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"You're home late again." Phil crosses his arms, glancing at his son with such disappointment- or at least what Tommy thinks to be the look of disappointment on his face.
It was getting harder trying to hide his secret as The Chosen One with every passing day that came by ever since he'd been chosen. No- screw that, it'd been harder ever since Techno had left for college.
Apart from Tommy, Techno was the only other person that had known Tommy's secret. He'd been helping Tommy since he'd found out, and Tommy had been always grateful for it seeing as Techno had helped train him and had always lied to Phil about whatever Tommy had been up to. And since Phil favored Techno by a lot, he'd bought all Techno's lies without question.
Tommy really wants to curse at Wilbur for finally convincing Techno to live with him in London and attend college there. Because really, what was Wilbur thinking? Sure, he did not have a single clue about Tommy's identity but he could've just bothered someone else like a friend to live with him there if he felt so lonely like he'd said.
Bastard.
Now Tommy is left to confront Phil alone. With no good lie up his sleeve. Tommy had always been described to be a bad liar after all. If Techno was here, he could've come up with an excuse that Phil would've so readily bought. Now Tommy can't use the usual 'Techno was tutoring me at the library' excuse anymore or the 'I was training with Technoblade and we both got injured because we were so damn good at it' excuse in the case that he and Techno went home injured.
"I was over at Ranboo's house." Tommy lies. Phil's gaze at him only sharpens, causing him to gulp. Tommy didn't really have any other excuses up his sleeve. It's not like he can use Tubbo as an excuse since Phil had banned him from going there after an incident involving fireworks when they were ten.
He couldn't use his other friends for whatever lie he was going to orchestrate at the spot as well. Jack Manifold was on vacation with his parents, Eryn's parents were strict and Freddie was always busy with his part time job. In another universe, Tommy would've been able to use them for his excuse but here? Absolutely not. Tommy had always been quite the chatterbox and would tell Phil every single detail about his day that doesn't include his Chosen One duties. He'd pretty much told Phil everything his friends were up to while ranting because he was upset they couldn't hang with him. Perhaps, in another universe, it would've been Techno he'd told all of that about.
Internally Tommy curses out Wilbur again for taking Techno with him to London.
"Really?" Phil asks. "I was so sure you were with him earlier that I'd decided to call him myself." He continues. The sharp gaze he has on Tommy doesn't leave him, instead Phil's gaze only causes Tommy to feel himself shrink in fear. Tommy does not want to be grounded for a week or so again. If this charade keeps on going, Phil might just have to ground him for eternity and Tommy can't absolutely deal with that. Not when he has world saving duties to attend to.
"I left early?" Tommy lies again, this time Phil's gaze softens but not because he'd bought Tommy's lie, it was simply because he'd given up.
Phil only sighs and brings two fingers close to his forehead. "You're never going to actually tell me what's going on with you, aren't you?" And Tommy can't help but feel guilt at the defeated look on his father's face.
Tommy tightens the grip he has on his backpack that had been slung over his shoulder. He wants to tell Phil the truth. He trusts Phil. Phil would never betray him or cause him harm. But Tommy's seen Techno injured before, he's seen what it's like to bring someone else into this. And that's exactly why he can't tell Phil or Wilbur or Tubbo about any of this as much as he had trusted them.
"First you start cutting class, then you go home past curfew, then you go home injured." Tommy only purses his lip, making sure to avoid all eye contact with his father. "Are you being bullied? Is there something wrong? Am I doing something wrong?" Phil questions as he brushes over a thumb on his son's cheek.
There's a look of sadness in his eyes. And Tommy curses at the universe that perhaps if circumstances were different then both he and Phil would not have dealt with any of this at all.
"It's not that- You haven't done anything wrong- It's just- I-" Tommy pauses and watches Phil gently remove his hand from his cheek. "I just- I'm not telling." He feels his heart drop at the hurt in his father's face.
"Trust me, it has nothing to do with you being a bad father, in fact I think you're a good one, if not then the best." Tommy hopes that would be enough to lift Phil's spirits up, but the expression on his father's face remains all the same. Well, it was for a moment, until his father had looked at him with a scrutinizing expression, one that Tommy was not sure how to react to.
As if Tommy had not been tense enough, the look his father had gave him had made him even more tense. It's the sudden buzz at his pocket that he deems as his saving grace. The scrutinizing expression on his father's face is replaced with a questioning one as Tommy's hand scrambles to look for the phone in his pocket.
