Upon the Ruins of a Broken World II A Dreamsmp AU

The Alcove

Philza took Tommy down the lighted tunnel and into a well lit room. Tommy made sure it was well lit. 

The room was small, barely barely five by five meters. Two round chairs, shaped like nests sat together while a small cupboard and stove took up on side. The rest of the walls were taken up by bookshelves. 

Old and new volumes lined the shelves, some leather bound, others simply paper. 

Philza walked to the cupboard and pulled a kettle out, filling it with water from a small pond beside it. Glowvines hanged from the ceiling down into a big hole in the middle of the room. Tommy glanced down into it and saw the bottom of the cavern floor two hundred meters below. 

Philza turned on the stove and put the kettle on, pulling two green mugs from the cupboard. He took tea packets from a box and looked at Tommy apologetically.

"Sorry we don't have milk." 

"It's okay, I don't drink my tea with milk." Tommy said. What he didn't add was that he had never had tea before, let alone milk. Wilbur had never been able to afford milk and the orphanage didn't give them anything except musky water.

Tommy took a seat on one of the chairs. They were a soft orange, like the color of a peach. They were round and had no back lean. Formed like a nest, the sides curling all around the chair, Tommy had to sit upright.

He had to admit, with his legs crossed and his wings resting gently against the sides, he relaxed a bit. It was only when the cupboard crawled open again and Phil pulled out a roll of bandages, did Tommy inquire.

"I'm okay, Phil, I'm not physically hurt." Tommy said softly. 

"It's not for you, mate," Philza said and turned, exposing a dark patch on his clothes. Blood. 

Philza pulled his coat and under shirt off and Tommy gasped as he saw the ragged marks that ran down his side. Blood bubbled from the marks, dripping down Phil's ribs.

The marks looked familiar. Tommy looked down at his hand—class and froze, the bliss designing from his face. His black claws were covered with shining red. 

"Did—did I do that?" He stuttered, staring at his claws. Philza froze as he heard Tommy's horrified tone. He walked to Tommy and grabbed the young man's shoulders.

He pulled Tommy from his spot in the chair and walked him to the pond, pushing his to the ground and grabbing his hands. 

He dipped them in the water, washing the blood from his claws and rubbing Tommy's hands. Tommy only stared at the claws. 

The claws that had ripped Philza's flesh open, that had caused him to bleed. 

"I'm so sorry..." He muttered, his voice monotone. 

Philza lifted Tommy's hands free and dried them, then holding them in his own until Tommy met his gaze. Tommy saw no fear there, no disgust or anger. He only saw calm and peace. 

"I'm glad you did it. If you hadn't drawn blood and pierced me, I wouldn't have realized how serious it was. You sparked me to run. Thank you." 

Tommy only lowered his gaze, blinking away the tears that threatened to spill. 

"Come, let's talk." Philza said and helped Tommy rise to his feet. 

Together, the walked past the hole and to the chairs. Only when Philza was sure that Tommy was comfortable did he return to his own seat. 

"Has that happened before?" He asked Tommy, shooting a glance at the dark tunnel behind them. 

Tommy nodded hesitantly. 

"Tommy, I'm not mad at you," Philza said, stretching out a hand and laying it on Tommy's shoulder. "I'm worried about you." 

That was it for Tommy. 

Silent tears streamed down his face as he stared at the unreasonably kind man before him. What di he do to deserve this care?

"Yes, it has happened before." He muttered, averting his gaze. 

"When?" Philza's voice was firm but kind. 

"When Wilbur took me to Fundy." 

Philza leaned back in his chair, staring thoughtfully into nothingness. 

Just then, the kettle started to whistle and he stood.

Tomym watched as Phil walked to the stove and took the kettle, pouring the steaming hot water into their cups. Philza stirred both cups and came back to Tommy, handing him one. 

It was black tea, reflecting his face in the liquid. Unfamiliar green eyes stared back at him. 

"Here," Philza picked a small glowberry from one of the vines hanging down the hole and squeezed the golden juice into Tommy's tea. The dark brown became a milky gold. 

Tommy took a sip. 

It tasted like peach tea... or at least, how Tommy thought peach tea tasted. It was heavenly and warm and Tommy could feel the liquid run through his body as he took a sip. 

Tommy found Phil looking at him patiently, waiting. 

"It's like everything around me disappears and I'm in a deep darkness." He started hesitantly. The calm look did not turn disappointed. 

"I was holding Wilbur's hand and he kept me from sinking away. I don't think he even realized what happened."

"Does it stop when you enter the light?" Phil asked. 

"Yes, they go away." Tommy said, shuddering as he remembered the cold feeling of the hands on his skin. 

"They?" 

"I don't know what they are, but they're in the darkness and they grab me, try to pull me deeper." Tommy said, marveling at how easily he was speaking to Phil. 

"Is that who you were screaming about?" Phil said. 

"Yes." 

They sat in silence for a while, drinking their tea in peace. Finally, Phil stood and walked to Tommy, coming to sit beside him in the nest-chair. Phil unfurled his dark wings and wrapped them around Tommy's shoulder, and pulled him up from the chair. 

Philza held Tommy before him, staring into his eyes. 

Tommy felt he should say something, say sorry about the wounds. Say anything that would make him worthy of the love in Phil's eyes--

Philza pulled him into a tight hug and Tommy froze at the unexpected gesture. Philza held him close, one arm around his back, the other holding his shoulder. 

Just like Wilbur always had. 

With tears running down his cheeks, Tommy sunk into the embrace, burrying his face in Phil's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around Phil and held him tight. At that moment he felt safe. 

He knew, with burning confidence, that Phil would never leave him.