Chapter Text
A conscience is not a tangible thing. But every sentient being in the world has one. Something in their minds, whether it be compassion or merely societal taboos beaten into their heads by a strict and powerful world, keeps humanity’s morals clean cut.
The concept of being good does not have one definition. In wars and bloodshed, there is never a good side. There’s no such thing as a perfect person. But humanity… it is inherently good. Or it tries to be, anyway.
Society runs like clockwork, a conveyor belt of cogs grinding out a functional world, and only a few stray people stand out.
Most people will naturally choose the right thing to do. But there isn’t always a right thing. That brings up schools of thought, utilitarianism and trolley problems.
It’s a tough subject. It’s easier not to think about it.
———
“Wait- nonononono Dream! Dream, please, I’ll be good, don’t-“
“This is the only way you’ll learn, Tommy. I’ll let you out when you’re ready to behave. I don’t understand why you can’t just listen! Good behavior isn’t that hard!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please don’t, you don’t have to-“ Dream held up a finger and immediately, Tommy’s jaw snapped shut. Talking back was what got him here, what was wrong with him?
“Good. Now stay. Don’t move.” A silent tear slipped down Tommy’s face as Dream turned around, his back nonchalantly to Tommy (because he knew that Tommy wouldn’t dare attack him). Dream sauntered up the creaky staircase and reached the basement door, gently tracing his fingers along the doorframe as he crossed the threshold. “I’ll send someone down with food later if you continue behaving.” And then the door clicked shut, and Tommy was locked alone in the dark.
This wasn’t the first time that Tommy had deserved this punishment. Honestly, he wasn’t sure why he couldn’t learn either! He was lucky enough to be allowed to serve in his district’s lord’s manor, and he should be more grateful. He was grateful, to be chosen for something that he wasn’t worthy of.
He just wasn’t very good at obedience.
He wanted to go home. This was his home. Wanting for a life he would never have was futile.
Back pressed up against the cold wall, he sank to the ground and squeezed his eyes shut. Maybe if he was quiet enough, Dream would be merciful and only give him a few days of his punishment. Tommy could be good. He really tried! It was just… he wasn’t very good at holding his tongue.
Tommy had to learn to talk less. He knew his place, he was just bad at remembering!
It would be best if he just stopped talking, except to be respectful to his superiors. That was what the rest of the household staff did. Tubbo would have never allowed them to do any of this. Tommy was weak. He was weak for submitting and giving in. Tubbo would be disappointed.
Tubbo was probably dead.
No. That was silly.
Tommy ran his finger over the tag on his ear. It was easy for himself to forget his place when he lost himself in his memories of his old life. He was supposed to ground himself like this.
The tag sent an electric shock through his body at being fiddled with, causing Tommy to flinch.
Good. He was being good. That was what he was supposed to do.
He opened his teary eyes and took deep, shuttering breaths. Tommy had always been scared of the dark.
“This is our vessel? A child?” a voice suddenly groaned from out of nowhere. Tommy tensed and clambered to get to the corner of the room furthest from the stairs. Please, please don’t be someone here for his training. Tommy was being good! He really didn’t mean to talk back to the guard! He was already being punished, please-
“Oh, he’s afraid! We have to help him!” a second voice urged.
Tommy curled into a ball, trying to make himself look smaller. Harder to hit.
He heard a rustling in the air, but it was too dark to make out any human forms, or anything really. Not with his inferior eyes, anyway. Dream and the guards probably liked the basement so much because it obviously showed how much weaker Tommy was than them.
He figured that this was probably a pair of guards playing with him. They liked to do that. And Tommy always got in trouble if he tried to fight back. He didn’t wanna get punished any more than he already was going to be, so he had to be perfect.
“I’m sorry sirs, I- I don’t understand,” he forced out, keeping his head down. He knew they could see him, they had to be able to, so he kept his body language meek. He remembered reading the phrase ‘blessed are the meek’ in a book one time, he was pretty sure.
