thing he had ever experienced.

   Phil shook off the shock as he flew higher into the sky, Tommy staring in awe as he reached up for the stars.

  "One day you'll touch the stars with me, Tom's. You'll touch the stars with all of us." Phil said stopping mid-air letting his wings hold them up, Tommy looked at Phil giggling again.

  "But I think I might have my own star right in my hands, you know?"

  "I'm not a star silly!"

  Laughing loudly Phil shook his head, "No..no I think you might just be something better!" 

  Suddenly Phil dropped, and still the blonde didn't scream, his hold tightened yeah but no scream. And Phil knew at that exact moment, the kid truly would fit in.

  Catching himself he shot back into the sky, twirling as he did so listening to the boy's laughter. Listening to the cheerful yells as they would go higher, listening to the squeaks when they would drop only for him to laugh again. Watching as the boy's mood lifted as they flew through the night sky.

   At one point he flew above the river, close enough where Tommy could place his hand in as they flew over it. Gasping when the boy flicked water at him he rolled his eyes playfully when the boy giggled at his reaction.

  "Little trickster huh? I could drop you right into the water you know?" Phil teased expecting the boy to yell out no.

  Instead he felt a hand placed on his cheek, instead he was greeted with a boy who looked so much like him yet so much more different in every way smile at him, so trusting and so loving. "You won't drop me though?" 

   And Phil nodded, he would always fly for the boy if he asked. "Yeah...yeah I won't ever drop you. You won't ever have to worry about that."

  Tommy nodded, curling into his arms and closing his eyes where Phil could no longer see the soft blue. Phil waited for the boy to move, instead after a few minutes he was greeted with soft snores coming from him. Tommy had fallen asleep, clutching onto the green robe he wore. 

   For a second, Phil looked over at where his home would be. For a second he almost flew home, ready to tuck his boy into his own bed. For a second, he almost brought Tommy home. Where the boy would be raised with all the love in the world, with older brother's who would protect him and never hurt him, Where a father would raise him right and wouldn't dream of causing the boy heartache.

  For a second...Phil almost gave it all up. But he couldn't, not with the future of screwing it all up. So he turned back to Tommy's house, hurt crossing onto his face, wanting to cry himself. He hated this as much as his boy's did, and he wasn't so sure he had it in him to let the plans continue on if it meant letting Tommy suffer like this.

  He kept flying, kept holding onto Tommy. And when they reached the boy's home he carefully crawled through the opened window. Carefully walking to the sleeping boy's bed, Placing him down with all the care in the world. Tucking him in like it was something Phil had always done for the boy.

  He placed a hand on the boy's messy blonde hair, He knew that he was crying. He knew that he should've never brought the kid back, never should've ever brought him into this mess. But while he felt regret, he felt happy knowing that they did meet Tommy, That Tommy showed them all something they've never seen. 

   He showed them trust, he showed them a different side of any human. He showed everything they ever wished for, He gave his boy's a hopeful look into the future. And with that he silently thanked the boy. To hell with the boy's parents, Tommy was his son and Tommy was his son's little brother.

   Leaning down he kissed the boy's forehead before leaning back up. He looked at the boy one last time before turning around back to the window, as he crawled back out he heard the soft sleepy whisper come from the boy. 

  " 'ight papa.." 

  Phil looked at the boy in shock, knowing the kid was probably so tired he didn't realize who he was talking with anymore. But that didn't stop the warmth he felt at the words, didn't stop him from nodding and not correcting the boy.

  "Goodnight Tommy, sleep well."

  With that he flew out the window, back home to his son's, without Tommy. Without the little star he gained, And yet he still was smiling.

   He still smiled for Tommy, and he didn't stop smiling until he laid down in his own bed himself, staring at that exact picture, Imagining the new one that would soon replace that same picture.

   One where all his children would be in it together, Happy. 

  Tommy dreamed of a bright sky, he dreamed of his own wing's flying with someone he kept calling papa, He didn't even think about how the man didn't even remotely look like his actual dad. He just flew with the man reaching for the stars and touching the clouds.

   He dreamed of a happy place with people he loved so much, people who loved him just as equally. 

  He dreamed of a happy family, ignoring the reality of his real family. Because this reality seemed so much more real to him, so much more safer.

   "So Wil, I think you forgot to clean up half the mess? A shame really."

  Phil smiled at his son sipping some coffee he made. All his son's shivered at the smile. It was so fake and Tubbo silently prayed for Wilbur, all was lost for that man.

   Techno patted Wilbur's back, "You've lived a long life soldier, we will somewhat miss you."

   Wilbur immediately glared at Techno before immediately tackling him down, Ranboo sighed knowing there would be more mess to clean.

  Phil just kept drinking his coffee, Letting his son's fight while Tubbo cheered them on. Ranboo wondered if this family had any ounce of sanity left.

   Probably not, but oh well.

Chapter Text

    Tommy has this one spot in his house that he loves going to, A window that lets him see outside towards the front of the house. It's built in to be like a small seating area with the softest pillows he would ever feel, But he likes it because he can always know what's going on outside, Likes watching the busy streets or seeing the village that looks so tiny from the walk to it. He likes watching out that window, and likes how comforting it is.

  He likes when the sun shines on him when he lays there, loves crawling onto it at night to watch the stars above him.

   He doesn't like it however, When he has to stare out that window in some ugly tight little suit his mom made him wear and watch people come into their yard all dressed up. He doesn't like having to watch expensive looking cars pull up and other family members or Rich neighbors pull in. He especially doesn't like it when he sees his Grandma show up, he never liked when she came over.

   She was mean and rude, She never once said anything nice about him and she would slap his hand if he dared to do one thing out of hand. In his opinion, though he isn't allowed to say it out loud , is that she dresses ugly and old-fashioned. He hates the yellow flowered looking dress she's wearing, Hates the ugly little heels that clink when she walks, Hates her ugly little hat that has feathers on it, Feathers that she shouldn't ever have.

   Tommy loves Phil's feathers, Loves how soft and safe they are. It's been months since he's officially met the whole family and in those month's he never missed a day to see them all, He's been to their home, Which he loves as it felt so much more like home then his actual house had in so long, it's small and when everyone's inside it's hard to get around But he loves it, He doesn't go to bed sad and lonely anymore, Phil always came by once he deemed it safe and would take him out on a flight until he fell asleep. He would bring Tommy back and tuck him in, Just like a parent should. 

  Seeing Phil with feathers feels right, Seeing His grandma with feathers on a hat feels horrible. 

  He glares when she shakes his mom's hand, Glares when she nods at his dads. He glares when she looks up at the window, and she glares right back. He knows his parents are sending him warning looks, But he doesn't really care. He puts on a fake smile and waves at them all, Because if they wanna play make believe. Then Tommy's gonna play the game right, and he loves annoying the women so very much.

  She hated him as much as he hated her, and if he had to deal with an old woman yelling at him she had to deal with a four year old yelling back.

   If Wilbur was here, Tommy knew he would be proud and cheering the boy on. Both of them loved playing mind games after all. But he wasn't, and Tommy is alone.

   He was sent away from his parents to socialize the moment they stepped out the doors, though he knew it was just them not wanting to deal with him and his grandma getting annoyed by their game, And if he knew how much it would've sucked to leave their sides he wouldn't have left at all.

 It's crowded, There's no space and his cheeks hurt from everyone pinching them. Though he wouldn't admit it he's short, shorter than half the people here. He really only comes up to his mom's knees and seeing as neither of his parent's would be caught dead holding him at an event like this he has to walk around and let himself get pushed by tall mean legs.

  No one bothers to help the four year old, no one cares much about him. "If Wil was here he wouldn't even let his feet touch the ground without a fight, And Techno would have him on his shoulders treating him like royalty." He thinks, almost biting someone's leg when they kick him on accident.

   It shouldn't be that hard to just pay attention, And he isn't allowed to hide in his room because he has to socialize and if he disobeys it wouldn't be a fun night for him . "Phil wouldn't make me go through this, He would probably even hide in my room with me instead of letting me get kicked around." He looks around trying to find his mom or dad, ignoring the part that tells him to find papa instead. 

   Hissing when a lady's heels stomp on his foot, he wants to cry and he wants to just say screw it and run back into the woods where he knows it's safer. He can even see an opening in the crowd, an opening that he knows is closer to the path that would take him home. He didn't even realize he was stepping that way until he felt someone pick him up keeping him at an arm's distance, holding him like he was trash. 

   In this world's eyes, he was the lowest trash of them all.

   " I said to socialize, not try and sneak off to god knows where Tom!" He hears his mom scold him, And he knows she's bringing him inside but all he can do is stare at the wood's with tear filled eyes. "You just never listen to any of us, would it hurt you so bad if you just listened?" She opens the door immediately, setting him down, not even bothering to let him gain his balance causing him to fall. And all she does is scoff at him like he was some idiot.

    "I wanna go home, I want Tubbo. Tubbo doesn't let me fall, Ranboo catches me if I do anyway." He doesn't bother paying attention to the rest of his mom's scolding, stuck in his own little world crying.

    And that's the wrong thing to do, because the next thing he feel's is a harsh slap on his face. He feel's her sharp rings cutting open small parts of his skin and he feels the burning feeling of the aftershock. Tommy full on starts bawling once his brain catches up, he cries while his mother just stares at him. Stares at the cut on his cheek that she very well caused. Not once making a move to try and comfort him.

  Choking on a sob he looks around, he doesn't know where he is anymore, "I- I wan' Papa!" He wails out for Phil, his mom left confused as to why he was even attempting to call for his dad, Not him and never would it be him. He wants Phil, because that's papa not the other man. 

   He cries and shouts for Phil, even when his mom grows more frustrated, Even when he feels familiar nails digging in his arm again. He keeps calling for Phil, he calls for his bubbas, He calls for them all ignoring everything else.

   "Shut up! Do you want everyone to hear you be a little brat?! I bet that's what you want huh? Want everyone to know how spoiled and immature you can be?!" He distantly hears his mom shout at him, which only makes him cry worse.

    He stops shouting for the other's, he tries catching his breath. He tries calming down even when his Dad stroll's in asking what the hell was going on. Even when his grandma followed after his dad scoffing at him too, calling him horrible names again.

  Instead, He counts. Counting was a trick Wilbur taught him if he was ever upset or scared. Counting reminds him of hide and seek with Bo and Boo. Counting reminds him of how many rings Techno would wear, always letting him figure out the amount.

   1

  "Everything's gonna be ok Tom-Tom. Just take a deep breath."

  He breathes in, shaking as he does.

  2

    He covers his ears, curling in on himself as the other three adults argue. He wants his family.

3

  " where..where?"

  He doesn't feel the tension rising, doesn't see how the adults tense as if something was in the room with them. Something dangerous and horrifying that fills the air.

4

   He can feel himself start breathing better now, He just wants to stop crying now.

  He doesn't hear the sound that comes next, doesn't see how the three go limp as a voice that could trick an angel gets into their heads. He doesn't even know that the other people outside are experiencing the same lack of control. 

5

   "Wanna go home..."

He feels lost, he's so close to calming down but yet it felt so far away to grab anything. He hates it and doesn't understand it. He hates this feeling so badly, He hates how lost he feels.

   He doesn't even register two people walking away, doesn't register the two people by his mom's body. One having to hold the other back from stabbing the women no matter how badly they all wanted to do it. He misses the sharp hit his mother gets, Rings hitting her face just like she did to him.

6

   Is he being picked up? He doesn't know, he's still curled up and he still has his ears covered. When did he close his eyes? When did it get so warm? Where is he..?

  He can hear a heartbeat, he can hear someone tell him to follow their breathing. At first he can't, But they tell him he's doing good and that he'll get it.

    He finally matches with them.

7

   " -e ok, wil has al-" Someone speaks, It sounds like Bo, Tommy all but whines when suddenly everything comes back his senses rushing back in. Everything was going too fast.

   He feels him being shifted, like someone was cradling him. He starts opening his eyes, immediately closing them when the light rushes in.

   "It's ok birdie..I got you. " That's definitely papa. Only one person calls him birdie, only one person sounds like that.

8

   He can finally open his eyes, squinting as blue eyes try to make out all the shapes. He can make out a hand wiping away his tears, Tommy turning his head slightly to the culprit's hand and he see's Tubbo. 

   Reaching out for the bee hybrid he whines, "Bo.. Bo's here?" Wincing when Tubbo ends up trying to wipe the small drops of blood on his cheek.

  "Yeah Tom's Bo's here, you're gonna be ok now I promise."

9

    He turns his head again, this time looking up at who's holding him, And blue eyes meet blue, Phil's staring down at him with the softest look only that man could hold.

  "Papa?" Tommy asks another hand reaching up for the man's face, Tommy thinks Phil was about to cry but with his own blurry eyes he couldn't really tell.

   "Hi there, are you back with us birdie?" Phil asks keeping his voice down, Tommy's thankful for that.

   All he can do is nod, curling deeper into the man's arms. Crying always tired him out fast and mixing with the warmth coming from Phil he was getting sleepy fast.

10

   Tommy's safe now, he knows he will always be safe when the others are by him. He smiles when He sees Ranboo and Techno show up next, Ignoring the blood on Techno's face, not even questioning why he doesn't find that terrifying. Maybe it was the sleep affecting him.

   "Ranboo got two bag's, Took as much as we needed for him. And with the other stuff at home it's safe to say we can take him back." Techno speaks, Tommy watches with sleepy eyes as a braided part of the man's hair moves.

  "I don't- Are we actually taking him this time?" Tubbo asks concerned, Tommy feels himself dozing off to that same voice he heard earlier.

   "We are, I don't care what he has to say about this. Tommy isn't staying in this house anymore." Phil spats, taking one look outside glaring at something. Tommy closes his eyes when Phil starts rocking him slightly.

  "Then we should probably hurry up and go, Wilbur isn't gonna be able to hold all of them much longer." Ranboo speaks up being the first one to move towards the door, Tommy falls asleep before he can hear anything else.

  He wonders when he's gonna wake up in his bed, wake up back in this house and realize that they never really came to save him. He wonders if this is really a nightmare.

  He wonders where his parents went too, he really wanted to mess with his grandma today.

    Wilbur all but storm's inside the house, immediately ready to start up one of his fits but before he can even walk towards the bookcase one that is now just specifically there for him to destroy h0.e's lifted up by someone.

   "Techno I swear to gods If you don't let me-" Techno immediately shushes him with a warning look.

  "Tommy is asleep and I swear if you having a bitch fit wakes him up you'll have to deal with Tubbo trying to sting you again." Techno sounds unimpressed as he sets Wilbur down, not even stopping the webbed slimy hand slapping his arm.

  "First of all, Stop picking me up. You know I hate it you pig-face prick," That makes the pink-haired man snort, "Secondly, is he really staying here, like Phil actually brought him here?!" Wilbur almost shouts, stopping himself before he even could.

  "No, we just brought another small annoying blue eyed blonde human who also goes by Tommy here." 

  Wilbur glares at his brother, "Stop being smart, it's annoying."

  "You're annoying."

  "What the hell- I'm gonna stab you I swear-"

  Both of them immediately freeze when they feel harsh eyes land on them, turning towards Phil's door they see the man glaring at them, a look that Wilbur calls the dad glare.

   "Techno, I thought I told you to be quiet. And I assumed you would've told Wilbur." Phil speaks, both boy's immediately nod.

  "I did tell him-"

  "Techno's being a bitc-"

  "Oh yeah blame me-"

 "I am what do you think I'm doing?"

  Before Techno could reply both of them felt hands yank on their ears , Both immediately cursed luck for giving them long ears.

  "I will not hesitate to kick you both out for the night if you keep this up." Phil smiles at them, both shiver.

  "Sorry dad-" The two speak up at the same time, shooting a glare at the other.

  When Phil lets them go Wilbur immediately rubs his ear, whining, while Techno moves away from Wilbur following Phil into the kitchen. 

  It's a small one, the house was small in itself, And Techno was one of the bigger hybrids in the house so he always had to duck when going under the doorways, However if you looked carefully you could see cracks in the wall from two people ramming their head's into the wall.

  He watches as Phil fixes a drink, One that's obviously not for the man based on the fact that it was a red sippy cup that was so painfully clear it was Tommy's. 

  "Wait when did you even get apple juice- we barely get that stuff?" He asks when he realizes what the drink was, admittedly he was a little jealous. They never really got apple juice and he used to love that stuff as a kid.

