Chapter Text
Tommy wakes up to a dull aching in his back. It's a normal occurrence for him, sleeping on cold concrete floors will do that to you. There's a small sliver of light pouring through the bars, casting a glow across the small cell. Just like every morning, Tommy goes to the bars, reaching out at the blue sky as if he could touch it. He, of course is grateful for what Dream gave him, but sometimes he wants nothing more than to see the bright blue without cold bars blocking his way. Tommy sits watching the clouds roll by as the day goes on.
The heavy footsteps are quick to draw him out of his daydream. Tommy hurries to stand by the cell door. Tommy listened as the door opens and the footsteps get closer, walking down the small hallway that leads to his room. It’s not long before a man stands in front of his cell door. The familiar green cloak brings Tommy comfort as he watches the bend down to eye level.
“Dream!” Tommy exclaims happily.
“Tommy, hey bud” Dream starts. Tommy's smile grows, today must be a good day! Dream only uses nicknames on good days. “I have something very important for you to do today. Do you think you can do it?” Dream asks. Tommy nods furiously he knows what happens when he says no, and his back is already hurting enough.
“Ok, I’m going to need you to be really quiet today. Not a peep you got that, or else,” Dream's voice took a quick turn from light and airy to serious. It scared Tommy a bit but it didn’t matter as long as someone was here. After all, Dream was the only person who cared enough to actually come to see Tommy.
Tommy nodded again. And with that Dream got up and left. Tommy stared at his boots as he went, hoping that maybe he would come back, maybe he would talk to Tommy a bit more, or remember he hasn’t brought food in a bit. It didn't happen, instead, the door shut and slowly the clicks of the boots faded down the hall.
The pain in his back doesn’t go away. But with the clicking of shoes coming back tenfolds so Tommy just ignores it. Reaching up on his tippy toes he looks out the bar covered window. There he sees the horse drawn carriages rolling in, hundreds of them clop against the gravel pathway. Tommy can hear the squeak of guest shoes as they enter the ballroom that sits right above his cell.
It's clear they're having a ball. Tommy can hear the clinking of glasses and the stomps of dancing. Laughter floats easily into his room, ringing through his ears. Tommy frowns, he can’t help but think he did something wrong. After all, he’s almost always the center of attention at these things. Hanging above the table is a shiny gold bird cage. Watch as people marvel at the soft white feathers that line his cheekbones, instead of the horns that all of them sport. He doesn’t think he did anything wrong recently but maybe he broke a rule without knowing, maybe he ate too much one night, or talked a bit too loud. There are not a lot of other explanations as to why he wouldn’t be there.
Tommy can almost imagine he’s there. The large windows that open up to an untouched world. Blue skies that seem to be so much vaster than the one Tommy can see through his small window. It's the only time he’s allowed out of the room. The only time he sees people other than Dream. Tommy frowns as he listens as the footsteps continue to grow, he knows the party is just beginning.
Tommy's back worsens throughout the night. He’s not sure why as most of the time the aching goes away after a few hours. It feels as if his skin is being rubbed raw. It hurts to the point where Tommy almost didn’t hear the footsteps coming to his door. Tommy ignores the pain as best he can in favor of listening to them grow closer.
The door that leads to his wing opens with a creek. Dream isn’t supposed to be back. Tommy knows that Dream would be too busy with the ball to visit him, so who is in his wing?
“He has to be hiding something, he has been acting odd all night,” A voice speaks up. Tommy presses himself as far into the corner as he can ignoring the stabbing pain it sends through his back. He can’t be spotted by these people.
“I know but we can’t act instinctively if we get some solid evidence we will stop him, but for now just enjoy the party,” A new voice starts up. Tommy listens as the first person lets out a sigh.
“Fine, but I’m telling you now Dream is not a good person. I just know something bad is going on here,” The first voice starts up again. Tommy feels shocked at the fact that someone would even dare speak ill about Dream. No one does, especially not in his own home. Tommys only heard them talk about how great of a host he was. Nothing bad is ever uddered.
“Whatever you say, let's just get back to the party, Phils going to start worrying,” The second voice says, and just like that the door opens and Tommy is left alone again.
Tommys tried to ignore the pain all night, but it just worsens. Tommy feels as if his back is being burned. Bitting down on his lip, Tommy continues to listen to the party above. As the night wears on the pain continues to grow. Tommy thinks he will be able to get through it, that maybe he can make it through the night and ask Dream about it tomorrow. But his plan falls apart as he feels the blood trickle down his back.
It feels as if knives are carving into his skin. Rubbing it raw as it goes. Tommy can’t catch himself as his legs give out. Strange noises start falling from his lips as he withers in pain. Tommy tries desperately to muffle the noises, bitting down on his fist as the pain grows. He can see large feathery wings emerge from his back. He doesn’t know what's happening, why it hurts so much.
Tommy can feel the blood as it begins to puddle around his limp body. His fist slips from his mouth as the odd chirping sounds flood out of him. Tommy knows he is going to get in trouble for this, Dream only had one rule today and it was to not make any noise and he is failing him right now.
The only other noises Tommy can hear are the fast beating of his heart, and the slow drip of blood hitting the floor. It is far from the loud laughter of the party above, which seems to have gone completely silent. Tommy tries to hold his breath to stop the noise. He knows now that the party above has gone silent his panicked chips will float upstairs far easier. It backfires quickly as he gasps for a breath mere seconds later, causing the needy noises to come back tenfold.
It doesn’t take long for the sound of the party to start back up, but instead of music and laughter screams echo through the halls. Tommy can hear as doors near him began to be broken down. And he can only watch in horror as his own door is broken down, listening to the light steps coming down to his cell.
Tommy tilts his head up slightly to see what was going on. A man stands outside of his cell. A man with huge black wings sitting on his back. Smaller black feathers lay on the man's face almost identical to how Tommy's own white feathers lie. Another man runs into the room, pink wings are pressed tightly against his back.
Tommy has never seen someone who looks like him. Dream always said it was because he was a mess up, with feathers instead of horns. But here right in front of him stands people with the same feathers.
“Hey mate,” The blonde haired man starts talking. His voice is kind and airy something Tommy doesn’t hear much of. “Oh god, you are just a little one aren’t you? Don’t you worry we will get you out of here fast. Techno--”
“Already on it Phil,” The pink one states, hitting the small lock with the hilt of his sword. It doesn’t take more than two hits before the metal lays shattered on the floor and the door swings open. The man, Phil, runs in quickly scoping Tommy into his arms. Small chirps erupt from the man as he holds him. Telling Tommy everything will be ok.
“Am I going to die?” Tommy asks softly, his voice scratchy from all the noise he has been making.
“No, no of course not. We’re going to get you out of here, you’ll be safe,” Phil reassures him.
“Will I get to see the sky?” Tommy questions.
“Of course, I will make sure you see the sky whenever you want. I will help you touch it if that is what you want,” Phil tells him. And Tommy believes him, believes he will be able to touch the sky.