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Tubbo sits stiffly in the armchair by the fireplace. He watches closely as Phil brings over a pot of tea and pours the both of them a cup. The silence sits heavy as the man sits down in another chair.
“So, Tubbo. Is everything alright? Is there anything you need?” Phil asks, a crease in his brow.
“I’m alright, big man. There’s just… well, there’s something that you should know about me.”
Tubbo pauses, wringing his hands and avoiding Phil’s eyes. They sit across from each other, tea going cold on the table.
“Yes?” The man encourages.
Tubbo takes a breath, holds it, and breathes out slowly.
Phil is nice. He’s human and he’s got his own family to worry about and he’s nice. Nice to Tubbo. And from firsthand experience, it’s much easier to be closed hearted to the struggles of monsters. But Phil has tied together a whole family, soft and full of comfort like a quilt.
“I might know someone who could help Tommy...” He trails off.
“But?”
“But you’d have to travel to him, he won’t come to us. I know you’d prefer to stay by Tommy’s side, and I’d have to guide you there so Techno would be by himself, and it would just be a lot.”
Phil nods, gripping on his mug. Thinking.
“... why would we both have to go?” Phil asks.
“There’s a man, some call him a man of legend, some call him in the league of gods. He constantly wears a mask. His most fitting moniker is ‘the monster maker’ because, well, he makes monsters. I- I wasn’t always like this. My mother and father were humans, and they had a human baby. I used to be human.”
Phil stares in shock, but doesn't interrupt.
Tubbo swallows nervously, and continues, “But the masked man found me… when I was dying alone, and he gave me another chance. I never wanted to be alone again and now I’m not.”
He holds out his hands, his bees landing gently in his palms. Never alone, with his hive to care for.
“I’m so sorry, Tubbo.”
“It’s okay, it was a long time ago. But I think if we could… convince him to help Tommy, he could turn him into a full monster because most of his health issues come from him, uh, being a hybrid.”
Tubbo reaches for his tea, no longer steaming and over-steeped. He still takes a sip, watching Phil think.
His heart beats violently in his chest.
“I would prefer to stay with Tommy while he’s so sick. I’m sorry to ask this, but could you find the monster maker by yourself?”
“I would- I really would, Phil, but he doesn’t make deals with someone twice. I’ve already had mine. But I could guide you.” He offers.
Phil is nice and this family is nice and Tubbo doesn’t want this family to fall apart. Despite how the world would have it, they have all found each other across dimensions, across sea and land, across humans, monsters, and someone in between the two. But Tommy is sick, Wilbur is missing, and Techno is victim to an old god of blood.
Phil has been run ragged in worry. There are dark bags under his eyes, hair frizzled and unkempt, and he’s been in the same outfit for three days now. Everything is going against him trying to keep things together, so he’s desperate for any chance to fix it.
Phil shakes his head and sighs heavily, “You stay here then. Techno and Tommy are reckless- courageous with kind, bleeding hearts, and reckless. I used to travel to the world, so if you give me the directions I’ll find my way to this man.”
“Are you sure? You’re Tommy's- you're his father. I’ll do my best but-”
“Yes, I'm sure. And thank you. I’m sorry to put so much pressure on you.”
“I don’t mind. Tommy’s like… a good friend of mine now. You all have been so nice to me in ways I- I don’t know how to repay.”
Phil reaches out his hand, setting it on top of his, “I’ll fix all of this, don’t worry. Soon enough it’ll be the five of us laughing by the seaside once more.”
The image is beautiful in his mind. The five of them, family. He could introduce Ranboo to them, and Tommy would tease him incessantly but they’d be fast friends as well. The five of them- monster and monster-adjacent kids- would cause so much mayhem.
And Phil would reprimand all of them for being too rowdy, too troublesome, but in an endeared way that fathers do. Tubbo wouldn’t know what endeared fathers do, but he knows Phil would never get hostile with them.
It’s family, it’s beautiful, and it is falling apart.
“Thank you.” Tubbo murmurs.
Phil leaves the room. He stops by Tommy’s bedroom, to check on him. His fever is mostly soothed by whatever Techno is doing, but he’s been asleep for days now.
Phil packs his bags and Tubbo gives him written out directions, as detailed as he can make them.
And he leaves. But the weight in Tubbo’s chest never goes with him, no, it sits heavier and heavier in his chest.
He has a job to fulfill. It’s what he has to do.