Duchenne (DSMP Superhero AU)

Chapter 27

Tommy sat across the table from Phil. He stared down at his hands, taking deep, controlled breaths. Just like Will taught him. In, out. In, out. In, out. In, out. A gentle hand rested on Tommy's shoulder, black with little specks of green. Void. Well Ranboo, but Tommy wasn't meant to call him that around Phil. HIs hand lifted up to squeeze Void's, giving him a soft smile.

"I'll be okay Void, can you leave Phil and I alone?"

Void's eyes darted to Phil, eyeing the older blonde who sat with a guilty expression on his face. He nodded slowly, taking his hand back and ruffling Tommy's hair with a little smile.

"I'll be in the guest room if you need me. I'll beat up Phil for you!"

Tommy chuckled, punching Void in the arm as he left. He watched the door close before turning back to see Phil watching him carefully. Tommy took one last deep breath before beginning to recite what he had practised so many times before.

"Phil, I am truly, extremely-"

"Sorry?"

Phil interrupted, leaning forward on the table with a pitiful look in his eye. Tommy blinked hard, staring at Phil in bewilderment. Phil sighed, rubbing his temples. This kid would apologise for someone else hurting him, why the hell did he think Tommy was a threat?

"Look, Tommy, you have nothing to be sorry about. You came here eight months ago because Wilbur wanted to protect you. Because Wilbur saw you for what you are. A scared child who hasn't been allowed to be a kid."

Phil paused to take a deep breath, hugging his wings closer behind him. Tommy broke eye contact, glancing down at his hands and clenching them into shaking fists.

"And I didn't allow myself to see what you were because I was scared. I saw you as a younger Clay, a mistake I didn't want to make."

Tommy glanced up at Phil, his eyes wide. Clay? Did Phil know Clay? What the- How did Tommy not know about this? Huh? Phil pulled a photo out of his pocket, sliding it across to Tommy. A little blonde kid with a smiley face sticker on his cheek was brandishing a wooden sword, grinning at whoever was holding the camera.

Tommy stared at it for a while. Clay looked so much like Tommy when he was younger, he could see why Phil would have been unable to distinguish between him and... How did he think of Clay? A mistake?

Phil cleared his throat, gaining Tommy's attention again. He took the photo back, storing it away carefully.

"I know that this doesn't excuse my behaviour. In fact, I think it makes the way I treated you even more unfair. You are your own person. You are a good person. You've been so much better than Clay was. You worked hard training with Techno, you made Wilbur so much happier than I've ever seen, and the only thing you've looked at me with is fear."

The winged man stood, walking around the table to stand in front of Tommy. Tommy flinched, looking down and waiting for a blow. Waiting to be told off for being so stupid. Instead, Phil knelt in front of Tommy. He plucked a single feather from his huge black wings and offered it to Tommy.

"I'm sorry Tommy. You don't have to forgive me, but I'm sorry."

They sat there in silence for a while, neither daring to move. They sat there for so long that Phil almost jumped out of his skin when he felt shy gentle fingers closing around his feather.

Tommy admired the feather. It was sleek and perfectly shaped, surprisingly sharp whenever his fingers brushed against a little spike near the base of the shaft. Like a knife that could be passed off as something soft and harmless.

"Feathers symbolise a lot of things, but this feather in particular symbolises your strength, your growth, your hope and your freedom. I hope it can help you stay safe."

Phil moved into a more comfortable sitting position on the ground in front of Tommy, watching the blonde playing with his feather. If only he had allowed himself to open up to Tommy, maybe Wilbur would still be alive. Maybe Phil and Techno could have helped fight Dream. Just... maybe.

Tommy wasn't sure how to respond to Phil. Did he have to apologise too? Should he do what Dream always did and punish him for wronging Tommy? Was he supposed to brush it off? He held the feather to his chest. It reminded him of Wilbur's feathered forearms, soft down that brushed against his cheeks as they cuddled on the couch. A few tears slipped down his face, alarming Phil.

"Tommy? Did I say something wr-oof!"

Tommy dashed forwards, tackling Phil in a hug. He hid his face in Phil's chest, mumbling something that Phil couldn't make out. Phil hesitantly hugged back, stroking the back of Tommy's head.

"Pardon?"

Tommy didn't try to repeat himself, simply letting out a deep shuddering breath that he hadn't realised he had been holding. Phil relaxed, holding Tommy close. They laid on the floor, relishing this rare moment of peace between them.

After a while Tommy snorted.

"Does this make me your grandson?"

----<>----

Techno walked down from his room, nodding to Tommy and Void who stood in the doorway.

"See you later Techno!"

"Later Tommy, stay safe."

Techno waited until the door had closed before turning to Phil. He crossed his arms, staring down at him.

"So Dream is my brother."

Phil shrugged, deciding to walk back to the lounge and start preening his feathers. Techno followed, his gaze hardening to a glare.

"Phil. You said that my brother died at the age of nine, you said his name was Ash."

Phil collapsed on the couch, organising and rearranging his feathers. He tried to ignore Techno, angering the pigman.

"What else have you been hiding? What else are you ashamed of? Did Mother really die in a car crash?"

He sighed, pulling out a mangled feather.

"Philza Minecraft, answer me."

"Fine. Dream's full name is Clay Minecraft. He left when he was nine because he wanted to control everyone and I was telling him that he was going to become a villain. I was protecting you and Wilbur, he was going insane."

"He was nine! Just because he wanted a little bit of power, you chased him out of the house?"

Phil didn't respond, smoothing out his wings. Techno sat down and began to help Phil, tugging a few feathers accidentally but never apologising. Gently, Phil began to speak.

"Techno, have you ever wondered why I always dye your hair pink?"

Techno scoffed.

"What does that have to do with Clay?"

"Techno, he killed you because he wanted to see if he could."

Techno stopped preening Phil's wings, glancing up blankly at him. Phil kept preening, avoiding Techno's gaze.

"How am I alive then?"

Phil shrugged, plucking a feather out of his wing.

"I convinced Death to make a book that can bring people back to life."

----<Meanwhile>----

Clay sneezed, causing Wilbur to jump from where he was splattering his smiley mask with blue.

"Jeez, don't give me icky living people germs."

Clay flipped him off, sneezing again.