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Tommy grit his teeth.
He could feel the blood coating them under his mask, a tacky sensation he knew he should be used to by this point.
Cardinal lived up to his name, the colour always soaking into the fabric of his suit, only visible when it dried and became nothing but a brown stain.
With a hand clamped around his side, Tommy limped further into the shadows, hoping for once he’d be able to slip into the foreground and not draw the attention he was designed to pull.
The streets were dark, much darker than he was used to. Usually he was out in the daytime, basking in the light that powered him, allowing the flames to dance up his arms and light his hair with brilliant gold and orange.
But as the sun set and his powers slipped from his fingertips, Tommy had to keep fighting. One wrong movement would mean his death, and the proof was in his side.
A dagger, not very big but big enough to cause insurmountable issues for the little hero.
Tommy had tried to fight him off, but he’d never had to face off against Phantom alone.
He knew the second the power in his arms began to dwindle, he didn’t have much time. You don’t just fight off one of the Syndicate members, not unless you’re Dream or Sapnap.
˙⊹܀☁︎˚˙⊹⁺.
Dream paced in front of Tommy, gripping his loose sandy hair with white knuckles. “I can’t believe you right now! You were so reckless!” He growled.
“I was fine!” Tommy shot back, scowling at the older man. He had to hold back his wince, the cracked ribs doing nothing for his argument.
The older man reached forward to grip Tommy’s shoulders, drawing his face nearer to his mask. “No, you could have gotten yourself and countless civilians killed!” Tommy grit his teeth at how hard Dream was holding his shoulders. “You need to be more careful! I’m not going to be there to get you out of every fight you needlessly pick!”
Tommy knew his tears well, he hated how easily they came to him. Still, he couldn’t help the choking in his throat, a sure sign they were soon to come. “If I didn’t do anything someone would have died!”
“You would have died!” Dream let him go, stepping back and jabbing a finger to Tommy’s chest. “I told you not to fight the SBI, yet here we are! You’re lucky The Blade didn’t snap your neck the second he got his hands on you! So listen to me when I tell you you cannot fight them without me there again, okay?”
He was glad the mask over his mouth hid the way his lip trembled, how he swallowed under the turtleneck.
“Is that clear Cardinal?”
“Yes.” Tommy choked, looking down.
Dream sighed and while Tommy couldn’t see his expression, he knew it was one of exasperation and exhaustion. “Go home. Come back in a week when your ribs have healed up.”
˙⊹܀☁︎˚˙⊹⁺.
Tommy knew he was an idiot, knew his dumb luck would catch up with him one day. It was a miracle he hadn’t been killed before this.
His hand trailed a streak of blood as he staggered against the alley's brick wall. The quiet put him on edge, nothing coming good from L’manburg being silent. Although, the blood loss was steadily bringing a ringing to his ears.
The earplugs Dream had designed for his suit had been expertly broken by a kick to his head that definitely gave him a concussion if the nausea was anything to go by. Tommy’s comms had been disconnected long before that, a blackout really sending the city into a layer of darkness.
His staggering turned to a complete stop, body wavering from where it still held loosely against the wall.
“Stop.”
Ah. Death was finally knocking on his door.
Tommy’s body didn’t go rigid as you might expect, just stopped in its sway, leaning fully against the jagged wall.
He couldn’t see behind him, but Tommy had lived in L’manburg his whole life. Everyone knew exactly who owned that voice, who was really the worst member of the SBI to be caught by.
If you were going to die, Blade and The Angel of Death would just kill you, and no matter how gruesome, you’d never have to suffer for long.
But Phantom?
He liked to play with his victims, make them suffer till they begged for death.
“I have to admit Cardinal,” Phantom called out, sounding far too pleased with himself. “I really thought this would be less anticlimactic.”
Tommy knew he had a loud mouth, knew he couldn’t shut up what it really mattered. But even if he were able to speak now, Tommy doesn’t think he’d utter a word.
A hand slithered onto his shoulder and around his neck. It wasn’t tight or choking, just torturously there.
“Isn’t this sad?” Phantom cooed, hooking his chin over Tommy’s shoulder. Tommy’s eyes were lowered to the ground, blinking rapidly and begging the tears wouldn’t release. “Sunshine, are you crying?”
He sounded delighted, like he’d just won something and the nickname nothing but salt in the wound. Tommy was sure he had some kind of count of how many heroes he’d captured would cry before he killed them.
Phantom cooed and reached up to wipe the tear from the corner of Tommy’s eyes, and all he could do in return was squeeze them shut, cry to ignore the burning in his throat and feeling of the knife lodged in his side.
The older man rubbed his thumb over Tommy’s throat, pressing just past discomfort. “This is truly pathetic, you know. I mean, it’s not like I don’t see displays like this from most of the heroes I kill, but I really thought you’d be different.” He sighed, letting go of Tommy to lean against the wall next to him. “You were always so snappy, so fun to banter with! I really thought you’d be harder to catch.”
Tommy looked up, his blue eyes stark when red rimmed them, tears fully falling now. It was all he could do in protest.
Phantom reached forward and tucked some of his stray bangs behind his ear, his head tilting in thought. Tommy didn’t want his hand anywhere near him.
“Come to think about it… I don’t think there’s ever been any hero quite like you.” His voice dipped into something thoughtful, something Tommy wasn’t expecting. It made his throat close up, the unexpectedly softer tone. “What is it about you Cardinal? What makes you so different?”
Tommy thinks he knows what makes him different.
A grin spread across Phantom’s face, something darker than usual. “No… Surely not?”
Please no–
Phantom stepped closer, softly raising Tommy’s chin. He was completely vulnerable, his body like a puppet for Phantom to move at his will.
Fear gripped him, fear so deep rooted that not even Phantom’s commands could stop the shake of Tommy’s body.
“Shhhhh…” The man hushed, reaching a hand up. Tommy couldn’t stop the tears from fully flowing, his eyes trained directly on Phantom’s hand.
Fingers twisted into the fabric of his mask and with one tug, it was over.
Tommy’s face was completely exposed to Phantom, and Tommy couldn’t do anything but watch his smile grow, wider and wider.
“Ah.” He whispered, no doubt his eyes scanning Tommy’s face under his own mask, counting every bit of evidence that he couldn’t be an adult.
Phantom raised his hand to Tommy’s cheek cupping it with a cruel softness. “Tell me sunshine, how old are you?”
The coaxing words drew the words out from a cracked and dry throat, choked out past the bile rising in time.
“Fourteen.”
“Fourteen?” He repeated, head tilting. “Now that’s just irresponsible. Surely the heroes know better than sending a child to the front lines?” Phantom shook his head softly. “Well, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Tommy was going to die. He was going to be killed and set as an example for the heroes, for Dream.
A hiccuping sob escaped him, the commanding words Phantom had spoken slowly fading, allowing his body its uncontrollable actions, the ones Tommy desperately wanted to keep down.
The brunet raised his second hand to soothingly, mockingly, rub the back of Tommy’s neck. “What’s your name?”
Grit teeth or none, Tommy didn’t have a choice, although he didn’t really see why it mattered. He was going to die anyway.
“Thomas Innit.”
“Tommy, Tommy, Tommy…” The villain crooned, the name, his name, sending shivers down his spine. “You really fucked up, didn’t you, hm?”
There was nothing more clear in his life, but it still stung.
Siren smirked, raising the blond’s chin, leaning in closer to whisper in his ear.
“Go to sleep.”
Tommy’s last memory was Phantom pulling him into his arms as his head lulled against a warm chest.