Tommy pulls out the phone from his pocket. "It's Techno". Tommy feels relief at the name on the screen. Even when Techno had been away, he'd still saved Tommy from the wrath of an angry parent. "Probably to check on me." Tommy points at the phone in his hand and Phil takes a deep exhale as he waves Tommy off, allowing him to take the call elsewhere.
Tommy runs to his bedroom and makes sure to shut the door locked. Phil shouldn't be able to hear him and Techno's conversation from here. He can't let his dad be involved in this, not when he can imagine the hurt look in his father's face when he finds out his son had been risking his life everyday.
"Ayup, Tech!" Tommy greets out after accepting the phone call.
"Hullo." The monotone voice from behind the screen greets out. "I was- uh, I was wonderin' if Phil's there like now?" There's a bit of worry in his tone that causes Tommy to be skeptical. Techno wasn't always the type to show worry, as a matter of fact he'd always shown himself to be unbothered or unfazed by whatever's been bothering him. Is Techno trying to pull a prank on him or something?
"Well, I just left the living room just so you know." Tommy answers. "He's been really pissed since I got home late again." Tommy groans. "Seriously, when are you coming back to Brighton? I could really fuckin' use your help again, Blade."
"Depends." Techno replies. "Give it a few months, I'll try to transfer back there by the next semester. Wilbur's been clingy as of late and it's been getting hard sneakin' out to do research on that Emperor of Darkness guy like you've told me to do before."
"Tell Wilbur he's a bitch." Tommy rolls his eyes. "And a bastard." He adds in, causing Techno to snicker.
"Alright alright, whatever you say, gremlin." Techno snorts. "Anyways, I was going to ask you about somethin'."
"Yeah?"
"Have you ever tried turning off the lights with Phil around?"
Tommy squints his eyes. "Well, I've tried before and he always stops me before I can. Pretty fucking funny that a grown ass man like him has an irrational fear of the dark if you ask me." Tommy jokes, instead of a chuckle there's a worried squeak from Techno's end.
"Now that you've said that I don't think, I remember anything with Phil in dark places. He always pussied out whenever." Tommy continues. For a moment he pauses, the realization that Techno might have been asking him that because he'd been suspecting Phil of something dawns on him. "Is there something wrong?" He questions.
"You might not believe me on this." Techno breathes out. "But I don't think Phil is what he seems."
"What the fuck are you talking about? Phil's just Phil." Tommy argues. Whatever Techno was trying to imply would not be true. Entities of darkness are only capable of emitting negative energies, not once has Tommy sensed anything off about Phil unless he was in a particular bad mood like earlier, but it was nothing alarming, really.
"Look, you have to listen to me on this." Techno protests. "Apparently those nerds with human forms show their true forms in the dark." Entities of darkness, the one's Tommy was meant to purify. For some reason Brighton had been a hotspot for them. Usually they take forms of paranormal apparitions, only the most powerful among them are able to take on human forms which makes them more hard to spot. Thankfully so, Tommy could sense them.
Everyone was capable of emitting negative energy, especially when in a bad mood, Tommy was not an exception to that. Entities of darkness never radiated anything positive nor can they feel happiness. They usually feed on bad energy to keep on living, and to feed on that they would cling onto unsuspecting people to make them feel negative emotions that would lead to them emitting bad energy. So why accuse Phil of being one when Tommy was so sure he'd felt positivity radiating off of Phil before?
Tommy bites the inside of his cheek. "Just because he has a fear of the dark doesn't mean he's one of those dark bastards. I've never sensed anything off about Phil."
"You're never gonna believe me, are you?" Techno sighs in defeat. "Just try and keep your guard up around Phil, I'll try to visit at Saturday so try not to do anything stupid before I come over. Don't want to be the one cleaning your messes again."
"Fine fine, I still don't believe you on the Phil part though." And with that he bids his older brother goodbye. Phil would probably ask him about why Techno called once he gets out again and Tommy would have to say that Techno's coming over at Saturday. But right now Tommy could not be bothered to go outside, not when Techno had suspected Phil of something. Not when Tommy's doubting himself at the moment. What if Techno was right? What if Tommy has to kill Phil? Too many thoughts had ran in his head. So instead, Tommy shakily removes his hand from the door knob and hops on his bed.
He can talk to Phil again tomorrow anyways.
Back then before being chosen, the worst part about school would've been the fact that it was boring. Now it was the fact that he had to keep his guard up in case there was another entity of darkness running amok.
