Archive of Our Own

Dream stalked through the unending halls of his home, the low lantern light barely illuminating his form as he rounded another corner. He was on his way back to his and Tommy’s bed chambers, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Tommy had been left to stew in his thoughts for hours now, and knowing the teen like he does, he just knew the torture and pain he was putting himself through as he laid on their bed, surely blaming himself for Tubbo’s supposed death. Such an emotionally driven mind, it was astonishing really, but something very easily exploitable Dream found.

Now that so much time had passed, Dream’s temper had finally started to simmer, his anger now only a low sensation thrumming in the back of his mind. God, Tommy could be infuriating, nobody but him could get his nerves flaring like that. But it would all be worth it. He would endure the brightest hells if it meant he could keep Tommy by his side forever.

But now it was time for the boy to see what his actions had wrought.

Dream looked down to his right arm, his sleeve had been rolled up and his entire lower arm was coated with thick blood, dripping languidly down to the floor to stain the dark rock. Between his fingers, in a tight grasp, sat the fresh organ of a heart that was beating not hours before.

Now this wasn’t Tubbo’s heart of course; why bother taking a pawn off the board when it could still find some use later. This was simply the heart of some goat he had mercilessly hunted down on the peaks of one of the icy mountains that towered on the surface. It had to be fresh, obviously, or Tommy wouldn’t believe him, and that was all that mattered in the end.

Dream would drop it in his lap and watch his eyes go wide with guilt and disgust and he would revel in Tommy’s delicious remorse and heartache. He will be left to rot in what his actions have caused for a few days. His spirit will crack and his mind will finally falter and Dream will be there to pick up the broken pieces, to comfort him in such trying times, because Tommy truly had no one else to turn to and Dream knew from exile that being alone was not something the boy dealt with well.

Dream will be kind and forthcoming until Tommy eventually becomes pliant and willing beneath his fingertips and they can finally live the happy life that the man so desperately wanted them to have. Just the two of them.

The thought really does put a smile on his face.

He was making his way further down the corridor when something made him suddenly halt in his track. The grin vanished from his expression just as fast and he concentrated silently on his perceptual abilities.

“…a choice and I didn’t know-- I’m so, so sorry, Tommy!!”

A voice, and a very distinct one at that. One that shouldn’t currently be here. And the silent anger still stirring in the back of his mind was suddenly exploding back to the forefront and he ground his teeth to avoid the furious snarl that was threatening to bubble from his throat.

Instead, he purposefully made his footfalls lighter and creeped up to the bedroom door, pushing against it with one ear. Dream felt his face scrunch up in disgust when the new scents hit his nostrils. It seemed Tubbo didn’t come alone.

How the fuck had they found him?? He had made sure to leave no tracks to where he was headed and hadn’t visited the heart of the SMP since!

“As much as I don’t want to ruin this heartfelt reunion, we need to get going! We don’t want to fight Dream on his home turf. So, let’s get Tommy warm and let’s get the hell out!”

And that was Technoblade who had said that. Of course, it would be the only person who had ever managed to best him in one-on-one combat. The only smart move you could make against Dream, he supposed. And the brute would probably want to wring Dream’s neck with how he had left his cabin last time. Oh, but what a fun time it had been.

There was no way he could just charge in now and rip Tommy from their prying grasps, as much as he liked to. Right now, he still had the element of surprise and Dream knew to take advantage of that. This time Techno would not triumph over him, he was the one currently pulling the strings.

Dream could hear the sound of fabric rustling and the tired exhausted grunts of Tommy as he was obviously forced into some clothes. They had better be careful with him! The last thing he wanted was for the brand to be ruined. It was already bad enough they were laying their filthy hands on Tommy and polluting their bedroom with their disgusting smells.

This simply wouldn’t do. Dream quickly sprinted back down the hall on quiet feet to go grab a few items from another room, a dark look adorning his face.

Dream would show them what happened when you enter a vampire’s territory and try to take what is theirs.

Maybe it was time to take some pawns from the board.

---

Tommy was struggling greatly. The fabric they were putting on him irritating every inch of his skin. But worst of all were the constant hands on him, making him flinch back with every kind touch the two tried to extend his way.

At first, he hadn’t really cared that he had been naked in front of them, not really too aware after going almost delirious with guilt and then with the sudden overwhelming onslaught of relief. But now that he had more clarity of his situation. the constant gazes at his scrawny and battered body were beginning to make him nauseous. They looked at him with such pity it made every part of his skin crawl.

But he held himself back. Because worse than all the touches and incessant stares would be Dream finding him like this. Thank God, the man had wandered off to L’Manburg for the night. Tommy supposed that him trying to kill Dream was the only reason the vampire wasn’t currently here and he took some pride in that. Sure, it had cost him greatly with how severe the punishment had been, but it was the only reason they now had enough time to escape. And Tubbo was here, safe and far away from the dangerous man.

Maybe it had all been worth it after all.

An oversized green sweater was delicately pulled over his torso despite his own protests at it, but he couldn’t actually help but be relieved when the brand was finally covered.

Techno readjusted the strap that was holding his weapon to his back. “Alright let’s go.”

And Tommy was sitting at the edge of the bed, slightly too big boots flat against the ground. Everything suddenly felt too bright.

Tubbo walked up to him. “Can—can you stand, Tommy?”

“Oh, there’s no need for that.”

And the voice made Tommy’s blood freeze cold.

No, please no. It wasn’t fair!

He had just enough time to snap his head to the door before it was violently crashed open. For just a heartbeat, red eyes were staring into his, violent and furious, when a bottle suddenly smashed at their feet.

Tommy heard the sound of loud gasps as they pulled up their arms to shield their faces.

A thick fog was spilling out between the cracks of shattered glass and began completely filling the already dark room. Tommy was still watching Dream with a disbelieving and terrified expression, who looked up until their eyes locked. The man smiled and placed a finger against his lips.

“Shhhh.”

Tommy felt his vocal cords lock up and choked in a sudden breath.

The thrall! He couldn’t speak!! He couldn’t warn them!!

And then Dream’s form vanished into the unrelenting mist.

Techno pulled his own axe from its holster in such a swift motion that it left Tommy dizzy. Immediately both of his friends stepped in front of him where he was still sitting on the bed and shifted into a more defensive position. The room had now been filled with so much swirling smoke that seeing the edge of the room had become impossible.

Techno growled under his breath, a dangerous and low sound that reverberated through his nerves. The brute suddenly gripped Tommy by the arm and started shouting what he could only assume were commands and directions.

But the teen heard none of it, every single sound being muffled through the static that was ringing through his head. His heart was hammering violently against his ribcage with a vicious pulse and his breathing was starting to rapidly quicken as his lungs convulsed with gruesome dread.

He couldn’t breathe! He couldn’t breathe!!

A heavy hand lifted him to his feet but they quickly buckled under his weight. He felt a strong grip try to keep him upright while his eyes were darting around the room, desperately searching for that familiar and terrible shade of green that spelled his demise.

The fog kept closing in and it felt like the air was beginning to crush him.

This was his fault. Unbeknownst to himself, he had led his friends straight to their execution. To the slaughterhouse.

“…mmy!”

Wilbur?

“Tommy! Stay with me, man!!” Tommy felt warm palms against his cheeks and he didn’t even realize that Tubbo was staring right at him. And Tommy remembered just a minute earlier when his eyes were full of hope and relief, but now all he saw was panic and something that he could only describe as remorse. Like Tubbo was already grieving him. Tommy felt his stomach plummet.

“We need to move!” Techno’s voice managed to pull him from his spiral and with all the adrenalin coursing through what little blood he still had, Tommy somehow got his feet flat against the ground again. Quickly he held onto the piglin’s cloak to support himself as the group- tightly stuck together- tried to maneuver towards where they had first broken into the room.

Loud footfalls were slowly echoing through the chamber between the ever-growing fog and Tommy pushed his face further into Techno’s cape, trying to blend everything out. Maybe he could pretend that this was just another nightmare he was having.  

This wasn’t real! This wasn’t real! THIS WASN’T REAL!

The cloth was beginning to soak with tears and Tommy simply pressed it further against his eyes until the pressure started to ache.

“So, Techno. You don’t invite me into your home, but think it’s okay to break into mine?” Dream’s voice was smug but Tommy instantly recognized the hint of fury lacing his tone.

Techno puffed air loudly from his nostrils and snarled into the room, spittle flying from his mouth.

“Don’t speak to me like we’re old friends!”

Dream seemed to just ignore him. “I guess I did come into your house anyway, so my argument doesn’t hold much ground. I just had to pick something of mine up, you understand.”

“Should you come close to Tommy again I will rip your guts out!!”

Techno’s ears were flicking side to side, trying to pinpoint the direction of the voice through the fog. Where Dream had even managed to find an eversmoking bottle was beyond Techno’s understanding, since most have disappeared from the public decades ago, but he felt Tommy’s terrified presence digging against his back and forced his concentration on defense. Getting Tommy to safety was his priority right now.

“Stop talking about Tommy like that!” Tubbo cried out desperately but Techno could hear the fear cracking into his voice, yet he still put on a brave façade, surely to try to lesson some of Tommy’s anxiety and Techno could appreciate Tubbo’s inner strength. “He’s not a fucking thing!! He doesn’t belong to you!”

Techno’s shoulder finally bumped into the wall and he quickly diverted his attention to try to find the opening they had come through but was surprised to find not a hint of it anywhere. Dream must have already blocked it off right after the bottle was thrown. Techno heard the vampire scoff loudly through the smoke.

“Tubbo, you always were a thorn in my side. At least Tommy was fun, but you? Techno, why did you even bring him along?”

Techno looked down and could see Tubbo shaking, the grip of the handle grasped just a bit too tightly. But still he stood steadfast by Tommy’s side with unwavering loyalty.

“You shouldn’t underestimate him, Dream. Your ego will be your eventual downfall! Tubbo is a lot stronger than you think!”

