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Tommy ran, ignoring the branches scraping against his face. Sweat dripped down his skin, but he couldn’t afford to waste even a second of breath to wipe it away.
Because he wasn’t running for his life, or for his death, he was running for his freedom. He was running for sanity, for peace of mind.
Was breaking Dream out of jail necessary? Was it really something that somebody thought they needed to do?
He thought he was safe, he really did.
He ignored the cold air that was stinging his nose and making it hard to breather. He ignored his lungs, the heaving of his chest as he struggled to inhale and exhale.
He couldn’t stop now but everything was burning.
The cold made it worse.
He was stuck in the limbo state between hot and cold where it was both at the same time.
So long story short he was just suffering here and Dream’s voice in his ears as they ran through the forest was not helping. In any sense of the word.
He stumbled a little and his eyes flicked down instinctively so that he could right himself with little ado.
Then he caught sight of the beacons. A long pillar of light that he was surprised he hadn’t seen earlier, though with all the trees they had passed the light had likely been obscured.
This was Philza’s house. Tommy didn’t know where they stood in terms of relationship and care for each other, more specifically Philza’s level of care for him, but he called out for him regardless.
He couldn’t help but be reminded of a similar scene not too long ago. His father figure had failed to answer, and he had been beaten to death on the same day he had sought closure.
That day didn't have a happy ending.
Today could.
Then again, Philza was friends with Techno and they, along with Dream, had orchestrated and carried out Doomsday. History was doomed to repeat.
He ran into the house anyway.
Forest green met him and he extended his arms in a mockery of a hug as he flung himself at the only person he had left.
He wanted safety, no matter who he was getting it from.
“Stay behind me.”
“He’s chasing me Phil, he’s gonna kill me over and over again. I can’t do this again Phil, I can’t do this again.”
“He’s not going to get you, I promise.”
Tommy hid behind Phil as the other cast a sweeping glance over the terrain.
“You have to believe me.”
“I do.”
Tommy didn’t know if the words were true, but he did want to believe it. So he didn’t protest when they went inside, Philza still checking the area outside every so often. He didn’t complain when hot chocolate warmed his fingers, he didn’t question it when he was given a room and a place to sleep.
He didn’t say anything when he knew no more.
_____________
Philza was on the verge of spewing fire, or at least he would be if he was a fire hybrid. No, instead he had to settle with baring his fangs at nothing. It was so insulting that he couldn’t show his anger properly, honestly.
What was Dream’s problem, clearly the man thought he was being slick, but when Philza scanned the terrain he had seen the slight flash of lime green.
Dream had been in prison, and though his skills were still polished, the stay hadn’t done much in terms of actual improvement. Add that onto the fact that Philza had literal bird hybrid enhanced eyesight, it was a wonder that Dream thought he could escape his scrutiny at all.
And Philza was annoyed, because how dare he? How dare that insolent, homeless, subpar excuse of a teletubby use his first few days out of prison to hunt a child.
That isn’t something someone just does.
And Philza was annoyed, because Dream used that favour, used the syndicate to torment somebody and hold power over somebody and do everything the syndicate didn’t stand for.
He couldn’t see Dream anymore, so Philza cautiously went inside to go check on Tommy.
He smiled a bit as he caught a glimpse of fluffy, almost gold hair. It seemed Tommy had taken a shower at Philza’s recommendation.
He was sure Techno would have loved it.
He knew as much as his friend liked to pretend that he hated the teen sleeping before Phil, they truly loved Tommy and if they knew what Dream did they would absolutely slaughter that eyesore.
So it was with that knowledge that Phil used his comm to snap a picture of the tired child and send a picture to Techno.
Crowfather: Look who I have here, isn’t he cute?
Crowfather: Dream used his first day out of jail to hunt him down.
Ineverdie: he betrayed me phil
Crowfather: Techno, I know how much you miss him. He cares about you too, I think you need to make up.
Ineverdie: fine
Tommy stirred and Philza couldn’t help but swear a bit, he had wanted to enjoy Tommy sleeping for a little longer. He was just so peaceful and calm when he did, yet he somehow still managed to fill the house with warmth.
Tommy blinked blearily. “Phil?”
“Tommy, I don’t want to lie to you, I messaged Techno and he’s coming over.”
Tommy immediately panicked. “Phil, how could you? He hates me. He’s going to kill me or give me over to Dream and I can’t stop him.”
“Tommy, Tommy. Techno cares about you, I care about you. If I thought he was going to hurt you I wouldn’t have invited him over. I can promise you that.”
Tommy averted his eyes, twiddling his thumbs. “He’s going to call me a bad friend, a traitor. And he would be right but I can’t deal with that Phil.”
Phil’s heart softened and he smiled a bit. He was right, Tommy did, in fact, care about Techno. It seemed that he had a bit of a misconception, however.
Phil knew that while L’manberg still existed they wouldn’t be able to stay on the same page. How could they? They were the same but different, both too stubborn to compromise.
But L’manberg was blown up, blown to smithereens. “Tommy, look at me.”
He waited patiently for Tommy to meet his eyes.
“Techno, he cares about you. You two had a major difference in opinion about L’manberg and I can’t fault you for following that country until it crumbled, but now, now it’s gone. Techno cares about you, and you care about Techno. Without L’manberg you two can actually have a working relationship.”
Tommy looked hesitant. “Phil, I love L’manberg. I loved L’manberg. I can’t stand for you insulting it or speaking about it so, so calmly.”
Phil sighed, a slight huff of air escaping from him. “I know that. I know you cared about that country. What I’m saying is that now there’s nothing that can make such big misunderstandings. Tommy, Techno was so much happier when he had you in his life. You were so much happier when you had him in his life. Just, try to talk with him.”
Tommy swallowed, playing with his fingernails. Then he smiled, a hopeful smile. “Well if big man Philza says so, I still don’t forgive you for blowing up L’manberg, then what can I fucking say against that.”
“Thanks for giving it a shot, mate.”
And it wasn’t much, but it was progress, and that was all Philza could hope for.