Chapter Text
He was out exploring in the woods- a little far away from the mainland that he believes is yet to be explored by the other players. So imagine his surprise when he sees a slightly frantic Sapnap barreling through the trees.
Their eyes met and Sapnap visibly exhaled in relief.
"PHILZA! we need your help-"
"Sapnap? What are you doing here- hey!"
Phil startles as he is pulled straight ahead to where the ravenette came from, apparently his help is needed urgently.
“THERE’S NO TIME YOUR SON IS IN DANGER PHIL-”
"WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?"
"We were just doing a manhu- NO WAIT, I MEAN- we were just exploring-"
A manhunt? Why would they do something so dangerous so far out-
"AND THEN THE IDIOT FELL INTO A RAVINE!"
That worries Phil even more, making him hasten his steps. That cannot be good, the injury can either range from several scrapes and bruises or a couple of broken bones.
They arrive at the said ravine and Phil hurriedly looks down to see which one of his children is in trouble this time-
Even from up here the strikingly bright shade of green is enough to tell him who.
"Hey Dream! I got help!"
"Uhhhh"
Dream inhales sharply and makes a failed attempt at counting till ten, he looks up at the two figures looming over him from the top. Sapnap is waving at him. A little too happy and smug for someone who is supposedly worried for his friend. Dream narrows his eyes in suspicion, they were so far out, how was he able to easily find another person? Who did he-
The circular hat is enough hint, even behind Sapnap’s sly smile.
Philza Minecraft.
If Dream isn’t currently stuck at the bottom of the ravine due to his fall, he would have been wringing the fireborn’s neck by now.
“Ummm” Philza starts with a hesitant tone, “I mean no total malice by this- and I will still help, don't get me wrong- but Sapnap, you said my son is in danger-”
He said WHAT?!
“Dream is not my son tho-”
Sapnap and Dream both made a poorly hidden grimace, Ouch dad, I know you have no idea, but still- that stung a little.
The hunter laughs nervously- “Uhhh what? What are you talking about, I said someone needs help- maybe I misspoke haha-”
"uh,huh..."
Dream cannot really see their faces from here but he can tell Phil that is probably raising an eyebrow. The following silence just made the whole exchange even worse. This is too painful to be in, both physically and mentally. “SAPNAP STOP FOOLING AROUND AND HELP ME OUT HERE-”
Sapnap rolls his eyes “Oh come on Ody- quit whining, it’s not that bad.”
“My leg is kinda in agony right now, I think I’m entitled to some whining-”
“Well you-”
“What did you just call him?”
Both players freeze and turn to Phil who is looking at Sapnap with a haunted expression.
Wait, what did they say-
“Ody”
Oh..
Before anyone can speak, a cry echoes through the walls of the ravine. The two immediately snaps to the sound; especially Phil. It sounded like a normal cry for anyone else- but to him…
It’s the sound of a pained chirp from a chick, his chick.
An arrow is now embedded to the admin's shoulder who in turn raises up his crossbow and shoots up ahead. They couldn’t see the mob- the darkness of the cave obscuring the view, but they don't need to, they already know what it is.
"DREAM!" Sapnap yells as another arrow lands on his friend's arm, Phil flinches as another cry pierces the chasm.
Fortunately he's still aware enough to notice and stop the ravenette who is about to chuck a pearl towards the ravine. "Mate don't hurt yourself as well!"
"But he's hurt!"
"I know. Don't be stupid mate, you won't be able to help him if you're also out of commission. I'll fly us down there."
The mob was faster- it shot him for a second time before he could even reload the bow. With the rapidly dwindling energy he has left, he also shoots once again, hitting the skeleton straight on and finally killing it.
He drops his weapon, hissing as the arrows through his shoulder and arm shift with his every move. His vision is starting to black out, where was he again-
“-DEE!” Sapnap’s voice jolts him out of his stupor, he sees his friend skid to a stop right in front of him. “Hold on, are you okay? How many hearts have you got left? Where does it hurt-” Dream gently waves off his friend's hands nervously hovering all over him with a smile "eh, I've had worse" and raises up a shaky thumbs up as an assurance. Though from the looks of Phil's and Sapnap's faces it's not doing a great job at all.
He huffs "It's really not that bad-" and just to prove his point, he reaches out to one of the arrows to pull it out of his shoulder- it firmly but gently stopped by a hand- by Phil's hand. At this point, he's already too tired to realize the two started working on his injuries- he didn't even feel anything when they pulled out the arrows, by the time that he's given a healing potion, his awareness as already close non-existent, he didn't really notice the chirping he let out again in the presence of his father.
He also did not notice Phil freezing for a split second, nor did he process that a coo responded to him.
He felt arms under his knee and on his back. Slowly, he feels being lifted off from the ground, "The healing potion healed most of your injuries, but you lost too much blood, I'm saving my questions for later, but don't think you're scot free, I know what I heard."
You don't know that, Dream thought, you're old, oldza-
He slowly turns to the sound beside him, Sapnap- he tilts his head in confusion, why is he snickering?
He feels the chest he's leaning heave a sigh. " Just, rest okay?"
Sleep sounds good, his consciousness slowly fades along with the adrenaline, mmm, he feels safe enough, maybe he can just take a nap our something.
"Okay, good night dad."
Phil freezes again, he pauses to compose himself, then he lets out a shaky sigh.
By now, even with the dumb cardboard box on, he's already 95 percent sure whose face it is-
He turns to Sapnap and raises an eyebrow.
Sapnap copies the gesture. "What? You want me to say it out loud? Ding ding ding, congratulations, your hunch is correct, there's your reward, your long lost son."
He tightens his hold, A hundred and ten percent sure-
They start the long trek back home, and for a while no one says anything. Phil takes the time to think about what just happened, as soon as he tucks the kid to bed, he's going interrogate his other three sons-
"Dream's gonna be really mad at me when he comes into his senses again."
Phil winces in sympathy, he can't deny that the timing could've been a bit better…
"But that’s fine- I don't want him ending up regretting just because he wasn't able to gather enough courage in the future"
The walk falls into a more comfortable silence