Whatever Techno suspected Phil of being was not true. Tommy had confirmed it earlier when he'd tried to sense anything off about Phil. Phil was okay. Phil was- Well, he was still Phil that's for sure. Techno was just being silly, that's all. And yet Tommy couldn't bring himself to speak to Phil any further. He even failed to tell Phil that Techno would be home in tomorrow for Prime's sake.
It's when Tommy had stepped into school that his senses had gone off. His brain had kept yelling at him to look around, to sense if something- someone of darkness might be nearby. But no one he'd passed by had radiated off such energy and it kept him nervous. Perhaps his senses had glitched or something? He could get XD to fix that later.
"Mr. Craft, are you even paying attention to class?" Mr. Schlatt slams a hand on Tommy's desk, causing Tommy to squirm as he looks up at his teacher. "Yessir." Tommy blurts out with a salute with barely any hesitation, causing some of his classmates to snicker.
"And you weren't spacing out?" Tommy shakes his head. "Absolutely no sir." He says, like a liar. Schlatt must've caught onto his lie as he gives out Tommy one final suspecting stare before rolling his eyes and walking back to the front.
It's then that Tommy hears something shuffle from underneath his desk. If Tommy were to look down then Schlatt would call him out in class again. But the shuffling in his backpack is too distracting. Subtlety isn't exactly Tommy's strongest suit and Tommy would be called out again if he were to try and slip underneath his desk to check.
It's when Schlatt starts writing on the board again that Tommy takes as his cue to check underneath. Quickly, he reaches out for his backpack and zips the bag open.
A blob.
A tiny dark blob is in his fucking backpack. Must be why Tommy's senses had gone off earlier. Immediately he thanks the universe that he wouldn't have to deal with XD's incessant nagging later on if ever he tried to get his senses fixed. Now all Tommy has to do is to rid himself of this entity.
As adorable as it had looked, blobs like this were usually used to spy on others. They don't really have any consciousness and just act out what they're told before self-destructing. Someone must've suspected him of his identity and sent it to spy on him. Immediately Tommy grabs the blob and stuffs it in his pocket before throwing the bag back underneath his desk.
As though Schlatt was about to call on him, the bell rings and Tommy immediately darts towards the nearest restroom.
Locking himself in one of the stalls, he hastily grabs the blob from his pocket as he throws his backpack above the toilet lid. "Okay li'l fella, you had your time, I'm sure of it, but fun's over now." Tommy summons the Sword of Light into his hands. Sometimes he couldn't help but feel as though he'd been dreaming. It was always surreal so to speak, the fact that he now can summon a weapon out of thin air. And also maybe the fact that he now get's to live out that childish dream of his of becoming a hitman of sorts since his job is basically murdering dark apparitions now. (Except he doesn't get paid which slightly angers him)
"And goodbye to you, li'l bitch." Tommy drops the blob on the toilet lid before raising his sword at it, eventually piercing it and causing it to disintegrate into particles of white.
And with that Tommy let's his sword disappear as well. Initially Techno had thought the sword would just disappear into the void or something more badass but hilariously enough, no, it would just go back to underneath Tommy's bed, the one place that would be so obvious to look for that no one would even dare to look for it there.
As Tommy dusts off his hands, the question of who'd even decided to send it to spy on him comes to mind. Tommy could name off a few enemies on the tip of his tongue. The Las Nevadas Gang? But they were more reluctant allies than enemies. When Tommy had first encountered them, they'd all ended up making a bargain with him to rescue themselves to avoid being killed after he caught them consuming someone else's energy. They are essentially his allies at this point.
Well.
They could be planning on betraying him.
Tommy makes a mental note to visit them after class.
"Look man, whatever you're trying to accuse me of, I didn't do it." Quackity places both his legs on the desk ahead of him. "I could care less about what Chosen One bullshit XD is making you do."
"Then who-"
"I don't think I have any possible answer for that either, but one thing's for sure, someone you know must've slipped it in your bag without you looking." Quackity pulls out a pack of cigarettes as he gives Tommy another dismissive wave. "You can go now, I have some business to deal with, kid."
"Okay okay, I'll go." Tommy exhales. "But I have one last question for you, Big Q."
"Go on?"
"Is it true that you guys show your true forms in the dark?"
Quackity squints at him, looking at him as though he'd been studying him. "You saw some shit, didn't you?" And that raises the question, how did Techno even know in the first place? In the many months he and Tommy had worked together, they'd barely encountered entities with human forms. In fact Tommy had counted how many times they'd encountered them and it could all be chalked up to a total of twelve times.
