Chapter Text
Tommy didn’t remember much more of that day. He’s not sure he’d want to, with how all of his family members grimaced and vaguely spoke of the pain and blood involved with his demonic ascension.
Now here he was, two months later, immortal and still living large in this palace-esque building that the Demons of the Sleep owned. It was the middle of the day, which meant Techno was lurking around somewhere while Phil and Wilbur did… whatever demons did in their off time.
For the second time today, Tommy’s tail accidentally swept his cup off the table. He’d be upset, but at least this time his horns hadn’t also gotten caught on the cupboards and brained him. Wilbur still hadn’t let him get over the last time that happened.
He caught the cup just before it could crash upon the ground, feeling the residual heat through the delicate ceramic.
The days since Dream died had come and gone like warm silk threads through the fingers: fleeting and soft. If he tried to focus too hard on any one memory, inevitably it’d slip away before he could linger too long on them. Even now, the boy could only feel embraced in a warm haze that refused to leave him cold for too long. This did not alarm him, it just left him feeling comforted and held. This feeling only intensified when one of the other demons stood nearby, drawing him to his sires like a moth to flame.
That familiar sensation tugged at him now, pulling him in the direction of the kitchen entrance. Technoblade was there, leaning casually against the doorjamb as he watched Tommy fumble about in the kitchen. With an amused huff, he pushed off the wall and brushed past the boy, aiming for his favorite coffee cup.
As his iconic velvet red cape lightly grazed Tommy’s skin, a clawed hand swiftly ran through unruly blond curls and ruffled them. The sigil on the nape of his neck warmed comfortingly.
“Hey kiddo,” came a chuckle. Unsuccessfully, Tommy tried to bat away the affectionate hand, only feeling a stray feather tucked behind his ear. With a huff, he left it there. Must’ve been one of Phil’s.
He watched silently as the older demon poured himself a cup of black coffee, then piped up as the other began to exit the kitchen.
“When will you let me join the fight against Schlatt?” Tommy asked, ignoring the impassive stare the demon gave him when he partially turned to face the boy.
“Tommy,” Techno said, bloodied eyes peering over the lip of the mug. “We talked about this.”
“I know! But I think I’m most justified to help! Schlatt fucked with me for months, he tried to kill me! I deserve to cut my pound of flesh! Please Techno? I just want to help you guys!”
But it was an old argument, and like always, Tommy got nowhere with him. Ironically, the Blood God wanted nothing to do with Tommy fighting.
“You think you're ready to level up from conquering the kitchen?” Techno raised an eyebrow pointedly at the cup Tommy still clutched.
“Ah… saw that, did you?” He reddened at the answering hum, tail lashing like a disgruntled cat.
“Ask Wilbur if you still want to argue.” A shrug and then he was gone, mug in hand.
But damn it Tommy didn’t want to ask Wilbur! For some reason, every time he broached the topic with his other big brother, he ended up forgetting entirely about it for days on end. He wanted to go help destroy Schlatt now .
Hours later, as Tommy sulked on his bed (only halfway sulking, he was rather happy playing video games), he caught sight of a large crow perched near his windowsill. The new demon immediately knew Technoblade had snitched on him. Knowing full-well Philza could watch him through his darkened sclera, Tommy childishly tugged his eyelid down and stuck his tongue out at the peeping crow.
The bird squawked as Tommy closed his blinds.
“I mean, it’s not like I can die!” Tommy lounged upside down on Wilbur’s bed, legs swinging carelessly in the air.
The Siren hummed, appearing entranced with one of the countless papers scattered on his desk. Boring High Demon paperwork, Tommy guessed.
Tommy wanted to ignore Techno’s half-hearted advice, but in all honesty the boy knew that if he could convince Wilbur, then the other two demons would easily follow. Wilbur was convincing like that. So here Tommy was, caving in and trying to argue his case once more.
“I mean, what’s the harm in another set of hands? I could be helpful!”
Wilbur snorted, but Tommy wasn’t sure if it was at him or the words he was reading. He hoped it was the latter.
“Child.” Wilbur finally set his pen down with a small thud, cutting into Tommy’s next argument. Golden eyes met pleading blues.
“Not a child,” the permanent fifteen-year-old said.
“Regardless,” Wilbur waved his hand dismissively. “If someone did happen to hurt you, I’d have to gut them, and I’ve told you how much I hate getting blood on my clothes.”
Tommy scowled. “That sounds like an excuse.”