  "Tubbo raided those people's kitchen right before we left and also after he tried calming you down, Which is great because we did need some of the stuff anyway." Phil replies twisting the lid on the drink, "If you want some, fix some. Just make sure there's some left for later please."

  Techno just shakes his head, "Nah I'm assuming it's meant for him right?" Phil nods, picking up the cup before heading towards Techno.

  They both stare at each other, Techno knows he should move but he didn't, He couldn't move yet.

  "Why did you break the plan, he wasn't supposed to even be here yet?" Techno whispers out watching as Phil fiddles with the carvings on the cup.

  Finally after what feels like a lifetime the older man speaks up, "You..you all know how I get when one of you gets hurt right?" Techno slowly nods, "I know when my kids are upset Techno, I get a feeling when one of you is hurt. Part of being a parent is you know."

   Breathing in He holds the cup higher, "I see that boy as my kid too, I know what we're doing isn't good. I know you all think I could care less about him, But I don't. He matters just as much as you all do." 

  "We never said you didn't care about him-" Techno starts up moving closer to the man when a hand stops him.

  "You don't have to say it for me to not know. Believe me when I say not all of you can hide emotions pretty well." Phil laughs, it's shaking through breaking up at some points.

  "But I do care, these past few months I had to see all of you hurt because I wouldn't let anyone help the boy. But..today- Today It felt off, I felt scared Techno."

  "Wh- Dad?" 

  Coughing Phil straightens his posture, "I felt scared for Tommy. That's why I had us all watch today, in case something happened, and something obviously did."

  The man stares at Techno, and Techno can see the man shaking trying to hold himself together.

  "I don't care about that part of the plan anymore, I'm not sending him back there to suffer for our own gain. We can work around this and make everything work out well still But I am not letting Tommy go back." He spats out, anger boiling in his skin.

 Techno sighs, placing a hand on the man's shoulder shaking him slightly, "And we won't Phil, No one's gonna be upset at you for bringing him ever," He rolls his eyes, "Have you seen how happy Ranboo is decorating Tommy's room with the kids own stuff? Or how Excited Tubbo's been since we brought him through the door?"

  Phil chuckles at that, "Those two are probably going to hog Tommy for days now I swear!" 

  Another voice pops up, Along with Techno stumbling because Wilbur decided to jump on the man's back causing the other to glare, "I won't allow that! I already called dibs on showing him around the whole place officially anyway!"

  "Who said you could do that? I never heard you call dibs you fish fuck-" Techno starts up, Phil rolling his eyes again at his son's when they both start arguing.

  "Honestly you would think Tubbo and Ranboo are the older one's with the way you two act!" Phil says trying to squeeze past The two, unsuccessful seeing as each time he tried they would move in that same direction.

  After what seemed like forever the two were suddenly shoved away making Phil flinch at the thud on the old wall from Techno hitting it. Tubbo didn't even blink twice at the two all but smiling at Phil like he didn't just shove two people bigger than him.

  "Tommy's awake, keeps calling for you too." Pouting at that Tubbo sighs dramatically, "And with me in the room, already picking favorite's!" 

   Chuckling Phil moves to walk with Tubbo leaving his other son's to deal with themselves. "I got his drink ready anyway, kids probably really thirsty so.." 

  Tubbo gave a knowing smile, "Dadza moment?" Giggling he separated from Phil moving towards his and Ranboo's room. 

  "Go take care of your new kid, I kicked Ranboo out when I left so you could explain the situation to Tommy alone." Phil watches as one of Tubbo's wing's twitches, The kid was probably still upset about the whole thing as well. Thankful for that he nodded, turning around to open his door.

   And there the guest of the party was, curled up on Phil's bed, eyes wandering everywhere. Phil assumed the kid was curious, looking at the new surroundings he probably was trying to figure out where he was as his brain couldn't catch up fast enough. Closing the door with a soft click that got Tommy's attention Phil smiled at him.

  "Good morning mate, do you feel any better?" The older man asked handing the cup over to Tommy who silently took it.

  "It's not morning silly!" Tommy giggled, it was so shy though so quiet and unlike the boy and it hurt Phil. Tommy probably felt out of place and was too nervous to act like himself, "Oh really? I didn't notice, guess it's amazing you're here to help me with time now huh?" Phil smiled as the boy nodded fast, not even once getting the sarcasm in the man's voice.

  Tommy didn't respond after that, quietly taking sips from the cup looking away from the other. Phil frowned at that, opening his mouth to ask if the boy was ok only to be interrupted before he could even talk.

  "Are you gonna send me back?" Tommy whispered, breaking Phil's heart with the fearful tone, "Please don't, I wanna stay here!" The blonde added, tearing up. At that point Phil felt like if the boy kept it up he wouldn't even have a heart anymore, just tiny pieces of a broken up heart that seemingly just kept breaking.

  Sitting down beside the boy Phil hugged him, immediately being hugged back by tiny arm's that couldn't even reach each other. If the moment wasn't so upsetting Phil would've found it adorable, But he couldn't soften at the boy because of it. Tommy needed to be reassured, needed to know Phil wouldn't let him get hurt again.

   Subconsciously rocking back and forth with him, something he found himself doing a lot to calm the kid down now and days, Phil hummed, "I won't send you back, you don't ever have to go back there ok?" 

   Tommy stayed quiet for a moment, If it wasn't for the small cries coming from him Phil would've thought he fell back to sleep, Breaking the silence he barely heard Tommy go, "Promise..?" 

  "I promise birdie, you can stay here with us. You're safe here no matter what and you don't have to worry about those idiot's anymore." Picking up the boy's bandaged arm his eyes hardened, knowing what they did to him and knowing he let it go on, "You won't ever have to worry about getting hurt like this, We will never hurt you like they did."

  Tommy smiled, eyes slowly closing as he slowly fell back to sleep, only jolting awake for a second when Phil had moved his drink away, "I wanna stay, stay here please?" He mumbled as Phil moved to lay him back down.

  Phil tucked him back into bed, kissing the boy's forehead making him giggle as he grabbed the blanket tight with a small fist closing his eyes.

   And right before he fell back asleep he heard Phil laugh, something that always brought a smile to his face, "Of course, whatever you want we will always give you."

  And the minute Tommy fell asleep Phil sighed looking at him for one last time with a soft goodnight before turning around to head to his desk, He knew he wouldn't get any sleep tonight anyway with the boy stealing his bed, But also the fact that he had to write some letters, letters that would inform someone about the change in plans. 

  He also made mental plans to organize Tommy's room tomorrow as well, that one he was excited for. Hoping the blonde would like it and also secretly hoping he would get back his bed tomorrow too. Picking up the feathered pen and some paper he started writing, looking back towards Tommy at time's to make sure he was ok.

   I know this event will change a lot of things, But I refuse to let him be hurt any longer by those disgusting creatures. Thing's can be fixed, we can redo half of it all but I will not send him back there.

    Taking care of Tommy was always the main part.

  Tommy will be living with us from now on. 

  Keeping my sons safe is my first priority. Including Tommy. 

  Phil wrote and wrote, wrote letters after letters, Plans after plans. And regardless of how tired he was, how numb his hand was growing he didn't stop unless it was to check up on the boy again. At one point Wilbur had poked his head in to say goodnight followed by Techno, He did have to stop for a moment then because the two had started to creep up on Tommy.

  "He's asleep, You two can talk with him tomorrow so leave him be." Phil stated unimpressed as the two froze from their positions.

  "He sleep's so much, how can someone so small sleep like he's some storybook cursed person?" Wilbur whined quickly being shushed by Phil when Tommy had stirred.

  "He's a baby idiot, they like to sleep a lot compared to us-" Techno whispered, grabbing Wilbur by the collar before dragging him out the room, Phil listened to them argue as they both headed to their own rooms shaking his head with a fond smile. 

   Things might get complicated now, Phil had no idea what could happen. But if you asked if he regretted adopting all of them, He would tell you no. He didn't regret any moment of it, they kept him going and in return he kept them safe and loved.

    At some point Phil didn't even realize the sun had started to come up, and at some point he didn't realize he had fallen asleep at his desk. When he woke up he felt way warmer then he should've felt, only noticing that he had a blanket, That he knew was from his bed, lazily thrown around him and a heavy weight on his lap that he soon realized was a sleeping Tommy. 

  So yes, Phil didn't regret having an adoption problem, He did regret adopting a kid that he would end up using. He had five sons that he equally loved no matter what, and he planned to keep them all safe even if it meant giving up his only life for them all. A life he was not allowed control over.

  Even if it meant giving up everything he worked for as well. Even if it meant he had to play a horrible game.

   "Ok Tommy, lean your arm back just like that, Focus on your target...and- sHOOT!" Wilbur shouted as Ranboo walked in the living room not even having a second to collect himself before a book slapped his face knocking him down out of shock.

  The minute the taller boy hit the ground Tommy started dancing like he didn't just commit a murder, "I killed Boo! I killed Boo!"

  Wilbur picked him up swinging him around as they both laughed chanting that Tommy killed Ranboo.

  Tubbo having seen the murder kneeled down beside the Enderman poking his side, "If you're dead can I have your side of the room?" 

   All he got in response was a pained groan, nodding Tubbo picked himself up walking away wiping a fake tear away, "Rest in peace, you will not be missed."

   Phil watched exhausted as Techno watched with a proud look, "Kid's been here for a day and he's already killed someone. Amazing."

   "Techno do not congratulate your baby brother for killing your other brother."

  "Papa I killed Boo!" Tommy shouted as both the boy's spinned past Phil making him smile.

   "Yes you did Tom's, I'm very proud of you son."

  Techno gave Phil a knowing look, one Phil decided to ignore.

   "Stop looking at me and go help Ranboo."

  "Nah It's useless to help a dead man."

   "Techno."

Chapter Text

  Dear, Phil

   Receiving your letters are always the most tenseful part of my day's, always up to trouble always leaving a mess for me to clean. Couldn't you just behave and listen for once?

  I'll keep this short and simple. I told you to wait, I told you to be patient. And once again it seems you've ignored my warnings, you will deal with whatever consequences that might happen in the future I won't clean any more messes that you've made. I advise you not lose this one either who knows how long it will be before we have another chance like it.

  We do not want another mistake like you did with him, do not mess this up any further. It would be very upsetting if I had to continue on with what you've put on your family's lives.

   XD.

    Phil sighed as he placed the letter in a box with other's, he knew that there would be some trouble with his sudden break of a fully made plan yet it was still so stressful getting a letter from him. Regardless of if it was a good or negative one, he was supposed to act smart and thinking through it all before he made a move and here he was, already breaking barriers again.

  Tommy had only been here for two weeks and in those two weeks Phil had to watch over his boy's and help Tommy settle in. He wasn't to worried about people coming to look for the blonde either, the home was well hidden away from anyone who didn't know the path like his family did. And they're might be some small magic involved curtsy to his "friend" but no one has to know that.

  And to say Tommy being here was amazing is well...something. He didn't take into account of how bad an idea it was to let his son's babysit Tommy when he worked, Wilbur being his main concern seeing as everytime the two disappeared Tommy would come back soaking wet climbing all over his furniture with Wilbur cheering him on.

  "Stop- STOP BRINGING HIM TO THE LAKE?! Tom- tOMMY NO THAT'S EXPENSIVE-" 

  Wilbur cackled in the background watching as Phil chased the toddler around the house, he would never stop bringing the kid to that lake if it meant seeing this everyday. It also was adorable teaching the boy to swim, No one else enjoyed swimming with him so it felt nice having a buddy.

  He would later regret these choices when he would go to bed with salt all over his sheets, Phil sleeping peacefully while his son cursed him out.

  Then he had to worry about Techno letting Tommy mess with his weapons, his very sharp weapons. That one gave him the biggest heart attack, and Phil likes to think if he actually had one his son's would've been more careful with Tommy then.

   Phil knocked on Techno's door while opening it, eyes busy on a piece of paper that he needed Techno to look over. "Hey tech, can you- wHAT THE FUCK?" Phil screamed when he looked up seeing his four year old son holding a sword that was so very much larger than him. Balancing heavily off, and Phil thought his soul left for a second when Tommy started to tip for a second.

   And his other son was smiling proudly at Tommy, not even showing one ounce of concern that the boy could get hurt, "Hi dad how are you?" He asked, and Phil wondered what he did wrong while raising this one.

  "Papa look! I'm a warrior now!" Tommy cheered, Phil nervously swallowed as he rushed over to take the sword from the now whining boy. "G-good job Tom! But let's not- never touch these thing's please."  

   Phil almost dropped dead when Tommy went jumping for the sword, Techno not even helping as he laughed at Phil trying to hold off the toddler. He ended up with all the heavy duty chores for a week after that.

   And then to make matters worse, Tubbo existed. And with Tubbo came Ranboo, the package deal. Phil liked to think he did a great job with raising those two, giving them the best life and best advice one could give. 

   His opinion wavered when he walked out his front door one day only to see Tubbo trying to build a bomb out of an old fridge, that he had no idea where the bee hybrid got from, with Ranboo oh so carefully helping him out. Phil went right back to bed that day, hoping it was a fever dream. It wasn't, and he's pretty sure Tubbo was the one who blew up an old building in the village.

    Phil had to step out his room one day when he heard Wilbur screaming in fear with Tubbo laughing like a maniac. He was greeted with Wilbur hiding ontop of the bookshelf, Ranboo standing behind Tubbo with a hidden smile, Techno just cleaning some bows, And...Tommy trying to climb his way up to Wilbur. Phil swore he saw Foam coming out the boy's mouth, But when he saw the shelf start to tip he immediately ran over to grab Tommy before the kid got crushed.

   He purposely ignored the Blonde trying to get free, even biting Phil's hands. Instead he leaned back onto the shelf to save Wilbur an stared at Tubbo, who just smiled at him.

  "What did you do now Tubbo?!" Phil spoke moving Tommy away from Wilbur who had climbed down shaking.

  "Nothing!"

  "He drugged Tommy Phil- Look at him! Oh my god he's drugged-" 

  "I did no such thing. You just walked in at the wrong time."

  "I WAS IN MY OWN ROOM?!" 

  Phil sighed before noticing the youngest had started to calm down, shifting him closer to his chest and letting the boy lean his head on Phil's shoulder as he watched The two fight.

  "Ranboo- Ranboo you were there tell Phil I'm right!" Wilbur desperately said grabbing the taller boy's hand's.

  Everyone turned to look at Ranboo, who gave Wilbur a blank stare shrugging. "I saw nothing man, You're on your own." 

   He had to drag Wilbur to bed that day, having passed out from whatever he was feeling, Phil assumed shock. He also had to have a talk to Tubbo about why he couldn't do whatever he did to make Tommy go all crazy. He knew that he would be given empty promises but honestly he was to tired to deal with it. And knowing he would possibly have to deal with a hyper child already drained him faster. 

  So yes, all his son's might be a little insane. And maybe he probably did something wrong when raising them all, But hey everyone makes mistakes. And his son's were special thank you very much, all having their own quirks that made them them. And while it was draining he wouldn't have it any other way!

  Also the fact that he wasn't so innocent, he gave the other's their fair scares too. Be it having to randomly wake up to a flying monster or random caws at night. Not to mention birds always showing up having some weird attachment to the man.

  He also recently started to take Tommy on more day flights, and Wilbur speaks for himself when he say's seeing Phil nose-dive with Tommy in his hand's isn't funny, The two don't share that same opinion. Tommy loves the tricks Phil pulls and Phil loves having someone who can enjoy said tricks with.

  "Oh my god- your gonna kill him one day please-" Wilbur squeaked out clutching his sweater after he just witnessed Phil practically toss Tommy up in the air very high up mind you. 

  "Oh please I'm not gonna kill him! Look Tommy loves it- Don't you Birdie?" Phil cooed holding Tommy up, who was giggling like he didn't almost die.

  "Fun! Again, again please" He squealed at Phil, ignoring Wilbur who was pleading for Phil to hang Tommy over.

   It took having to have Tubbo chase after Phil to get the two down to safety, especially after Phil attempted to hold Tommy by his hand's only. Ranboo had secretly questioned why exactly Tommy hadn't cried one bit, a small theory that Tommy just had no care in the world for the dangerous things.

   And honestly Phil would say maybe Ranboo was the more sane between them all, But that point was also proven wrong when one day Ranboo had randomly decided he didn't want to share Tommy at all. Teleporting away everytime someone got to close for comfort.