Tommy bites the inside of his cheek again "No but my brother told me."
"The pink-haired guy?"
"Yes, Techno." Tommy corrects, would it kill for people to actually refer to his brother by name?
"It is true, if that's what you're curious about. But I'm sure if you're suspecting someone of being one you would've already sensed it with your magical Child of Light senses." Quackity lights the cigarette on his hand. "Although you probably wouldn't sense the more powerful ones, they can disguise their energy as positive or neutral if they wanted." Quackity continues. "Don't worry though, they're rare. Only royalty or nobles used to do that, but since there's only a few of us now, only the Emperor himself and a select few can actually do that." He tries to assure Tommy after having seen the anxious look on him.
"Chances of you actually meeting one would be slim, no worries." Quackity tries to assure again.
"Yeah, slim." Tommy swallows the lump on the back of his throat. No way what Techno said about Phil could be true, right? No way, right? Why would Phil of all people be evil?
Phil who taught him how to ride a bike, Phil who always tucked him to bed before he turned thirteen, Phil who never missed a single big thing in Tommy's life. Phil? The Angel of Death? The Emperor of Darkness that Tommy was supposed to kill? The idea of it had sounded so absurd but had never felt so real until now.
"You okay there, Big T?"
"Yeah, I'll just-" Tommy purses his lip as he tightens the hold he has on his backpack's strap "I'll get going now, thanks though."
"C'mon, c'mon, fucking pick up." Tommy mutters as he grips the phone in hand. It was concerning how Techno still hadn't picked up after a thirty minutes. Today had practically been the most worrying day for him.
"Something wrong mate?" Phil pushes the bedroom door inward as he peers from the side. "You sound frustrated."
Tommy only stares at him.
Shit.
Did he forget to lock his door again? He could've sworn he had it locked earlier.
He'd made sure to immediately scurry to his room once he'd gotten home. Thankfully so he even got home before past his curfew which meant he'd successfully avoided Phil scolding him for tonight again. He just didn't feel like looking at Phil right in the face again, not when Techno who always somehow ended up being right was suspecting Phil of being something- or rather someone.
"Look, you've been acting all weird on me lately, young man. I just need to know, what the fuck's going on with you? You didn't even eat dinner last night." Phil pushes the door further away from him as he approaches Tommy.
"I- Look it's- I just-" Tommy stumbles on his words. He feels himself flinch at his father's sudden touch. Why was he even scared of Phil all of a sudden? Over a silly theory, really?
"If there's something wrong you can always tell me. It's just worrying sometimes y'know?" Phil inhales as he let's his hand rest on Tommy's shoulder as he sits down beside him.
Tommy swallows. "Techno hasn't been answering me."
"You're worried?"
"I guess." If you'd asked Tommy that a few months before he would hurl in disgust. He and Techno hadn't always gotten along, in fact they'd hated each other. There was a reason Wilbur had been his favorite brother before Techno. "He said, he'll be coming over tomorrow so I've been calling to at least check on him."
"Oh." And Tommy can't ignore how Phil's hand had suddenly sunk deeper against Tommy's shoulder.
"Anything else?" Phil asks.
Tommy clicks his tongue nervously. While he was always a bad liar he could always partially tell the truth. Wilbur did always encourage him to let out his emotions even if he was to lie about it. "I'm just scared y'know?" Tommy makes sure to avert his gaze from Phil who'd started looking at him in such an odd way that Tommy himself can't identify. "The school has like this event in like a month and I joined like one of those music contests and-" It was true, but that wasn't what he was actually scared of, no. "-and everyone's expecting me to perform the best. But what if I don't? What if I don't win? What if I don't live up to everyone's expectations?"
XD had always held Tommy to such a high standard, the whole world may not be aware of it but they had essentially relied on Tommy for safety. If Tommy were to lose the confrontation with The Emperor, The Angel of Death, then who would the world rely on to be their protector?
"It's okay to lose sometimes, mate." Phil slides his arm around Tommy's neck "You don't always have to win, sometimes it's okay to just let yourself be a kid again, you get what I mean?"
And Phil was right. It's just that- Well, it just doesn't apply to Tommy's situation where it's the weight of the world that he has on his shoulders.
Phil sighs after noticing Tommy's silence. "What I'm trying to say is that you don't always have to pressure yourself. Just have fun, let loose." Phil hums and Tommy nods as he leans on his father's shoulder. "You've tried your best and that's okay."