“It’s really not. Do you think I have the time to chase down every bastard that could hurt you?” Wilbur gestured to the countless piles of paperwork Tommy had to dodge to get to the large bed shoved into the corner. “Easier to keep you safe and sound in the den than outside.”
Tommy paused. Ungainly limbs wiggled themselves until the boy could lean on his elbows and arch his head over the side of the bed to get a better look at the older demon. He asked hesitantly, “Do you think, maybe, you and the others are just a little overprotective? What happened to, like, child enrichment? ”
“Would you like some enrichment?” Wilbur raised a threatening eyebrow at Tommy. Immediately the boy shook his head.
“N-Nevermind. Haha…”
Satisfied, Wilbur turned back to the inked words printed neatly in front of him. An unspoken dismissal.
And yeah, Tommy should just be grateful that Wilbur hadn’t messed with him again, but this was at least the fifth time he’d been thoroughly waylaid by the older. He decided to play a little dirty.
“It’s not like you had any problem leaving me before.” Whoops, that one came out a little more honest than he meant it to. Maybe he wasn’t as over it as he’d thought he was.
The Siren, and it was the Siren this time, went preternaturally still. Pupil’s as sharp as knives snapped over to pin Tommy in place.
“Careful with your words, child.” That familiar chorus echoed hauntingly behind Wilbur’s quiet tone, but this time Tommy found it much less terrifying. Uncowed, he scoffed and sat up straight in the bed.
“What? It’s not like I’m lying.”
Wilbur gracefully picked himself up from the chair, probably hoping to get some sort of high ground on Tommy, the prick. “I left you with Philza’s sigil.”
Suddenly it’s more than a diversion. Hot, previously suppressed anger built up in his chest until all he could feel were the flames of rage licking at his neck and sternum. He clenched his hands until his fingernails dug into the calloused skin. Words he’d locked behind clenched teeth spilled out uncontrollably.
“Oh, cause that fixes everything . All you did was pass me onto someone else. I know the truth, Wilbur. I got lucky by being Theseus. Otherwise, you’d undoubtedly throw me to the curb as soon as you had the chance.”
Wilbur’s eyes narrowed, and like a shadow given form, slunk over to where Tommy sat. But the boy wasn’t done - wouldn’t be threatened into silence.
“And now you have the nerve to dictate when and where I go? After so long of not caring; leaving me like some backup substitute?” Tommy growled, newly garnered canines peeking out from a curved upper lip. “I’ve been perfectly fine before you, and I can take care of myself now.”
“ Quiet .” Wilbur growled out a command, watching as Tommy’s mouth slammed shut so fast his teeth clicked.
The High Demon took a breath, now directly in front of the bed Tommy sat on. “I won’t lie to you, I’d considered ditching you at first.”
The deep connection that attached Tommy to Wilbur, Techno and Philza felt like it had been tugged sharply. An unnatural ache deeper than any cut started to radiate out from Tommy’s chest, extinguishing the rage that he’d harbored in his heart. He knew it. Wilbur didn’t really love him- he loved Theseus. He loved the idea of Tommy.
“But are you really so foolish as to believe that I’d make a contract with a boy I’d planned to leave in the end?” Wilbur glanced at the sigil permanently inked on Tommy’s hand. “You grew on me, like an infection. Regardless of my original intentions, your fate was entwined with mine as soon as the contract had been made. Do you get that?" Wilbur placed his hand on Tommy’s head, leaning his weight on it as his shadow engulfed the boy. Wilbur's eyes practically glowed in the dim light, like a predator.
“You were mine before you were Theseus, Tommy.”
Tommy swallowed the cotton stuck in his throat and stared up at his brother. “So why did you leave me that day?”
“Because despite my demonic status, I do have the capacity to love more than one person.” Wilbur huffed in annoyance, leaning back on his heels to cross his arms. “If they had Theseus, I’d also have liked to save him as well. It was just a nice coincidence that the two people happened to be one and the same.”
“A coincidence…” Theseus murmured to himself. “You could’ve explained that!"
Wilbur smirked, “Why? I don’t have to tell you everything , Tommy. Put those two brain cells to work once in a while, huh?”
The taller demon only just managed to dodge the quick swipe aiming for his face. Wilbur chuckled lightly; gold irises gleaming.
“This whole family is a mess,” Tommy grumbled.
“You’re part of us now, Theseus. For eternity,” The Siren smiled, canines glinting like a challenge. To whom, Tommy wasn’t really sure.
It’s not like he wanted to be anywhere else.