  "Ranboo- Mate I have to feed Tommy!" Phil said exhausted, you try chasing after an eight foot enderman. "No- Ranboo I swear to god if you go on the roof I will ground your ass for a month." 

  All he got was a warning vroop and a giggling Tommy. " Boo go on roof! Roof boy's!" Tommy laughed out smiling harder when Phil shook his head, a silently plea for Tommy to shut it.

  "Roof boy's! No ground boy's allowed papa." And with a nod from Ranboo both the boy's disappeared to the roof. Phil groaned dragging a hand down his face before walking out the door ignoring Techno snorting at him.

  "Tommy Ranboo both of you get down here right now! I swear if I have to come up there-" 

  "NO GROUND BOY'S ALLOWED!"

  "Yeah- Sorry dad, But no ground boy's allowed! Tommy make's the rules not me."

  Phil growled, "Oh I'm gonna show you two rules-" 

  Wilbur was the only witness that day, all he wanted to do was chill in his lake, But no he had to witness a raging Phil fly up on the roof  and listen to the screams of his fallen brother's. And let him tell you, Seeing his dad who is admittedly smaller than half of them pulling down the first tallest person in the house down a roof isn't a pretty sight.

  But he was at least carefully with Tommy, who got the more better treatment. Being carefully grabbed an had a nice float with Phil down the house making Wilbur scoff, the favoritism was outstanding.

    When the third week hit them, Phil and everyone else realized Tommy seriously was no better than all of them. See the blonde had decided he wanted to play hide-an-seek, And while normally Phil would have no issue indulging in any of his son's games, Tommy left a crucial part of the whole game out.

   He didn't tell anyone that they were playing the game at all. See at the first hour, Phil had let him sleep in. Assuming his youngest was just tired and needed more sleep, telling the rest of his kid's to leave Tommy alone for now.

  And the second hour, concern grew in. Phil had made Tommy's favorite snack yet there was no sign of the human. Brushing that off Phil went to clean the house.

  At the third hour, Phil decided it was Time for the toddler to get up. So imagine his surprise when Phil opened the door only to see an empty bed and a clean room. When asking the others if they had Tommy only to be told no Phil understandable freaked. Wilbur was the first to start shouting for Tommy, he was the first to run outside to look for the boy.

    Once the other's followed the siren they all broke off looking for the blonde alone. Said Blonde had found himself a hole behind the small house, a hole that was hidden away where unless you really looked you couldn't see him at all. Tommy didn't see the panic, no he saw Wilbur tripping in the water and had to cover his mouth to hide his giggles.

  Tommy didn't see the nervous looks when Tubbo would be launched into the air by Ranboo only to come down without a child being seen. He had to duck his face to stop looking at the silly little thing. He didn't even realize Techno was one step away from knocking down every tree just to find the boy, no his attention had now gone to a worm. 

   His legs hurt, and he was really thirsty too. They also really sucked at playing the seekers if he had managed to hide away for this long. He seriously also wanted to know what it was he was forgetting, what was it? 

   For a second he forgot he was supposed to be hiding, the whine already out his mouth before he could stop it when he stretched his cramped legs. 'Don't move. If you stay still they won't find you!" He thought immediately freezing waiting to see if he was in the clear.

   The hand's that lifted him up by his waist was a clear sign he wasn't in the clear. Shrieking when he was up away from the ground he squirmed trying to get away from the kidnapper. "Let go! Lemme doowwn!" He whined even more when his demand was ignored.

   "Tommy." The threat in the familiar voice made him freeze. 'You're in trouble now!" Something told him, he didn't like being in trouble.

   He was turned around to face the one who found him, smiling nervously at Phil who was giving him a stern glare.

  "Hi papa.." Tommy mumbled trying his best to give the cutest face he could to get out of trouble.

  Phil didn't even say anything, the look never changing even when he yelled to the other's that Tommy was found. He didn't even hand him over to Wilbur when the man came running over to them first.

   "You aren't going to him, Wilbur isn't gonna get you out of trouble so stop it Tommy." Phil snapped when the blonde kept reaching for Wilbur, cringing when he felt Tommy curl in himself. 

    He ignored the look Wilbur gave him, Busy opening the door with Tommy still in his hands. The minute they got inside and Tommy was set down he watched the boy run straight to Wil, who picked him up without hesitating.

  Phil went to open his mouth when Wilbur immediately shook his head, "You getting more upset at him isn't going to help. Go outside with the other's ok? I can deal with Tommy."

   Wilbur had started to rock back and forth on his heels, Phil realizing that Tommy had hid his face away from him. That broke his heart more than you could imagine.

  "I'm- he need's to understand that running off like that isn't ok. We can't just baby him and let him think it's ok!" 

   The shouting made Tommy curl up further, Wilbur not even realizing he started to growl at his dad. "And we won't, But I'm not gonna let you scare him by shouting at him. I think he's had enough people shouting." Wilbur spat as he dodged Phil's attempt to move towards them.

  "Go outside Phil. I'm not gonna tell you again." With one last glare Wilbur slammed Tommy's door shut, dejected Phil walked outside. Not before hearing Wilbur talking softly to Tommy.

     "Where's Tommy?" Tubbo asked when Phil had walked over to them. They didn't even see the stress on the mans face having wiped any evidence of it off his face, he didn't want to worry anyone.

  "And where's fish man, you would think those two would be stuck together." Techno mumbled pushing himself off the log he was leaning against.

     "They are together, I was kicked out the house while Wil talks with him. He was hiding in a hole behind the house by the way, might have to patch that up now." The winged man let out a grunt as he let himself fall onto the ground.

  "Wilbur got mad when I snapped at Tommy, so I don't recommend any of us going inside until that's settled." 

  "Well no duh," Ranboo rolled his eyes at the man, "Wil's protective over Tommy like way more than any of us, especially after everything else. They both favor each other."

   They all heard the angry mumble of, "Favoritism." from Tubbo, who wasn't happy about not being Tommy's immediate favorite.

  "You literally favor the kid more then any of us you can't speak." 

  "Yeah and you favor him as well, so shut up pig-face."

  Phil watched as Ranboo tried to stop the two from fighting, mind elsewhere thinking about what was just said. Yeah sure maybe the other's all picked Tommy as their favorite, Phil wouldn't deny it mentally when he would say Tommy was his favorite too I mean you try spending one day with that kid and come out the same person you were before, But what was it that Wilbur had that made Tommy pick him?

    What was it that Wil did that made him so special to Tommy?

     "Maybe hide and seek wasn't the best idea when you didn't inform the other's about it." Wilbur chuckled watching as Tommy played with a stuffed cow, listening as the boy rambled about what he had done.

  "I forgot, didn't mean to forget..." He mumbled sadly, "I didn't mean to scare you!" 

  The siren smiled sadly poking the boy's nose making the boy giggle. "Yeah I know bubs, we just have to remember next time right?"

   Tommy nodded, squealing when Wilbur attacked him with the stuffed cow, Henry. It's name is henry and Tommy loves henry.

  "Gonna have to apologize to everyone else as well, you had us all worried bubba." Stopping his attack on the boy Wilbur leaned back against the boy's bed, "Phil didn't mean to snap either, he just gets stressed easily. Doesn't make it ok if he shouts at you though."

  "Papa isn't mad anymore?" Tommy questioned looking over at his door as if Phil would walk in right then and there. Sighing Wilbur stood up picking up the four year old as he did.

  "No I think he's calmed down enough, you wanna go see the other's? Or we can stay inside and play. Whatever you want to do Tom's" Grabbing the stuffed cow when it started to slip from the boy's hand's Wilbur moved over to the door. 

   "I wanna go see papa, please?" Wilbur paused for a second, half his mind telling him to keep Tommy away from their dad. He could still be upset, he could be angry. 

   Shaking his head Wilbur walked over to the front door setting Tommy down so the kid could run to the others once the door opened, and run he did. Sometimes he wondered how the hell a kid could be that fast and not even trip. He takes that back he's seen Tommy trip multiple times when he would run, if it wasn't for the crying Wilbur would most definitely laugh at him.

  He watched as Phil picked up Tommy, watched as they walked off away from the other's to talk. Keep an eye out, he's gonna fuck it up again. He didn't even realize that the other's had walked over to him, not until he felt Techno shove him. 

  "Stop giving our dad murder eye's I think he's gonna get traumatized if you keep it up." He snorted along with Tubbo.

  "I am not giving him 'murder eye's' I'm just watching them." Pouting he sent one last look at the two, Heart going warm when the two hugged. 

  "That's it men, we've lost him. Rest in peace Wilbur died because he got soft!" Tubbo laughed out ducking when Wilbur went to hit him.

  "Oh I swear to god- Go collect flowers or some shit you're annoying!" 

  "I'll collect nukes and blow up your room if you try and hit me again!" 

     Suddenly Tubbo was being held up by Ranboo, who both looked unimpressed and uneasy.

  "We agreed no more bombs." He spoke, moving when Wilbur attempted to grab the boy.

  "I agreed to nothing, I am being denied rights." 

  "How is blowing up Wil a right-"

  "Don't ask stupid questions, I know the law."

  Another pause as they all stared at Tubbo who smirked. Rule one in this household, Tubbo isn't a safe person one bit. Proceed with caution.

 "I am the law!"

      Phil sat at his desk, candles lit up in the room so he could work. The only sound being heard would've been the creaking of the house from the wind, Phil's pen writing with paper being moved, and slightly if you listened Ranboo snoring.

  It was very late at night, so he didn't have to worry about any of his son's barging in. He had thing's to do, papers to read and be sent off. Reading XD's letters never once brought comfort to him, It's hard being the god's help, hard having to do the things he's made to do with little to no help from said man. 

   He was one of the people who was meant to help hybrids out personally picked by XD himself, yet his feelings got the best of him and the one thing the god had created that would save them all became defective, All because he just couldn't wait till they had the ok.

   And he's done the same with Tommy, another kid that was given a god's blessing, one that can't just come everyday. Sometimes he wished that ball never rolled into those woods, sometimes he wished they never bothered with Tommy.

  Would he have been picked still if they did? Would he still have catched the god's eye's, or would he live with humans still, suffering under them and no one else. Would he be like the other? Couldn't he just stay this time, Phil doesn't think he can lose another kid because of his stupid actions.

   His son's, forced to live. Live until the god said otherwise, forced to be like Phil, and it was his fault. He brought the first kid home way to early and they all got attached, Phil was stupid enough to leave evidence of all the plans and the kid found out. The kid left and with that the god's blessing left with and XD was pissed, He begged and begged for the god to leave his son's alone.

  But sometimes god's aren't so nice, even if the certain god was picked to take care of a species, It doesn't mean they love you. And XD didn't love them, they were useful to him at that was it. Phil couldn't die, he wasn't allowed to die.

   Phil's kids weren't allowed to die, They could only ever live until he fixed this mistake. And god's did he hope Tommy would be the right one this time.

  He didn't even realizing he spaced out, ink spread across paper the tip bending as Phil pushed down on the pen. He was tired, But he had so much work to do.

  He didn't even hear his door open, or the small oof that came with. Didn't hear the small steps or the sound of a blanket being dragged. But he most certainly felt the tug on his wing's bringing him out of the space he was in.

  Turning slowly he saw Tommy, laughing internally because of course he shows up when the man thinks about him, of course his son shows up when he's upset. The kid looked almost as tired as he felt, leaning down he lifted the toddler up into his lap.

   "What's someone like you doing up so late birdie?" Phil spoke softly, smiling when Tommy attempted to cover them both with the small blanket he brought with him.

  "Nightmare, wanted you." A pause as Tommy got comfortable, Phil placed a hand on the boy's back to keep him from falling, "..And Wilby locked his door."

   That made him chuckle, of course the kid tried going to the siren first, "What about Tubbo an Ranboo? They leave their door cracked for you." 

  Phil watched the boy slowly shake his head, "Boo's loud, and Bo moves alot." Tommy pouted when he thought about it, it was truly sad because the two did give great cuddles.

  "And why not Techno? I'm sure he wouldn't mind having a roommate for the night."

   That got him a stare, a very creepy stare. "No, no tech." 

   Phil nodded slowly, watching as Tommy looked satisfied at that. "Well you know you don't have to stay up in the chair with me? I got a whole bed that's free of no people!"

  "Wanna sleep with papa, don't care where." The boy mumbled slowly falling back to sleep, "Papa sleep too, please.."

   Phil stared at his desk, he should say no. He should put Tommy back to bed and get back to work. He should stay up, But he was tired. And he couldn't really say no to Tommy either, so with a huff he got up carefully shifting the boy so he wouldn't fall.

   Once he placed Tommy on his bed he went around blowing out all the candles, almost tripping on Tommy's stuffed cow, which he placed in the sleeping boy's hands, cleaning up his desk he stretched before heading back to his bed. 

   He didn't say anything when Tommy moved to lay close by him, instead placing a large black wing across the boy acting as a blanket, "Goodnight birdie.." He mumbled out as he got comfortable, and within five minutes he was out like a light just like Tommy.

   Wilbur got a good picture the morning after, one where he placed right in a book with other pictures he took, having half a mind to place The picture where the old one was.

   He glared at the picture, Techno would probably like to have it. He certainly didn't want him in the book anymore But...he couldn't move his fingers to rip the picture out couldn't even try. He said nothing though as he placed Tommy's picture right above the other. He said nothing as he walked out his room smile being put on when the four year old tossed himself into Wil's arm's. Listening carefully to the blue eye'd blonde babble about his dream, Catching Phil's soft look at the two.

  It was perfect like this, Wilbur thought. He was happy, happy was a rare thing to get in this life. But Tommy was his happiness, and he would protect it with his life.

Chapter Text

  "-, Wake up! It's your birthday C'mon!" Wilbur squeaked pulling on the sleeping boy's arm, moving away when said hand swatted at him.

  "C'mon, Dad's got a cake this time! You're a big kid like me an Tech, Five is a big number you know." Wilbur sassed pulling harder making the boy fall off his bed with a yell.

   "But I'm- I'm tired!" The smaller boy yawned rubbing his eye's ignoring Wilbur's scoff, he wanted to go back to bed.

  "Oh but you were so excited last night, besides I can't eat cake till you show up so hurry it up!" The siren pulled the boy up helping him get his balance when he tipped, he smiled when the boy sent a tired glare at him.

  "C'mon  .̸̧͕̗̭̐́̑̓.̸̨̾.̷̛̛̪̉̌̎̈ let's go eat cake now!" Wilbur giggled with the boy as they ran out the door, the house being filled with happy warmth and soft happy birthdays. The boy got a wooden sword that day, fighting with Techno late at night as the other two watched. 

   Wilbur all but smiled as he watched his brother's fight, content with the family he had. He turned to look at Phil only to be met with no one there, turning back to his brother's he only see's Techno being held back by Phil screaming out for someone.

  He feels his sweater getting yanked, looking down to see a smaller Tubbo and Ranboo staring at him with teary eye's, he can feel his own tears falling fast down his face.

   He looks back at the wood's, and he watches as the boy he cared for leave them all, he watches as the boy slowly turns back to look at them.

   He sobs when that boy suddenly looked like Tommy.

  Tommy found it hard to sleep last night, Having to be put right back in bed ten time's when he kept getting up to tell everyone about his birthday. Tubbo was the one who said screw it and tucked Tommy in so tight the boy couldn't even move, and believe him he tried. But eventually he was able to get some sleep, excitement rolling off when his body couldn't move at all.

   He was gonna be five! Five was a big number, Wilbur had been cheering about it for day's telling Tommy he was gonna be a big kid soon and Tommy grew more and more excited each day. He wondered if this birthday would've been like the other's that his small brain could remember, People he barely knew coming over to this big party that really didn't feel aimed at him.

  He wonders if Phil would invite strangers he didn't know and show Tommy off before pushing him away to bother other's, He wonder's if it's gonna be different this year. He really liked living here, Not even bothering to ask why no one's come to look for him once.

    He use to stare into the wood's once it hit him he was officially staying, wondering if his momma and daddy were worried sick about him. Were they looking for him? Did they miss him? He feels bad when he thinks he misses them too, He thinks maybe if he was better they would've loved him more.

   He doesn't question why any of the other's didn't celebrate their birthday's, They told him the dates, But when he woke up there was no cake or presents, just closed doors with no sign of the birthday boy coming out. He didn't catch the way his brother's barely hung around Phil for two weeks, he does catch the one time Wilbur looked close to hitting Phil though. But he didn't bother questioning them when everything seemed to go back to normal on the third week.