“Hmm, no I don’t think that’s it.” And Dream voice sounded so full of himself that it only further made Techno’s blood boil under his skin. “The idea that you brought him along for extra muscle is laughable at best and pathetically sad at worst. See, my theory is- hmm- is that you needed him to get here. That he is the reason you found us.”

Tommy didn’t like how he worded that. Us. Like he was supposed to be here.

The trio kept sliding along the wall in search of any indication of where they had entered. Techno had just enough time to see Tubbo’s eyes grow wide with shock, right before Dream suddenly burst through the mist, digging his claws into Tubbo’s coat. Techno didn’t have enough time to react as the boy was dragged into the cloud of smoke, out of sight, a terrified scream tearing from his throat.

“TUBBO!!” Both he and Tommy shouted in unison, though the teen’s scream sounded forced and painful. Techno wanted to charge forward but Tommy seemed to be quicker, lurching forward into the smoke with desperate speed. Immediately he was grabbed by the back of his shirt and pulled back with a wince. Techno could not let the teen leave his sight; it was just too dangerous.

Tommy was struggling against the tight grasp with what little strength he had, but it proved fruitless against Techno’s iron grip. Instead, the piglin hissed under his breath as the unruly boy wriggled hysterically in his grasp. “Are you insane?? You can’t fight him!!”

“He’s going to—Techno, he’s going to kill him!! PLEASE!”

“A compass?” Dream’s voice cut through their argument. “I guess it figures that that pathetic ghost gave you one too. That’s on me, I guess.”

The sound of shattering glass flooded the room, shards and pieces of machinery scattering across the floor. Tubbo stayed silent. And Tommy screamed.

Techno felt clammy fingers push against him with a sudden desperate strength and to his own shock, Tommy slipped from his fingers and stumbled into the fog and out of his field of vision before he could stop him.

“TOMMY NO—"

Techno wanted to bound forward to get Tommy back into the safety of his own grasp when he felt an arrow lodge itself into his shoulder and an immediate intense pain ripped through him, forcing him back against the wall. Quickly he shifted into an offensive stance when a different figure stepped through the fog.

“Don’t touch him.” Dream’s voice with laced with a dangerous venom, his brows dipped low and his expression dark. At his side an axe hung from his hand and a shield was braced in front of him.

Techno didn’t even care that the vampire wasn’t sporting his usual white mask, his vision blinded as the world turned red around him. The different voices pulsing through his mind chanted as they screamed for blood to finally be spilled and Techno ripped the arrow from his flesh without another moment of hesitation.

The axe was lifted and he readied himself to fight the monster slowly approaching him to his death.

“Alright, let’s game.”

-

“TUBBO!! TUBBO!!” Tommy screamed through his straining lungs, but there wasn’t an answer.

Instead, he heard the violent clashing of metal against metal behind him, of feet shuffling across the rock as they tried to evade the other’s ruthless attacks.

Tommy felt his legs bend under the sudden pain and exhaustion that rushed back through his system and he collapsed forward onto the floor, his cheek scraping ruthlessly across the ground. He was already missing the grounding presence of Techno in front of him but he hated how reliant he had gotten. Why could he never manage to protect his friends? Why was he so fucking weak?!?

He pushed himself up onto his palms and heaved in a breath, trying to get his eyes to focus on the ground but he could feel his vision begin to swim. Resisting the thrall once again had taken everything out of him. He coughed up as his stomach constricted and fresh bile spilled over his lips.

With a shaking conviction Tommy pressed himself forward on his hands and knees, desperately crawling forwards as he tried to tune out the unceasing sounds of screeching metal crashing against each other.

His head was pounding and his mind was reeling, when suddenly a stabbing pain shot up his arm. Tommy hissed and looked down and saw pieces of glass strewn across the floor, one now lodged into his palm, blood quelling from where it had sliced into his skin.

Immediately he pried it from his flesh, watching the familiar red liquid drip to the ground and for just a split second, he thought he heard an angry shout behind him and the loud clashing seemingly getting closer, but he paid it no mind. He needed to find Tubbo.

He continued to scramble forward, following the glass, and ignoring the stabbing pain against his open palms until he finally saw the silhouette of a figure breaking through the fog, lying against the wall, head hung low and completely motionless.

Abrupt panic shot through his system at the sight and he quickly clambered forward on aching limbs.

NO NO NO NO NO

He settled at Tubbo’s unmoving side and immediately pressed trembling fingers against his throat, smearing his own blood against his skin and began feeling for a pulse. Sweat and tears were mixing on his cheeks as he tried to steady himself.

And when he finally felt the flutter of life under his fingertips, relief once again flooded his system and a choked cry broke out his throat. He was just unconscious. Thank fucking god!

Tommy pressed his arms around Tubbo’s neck and pulled him close, just as Tubbo had done to him earlier, and while his friend couldn’t reciprocate, just having a warm body against him was calming his shot nerves.

And that’s when he realized that the constant sound of fighting had died down behind him and flooded the room with a dreadful silence.

He immediately pried himself from Tubbo’s form and looked up, trying to discern something through the rolling fog but not daring to leave his best friend’s side.

A hulking dark shadow suddenly cut through the mist, slowly walking towards them and Tommy was hit with another wave of instant relief. That silhouette was instantly recognizable.

“TECHNO! Holy fuck! Di—Did you win? Did you kill him??” Tommy was stumbling over his words, a strange excitement buzzing through his nerves. “Is Dream dead??”

But Techno stayed silent when he came to an abrupt halt in front of him, looking down at him with dead eyes and Tommy found he couldn’t recognize his friend suddenly. And his eyes went wide with fear.

“No…”

“Oh yes, Tommy!” Dream spoke with a thrill in his voice, stepping out from behind Techno’s towering body until he stood next to him, his eyes gleaming with a familiar glow. His body looked bloodied and battered but he still grinned down at the teen like he just won the world.

“I—I don’t…” Tommy stuttered out. If he was being honest with himself, he didn’t really know what he even wanted to say, too stunned by how the only people who could help him had succumbed to his tormentor. He couldn’t really process it. No, it was more like his brain was refusing to process what was happening around him.

“Aw, that’s so cute! Did you really think they could win? Please, Tommy you have no faith in me, do you?”

“Why—” And a sudden burst of anger thrummed through his veins as he stared Dream right in the eyes. “You had the—the stupid hypno-thing the whole time!! Why did you wait?? I don’t understand!”

And Dream chuckled to himself, walking over, crouching in front of him and Tommy couldn’t help but try to flinch away. Still, Dream managed to catch his jaw with cold fingers, forcing him to look him straight in the eyes.

“Because, Tommy, it’s more fun like this.” Tommy was frozen where he sat, too afraid to even try to move away. He swore he could see the madness swirling through the red in his eyes. Dream’s teeth glinted as he grinned. “I like to play with my food.”

He let go of Tommy’s face, forcing it back and stood, walking slowly back over to where Techno was silently waiting. Each footstep felt like an eternity, the fall of dirtied boots against the ground echoing in his skull. Tommy took Tubbo’s motionless hand into his own and squeezed.

Dream pulled at Techno’s ear until the piglin was leaning down, whispering hushed words into his mind until they took shape and festered. Techno gave a curt nod at the command that he was ushered and righted himself back to his towering height.

He then turned away from Tommy for the last time and vanished into the fog.

“No…” Tommy spoke through his own broken thoughts, the swirl of Techno’s cloak flittering through the smoke. He slowly extended his hand, chasing that last fragment of hope that was fleeing his vison with unrelenting finality.  “No—please! PLEASE! TECHNO COME BACK!! PLEA—"

Dream’s boot collided against his face with a crushing force, throwing him onto his side, a loud crack thundering through his ears. His head thudded to the floor, eyes hazy and unfocused, blood pooling from his nose and dribbling across the ground.

“You’re begging the wrong person here, darling.” Dream spoke like soft velvet.

The teen held onto consciousness through sheer willpower alone. Tubbo was still here, at the monster’s mercy, he couldn’t give in yet; he needed to be the one to save him now!

Tommy, despite everything, through the unceasing agony, shakily pushed himself up on his palms. Just in time to see Dream loom over his friend.

“Well, it was very kind of Tubbo to come all the way out here so I don’t have to find him myself, hm?”

“Dr—Dr--eam…” The words slurred from his lips in a barely recognizable voice, yet still he forced them from his burning throat. “Please-- I’ll behave…” He pushed his way over the ground, dragging himself through glass and blood until he found himself at Dream’s feet. He could see his own blood splattered on the dark leather of one of his boots.

Tommy already knew begging with words alone would be useless. He had done nothing but this whole night after all. Instead, he gripped at Dream’s hoodie with an agonizing grip and pulled himself up onto his knees. He could feel the world twisting and spinning under him, and swiftly buried his face into Dream’s stomach, uncaring if his blood would dirty the fabric.

“I’m yours, Dream. I’m yours. Please…” Tommy could feel a hand brushing through his hair with soft kindness and took it as a sign that he must be doing something right. So, he placed his hands beneath the hem of Dream’s hoodie and began lifting it up somewhat. Slowly, he pressed a kiss against the man’s bare skin.

“I’m yours. I’m yours…” Tommy kept repeating the words like a prayer between when he pressed desperate lips against his stomach. He could taste the iron of his own blood as it trailed behind his mouth. “Just let him leave, please…I’ll behave…”

Suddenly he felt delicate fingers beneath his chin and his head was gently moved away. Tommy looked up with round wet eyes as Dream crouched down until he found himself at eye-level with the teen. Dream tilted his head with an unreadable expression before the man moved his own head closer and with a painful tenderness placed his lips against Tommy’s.

The boy didn’t fight it, rather leaning further into it while he closed his eyes. Something cold bloomed in his chest at the touch of cool lips against his own burning form. Knowing that his friend was sitting not a few feet away from him while he allowed his abuser to do with him as he pleased. Tommy could feel any hope of escaping him being pulled out of his lungs as Dream breathed in his every shallow breath. But the kiss didn’t last long before Dream pulled away. Tommy pushed his eyelids back open to see red irises staring back into him.

“Oh Tommy, I wish I could believe you. But tell me, what have you ever done to think I would trust you?”

