Chapter Text
Tommy wanted a break from the pressures of life, just needing to get away from everything. He needed a break, from the bare walls of his home, the pressure of school, and the bills that were just piling up.
He needed a break. That’s why he found himself on a mountain hike with only his phone and a granola bar. He was a big man, he didn’t need anything else. What could go wrong right? Nothing. Nothing could go wrong surely.
Tommy just did his best to enjoy the scenery, humming some random song to himself as he hiked up the increasingly steep mountain. The trees were beautiful right now, the leaves already turning various shades of brown and orange, and a few reds mixed in as well. The hiking trail had a fair amount of boulders along the side, and Tommy had to push the worries of landslides out of his mind. It hadn’t rained for a while, hopefully, he didn’t need to worry about that. Right?
The hike Tommy chose was a strenuous trail, though this was his first time taking a hike, maybe he should’ve done an easier one but he didn’t even realize it was a strenuous trail until about twenty minutes in, at that point, he figured he was in too deep to turn around. Though with his now aching legs, and the trail becomes more like rock climbing than walking up a path, he was regretting that choice.
However, Tommy was stubborn. So he continued, hoping to at least get to a point where there was a lookout, hoping to be able to see the city line from above, to look down on all the people that caused him so much pain daily. Maybe it would be easier to just stay in the woods, Tommy thought but quickly dismissed the thought. He knew he didn’t have the guts to kill for food, and he’d end up eating some poisonous berries and die a week into his stay. He decided that he’d rather nearly starve in his too-small apartment with the threat of eviction over his head than die alone in the woods.
He still refused to turn around and go back down the mountain, no he would get to the top of the mountain before he turned on his heels and went back to the suffocating city he called home. He couldn’t not yet, not when he could breathe in the open air, not when it didn’t feel like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. The woods that were like a coat on the mountain were calming and freeing, there was nothing to worry about out here (besides the lack of food and water that he had, and the ache that walking around gave him). If Tommy thought for even a second that he could survive out in the mountainous woods, then he would. In a heartbeat.
It only took Tommy another twenty minutes to finally find a lookout, a small smile forming on his face as he slowly made his way to the edge. He took a small breath, sitting on the edge with his legs hanging off the side of the cliff.
The sight before him was breathtaking. He could see down the mountain he had just spent hours hiking and climbing up, the different colors that made up the woods were even better to look at from a distance, being able to pick out every color. The buildings that made up the city seemed so much smaller from so far away, though they still were quite intimidating. He could no longer hear the roar of car engines, there were no loud neighbors that kept him up late at night, there was only the hum of birds, the rustling of leaves and-
Snap
And whatever that was.
Tommy's head quickly snapped around, staring into the woods that seemed somehow less welcoming, almost as if something was watching him, something lurking in the shadows waiting to catch Tommy off guard. If you asked anyone, they’d tell you Tommy had little to no self-preservation skills, maybe that's why he turned around to look back on the city once more.
“It’s just an animal, king. No need to worry,” he whispered to himself (and to whatever was waiting for him beyond the tree-line). “Just enjoy the view and relax.”
Tommy just went back to enjoying the view for a few more minutes, knowing it wasn’t going to last because he was going to have to get up eventually and face the woods once more to make it to the top of the mountain before nightfall.
Once the few minutes passed, he found himself on his feet again, trudging back to the treeline, keeping his head down to focus on the steps he was taking. A twisted ankle would not be good right now, not miles up a steep mountain and alone with whatever was still in the woods. The blonde took a shaky breath before stepping onto the trail again, looking ahead to see the next bit of trail he was going to have to get through.
His pace picked up a bit, feeling eyes burning into his back. He took his phone out of his pocket as he walked, hoping that he still had service so if he did need to call for help (which he wouldn't he was a big man that could handle anything and everything on his own), only to read the “no service” text in the top right of his screen.
Shit.
Snap.
Fuck.
He stopped, his heart starting to race quicker than was probably safe as the hairs on his neck stood up. Just an animal, you'll be fine, it’s all fine big man he tried to tell himself as he continued to walk a bit quicker than before, no longer paying attention to the rocks and roots he was stepping over.
Fear climbed up his throat, or maybe it was bile, Tommy didn’t care to figure it out. All he knew was that he needed to get out of here, but was too scared to turn around and be faced with whatever was probably casing him as he ran as fast as he could on the worn trail. It was fine, it was going to be fine. It had to be fine.
Snap.
Thunk.
Crack.
“Ow.” Then the world went black.
~~~
The world was blurry as Tommy opened his eyes, colors blending together making a picture he couldn’t understand. There were too many colors for him to be in his room and too much red for him to still be in the woods. He just closed his eyes again, feeling too tired to try and figure out where he was. He was warm, there was a soft rumbling nearby, and gods his head and ankle were throbbing. Maybe if he just closed his eyes again, when he opened them next he’d be back in a location that he recognized and no longer in whatever dream this was.
He opened his eyes again just a few minutes later when the rumbling didn’t stop, only to see a clearer picture before him. It almost seemed like he was in a cave, there was a red piece of fabric hanging on the grey and brown walls, the smell of fire finally making its way over to him as well.
“Gold?” a rough voice asked, causing Tommy to jump, whimpering softly as he squeezed his eyes shut once more. Tommy never really had dreams and anything that felt so real. “Is Gold awake?”
Tommy didn’t answer, instead curling up into a tight ball, crying out from the pain of shifting his foot. “Fuck! Fuck off! Go away!”
“Is Gold hurt? I’ll make it better, where does it hurt, runt?” the voice asked, sounding closer and the rumbling getting louder. It almost sounded like a purr, it was oddly calming. Tommy slowly opened his eyes again, finally accepting this was not a dream.
He was caught off guard by the pink hair that framed a scarred face and two pointy tusks poking out from the person's mouth and red eyes that burned into his skull. He realized he was sitting in front of a piglin hybrid. Suddenly he found himself back into the wall behind him, trying to get away from the person, his breath picking up, ignoring the sharp pains that it caused.
“G-get away! Leave me alone, I’m not hurt!” he pleaded, holding his hand up to the person now across from him in hopes it would hold him off.
“It’s okay, let me help you, Gold.” the person said in a calm voice, slowly reaching out to pet his hair.
“My name isn’t Gold,” he whispered, not pulling away from the hand now tangled in his hair, tugging away any knots his fingers found. “Name is Tommy.”
“Nice to meet you Tommy, my name is Techno.” He said gently, the purring seeming to become louder as Tommy started to lean into the hand. The claws scratching at his scalp were calming, o matter the fear that was bubbling inside of him. Maybe if he gave into the piglins wants, he could make it out of here alive. If he gave in to his instincts, maybe he could walk out of this cave.