  He was really confused when Tubbo's birthday came, And all the older boy has done was cry an stay locked in his room, He did push a drawing under the door that night hoping to cheer his older brother up. He was even more confused when no one mentioned Tubbo being eighteen, figuring it was another hybrid thing.

   Maybe they didn't like celebrating any birthday's, maybe that's why they didn't want him to stay up. Tommy likes birthdays, the cakes and presents always brought excitement to him and the thought that he would get to have his birthday with his new family brought even more excitement.

  Thinking made him sleepy, and the blankets really were warm. Moving his head onto Henry Tommy closed his eye's, done with thinking and ready to sleep. He hoped he would at least get cake, just that would be fine.

  He was fast asleep by the time the other's starting to pull out decorations, Fast asleep as they put together as much as they could while Ranboo worked on a cake. Wilbur messing around with the birthday song to make it more better, Phil and Tubbo putting decorations around the ceiling, And Techno sitting down on his bed staring at two thing's wondering which gift would be the best pick.

    A emerald necklace, One that each family member had. Or the sword, his sword..Tommy wasn't him that was for sure, But maybe giving it away was for the best? Tommy could put it to use now.

  Techno sighs, grabbing the Necklace to place it into the pouch. Tommy wasn't him, Tommy was Tommy and giving the sword to the kid felt wrong, He wasn't the replacement he wasn't. He was Tommy, not him. 

  With a heavy heart the piglin put the sword back into the box, pushing it under his bed where it would stay for awhile. Grabbing the pouch he left his room putting on a smile when he saw his family working on Tommy's birthday surprise. 

    "Ah there he is, Wilbur thought you ditched us for the work and went to bed!" Phil laughed in a hushed voice, Techno rolled his eye's as he set down the pouch moving to help Phil place decorations.

  "I should've but I don't really prefer getting smacked awake by Tubbo or Wilbur all because I didn't help." He snorted when Wilbur made an offended nose, he was so easy.

  He couldn't help staring at the pouch as he worked, no matter what he did his eye's always moved back to the thing. Tommy isn't him. He knows the other's got the kid gifts too, knows that each would make the kid so happy. The necklace is fine, it means he's family. Tommy would definitely be overjoyed by the necklace, the blonde probably didn't even enjoy sword fighting.

  Tommy isn't him. He isn't Tommy.

 But maybe the kid would? The other's might get upset at him for it but what harm would it be if he gave away an unused sword.

Tommy isn't him, stop it. 

   He watches as his family all head to bed, everything done meaning they were free to sleep. He mumbles a soft goodnight to each and gets a pat on his shoulder by Wilbur. Wilbur would probably be the most pissed off, he didn't wanna upset Wilbur.

 "Tommy isn't me, all you wanna do is replace me." Techno moves to his room, closing the door roughly glaring at his bed. He wasn't replacing anyone.

  "Stop it, you know you want him to be me. Tommy could be me one day and that should scare you." 

  Techno makes up his mind, pulling out the sword quickly he stares at it. He stares at the broken part's, he could feel the hand's wrapping around his hand as if the old owner was holding the sword as well. 

  "He isn't you, he won't ever be you. Tommy is just Tommy and that's all there is." Techno whispers out, he's tired and should go to bed. He should sleep right now and forget the thoughts.

  And he does just that, he puts the sword on his dresser and puts on softer clothing. His bed didn't feel soft and warm at all as he laid down to rest, not when he could still see them in his eye's.

  He ignores the voice telling him he's wrong, Tommy isn't just Tommy anymore if he gave that kid the sword. A replacement, that's what he will be. Just a replacement.

    "How will it feel when he leaves, all because of you?"

   He dream's about Tommy disappearing that night, uncomfortable and tired when he wakes up in the morning.

     Tommy squeals when Tubbo lifts him up into the air, Both giggling as They spin around the table. The other's watching on with smiles as well, A small "Be careful!" Coming from Phil when Tubbo tossed the boy a little to high.

  "Look at the birthday boy as he soars through the air!" The brown haired boy shouts as he holds Tommy higher staring at the other's. Tommy giggling at the boy's declaration.

   Phil rolled his eyes at the two, carefully taking Tommy away from the other ignoring the whines from both of them, "I think it's time for the birthday boy to blow out the candles now, flying can happen later!"

  Tommy's eyes seem to open more, watching with wonder as Ranboo sets down the red frosted cake, "That's amazing Boo! Look- Look papa there's flowers on it!" Tommy shouts pointing at the cake as he pulls on his father's shirt.

   Pulling the boys hand away Phil nods, he's already seen the cake way before Tommy so he isn't surprised at it as the boy was, But seeing how happy it made him was warming his heart.

  "I see birdie, Ranboo worked very hard on the cake so make sure you thank him later ok?" Pulling a seat by Tommy he sat down motioning for the others to sit aswell. 

   "Tommy don't touch the cake yet- We have to light the candles first and Wil wants to sing for you!" 

  Tommy immediately set his hand back down, staring at Wilbur as the man pulled out his guitar. Clapping along when the man starts singing Happy birthday to him along with the other's.

  Blowing out the candles quickly after the song ends he laughs when he sneakily puts cake on Phil's face, which everyone laughs at when the man looks surprised at the small attack.

  Tommy's laughter and squealing could be heard from outside the house, running away from his father who chased after him. Giggling as Ranboo picked him up to help him get away with Tubbo shielding them from the older man.

   None of them saw Wilbur staring at Techno when the man put a sword shaped box on the table, they didn't see the glare both of them gave each other.

  Tommy never once saw the look of shock from Phil either when he would later open that same box, To caught up thanking Techno for the sword and making the man promise to teach him how to fight it. 

  It's only Tubbo's reaction he catches when he had the boy help him put on the necklace Techno also got him, it's when he proudly holds the sword up for Tubbo to look at when he catches the boy's eyes harden at the sword.

  He thinks about that look all day, When he goes out on a flight with Phil he thinks about it. When Wilbur teaches him how to play the guitar and help him read a book the boy gave him he still thinks about it. He thinks about it when he helps Ranboo clean up the left overs too.

  It's such a small thing to think about but he was so confused by it, So aware of it that he started realizing everyone was giving his sword strange looks, Everyone including the one who gave it too him.

  Regardless, Tommy had a great birthday and probably his favorite birthday (though he didn't really remember but only Two other birthdays he still found this one better than most.) Tommy was five years old now, He was five years old with a cool family and he thought the next birthdays would be just like this one.

  That night he puts the sword right beside his bed, Having Phil promise to help him make a place for it on his wall, He couldn't stop staring at it. It was so cool and something he never thought he would ever have, he feel asleep that night staring at it.

  He dreamed about fighting with that sword, giggling as he swiped at a tree which fell down, he would be a warrior. The strongest one there was in this world.

  He swipes with a scream when a hand falls onto his shoulder, backing away as the mystery person laughed at his attempt.

  "Hello there, I've been waiting to finally introduce myself to you." The tall weird thing spoke, voice echoing around Tommy. The thing had alot more wings then Phil or tubbo had combined.

  He also looked way much more taller then Ranboo, which was weird because no one should've been taller than that boy in Tommy's opinion.

  Tommy decides he doesn't like this person as much.

 "I can't talk to strangers, so please leave!" He points at the man, stomping his foot down with a pout. 

  "Well I'm not exactly a stranger, and besides the only one who can leave this place is you!" It laughs at him, the large body sitting down with it's hands holding up his hidden face. Tommy feels like he's being laughed at.

  "Well then I'll leave!" He glares at the creature before turning around walking away from the weird thing. He walks and walks, sword dragging across the ground and he swears the tree's looked the same as he kept walking.

  That's when he stops, because he's seen that same weird looking tree three times now, turning around he's even more shocked when he see's the weirdo still in the same position.

  Tommy opens his mouth to scream and the god immediately panics when he does.

  "Please stop trying to eat my crowns, I don't appreciate having to wipe off child slobber from them later." The god deadpans when he has to pull the blonde away from him again, annoying little beast he was.

  "Why are they glowing? How do you make them glow?" The kid asks, XD had answered the question so many times now that each time he heard it felt like another year of his non-existent life being taken away.

  "Are you always this annoying? How that old bird puts up with something like you amazes me." The god tutted pushing the kid down with a hidden smile, he disliked alot of things and children was one of them.

  That smile disappeared when the boy popped back up with that same annoying awed look as if he wasn't being pushed around by a being bigger than him. Annoying, it was annoying and XD was starting to wonder if picking this child was the right idea.

  "Papa say's I'm just special, and I agree." Tommy nods to him blonde hair being pushed out his eyes when he stopped, "Cause I'm awesome!" 

  He giggled when the god groaned at that, maybe the guy was a stranger but he was a pretty funny stranger in Tommy's opinion. Need's better clothes though, and shoes Tommy really disliked how the god had no shoes at all. Weirdo, no shoes weirdo.

  "I think your 'Papa' is incredibly dumb." 

   The god dodges the tiny hand that comes down to hit him.

 "I think you're very dumb, papa's smarter than you!" Tommy shots pouting as the god kept moving away from his attack's, he didn't like it here anymore especially if the god was gonna talk bad about his papa. Tommy also thinks Phil has better wing's then this man, his wing's suck and look very ugly.

 It seems like forever with Tommy trying to hit the god who wasn't even breaking a sweat, Tommy however was getting tired. Which was weird because he was pretty sure he was still sleeping so being tired in a dream was confusing.

  However the blonde finally stopped, whining as he sat back down in front of the god with a pout. All the god did was tilt his head, mask or whatever the hell the god had hiding his face if he even had one.

  "Are you finally giving up?" A tired nod was his only response, "Good, it was getting boring. You know your just like him, same weird little energy, same reaction." 

  Tommy tilted his head next, confused at what the god was talking about. "Who's him? Is there another boy here?" Tommy asked looking around to find the other boy, hope rising as Tommy thought he wasn't alone here anymore.

  "No I'm afraid he hasn't been here in a very long time, Him as in someone who was special like you in a way." The god spoke carefully, fixing the boy's messy hair as he talked with the boy listening carefully.

  "Someone I molded with my own hands to be perfect, a savior in the making if you will. He was meant to do great things, his purpose seemed to die out however." Humming he swatted the boy's hand away when the kid reaching to mess with his hair again, he decided to braid a small part of the child's hair, help pass the time.

  "So he's your son?" Tommy asked, wincing when the god tugged on his hair accidentally.

 "In a way, while I did create him I did not raise him, Phil took on that role. However so a little more early then we had planned, I couldn't raise him myself." And it was true, XD never once planned on raising the boy. His job was to create, His pupil's job was meant to help. The boy may have been a son in a way but XD never once saw himself as a father or any kind of relative.

 "But dad's are supposed to raise the kid's? Did you at least love him?" Tommy asked, blue eye's looking up at the god who paused at the question.

  Love...Love was something a god could never truly understand. XD thinks he loved once, he doesn't remember the man anymore that part is true, But he remembers the first time he thought he felt love, a time when he was considered young.

  "No..no I never loved him, God's don't do love. I don't love, And that's fine for me. Phil gave him more love than he would ever get from me." He didn't love the boy, especially now with what the boy had grown to be. XD never truly cared for the boy either, he cared for his purpose. Not for who the boy was.

  "I don't think I'd be happy not being able to love, I love my family!" Tommy pouts when he thinks about not being able to love, it seemed so sad. "It's a warm feeling ya know? It feels like little butterflies flying through your stomach tickling you! It's happy and safe when you feel loved!"

  The God only stared at the boy, truth be told he didn't care much for Tommy either. Tommy wasn't made by his hand's, some other god had created the boy. All XD had done was put a claim on the boy, rewrote the child's story and remade a newer version of what he used to have. What Tommy originally could of had.

   "Do you think you would ever be able to love?" The child stared at him, and a part of him wanted to crush the blonde in front of him. A part of him wanted to be offended by the question, He is a god. Something more greater then the boy would ever be, and he was being asked a stupid question.

  Tommy was a boy, who ultimately was being used by creatures like himself. Tommy was a child who would possibly die before his family would, Tommy was a five year old who would be twenty before two of his brother's. A child who could also save his new family from a life of Immortality if everything went well.

  Tommy was a boy who would eventually be forgotten as well.

  The thing about being immortal, it wasn't a gift. Humans think it was amazing, being able to live forever. XD knew he felt the same once, he had attachments when he was just a newly made god. He knew he felt the pain and misery when he realized the one's he did care for once died as he lived on. 

  Immortality was not a blessing, it was a punishment. He wondered how miserable that family would be if they had to watch the boy they grew to love die before them, that being said if the boy would even make it to seventeen. He had no control over death, another god was tasked with writing that part of creatures stories.

  He wondered if they would be better with Tommy dying, then being cursed with living forever.

  He stares down at the boy, feeling exposed even though he had a mask covering his face along with his hood he felt like the child could see through it all.

  "I think the better question is, will you learn to stop loving?" Would you still love them If they told you why they wanted you?

 "I don't think so, I think I like the warmth more."

 Humming the god looks up at nothing for a second, "I think, It's time for you to wake up now child." XD knows it's time for him to leave, he knows it won't be the last time he will see the boy either. He knows he will have two more visits before he can no longer speak with the boy unless he really wanted to, and he didn't. The sooner the boy was gone the sooner he could start different projects.

  He know's the last time he will see the boy is when he has to bring him to death herself, He wonders when that will be though.

  "You should talk to him again, I think he would feel better if you did." Tommy speaks as he fades away, his body in the overworld waking up as he stared the god down.

 XD watches quietly as the boy fades for good, probably waking up to bother his brother's. Forgetting about the dream he had, while XD shaped his universe back into his reality, leaving behind a forgotten sword the boy dreamed up.

  Love, was something he would never truly understand. And love was something he failed to think of for the other boy, huffing he works on the future, He has a world to create.

  Thinking about stupid thing's like that would only hold him back, everything needed to be perfect and love was never a perfect thing after all.

  "Even when I'm gone promise you'll remember me?" The mysterious boy asked, XD remember's the cow features. Remember the brunette hair that would bounce in the wind.

  "I don't think I'd ever be able to forget you, Not willingly atleast." The young god laughed out, holding the shorter boy closer as they watched the sun rise. 

  "You never could keep promises anyway."

 And that was right, Because XD don't fully remember that boy anymore. Not even if he wanted to, all he knows is that boy he once loved no longer existed.

  That boy no longer remembered either, Past lives were always a sad little thing for people.

     Tommy is five years old, and he no longer wakes up ready to bolt into the wood's. He lives in the wood's now. He no longer has to wear bandages to hide his injuries, instead he is loved more than his old family would ever love him.

  Tommy is five years old now, and he has a family that he wouldn't trade for the world, He keeps that thought as he keeps growing up, He tells his family that he would still love them even when he's old and they aren't.

   He plans to prove a god wrong about love, and he plans to teach other to love aswell. When he's seven, he gets an upgrade of a sword, leaving the old used wooden one on his wall to stay. He gets put in a family photo finally as well, not questioning when Phil switches out that Photo from an older one.

  Tommy's nine when he realizes his family isn't growing older, and truth be told he had no issue with it either. He feels bad though when the joke about being older then Ranboo and Tubbo made them cry, he doesn't make jokes about that anymore. 

   Tommy's ten when he notices his family isn't all that perfect, Phil started training him for different thing's. Always commenting on how Tommy would do great thing's soon, they stop seeing Tommy as a human and Tommy follows with them. Wilbur was more paranoid now, even if the man tried to hide it.

  Tubbo and Ranboo were getting clingy as well, which he had no issue with. Brother's got clingy right? Techno however, was teaching him harsher sword fighting which always got the Pig shouted at later on and hot chocolate made for Tommy by Techno as an apology later on.

   Tommy's fourteen when everything truly goes to shit. 

Chapter Text

    The house still stands tall, some window's and doors were replaced throughout the years from each boy breaking them on accident. Furniture would come and go, some because Tubbo would try and make something out of them and some because of Wilbur's tantrums. Out of all the rooms though, Tommy's was the one that changed the most.

  He grew out of things as he aged, His bed for one was changed three times, The first bed he had was small but small enough for someone his height that it was perfect, When he turned six Phil decided to get a bigger bed for him which lasted until he was eight where he then accidentally broke it, which was totally Techno's fault because he was the one who threw Tommy around,  He then got an even bigger bed which everyone was certain would never have to be changed.