And Tommy’s mind blanked. Dream’s eyes were boring into him with a strange apathy that made his own throat seize. Tommy knew he didn’t really expect an answer from him; he knew that Dream had only ever wanted him to submit beneath him, and he had persistently refused him at every turn. Maybe if Tommy had just listened once…

“The way I see it, I have been nothing but kind to you. Fed you, clothed you, washed you even. Been by your side when everyone else was abandoning you. And all I’ve gotten was stabbed in the back. Numerous times as well! So, take this as a lesson, Tommy. A very important lesson about what I expect from you in the future. About what happens when you step out of line.”

And Tommy knew that speech was basically a death sentence, yet it refused to fully settle in his mind. Before he could further try to beg, they both heard someone quietly stirring beside them. Dream roughly gripped Tommy’s jaw in his fingers and turned it towards the half-conscious Tubbo.

“Oh! What fantastic timing! It’s always more fun when they’re awake!”

“Wh-what…” Tommy slurred the words through the bile and dread coating his tongue.

“Well, I’m obviously going to kill him. But the question is how, isn’t it?”

Suddenly Dream is pushing Tommy away again, thrown back onto his side with a startled gasp escaping his lungs. His palms scraped across the dirtied floor as he struggled to keep himself upright.

When he looked back Dream had lifted Tubbo up by his neck, holding him with just one hand and giving him a quick glance over, seemingly silently deciding what to do with him. Tommy could now see the blood trickling down from Tubbo’s head and over his eyes. Still, Tubbo struggled to grip Dream’s hands in defiance, groaning in apparent pain und Tommy could feel his heart breaking.

Dream pulled his helpless prey closer and licked a long stripe across his face, lapping at the blood. Tommy immediately felt hot anger pulse through him, fighting through the agony to charge at Dream, a desperate scream at his lips. But he didn’t even reach him fully before the man’s boot once again connected with his body, striking him right in the chest and slamming him back to the ground, boot firmly pressing onto his ribs.

“Aw, are you jealous, Tommy?” The teen growled from the ground, desperately clawing at Dream’s leg like a rabid animal. The vampire only laughed in response. “Don’t worry, he doesn’t even compare to you. But I’m not one to waste blood so I guess I’ll hook him up with the rest of the cattle.”

Tommy’s mind flashed back to the cold room filled with fresh meat, strung up and left to bleed out like their lives meant nothing. He saw dead beady eyes looking back at him.

And then Tommy saw Tubbo’s body impaled on a rusty hook, jugular sliced open, looking at him with accusing and lifeless eyes. Dead.

And all because of Tommy.

Dream threw Tubbo over his shoulder with ease, who let out an agonized grunt at the sudden movement.

“I’m giving you a chance to say goodbye, Tommy.”

And something deep-seated was boiling over in Tommy’s very core. Absolute terror and utter hatred blocking out all rational thought as he shouted with a vicious snarl.

“NO! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!! I SWEAR TO FUCKIN’ GOD, I WILL KILL YOU! I’LL KILL YOU!!” The words were excruciating to push out, yet he spoke them with a confidence that came from years of fighting back. For his possessions. For his home. For his freedom. And now for his friend. Hot tears were streaking down his face as he gripped at Dream’s leg, struggling to get himself free.

And Dream actually seemed surprised. Curious how that fire inside Tommy still seemed to burn despite everything, still trying to ignite and melt Dream with every touch, with every word. How could one person possibly be so warm, so absolutely scorching? Dream wished he could pull Tommy apart and see what made him tick, dig himself inside until he could feel even a fraction of his glow.

Instead, he ground his foot further down into Tommy’s chest until a choked gasp escaped him.

“You’ve already tried that, remember? And you failed.” Dream made a poignant effort to dig his heel further into Tommy’s ribs. “Are you really going to waste this moment? Miss out on your chance to say goodbye?”

“You’re not going to fucking kill him!! I’d never forgive you!!” Tommy spat the words with utter defiance and it burned against Dream’s ears.

“Tommy, again you misunderstand me. I don’t need your forgiveness. I don’t even need you to like me. I need your complete and utter obedience. And it seems this is the only way you learn.”

“Don’t you fucking dare.”

“Watch me.”

And Tommy felt the pressure lift from his lungs as Dream stepped away. Immediately he tried to scramble to his knees and give chase but the ground below him began spinning at the sudden movement and he abruptly fell forward onto bleeding palms. He tried to keep his stomach down as it threatened to escape up his throat.

He looked up and saw Dream and Tubbo vanish into the fog.

“NO!! NO!!” He began crawling into the same direction, not stopping even as glass stabbed at his skin. “TECHNO! TECHNO HELP ME!! PLEASE!” He could see the threshold of the door peer through the smoke. Dream had left the door wide open. “WILBUR! PHIL! PHIIIIL!!”

There was no answer but the lonely terrible silence echoing back at him.

When he reached the door Tommy managed to pull himself up by the frame with bloodied and sweat-laced hands until he stood on unsteady feet. His breathing was heavy and unsteady as he threw himself into the corridor, trying not to stumble as he lurched past the library door and into the next hallway. He slammed into the opposite wall with the sudden momentum and adrenalin that had carried Tommy forward.

Just in time to watch Dream round the corner at the end of the hallway and disappear with Tubbo still draped over his shoulder.

“TUBBO! TUBBO!!!” His voice was scratched up and on the verge of fully giving out. Immediately he gave chase, as futile and pitiful as his attempt of pursuit was. He had to steady himself on the walls to not keel over as he limped down the hall, blood smearing against the rock but Tommy hardly cared, tunnel-visioned on where Dream had vanished around the corner.

And when he finally reached the junction, he quickly realized the man was nowhere to be seen anymore. Gone into one of the many twisting corridors that made this place what it was.

Tommy still stumbled forward.

“DREAM!!“

He looked down every path he crossed and saw not a trace of the man. Through his swimming vision he peered around every corner and wandered down endless hallways, searching for that familiar and mortifying glint of an iron door.

He screamed at the unrelenting nothingness until his voice gave out. Dragged his feet across the floor despite them beginning to feel numb. Every step felt like burning agony yet he refused to give up. Tubbo hadn’t given up on him either! Even if at this point, Tommy desperately wished he had.

Down another corridor. Up a stairway. Past countless doors until they all swam together in his mind.

He thought he could hear Tubbo screaming.

He rounded another corner into another senseless direction. At this point he had become so delirious, that he barely understood what he was even looking for anymore. He just knew he had to keep moving. If he stopped even once, Tubbo would never forgive him. He had to keep trying. He just had to! Even if his fingertips had scratched themselves open on the wall, even if his stomach threatened to rebel with every frantic step. Even if he died right here and now.

Tommy fell forward.

In the middle of one of the many hallways, thudding against the unyielding floor as the exhaustion and blood loss finally caught up with him and forced his body to shut down. He had known it was futile yet he had still forced himself to try. The edges of his vision blurred as his consciousness fled his body.

He never did say goodbye.

Tommy closed his eyes.  

---

It didn’t take long for Dream to find him, given that he had left a trail of blood scrawled across the walls through every direction he took. He was honestly surprised he even got this far. Most other humans, at least in Dream’s experience, would have passed out from exhaustion long before getting anywhere close to here.

Yet there he was, sprawled out on the floor, not even close to the meat locker, but still a long way from the bedroom. Bloodied and bruised and broken. Yet his eyes were gently closed like he was merely sleeping off a long day.

He looked absolutely beautiful.

Dream crouched down and took him in. It must have taken every last ounce of strength in his body to get this far. Basically running on nothing but fumes before finally collapsing.

He was still alive; Dream could smell his blood rushing through him, flowing through his body like his very own ambrosia. But his well was running very thin. Tommy would very likely die if he laid here any longer.

So he delicately turned Tommy’s body over onto his back, watching small breaths escape his lips. Dream then placed his hands under his form and lifted him softly to his chest. Nestled tightly against him, right where he belonged.

With a moderate pace, he slowly made his way back through the corridors, Tommy limp in his arms. Dream started to reminisce about the time he first brought his darling home. The long and arduous walk back from the greater SMP, hours and hours of trekking through plains, forests and snow. Normally he would use his trident and pearls to quicken the trip but with Tommy in his arms it became impossible.

But really, he couldn’t complain. He had enjoyed every second of his warmth pressed against him, cherished how he looked so peaceful even in a forced state of sleep. Though Dream himself had still been a bit out of breath from the night before.

It had been a wonderful journey.

Dream walked into one of his many rooms. It was actually the one he had brought Tommy into the first time he got here. Red linen sat disheveled on the bed and a woolen blanket still laid untouched on the floor.

He delicately placed Tommy down onto the soft mattress, careful not to disturb any of the wounds, head carefully laid against the soft pillow. Tommy’s hair spilled against the fabric in soft curling motions and Dream could easily call it angelic in its nature. Though he did note that the golden color seemed to be getting darker.

Then he began the slow process of treating any and all of his injuries.

First, he stripped him down. Removing every single piece of clothing that the intruders had forced him into. The brand on his stomach had been forcefully scabbed over through a healing potion and it made Dream scowl seeing the process so effortlessly accelerated. He had hoped to see the fresh burn of the brand for just a while longer, but that had now been taken from him. Just as those two had taken all the effort he had put into training Tommy. All gone to waste.

It had been so easy to convince him that everyone had abandoned him for a better life so that he would fall right into Dream’s arms. Now Tommy was probably convinced that people still cared for him and that maybe more people were coming at some point. Dream would have to stamp that illusion out all over again.

He then cracked Tommy’s nose back into place, swabbing a cloth coated with healing ointment across the bridge to ensure it would heal correctly and then applied an external splint onto it. The magic should do most of the work, but it never hurt to be careful.

He started to address the wounds. Gently he removed any of the remaining glass splinters, cleaning the cuts thoroughly with a washcloth before gently disinfecting every single piece of damaged skin he could find. Bandages were wrapped around the more egregious lacerations on his hands.

Finally, another healing potion was administered. Slowly and carefully, it was applied onto a wooden strip and placed inside his mouth until it was absorbed on Tommy’s tongue. Already life was draining back into his pale skin. Over and over he did this until a good amount of the potion was absorbed.