“No, kid, we’re not-…” the first voice sighed. And suddenly-
The room erupted with a flash of light, the walls illuminated in color, bathed in a warm glow. Enough for Tommy’s human eyes to make out the forms of the two figures in front of him.
Immediately, his gaze flew to their eyes in order to identify their class. And what he saw made his chest drop.
Red.
No class had red eyes.
Mere humans usually had natural colors of brown, blue, or green. Most magic wielders had purple eyes, those were the guards and higher ranked citizens. County leaders and anyone in a real position of power had gold irises. It showed how they were blessed by the gods, to be so perfect.
And the Leader had entirely black eyes. Rumors told that staring into the Leader’s eyes was like gazing into a deep, endless void.
Mere humans wouldn’t even be able to fathom the sight with their inferior brains. Tommy had been told that he would die upon eye contact if he were ever even allowed in the Leader’s presence, which he never would be.
Dream had met the Leader, though. Or so he claimed, but why would he lie?
But these two people… they had red eyes. Tommy didn’t understand what that meant. How much more powerful were they than him? Should he even be looking at them? Maybe- maybe he should bow? Yeah, that was probably a safe bet.
Terrified, Tommy dropped to his knees and snapped his head down, trembling. He didn’t understand.
Suddenly, there was a hand in his hair. Tommy froze involuntarily, unable to move. The touch felt… nice?
“Shh, hey, it’s okay, kid. We’re not one of them.” Them? The superiors? O- oh.
Maybe their eyes were just a reddish shade of brown! That made sense. They were probably just servants sent to check on him. Oh, but that didn’t explain the trick with the light! Ordinary humans didn’t have the ability to use any magic!
Tommy whined helplessly, hopelessly confused.
“He’s terrified of us!”
“I thought he was supposed to be a warrior, or a political leader, or at least someone with powers. Not… a child.” Tommy started to cry again. He didn’t know what was going on, but he knew he was failing somehow. He was being a disappointment.
He was being bad. Oh no, oh no no no no no no-
Tommy forced himself to stand on shaky legs, pushing the second person’s hand out of his hair. He almost whined again, needily, clingily, when the touch fell away.
“Is there something expected of me?” he asked, regulating his voice so that it would be soft and level. He was not scared. He was behaving.
“No, sunshine, we’re not whoever you’re afraid of. We’re here for you.” Tommy whimpered, frustrated and afraid.
“I don’t understand what you mean.” The second person opened their mouth again, but the first cut them off.
“We’re your own personal demons. You have a destiny, child, and it’s up to us to make sure you fulfill it.” Ripping the bandaid right off.
Tommy stared, his mouth agape. “Sir? I- I don’t-“
“We’re not from this world, sunshine. We’re from… beyond. The realm where you earthly beings derive all of your magic,” the second person explained.
“We’re here to guide you,” the first person tacked on.
“Like your conscience!” the second one chirped.
Like how stories talk about having an angel and demon on your shoulder?
In the midst of his shock and confusion, Tommy forgot his manners.
“Isn’t one of you supposed to be an angel?” They both started to laugh. Laughing, as Tommy stood there, shaking. It wasn’t a good feeling. He was used to it, though.
“Usually, yeah. But for your destiny, we decided that an angel would just get in the way,” the second person said.
“My destiny?”
“Well, if we’ve got the right guy, you’re supposed to take down the totalitarian hierarchy that’s runnin’ here and save the countless people that’re bein’ exploited.”
What.
Tommy stood in silence (back straight, hands at his side, head angled down, just like he was trained to) and tried to process what he was being told.
“Is this a joke?” he asked weakly. But guards playing a prank would never speak ill of the government! It was forbidden!
“No, we- ugh, okay, Wilbur, how can we prove that we’re not lyin’?”
“Fucking-“ the Wilbur guy stammered, conjuring up a flaming sword out of thin air?! Tommy gasped, stumbling backward, as Wilbur swung the sword at his companion. And somehow, the sword didn’t slice right through him. It bumped into him and came to a short stop, not even making an incision. Tommy’s breath hitched. Wilbur chuckled. “Is that enough proof for you?”
