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Phil took a deep breath.
He stood outside Technos study, ready to knock.
Well, ready was quite a strong word. No ones ready for the scolding of a lifetime. No one wants to feel ashamed and small when the act itself made them feel like the worst person on the planet.
Frankly he wanted to get it over with, because the tension was killing him. Techno was still being kind and considerate, hell he took over feeding Tommy so Phil could rest.
A thing Phil didn't know about becoming a sire, is that you've got to bulk on blood several months in advance, or you'd waste away yourself.
It was two weeks after Tommy had awoke, and they were moved to Technos mansion far up north. Phil didn't argue or fight Techno when they were barred into the mansion with Techno having the lock and key.
Specifically Phil was locked in, Tommy and Techno could leave whenever they wished. Phil knew it was a fair and arguably light punishment, but it still stung nevertheless he couldn't travel for Prime knows how long.
He was kept in the nest with Tommy for the first month before Techno begrudgingly allowed him the rest of the house. Tommy was still on bedrest, but he seemed to be making a slow recovery.
Just because he was allowed the rest of the house though, didn't mean he wasn't walking on eggshells.
Techno wasn't happy with him, he could tell by the furrow of the eyebrow, the subtle quizzical glances. On the outside, Techno looked as cool as a cucumber.
Phils known Techno for a long time though, and he can tell his small tells. He could tell he was fucking pissed.
He could tell he was pissed from the short one word answers, he could tell when he didn't talk about his latest government takedowns or his bragging of potatoes.
However, Techno won't be the first to approach Phil about the problem. Techno could be angry until he's red in the face, but he's always had Phil come to him when Phil was ready.
He wasn't sure if it was consideration or because Techno was an old prick, but regardless it made him feel like a kid caught red handed in the cookie jar.
Enough stalling.
He took another deep breath and gave a brisk knock on the door.
"Ya?"
Phil sheepishly opened the door. Techno was sitting at his desk, polishing a dagger. He wore his casual clothes, a simple poet shirt with his hair tied up in a tight bun, his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
"Hullooo"
One would be fooled to think Techno was content, even though he was quite convincing. The only tell he was upset, was his dangerous quizzical stare.
The kind of quizzical stare a college professor could muster over a rather lackluster student.
"I think we should talk," Phil mumbled, scratching the back of his head.
"I think so too. Have a seat." Techno sat up and tucked the dagger into its sheath and gave Phil his full attention.
Phil looked around the office, not much had changed in the short couple years has been away. It was still kept meticulously cleaned with bookshelves that lined the walls.
"Your study looks nice mate, I like what you'v-"
"Phil."
"...Sorry."
Techno sighed. "Tell me your side of the story and we'll go from there. I have an idea of what happened, but please, enlighten me."
Phil swallowed, and took a shaky deep breath.
"I suppose we'll start from the very beginning. Well, I wanted to visit Logstedshire for a couple of reasons." Phil began, keeping his eye contact fixed on the desk itself instead of Techno.
"I wanted to visit Schlatt and his new fledgling for a little while before I moved further south, but I was a couple years too late. You know what happened to Schlatt and his fledgling."
"I do. My condolences."
"And well I figured I might as well have a cabin there, it was a small town and even though the town wasn't particularly friendly, it had good livestock, plenty of flocks of sheep to feed on." Phil continued on. Techno said nothing. Prick.
"And then I met this sickly kid, Tommy." Phil smiled sadly at the memory. "First time I saw the kid was scavenging through trash cans. I felt pity for him, didn't even have a cloak to keep warm and the coat he had was old and tattered. I bought some bread and some water for him"
"I was surprised he came up to me first. I think he only stopped by because I was a vampire" he chuckled humorlessly.
"Was he already sick at that point?"
Phils smile dropped a bit. "Yeah, he was already sick."
"I see. You brought him home soon afterwards?" Techno asked, his tone revealing nothing.
"Yeah. By the time I brought him home, he was coughing up blood. He wasn't going to last long and no one should die in a cold dirty alley."
Techno hummed, taping a pen on the table. "You turned him shortly after? I'm assuming when he stopped eating?"
"...yeah."
"And I'm assuming by how lethargic he is still, and the way he cringes away from sire blood even though a fledgling should be a bottomless pit, you gave him animal blood because you grew too weak yourself?"