He then lifted Tommy once more and placed him onto the woolen blanket he had spread across the floor. Quickly stripping the bed of it’s now dirtied and bloodied covers and replacing them with fresh ones for Tommy to lay in.

When all was finished and the boy was gently draped with blankets to keep him warm, he placed one last kiss against his forehead. When he leaned back, he could see his eyelids flutter. Tommy must be dreaming and Dream just knew it was about him. The thought made him smile.

Languidly he started making his way back to the actual bedroom to clean up the mess. It would be a lot of work, filling out the tunnel that had led straight to their chamber and cleaning the room of all of Techno and Tubbo’s disgusting blood and scent. But he was nothing if not patient.

The pieces on the board were still in his favor.

Everything was falling into place.

---

The first thing Tommy noticed was his heart beating. Slow and loud. Thundering in his ears. Pumping in his chest like a slow rolling storm. Then it was the tapping of his pulse, beating against his skin. His blood rushing through his veins. His muscles straining like they haven’t moved for days.

Slowly his consciousness was seeping back into his body. And with it he felt something soft caressing his cheek. It was a strange sensation, Tommy felt he didn’t deserve such gentleness.

So he opened his eyes. The soft lantern light illuminated a figure towering over him. And his stomach immediately plummeted.

“Welcome back.”

Dream was warmly smiling down at him, sitting comfortably next to him like he was just waiting for Tommy to finally wake up. His palm was against the teen’s face, lovingly caressing his cheek like one would a lover. Tommy didn’t move, frozen against the soft sheets.

“You’ve been out four days, y’know. Guess you really needed that beauty sleep, huh?” Dream’s thumb was fondly rubbing circles into his skin.

Four days? That was too long. Four days too late to save someone being dragged away to be slaughtered. Tubbo was long dead at this point. And Tommy had slept right through it. He had promised himself he wouldn’t.

“I’m glad you’re awake. I’ve missed you.” Dream brushed his fingers through his hair, his eyes were soft with longing “I mean, I know you didn’t really go anywhere. But I missed seeing your eyes.”

The man started leaning down, his eyes half-lidded, ready to place a kiss against Tommy’s lips.

Instead the boy abruptly turned his head to the side before they could connect, burying his face into the pillow and squeezing his eyes closed. Dream began lifting his face back up slightly, his eye twitched.

“Oh! Is that how it is?”

Tommy’s eyes were burning with fresh tears, collecting along his eyelashes.

“You know, you were bleeding out on the ground. I brought you here. Treated you. Kept you comfortable and alive during your little slumber. The least you could do is thank me.”

Tommy mumbled something inaudible under his breath.

“Hm? If that was your thanks then—”

“YOU SHOULD HAVE LET ME DIE!” Tommy turned his head back up and looked at Dream with wet angry eyes.

Dream squinted at him. He had been prepared for all sorts of responses but most of them dealt either with Tommy trying to assault him or him just crying pathetically. He had really hoped for the latter, he would have loved to cuddle and comfort him. Alas.

“You should have let me bleed out on that floor! I’d rather be fuckin’ dead than be back here with you! You want my fuckin’ blood??” Tommy was practically spitting up at the man, who looked back with a dead stare. “Slit my throat and hang me right next to Tubbo!! You’d be doing me fuckin’ favor at this point.”

Dream backhanded him. Hard. Snapping his face to the side with a loud crack.

Tommy groaned out at the sudden sharp pain, wondering how his body had not built up some sort of natural immunity at this point.

“Aw, did that hurt? Sorry, but it seems to be the only way to get you to shut up sometimes.” Dream very decidedly did not sound sorry at all. “Tommy, if you really think I’d let you die? At this point? You’d have to be absolutely delusional. You can’t escape me; we are destined to be.”

“Destined?!” Tommy gave him a cold sarcastic laugh. “And you’re calling me delusional. You’ve fuckin’ trapped me here! It’s not exactly destiny if you’re the one choosing for me, is it?!?”

“See, it’s acting like this that got Tubbo fucking killed, isn’t it?!?”

And that stunned Tommy into silence. A deathly and agonizing silence. It doesn’t really want to settle in. He felt he had already mourned Tubbo when Dream had first made the threat. And now he had to mourn him all over again. And it hurt so much more deeply because Tommy had been right there. Just an arm’s reach away. And still he wasn’t able to do a single fucking thing.

Useless.

“If you’d just once think about anyone but yourself, I would have sent him along with Technoblade and he’d be home by now.”

Selfish.

“But no, you just have to try and fight me. Even though you already know how it ends. You’ve never won, Tommy! Only ever hurt yourself and everyone around you!”

Weak

“And then someone always has to come and pick up the pieces- has to patch you back together just for you to go and fuck everything up in a new way. You’re nothing on your own.”

Dependent

“But if you’d just listen to me! I could make you so much more. I’d give you everything. You’d never have to worry about anything ever again. Isn’t that what you want? To be wanted and cared for? I’d give you the world, Tommy!”

A palm was once again placed against his cheek.

“Just love me, Tommy. Fear me. Do as I say and I will serve you just as you serve me. We will be perfect.”

Tommy spat in his face.

Still unwilling

“Fine.” Dream’s voice was bitter. Resentful. He stood from the bed and it creaked from the sudden loss of weight. The lantern from the bedside table was quickly taken into his hand, the grip on the handle just a bit too tight. “If you can’t stand me, then be alone for all I care.”

Dream moved towards the door and the light moved with him. That’s when Tommy realized that the lantern had been their only light source in this room. Panic was immediately welling up inside him.

“N-no wait!” Tommy tried to move from where he was laying, but his muscles abruptly cramped up from the sudden movement and he cried out. Dream was already at the threshold.

The man practically threw the door open. He turned his head and looked at Tommy one last time, before slamming it shut behind him, taking all light with him and bathing Tommy in a vicious darkness. He heard the click of the door locking for the very first time since he was trapped down here.

The last thing he heard was the violent shattering of glass behind the door, making him flinch back from where he tried to sit up.

And then nothing.

Surrounded by an all-encompassing black, not even a sliver of light that would allow him to see any outlines of the furniture or the walls. He was in complete and utter darkness.

A strong tremble was beginning to travel through Tommy’s body, straining against his every muscle as he tried not to scream his frustrations out against the world. He would not grant Dream the satisfaction of hearing him break down. Damn monster was probably just waiting in front of the door. As if Dream would ever leave him alone.

The darkness was beginning to press down on him, feeling almost suffocating, so Tommy quickly pulled the blanket over his head and curled in on himself. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, favoring his own darkness over the one looming outside the blanket.

He pressed his palms against his eyes, feeling his tears press against his skin as shuddering breaths flitted through his gritted teeth. Fingernails were raking across his scalp and over his face, desperate to vent the anguish he was experiencing.

Was he even allowed to mourn anymore? Did he even have the privilege to pray for his fallen friend when it was his fault he was strung up like livestock and left to bleed? It must have been agonizing to be hung up by your own flesh.

Tubbo had never deserved that kind of fate. He had been kind and caring and so painfully loyal. Why couldn’t he have just abandoned Tommy like everyone else? He was the one to exile him after all. Why couldn’t he have just stayed away??

Maybe, if Tommy was lucky, Tubbo’s ghost would visit him and he could experience just a shred of warmth again.

He despised himself for even thinking he deserved any mercy at this point.

Tommy curled further into himself.

And grieved.

---

Tommy didn’t know how long it had been. Hours upon hours, he was sure. He couldn’t sleep. Of course he couldn’t. Instead, he was beginning to feel restless, the fabric of the blanket stinging his bare skin, but he refused to leave the bed. He didn’t deserve that kind of luxury anymore.

His stomach was growling fiercely and just the thought of food was making him want to throw up. How could he even think of something like that when his friend had basically become a meal himself? Oh god, what if Dream had fed him pieces of Tubbo while he was under??  Could an unconscious person even eat? Tommy tried not to think about it, but it was proving difficult. He pressed his fingers against his lips to try to suppress the nausea.

The air under the blanket was becoming thin and unbearably warm at this point, but he didn’t care. What does it even fucking matter anymore?

He wished he would just rot into the mattress. Turn into mold and spores until he poisoned the whole room and Dream was forced to quarantine him. He supposed if the man really did leave him alone for all eternity, that scenario wasn’t too far-fetched.  

And then suddenly, the sound of the door unlocking clung in his ears. Immediately he froze on the spot. The door creaked open and he heard Dream walk over the threshold.

This was it. That fucking vampire had finally lost his patience and would just take Tommy back with him. How pathetic. He couldn’t even wait a whole day to enjoy tormenting him again. It almost made Tommy laugh. He would take this as a victory, however small and insignificant it may be.

But instead, Tommy heard something solid being placed onto the ground with a soft clink. Then the door was pulled closed again and Tommy recognized the sound of it locking once more. For a second, he feared Dream had trapped them both in here but then he heard footfalls getting further and further away, and he knew the man had just popped in to drop something off.

Even through the thick fabric, the sudden waft of something warm and delicious hit his nostrils and he couldn’t help the drool that gathered under his tongue. His stomach once again growled and twisted at the tantalizing smell and without realizing he lifted the blanket somewhat.

Cool and fresh air hit him just as viciously as the smell of the food and it made his insides turn. The room was still completely dark and the fact that he couldn’t see a single thing was making something behind his eyes ache.

Tommy placed the blanket back over his head.

He’d rather starve.

---

Time was slowly crawling past Tommy. He didn’t know the time of day or anything but it must have been more than a whole day at this point. Maybe more. It was pure torture.

His muscles were straining painfully each time he tried to even slightly move them, his stomach was cramping and twisting as he slowly starved. His whole body caked in dried sweat and tears. But worst of all had to be the unending thirst he was feeling.

His throat felt more like raspy sandpaper every time he tried to take in even a single breath. His head was pounding relentlessly against his skull, just as his heart was trying to repeatedly beat through his ribs. As the rush of blood in his veins increased, so did the scorching heat under his blanket. It was beginning to stick uncomfortably to his skin but still Tommy tried to stay resolute.

