Chapter Text
Running off into town was not a habit of Tommy’s. Really!
Normally, if he wanted to get out of the stupid castle, he’d just ask Wil or Tech. Phil made him go out with one of his brothers or a guard if Tommy wanted to leave the castle grounds for a little bit. However, that option… wasn’t viable. Tommy wanted to be alone, soaking in the fresh air rather than the harsh breaths of the bitches who surrounded him.
He darted through alleyways and streets, past stores and landmarks the teenaged prince had been forcefully familiarized with. Not many people could be found outside, given that it was sunset, but he still passed by a few, mostly odd-looking ones.
Tommy reached the park, his park, with his bench and the alliums surrounding it just as it had been before. The boy sprawled out on it, the soon-to-be-night wind rustling his short hair like Wil’s hand had always seemed magnetized towards doing.
Wilbur.
“Fuck Wilbur. He goes ‘Mimimi oh we’re very privileged to get this level of education’ or ‘Mimimi you really should show more respect for your tudors they can teach you if you just listen’ or ‘Mimimi you need to stop skipping class that’s no way for someone in your position to act’. Fucking bitch. And of course Techno has to side with him. Phil too! Assholes, the lot of them," he murmured angrily. “I’m so tired of everyone being fucking against me!” Tommy cried to the twinkling stars now popping into view.
The stars didn’t respond.
They didn’t respond as he sobbed, as the moon climbed further across the dark sky.
The air felt empty, cold before it turned suffocating, the world itself turning something near claustrophobic with the weight of emotions. He was a big man, why did one argument hurt so bad? Tommy didn’t know.
He still didn’t know as the last lights in the buildings near him turned off.
“Is it time to go back now?” he asked.
The sky did not speak, but he was tired. Yet, Tommy’s heart was still heavy as it was before when he spilled off the wood. Wanting to delay the lecture he would inevitably receive when he returned, Tommy decided on going on a longer way home.
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Even under the moonlight, this alleyway was dark and foreboding. Not like Tommy was afraid to take it. He was a prince, and had been trained to be able to hold his own in a fight, your average mugger wasn’t going to pose a threat to the big man himself.
He heard something move. He hesitated, and nearly chose to go through a different path. But he didn’t. It would be silly to turn back now, especially because of what was likely just some rat.
Tommy inhaled, exhaled, and started through it. And after a moment, someone else did too.
Tommy went faster. And in the same moment, the other did as well.
Tommy ran, and the other ran faster. Faster than him.
Tommy turned to fight. He was royalty, after all. He knew how to hold his own. Unluckily for him, the other did as well.
Tommy saw a flash of a white, smiling mask before he felt an arm engulf his neck.
For the young prince, everything went black. For Dream, he felt as two heartbeats began to calm.