Chapter Text
It was a fairly normal day in the Watson household. Though Phil knew it was also rare, only occurring on the odd weekend he wasn’t working. Sunlight streamed in through the open windows of the house, the trees casting playful shadows in the summer sun as a light breeze came in through the front door. The smell of the kraft mac and cheese on the stove wafted in the kitchen as Phil cut up hotdogs. He wasn’t a good cook and he had three kids to feed, sue him.
Techno was on the couch reading some old Greek mythology book Phil had gotten him for his birthday (god knew why the kid liked Greek mythology and chose to drain Phil’s pockets for versions written so a middle schooler could understand). It was dusty and Techno appeared thoroughly engrossed in every word, transported to the fantastical world from the cheap green sofa. Wilbur was doing his math homework at the kitchen table as he waited for lunch, and Tommy was…
Oh god Phil had lost track of Tommy. Where was the gremlin!?
“Wilbur-” Phil looked around, trying to find a trace of the curly haired blonde boy in the messy living room, various childrens toys scattered around the floor and books littered across the simple coffee table, “Where’s Tommy?”
Wilbur looked up, curly brown hair bouncing over his glasses, “He went upstairs I think to his room, wanted to bring down some crayons. I told him I’d get them for him but he insisted he was a ‘big man’. His words.”
Phil gave an exaggerated sigh, “Techno can you go help your brother? I doubt he even knows where the craft things are.”
“Why do I have to?”
“Because I said so and I’m your father, mate.”
Techno groaned, but put the book down before he walked up the stairs to the bedrooms. Phil couldn’t believe how hard it was just to manage a couple of little boys, there was a reason he used to pay a babysitter crazy amounts until Wilbur had gotten old enough to keep an eye on them.
Phil continued to work on cooking lunch humming faintly as he did so. A few minutes later he heard shouting from upstairs. He ignored it, probably just Tommy protesting Techno’s help, for a 6 year old Tommy was certainly bold.
“Daaaaaaaaaaad!”
Phil set down the knife, moving to go up the stairs, leaving Wilbur at the kitchen table to work. What was going on now ?
As he walked into Tommy’s room the first thing he noticed was the child fuming at his older brother. Phi looked to Techno who had been the one to call for him.
“Everything… alright in here?”
The room looked fine, Tommy’s rug with houses and trains littered with yet more toys, his book shelf of early reading stories, and his messy bed were all what Phil normally saw. The only thing Phil thought was odd was that the crayons and paper had fallen in whatever chaos had supposedly happened.
“He just started screaming at me- I don’t know why!” Techno explained defensively.
Tommy seemed to be in the middle of a tantrum, “You called me thesus! I don’t like that! You hurt Tubbo too!”
“Wait what happened?” Phil raised an eyebrow, “Who’s Tubbo…?”
“I was just telling him about my book and he got all mad for some reason,” Techno grumbled, “And now he’s going on about some imaginary friend.”
“You’re mean!” Tommy shoved Techno.
“Oi!” Techno shouted as he was pushed stumbling backwards.
“Knock it off you two,” Phil folded his arms, “Or I’m grounding both of you. Tommy, say you’re sorry to Techno.”
Tommy pouted, looking away as he folded his arms.
“Say it or I take away your DS for a week.”
Tommy’s eyes blew wide as he looked over to Techno, “I’m sorry…”
“Good. Now look, I don't know who Tubbo is, but Techno was just trying to tell you a story he liked. Techno, maybe wait till he’s older to talk about that stuff.” Phil let out a deep sigh. The kid probably had just gotten worked up about the story and… Tubbo was probably just an imaginary friend he’d made up to make the story interesting.
It wasn’t unusual for Tommy to have tantrums like this, Phil could count the times on one hand he’d been the recipient of the blonde gremlin’s rage for one reason or another. He was always coming up with stories and then acted like the people he’d decided were involved knew anything about it.
“Sorry.” Techno grunted.
“Uh dad?” Phil turned around quickly to see Wilbur standing in the doorway.
“Yes?”
“The mac and cheese smells like it’s burning.”