It wasn’t until the door unlocked again, creaking open on rusty hinges, that his will was finally starting to crack. There was quiet shuffling and the quiet clinking of tableware before the man left Tommy alone once again. He assumed Dream was replacing the meal he left on the ground for him as a fresh smell tried to sneak under the covers again.

He couldn’t take it anymore!

The covers were violently thrown off him and the cool air of the room hit his bare skin with a sharp suddenness that knocked the air from his lungs. Dehydration or starvation suddenly seemed like terrible ways to go. Maybe he could smash the plate Dream had left him and use a shard as a knife to slash his own throat.

He fumbled over to the edge of the bed, trying to remember the layout of the room from his splintered memory alone. Slowly he inched his way until his knees hit the ground. Then he began the arduous process of crawling across the floor, constantly holding his hands out and feeling for a wall to hit. The door couldn’t be too much farther. The smell of a freshly made meal was getting ever closer.

Suddenly his fingers were unexpectantly dipping into a hot liquid and he drew his hand back with a startled gasp. He pulled his hand up and quickly realized that the liquid was actually the food that Dream had left him.

Tommy couldn’t really help himself when he placed his fingertips to his tongue and he swore he had never tasted anything so good before. It was just a simple mushroom soup, he realized, but to his rotting stomach it was heavenly. 

He tried to fumble for the bowl, almost sticking his hand into it again. His limbs were trembling as he gripped the dish, some of the liquid sloshing out and dripping to the floor. Without any more hesitation Tommy quickly brought it up to his lips and when the broth started to travel down his throat, he felt the tension in his spine start to relax.

He couldn’t even think about anything else anymore. Completely immersed in just getting liquid and food back into his system. He chewed on the mushrooms as they got stuck between his teeth and cherished the creamy taste as his body started to immediately feel better. It was almost addicting.

The bowl was tipped further up until the last drop vanished down his gullet. Tommy then gasped loudly, not having realized he hadn’t taken a single breath while eating.

And then he realized what he had done.

Immediate guilt festered under his skin and dry sobs were hiccupping through his now moistened lips.

How dare he eat when Tubbo couldn’t?? What had he done to deserve this? He was letting Dream win!

It was only then that he realized the bowl he was holding was made of wood and not the usual porcelain Dream had usually served him with. Pure anger and grief surged through him, and before he could stop himself Tommy threw the dish in a random direction. He heard it thud against some surface before it rolled onto the ground.

Of course Dream would have thought of that. He wouldn’t even let him have a quick death. It’s either dehydration or back into his arms.

Maybe he should have stayed under the blanket.

---

More days went by. Sleep had come and gone in irregular intervals. Fatigue and head pains were plaguing him more than usual, and the constant dark had left him almost delirious. Tommy by now had mapped the entire room with his fingers alone. The wardrobe had been emptied by Dream beforehand and the pots of wither roses that he remembered being here had also been removed.

He wished he had broken them when he first woke up in this wretched place.

The only things that provided any sort of simulation were the bowls Dream kept leaving him and the multitude of blankets that laid on the bed.

Tommy had once tried to knot one of the covers up into a make-shift noose but not only had found no success in his blindness, but the room didn’t really have anywhere to hang it from either.

To pass the time Tommy screamed out his frustrations, muttered to himself under his breath, told himself stories as he tried to wander through the room without bumping into something. For a while he clawed at the door, etching his fingernails into them until he had to assume they were bleeding.

It was agonizing how terrible the sudden loss of stimulation had been. When he wasn’t feeling too much, he was suddenly feeling too little. He began scratching at his skin, thudding his forehead against the headboard until the pain behind his eyes bloomed to an unbearable degree.

Again and again he drifted into torturous unconsciousness for just a few minutes before he awoke again with a startled scream at his lips. Tommy hated to admit it but he was starting to miss the dreamless sleep the thrall used to bring him. He supposed he could just ask Dream….

NO! The teen desperately slapped at his cheeks; the sudden pain immediately grounded him. He couldn’t let Dream win, he just couldn’t!! But he also couldn’t imagine his life continuing like this.

He wished someone would just tell him what to do.

---

Tommy had lost all track of time at this point. The only constant being the sudden fresh smell of soup that hit his nose every so often. Dream only ever seemed to bring it when he was sleeping now. He drank it down every time. The taste had begun to go sour in his mouth. The once delicious cream instead coating his mouth like a layer of oil.

He couldn’t do this anymore. He just couldn’t. Tommy wasn’t even sure if hadn’t gone blind, wishing to see something, anything at this point.

He didn’t want to admit it- he absolutely despised the thought- but he had even begun to miss Dream.

It was a similar feeling to exile he supposed, just driven up a few thousand notches by completely depriving him of both sight and human contact. Though Dream wasn’t human, he just missed the sound of someone else’s voice. Even if the man’s touch felt like needles against his skin, Tommy was desperate for any comfort.

His mind itched when he thought about it too much, but he was also just too aware that no one else was coming. Techno certainly wasn’t going to save him again.

Tommy had tossed and turned wondering what Dream had instructed the brute to do that made him give up on him so easily and the only solution he had come up with was that the vampire had made him forget. Techno probably didn’t remember how to get here anymore. Or forgot that Tommy needed him all together.

It was either that or Techno had gotten home and decided Tommy just wasn’t worth the risk anymore. Leaving him to rot.

Maybe that was for the best.

---

Dream walked back down the corridor to where Tommy was still residing. He had taken and smashed every lantern that had hung from the walls to make sure not a speck of light would get into that room. And also to vent some of his frustrations.

As patient of a man that Dream was, even he was starting to get antsy. He had bridged the time as he always had. Researching, training, hunting. All the activities that normally kept him sharp and engaged.

But just the thought that he could have Tommy there by his side, listening to the teen quip and ramble or even just breathe would make the days much more bearable. Taking in his scent in as they just sat together seemed like a perfect way to waste a night away.

Dream wondered how he had ever survived without him.

But of course he also missed the physical contact. Not just to feel a warm and living being next to him again as Dream held him close. Dream also missed the absolutely mind-blowing sex. He would love to have Tommy squirm and tremble beneath him again. Holding him close as his hands raked across his skin, placing delicate kisses across his torso while he rocked into him.

And then he would bite into him and his blood would taste so much sweeter when a moan escaped Tommy’s soft lips.

Dream felt himself almost drooling at the thought and tried to compose himself.

Seven days had gone by at this point. The man had made sure to monitor the boy at least somewhat to make sure he didn’t accidentally kill himself. He’d just bring him back of course but it would be a great inconvenience for him.

There were a couple of days where the room was just filled with Tommy’s constant screams, and Dream was very tempted to take him back out, hoping that maybe Tommy was already seeking comfort of some kind. But he decided to wait. And at some point, the screams died down.

He knew he was still alive in there. When he focused, he could hear his quiet mutterings through the door, heard him whimper and sniffle when he got too overwhelmed again. He had waited until he heard his quiet snores to take out the empty bowl and replace it with a filled one.

The fact that Tommy was eating was giving him great hope for the future. Obviously, the boy wanted to keep living in some capacity at least. Dream wished he could see the life he was offering him here. Maybe today he could finally convince him somewhat.

Dream walked with quiet steps until he stood by the door, placing his hand onto the doorknob. With the other he turned the key that locked it into place and tried to crack it open just a little but was instead surprised when the door resisted to being opened.

He quickly realized that Tommy must be blocking it from the other side. So he put a bit more strength into the next push, and with a bit more effort, managed to open the door enough to squeeze through.

Even with his heightened darkvision it was difficult to make out much but it didn’t take long to find out what Tommy was attempting to do. All the blankets from the bed had been dragged over and placed in front of the door. Nestled inside was Tommy, who had been groggily woken up by Dream’s sudden entrance. Either the boy had tried pitifully and fruitlessly to block him out or he tried to catch Dream when he was coming through the door.

And with the way Tommy was staring into Dream’s bright eyes- barely glowing even in the dark-, the man just knew it had been the latter. A smile spread across his face when Tommy whimpered quietly and reached for him with a trembling hand. The wait had been agonizing but he was now sure it had been worth it.

Dream crouched down and Tommy immediately dug his fingers into the fabric of his hoodie. How sweet.

“Do you still want to be alone, Tommy?” And the teen almost looked relieved at the sound of another voice.

“Please… just let me out…” His voice sounded desperate.

“Answer my question.”

“Ngh… no.”

“No… what?”

“No, I don’t want to be alone, Dream.”

Dream could just barely make out how Tommy’s eyes seemed to be following his. He supposed the faint glow was the only thing he had seen in days. The vampire had always resented that trait in himself but now, with how Tommy was looking at him, he wouldn’t change it for the world.

“Do you want to come back with me?”

Tommy grimaced at the question and he watched his eyes flicker side to side. Dream knew the boy was probably wondering if he could make it to the door and sprint away. But they both knew that only one of them could actually see right now. Tommy only had two options; stay here or go with Dream. He needed to make a choice here.

“…yes.” Tommy spoke through gritted teeth, obviously still reluctant.

“Well, what have done to deserve that?”

Motherfucker

Tommy knew exactly what Dream was trying to do, echoing the same words he spoke to him before he had attempted to kill him. But this time Tommy couldn’t do anything about it. It was either stay here in complete isolation or indulge Dream in whatever sick fantasies he had. This was an obvious show of dominance. A powerplay to flaunt how much power the vampire had over him. God, he fucking hated him.

But what could he do? Once again there weren’t really any options. He looked into those vivid red eyes and knew his fate was already sealed.

“Wh—what can I do to earn it?”

“An interesting question-“ Tommy suddenly felt fingers trailing up his sides and he felt electricity spark under every touch. “-considering you know the answer.”

Dream’s voice was like silk, stringing around his mind and pulling him closer to his own personal oblivion.

“I can’t see anything.” Tommy stuttered through uneven breaths as light fingertips danced across his torso, pulling keening whines from his lips. Everything suddenly felt like too much. As much as he despised Dream, his body couldn’t help but yearn for any form of physical contact.