  Because no one expected Tommy to grow to be half of Wilbur's size, One of Tommy and Ranboos favorite thing was marking his height each birthday. And each marking was higher then the past one's, When Tommy turned fourteen they all started to notice just how tall the kid was getting. Tubbo was the first to pout about it, so keen on the idea that Tommy would've been the shortest out of them all.

  Phil more so upset at the fact that it was further proof that Tommy was ageing, changing as well. He was still the bright sweet kid they brought home, But he rarely asked for flights from Phil or Tubbo (Though mainly because Tommy really didn't wanna die, he was getting bigger and Tubbo couldn't really hold him like before).  He stopped running to Wilbur's room at night to have the man sing him to sleep, He stopped sneaking into Techno's room to steal the piglins clothes, And he stopped laughing when Ranboo would teleport him around, Finding it more annoying when he couldn't escape from the teleporting boy.

  He stopped enjoying sword fights With Techno, instead his passion turned from doing whatever his family enjoyed to wanting to explore everything. He wanted books about different places in the world, he always tried to leave the house without the other's and when he was successful he would stay gone for half the day. Those day's were the worst because once the sun would start to set and there was no sight of blonde hair coming inside Phil would have to get the other's to search for the boy.

  Phil was pretty set on the fact of if they didn't look for Tommy, the boy would forget to come home. So rules had to be placed, the main one was Tommy was never allowed to visit any villages. And Tommy was ok with that, he wasn't all ok with meeting other strangers. Especially seeing as his earliest memory of other humans would be Blue nails stabbing into him, He doesn't remember his original parent's, He doesn't really mind that either seeing as how the nightmares he use to have told him all he needed to know.

  The second rule was a curfew, Which Tommy absolutely hated. All his older brothers could leave for as long as they pleased, But he had to be back when the sun would set. He did once decide to say screw it and not come back until the next morning, and that got him grounded and added on more chores. 

  See Tommy loved his family, they were everything and more to him. But the urge to leave and explore, To find other's out there, grew more and more everyday. He was pretty sure Phil knew that one day Tommy was gonna break and leave all together, deep in his bones he knew there was something out there he was supposed to do.

  Not stay home and take care of the cows, not sword fight with Techno, Not stay inside all day or climb tree's, Not sit through dumb school lessons from stolen books Tubbo and Wilbur stole for him awhile back. He was an adventurer at heart, and that worried his family greatly. They always spoke about his future like it was planned, like he had no say in what would happen to him. And there's many thing's that can piss off the great Tommy, One of those thing's is people speaking for him.

  Wilbur alway's saying things like, "Oh Tommy doesn't appreciate that." Or "Tommy's obviously upset right now." And his favorite "Thanks for apologizing, you hurt Tommy's feelings pretty bad."  It annoyed him, because he had a voice. He had a mouth that worked, and he very well could use that himself.

 Or the Fact both Phil and Techno liked to tell him how he feels, when he doesn't feel like that, Phil would tell him he's upset, Techno would say he isn't happy. Phil say's this, Techno does that. Tommy knows feelings, knows what he feels and how he should feel, and he knows it shouldn't be up to them to decide.

  Ranboo seemed to be the only one who actually let Tommy speak for himself, however the guy liked to agree with everyone so Tommy wasn't all that sure he actually meant the things he said, Tubbo was a lost cause because he did what he wanted, and If Tubbo decided he wanted Tommy to feel like nothing then well Tommy was supposed to feel like nothing. And he's pretty sure Tubbo doesn't even realize how much he would hurt Tommy's feelings at times.

  So yeah Tommy loved his family, they were great and gave him the world, But he also wished they would shut up, like right now for example.

   First things first, Tommy is a hot-head, there's no doubt about it. Even when he was a little kid he was prone to getting upset fast, it's how he was. But one would think having lived with him so long they would've known when they spoke to far, but apparently not. 

   Because here Wilbur was, going on about how Tommy feels, speaking for him while Phil and Techno agree with him. While Tubbo and Ranboo argue for him, and sure he appreciates that's and loves the two for it, But gods it was annoying. Like he said he hated not being able to talk for himself, not being able to say how he feels without someone using it. So while he's off on the side with rage growing fast, the other's are on the other side ignoring the person who the arguement was about. 

  "Tommy is clearly upset! And none of you wanna realize that." The short brunette raged, standing taller with his chest out, if you Listened closely you could hear the angry buzzing the boy was making. Tubbo hated when he buzzed, but sometimes emotions got to much for him to stop.

  Wilbur scoffed, crossing his arm's glaring at Tubbo, "Tommy hasn't even said anything about being upset, so frankly I think it's just you spewing shit again!" 

  That made Tubbo laugh, a laugh so clearly mocking that it made Tommy want to scream. Why can't they let him talk? He can, he so very well can. And he knows he will, he knows when he does it'll make everything worse though.

  "Oohh yeah let's all agree with Wilbur! Wilbur knows best of course! Smart-ass Wilbur everyone!" 

  "Atleast I have half a brain to know how MY younger brother actually feels!" 

  "Oh yeah? Your younger brother?" Everyone took a look at Wilbur as the mans eye's widened taking a nervous swallow when he took in what he said, Tubbo taking a threatening step forward. "Last I checked I helped raise him too!" 

  Spreading his arms out Tubbo laughed again, "We all did, All of us took care of him?! And you, you have the right to go 'Myself' as if he was just your brother only? Oh that's fuckin' hilarious." 

  Wilbur sputtered, trying to gain back his voice only to be interrupted with a harsh finger pointing into his chest, "You aren't the only one around who knows Tommy! You think being a favorite gives you a right but it doesn't! Because even as his supposed favorite you barely know anything about him!" Tubbo shouts, spit flying as he glared up at the siren.

   And everyone went silent at that, Wilbur breathing harshly as Tubbo stepped back, Ranboo was the only one even looking at Tommy, Phil stepping forward with Techno. And Ranboo was seriously the only one looking at him, Ranboo was taking notice when no one else was just like always. 

  And Tommy hated that, because it was always Ranboo who knew when to stop. It was only Ranboo who took the time to notice Tommy and not take that as something to use, And it was Ranboo who flinched first when Tommy took the first harsh step, it was Ranboo who made the warning sound that made the others catch on as well. 

  It was Ranboo who reached for Tommy, and it was Tommy who slapped that hand away sending a burning glare at his family, like he said he was a hot-head. But Tommy doesn't think he's ever felt this mad before. The last time he could count that was this close of anger he felt, was when Wilbur hid his stuffed cow when he was seven and refused to tell the boy where he was.

  Opening his mouth he paused, because what is he supposed to say? He was hurt and upset, he knew whatever he said could potentially fuck up this whole thing. He say's things he doesn't mean when he's mad, but for some reason he knows what he wants to say is what he truly means. It was about time they all actually listened to him, and let him speak for himself.

  "None of you, and I mean this- NONE OF YOU, have a right to talk about how I feel!" Snarling as he stares down Tubbo and Wilbur first, "Favorite's or not, You don't know how i feel because you aren't me! Stop speaking for me for thing's, because I sure as hell can talk for myself. I don't need you two to speak up for me when I have both a mouth and fucking voice that I can sure as hell use!" 

  Stepping back when Phil reaches out towards him, he chooses to ignore the heart breaking look Phil has when he realized This time Tommy isn't running into his arms. "None of you once even went 'Oh Tommy can speak for himself!' All you did was agree! And I'm sick of it, let me talk for gods sake. I'm not eight anymore, I don't need you guy's to do everything for me!" 

   Taking a further step, he wipes at his eyes. No he isn't crying- Don't even say he is, he's just upset and it was hot out today anyway. "I'm going on a walk, I'll be back later." As he turned around he heard Phil's faint call of his name, Felt hands hover above his shoulder. 

  Maybe he would regret this later, But at the moment he didn't. Harshly turning around and grabbed the wrist of said hand he glared, Eye's meeting with Techno who stared in hidden shock, And If Tommy didn't know Techno he would've just assumed that guy didn't care. "I mean this with so much fucking love," He spat staring at his older brother, even though it was meant for everyone, "Leave me alone, Let me walk alone, And don't do any of your stupid sneaky shit." 

   With that he let go of Techno's wrist, sending one last burning look he turned around and all But ran into the wood's. He would come back home, he couldn't just not do that. But he didn't wanna be home either, so the wood's it was. Maybe he would regret saying that, maybe he could've came off nicer, But the current Tommy only thought about getting away. 

  The current Tommy never once expected to meet someone in the woods, especially while he was sobbing his eyes out beating a branch up. He would've punched a tree, But he liked having a non-broken hand, so breaking tiny branches was his best bet to calm down, and apparently it was amusing to the stranger.

  And no, Tommy did not scream when Said stranger just fell down right infront of him, He simply shouted, and threw a punch onto that stupid smiling mask the stranger wore.

   Served the guy right anyway.

    Tommy's starting to think he's cursed, Or maybe it's the wood's? Because he always meets the weirdest strangers in the wood's, Like the guy whining about his cracked mask, saying some shit about a 'George' and how he was 'gonna die'. Tommy took about five seconds of being frozen before he immediately realized that he just hit a stranger and he should probably run.

  'Seriously, you should run.' Tommy keeps staring at the guy, who has yet to stop whining. 'Why are you still here you dumb fuck-'

  He snorts, and after he snorts he chuckles which leads to full on laughing like a madman. And the way the guy snapped his head towards Tommy only made him laugh more. 

  "Do you just randomly punch people and laugh at them?!" The guy shouts, hands making wild gestures as he rants. "Who just goes 'Oh lemme hit this guy I don't know! It will be very funny I think!' Who does that?!" 

  Tommy's pretty sure the guy was pouting, "This is the tenth mask this week... You know making this isn't cheap right you little weirdo?!" He whines, placing a hand on the crack of the mask.

  Tommy's face goes blank, "You literally jumped out a tree infront of me." He states, How was he the weirdo, he wasn't the one jumpscaring kids now was he? 

  "I think anyone's first reaction to that situation is to punch, Mind you no one just shows up like that!" 

  The guy quickly stands back up, ready to defend himself, "No one beats up branches while sobbing like a baby, you have no room to speak here!" 

  "I'll break that dumb mask more if you bring that up." He raises his fist with a pointed look, He's telling the truth too. If he can hit the guy once he can hit him again.

  That make's the guy backup, hands raised in up in defense, "Please- Please don't, I'm serious when I say making this is expensive!" 

 They both stand in silence for abit, Tommy wondering one thing, Why a smiling face that's so weird. Phil told him that judging other's was very wrong, Tommy told Phil he wouldn't ever judge anyone.

  Tommy is also a liar, He's judging this stranger very hard. And the stranger seems to just not want to be there anymore, Tommy decides he's bored and this guy was here, So now The blonde wouldn't have to be bored until he went home.

  He didn't wanna keep calling the guy stranger, So he held his hand out with a strained smile and spoke, "Tell me your name, or I'm gonna call you bitch." 

  That makes the guy pause, slowly raising his hand to shake Tommy as if deciding if he really wanted to share his name with the kid, "Uh-..Dream, not really nice to meet you." Dream say's sighing, Tommy thinks he should cheer up more.

  "Dream is a stupid name, you have a stupid name."

   "Wh- wHAT? It's a good name!" 

  "Good names are good, bad names are names like dream, My name is good, Tommy is a good name unlike your's." Tommy states, he's right. Tommy is the coolest name ever, and he decided Dream's name was right below Wilbur's dumb name.

  Dream sound's like he's about to cry, dragging a hand down the side of his mask, "Oh my god- has anyone ever told you you're annoying?" 

  Tommy laughs, "Everyday big man, and that's the best part about myself!" And at that moment, Tommy decided dream was now his friend even if the man didn't wanna be his, honestly he should feel blessed to be around Tommy anyway. He was pretty fucking great, And that was the best gift to have.

  Dream however, doesn't think any of this was a gift. He planned on trying to figure out why a kid was crying in the wood's, But instead he got punched and judged by the same exact kid. He could leave, let the kid just suffer in the wood's by himself, But he also knew if he did that George would probably murder him twice while Sapnap laughed at him suffering.

  So he sadly decides to stay with the kid, try and convince the kid to leave the wood's knowing how It wasn't safe. He ignores how the kid seems familiar, how he swore he felt that same vibe-

  Also the fact that Dream did find the kid somewhat funny enough to hang around, He did still have old habits of adopting random strays in the wood's, George and Sapnap being one of the said stray's. So with a sigh, He decided Tommy was gonna be a new friend, and he was surprised to find out later Tommy thought the same thing. 

  Though he could've made it sound better, Dream laughed nervously when the kid made it sound like he was just a toy, brushing it off like it was a toy. Half of him doesn't think it was a joke though. 

   Dream leaves two hours later, a smile hidden away with the teen waving him a cheerful goodbye. He worried at first, telling Tommy he could walk him home if he wanted only to be immediately denied with a, "I'm a big guy, believe me I can handle walking back on my own." Tommy also didn't want to expose where his family lived, just because dream was cool didn't mean he could trust the guy with that information. 

  So he left with half a worried brain, and half the reminder that He was gonna get his ass beat when he walked into his home. And Tommy let out childish laughs when he realized he had a friend that wasn't his family.

  The blonde knew maybe befriending the guy that fast wasn't smart, But it honestly was the first time since he was a baby that he saw someone different, most importantly someone different like him. Sure maybe he was alittle insecure about being the only human in an all hybrid family, Remembering how heartbroken he would get when he was reminded he couldn't do the thing's they could. 

  But Dream was someone just like him, and maybe that's what made him feel more trust then he should've. Tommy nor Dream realized how they were the same in many way's, Both proud of making a friend. Tommy stayed in the woods for a few more hours, only going home when the moon was high in the air knowing His dad and brother's would be freaking out by now. 

  He was so caught up in excitement he forgot about being angry with his family, Smiling as Phil hugged him and apologized for early, Making Tommy promise to not run off like that again as he gave Tommy his dinner, He fell asleep smiling already planning on searching for his friend the next day, ignoring the concerned looks he got when he told his brothers goodnight. 

   Ignoring how he didn't even say goodnight like he normally did, No tossing himself on Wilbur's bed just to mess it up even though Wilbur grew less annoyed at it and more fond, No playful fights with Techno just for fun, No threatening to steal Ranboo's side of the room and being Tubbo's new roommate, not even making sure Phil was actually going to bed instead of doing late night work.

  Just Tommy going straight to bed, eager to way up early enough to leave before the other's told him to stay. Just the blonde realizing he finally got the adventure he had wanted for so long.

  Just a human ready to met another human, without thinking of the consequences there would be. Because Tommy never thought about consequences, he ran as he went without a thought of what could happen.

  And that would always be his biggest flaw.

  "George I swear- pLEASE PUT DOWN THE BROOM I SWEAR IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Dream screamed ducking at the swat from the raging man.

  "I TOLD YOU I WASN'T GOING TO PAY FOR ANYMORE IF YOU BROKE THIS ONE, YOU IDIOT-" George screamed back, chasing Dream around the counter.

  Sapnap walked out of his room to be met with Dream ontop of the counter, turning right back around when he watched George hit the man off. Deciding to not be a witness to murder was the best choice.

Chapter Text

  Tubbo liked to think he was smart, he had spent a good bit of his childhood in an underground lab. Shaped by sick doctors to be this perfect weapon, of course he was smart. Lessons after lessons, test after test, training after training, Machines and humans taught him everything they wanted him to know. Taught that things like him, worthless compared to humans, Hybrid's weren't meant to stand on the same stage as a human and they wanted him to know that. He had blood on his hand's by the time he was five, forced to kill with his own hand's just so some doctor could write down how useful and dangerous he was. Human's brought in, hybrid's young and old, there was no stopping who would walk in those doors and no knowing who would walk out. His hand's forced to kill, taught that in this world you had to survive for yourself or else you joined the others in an afterlife he was scared of. Tubbo was scared of dying, knowing at that time it really would've been his chance to be free, and yet he didn't want to give up. He wanted to live, wanted to see the stars one day and get out of the dreadful lab, so he stuck with the hell he was put through. Learned to stop crying after awhile, crying only made him seem weaker and would worsen his training. He didn't need that on his plate, he needed to be strong no matter how badly he wanted to break.

