Till Death Do Us Part

Michael

Tommy did not want to leave the hotel room.

Leaving the hotel room came with the risk of encountering more familiar faces, and Tommy wasn't too thrilled with that idea.

But staying in the hotel room wouldn't really do much either. He needed to go out to get Isaacs medicine, and that meant having to face the possibility of seeing someone he didn't want to.

No one said parenthood was easy.

He slipped out of the hotel room after kissing Isaac on the forehead and promising to be back soon. His kid was too out of it to register much. Tommy walked out of the hotel and onto the Prime Path, neck prickling with dread. He just had to get to Ponk's office and back. That's all.

He walked down the path, pace quickening with every step. Whenever a bush rustled he'd jump, eyes darting back and forth. When he reached Ponk's office, Tommy sighed in relief, relaxing a little.

He turned to the door and knocked.

...

Ponk handed Tommy the medicine and instructions on how to use it and then basically pushed him out the door. In any other circumstance Tommy would stop to consider the sheer audacity, but right now he just wanted to get back to Isaac.

He hurried along the path, head down and keeping his eyes on the ground.

Naturally this lead to him bumping into someone.

"Oh my- Are you okay? I am so sorry I should have been looking where I was going this is totally my fault. Are you okay?"

Tommy looked up to see the voice came from a wide-eyed piglin about a head shorter than him. Well, one of his eyes were wide. The other was covered by an eyepatch. Tommy was relieved to see that he was a complete stranger.

"Nah, you're fine." Tommy said. "Anyway, I should probably get going-"

"Um, actually-" The piglin started. "I'm, ah, I'm a bit lost. I got separated from my travelling group and I don't know exactly where we were supposed meet up. Could you maybe help me?"

Tommy sighed, looking into the piglins eye. The kid couldn't be older than seventeen and was pulling the most adorable pouting expression that Tommy just couldn't refuse.

But helping the piglin would probably mean staying out longer, and that increased the chances of running into someone he didn't want too.

"Fine. I'll help you." Tommy said, already regretting it. "My name's Tommy, by the way."

The piglin tilted his head and frowned in confusion, like he was trying to remember something. After a second he shook his head and his expression cleared.

"I'm Michael." The piglin (Michael, Tommy corrected himself) beamed, and Tommy's little adoptive dad side that had manifested over the years almost melted.

He scowled at it. He was not getting attached to another kid.

"Well Michael, why don't you come back to my hotel and we'll get you sorted out there?"

Michael nodded enthusiastically. Tommy was a bit disappointed he was so willing to come to a strangers place.

Tommy turned and started walking.

He definitely did not smile when he noticed footsteps following him.

...

The next instalment of this series 'MICHAEL' has just been posted. If you're interested in what happened to him and why he's back in the SMP, pls read