“You can work around that, I’m sure.”

“I—I want-“ And he struggled around the words. It was basically a declaration of surrender. “-I want to see you, though.”

Tommy could hear how Dream sucked in a shuddered breath and watched the glow of red vanish under closed eyes. The man was obviously trying to compose himself after that declaration and Tommy marveled at the strange power he appeared to have over Dream. Without warning, the vampire stood back up, forcing Tommy to let go of the hoodie.

“Since you worded that so nicely.” And he heard footsteps walk away from him. Suddenly the weak flickering of a candle illuminated Dream’s form as he set up the light on top of the waist-high wardrobe.

The abrupt flood of light and color burned into his vision after being deprived of it for so long and Tommy pushed his palms over his eyes when the sudden overstimulation seared into his mind. As he attempted to rub the pain away, he felt tears pool against his skin. Tommy wondered if it was from the onslaught of light or from the dread surging through him.

Fuck. He was really going to have to do this again.

He blinked the tears from his eyes and through a swimming vision saw Dream standing by the wardrobe, but he couldn’t make out the expression he was making.

Tommy looked down at himself. He saw the blood under his fingernails and scratch marks covering his skin. His limbs were trembling and every stretch of him looked paler than he remembered. He was still naked, that hadn’t changed, but now he could actually see the brand that covered his lower stomach and it just served as a painful reminder that his life wasn’t in his hands anymore.

What a horrifying sight he had become.

“Tommy, I can just leave again if you don’t want me here.” And he made a gesture to blow the candle back out.

“NO! WAIT!” Tommy was pulling himself back up onto his too thin legs. “Wait… I’m just a bit dizzy.”

Tommy staggered over to the man whose eyes tracked his every movement. Dream didn’t look any different, just as fit and strapping as he always did. Monster. Except that this time he probably had Tubbo’s blood flowing through him. The thought made Tommy’s stomach lurch.

When he finally reached Dream’s side, he took a small second to enjoy the faint whisper of warmth from the candle that tickled his skin gently. He needed to learn to find joy in the small things that were granted to him.

He looked to Dream and saw his gaze burning into him with a strange intensity. Tommy allowed himself a small sigh, before he took Dream’s hand into his own and began leading him towards the bed. He could feel the man’s hand squeeze his own slightly.

Tommy guided Dream to sit down on the edge of the now barren bed. He noticed he had missed a pillow when he had tried to drag all the items to the door, but now wasn’t really the time to dwell on something so insignificant.

He stood in front of Dream who looked at him with a face of reverence. Eyes roaming over his bare form like he was about to eat him whole. He supposed that wasn’t too far off from the truth.

“Now isn’t this familiar?”  Dream was soothingly rubbing circles over the back of his hand, a horrid grin spreading across his face. “Take off my hoodie for me, please.”

And that question dragged something horrid and recognizable from the recesses of his memory. He ignored the burning tears that gathered in the corners of his eyes and pushed his hands under Dream’s hoodie until he felt bare skin- too cold to be human in any way- and lifted the article of clothing over the man’s head.

Dream shook his hair back into position after it got disheveled by the hoodie and smiled warmly at Tommy, who was currently placing the article neatly on the floor.

“I remember our first time very fondly.” As Tommy stood Dream placed his hands over his waist, sliding them down before tracing the letters of his own name on the boy’s skin. It made Tommy jolt when his fingertips brushed over the still sensitive wounds. “It might not have been the original plan, but seeing you squirm and beg beneath me… what a sight.”

Dream was practically purring at him when Tommy dropped down to remove both of his boots, struggling greatly with trying to get the laces to come loose. The teen remembered this being a lot easier under the thrall. But if Dream had wanted to thrall him, he would have done so by now.

This was obviously supposed to be some fucked-up parallel to when Dream first took him. All alone for days on end and then Dream comes along to find out how durable Tommy really was. Only this time there was no running away afterwards.

The vampire helped shuffle his pants down until he was only in his underwear. Tommy could already see his erection straining against the fabric and felt his insides twist.

“Now be a dear and take my cock out.” And the teen was pretty certain he was using the exact words he had used on that fateful night, word for word. How Dream had their encounter practically memorized was a frightening thought, but not one that was too surprising. When Tommy ran away Dream must have thought and drooled about it every day until he eventually managed to catch him again. Tommy would never question how sick and deprived that vampire could really be.

He dipped his fingers under the fabric and slowly began pulling it downwards, trying not to flinch as Dream’s erection sprung from its confines. He ignored the man’s wistful sigh as he dragged the underwear further until it was fully off.

“You’re being so good for me.” Dream placed a finger under his jaw and guided Tommy back up. “Sit down on my lap, will you?”

And Tommy had half a mind to refuse, just so he could stop this mortifying mirroring of what he considered the worst day of his life. The deal might have been the fuse, but the night Dream took his virginity certainly set everything else into motion. He always wondered what he could have differently or if this outcome had always been inevitable. Maybe if he hadn’t run, Dream wouldn’t have thought that he needed to keep him trapped.

The silent flickering of the candle behind him cast Dream’s grin in an ominous shadow.

Tommy placed his hands on Dream’s shoulders to steady himself and then slowly maneuvered his legs onto the bed until they were on either side of Dream’s own. With a hint of hesitation, he sat himself down on his lap, very poignantly ignoring the man’s cock throbbing as soon as he made contact.

Suddenly hands were on his ass and he cursed himself for the undignified squeak he made as he was pulled closer.

Dream couldn’t hold himself back anymore and dug his face into the crook of Tommy’s neck, inhaling deeply. If the teen listened carefully, he swore he could hear something possessive and low rumble in Dream’s throat. A tongue suddenly moved over his skin and a strange tingle shot up Tommy’s spine.

“Mhh… you taste just as good as you did in exile.”

Tommy didn’t say a word, simply held onto his shoulders a bit tighter. He swore he could feel his pulse beat under Dream’s tongue.

“You were so easy back then, so pliant. Desperate for any human contact that you even let me feed from you.” Tommy felt his fangs graze the muscles on his throat and he tried to swallow around his fear. “Seeing you so excited every time I came through the portal was a breathtaking experience. Exile had really been one of my better ideas.”

Fingers were trailing up and down his back and Tommy couldn’t help but arch it until his chest pushed against Dream’s body.

“I miss it. When you longed for my companionship. You were so naïve when I first proposed the deal, you didn’t even know how much I just wanted to devour you whole. And then you sat so obediently for me. It took every piece of restraint in me not to ruin you right then and there.” Dream chuckled darkly against his skin. “I still can’t believe you actually thought my saliva would numb the pain.”

Tommy tried not to scream as Dream kept retelling that night. There had been no sounds for so long now, that the man’s voice was starting to grate on his ears.

Did he think Tommy didn’t realize his own mistakes by now; how much he regretted ever seeing Dream as someone who could be a close friend? How much he hated that version of himself that looked at the portal’s frame like a lost puppy, just waiting for Dream to pick him up and play?

Suddenly the man detached himself from his neck after sucking a prominent hickey against his flesh and Tommy could feel himself getting hotter with every touch. Dream reached to his side and picked up that horrid and familiar container. Tommy didn’t even realize when Dream had taken it out, but he did know that seeing it made his heart beat violently in his chest.  

The vampire motioned for Tommy to take it with a devious grin. “Spread yourself open for me, pet.”

And Tommy wished so desperately that Dream would just put him under the thrall so that at least it wasn’t his choice. At least he would have an excuse for his own behavior. Instead, he took the container into his own shaking hands and screwed the lid off.

Slowly he sufficiently coated his own fingers in the liquid before drawing them back out. Dream took the container back into his hand and put it away.

Tommy then twisted his own hand behind himself and positioned them at his entrance. He squeezed his eyes shut at the sudden cold feeling of his fingers against him. But before he could take it any further, Dream took his jaw back into his hand and lifted his head up until they were locking eyes.

“Remember. I want you to look at me.”

And that was probably the worst of it. Looking into red eyes with blown out pupils that watched him with such adoration, that took in every one of his moves, recorded every shift in his expression. It forced him to stay in the moment. It was a horrific feeling.

Slowly, and with as much gentleness as he could muster, he pressed the first finger in. And fuck, did it sting. Tears were burning in his eyes but he forced them to remain at least somewhat open. As much as he hated Dream looking at him like he wanted to dissect him alive.

“Go on~” And the raspiness in his voice was unmistakable.

Tommy began pressing the digit in and out, pushing at the ring of muscle until it gradually loosened just a bit- at which point he shoved a second finger inside and immediately hissed at the pain. He bit his lip to not accidently shout at the strange pressure.

Dream was fondly caressing the sides of his face, which had bloomed in a vicious red, shushing him gently. “Hey, it’s okay. Just look at me. You’re doing perfectly. Just keep going.”

And Tommy just wanted to scream at him how much those words were not helping. Instead, he moaned loudly as electricity suddenly shot up his spine when his fingers brushed that accursed spot inside him. He could see Dream salivating at the sight.

The man was slowly closing the distance between them. “Keep going. You’re doing so well…” He mumbled under his breath before promptly pressing his lips against his own, kissing him like he would die if he didn’t.

Tommy was thankful that he could finally close his eyes as Dream slotted himself against him with a desperate fervor. The quiet sounds of lips smacking and gentle sucking filled the room while Tommy tried to concentrate on stretching himself further open. He could feel Dream trying to roll his hips into him, his erection pressing against the brand every so often and immediately making Tommy jolt.

As soon as he parted his lips, Dream was already plunging his tongue between them, pressing against his own, tasting him from the inside out. Tommy wasn’t really matching his enthusiasm but Dream didn’t seem to mind, sucking and licking at his lips and tongue until drool was sliding down their chins.

He had begun pumping three fingers inside and was just about to add a fourth when something unexpected made him jerk forward until his chest hit Dream’s. The man had snaked his own hand behind Tommy’s back, prodding against his own slick fingers. He snarled against his lips.