  His first friend was a little girl deer with blond hair that always seemed knotted, one he tried so hard to braid so it wouldn't get in her way, a girl his age and someone he respected. When he was given an actual room, something you had to earn, still watched over but it was a room with a bed. she became his roommate, she loved his wings always begged him that one day he would fly them out of the place together and he would agree. Dreamed of the day where they got out, and he could see stars while she would find her family. When one came back injured, the other would hold the other and try to help the injuries. She was brave, but she still cried every night while Tubbo fell asleep, brave didn't make her not weak and Tubbo knew that. He knew that the face she put to hide her real self would be her own downfall, yet he still tried to help her when he could. He had to witness what it was like to watch someone break under the torture an wondered if it would've been more tolerable if he had someone to help him like he did her. When the day came that she broke down and lashed out at a doctor, biting off the mans fingers when he had reached towards her with a needle, Tubbo understood another thing. He learned it during the night when she didn't come back in the shared room, when the screams echoed in his head as he gagged from the things rising up his throat, Getting attached would be a flaw that could prove fatal in the future. Waking up the next day from guard's holding him down when strangers removed anything that proved she was there out their  His room, forced to forget her and live on knowing she would never find her family, knowing he wouldn't ever fly out with her, He learned to close himself off, attachment was deadly and he needed to survive.

  After that all, Tubbo found himself wondering if he really would see the stars, wondered if he would have to be a star one day. If the doctors said he was no longer useful, then anything that said he existed would be gone just like the deer. He had to grow stronger, had to get smarter if he wanted to make a mark. So he forced himself to forget her as best as he could, fought off other's weaker or stronger than him, let his peace fall and the walls grow as he grew each day. It's how he got out after all, death right at his heels when he ran for it. They wanted to set him loose on a innocent family, a near seven year old  just to prove to the world how dangerous hybrids were. Once the collar and binding's were off, pushed towards the town with the doctors belief that he was so brainwashed that he wouldn't have ran he left a mark. He took off once he was far enough, clawed out anything that could've held him back and flew for the stars. Tricked those older then him and flew for the freedom he longed for, and he got it. He remembered the pain he went through when he had cut out the chip from his ear, worried that he would have died from blood loss because of it. He laid on the forest ground, exhaustion seeping in as everything catched up onto his small body, and he felt happy still. Knew he was free, prayed to any deity that he could die before they found him, and for the first time he saw stars glittering in the sky, free forever as they showed the beauty of the nights sky and he let himself cry. To this day he doesn't know if he cried out of happiness or anger and if he was asked why he did, he couldn't tell you either. He can tell you, that he lived because he was smart, he lived because he needed too. He can tell you he remembers just as he felt the sleep seeping in, he felt the wind brushing his hair and the warmth of someone flying him away from it all, flying him up closer to the stars themselves. He was smart, and Phil kept him safe.

  Living with Phil had been difficult, scared for his safety for the first few months, hurting Phil when he got to far into his head and one time even hurting Wilbur when the boy hugged him. Yet they all understood, they kept him regardless of the harm he caused them, Techno was the one who taught him to breathe and let them know when it got to much. For the rest of that year, he learned to live as normal as he could, and when Phil brought in the first human they had he ran away for three days, wondering what he did wrong for Phil to do this to him, Wilbur was the one who brought him home and he wasn't happy when he saw the older kid sitting at the table chatting with Techno. He admits he was scared of the boy, worried for his life and for his family's life, worried the boy would bring the lab back to him and take away his freedom. So he avoided the guy as much as he could, sticking to his room until he deemed it safe. Phil had begged him to at least try and talk with the new kid and he refused, saying how he wanted nothing to do with him and Phil reluctantly left it at that. 

  It was a storming night when he spoke to the boy for the first time, Wilbur had left during noon and Phil had followed after when the wind picked up harsher worried for his son, saying "I'll be back soon, Techno's in charge until I get back with Wil. Stay inside." and with that he watched from the window as his father flew off into the harsh sky, worried for the two. When the first hour hit and no sign of them, Techno distracted Tubbo and the boy with a story about some god Tubbo can't remember. When the second hour hit Techno kept staring out the window, and Tubbo found himself watching the boy try and balance some cards Phil once brought back to them, occasionally helping out and listening to the boy laugh when it would fall. When the third hour hit, Tubbo was put to bed Techno saying, "We need to get some rest, staying up all night won't be healthy for us." so Tubbo was carried to his bed and tucking in by Techno who mumbled an "I love you.." when he left the room, and Tubbo felt off after that. He was woken up to the boy yelling out Techno's name, falling out of his bed with a cry as he rushed out to the living room, met with the sight of an open door letting in the wind and rain coming in and a boy yelling out into the storm for his brother. And oh how he cried when he realized what happened, how he sobbed when he thought he lost his family. It was the boy who calmed in down, having picked up the youngest and carried him away from the now closed door. Hushing him with words full of warmth telling him it was ok. Once he had calmed down he had asked where and why, asked if his family would come back, what would happen if they never came back.

  And gods did that break the older boy, who grabbed Tubbos hands so softly and looked at him with determination. "I''ll take care of you, if they don't come back I promise I'll be here and I'll keep you safe. No matter how much you hate me, I'll stay right here until you want me to go." Breathing in as Tubbo stared at him in awe he continued, "It's me and you Tubbo, and I'm here until the world ends. I don't care what you are, who you were before, You're Tubbo and you have lived and I'll keep you alive no matter what happens, because It's my job to care for you."

  Tubbo stared, he stared and looked for any form of lies in the boy's eyes, waiting for the real truth to pop out. And he found none, there was no sign of hatred or trickery in the boy, only safety and the warm feeling of love flooded the boys green eyes. Tubbo could've pushed him away, demanded he leave now and cry by himself, Yet that night he found himself sobbing into the boys arms as he was held, when he was to tired to cry he asked for a story and was given that, some weird story the boy learned from a old women he had known yet it made them both laugh and he had fallen asleep alongside the boy that night. Held in his arms knowing he would be safe, that the boy wouldn't leave or hurt him. And both of them were woken up by Phil rushing in soaked with rain water and had hugged them both, supposedly Phil and the other two had grown worried when they walked in during the morning and no sign of life had appeared, Phil had scolded Techno when the pink haired boy found him and Wilbur, who had gotten stuck in a net when he went to visit a friend, and got worried when he realized that he left Tubbo and the boy alone. Wilbur had been told to stay home for awhile, and Techno was grounded yet no one was upset. In fact they relished in the fact that everyone was home safe, cheered when they noticed how Tubbo clinged to the human boy.

  The next two years went by, and Tubbo found his second half. A enderman hybrid who understood what Tubbo went through, just as Tubbo understood what the boy went through. Someone that didn't pity him when he spoke about it, the first person who learned about certain things from his past that he locked away without a second thought.  And Ranboo became another reason he needed to live, and he learned what it was like to live for someone who wasn't you. Learned what a family was, regardless of how none of them shared blood and just how different they all were none of it mattered, because they loved each other and cared for each other and that's what made them family. That's what made him know he could be a kid and play, not wake up and wonder if today was when he would die. They lived for each other, stayed for each other.

    "Dream?"

  Tubbo had his family, he was happy.

  "Why-What are you doing?"

  He could smile, he could have his birthdays with his family, he could love a human.

  "Dad- Dad what's going on?!"

  Was is a big word to use to freely, A beginning or an ending. It could be the best thing for you, or be the worst thing you could imagine. Was is a meaning that you can use for anything, was is something you use to speak about the past or future.

  "Wilbur-Wil why is he leaving?! What did we do?"

  Tubbo was happy, He was free from misery. Tubbo did have a happy filled family, His family was happy. Tubbo is smart, he knew what could happen and could almost determine the outcome of any situation.

"DREAM!!"

  Nothing would've told him that his family would have broken, He had just turn ten they had just gotten back from a trip for his birthday. And Dream had been asked to get something out of Phil's room, and the dirty blonde boy smiled so wide and went to retrieve what he was asked to get. They were outside laughing because Tubbo had stolen Wilbur's hat and flew up higher then the older could reach, He was happy and so were they. A family who thought they would stay together forever, Tubbo's happy ending. A great ending to a good day, until they heard the crash. Phil had shot up first, running inside to his other son worried he had gotten hurt. Techno had kept them outside, all worried for their brother, and then the slam happened follow by the yelling. A plea is heard, and a fuming human is storming out the house screeching at his father who is begging for the boy to listen. A letter is tossed at Phil's feet, crumpled up with hate, and a bag is in Dream's hands, Wilbur is rushing him and Ranboo inside. Techno is trying to talk Dream down from leaving, Phil is begging, and Dream is crying. Tubbo holds onto Ranboo's hand, reaching up for Wilbur's sweater and he wonders what happened. Phil is pushed away, Techno is screaming and Wilbur is staring in shock reaching out for the boy in a weak attempt, and that day Wilbur and Techno no longer have to share a room, and Techno get's Dream's room. Dream was there, He was happy with them, He was safe, He was gone.

 "He found out something I've been keeping from you two. Dream isn't gonna come back boys, I'm so sorry." 

  Tubbo started to wonder if this really was the freedom he longed for, a broken family? Worried that they would die, scared they would leave him. Wondering why a god picked this Family to use a human in order to free their kind, using them just like he was used. Was Dream just an experiment? Was Tubbo just like those doctors? He can't tell you the answer because he doesn't know, he did know he hated humans again, believed them to be a monster no matter what. Dream made him believe, had him love and trust him. And all of that went to waste, Dream left them all and Tubbo knew it was only a matter of time until someone else filled that void, when he met Tommy in those woods he did hate the boy, hated how similar he was to dream in so many ways. Maybe that was the original reason they kept going back for Tommy, Why XD decided to curse Tommy with Dream's old life because the boy was just like him. And oh how he feared that Tommy was gonna leave, how he hated that he couldn't break away from the hurting kid. Hated how he could see himself in Tommy, the same wonder of when the pain was gonna end and who was gonna save him. Hated when they finally brought him home, because he was scared. Scared that Tommy would leave when he was so far attached to the boy. How happy Tubbo was when they got to watch Tommy grow up, jealous how he wasn't allowed to grow older then seventeen because of Dream and XD. Hated when he realized Tommy could die before them all, and he deep down wished Tommy would leave instead of him having to see his baby brother dead before him.

   He held his eight year old brother in his arms one night, begging Tommy to stay and the boy naïve as ever agreed. "It's me and you against the world Tommy, without you I'll be nothing." Tubbo spoke his forehead laying on top of the blonde curly hair, the boy giggling at Tubbo's words, unaware of the real meaning, of the older silently crying into his hair. Tommy held his hand and spoke so gleeful, "Me and you against everyone else! I'm here to stay and so are you, this is our world." and Tommy believed it, because what else was he suppose to think?

  Tubbo was smart, he did know everything he thought he needed to know. Yet now when he watches his younger brother leave in a hurry every chance he could only to return with an unhappy face when the sun set like he didn't want to even come home, Tubbo couldn't for the life of him understand this. For once in his life, He couldn't be smart enough to know what Tommy was going to do, he didn't know If his baby brother was going to stay. For once, Tubbo wasn't so sure he really knew everything and no stars in the sky could help him breathe this time.

  Tubbo wasn't so sure Tommy was free and happy, and He wasn't so sure he was the good guy this time. He knew things that Tommy would hate him for, and He felt like home was the lab and Tommy was the experiment. Tubbo wasn't so sure he was a good person anymore. 

   Somewhere unknowing to his brother's struggles, Tommy is laughing with Dream both unknowing to how much they share, looking up at the stars feeling free from the struggles they've had to deal with. And a plan to visit Dreams home finally is planned under his families noses. Tommy feels himself shiver, a part of him wondering If it was him and Dream against the world now, it sure as hell felt like it for one thing. He shakes himself out of his thoughts, Dream pointing out a few stars that make out an arrow, and Tommy swears Dream makes up the story, But he listens as Dream tells him about a lost boy who lost to the arrow, the boy died alone in a field and Tommy hated that ending, fixed it up in his mind so the boy didn't have to suffer that fate, Yet he wondered that night when he went home, Why did the boy have to die in the end? Why couldn't he have lived?

  Tommy didn't really know why Dream decided the boy had to die in the story, and he didn't bother to ask either.

Chapter Text

 One thing XD can tell you is care isn't something he feels. Or hasn't felt in so so long. He doesn't care about Phil or the bird's family, He never cared for Dream, and he could care less about humans and mortals alike. 

  Dream was a special case, While Tommy was picked Dream was created. Dream was made from clay, created by the god for the purpose of the task, with help from other's Dream became real, a child that he sent down to the world aimed to go find Phil.

   Dream had no powers, had nothing that said he was special, the only thing that made him something to XD was it was his own creation.  So when his own creation failed, he couldn't help but be upset, Punishing Phil for failing in such a simple task. Maybe in a sick way, XD loved the game it became, If he truly could he wouldn't have used the mortals to fix the mess. If he had it his way, everything would've been finished by now. But when the higher deity's tell him no, he has to obey.

  Over the years he turned to enjoy seeing how the story would play out, enjoyed laying back as everything went as planned.

  Everything has it's story, XD knew how this story was supposed to play out. Child finds Phil, Child is trained, Child helps hybrids, Child convinces the gods to let XD make the new world, a good ending for his followers. Dream was meant to follow this task, But because of a slip up the story was broken and Dream somehow managed to break free from them all.

  That was fine, it was ok. XD could work around this, it would just take awhile but that's fine. Let the human boy go, find a new one and restart but be careful. Tommy was perfect, just like Dream, but not made by his own hands. Fix this, rewrite that and suddenly XD had his new champion. Dream taught them a lesson, Tommy would come out perfect. 

 So when he broke the mirror, A gift from death and something that should've been taken care of better, after he saw Tommy befriending Dream, he screeched loudly. Making a new mirror was gonna be easy, fixing this mistake would not be as easy. Tommy wasn't supposed to even know Dream, Of course leave it up to the two to screw up a perfectly written story. 

  Tommy was one of XD's most wonderful and disappointing experiments. Weak without the blessing of a god, Not even one of his own creations. No Tommy belonged to life just like other mortals who hadn't been molded by a deity's hand. A fair chance of not being the right choice, a mind of his own.

  But he had that spark, the same spark Dream had. The spark to make something of himself, to be something in this sick world. That spark willed him to keep going, to keep his feet balanced and walked on. Where Dream had to much heart, Tommy had too much brain.

  Dream fell away from his path because of a broken heart, Tommy walked and paved his path because of his brain. Both a blessing and a curse. 

   But, Tommy meeting Dream wasn't written in. It was just something that happened, and it's why XD was going to step in. Tommy would get suspicious if He told him to stay away, probably not even believing the god either. But it's fine he can work with that, he just has to make sure everything that ties the boy to the hybrid's stay's hidden.

  Tommy can be Dream's friend, Dream can be Tommy's friend. XD just has to make sure no one figures out the truth, Tommy just has to listen and be smart.

  He visits the boy one night, just like he did years before. Tommy had been dancing on water in his dream, XD never understood why mortals had odd dreams. But Tommy was laughing, dancing on the water like someone was with him. Peaceful and content, happy as he danced with the water.

  XD found it in himself to be a little regretful to ruin this moment, A part of him seeing a kid just having fun. But he brushes it away, his job comes first and he pretends he doesn't regret when he snaps his fingers and Tommy is right in front of him confused. The boy really had grown since the last time he saw him, a tiny thing that he could've easily crushed to what he was now. Not saying the god couldn't crush the blonde still he was still very much more taller and stronger.

   The boy watches him with a careful eye, waiting for a surprised attack. XD looks at the emerald out where the world could see, hanging on a string, and XD knew the meaning behind it. He's seen all of them have the emerald, Phil had one on his ear along with Techno, Tubbo and Ranboo had it made into rings, and Wilbur constantly changed his.

  But it was a family thing, They all had one and he knew Dream had gotten one once. That's where XD saw the first issue, he never put it past the boy to put everything together and if the necklace was exposed it could be the first lead into disaster.

  So XD held out one of his hands, watching as Tommy hesitated before grabbing onto the larger hand. And they walked, walked the dreamscape and they talked. XD had to play his cards right if he wanted the boy to listen to him, so he let the chat turn friendly.

  Listened to stories he wouldn't care to remember, playing nice with fake chuckles at a joke he didn't really understand. And the god walked with the mortal until the made-up world ended, for them it felt like hours. XD knew in reality only a few minutes had gone by.