Oh crap.
Tommy stood on a sandy beach, the cold piercing his skin as he shivered. His shirt was threadbare and had massive tears, his jeans now looked more like capris with how far up they had fringed. He took shakey breaths, each one harder than the last.
Tommy had become oh so familiar with the sinking pit of loneliness in his chest that penetrated everything, the crystal blue waves that always looked like it was going to storm, the forest that had become his permanent home, and the sprawling plains behind him a constant reminder that despite the infinite world he could no longer see any of it.
He closed his eyes, a soft melody that played from the jukebox on the beach. It haunted him and only seemed to increase the feeling of isolation.
He missed his friends, Tubbo, his home…
He could never go back. Not for a long time.
As he thought of them however, a dark bitter feeling washed over him. Even if he went back, they'd never welcome him. He was alone. He had no one.
Alone…
"Tommy."
He was alone. No Tubbo-
"Tommy, mate, I swear to god if you don't get your ass downstairs now I'm going to work and you'll have to walk to school."
Tommy's eyes fluttered open as he saw the white popcorn ceiling of his bedroom, and not the sprawling sky he had been expecting. Tommy slowly sat up with a yawn, looking at the time. 7:30… crap. He had to be at school at 8.
Tommy quickly got out of bed, rushing to get his clothes on before he sprinted down the narrow stairs across from his bedroom. In the kitchen a bowl of cereal sat waiting at the counter.
Tommy scarfed it down, looking up at Phil who looked to be setting down some money next to the fridge.
"I'm going to be late this evening-"
"So order a pizza or something and make sure to get your homework done, got it dad," At this point, Tommy could recite Phil's words like clockwork.
Phil sighed, "I know it's been rough the past few years, but I'm so close to that promotion. I swear once I get some time off we'll go somewhere fun, just you and me and any friends you want to bring along."
"Right," Tommy said, trying to sound like he believed him.
"Oh yeah, Wil's also visiting this weekend," Phil informed, "Wanted to get one last trip back home before he gets too busy with his last year."
Tommy's eyes lit up, "He's coming?"
Tommy hadn't seen Wilbur in a few months, and he definitely missed him. Even if he would never actually say that aloud, he had a reputation to keep.
"Yes. Anyways, I got permission to come in late so I could drop you off at therapy before school starts just for today, so chop chop."
Right, that's why Tommy had to be at school at fuck all hours in the morning when it started at 9.
Tommy nodded, finishing his cereal before grabbing his hastily packed backpack, full of hand me down journal's, books, and supplies that had been unceremoniously collected and tossed in the night before.
Tommy arrived at school on time, Phil barely waiting a second to wave goodbye before he was gone.
Tommy walked up to the school, the warm early autumn breeze blowing leaves in the wind. The sidewalk was almost empty, only Tommy and a few other students were heading to the door. Tommy hated having to be early but Phil had insisted he go to the counseling they were offering.
LHS wasn't the worst school in the district, it was large and definitely impressive. It also was clearly in dire need of renovation. The bricks were chipped, and on the less visible sides there were signs of graffiti, the grass was trampled on by students, and the sign had paint that was at least 30 years old.
Tommy was not unfamiliar with the school's hallways, visiting for Wilbur's plays (which Tommy went to every showing, regardless of if Phil was with him or not), having to tag along to Techno's weekend sparring tournaments because otherwise he'd be home alone and Phil insisted they support him.
It was almost like coming home when he'd decided to go for high school.
Without wanting to, Tommy's mind went back to the dream he'd had the previous night. He hated those dreams. He tried to think about what had been going on recently, he'd long gotten over his anger at Wilbur and Techno for leaving him, he and Tubbo had already discussed how they'd be just as close in high school as middle school, and dad… Ah.
Now time to reveal his revelation to a school assigned guidance counselor. Wonderful.
Tommy was glad no one else was around. It wasn't that he was afraid people would know he was going to therapy, it was why. Most people didn’t need therapy because their family thought their dreams were worrying.