“You’re going too slow.” Suddenly Dream’s finger was pushing against his entrance until it slipped in along side his own digits and Tommy whined in pain. He quickly pulled them out and Dream gripped his hand before he could move any further, a low growl rumbling in his chest.

“If you stop, I’ll just fuck you now.”

His breath hitched in his throat at the words. Tommy definitely wasn’t prepped enough yet, not that Dream cared much if he bled, but when not under the thrall, the sensation wasn’t really something he looked forward to.

So he pressed his fingers back inside his loosening entrance, just as Dream curled his own past the rim. The sudden added pressure was extremely uncomfortable but not unmanageable. That was until the man was stretching his fingers apart, scissoring his hole further open with the sudden movement. Tommy whimpered pathetically and further arched his back, digging his own face into Dream’s shoulder. He was barely moving his own hand anymore, simply holding himself open so Dream could dig himself further into his insides.

Every so often his fingers would jab against his prostate and the overwhelming sensations were making his head spin and his eyes roll back in his head. Without really realizing what he was doing he dug his teeth into the soft part connecting Dream’s neck and shoulder and was bewildered as the vampire threw his head back in apparent bliss, groaning loudly as he used his free hand to push against the back of Tommy’s scalp.

“Fuck, you’re so perfect…” And that was the last thing he heard before the fingers popped out of him and Tommy gasped in a sudden breath. Instead, claws were digging into his hips, holding him in place as Dream panted like a dog.

“Hah—but now comes the fun part, right Tommy?”  The nails dug further into his skin. “Go ahead and slide down my cock, would you?”

And he said it so kindly, like he had a choice. It was making his insides burn.

With one last shuddered breath, he slowly lifted his hips up. Tommy held himself steady with one hand on Dream’s shoulder and placed the other around Dream’s own leaking cock who hissed against his neck at the touch.

He then begun the process of positioning it against his entrance until the tip was prodding inside him.

Tommy then looked up at the ceiling with wet eyes and watched the flickering light dance across the room. It was almost soothing. With one last long breath he braced every nerve in his body and slowly pressed his hips down.

Both of them were moaning and grunting at the sensation but for very different reasons. While Dream looked like he was just barely restraining himself from bucking upwards into Tommy’s tight heat, the teen was trying not to pass out from the pain. The stretch was agonizing and gradual, the cock spreading him apart as his insides tried to accommodate Dream once again. He could feel it pulse against his walls.

But slowly the cock slid into place as Tommy finally reached the bottom and was sitting snuggly back in Dream’s lap. They were both panting heavily at this point. The vampire was sloppily pushing his lips over Tommy’s clavicle, leaving a trail of colorful hickeys in his wake.

He pressed the next words straight against his skin. “Move, Tommy.”

And with great effort Tommy once again lifted his hips, feeling the girth drag along his insides, the tip brushing along his prostate in the process and making him whimper.

The nails in his sides suddenly gripped him tighter and Tommy was slammed down without warning and he howled as the tip almost buried into his stomach with just one quick push. He waited a few seconds, just trying to adjust to being so utterly full.

“Fuck, keep moving, Tommy. I didn’t tell you to stop.” His voice was wavering with every word.

It was far too much for him, being isolated in the dark for so long had already brought him to the brink of delirium, but then suddenly being dragged back into the light and being told to serve his role as a living fleshlight once again, might have shoved him right over the edge.

Maybe it was already too late for him to be saved. Maybe he was already broken.

So Tommy did the only thing he knew how to do right now and began pushing himself up and down on Dream’s cock. He tried desperately to focus on his breathing so he doesn’t suffocate in his own self-loathing. It was proving difficult.

Dream had wrapped his arms around Tommy in a tight embrace, thrusting his own hips upwards to meet the teen’s own as they slid down. Fingernails dragged against Tommy’s back and left bright red lines in their wake. The delicate smell of blood was wafting through the air.

Without warning Dream’s fangs pierced into his throat, drawing the blood from his veins while Tommy gasped. He heard the familiar loud sounds of swallowing next to his ear and didn’t even realize he was holding his breath until Dream finally released him, trailing his tongue over the last drops that smeared over his neck.

Keeping up with Dream’s pace was proving difficult, his thrusts an erratic mess. Tommy was barely moving anymore, merely a spectator as the vampire continued to stuff him to the brim. He really did feel like nothing but a toy.

Maybe this really was all he was good for.

He groaned as Dream pressed himself against that bundle of nerves and Tommy felt he was now desperate for any form of pleasure at this point. Teeth were dragging along his skin, tongue mapping out every freckle and scar. It was pure agony how good it sometimes felt. Maybe it was okay if he sought out those little glimmers of joy in this hellhole. Wasn’t he allowed to feel good sometimes as well?

He pressed his own lips to Dream’s shoulder, trying to hold back the tears stinging at the edge of his vision.

“Dr—Dream, please…” He didn’t even know why he was speaking, or what he was begging for. But he felt he would burst if he just kept himself locked up. “Please!”

And then suddenly Dream’s hips came to an abrupt halt and a whimper escaped Tommy’s throat. He knew Dream wasn’t finished yet; he could still feel him throbbing against the deepest parts of his guts. Perhaps this was supposed to be a new form of torture. Holding himself back so he could fuck Tommy until he passed out.

“Tommy? You know I love you, right?”

The boy stayed silent. What was he even supposed to say to that? Did he know that?

He supposed he did. Dream had stalked him, manipulated him, killed those he found stood in the way of their relationship. But also fed him, healed him, kissed him softly and cuddled up to him in bed. It was a strange and horrific form of love but maybe it was love all the same.

Tommy nodded weakly against his shoulder.

“You know I only want what’s best for you?”

Well, it was what Dream specifically thought was best for him. It’s just that he thought the best thing for him was to lie on a bed, spread his legs and bare his neck. Still Tommy nodded.

“Will you listen to me then? Submit to me? Stay by my side forever?”

This was starting to sound more like a marriage proposal at this point and Tommy tried to not make his abhorrent disgust obvious. He already knew he had lost. Dream had won and Tommy was the prize. Though it wasn’t a very fair game in his opinion.

Tommy sighed.

“Yes, Dream.”

“You belong to me, then?”

“I belong to you.”

And those words were the catalyst. Dream suddenly took Tommy by his waist, slipping his cock out and throwing him onto the bed, making him yelp as his back hit the bedsheets. Dream climbed onto the bed until he was towering over him.

Tommy felt his eyes alone were eating him alive.

“I worship you, Tommy.”

Dream placed a kiss against his collarbone. Not a passionate one but one of reverence.

“I am so lucky to have found you.”

He trailed the kisses further, pressing his lips against the angry scar that sat on his shoulder.

“They don’t deserve you. No one does. Not like I do.”

Dream shuffled further down until his mouth traveled around his navel, lips nudging at the brand the man had set into his skin.

“You are mine, Tommy, just as I am yours. I will work tirelessly to make sure you will never need for anything again. Just as long as you learn to listen.”

Tommy felt his insides twist and turn at the words. It was too overwhelming. The words sounded so sweet and devout but Tommy knew it wouldn’t take much for Dream to beat him senseless once again. The message here was clear.

“Obey.”

There was no choice.

He couldn’t take how Dream looked at him anymore, it was starting to burn him.

So he did something stupid.

He took Dream’s face into his hands and separated him from where he was drooling over his torso. The man gave him a dangerous growl in warning, but Tommy didn’t care. He flipped himself around so that he was facing away from the vampire, and then pushed himself up onto all fours. Languidly he pressed his back flush against Dream’s body, feeling his broad chest against his shoulder blades. Tommy then pushed his rear back against Dream’s crotch, ready to be taken again, already feeling his erection bump against his backside.

He fucking hated himself.

Dream however seemed captivated, burying his face into the crook of Tommy’s neck, a wide grin on his lips. He cherished how the teen’s body seemed to perfectly slot against his own. Like they were made for each other.

“Oh, eager, are we?” Dream pressed another wet kiss against him, slowly rolling his hips in a teasing manner.

The man curled his arm around Tommy’s lithe hip, pressing his palm against Tommy’s own neglected cock and cherished how Tommy arched his back further into him. He tantalizingly danced his fingers up and down the shaft just to feel his darling quiver under him before he slowly started guiding his own cock back to Tommy’s entrance.

With an agonizing pace he breached into him, giving him a few shallow thrusts where he simply rolled his hips against him before he snapped them forward, fully burying himself inside once again. And it was pure bliss, utterly divine how Tommy stretched and quivered around him, how he mewled and panted under his breath.

Dream pressed himself into him again and again, over and over, salivating at the sight, the sounds, the smell. Every time he bit into his skin he felt Tommy squeeze around him with desperate need, a high whine singing in the back of his throat. Dream pressed his palm against the underside of Tommy’s jaw and pushed the back of his head into his own shoulder, just so he could better hear his voice against him.

The man could feel how Tommy’s legs and arms were starting to tremble, obviously starting to have difficulties holding himself up during Dream’s constant onslaught.

So he decided to do his beloved darling a favor, slowing down somewhat so he could maneuver his arms over Tommy’s, pressing his fingers between his and interlocking them perfectly. He then pushed his chest against Tommy’s shoulders until his upper half was sliding forward and flat against the bed while his ass was still held up and snuggly connected with Dream.

Tommy’s head was now laying on its side, giving the vampire a perfect view of his fucked-out face, how his eyes were dipped low and a violent blush was coating his cheeks. Dream wished he could stay in this moment forever.

Instead, he snapped his hips back, only to forcefully thrust back in and blissfully watched Tommy’s eyes roll back in his skull, drool slipping from his pretty pink lips. He continued on with that ruthless pace, plunging inside again and again, making sure each time he bottomed out it was accentuated with one of Tommy’s beautiful high whines.

With another particularly hard thrust he heard Tommy try to bite back a loud chocked-off moan, only making Dream increase his pace even more until it was almost frenzied.

