I'm a Healer, But...

2

Phil was not looking forward to the next... unknown amount of time.Not that he has anything against Tommy in particular. Tommy is unusual, but he doesn't seem malicious. They can't be sure until Wilbur's return in a few days, but Tommy is so exuberant now that they've agreed to his terms. Even with his sunglasses he refuses to take off, his moods are easy to read, and he holds nothing back.However, he really holds nothing back."Phil. Phil. What kind of name is Phil, anyway? It's not your real one, I'm guessing, because you're old as balls. Fucking ancient, you are. I can't imagine that your parents from the fucking, first century or whatever looked at you when you were a baby with big fuckoff bird wings and went 'yup, that's a Phil if I've ever seen one'-"Tommy had made a strong argument for why he was staying with them- not why he should be allowed to stay with them, but why he was staying. He had no intent of leaving, even if they kicked him out. But he'd pointed out- if anything happened to him, they'd never get connected to their healer.The healer was... supposedly, in a safe place. 'The safest, as secure as the Vault', Tommy had claimed. But Tommy himself needed to be... here, for some reason.Phil is assuming that Tommy needs to be here for the same reason he needs Dream to be dead. Still, it's not his concern. One dead Dream, and then the Syndicate gets their healer.It does feel... odd to be making this sort of deal. Their last healer had joined them out of mutual respect. She had chosen to stick with them for quite a few years before passing away. They had offered her Old Magic, the same they used to extend their lifespans, but she was unwilling to pay the price, and in the end she went peacefully.Now, they were buying a healer.Techno may be uncaring about the state the healer is in, but Phil has his concerns. Someone willing to sell their life away to the most dangerous villains in history is not someone who is doing well. It really depends on why Tommy wants Dream dead. Is it for his own reasons? Or is it for the healer's?It would make sense, if the healer was just using Tommy as a middleman. Maybe they have a grudge against Dream, and they just had Tommy pass the message along- but Tommy is the one who got tense the moment they hesitated to agree to kill him. Maybe he and the healer are friends, Phil considers. The healer could be willing to trade themselves for Tommy's happiness or safety. Or maybe it's the other way around, and Tommy suggested joining the Syndicate because they're the best protection against heroes.It could also make sense if they were avoiding being drafted into the Hero Organization. If they had higher aspirations than being a medic... then they wouldn't sign up to be a villain's instead, actually. That's probably not the case. But Tommy won't speak any further on the subject, instead just trying to annoy them both to death."Hey, Blade. Blade. If Phil's the weeb, are you the one who's got all the music sheets all over the place? I mean, I'd think it's the Siren's, but maybe you've got hidden depths or something, fuck if I know. You can't be all swords and blood or whatever. Well, I guess you could, but I doubt it. What are you into, huh?"Techno just grunts. Phil can tell he's already lost his patience, and is just doing his best to endure anyway. Techno likes his routine, so having Tommy here is not good for him, but he's doing his best anyway. Phil appreciates it."Mate, leave him alone," Phil says to Tommy. "I know you're bored, but why don't you just go back to watching TV?"Tommy snorts. "Yeah, because TV is as interesting as the Blade and the Angel of Death. Sure."Techno grunts again, more annoyed this time. "We agreed to babysit you, not entertain you.""Hey! It's not babysitting! " Tommy shouts, far too loud. "Just because you're fucking ancient doesn't mean you can treat me, the biggest man in this room, like a child-""We're treatin' you like a child because you act like one. How old are you, anyway?""Twenty-three," Tommy says, far too fast to be the truth. It's like he had the answer pre-prepared... which it probably was.Phil shakes his head. "No, you aren't."Tommy scowls. "Fine, twenty."...Phil could have maybe believed twenty-one, but how quickly Tommy went to lower numbers... he doubts that's the truth, either. "Tommy," he says, using his best dad voice.Tommy hunches his shoulders. "What the fuck's it matter? I don't see you bitches giving out your ages. It's-""Are you even eighteen?" Techno eyes him. "I don't wanna add child abduction to my record. I think it'll make the other stuff look cringe.""You're already cringe!" Tommy shoots back."Ouch," he says dryly.Phil interrupts before Tommy can yell more. "Mate, you didn't answer the question. Are you... at least an adult?" Tommy crosses his arms instead of answering, sinking into the couch further. Oh god, he's actually a child. "Tommy-""You're not gonna get child abduction on your record," he mutters. "That's only if you take people from their parents, right? I don't have those. So."...how the hell did a child do all this? He got his hands on an unaligned healer, he's made deals with Ace, he broke into the Syndicate's home ... and all he wants is one person dead. Who the hell is Tommy? What in the world brought him to this point in life?"Phil," Techno distracts him from his thoughts, and he realizes his wings are fluffing up. He settles down and starts straightening out his feathers, a bit sheepish. If there's one weakness Phil has, it's the idea of children with horrible childhoods. He was a mess when Wilbur found out about his son, Phil's grandson, and they found him living alone. He was half starved and ill from eating berries he had been forced to scavenge, the food in the house expired or eaten since his mother's death. They had brought Fundy right home, and Phil had spent months hovering over him, helping him get happy and healthy. He can feel that same instinct now, but he can't let himself get swept away by it.For one, he's positive that Tommy would never allow it.For another, Tommy is a very temporary presence in their home. As soon as Wilbur is home, they'll come up with a plan to get rid of Dream, go through with it, and then trade Tommy out for their new healer.Oh, their healer- "Is the healer as young as you are?" Phil asks. It'd make sense. For a healer to not be taken in by the Hero Organization yet, they'd probably be in their teens, freshly developing their powers. That could be how Tommy knows them, too, if they went to the same school or something along those lines...Techno sighs at Tommy's silence. "Okay, so we are getting charged-""The healer's an orphan too, asshole.""That's not better," Techno says, as Phil stifles a distressed chirp. A child is selling their powers to villains - for a better life? For safety? This is painting a very upsetting picture, and he's having more and more doubts about this entirely.But he knows better. Techno and Wilbur have been searching for a new healer for quite some time now, and they won't want to let this opportunity slip by. Besides, if Phil can help, then he should, if only to soothe his instincts. "We need to build an extension on the house," Phil says as soon as the thought comes to mind."Aw, man, Phil, " Techno groans."What? Where the fuck did that come from?" Tommy asks."Well, if they're a child, they need-""He's sixteen, not a baby-""-a safe place, and I don't want to just convert Fundy's room-""It's not like Fundy's going to use it!" Techno protests. "Phil, Phil, don't make me build on a whole new part of the house, it's already a four bedroom-""But if they're staying with us permanently, we'll need more space anyway!"Techno groans, running a hand down his face. "I'll give you the world, Phil, but I'm not giving you another goddamn addition to the house. Especially not for some kid we don't even know yet.""Then I'll hire someone," Phil decides. "One of the Warden's partners does construction in his free time, doesn't he? I'm sure-""Phil. Phil. My beautiful winter cottage aesthetic, Phil.""Oh, Foolish would like the challenge of adding to it while keeping to your aesthetic," Phil nods. "Besides, we need more space in general anyway, don't we? Our storage has been getting full, and I could use a larger bedroom anyway-""Are you plannin' to add an extension or to just tear down the whole place?" Techno asks, alarmed."No, no, just an extension, probably...""Probably?""Wow." Tommy looks between the both of them. "You two are fucking nuts."