Tommy knocked on the open door as he walked into the staff office, finding the right one of who'd be his therapist for the next year. He’d only been to it once before for whatever initial stuff they had to do.
"Ah, Tommy, good to see you again." The man looked up with a smile, "How have you been?"
The room was small, a desk on one side with a couch and a large bookcase full of assorted books for different reading levels. The colorful floor light was dim, and there were no windows, the counselor had also elected to leave the light off.
"Alright…" Tommy mumbled, giving a shrug, "Bit early, innit?"
"Right, I'm sorry about that," He apologized, "We don't take meetings during the day for AP students during the school year and my evenings are full."
"It's fine." Tommy shook his head.
The man smiled, "Well that's good to hear. How was your summer by the way?"
"Good, me and Tubbo hung out loads," Tommy explained, "And uh… my brothers came over a few times. Was alone most days though."
"Right, and we're there any incidents with your brothers? You don't sound particularly happy they came," The man pointed out.
"I didn't lose it at them, if that's what you're suggesting, " Tommy huffed, "Even if I had a dream about… Wilbur telling me everyone was going to betray and hurt us."
The man frowned, "And the new medication isn't working?" He asked curiously.
"Nope," Tommy popped the p, "Just had the same dream about that beach place last night."
Tommy leaned his arm against the couch that had been squeezed into the room against the wall between the bookshelf.
"Right, the one you always see the man with the smiley mask at." The counselor nodded, "I remember. Perhaps you could give more details as to what he looked like?"
Tommy gave the counselor a deadpan stare, "I dunno do I, he wears that stupid mask and hoodie."
"Right, " The counselor sighed, "Sorry, I'm just trying to see if there's any sort of meaning behind it. Perhaps a family figure in your life? How's your family doing?"
"Brothers are off at college, and dad works. Look, the smiling man isn't them, I don't know what it is, he's just… he's always there." Tommy shook his head.
“I believe you, Tommy,” The counselor paused, "Well there's one thing I can think of it might be." He suggested, "How has the transition into high school treated you?"
Tommy shrugged, "Not a big deal. I mean I know this place pretty well already. My brother used to go here."
He nodded, "I remember. You mentioned when Wilbur was stressed in high school some of your dreams about him became more prominent and… disturbing?"
Tommy gave a half hearted shrug. He didn't want to be here. He already talked to Tubbo about this stuff, at least he just let Tommy rant instead of psychoanalyzing him. Tubbo didn't understand it, but he was a good listener.
"I guess yeah, but I know it's just stupid stuff now and I was just worried about him." Tommy assured, telling the counselor what he wanted to hear.
"If you're sure, you know you can talk to me about these things, right Tommy?" The man pointed out, "That's why I'm here, so you can open up."
Tommy looked down at his feet, fiddling with the drawstring of his hoodie. He didn't know what to say to that, he knew the counselor meant well and maybe they'd help for someone else but… Tommy was fine now. Sure the dreams freaked him out a bit, but he didn't know what the big deal was.
"I mean I guess I just… I don't like these dreams," Tommy explained, "They always make me feel bad but they just, they feel so real ."
"I understand, and that would be disturbing," The man nodded, "How you're feeling is okay Tommy. But as much as it's understandable, it's also not real. "
Tommy knew that, of course he did. He didn't need to hear it every time this stuff came up. He didn't want it to be real, but when he could feel the sand beneath his fingers, when the breeze smelled so salty and yet they lived miles from an ocean, and when his chest ached like he hadn't seen anyone for weeks it was hard not to believe it was real.
He had tried to open up, but of course as soon as he did he was just told the same thing again. It wasn't real.
The man looked at him, seemingly waiting for Tommy to respond. When Tommy didn't he sighed, "Why don't we wrap up for now and will pick this up next session?" He offered.
Tommy was grateful to be let go. He never liked being in sessions longer than he had to. Especially not when they started talking about how Tommy had to accept reality, he knew it was just bullshit his brain made up, did they think he was stupid?
His classes that day seemed to drag on. Each teacher giving them syllabi and discussing the class structure, yada yada yada. Tommy was sure they just had those first lectures to fill up their required teaching time. Some of the classes he might actually enjoy once the teacher decided they were ready to teach.