“Fuck, Dream—please…” More and more desperate words were falling from his lips, barely understandable but obvious all the same. Tommy was getting close. “Touch me--- please. Just fuck-”

Dream didn’t let up, continuing his relentless pounding into him, thrusting him further into the mattress with every movement, the bed creaking with every snap of his hips. His grip on Tommy’s hands tightened, making sure he couldn’t move them away. He wanted him to reach his orgasm without getting touched, just through Dream’s cock alone. It was such an alluring thought.

“So good for me, Tommy. So fucking tight—hah” He could feel himself teetering closer to the edge and forced himself to go harder, reveling in Tommy’s little sounds. “You love this. Love how my cock stretches you open so perfectly—hah—just for me. All mine.”

“Dream, please! I’m gonna—” And a strangled whine cut him off when Dream ground himself into his prostate with a merciless force.

“Gonna cum, Tommy? Fuck.” His own groan was forced out of his throat when Tommy pushed himself back into Dream’s hips and he almost buckled under the pressure as Tommy’s walls squeezed further around him. “You deserve it. You’ve been so good. So perfect—hah. Go on then, Tommy, cum for me!”

And Tommy whimpered and moaned as hot tears gushed from his eyes. Every part of him felt like it was on fire and every time Dream rocked into him a jolt of electricity shot up his spine.

The pressure inside of Tommy was growing and growing until it almost felt like too much and it would burn him alive from the inside out until finally it snapped and he cried out in shameful bliss. Thick white spurts shot from his untouched cock and covered the sheets in a humiliating display. Every part of him was trembling in bliss.

Watching Tommy unravel on his cock alone was already making his mind swim with lust, but feeling him pulse and squirm around him as he came finally threw him over the edge. With an indecent groan he shoved himself as deep as he could go, stuttering his hips against him a few final times until he finally pressed himself flush against Tommy’s bruised ass and shot his own cum into him. Dream wanted to mark every part of him -inside and out- until there was no way anyone would mistake him as anything other than Dream’s. With a few last shallow thrusts, he made sure his cum was fucked in as deeply as it could go, before he eventually collapsed into a panting mess on top of Tommy.

And there they laid for a while, heaving heavy breaths into the room, now stuffy with the scent of sweat and iron. Dream wrapped his arms around Tommy’s sides, pulling him closer as he nuzzled further into him and basked in his afterglow. Tommy however was close to blacking out, still feeling Dream’s softening cock squish against his insides.

After a while, Dream finally leaned up, slipping himself out of Tommy’s ass with a disgusting squelching sound. The man could see Tommy’s brows squeeze together even in his half-conscious state at being empty again after so long. He placed a delicate kiss behind Tommy’s ear.

“Let’s go clean up, hm?”

And he took his arms and placed them around the boy’s limp form, maneuvering him until he was laying peacefully in his arms. Dream pressed him fondly against his chest and began carrying him out of the room.

“You’re mine Tommy. Now and always.” He whispered to his prize, though he wasn’t sure if he could even hear him. Maybe he was saying it more for himself than Tommy.

“Mine.”

---

Dream sat at his desk, pondering over the book in front of him for millionth time. At least that was what it felt like. Dozens of papers with notes and equations were littering the rest of his space and his mind was starting to swim. All of the words were starting to bleed together and it was making his eyes hurt.

He pulled himself back and groaned in frustration, rubbing his eyes with his fingers to try to relieve them from the stress. Maybe he should turn off another lantern, the light was already starting to annoy him. But he just knew Tommy would throw another hissy fit at him if he tried to make the room any darker than it already was.

Speaking of Tommy….

Dream heard the quiet shuffling of limbs and the sudden pressure of hands against his body. Immediately he pushed himself back on his chair, dragging it slightly across the floor and looked down. Only to see Tommy nestle himself comfortably between his legs. The teen pressed a kiss against his clothed groin and Dream immediately felt his blood rush downwards.

“And what do you think you’re doing?”

“Just my civic duty, of course.” Tommy grinned up at him with that cheeky smile that Dream just adored. He suddenly heard the sound of his zipper being pulled down.

“Tommy, I’m busy right now.” And he said it with his own smile tugging at his lips.

“Yeah, yeah, you always say that at first.”

Deft fingers were dipping beneath the waistband of his boxers and swiftly dragged out of the way. Tommy then gripped his shaft with one hand and pulled it out of its confines.

“But I certainly never hear you complaining afterwards.”

With soft fingers enveloping his cock, Tommy gave him a quick few pumps, which made Dream release a lust-filled groan into the air. He already had his hand tangled into Tommy’s hair, relishing how the strands felt between his fingers.

The teen kept working at it until he felt the man was finally hard enough before abruptly stopping. Dream whined at the sudden loss of friction and was just about to complain when Tommy placed a fond kiss against the tip of his cock, licking softly at the precum building up.

And then without warning his stretched his lips over his girth and took him all the way into the back of his throat, burying his face against Dream’s pelvis.

The man’s eyes went wide in shock and he almost jolted at the sudden heat enveloping him.

“Holy fuck, Tommy!”

The boy keened at the unsaid praise, his tight throat vibrating around Dream’s cock and making a pleasant tingle shoot up his spine. Immediately Tommy began moving, thrusting his head up and down the shaft with a practiced skill. His tongue moved along the veins and ridges, just how he knew Dream liked it and swallowed around it whenever it plunged down his throat. Drool was already beginning to leak down his chin.

The vampire took in his precious pet, watching him slide up and down with skilled ease. The sight was breathtaking to behold and he marveled at how well he had trained him.

But then suddenly Tommy separated from him with a wet pop and Dream growled as he was viciously dragged from the edge.

The teen stood up from where he had crouched down and instead sat himself down right on Dream’s desk, pushing the books and notes out of the way until some scattered over the floor.

“Those were important.” Dream spoke darkly between his heavy breaths.

“I’m sorry, you just look so stressed. Why not take a load off?”

And the man just knew that Tommy never acted like this unless there was incentive. He was so obvious with it too, edging Dream so he had a harder time saying no to him.

And he just looked so delectable. Tight shorts and a cropped shirt that showed off his brand so beautifully. Tommy was hiking one hand up the shirt until his chest was exposed, revealing his two pierced nipples, connected by a thin chain. Dream had decided months ago that he couldn’t exactly put a collar on him, or his neck would be hidden, so this had been his next choice. And God, how Tommy had screamed…

“What do you want, Tommy?”

And Tommy gasped like Dream had just insulted him. “Wh—I can’t believe you would even think that? I mean what do you take me for?”

“Tommy.”

“Well, while we’re here…” And there it was.

“…since I’ve been being such a-“ And Tommy looked like he was hesitating. “–good boy, I was maybe thinking, if you’re up for it, we could maybe take another walk on the surface again today?”

Dream groaned in frustration. “No, Tommy. We’ve already been up there yesterday—”

“And haven’t I been so well behaved?”

“Yes, you have, but if I keep letting you get away with this-“ And Dream trailed his hands up Tommy’s waist, who mewled delightfully at the touch. He grinned up at the teen. “-I fear I might turn you into more of a spoiled brat than you already are.”

“Oh?” Tommy took one of Dream’s hand in his own and gently placed it up to his neck, dragging his fingertips across the skin. “But haven’t I been spoiling you?”

Dream could feel Tommy’s pulse beat under his fingers and it was making his mouth water. Tommy had turned out so perfectly.

The man took his free hand and hooked his finger around Tommy’s chain, dragging him downward slightly and Tommy gasped at the sudden tension in his now fully erect buds. He whined desperately when Dream forced their faces to be almost touching. Lips just barely connecting as the vampire grinned.

“You’re a little minx, aren’t you?” He whispered the words in a gravelly tone, already knowing that Tommy had won.

“Oh, just fuck me already, will you?”

And Tommy took Dream’s face into his hands and closed the distance between their lips, slotting them together perfectly.

And the vampire slowly stood from his chair, not disconnecting from Tommy as he rose to his full height and settled himself in between the boy’s thighs, his erection already pressing against Tommy’s clothed ass.

His notes be damned. How could he resist when Tommy was finally so wonderfully willing?

Absolutely perfect.

…

Everything was fine.

Tommy could play the role of Dream’s little pet for as long as he needed.

He would build up his trust further until the man would let him wander around more freely, place less restrictions on where he could and couldn’t go. He had already done it before.

He would endure Dream placing his disgusting hands on his body over and over until the shape of his hands were branded against his skin. Would resist the urge to throw up every time their lips connected. Would moan and whimper just the way Dream liked it when he was once again stretched open on his cock.

Tommy would learn the patterns and play his part.

He always considered himself a great actor and he was only getting better by the day.

Dream may still blindfold him on the way to the surface but the motions were becoming more familiar. One day it will be perfectly committed to memory and that fucking monster will be none the wiser.

He already had a small collection of trinkets stashed away in a hidden corner all of his own. He never dared to even think of it until Dream was out hunting. There wasn’t much yet, just a few things he had managed to sweep under Dream’s nose. Mostly as practice. Some loose screws, a small notebook, and some other things. But his prized possession was a small wooden pencil Tommy had found lost behind a wardrobe.

If Dream ever found it, Tommy would be dead for sure. But he didn’t mind risking it, since it was the only thing still keeping him going. And so far, Dream was none the wiser.

He would just keep biding his time and then…

…then what?

There was no where else to go, no place he could even call home anymore. Tommy knew he still wanted to leave, but he couldn’t stand the thought of being alone. He wouldn’t know what to do. He needed someone to take care of him, because he wasn’t sure he could do it on his own.

Tommy tried not to think about it too hard. He just needed to keep planning. Just concentrate on getting out and maybe everything would fall into place after. It had to, right? Right?

He hated how dependent he had gotten, so desperate for approval, so willing in Dream’s rough hands.

He held onto the thought that he still wanted to leave, was still trying to escape, because it was the only thing that separated him from utterly belonging to Dream at this point.

As long as he still had that thought at the edge of his mind, Dream hadn’t won. No matter how good it felt to be held, how Tommy preened and glowed under his approval. How much he was enjoying how Dream wanted to fuck him in every room in this maze they called home-

They called home? No, that Dream called home of course- this wasn’t Tommy’s home, surely. He would never call this godforsaken place home.

Right?