The Rockrose and the Thistle

All your mother's weaves and your father's threads (let me rob them of you now)

Tommy offered to let Phil ride with them, but he refused.

"I can fly mate, I don't need to bother you or your horse." He had chuckled.

It had been a week since Phil joined them and there were no signs of stopping. He had stopped asking Techno or Wilbur if they were getting closer, just content to deal with life in the saddle. But gods it was boring, just waiting for some change that never came.

The afternoon sun beat hot down onto them. How close were they to summer? Tommy no longer had the ability to tell. He hoped that the wildflower blooms in L'Manberg were beautiful. Phil was always very curious about where Tommy was from, constantly asking questions. It was nice, to talk about home. To keep the memories alive.

"What would L'Manberg be like now?" He asked one night as Wilbur began setting up the dome. Tommy closed his eyes, trying to remember. It terrified him that it took longer than a few brief seconds to remember Niki's pies and Puffy's flowers. The days training in the clearing with Sapnap, or watching Sam forge armor.

"I think all the flowers would've bloomed." Tommy said quietly. "Tubbo always liked to help Puffy pick them. Hopefully we'll be back by autumn, you can come with us! Niki's pumpkin pie is the best, and I'm her taste tester! Was her taste tester..." Tommy added the last bit reluctantly. Did they think he was dead? If he couldn't tell how long he'd been gone, how could anyone back home. Phil put a hand on his shoulder, shaking him from his thoughts.

"I'd love to come with you, Tommy. I'm sure we'll all come home with you." Phil said, giving a pointed look to Techno. The piglin shrugged and sighed.

"I dunno, how good's the food?"

"Sam has gold!" Tommy quickly said. He wanted him to come. All of them to come. To go to L'Manberg and see why, in Tommy's heart, it was the center of his world. Of the world. Techno's ears quickly pricked up at the mention. Tommy had learned Techno had quite the soft spot for the material. He huffed, crossing his arms and blushing angrily.

"I suppose I'll consider it." He huffed, laying down and turning over in his bed.

"I'd like to come!" Ranboo said brightly. "It'd be fun, going some place with so much color. And Techno's baking isn't all that good." He added quietly, though Techno still heard. The man heard basically everything going around.

"Hey! I feed you, you know!" Techno snapped. Ranboo laughed, his head shaking and tail thumping on the ground in delight.

"I supPOSE you can come, Ranboo." Tommy huffed. He really did enjoy Ranboo's company. He hoped, no he knew, that him and Tubbo would get along. "But if Tubbo doesn't like any of you, then we're fuckin' leaving you in the dust. I will!"

"Aww, you wouldn't do that Tommy!" Wilbur laughed as the dome came up over them.

"I so fuckin' would! Tubbo's way better than you pricks, especially you Wilbur!" Phil pressed his hand to his heart, almost jokingly offended.

"Even me, Toms? You wound me."

"Oh shut up, you're Philza. You can do no wrong." Tommy huffed, laying underneath his blankets.

"He liiiikes you, Phil!" Wilbur teased as he laid down beside Tommy. Tommy rolled his eyes.

"Well of course I do, he's fuckin' Philza! The greatest man to ever exist, the only man I am second to in terms of greatness and bigness!"

"Bigness isn't a word." Techno drawled.

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep?" Tommy demanded. Techno shrugged, curling in closer on himself. "Prick." He muttered. Phil only laughed.