They stay like that for a while. Phil buries his head on Tommy's curls as he wraps both arms around the boy. "You know I'd never directly cause you any harm right?"
Tommy hums in agreement.
"Can you answer something for me?"
Tommy feels something in the air shift. For some reason something from the corner of his skull is yelling at him to claw away from his father's hold. To desperately cling away and to run as far as he can.
"Yeah?"
"Can you tell me about the sword I found under your bed?" Tommy's name rolls out of Phil's tongue with such harshness in his voice. Tommy had never thought to have heard his name slip out of his father's mouth in such a way. His tone had been accusatory, as though he'd accused Tommy of something so heavy. And he was right. Tommy had kept the sword given to him by XD under his bed where he was sure Phil wouldn't look. Phil had always respected Tommy's privacy. Perhaps it was the sudden distrust towards his son that had led to him finding the Sword of Light.
"I uh- " Before Tommy could make up another terrible lie on the spot, a familiar voice intervenes.
"I gave it to him."
Tommy and Phil whip both of their heads towards the direction of the voice.
"Techno?!" Tommy widens his eyes at the figure behind Phil. "I thought you were-"
"Quackity called so I decided to get here earlier." Techno says as he approaches Phil, a broken pipe in hand "Phil! I'm warning you now! Hands off the child!"
"What the fuck's gotten into you, mate? And how'd you get past-" Phil cuts himself off, as though he was almost about to slip out something important.
"Past Wilbur? I convinced him, now hands off Tommy before I start beating you with this pipe." Techno snarls as he attempts to grab Tommy's hand. Phil however slaps his hand way.
What the fuck. What the fuck. What the fuck.
Phil let's go of the hold he has on Tommy and stands up before gripping Tommy's hand as tight as he could again, making Tommy squirm.
"You were always my favorite Tech, I hope you know that." Phil glowers at Techno. "Now can you please tell me what's gotten into you?"
"Bruh! What's gotten into me?!" Techno repeats "No! What's gotten into you Phil?" Techno corrects with a hiss as he aims the pipe at Phil. "Tommy I am telling you, stay away from Phil. That is not our dad."
And who was Tommy to deny Techno? As insane as Techno had sounded, he always turned out right. So Tommy does as instructed and bites on Phil's arm in an attempt to get away. The attempt is successful and Phil gasps in pain as he lets go of Tommy's hand. Tommy is quick to follow Techno who'd now ran towards the light switch.
It's the darkness that obscures them when Tommy starts feeling something sharp against his neck.
"Tommy grab your sword." Techno instructs. Tommy obediently does as told and summons it.
The Sword of Light illuminates the room, revealing someone in place of their father among the darkness.
Tommy stares in fear at the talons that have now wrapped around his neck.
"I didn't exactly imagine you revealing about your status as the so called Chosen One like this and yet here we are." In place of Phil was someone else. Phil wasn't wearing his regular black shirt; he was draped in green robes. A bucket hat was perched on his head, and his hair had appeared to be longer. Attached to his back were wings as dark as the void. There was no denying that this was the same man as The Angel of Death that he and Techno read about.
He was before The Emperor of Darkness. His supposed nemesis. The one person he was supposed to kill.
Techno and Tommy only freeze in place.
The Angel of Death pushes down the sword on Tommy's grip with just a single finger and watches as it loses it's glow.
"Well that was easy, didn't even have to put up a fight." The Angel comments.
"You- Stay away-" Techno tries to tug Tommy away from The Angel but is stopped by The Angel who'd gripped his hand tight. "What did you do to the actual Phil? Our dad?"
The Angel erupts into laughter.
"You think I replaced your dad, mate?" The Angel- or rather Phil chuckles. "Think again."
"You-" Of course Techno would be in denial, Tommy had been too. But there was no denying it now, the truth was right in front of them. Phil wasn't really what he seemed.
"Although, I'm a bit curious, Tech. How'd you even know in the first place?" Phil asks as he let's go of Techno's hand.
For a moment Techno had remained silent, as though he was letting some things sink in before opening his mouth to speak. "I saw Wilbur. He was just like you."
Wilbur? Like Phil? But then-
How did Tommy not even sense that.
Shit.
Techno takes a shaky breath and Phil reaches out to his back, rubbing small circles on hit while his other hand is still wrapped around Tommy's neck. "Go on, mate. What else did you see?"
"He told me everything earlier, Phil. You were going to lock Tommy up. I didn't want to believe it was actually you- Bruh, what kind of dad does that to his son?" Techno swats away Phil's hand from him.