Tommy sat through morning English, everyone there was a grade or two above and the books were all ones he'd already read as they had been left out by Wilbur and Techno at various points. Then his math class, which he'd ask for help from Tubbo on. Finally he also had some elective film class that he thought might actually be interesting.
A few rare classes actually didn't require them to do anything, which is how Tommy found himself leaning into the school keyboard as he and Tubbo talked during their fourth period study hall. Tubbo was working on some engineering project, already using the school program.
"Look at this Tommy, it actually lays it all out for you!" Tubbo said excitedly, "There's so many tools to mess around with! God it's just so cool-!"
Tommy loved hearing Tubbo rant about his projects, even if he didn't understand shit, Tubbo's joy and excitement was enough to lift Tommy's spirits.
"Awesome Tubs!"
"I mean I know you don't actually know about any of this stuff but the things we're going to go over this semester sound freaking awesome!" Tubbo continued as he clicked away at the mouse, "Oh yeah, you'll help me with English again right? It takes me like a year to read these books.'
"No problem, " Tommy fiddled with his pencil lead. "So long as you help me with science. I don't understand shit about chem."
"Deal." Tubbo agreed.
After a minute of brief silence as Tommy wrote some vague lines of words in his notebook. Phil had suggested he join poetry club but that wasn't really Tommy's thing.
"There's also this kid in my Chem class, think he's from another middle school." Tubbo continued, "He's kinda weird, wears this mask and glasses everywhere . Also he's tall, like… really tall."
Tommy wanted to make a sarcastic comment about said tall handsome stranger but wasn't motivated enough to. When he didn't have homework to catch up on, study hall was boring and useless as shit.
The two were silent for a rare moment as the time dragged on so slowly Tommy had to wonder if the clock on the wall was broken. Tommy knew Tubbo would probably bring up some other obscure thing later.
"Oh yeah, I had a dream about the beach again."
"What?" Tubbo blinked at Tommy, confused before frowning, "Oooooh…"
Tubbo knew exactly what that meant. The night's Tommy woke up from those dreams and texted Tubbo were the longest and always ended with Tubbo assuring Tommy that there was very little that could come between them and that he wouldn't let some stupid thing drive them apart.
"You okay bossman?" Tubbo asked gently.
Tommy nodded, "I know it's just shit my mind came up with, easier to ignore."
"You know you can always talk to me about it," Tubbo smiled, "I don't judge your weird dreams."
Tommy snickered, "You kinda just did."
Tubbo shrugged, "I'm just calling it like I see it, I mean what's up with the beach thing? It doesn't make sense, is it like a limbo or something?"
Tommy shrugged, "I'm just glad you actually listen."
"Course I do, " Tubbo said cheerfully, "What kind of best friend would I be if I didn't."
After a long while later, the bell rang, dismissing the two from the excruciatingly long study hall that served no purpose. Tommy was learning that high school very much was like middle school, just that now his grades actually counted toward something.
Tommy and Tubbo walked through the crowded hallway together, Tommy balancing his notebook and English books which he'd been too lazy to return to his backpack.
"What's gonna be for lunch do you think?" Tubbo asked, "And is it worse than middle school cafeteria food?"
Tommy thought for a moment, "I think it's going to be slightly better or the same. Or it'll just taste like shit."
Tommy precariously adjusted the balancing act in his hands as he walked, praying he wouldn't lose anything. Maybe he should just stop and put it in his bag...? Nah.
It was a miracle how many people were passing by them and not hitting Tommy.
"So should I ask him to come over sometime to hang out with us? I dunno I just feel like I know him from somewhere, " Tommy just realized Tubbo had been speaking. "Plus he just seems like a neat dude. "
"Huh?"
"The guy at my table in chemistry," Tubbo clarified.
"Oh right tall asshole," Tommy remembered.
"Hey I think he's actually pretty nice!" Tubbo retorted,"I mean… I don't know him that well. He doesn't really speak much except when he has to in small groups."
