Blood is thicker than water

Chapter Twelve, Crimson red blood.

Rain came down harsh in the hardcore world.

The lakes started to flood, tearing down any tree or person that came in contact with them. As the thunder growled over the lands and the lighting struck the nearest creeper. Tommy sat, alone and bitter in the harsh storm. The rain hitting against his face like small pebbles as the wind shook his dirty blond hair every which way. Hunched over a wooden log, Tommy mumbled to himself as the colorful fairies surrounded him, worried about the winged child. Watching as he kicked the dirt and pebbles neatly set under the now put out, camp fire.

"It's not fuckin' fair." He mumbled much louder this time. "How the hell was I post to know Schlatt hurt him or whatever?! And its my privacy to keep things away from him!" He snapped, yelling and fighting with the air as the fairies watched. Almost like an audience for the teenager to yell his problems too. And hopefully they understood them.. Tommy let out a long sigh as he noticed how soaked he was, maybe being edgy in the rain wasn't the best idea.

Pushing himself up, Tommy headed back to the fort. This time keeping the door open so the variously different colored fairies could fly in, Tommy never really minded them unlike Tubbo. He was taught at a young age by Phil to trust the fairies, though only Phil could hear them at the time.

Taking comfort in the warm and dry hut he soon took off the shirt clinging to him like a new pair of skin. He let out a loud yawn as he sat down on his side of the small hut his legs crisscrossed as he leaned back on the hardwood. Under the bright lighting of the lamp, those scars that branded his torso. Many of them from the first L'Manberg war, others from when he had started to duel with Technoblade in pogtopia. But there was something that stood out from the rest of the scars. It was also the same reason Tommy had been waking up every morning to talk to the fairies about.

A large tattoo marked Tommy's back, two wing like symbols covered it almost completely with a large hardcore heart in the middle. Now Tommy had this tattoo for most of his life. Having gotten it when he was only five with both Wilbur and Techno though he couldn't remember why, only that it hurt like a bitch. Phil had taught the three boys to keep the tattoos hidden, to show no one even their closest friend or partner. That if they did dare show someone it would put the whole family's life in danger. And that scared the living shit out of five year old Tommyinnit so he never did show anyone, even Tubbo. But then something happened.

The normally black ink tattoo started to glow a bright red. At first Tommy had just thought of it like a very, very, unique burn. He had been working in the harsh sun for most of his time in pogtopia and never got a second to really relax.

So it would make sense that when he finally relaxed in the hardcore world he noticed it. But then things got worse, the bright red ink faded into a dark crimson. Tommy was awaken one early morning, before the sun had even gotten the chance to rise, the outline where the hardcore heart would be burned. It felt as if someone was pressing molten hot iron on where the heart was. It took every fiber in Tommy not to scream and wake up the peacefully sleeping best friend who snored quietly in the hut.

Quickly he stumbled out of the hut, somehow not waking up Tubbo, almost ripping the ironic red and white skirt as he fumbled to get it off. The fairies quickly surrounded Tommy in seconds as they quietly whispered to each other. Tommy fell to his hands and knees as the astonishing pain hit him in waves. After a few more minutes passed by, which to tommy felt like hours, the pain slowly disappeared.

When the fairies saw that the young teenage boy was no longer in pain they slowly got closer to him. Of course Tommy could give less of a fuck that the fairies were getting closer, he just wanted to make sure that horrid pain was gone. But that's when I heard it.. The faint whisper coming from a dark crimson fairy.

"It's happening."

Tommy glared up at the fairy, confused and tired as he spat out. "What the fuck is happening?!" Finally Tommy took in how many fairies surrounded him. His eyes widened as maybe 50 or 60 of the damn things circled around him, brightening up the night sky like stars.

"You're growing your wings. You are the child of the winged man correct?"

Tommy blinked his eyes as he tried to wrap his head around the words. But quickly shook his head no, pushing himself slowly up so he sat up. Cursing under his breath he looked up at the crimson fairy. "No. I'm adopted or some' shit. I'm not his biological kid or anything." he grumbled, the idea of this being all Phil's fault left a bitter taste in his mouth.

The fairy let out a confused hum as another fairy behind him spoke up. "Well he has the mark of hardcore on his back. There's no way any normal could get that." The other fairies hummed in agreement as the crimson one let out an irritated noise.

"Well it doesn't matter. You're still growing your wings out anyways. Biological child of the caretaker or not. Now would you like to know how not to feel that pain again?"

Tommy stared blankly up at the fairy, but quickly shook his head as he laid down on the cold dirt. It was too early for this shit, and Tommy was tired enough from the hard work the day before.

After that fateful morning, Tommy started meeting up with the fairies. They explained to Tommy his history and how the large tattoo on his back wasn't just something Phil did to mark the Sleepy children. That it was an age of ritual held high among the wing folk, they had first made it to please the king with his wants of magic. But it soon served as a way for single parents or same-sex couples among the wing folk to have children who bear wings. And as the week continued he learned more about the inner workings of his father, and what had happened to most of his family.

All of this information being very case sensitive to Tommy. When Tommy was very young the first thing Phil had ever taught him was to keep things a secret. Not to hurt Tommy or cause him to have trust issues, it was for the sake of the child, if someone were to find out that Tommy was a winged folk they would come for the whole family.

Phil had made sure to be careful with his teachings to make sure and not hurt the child mentally. And because of this factor when Pogtopia had first begun, Wilbur took Phil's wise teachings and poisoned it. Showing Tommy that he couldn't trust anyone, not even his closest friends. Everyone was out to get Tommy, he needed to keep secret and not depend on anyone, that's how you die. It had drilled the belief that no one can be trusted, everyone wanted Tommyinnit dead, and that family hurt you the most.