Chapter Text
The young blonde stretched out inside his raccoon hole under his brother cottage home, reminded Tommy of a cottage core lesbian. Slightly laughing at the reference he got up and let his eyes adjust to the dimly lit hole, seems like the torch went out plentiful of hours before Tommy awoke for the day. Tommy couldn't remember why today was so special, he couldn't remember. He knew Technoblade told him yesterday and to get plenty of sleep but now that it was important he just forgot.
Groaning with annoyance he climbed up the rickety ladder and up to the next level, greeting the cow as if schedule he then headed two more levels up. Tommy glanced at Technoblade working slow in the kitchen moving as if they had handfuls of time to do whatever before an event. "Good morning Big Man!" Tommy yelled out to Technoblade who flinched from the entrance, though Tommy didn't see. If he had he would've mocked the older for ages.
"Hullo small child." Technoblade teased as he looked over to Tommy who stood near the ladder with a look of annoyance. Tommy hated the mocking nickname he got, he wasn't a child nor was he small!
Awkwardly his non sock covered feet moved between pressure on each foot, the cold biting at his exposed skin.
Tommy rolled his eyes and walked over and taking a seat at the kitchen table where Technoblade took a seat across from him, "I'm not a sm- Oh food!" Tommy cut himself off mid sentence in favor of grabbing a bowl of soup with small potato chunks and trying to drink it, with a look of disgust Technoblade watched the young teen do so, "It's already morning and I feel disgusted in my own home." Techno remarked as he grabbed a spoon and ate his own meal with a annoying sort of elegance that annoyed Tommy who put down his bowl and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.
"There's literally a napkin right there!" Technoblade pointed to the napkin literally right next to the boys hand in easy reach, though Technoblade joked with Tommy he couldn't help but be slightly relieved that Tommy was eating more then just golden apples. Now golden apples were good to eat in battle but living off them everyday had serious consequences that Tommy would face if he didn't fix his diet.
Technoblade could see the effects were nudging as the teen had been slower than usual and couldn't keep down anything but golden apples, it was steady progress for Tommy to eat the soup the way he did.
Tommy decided not to answer in favor of looking out one of the many windows in the home, the snow covered the ground quickly leaving no time to see any frozen green under the white. Tommy wondered what it tasted like or felt like, which was weird because everyday he's ran through the snow to work or L'manberg with Technoblade. He wondered if his friend Dream would've liked walking in the snow with Tommy or building a snowman together, maybe Dream would forgive Tommy and they could build something great like that.
The thought couldn't progress more after that as Philza, his dad, climbed down the more professionally made ladder and headed over to the duo. His soft blue eyes, in contrast to Tommy's now bright blue, looked between the two before taking a seat.
"Are you ready for the festival? Prepared? Enough sleep?" Philza questioned, felt more like a interrogation if you asked Tommy. Tommy huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest, he would've been nicer if he noticed the small tremble in Philza's hands and the look of absolute worry for his two sons. Though his reaction to the questions weren't as large as they normally would've been, glad he knew what the fuck was going on now.
Technoblade reached over and gave the most comfort he could by putting a large hand on Philza's smaller slimmer one, "We are prepared, I promise we will be back before midnight. Okay?" Technoblade and Philza shared a look between each other. Almost as if they were mentally talking which would've been cool if it wasn't for the soft moment between the two.
Tommy laughed which seemed to break them out the mental talk, "What? Gremlin Child." Technoblade deadpanned at Tommy who only seemed to laugh harder as Philza couldn't help but also laugh. What could Tommy say, his laugh was just infectious.
With that said and done Philza made sure the two had on their armor and weapons, double checking everything Technoblade worked on for any flaw that could put his sons at harm. It was sweet but it took too long which was why Tommy tried to hurry their interaction by giving the taller a quick hug before darting out the house and down the snow bank. Technoblade and Philza shared a look before they laughed, their hug was longer and more sentimental. "I will keep the child sage." Technoblade exclaimed before leaving and heading to Tommy. Tommy slowing down to walk beside Technoblade.
Excitedly he turned around walking backwards and waving goodbye, "Bye Dadza!" He laughed before turning back around and walking alongside Techno, ignoring the urge to complain already about the snow melting and making his shoe wet and gross to walk on. Tommy wasn't so sure he was excited to walk in wet socks like before on his last day of exile, the day he escaped and ran to Technoblades home and hiding himself under the floor boards like a raccoon which to now his family lovingly referred to him as at times.
Unbeknownst to Tommy he began to fidget with his hands, it could've been a reaction to the anxiety of heading back to L'manberg. All he knew was that Dream was going to L'manberg with no armor which was their perfect time to strike. Maybe they would cause light arson and such before retreating with the discs, the discs that started everything. With the discs everything would be solved, hopefully.