Tommy didn’t dare open his mouth.
“You’re just scaring him more. This is why Phil put me in charge.”
“Wh- he did not! This is an equal partnership!”
“I’m older and therefore better.”
“By like, a minute, Techno! Fucking hell, you always do this.” Tommy stared as these two… demons, bickered lightheartedly in front of him. They clearly weren’t human, and they had very powerful magic. Tommy had no reason not to believe them. He was always supposed to take his superiors’ word as fact. That lesson was tough to beat into his head, but he remembered it now.
“Are you gonna hurt me?” Tommy whispered timidly. And the two demons went silent, looking actually sad. Oh shit, did Tommy piss them off? Fuck, of course he-
Wilbur stepped over to him and ensconced him in a hug. Tommy’s mind blanked (but this time, in a good way).
“Wil, wait, don’t overwhelm him-“
“It’s nice,” Tommy interrupted, not afraid of being punished after if it meant he got to enjoy this moment for just a little longer. (Dream only hugged him when… well, when he was younger, if he was really good. And none of the other house staff wanted to interact with him if they didn’t have to.) He buried his face in Wilbur’s shirt, trying not to start crying again.
When Wilbur finally released him, Tommy did his best to stay still and not reach out for more.
“What’s that on your ear?” Techno asked.
“Oh, um, my tag?”
“Your what?” Wilbur echoed, his voice dripping with evident disgust. The demons exchanged a glance. “See, this is why we have to fix this.”
“I was never against it! I’m always happy to kill a couple hundred corrupt aristocrats!”
Tommy was completely lost at this point. This didn’t make any sense. (He knew that he wasn’t very smart, he’d heard that enough times to accept it as fact, but that didn’t stop him from hating the feeling of not understanding.)
Techno stepped towards him this time. Instead of hugging him, though, he just ran a gentle hand over the tag on his ear. (Somehow, that didn’t trigger a shock.)
Tommy heard a soft click. And Techno pulled his hand away.
He was holding something. He showed it right in front of Tommy’s face, and it took Tommy’s eyes a second to focus before he realized what Techno was holding.
“How..?” Because Techno had somehow gotten his tag off.
Techno simply shrugged. “You’re ours. Not theirs. Plus, we can’t have you being tracked or buzzed or whatever this thing does.”
“Techno!” Wilbur exclaimed, shoving Techno’s shoulder. “Don’t get possessive just yet.” No, no, that was the only part of this whole thing that made sense. Tommy was used to belonging to someone.
Speaking of which.
He was speaking to two people who definitely weren’t pro-Dream. He would get in a lot of trouble for that. Should he scream? (He was supposed to be quiet.) Should he try and get Dream to come down here somehow? (Dream didn’t want to be bothered with him.) But…
Tommy didn’t know. He never did. These choices were supposed to be made for him.
Dream said to be quiet.
“Okay,” Wilbur continued, “this clearly isn’t working. So, I think we just start again. Hello! I’m Wilbur, and this is my brother, Technoblade.”
Technoblade. That’s a really, really cool name.
“Hi.” Tommy waved shyly. “I’m Tommy.” He was being polite. That made sense, right?
“It’s nice to meet you, Tommy. I’m very sorry that we scared you. We’re not going to harm you in any way. We just-“
Tommy heard the basement door creak open. Fuck.
He turned to the two probably-demons towering over him with a panicked expression. Tommy was gonna be in so much trouble (even though this wasn’t his fault in any way, he couldn’t just make the demons leave! He would still be punished.)
“Tommy?” a guard whose voice Tommy recognized asked.
“It’s- I didn’t- I’m sorry- I-“ Tommy’s breath hitched, his crying turning into painful hiccups that made his whole body jump. He quickly retreated to the corner and sank down to the ground.
