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„Tommy“, Technos voice was as monotone as always, but Tommy could clearly hear the strained tone that accompanied it. The same tone that Techno always seemed to have whenever he spoke to Tommy. Well, at least since the events at the blown up community house.
„Technoblade. Philza.“ The two warriors standing menacingly in Tommys house seemed to be taken aback by how tired his voice sounded. Tommy had contemplated if he should fake his usual happy manner of speaking, the same way he would so often in these past days. He had ultimately decided against it, solely because he felt just too exhausted to fake anything. Looking at their unsure expressions now, he decided that it was worth it.
Technoblade was the first one to shake off the surprise.
„I believe you have something of mine, Tommy.“
The teenager chuckled dryly. Of course. That stupid axe. Why else would they visit him in the middle of the night, just a few days after he almost died by the hands of his literal abuser. Certainly not to check on his wellbeing.
Philza furrowed his eyebrows at the boys reaction.
„Fucking...“, Tommy dragged a hand over his face. The two men simply watched in silence, but both of them only now seemed to take in just how incredibly tired Tommy actually looked. He had deep bags under his eyes, his hair looked as if he hadn’t brushed through it for days and his usual cheeky grin had been replaced by an expression they couldn’t quite place.
Technoblade wondered if it might be resignation, but he was ultimately forced out of his thoughts by Tommy sighing and turning towards his enderchest.
„You know what?“ He threw open the lid more forcefully than he had to, but the loud thud brought some kind of irritating satisfaction to him.
„I don’t even give a shit anymore. Fucking take it and leave.“
Carelessly he threw the axe at the ground right in front of the mens feet.
Techno just barely bit back a harsh comment, though he didn’t even know why he felt the need to. Maybe it was because of how his former ally seemed thirty years older in the flickering light of the few torches in the room.
He only realized that he was staring when Philzas hand made contact with his armored shoulder.
„Well, that was certainly easier that expected, eh?“ A clearly forced chuckle of the blonde man filled the shack.
Techno sighed and bent down to pick up the lightly shimmering axe.
„The Axe of Piece, back in the hands of its rightful owner“, a small smile tugged at Phils lips. But Techno didn’t feel like returning one or replying to his friends words.
Phil seemed to take this as an invitation to continue speaking. His eyes flicked to Tommy as he opened his mouth again.
„It seems that it can even being peace in the hands of a traitor.“
Tommy hated how he flinched at those words. But how was he supposed not to, considering that it was his own father that spoke them. He decided to replace the hurt in his chest with anger.
„Right. What a great fucking peace that is“, he practically snarled at the two.
Technoblade noticed how Phils shoulders seemed to tense at this. He groaned. Originally he had wanted to get the axe by himself but Phil had insisted on tagging along. It should have been obvious that reuniting the older man and his son would not end up in a peaceful situation.
„And what is that supposed to mean, huh?“ Philza crossed his arms.
„You got what you wanted, didn’t you? Dream‘s in prison, whatever he did... it’s over now.“
Tommy took a step back, as if he had just been hit in his gut. His face suddenly as pale as Ghostburs.
„It’s over now?“, he echoed quietly. He couldn’t believe how his own father could say something so apathetic.
Phil raised a single eyebrow, an unimpressed expression on his face. Technoblade was incredibly uncomfortable now.
„It’s fucking over now?“ Tommys eyes flicked over to Techno, then back to Philza as if he couldn’t bear to look at his face.
„It is, Tommy“, Philzas voice cut through the room like the sword he carried on his hip.
„Stop making such a big deal out of this.“
Techno’s eyes snapped to his friend. That was too far. Way too far. He had seen the way Tommy behaved after he ran away from Dream. He had noticed the flinching away at loud sounds and unexpected movements, had heard the cries in the middle of the night, when the nightmares would haunt the boys sleep. He had experienced the panic attacks, whenever Dream would show up at the hybrids house.
„What?“ Tommys voice was barely a whisper.
„Making a big deal out of this?“
His lips turned into a pained smile. When he next spoke his voice was louder but it sounded even more broken than before.
„You mean making a big deal out of being manipulated for months? Out of being forced to watch everything that I owned be blown up again and again every day? Making a big deal out of being hit and kicked and fucking cut by that bastard whenever he felt like it and me thinking that it was my fucking fault all of that happened? My fault because I did everything wrong and deserved the pain for being a nuisance to everyone. Or deserved the pain simply because I did something as insignificant as accidentally breaking a pickaxe or messing up a cake recipe or even just fucking looking in the wrong direction.“
Tommys breathing had picked up but neither one of them dared to make a move, too scared of what the shaking boy with unshed tears filling his eyes would say next.
„If- if all that is so unimportant, Phil... so unimportant that you wouldn’t even visit me in exile...“ Phil winced at that but Tommy had nothing holding his words back now.
„Then yes, it sure seems I am making a big deal out of this.“
There were so many emotions fighting inside of Technoblade now.
Guilt because he could have done more for Tommy. It’s not as if he didn’t notice how badly the boy was hurting, he just chose to ignore it, whenever it seemed convenient.
There was pure terror of how someone could do this to a literal child. A child he had once called his friend.
And there was anger. Hot seething anger burning inside of his chest. Anger towards Dream, who did this. Towards the L‘Manburgians who hadn’t moved a single finger for Tommy when he was in exile. Towards Phil, who treated Tommy like an annoying bug that just wouldn’t stop buzzing around his head. And towards himself, the person that was closest to Tommy when he needed the most help and he didn’t provide it. Instead he teamed up with the childs tormentor, choosing not to see how much he hurt Tommy with his actions.
When neither of the two warriors spoke, Tommy continued, his face unreadable, his fists clenched and his body shaking.
„But sure. I have peace now. Such an incredible thing, if it weren’t for the Eggpire trying to capture and experiment on my. Or for Jack Manifold and Niki, who I thought I could trust, trying to literally kill me through Tubbos Nuke yesterday and thinking I wouldn’t notice. But I’m not fucking dumb. I know when someone is betraying me. Because that’s what everyone I have ever met has ever done.“
For the first time this night Tommy dared to look directly at Techno. Waiting for his reaction. The pig hybrid stood there, desperately trying and failing to keep that stupid neutral expression on his face, while all kinds of emotions flashed over it and inside of his eyes.
He felt the urge to do something. To grab Tommy, to hold the boy close so that noone could ever harm him again. To tell him, that he would protect him. But he knew that he had also been one of the people that hurt him.
Philza decided to speak up now. „Tommy, I didn’t- “
The boy tore his eyes off Technoblade and tiredly looked to his father.
„I suggest you leave now.“
Philza took an involuntary step back.
„Take that false peace of yours and don’t come back.“
And of course they did. Just like they always had.