Duchenne (DSMP Superhero AU)

Chapter 41

Tommy was in so much pain. In the void of darkness, all he could do was think. He was so lonely. A woman's shape flashed into his view, like she saw banging on an invisible wall. She stayed just out of reach, making Tommy feel even more helpless. It felt like hours in the void before a green thread shot out of the darkness and dragged him back out.

Theseus regained consciousness, coughing and grasping his throat. He was vaguely aware of a small clump of hair in front of his eyes that was now pure white. Dream knelt down, gripping his chin and tilting his head up to face him.

"And I'm the only one who has the power to bring you back. Come home Thomas, you have a purpose to fulfill."

Theseus coughed again, spitting in Dream's mask. No way in hell, he needed to get to Wilbur, he needed to be safe. He croaked out, his vocal chords not used to being used again.

"Go to hell bitch."

Dream snarled and slit Theseus's throat again.

Tommy screamed into the darkness, not making a noise. He cried and asked for some time, someone to spare him, something to happen. The woman appeared again,this time swinging a scythe at the invisible wall. And something did happen. He screamed again as something sharp stabbed him. He didn't know what. All he wanted to know was when it would stop. The woman pressed against the wall, her muffled cries drowned out by his screams.

Yet again, green threads yanked him back out. Another clump of hair was white, freaking Theseus out as he scrambled backwards to get away from Dream.

"Please stop-"

"Only if you come with me."

Theseus shook his head. He couldn't leave behind his family, Wilbur, Techno, Dad, Ranboo...

Dream sighed and stabbed him in the chest, earning a strangled scream as Theseus died again. Over and over.

Into the suffocating darkness, get revived, exchange a few words with Dream, then back into the darkness again. He pleaded every time until he couldn't anymore.

Dream yanked him up by the hair, most of Theseus's hair white now.

"Come with me Thomas."

Theseus closed his eyes, willing himself to speak and finding himself unable to. Before he could panic, Dream threw him down and cracked his skull open, muttering insults under his breath. Again, the darkness swarmed over him.

He was so tired. He just wanted it to stop.

For the next few revivals Dream tried to get a response and failed, getting increasingly more angry until his last revival. He threw Theseus down on the rooftop, kicking him in the gut.

"Come find me when you've regained some sense, brat."

Theseus laid there for a while, listening to Dream's footsteps fade away. He should feel relieved, right? He should get up and run home to his family.

But all he felt was numb.

----<>----

Wilbur was waiting at the door for him, rushing and hugging Theseus tightly.

"Oh Tommy thank Prime you're alive. Come inside, we'll look after your wounds."

Theseus followed Wilbur silently, not acknowledging Techno and Phil who rushed over to him as he entered the house.

"Tommy!"

"What happened?"

"How can we help?"

"Was it Dream?"

Slowly, Theseus raised his hands and covered his ears. The noises hurt. Techno noticed and motioned for Phil to pipe down, gently taking the edges of his mask in his hands.

"May I, Theseus?"

Theseus made no move to stop him, so Techno gently took off the mask.

Tommy's eyes were fixed wide open, locking eyes with Techno. The rest of his face was frozen. Blood ran down from his head, tainting the pure white hair pink. Techno flicked his fingers to the left of Tommy, testing for a reaction.

There was none.

Phil's eyes were wide and he gently pushed Techno to the side, brushing Tommy's hair out of his face.

No reaction

Wilbur came back with a first aid kit, but stopped when he saw Tommy's face. His soft brown eyes widened as he approached, searching Tommy's eyes for a bit of emotion.

Tommy's eyes changed from Techno and Phil to Wilbur, then down at the first aid kit. Wilbur swallowed and nodded, leading Tommy to a place to sit and cleaning and tending to his wounds.

"Tommy? Can you hear us?"

Tommy's eyes switched to Techno, then at a paper pad that sat on the counter next to him. Techno let out a breath and brought him the pad, watching anxiously as Tommy wrote something on the paper.

Yes.

Wilbur sighed in relief, hugging Tommy.

"What happened? This can't have just been some hair dye and a random villain."

Wilbur's eyes darted to his own white tuft, praying to whatever gods were out there that Tommy hadn't had to suffer through the same fate.

Tommy wrote again, right under the yes.

Dream killed me over and over. Used the revive book.

The others were silent. Phil was shaken, Techno was furious, and WIlbur was crushed.

Wilbur's little brother had experienced death. Multiple times. And Wilbur couldn't do anything to help. He knew he should have kept an eye on Tommy, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Jack wasn't enough, he needed to kill Dream and anyone else who hurt Tommy as well. He was angry, at Dream, at whoever had given him a revival book, and at himself. If only he had been stronger and beat Dream when he has the chance. If only he could have taken the revive book. If only Wilbur had insisted go keep following Tommy.

Techno wanted to kill. Kill Dream. Kill the owner of the revival book. Kill anyone who got in his way. No one, NO ONE messed with his little brother and got away with it.

Phil just stared at the sentence, reading it over and over. This was all his fault. It was his fault that Tommy was like this.

Tommy knew what they wanted. Revenge, answers, and the him that had cheerfully said goodbye... At the meeting? Even without the months of suffering, that was several months ago. Of course those months consisting mainly of darkness and pain, but it made what seemed recent to them feel a world away from Tommy.

He didn't want to be fixed and taken back to who he was before. He kinda liked not having to worry about pain and emotion. He scribbled another sentence on a new piece of paper, adding a little happy doodle of himself.

I'm fine :D Just a bit different.

His face was still frozen, his eyes drifting between the three. Wilbur stood up and hugged Tommy tightly, shaking. He whispered in Tommy's ear, so that the other two couldn't hear him.

"Do you hear voices too?"

Tommy shook his head. Wilbur sagged with relief, stroking Tommy's hair. Tommy leaned into Wilbur's hug, His eyes flicking down to the ground. He would be okay. He was okay.

After all, he felt wanted here.