"...yes."
Techno said nothing as he stood up and walked up to a bookshelf. He plucked a red hard covered book, with a well worn spine and many tabs within the pages.
"Are you familiar with Sun Tzu art of war?"
"Oh c'mon mate-" Phil started but a fierce glance shut him up. Phil knew he'd fucked up.
Techno carried on.
"“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself, but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”" Techno dropped the book onto the table, eyes alight with fiery.
"I have never been so disappointed in you Philza." He just about growled, his arms crossed. Phil sunk in his chair.
"You know nothing of being a vampire, you're not even 100 years old yet and yet you go take pity on the first street kid you see." His voice did not raise, and did not need to.
"You knew nothing of the kid, you knew nothing of raising a fledgling but you took it on like it was a werewolf in the woods. A simple challenge if you could conquer" Techno continued on, his words tearing at Phils heart like a talon. Fresh tears sprung to his eyes but Techno didn't seem to notice.
"But raising even a normal human kid takes years and years of hard work. Raising a fledgling? It would be easier to count the grains of sands on the earth"
Techno took a deep breath and looked back down at Phil, wiping the tears from his eyes. Anger was still there, but so was a sort of softness reserved for children.
"If I loved you any less, I would've left the kid to rot in that cabin and I would've dragged you back by your hair, you ignorant fool." Phil took a shuddering breath to stop himself from crying.
"Tech, I'm sorry" he pleaded. Like that would make a difference.
Techno sighed, and studied Phil.
Techno tugged him up so he was standing, and held him close.
"That kid will never have a normal life Phil, even by vampire standards" he murmured, tucking Phils head into his neck. "You were downright cruel in your ignorance, and even though he's alive and breathing, he will never know a battle" Phil began to silently cry, with shallow shuddering breaths.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry"
"He will never know sports or games, he'll be confined to a nest for Prime knows how long, longer than any fledgling."
"You've condemned him to a life of medical issues. You'll never be able to travel again as long as Tommy lives, and should he die because of your mistakes, well, that would be punishment enough. I will not save him again." Techno held him close as Phil cried.
He honest to Prime thought he was doing the right thing, he just wanted to help.
Moments passed before Phil pulled away and sat back down in his seat, Techno sat in his. Another moment passed before Phil spoke.
"What do I do now? How can I make it up to him?" Voice hoarse with tears.
"Well" Techno shrugged. "The kid doesn't look like he's leavin', not for a while. I'll show you how to be the best sire you can be for the time being."
Phil nodded and chuckled humorlessly. "It looks like I won't be traveling for a while"
"Nahh" Techno shrugged. "Infact, preferably you won't be traveling again until Tommy has his on fledgling."
Phil sputtered "what?! That could be hundreds of years!"
Techno just smiled. "I had plenty of other punishments in mind for you being so recklessly idiotic, one of them being forced into one hundred battles. Being a house husband while I house you and Tommy is hardly a punishment"
Phil grumbled. He had a point.
Another minute passed.
"Are you still mad at me?" Phil looked up at Tech. Techno was leaning on his hand.
"Nah." Techno shrugged. "You've learnt your lesson, I'm mostly keeping you home so I'm not stuck babysitting, and I knew letting you go out into the world was a bad idea" Phil snorted.
"...I didn't mean to hurt him." Phil murmured softly.
"I know you didn't. You just didn't know any better, and that's the problem. Next time you head on into fatherhood just ask first, okay?"
Phil laughed. "You didn't have any better idea than I did"
Techno snorted. "I did better than you, that counts for somethin'"
Phil sighed. "Yeah, yeah you did" guilt chewed at his stomach.
"It's alright. You have an eternity to make it up to him."
Yeah, yeah he did.
"Okay. Love you Tech. Speaking of, I'm gonna go check on Tommy." He said as he got up and walked to the door.
"Pft. What a nerd. Another thing Phil?" Phil paused and looked at him.
"Yeah mate?"
"If you sire another fledgling any time soon, I will personally find a way to turn you human again and bury you six feet under."
"I thought that was impossible?"
"It is. I'll find a way though" Phil shuddered and closed the door behind him.
Techno was fuckin scary.