Technoblade watched the younger fidget with his hands and look down at the snow covered woods floor, it was off not having the loud laughter and yelling filling the void like usual. Slowly he reached out and put a hand on Tommy's shoulder which helped him escape his thoughts, "It's okay to be nervous, you're going up against your.." Technoblade stopped himself, the anger in his chest from when he found out about what Dream did still pissed him off. He wasn't so sure he'd stay cool if he said the last word and was even less sure Tommy would be okay.
It was the silence that must've made it more awkward, Tommy's glassy blue eyes that glazed over practically with the mention of Dream, slowly Tommy took in a shaky breath that he didn't know he was holding, "I'm not nervous, I'm confident!" Tommy paused for a second before adding, "..Bitch." To the end, once again testing the limits he had with Technoblade like he did on the first day of Technoblade finding the raccoon hole. Technoblade wasn't offended, maybe jokingly but now wasn't the time to joke about the unsure anxious tone the younger had.
"Sure, sure. Just know I'm here if shit goes south." Technoblade hoped that reassured Tommy, which it luckily did as his shoulders untensed as they walked up to L'manberg territory.
Tommy continued to walk before his eyes landed on a obsidian large box with no windows or entrances from where Tommy could see, "What the fuck?!" Tommy screeched as he pointed at the box to which Technoblade matched the horrified expression on Tommy's face. It would've been funny that this is what horrified the blood god who deals with guts and shit but Tommy wasn't sure he could even move let alone speak.
"Lets just. Ignore that." Technoblade assured awkwardly as he had to practically drag Tommy away from the building.
As they walked up onto much more familiar land, Technoblade reached over and grabbed a splash potion of invisibility and splashed the two so they'd be hidden from L'manberg citizens, considering the one was exiled and another was wanted for destroying the government and the land, it wouldn't have been safe if they were caught. Especially considering the exiled child was traumatized and still recovering from the betrayal of his apparent closest friends. Technoblade sneered at that, they were no friends to Tommy. A friend wouldn't do that to their friend and then leave them with little to nothing.
Time passed slowly as Technoblade and Tommy scaled a building close to where the festival would take place and watched as they prepared the decorations and set up, Tommy could see Ranboo from where he was stood close to Technoblades side, Tommy made sure to tell Technoblade that to not hurt Ranboo considering he visited Tommy in exile and tried to encourage him. Ranboo never hurt Tommy, he hadn't betrayed the blonde.
"We strike when they start the speech." Technoblade mumbled soft enough for Tommy to hear but not for the others who were luckily far away. Tommy nodded to the order and tried to shift comfortably knowing they'd be there for a little while waiting for ths slow pokes to finish. Some civilians luckily helped out the president and his cabinet,
Wait, the president?
Tommy's eyes widened as he backed up onto Technoblade who grunted in surprise from Tommy now moving to hide behind Technoblade for protection like the invisibility wasn't enough. Their last conversation ran through Tommy's head painfully, he would've felt guilty for letting Tubbo think he was dead. If faking his death was what Tommy planned to do instead of what he did originally. But the fact that Tubbo exiled and never visited him left a familiar pang of anger through his body, the anger and spite that motivated him to get up and work, to work until he collapsed and bled out, To work until he finally got what he wanted, finally a win without giving something up for everyone else's protection.
With Technoblade and Philza he didn't need to give up his possessions for freedom and security, he just had to work by their side and contribute which was enough for Tommy.
Tommy couldn't tell if Technoblade turned his head to glance at Tommy's shaking body, it could've been Tommy shaking from anger or fear and he wouldn't know. He wanted to cry and hug Tubbo but at the same time scream at him until his voice was raw and left him sobbing like a big baby. Tommy thought he cried enough during exile and would never cry again but the panic attacks he sometimes got always reminded him that he was still human and could still cry.
Taking a moment to recover himself Tommy finally spoke, "We strike soon then." He glanced to the people working quickly and tried to come up with some sort of plan, he normally was great at thinking of rushed plans in seconds but he couldn't focus, it felt overwhelming with too much noise and being able to see the people that betrayed him didn't exactly help. Before Tommy accidentally put himself into a panic attack he was gently grabbed and pulled to Technoblades chest, large hands covered his ears and helped block the overwhelming senses.
It took Tommy a few minutes before he could properly breath, once he could he gently tapped Technoblade which signaled him to let go. Cautiously Technoblade let go of Tommy who took a few steps back, a embarrassed flush look of red on his face that was hidden luckily, he wasn't proud he let his older brother see the panic, "Thank you, bitch boy." He mumbled for Technoblade to hear only to get a fake annoyed huff, "You're welcome."
If only Tommy could see the heated glare that the L'manberg people got from Technoblade for scaring his brother, for hurting him, for hurting his family. Never would Technoblade forgive the people for exiling his kid brother, hunting him down, being the cause for Wilbur's insanity and for trying to put Philza on house arrest before he ran off and hid in Technoblades home alongside with Tommy. Technoblade made a quiet vow and promise in his To Do list to avenge his family, to repay the pain.