“Calm down, kid. Jeez, I’d think you’d be used to this by now.”
“What?”
The guard sighed and rolled their eyes. Didn’t they see Wilbur and Techno? Couldn’t they tell that there was light in the room, that Tommy had his tag off?
“Here,” they said, tossing Tommy a sandwich. “Dream has delegates visiting in a few days, so your punishment is going to have to be cut short. Someone will be back for you tomorrow.”
“I-“
“I just don’t understand why you have to always act up, Tom! It just makes our lives harder, y’know. You’re not the only one who has to deal with a pissed off Dream.”
“Kill them,” Techno suddenly hissed. Tommy’s face blanched.
“Yeah! Bash their head in!” Wilbur goaded. “Don’t let them talk down to you like that.”
“N- no, I-“
The guard groaned in frustration and delivered a swift kick to Tommy’s chest. “Are you even listening to me?” they growled.
“I- yes- I’m sorry! Do you not see-“
“Kill them,” Techno repeated.
“I don’t want to! I can’t!” Tommy shouted back, pleading. Too late, Tommy noticed the guard storming towards him. They grabbed his chin (like a fucking storybook villain!) and forced him to look up at them. Tommy’s eyes blew wide and he went completely silent.
“I don’t know what this little ploy for attention is, but you’re going to stop now. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, but-“
“Tommy, they can’t see us. Or hear us. Just you,” Wilbur explained. Oh.
“But?” the guard demanded.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be good.” The guard sighed, nodded approvingly, released him, and left without another word.
“Fuck you,” Tommy spat as soon as the guard left the room. “You could’ve told me they couldn’t see you! Before I almost had a fucking panic attack!”
Techno and Wilbur looked actually guilty. And a little pissed (at the guard, Tommy knew. Not at him.)
“Sorry,” Techno apologized simply. At that, Tommy practically melted. He couldn’t think of the last time that someone had apologized to him. “We want you to trust us, Tommy. You’re our vessel, after all. Through you, we’re going to fix this wretched world.”
Tommy shook his head vehemently. “No- I- I’d like to help you, but I don’t think I can. I’m not… special.”
“Well, clearly something about you is, because you were on Phil’s list, and apparently you don’t even have magic? You wouldn’t know this, of course, but we send most magic wielders an angel and a demon to act as their conscience. That’s how we’ve been trying to keep the world in balance. But…” Wilbur shrugged. “Obviously that balance has been thrown off. We need a purge.”
“I don’t understand,” Tommy mumbled for what must have been the sixth millionth time today.
“Wil, come on. Lesser humans aren’t even offered an education, he’s not gonna know what’s normalized for the upper classes.”
“Well, sor-ry,” Wilbur replied sarcastically. He turned back to Tommy. “Is this overwhelming? We’ve dumped a whole ton on you, all in one day. You must be exhausted, little one. And terrified.”
Tommy hated being talked down to. It happened in his daily life, and sometimes that led to his temper getting the best of him. But in this particular circumstance? Tommy didn’t feel his usual surge of anger. He felt… cared for. (By a fucking demon who he’d met today? Yeah, right.)
Still, the only thing that Tommy could muster the strength to do was nod weakly.
“Aww, yeah, I bet,” Wilbur cooed. (Tommy tried to ignore Techno raising an eyebrow skeptically as Wilbur extended his arms, beckoning Tommy to come find refuge in them.)
Obediently, Tommy stood up on shaky legs like a doe learning to walk for the very first time and stumbled over to Wilbur. Wilbur slowly sat down and placed Tommy in his lap.
“You can sleep now. We’ll dive into learning more when you wake up. You’re safe.”
Tommy hadn’t slept in days, not that he could remember. And Wilbur’s voice was so soothing…
The last thing that Tommy heard before drifting off was a brief conversation between the two demons.
“You can’t coddle him, Wilbur.”
“I know, but he’s just a little kid! He’ll fulfill his destiny, it’ll be fine. But we can’t treat him the same way we treat warriors with years of experience in violence.”