Tommy shrugged, "Up to you, so long as you don't end up making him your best friend instead." He teased slightly, "I'd be okay with boyfriend, though."
"Tommy! I just met him!" Tubbo laughed, punching him in the shoulder, "I wonder what he's keeping under the mask though, or if it's more of an intimidation thing."
Tommy smirked, "What if he's with the mob or some cool shit and has to keep his identity a secret cause he's like someone's bodygaurd."
"Nah he'd stand out too much for that, " Tubbo shook his head.
"Oh my fucking god, no way," A familiar voice came up behind them, "Tommy!? Tubbo? What are you guys doing here!"
"I should ask you the same thing big Q," Tommy laughed, "Thought you guys moved away back after you left middle school?"
Tommy turned to see the boy, wearing a blue athletic jacket with his black mullet tucked under his beanie. Tommy was almost embarrassed to say, Quackity looked exactly the same as he had two years ago when he'd left middle school.
"Eh," Quackity shrugged as he rushed forward to walk with them,,"You know how it is, family shit, stupid stuff, got dragged back to this shit hole."
"It's not that bad," Tubbo pointed out as he narrowly avoided running into someone looking for books from their locker, "They have enough funding for an engineering program."
"Right, as if that's not the only thing they're funding besides the sports teams," Quackity says knowingly, looking at Tommy, "Oh yeah, speaking of, you should join Model UN with me Tommy!"
Tommy snorted loudly, "And suffer through that teacher telling me how much like Wilbur I am, or worse how much I don't live up to his spectacular legacy of debate star? Don't think so."
"Well they can't say I didn't try to recruit people this year," Quackity shrugged.
"Ah so it's a pyramid-"
Tommy was looking at Quackity and not where he was going when he was suddenly knocked over, books scattering to the ground. There were loud thuds as each book hit the ground, papers fluttering after.
"Oi!" Tommy glared up at the person who had tripped him over as his ass his the ground. "watch where you're going asshole!"
The person who had knocked him over was probably a senior, all freckles with short blonde windswept hair. His sweater was lime green. His eyes met Tommy's and Tommy saw they were a vivid green, showing an expression of shock. As the senior stared at Tommy, his face seemed to pale slightly. What the fuck?
"Dude," Someone next to him laughed, "You barreled that freshie!"
After a second the senior bent down, trying to help Tommy up, "Sorry, sorry…" He grabbed some of the books, passing them over, picking up Tommy's mp3 player which had also been mixed in. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah I'm fine, no thanks to you, bitch."
"Right- I should've been watching, you don't need to say it again, " The senior sighed, "I didn't mean to, but seriously are you okay?"
Tommy frowned, taken aback by the genuine kindness, "Yeah. Don't worry, " He muttered, shoving his books and things into his backpack. “Bitch.” He threw in for good measure.
People were staring slightly as they walked by, the senior helping Tommy get up. He was surrounded by two other people, a black haired boy with similar shade eyes who had layered a white t-shirt onto a black shirt. The other was a brown haired guy with oddly nice shaped facial features and a blue shirt.
Once the commotion had died down, and the senior had profusely apologized about 5 times, Tommy and Tubbo started to walk away with Quackity in tow.
"Who was that guy?" Tommy asked, raising an eyebrow once they had gotten a decent distance away.
"Oh him? That's Dream," Quackity explained, "He's a friend of my boyfriend. Weirdly competitive. He's on the track team or something I think. I dunno, he's a year above me so I don't talk to him much."
"You also do realize that was your fault Tommy." Tubbo pointed out.
"What!? No way! He knocked over me!"
"Well yeah, but you're the one who wasn't looking and who was carrying his books like the freaking leaning tower of pisa." Tubbo snorted..
Tommy huffed but conceded Tubbo was right. Anyway though, that Dream guy was definitely weird. Why had he looked at him like that? Like he was seeing a ghost…? Maybe it was just Tommy reading too into it. The guy probably had just felt bad for knocking him over, as he should. Regardless, Tommy was starving and the smells from the cafeteria were almost making him want to try the food.