-Rehabilitating a Child Soldier-

Spirit

"Tommy! Get your ass up! It's Christmas!"

"Yeah! Wake the fuck up!"

"Language, you two! Tommy can sleep for as long as he wants, and we'll wait for him."

In truth, Tommy had been lying awake for hours, watching as the first beams of sunlight had begun to poor through the window and elongate the shadows that lined his new room. It didn't feel real. And he didn't think he was ready.

This was the first Christmas he would be spending without him. 

Wilbur always liked Christmas... even when they were little. Tommy wasn't sure if it was his favorite holiday... nor did he really care.

Phil once told him a story about how when Wilbur was learning how to play the guitar, back when he was around five, he would always play a song on Christmas, or on birthdays... And he still did that... Even through L'manburg and all the rough shit, Wilbur loved to play songs.

But... He's not here this year... 

And Tommy missed him. He missed all of them.

He missed how he used to barge into Techno's room far too early in the morning and drag him out of bed so that he would get to open presents with everyone... Or how Phil had to stop him from opening presents until everyone woke up... or the fight that inevitably broke out between the three siblings over something dumb at six o'clock in the morning.

... Where did all the time go..?

It had been two years since he had sat around a Christmas tree with Techno. Two years since Phil had to break up at least a pair of them so that they didn't tear each other apart. 

...And now Wilbur's gone...

The only person he had spent Christmas with is the last two years...

Tommy stared up at his ceiling, blank faced as the thoughts flickered behind his eyes. He was tired, exhausted, even, but he didn't care. He was always tired. His eyes felt dry and irritated, but he had a much more compelling, hollow feeling inside of him that distracted him from the sensation.

...Where did all my energy go..? Tommy wondered, rolling onto his side. The act alone made him feel even more drained... What happened to they young boy who was too excited for his own good..?

He grew up. He had to, and fast.

The holidays were making him miss Wil... and he hated it. The reality hadn't truly sunk in until the pervious night, and he didn't know how to cope with it...

The door creaked open, disrupting the balance between the natural lighting and shadows.

"Tommy?"

Bad's voice was soft as the demon crept into the room, gently shutting the door behind him. Tommy could tell that he knew that he wasn't asleep... But he refused to look at him, and just continued to lay silently on his side, squeezing his eyes shut in hopes that he would just go away.

But he didn't, and beyond that, Bad quietly walked over, sitting down on the end of the bed, his tail resting beside him as he let out a breath.

"You know Tommy," he started, keeping a level, comforting tone, "I understand that this must be hard for you. Adjusting to a new place is difficult. I would know. I just wanted to let you know that you're welcome to join us. Skeppy is really excited to give you his present, and I have one for you as well. Feel free to come join us whenever you feel like it, but you absolutely don't have to."

Bad allowed the silence to sink in, before sighing to himself, and getting up off of the kid's bed. But before he could exit the room, he felt a small tug on his tail.