Tommy heard Techno sigh and plop down on the ground next to Wilbur, then he felt another hand (Techno, probably) lay on his arm, softly petting him.
“I suppose you’re right. He is pretty small.”
“I just want him to be comfortable with us, trust us. He’s not simply going to burn this whole building down if we ask nicely.”
“Alright. But we are running out of time.”
“I know. It’s gonna be okay.”
And then Tommy was dragged down into sleep. When he awoke, his head was still resting gently in Wilbur’s lap. Holding his breath, he tentatively pushed himself up.
He gave an apprehensive look to Techno and Wilbur, who had unreadable expressions.
It didn’t really make sense why they hadn’t left yet. Because Tommy was not going to believe that they were here for him. Not after he’d had it beaten into him his whole life that he wasn’t special.
“Tommy, how much do you know about this world?” Techno asked. Tommy let his guard down. If the demons were gonna hurt him, he’d learn what their boundaries and breaking points were. But he trusted them. (And testing their limits was a safe course of action.)
“I know about the different classes. My- my superiors.”
“What of them?”
“Uh… that worthy humans are granted a gift from the gods so that they can wield magic. They’re just- they’re better. Than us.”
“That’s not untrue,” Wilbur said, “but it leaves out a lot of facts. Can I tell you a story?” Tommy’s eyes went wide and he shook his head no. “No? Why not?”
“That’s not allowed.” Tommy used to have a friend in the manor. Ranboo. He was Tommy’s superior, a direct relative of Dream. Tommy could spend hours just staring at his perfect golden eyes. In awe of how Ranboo was blessed. Ranboo wasn’t a big fan of the power based hierarchy, though. He didn’t think it was fair, that he was spending his life training rigorously for high society while Tommy wasn’t even allowed an education. (They were both punished for misbehaving a lot, though. They had that in common.)
So after Ranboo’s lessons every day, when it was dark and the manor was silent, Tommy would sneak up to his room and Ranboo would teach him everything that he’d learned that day. And then the two would play and talk and complain about their respective troubles.
Until Dream found out. And Ranboo was sent away to boarding school.
Tommy didn’t get to say goodbye. He didn’t see Ranboo again.
“I’m not supposed to learn about that stuff. It’s not my place.” Gives him too high of a chance to start some sort of rebellion, if he’s educated.
“Hmm,” Techno hummed. “How’s this - we play a little game, and if Wilbur and I win, we tell you something that we want you to know. And if you win, you can ask us any question that you want.”
Tommy froze. He’d played games like this before. Where there was a punishment if he lost. (And he would be punished for winning, too. But you can’t say no to your superiors.)
“No, I don’t wanna,” Tommy replied petulantly. He tensed, preparing for a hit.
“Alright. I just wanna get to know you.”
“We’re your friends, Tommy.”
Oh no, Tommy was not gonna start crying. Not now. Not again.
Sadly, his resolve was weak, he noticed, as his bottom lip started to quiver. He didn’t protest as Wilbur started to hug him again. (He really liked being hugged. He wasn’t sure why Wilbur was giving him so many.)
“You’re gonna kill them all, Tommy. Nobody’s ever gonna hurt you again.”
“Wait, what?” Tommy tried to squirm out of Wilbur’s hold, but the demon was too strong as his grip tightened. “I don’t wanna kill anyone!” he protested. Techno snorted.
“C’mon, surely you have some bloodlust in you,” he goaded.
“I don’t wanna hurt people! I mean it!”
“It’s your destiny, Toms. You’re going to fix this world.”
“Can I- can I do that without killing people? I don’t wanna hurt anyone…” Tommy felt like he was being unreasonable. Even though, shouldn’t he feel like he was in the right? Killing was bad! Still, Techno’s disappointed gaze alone made Tommy’s resolve shrivel up and die. “I’m sorry.” And just like that, Techno’s face changed.