  And by the end of it all, with carefully hidden warnings and tips pressed into the boys brain it was time for Tommy to go. The blonde had gone to say goodbye, but XD left him with one last warning. Large hands hiding the necklace away as Tommy watched on confused. He's left with these last words.

   "Keep this hidden at all cost, let no one outside of your family see this jewel. Be smart."

  And Tommy watching as both God an dream fade away, sunlight hitting his closed eyes as he slowly wakes up.

  He's confused he won't lie, But it's not like he always had the necklace out. Sometimes he had it hanging around freely but that was around his family, and while the smart part of his brain tells him to not wear it today he ignores it in favor of letting it hide under his sweater like always. Warning or not he refused to not wear the thing he loved most.

  In all honesty, he really thought the warning wasn't all that huge. He knew emeralds in a hybrid world and human world were worth alot, knew his family wore one of the most expensive jewels one could find. 

  Maybe the warning was about thieves, maybe it was about losing it? Tommy didn't know, didn't understand either. A smart person would probably see a warning from a god as something serious, Tommy saw it as something mild. 

  He wore it because it made him feel safe, let him know he belonged. He was smart enough to keep it hidden outside in the wood's, knew people out there couldn't be trusted like his family could. He was naive, a child still ran around in his mind because he still was one. 

  A naive brain was his biggest flaw after all.

    It wasn't hard leaving the house, his family knew he liked to explore and if they thought he was then that's all they needed to know. They don't have to know Tommy's going to another house, don't have to know he isn't gonna be in the wood's either. 

  They don't know, and that won't hurt them so Tommy saw no harm in it.

  Phil of course wouldn't let him leave without making sure he had his things, saying things like "You have water right? Or snacks, oh make sure you have a weapon." While Tommy tried his best to get away fast, hugging his dad to make him stop Tommy smiled at the man before leaving.

 That was long ago, now he was walking alongside Dream to the mans house. Both chatting about random things, Tommy laughed when the man tripped over a root which resulted in a chase. And gods was it fun, Dream was laughing with Tommy at everything, be it how that tree looked human or Tommy totally not pushing Dream into a bush. 

  He did get scared when he was told they were getting closer, Dream lived by the woods and he could see the village Dream lived by in the distance. So while Tommy was human, and these people wouldn't look at him in disgust or hurt him he still felt scared.

  Yelling when he felt Dream slap his shoulder he looked at the masked man offended, But before he could speak Dream beat him to it.

  "Don't get all nervous now, my roommates have been dying to meet you and George is convinced you aren't real!" He laughed pushing Tommy out the woods, walking towards a home that Tommy realized was Dreams.

  Continuing he spoke more softly, "I mean it is ok to get nervous, But I promise no one will hurt you Tom." And Tommy while still feeling off, brushed it away standing straighter.

  Dream opened his door, going in first as Tommy paused. A voice whispering at him to turn back, go home. Go home go home go home gohomegohomegOHOME. 

  Tommy breathed heavily, stepping one foot through the door before he was immediately snatched in with a yelp. 

  He was immediately met with harsh shaking, trying to catch his surroundings as the stranger shook him over and over, distantly he could hear Dream shouting.

  "-ure you weren't actually real! Like Dream usually makes shit up, But look at this! You're real, a real kid!" The Stranger shouted, Tommy bringing himself back into the world when the shaking stopped.

  A hand pulled him away, "I told you dickheads I wasn't lying, But nOoO you don't believe me!" Dream exclaimed, "George owes me Ten gold now too." 

  Another voice popped up, a shorter man walked up beside the guy who shaked him. Tommy assumed that was George, meaning the other was Sapnap.

  George scoffed at Dream, "Not my fault you lie like everyday, The gold's in my room you'll get it later." Turning to look at Tommy he watched the man scrunch his face up.

  "How did you convince the kid's parent's to even come here? I would've said no at the first look at you." George laughed, expecting an answer.

 Yet both Dream and Tommy stood silent, sheepishly poking at the ground. Everyone stayed quiet, waiting for either two to speak up before Sapnap realized what the silence meant.

  He immediately shouted at Dream, who became the new victim of getting shaked, "yOU KIDNAPPED A KID?! Oh god-You idiot you absolute-" They both shouted at each other Dream trying to explain, Sapnap trying to slap the man.

 George sighed at the two, turning back to Tommy who flinched slightly. "You didn't actually get kidnapped did you? Dream doesn't understand laws, so if he actually did we can bring you home." And Tommy immediately yelled at that.

  "NO-I mean, No. No he didn't kidnap me, I came here willingly. We had it planned for awhile but I wasn't ready, well I mean now I am but-" Tommy winced when he realized all three were staring at him, "Dream didn't kidnap me I promise."

  Again, the brunette sighed gesturing Sapnap to stop, which he did and got slapped By Dream right after, Who turned back over to Tommy and nodded. "I know better then to take a kid, besides Tommy would've stabbed me with a stick if I did." 

  Tommy giggled at that, Both George and Sapnap smiled at the sound But Dream didn't, while the older was making a joke he also knew Tommy probably would've actually stabbed him if he did try. 

  Sapnap pulled Tommy in by the shoulder, grinning from ear to ear at the boy, "Well let's show you around the house then, obviously the first place we're in is the living room." Pulling Tommy away they walked past what Tommy assumed was the kitchen, which looking clean and very...modern.

He felt his heart pang when he didn't see any cracks on the doorway into the kitchen, or any kind of mess that proved someone lived there. But he guessed not everyone had a messy home, It still felt wrong to Tommy though.

 "That's the kitchen, where George usually lives in because he eats Everything. So come dinner you might wanna take what you can." He heard George make an offended sound and Dream snort at that before he heard the sound of a slap. 

  But he didn't get the chance to see before he's being pulled down another hallway by Sapnap. "That room with the stickers on the door is mine," The Man opened his door, and immediately he saw how messy it was. Weapons all over the floor, snack bags crumpled around and clothes tossed where ever. "Probably the coolest room here, just saying-" Sapnap finished, closing his door as he pulled Tommy down the hallway.

  They stopped in front of a green door, and Tommy immediately assumed it was Dream's, Stopping Sapnap from speaking he snorted out, "Don't tell me, The green is a dead giveaway to who's this is." And Sapnap laughed out.

  "If you mean our friend with the mask, you're correct. He probably wouldn't like us snooping, But then again he can piss off!" Both laughed at that, Sapnap opening the door and Immediately Tommy wanted to gag at how Dream-like it was. Spare mask's on his wall, Bows hanged on his wall along with Potions and some posters of some Human band Tommy didn't know of, He won't deny also the minute he saw the galaxy blankets he laughed so loud his voice cracked. 

  Sapnap seemed to enjoy that, and Tommy knew he would get along with the man if they both could mock Dream all day. When he stopped laughing he looked at the other and asked, "Is the room across his George's?" They both looked at the plain looking door, and Tommy noticed the grimace on Sapnap's face. He also took note on how quick Sapnap turned him away from the door.

  "No, Uh- No George's room is at the end of the hall. That's- Just don't go in there 'k? It's like a weapon room and well I don't want to let a kid leave all sliced up." He joked stiffly, and Tommy couldn't help but stare at the door.

  But he didn't wanna push it so he turned back and followed Sapnap to the end, ignoring the sinking feeling he started to get and continued on with the tour. The energy did come back when Tommy said George's room looked so, plain? 

  "George isn't a big hoarder, he has some books and plants but he likes to keep things clean. Seriously I misplaced a book of his once and he went crazy over it, so don't make a mess or you'll get whacked by whatever he holds." Sapnap warned playfully, pulling Tommy away from the hallway now heading back to the other two. 

  Tommy felt like it was nice here, and sure that door made him really curious and Sapnap's reaction was weird. But he understood, if a stranger was in his house he wouldn't want them in a room with weapon's either.

  He did miss the way Sapnap looked pained when they passed by the door again, But what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, Right?

  Tommy had been there for a few hours, he left in the early morning so he assumed it was Lunch time by now. But as long as he got home before it hit eleven he was safe, so he enjoyed the company.

  George was funnier than he originally assumed, while the man was still uptight he was really nice with Tommy. Dream even complained about the man picking favorite's already, with Sapnap backing up with a, "Little man's already my favorite too, can't blame us!" And George followed up with "He's also not annoying like you two, so excuse me for picking a favorite."

  "Oh just you wait, once he gets more comfortable you'll eat those word's." Dream mouthed back, screaming when Tommy slapped him with a pillow making the other two smile.

 And Sapnap was just plain out awesome, the man showed him a trick with his bow and Let him hold one of his expensive sword's. "This baby is the reason we get to eat," Sapnap spoke carefully, and Tommy wondered how much hunters got. Deer's or rabbits probably went for a lot of money, but Tommy didn't think he could hurt an animal either way. 

It felt wrong, and he assumed that's because his family had animal like features and he saw his family in a real animals eyes. 

  He also enjoyed how relaxed Dream got around his friend's, not noticing how happy the Green man got when he realized his friends enjoyed Tommy. So the nervousness went away as the time passed, Tommy got more comfortable as the time went by and Felt a connection with the group.

  At one point Sapnap decided Tommy was gonna be his little brother, which Tommy immediately denied yet the man didn't listen. "I'm not gonna steal you from your actually family, I'm just gonna like become apart of that family now." Sapnap grinned at Tommy who scowled, "I don't think you would fit in, My older brother's don't like smelly people." Tommy retorted back with a knowing grin.

  His older brother's also wouldn't appreciate a human by Tommy either, But they didn't have to know that.

  That's how the play fight started, Sapnap deciding to hit Tommy with a pillow. Tommy following back with another hit towards the man, and the war started.

  George had joined in at some point with Dream, all of them shouting at laughing. It was nice, safe for Tommy too. A place he felt safe in, like he had genuinely fit in for once. But in the midst of the laughter and feathered Pillows hitting him, he didn't notice the necklace fly out his shirt.

  None of them noticed the way Dream paused when he saw it either, eye's narrowing in at the necklace. None said a word when Tommy did notice and tucked the necklace back in, looking to make sure the others didn't see it.

  The blonde smiled nervously when he thought Dream didn't see, who had acted like he was still playing. Instead joining back in on the fun, clueless to the thoughts storming Dream's head. 

  It was late, Late enough for Tommy to go back home now. Sapnap had groaned when Tommy announced him having to leave, and George made him a sandwich for his trip back. "Mother George at it again, watch out Tommy before he coddles you!" Sapnap joked, screaming when George charged at him.

  Tommy giggled at the scene, turning around to face Dream who was also smiling at the scene. "Thanks for inviting me Big man, it was- I enjoyed it." Tommy spoke softly as they both stepped out.

 Dream shrugged, handing the boy his bag. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, was kinda worried about the other two But it just seemed you worm you're way into everyone's hearts, huh Tommy." Dream spoke, Tommy swearing it sounded strained. Yet Tommy assumed it was just him being tired.

  Tommy smiled, grabbing the bag and nodded, "I guess, Wish I could stay longer but my dad might kill me if I come home late." 

  For a second it was silence, for a second Tommy felt off. Dream felt off, and everything Screamed danger danger dANGER-dANGER- when Dream just looked his way. Silent and judging, like Tommy did something wrong.

  He flinched at the hand that landed on his shoulder harshly, looking at the hand before peering up at Dream who spoke near condescending.

  "You should come back soon Toms, your company was appreciated so They would want you back." Tommy felt the hand dig into his shoulder, wincing at it before everything moved away and Dream laughed.

  Tommy laughed back nervously, not understanding what was happening. Dream was tired, Tommy's tired. Maybe he's just anxious? Maybe Tommy's over thinking?.

   Tommy was knocked out of his thoughts when Dream speaking again, somehow the last word's made him feel worse then before.

  Dream stood up by the door, head turned halfway Towards Tommy, and while Tommy couldn't see it, Dream's eyes looked at where he knew the necklace hid. "You should hurry up, The animals get crazy at night and I'm sure they- You're family will get worried by now."

  Needless to say, Tommy agreed wanting to get away fast and get home. When he walked by himself, he felt anxious yet brushed it off because it was dark out, that's why everything felt off.

  He feels relaxed when he walks through the border that hides away their home from others. And he feels better when His brother's and dad hug him when he walks in, asking about his day and what he did.

  "I found a cool hang out spot, took a nap so that's why I'm back so late." He lied, watching his father nod before giving Tommy a bowl of soup.

  "Just try to get home earlier, Wil and Tech both wanted to go looking for you." Kissing the top of Tommy's head, Phil sat down at the table, "Just glad you had fun today kid."

 No one noticed how strained his smile was, nodding away his answer as he ate his food while listening to his family chat.

 Fun..He wasn't sure that's a word he would use at the moment. Yet he chosed to not acknowledge it, getting excited at the thought of going back to the others.

  For now, he relished in the peace his family gave him.

Chapter Text

  There was a time when Tommy was younger where he believed nothing could hurt him, nothing could touch him or stain him in any way. Not if he had his brother's and dad behind him, not if they could see him. There wasn't anything in the world that would hurt him unless his family said it could, where he never once had to deny that they did love him and truly cared for him, There was a time Tommy had once felt like a god. 

  To be a god, is to be brave and powerful. And in the eyes of an eight year old it seemed like everything and more to him. For a child, he had been a god and his family were his own disciples, he was the sun that gave them their light and they were the warriors that protected him from the moon. They were the ones that called upon him to save their life as he would call for them to save himself when he needed saving, when the night got cold and the monsters that threatened to take him away got to much they would rush in and protect him with their lives.

   There was a time where Tommy could call on his family and never have to worry about them being the villains or the very ones that would hurt him. Where Phil's wing's didn't threaten to trap him forever, where Techno's strength never aimed to hurt him. He never thought to worry about the voice Wilbur held, and the brains Ranboo and Tubbo held. 

  Tommy never thought the people who protected him were to be the same people who would cause his demise. Because they were his warriors, they're family.

 They are crooks who stole away what they did not earn, and they are but greedy mortals who use and use until there's nothing left for them.

  Tommy doesn't visit Dream for awhile, He stays away from the wood's that call to him because he's terrified. There's a voice in him that screams when he gets close, a voice that tells him to turn back, it wasn't safe out there. A pull on his heart that told him it wasn't safe. Normally he would've ignored it and went ahead with what he was doing, this time he listened. 

 He spends that time with his family, and it's more suffocating than before. Phil seemed more tense, if he wasn't staring at Tommy like he had gone mad he was in his room doing whatever his father did.

"Dad, me and Tech are gonna go shoot rocks into Wil's pond, wanna come?" Tommy asks, knocking slightly on the old wooden door with a grin.

  He hears the sound of a pen scratching on paper, yet Phil didn't answer.

  So he knocks louder, this time hearing a yelp, "Did you even hear me dad? C'mon stop being old and come bully Wilbur with us!" He laughs, yet there's no sound's of feet walking towards the door.

 Finally after a moment, Phil had answered him, "Not today son, maybe tomorrow." 

  Tommy shrugs, walking away from the door with a frown his father would never see and shouts, "Your loss I guess!"

  He forgets about it later in the day, when He and Techno are laughing at Wilbur who screams at them after he was hit by one of the rocks. And at dinner when his dad walks out more tired than before, only then does he remember.

  He dream's of a green thread choking him, and the sounds of knocking getting more persistent at the minute.

 He won't deny though spending time with Tubbo and Ranboo both made him feel better, they weren't suffocating or demanding, they knew when he just needed freedom and not talking about how he felt.

  They've known him far longer than the rest did, found him first and cared for him before the other's had a chance. He wonders if in their eyes he was still a baby, if he would always be a baby. Didn't matter if he passed them in age, he could be old and near death and the two would still see him as the younger one.

    He knows they're scared of that if, that they would never grow and have to watch him die. He knows they would've rather died now then witness his own time come, and it eats him alive everyday. 

  Wilbur isn't any better than Phil, always watching him, always concerned. "Are you alright?" He'd say, "You know my doors are always open if you need me bud." He's told.

   Wilbur takes his role as the favorite serious, and maybe a younger Tommy would've been jumping for the attention his older brother would give him. But Fourteen year old Tommy finds it annoying, he can't lay in his bed during the day without the siren barging in declaring to make him feel better.

   "I feel fine, I literally wanted to take a nap." Tommy tells him, annoyed when the older ignores him.

  It ends with Tommy kicking him out, shouting profanities and more when the older had tried singing a child's song to him. He's oblivious to the way Wilbur looks at the closed door in despair, yet he doesn't come out that entire day.