"You were gonna fucking what?!" Tommy hisses.
"It was for the best, you were hurting yourself! You haven't even been acting yourself for how long? Months?"
Tommy pulls away Phil's hand from him. "Fuck you! I'm not hurting myself, I'm saving everybody from the likes of you!"
"I've seen how stressed this whole thing has been making you Toms." Phil tries to reach out to Tommy again but is prevented by Techno's arm as he'd looked at Phil with such disdain.
"Earlier this day, your senses have been going off, you looked so stressed."
"You-"
The blob. That cursed fucking blob.
"Someone you know must've slipped it in your bag without you looking."
Fuck. How did Tommy even look past that? Quackity had told him earlier and he didn't even think much of it.
"No kid as young as you should have dealt with that. With this." Phil continues. "Oh fuck off! You were the one causing it!" Tommy scowls.
"And you've caused me enough stress as well, young man." Phil grits out. "Do you know how many days I've spent worrying for you? I can't even believe I'd bought all of Techno's lies! It wasn't until Wilbur suggested to single you out and get Techno away from you for me to find out every excuse Techno said was all a lie. And it always kept me up at night! The thought of things happening to you, the thought of you being injured without me knowing what happened!" Phil yells.
Phil brushes his thumb against Tommy's cheek, this time no one is stopping him. "It wasn't until days ago that I've pieced it up. That the young man killing what's mine was also mine to begin with." Phil removes his thumb from Tommy.
"I love you two, you both know that, right?" Phil stares at both of them, an unreadable look in his eyes. One that Tommy was so sure was far from affection but not the opposite. "I would've done everything in my power to protect you if I'd known that XD chose you. That man was always a bigger trickster than I. Pettier, even. It seems he knew you were mine and decided to choose you out of spite."
"You wouldn't have planned to lock me up if you wanted to protect me, old man."
"You think I'm only doing this because you're my son?" The Angel of Death tilts his head. "I'm the Emperor of Darkness, mate. I have to make sure you aren't running around killing my kind. Your kind." Phil spits out with such anger. "And as for you, Techno. I would've sent you away with Wilbur earlier on if I'd known you were out here hurting yourself for your brother. You would've been safer in London than here."
"But I wouldn't have been able to protect Tommy then." Techno barks at Phil as he wraps an arm around his younger brother.
"I would've done so myself." Phil's fingertips presses against Techno's forehead causing him to slump against Tommy's shoulder. Now knocked out cold. The pipe on his hand clatters against the floor.
"Well that pipe was just as useless as that sword." Phil remarks. "No wonder that sword was so shit, it had the same quality as a pipe! A goddamn fucking pipe! What was XD even thinking? Giving a child something so useless to fight for his battles!" Phil's cackles echo throughout the room.
Tommy stares at the body on his shoulder in pure horror and shock. With stuttering hands, he gently drops Techno at the floor.
Phil's still watching.
"What did you do?! What the fuck did you do?!" Tommy raises up his sword. Despite the glow it's lost, despite the implication that it might not have effect anymore, Tommy still lunges at Phil in an attempt to attack.
"I just knocked him out, don't worry he'll wake up soon enough." Phil smiles as he dodges Tommy's attempt to subdue him. Tommy is left in a daze as he accidentally drops himself on the floor. "You're really bad at this, mate. It's a wonder you still managed to survive for that long." Phil taunts, grabbing the edge of Tommy's sword as he stares at his son in the eye. "No worries, I'll protect you, you wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore." Phil let's go of the sword and watches it clatter against the ground as well, this time he makes sure to step on it to avoid Tommy from attempting to pick it up again.
Shit. The sword. Tommy has to-
He has to-
"I can't lose, man. Fuck. What about-" Tommy blearily says. No. He wasn't giving up, he attempts to grab the sword from beneath Phil's slipper. Phil however kneels down to his level, pity in his eyes. "And I can't let you risk yourself like this. Not when you're still sixteen. Sometimes life just won't let you win and that's okay."
"Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you." Tommy chants through tears as Phil grabs both of his shoulders and shushes him. Tommy doesn't even attempt to pull away. He drags Tommy closer to him, enveloping him within his arms. "Love you too, mate." Cold fingertips press against Tommy's forehead. And with that Tommy resigns himself against Phil' chest, darkness obscuring his vision.
"You may have been The Child of Light but you were also mine since the day you were born." Phil combs his fingers through his son's hair. "A child of the light and the dark."
"But still mine all the same."