“Don’t be sorry,” Techno responded. “We can’t force you to do anything. We don’t control you. If you don’t want to kill people…”
“… I’m sure we can find a way,” Wilbur finished. “But there has to be some fight in you, or you wouldn’t have been chosen.”
“I’m not helpless,” Tommy mumbled, his face turning red. He definitely felt like a small child next to Wilbur and Techno, who towered over him with their inhuman stature. “And ‘m not a little kid. I’m sixteen!”
“Sixteen?” Wilbur gasped. “I thought you were at least supposed to be an adult!”
“You kept calling me a child! I thought it was obvious!”
“Well, compared to us, you’re a child! But we’re millennia old! Tommy!” Techno exclaimed. “Gods,” he grumbled to himself, “an actual child. That’s who we’re working with.”
“Well, I’m sorry I can’t control my age! Motherfucker. If you really hate me so much, why can’t you just leave? I know I’m sooo annoying, with my lack of magic and everything contributing to my overall worthlessne-“
“Don’t talk about yourself that way,” Wilbur interrupted. Tommy swallowed his words. “And if you must know, we’re bonded to you. We physically cannot leave your side until your time here on Earth is done.” Tommy’s face blanched.
“Until I die?” The demons nodded. Shuddering, Tommy’s breath hitched, and he felt weak.
“Please don’t cry again.”
“Why shouldn’t I?” Tommy exclaimed, his eyes filling with tears. “I- this can’t be happening, this can’t be real.”
“I’m so sorry, Tommy,” Wilbur apologized. “If we had a choice-“
“You do! You’re magic! Just try and leave, try and break the bond! Or- or what if I leave you? What then? I can’t have you guys here forever, I have to be good and do my job and behave and listen and- and-“ He hiccuped, cutting himself off. The tears wouldn’t stop. (Gods, he was being so fucking weak. Dream would be disappointed.)
“You’re, uh, bonded to us too, Tommy,” Techno said. “It’s not a one way thing. But it’s okay! We’re here to help you!”
“Can,” Tommy sniffled, “can you, like, use magic?”
“I’m not like your fairy godmother,” Techno deadpanned.
“But yeah,” Wilbur tacked on. “I mean, you saw my sword trick. And, how’s this?” He waved his hand, and suddenly, he was holding something small in his palm that Tommy couldn’t really make out. “It’s chocolate. Would you like it?” Tommy’s mouth started to water. He’d only ever had chocolate one time, and that was when Ranboo snugged him a piece in his pant pocket. It was half melted, a small morsel that had pocket fluff stuck to it, but it was one of the best things Tommy had ever tasted.
His demeanor changed immediately.
“Yes please,” he said politely, meekly. “Sir.” Wilbur hesitated.
“Please don’t call me that. We’re friends.” But he still handed Tommy the chocolate. (Even after Tommy fucked up and did something he didn’t want!) Before Wilbur could change his mind, Tommy popped the treat in his mouth and held it in his cheek, savoring the taste.
Wilbur snickered. “Gremlin child.”
“Do you think you can trust us now, Tommy?” Techno questioned. “Or at least tolerate us?”
Tommy hesitated. And before he could answer, he heard the basement door click open again.
“Tommy, get up here now, it’s time to get ready for the delegates to visit.” What? How long had Tommy slept for, holy shit?
Quickly, he swallowed the chocolate and made himself look presentable before running up the stairs. (To his dismay, the demons followed him.)
“Report to the main hall for your instructions,” they ordered. Tommy obediently nodded, keeping his head down. He ignored the urging whispers that demanded blood.
He started the walk to the main hall, praying that the guard wouldn’t notice him acting off. As soon as the guard was out of sight, he acknowledged Wilbur and Techno, who were still muttering that he should’ve killed the guy.
“Okay, let’s set a boundary, okay? You can’t demand that I kill everyone who talks to me.”
“Not everyone who talks to you!” Wilbur replied. “Just everyone who condescends to you, who orders you around like a fucking dog!”