 Yet the ongoing dream of those green threads choking him, pulling him away from everyone annoys him. And one night, he stays awake and stares at the wood's. Locked away from eye's that would never see him, and it calls to him.

  He hears that same voice scream at him to look away, turn your head and sleep. 

  Yet Tommy stares anyway, and the green threads tighten around his wrist.

  So the next day it's not a surprise when he walks into those wood's, he smiles when he sees his brother's playing in the yard and waves goodbye at them. He already told his dad he was going back out, expect him back before the sun goes down. 

  And he's surprised when he sees Dream, waiting for him in the spot they always met up at. The voice screams at him to turn, yet Tommy does not hear.

  "So, you're finally out here again?" Dream speaks up, yet there's no warmth that Tommy used to get in his voice.

  Tommy shifts, feeling way more nervous than he had ever felt before. 

  "I've just been with my family, gotta spend time with them too ey?" He laughs out, shaking in his word's that he can't control. 

  He doesn't see the way Dream's eye's narrow, or how the wind seems to stop as Tommy mentions his family. But he does feel the need to run, run far far away from the man he called friend.

  Dream shrugs, letting out a laugh that seemed far too strained to be real, "I get that, Family is the most important thing to someone. And speaking of family , Sapnap has been bugging me about you. In fact he's at the house waiting to annoy you when you get back." 

  Dream tilts his head, gesturing for Tommy to step in front of him and he stays still for a moment. It's only when Dream shifts again does he move, and soon the two are walking a familiar path to Dream's home.

  "How's your family been? Something big must've happened if it kept you away for weeks." Dream asks, daring him to answer.

  Tommy hums, He was being weird for no reason. Maybe it's because he hadn't been out in awhile, maybe it's because everything in him screams danger, but he does try to calm his nerves.

  "They've been good, pushy and annoying but good." The blonde chuckles, "My dads locked himself in his room though, so thankfully I haven't been put in a situation with him yet." 

  When Dream doesn't speak, he takes it as a cue to keep going, "My older brother's are something, one of them kept pushing me to talk even when I wasn't all sad and shit, Bit annoying." He sighs, running a hand through his hair.

  "Brother's are like that, they like to push at you. And Dad's like to write their letters instead of paying attention to what they have." Dream tells him, and Tommy finds himself agreeing with it, and soon the tense atmosphere fades. The jokes come back, the teasing and shoving roll in on their way to dream's home.

  Later on Tommy will pause, and wonder when he told Dream about Phil writing. And Dream will turn around and stare at him like he is prey itself and ask what's wrong.

  And Tommy will shrug it off and smile, "Nothing, just thought about something big man." He tells the older one, and they continue on their way.

Later he will realize all of that nice feeling wasn't nice at all, that he was walking into a trap. But for now, Tommy assumes he is safe.

  He assumes he had been loved from the very start.

 It starts like this, Tommy gets to Dream's house and waits for the boys housemates to come screaming their way towards Tommy. Yet when Dream pushes him in, the house is dead and silent. The house screams at him to run and run fast.

  "George and Sapnap went out on a job earlier, they'll be back later." Dream say's when the boy had yet to move, Tommy flinching when he feels a hand shove him forwards. 

  "But- you said Sapnap was waiting to see me?" He asks, turning his head slightly, only to once again flinch when he sees green eyes glaring at him.

  "Dream?" 

  The man says nothing, only staring at Tommy like he's the enemy in his eye. Like Tommy was a bug that needed to be squashed.

  "Dude you're freaking me out, why did you lie and say Sapnap was here?" He demands, backing away when the voice screams more.

  Yet Dream shrugs, "Because we both know you wouldn't have come if you knew it was just me and you." The man spats, grinning wide and dangerous.

  "Because you would've turned tail and ran if it meant seeing me, you didn't just randomly decide you wanted to spend time with those idiots did you Tom." He taunts, stepping forward as Tommy steps back, "You aren't dumb, well not that dumb, you're scared aren't you?"

  Tommy frowns, "Obviously anyone would be scared if their friend started acting insane?!" He shouts out, fear seeping in his words.

  "And any friend would know better than to lie, but I guess when you live with liars and greedy bastards you become one." And with that, Tommy watches Dream leap at him.

  His scream rattles the windows, yet there is no one around to save him from the green threads that have finally captured him.

Elsewhere, a father walks out his room smiling for the first time in weeks. Ignorant to the ways the woods scream at him, he joins his kids out in the yard.

  "Tom still gone?" He asks Wilbur, shaking his wings after the boy tossed water at them.

  Wilbur nods, grimacing when he looks at the woods, "Yeah, said he'd be back later though."

  Suddenly his face brightens, and Wilbur looks at his father with a sharp grin.

  "We should have another family night when he gets back, we haven't had one in months! You know how much he used to love them." The siren pleads, cheering when his dad agrees.

  Neither know what's to come. They are ignorant, and a god screams at the heavens above.

  Dream's grip is tight and cold on his arm, dragging him into the hallway even as Tommy demands to be let go.

His head throbs, a body thrown at him and his head hitting a table as he screams.

  He's put in front of the same door Sapnap never let him walk into, and He shakes when Dream pushes it open, not once relinquishing his hold on the boy.

  Tommy's eyes widen when the door opens, he doesn't even realize he started shaking more when he took in the surroundings of the room. Dream being eerily quiet, watching before tossing Tommy all the way in harshly. 

  Ropes, muzzles, bear-traps. Mounted on the wall spilling out from chests. Guns and bows scattered about, handcuffs that he swore had dried blood on them hung on the ceiling. So many things, horrific things in this room that made bile rise up in his throat. He gags, and holds a hand over his mouth.

  But what really made him crack, was the photos of random Hybrid's he didn't know, would never know . Pinned to the walls like a prized collection. Eyes watering when he saw how most of them had a big green check mark on them, telling him more than he wished to even know, and oh gods some of them had seemed so young too. This isn't what he wanted, he didn't want to see this.

  He wanted to have a friend that was nice and caring, a sign that people like him could be good. He wanted Dream to be something good in his life, he compared himself to Dream and idolized the man. He gags again when he realizes he compared himself to a murderer. Tommy wanted to call Dream a brother, he wanted to hang out with George and Sapnap and connect with them.

   It sets in that the two were just like Dream, and he now knows why Sapnap didn't want him in this room.

 His heart stops when he realizes one more thing, he had forgotten that the same man that was hurting him, the man that had hurt others before. Was right behind him, staring at him.

  Dream was in the room with him, Dream lived here. Dream and his friends were hybrid hunters, this was their trophy room. The hunters he assumed they were, are the ones who hunted anima, this wasn't animals like he assumed- they hunted Hybrids. They hunted beings who walked like he did, who breathed like they all did.

  These people hunted things that were like them, yet unlike Tommy, they only ever took in the animal part.

Tommy lived with hybrid's, they hunted hybrid's.

  Dream, a friend and a killer, was in the same room with him and he immediately turned around only to scream when the mask he once found comfort in was right by his face. He knew he was crying, knew this wasn't a safe place anymore either. He knew he wasn't safe, knew that from the start.

  "You know, originally I planned to never show you this room," Dream spoke calmly, venom exposed in his word's that made Tommy choke on his own. "Originally I thought 'maybe we could take in a kid who seemed to hate his family, Maybe care for him like a little brother, hide the truth from him so he could be happy'." 

  Tommy tries to speak, only crying out when he feels hands harshly grab his jaw making him shut up. "I invited you into my life because you reminded me of myself, let you hang around me and my friend's and I cared for you. But I realized something." He continued, grabbing at the string around Tommy's neck before ripping it off, cutting him in the process.

  The blonde sobbed as the emerald dangled in front of him, and Dream growled, "You're too much like me, So much like me that a certain Family took you in." Shoving Tommy to the ground he laughed at the boy, "I wanna hate you, I want to kill you so they can suffer like I did because of them. Those fucking bastards - I thought they cared, I tried to find the house so I could " reconnect " with them you know." 

  He kicked Tommy in the stomach harshly, ignoring the harsh cry the boy gave in return. Shouting at him as he shook the emerald, " YET LOOK AT THIS, They fucking replaced me! Gave you an emerald and everything even after all they did to me, They left me behind for the next best thing." 

  "They've replaced me, with a stupid thing like you."

  It went quiet for a second, Tommy had closed his eyes as he cried in pain and fear listening to the feet walk away. For a moment he thought it was ok, he was safe now . For a moment he thought he could get out. That Dream let out his anger, that he was allowing Tommy to run and never come back.

  That is until hands grabbed at his shirt, lifting him up into the air with a harsh tug. He knew that moment of safety was gone, especially when he heard Dream go, "Open your fuckin eye's, let me show you how "happy" your family really is." And he obeyed, because something told him if he didn't it would hurt more. 

  A picture in front of his eye is the first thing he sees. He immediately noticed Phil who looked so much younger, Three taller boy's in front of him and one he noticed, the one in the middle had his face crossed out, But the other two he knew. Wilbur who he only saw that young in pictures he was shown, Just like how he knew the other was Techno. 

   The children below them, the two little kids who clung to the crossed out kid's face legs he knew by their features. Tubbo and Ranboo both, smiling like everyone else. The entire picture seemed to be taken in a rush, yet the way they all seemed to smile took away that factor.

   How Dream had this picture confused him, and maybe call him dumb for not piecing it together that fast. He's hurt and scared, he wants his brother's and his dad, he's just a kid. But Tommy doesn't feel like a kid at this moment, he feels alone and he feels terrified. 

  Dream shoves him away, placing the picture on the wall with a harsh slam, stabbing it with a pin. Tommy takes note how the pin stabs into the heart of the crossed out child, before looking back at him and laughed. 

  "That family of yours? They don't love you. Believe me when I say they're just using you. They tried using me, and this is why I'm not gonna kill you even if I should. You think this life you have is happy and lucky, that you were saved and loved?" Dream stomped his way back poking Tommy harshly on his head. 

  "But the letters, they tell you everything you need to know bud. Go home, look in that stupid fucking gold box in that winged bastards room and read the letters." Dream spats, and before he can speak Dream's hang is holding his shirt and he feels himself being dragged out the disgusting room. 

  Tommy's shocked when he sees Sapnap and George both walk in the house as he's dragged into the living room struggling. And he hates how his brain begs for the others to save him.

  Sapnap looks shocked, eye's widening when he sees his friend harshly drag the kids around. "Dream dude, let go-" He started, shouting when Dream pushed past him. Tommy whined and tried to reach out for the other only to feel his arm get snapped away. 

  He hears the door open, and feels the cement scratch his body as he's thrown out. He looks up with red puffy eyes, "Dream, wait pl-" He goes to beg, because this has to be a mistake, This can't have been real. But Dream didn't care, maybe he never really cared to begin with.

  "Read the fucking letters Tommy, and get out of there. Because the next time I see you or them, you'll all be trophies on my wall." He spat, warning the boy before turning around and slamming the door harshly on Tommy. 

   And he cried, wailing for a while because he couldn't get up. Fear returned when he realized Dream might see him if he came back out, so he stumbled as he got up and Ran for the wood's. 

   He begs the stars above that this was another dream, that none of that happened. He sobs in the woods as he prays Dream was wrong.

  Running home fast as he sobs, branches and thorns slicing at him as he wonders what he did wrong. Realizing he never got his necklace back, and maybe he never would. 

   Maybe Dream had started to destroy it, maybe he pinned it to the wall like he did with all those other horrifying things. He shudders at the thought of anything of his being in that room.

  At some point he stopped, breathing harshly as he sobbed and heaved out his breakfast, slowly the feeling of fear being replaced with cold anger. Dream had to be wrong, the picture had to be fake. How could Dream get a picture of his family? How Tommy? They loved him, Dream was lying. They never knew Dream, and Dream never knew them. 

  Dream was the real monster, the proof was in that room. The proof was the bruises and cuts on his body. They were monsters too, how did he get that picture? How did he know? What else was being hidden from him?

  A voice slithered around him, the letters. The letters, the letters , read the letters it screams. Don't read them, they don't exist. Just go into your room and forget, that same voice begs and Tommy tells it to shut up.

  Tommy glares at nothing, marching and tumbling his way home ready to prove Dream wrong. He will, because Dream is a bitch and Dream is a monster. Dream is wrong and his family does love him. His family, who loved him when no one else did. His family who would protect him because they cared, and his family who-

 He steps out the trees and bushes, and his heart tugs at what he sees.

 His family who's all outside laughing together. His family who had fun while he suffered and hurt, His family who didn't notice him as he stormed past or the way the world seemed to fall at a stop. 

  The slam of the front door alerted them, all of them looking at the home with a smile when realizing Tommy was home. And Phil smiled, because they had a surprise for the boy. A naive father tells his kids to wait as he walks up to the house with a bright smile. 

  Familiar, this is familiar. He's happy, they're happy. 

  That sound of a hard thing falling on the floor is familiar to his ears. The sound of paper being shuffled is familiar. Phil's candle is on, A shadow is standing right by his window where his desk stood. This is the same, it's the same what's happening? The sound of a gasp, followed by a harsh cry of rage that's quickly replaced by things being tossed through quickly. And Phil sees his kids get up when they hear it, he can see how they all look concerned. 

  A child with blue eyes and blonde hair stares at him like he is everything and more, and Phil watches the eyes morph into a cold green that stares at him like he is the worst thing to exist.

  They all jump when they hear Tommy scream, a door is slammed shut and he hears feet rushing to the front door. He sees his other son's hold each other, his oldests putting themselves in front of the younger two, and he sees the same children who witnessed this all happen before. Because they know as well as him how familiar this all was, they've lived through it and they dreamed about it.

  They suffered from it.

  His little boy is walking away, Phil can't call out for him. His son is leaving and it's his fault. His boy's screaming for a brother to come back, and a God forcing them to live through that mistake.

  The front door is slammed open, Yet the green eye's he expected are blue now. Rage storming in Tommy's eyes like an ocean experiencing it's worst storm that will rock a ship down, as papers are bunched harshly in his fist. Tommy is glaring at them all, and he sees the cuts and bruises on his baby's face and how the boy seemed like he had been crying for a long time, how he's still crying. 

  He sees all too familiar betrayal in the boy's eyes, he sees a clock ticking backwards.

  "Tom-" He starts weakly, reaching for his son, flinching when papers are thrown in the air, floating down slowly as the world stops. His son's hold their breath, Phil feels his heart stop. 

   Feet rushing away, papers that showed the truth left at his feet. A home broken and lost.

  Tommy speaks, voice cracking harshly as rage and distrust seeps through. 

  " What. The fuck. is that?!" He shouts, pointing at the letters he knew all too well. Those blue eyes staring at him like he was a monster, just as green one's did before.

  There is no baby Tommy in front of him that thought the world of him, no love in his eyes towards Phil that he used to receive daily.

  There is no four year old that he stole away that he watched grow, the child he watched grow that would look at him like he was his world. There's Tommy, who stares at Phil like he was the cause of the world's destruction.

  And maybe he was.

  Phil wishes time would really just go backwards, because he knew just how bad this would go in the end. Knew it better than his own home, knew he would have to watch another child he loved and used to run from his hands once more.

  Phil has nothing to say, and He watches as Tommy waits for an answer.

   Tommy himself is oblivious to danger that walks in their direction, oblivious to the start of a dangerous path that not even a god can control this time.

  They all are oblivious to the swords and leashes waiting for them in the end, and Tommy sees why humans had called Hybrid's monsters after all.

Chapter Text

I really hate doing this :( but its better than having everyone stay waiting lmao

Before this starts, this book is not discontinued at all. It's just been on a huge hiatus obviously, I haven't had any motivation to finish chapter 12 or think of any other chapters.

This story is one of my early ones, back when I was just rolling with it and adding in things without thinking. There's so many plot-holes and just things I don't like, it made me feel horrible when it came to this story and overall a big disappointment came when thinking of it.

And when I did finally have a bit of motivation I got to busy to ever focus on this, but let it be known I hate stories that never get finished. And I refuse to be someone who just stops updating without a real ending.

So for now I'm going to rewrite chapters, fix plot-holes and mistakes while adding in better storylines :) and once I finish all of that and can finally feel proud of this story I'll update it with a new chapter!

I'm super sorry about the long wait :( I didn't want to officially put this on a hiatus but I know I have too. So until next time <3 thank you for the patience!!