“Ugh, if only you’d have seen their angel and demon, Tommy,” Techno added. “What they thought of you. Demon was urging that the guard ‘put you in your place’ and ‘teach you a lesson’, and the angel wasn’t much better. I’m beginnin’ to see the problem, with how the angel acted like one of those people who’s all high and mighty, righteous above all others. That’s why I hate angels.”
“You could see their angel and demon? Could you talk to them?”
“Nah, they can’t see us. We’re significantly more powerful than average demons, Tommy. Most of ‘em can’t even really interact with their companion, but obviously you’ve noticed that we can touch you, because Wilbur is the touchiest motherfucker known to man-“
“I am not!”
“That’s pretty cool,” Tommy remarked in awe. Techno smiled.
“Yeah, I suppose it is, kid.”
Okay, focus. Tommy had to go to the main hall. He couldn’t be last, not after he just was punished! (Although, if Dream knew that his punishment wasn’t even a real punishment at all, since Tommy wasn’t stranded in dark solitude, he’d be fucking furious.)
Tommy would never have to be alone again?
“So what are we doing?” Wilbur asked, bounding alongside Tommy excitedly.
“We aren’t doing anything. I have to get my orders for today, something important is gonna happen.”
“Right,” Techno confirmed. “The delegates, the guard said. You know, that would be a good chance for you to off a couple dozen higher ups-“
“I’m not killing anyone!” Tommy interjected.
“Aww,” Wilbur cooed. “You’re cute. And really, you only have to kill one person. The Leader. If the Leader dies, this country will be in shambles, and we’ll be able to instate a new world order from there.” Tommy felt like he was being lied to. But he decided to play along, because obviously he couldn’t kill the Leader, and so he knew he was safe.
“… okay,” he agreed. Wilbur and Techno were good liars. But Tommy knew how to behave correctly. He’d spent his whole life practicing. (And plus, it felt good to suspend his belief, just like a little kid. Imagining a world in which he truly was an equal? That was something he and Tubbo used to do when they were young! It felt nice, to think of a better world.)
“But please, don’t keep doing the whole ‘blood blood blood kill them’ thing,” Tommy continued. “It’s just…”
It was just that Wilbur and Techno commenting on the injustice of Tommy’s situation made his mind spiral. When he was first taken brought to the manor, he tried to fight back a lot. But enough training can teach anyone to behave better. (Tommy was still bad. But he was getting better.) If Techno and Wilbur said stuff, Tommy would start thinking about how wrong it felt to be lesser, about how much he hated his superiors.
Wait- no, he didn’t hate them. He was eternally thankful, he cared about them, he was happy, he was good, he was pliant. Tommy knew his place.
“I don’t hate them,” he confirmed aloud, almost desperately. “I promise, I’m grateful!”
“Oookay,” Techno replied.
“Just… please don’t.”
“We won’t,” Wilbur agreed. “But anyways, as long as you’re able to get out of the manor, you should be fine. You don’t have to burn it to the ground if you don’t wanna.”
“I don’t wanna. And I can’t leave!”
“I mean, you technically can. I took the chip off you. You don’t belong to them, you’re ours.” Tommy wasn’t sure if his face paled or went pink at that.
“Well… Dream’s most trusted staff are allowed to leave the manor to go to the market, and on trips and such. If I’m really good, he might allow me to go on one. Then if the chip can’t buzz me…” Tommy could leave the manor. Like, actually leave. (And then, he got an idea.
If he went through with this plan, he could escape the manor! He could go back to his home village! To Tubbo! Or he could try and find Ranboo, somehow, rescue him from that fucking school and start a new life.
Or both. He had a feeling Tubbo and Ranboo would get along swell.)
The demons couldn’t hurt him. They were bonded with him, whatever that meant. What were they gonna do, stop him from not going on their fucking suicide mission? Tommy wasn’t able to change the world. But he could change his own life.
For once, he actually had hope. He just had to behave well enough to earn a chance out of here.