I'm a Healer, But...

8

For all Techno claims to dislike Tommy, Phil is fairly sure that he's quickly developing a soft spot for him. After all, he's rarely seen Techno share pieces of his hoard before, and yet when Tommy exited Techno's room, he left it holding an ornate dagger- not one of Techno's favorites, but still one of his.Then Tommy started slashing it around like an idiot, and Techno took it a step further, showing him the best way to hold and stab with it, and then giving him a lesson on vital points (to which Tommy started yelling that he 'knows all that shit, he's a fucking expert in stab wounds actually-').Foolish begins construction in a few days. Phil would like to have this Dream situation wrapped up nice and tidy before then, so Tommy can decide which room he wants. Then, Tommy can settle in, they can meet and move in the healer, and a new era of the Syndicate can begin.Though Tommy agreed to Wilbur's plan, he's still clearly pretty reluctant. It's two days before Tommy agrees to do it that night- two days of him barely moving from the couch, of him watching television but clearly not absorbing any of it. It distresses Phil, but Techno keeps pulling him away before he can attempt to soothe the fledg- the teenager.Another reason to suspect Techno's growing fond of him, though it could also just be him trying to stop Phil from getting too attached. Again.He's playing just as much keep-away with Wilbur, after all, which Wilbur just isn't accepting in the slightest. The moment Techno has his back turned, Wilbur is on the couch with Tommy, poking and prodding at him, chattering away to try to get his attention. Sometimes, it almost seems like Tommy is going to lighten up, and then Tommy curls up further and Techno realizes that Wilbur is pushing too much yet again.And so, they need to handle Dream. Phil has his doubts about Wilbur's theory, but if Tommy really will feel better without the threat of Dream over his head, then of course he'll do that for him, healer or no healer. (Damn his instincts, getting him so attached so quickly. But he's just a fledgling, with no one to take care of him, too skinny and too abrasive, whatever miserable life he's dealt with forcing him to put up walls and oh-so-ineffective defenses. If Phil gets his way, Tommy will never have to wall himself off again.)Tommy's only ready after a dozen promises that they'll be close by, so close that Dream won't get a hand on him. Wilbur even gives him a bracelet that he can press to alert them if something's wrong, and send them his location in the impossible case that they get separated. Then Tommy demands an earpiece so he can talk to them while he waits. Whatever it takes to ease his mind.Wilbur has Niki 'report a sighting' as soon as they're in the city, and the three of them break off from Tommy immediately. He quickly darts off, backpack in hand, and Phil quickly makes his way up to the rooftops. Dream may use the roofs to get around occasionally, but he doubts he will when he hears that the child he's looking for is on the ground. And if he does- well, it won't go as smoothly as if they catch him off guard, but Dream is no match for the three of them at once.Phil watches at a distance as Tommy ducks into an alleyway. Techno and Wilbur are busy climbing up the side of the building behind him- his poor flightless flock- so he's the one making sure Tommy is fine for now. Tommy leans against a building and slides down, still clinging to his bag. Phil turns on his earpiece. "You doing okay, Tommy?" he asks, voice soft."Yeah, 'course." He's breathless, too much for just a short bit of running. Phil wants to scrap this plan so much, take Tommy into his arms and take him away from even the hint of danger- but Wil wants this to go off as planned, to show Tommy that they can protect him even from his worst nightmares."We're right here. I can see you, don't worry.""I'm not worried, " he hisses, despite the hour of reassurances they had to give him. "Just- want this over with. I want to go-" he hesitates. "Back. To your house."...he's so glad Tommy didn't call it 'home'. He would have broken immediately, Wil or no Wil. "Already got an alert that the Warden saw Dream out and about tonight. Shouldn't be too long for him to make his way here."Tommy pulls the dagger out of his backpack, rolling it between his hands, before zipping his backpack up and hiding it behind his back. He won't be involved in Dream's death, Phil won't have it, but if having the knife in arm's reach soothes him, Phil won't tell him to put it away.Wilbur and Techno finally join him, peering out towards the alley. There's a loud noise in the distance before a car alarm starts going off, and Phil flutters his wings. Is it-?Yes. And god, it's hilarious. Dream is jumping from car to car- and the media complains about the Syndicate doing property damage when their number one hero runs around doing shit like this- before jumping to the sidewalk right by the alleyway. "Theo?" Phil hears faintly through the earpiece. What's more audible is how Tommy's breathing speeds up.Phil nods at the others and stands, readying his wings to fly down. The sight of him descending is usually enough to put the fear of Death in anyone, and he'd like to scare Dream before they-"Theo," Dream says again, clearer now that he's closer to Tommy. "Gods, Theo, I've been so worried about you."He sounds so genuinely relieved. It makes Phil pause, just slightly. Tommy seemed so sure that Dream was going to- what, hurt him? But Dream sounds so happy to see him again. The way Phil would be if someone he cared for went missing for who knows how long.But Tommy is already hitting that panic button on his bracelet, despite knowing the three of them can see him. "Dream-" Tommy says, his voice breaking as he scrambles to his feet. Phil can see an arm twisted behind him, probably holding onto the dagger."Hey, hey, relax. I'm not mad at you, okay? Right now I'm just- gods, I thought you were stolen, Theo." Dream steps a little closer to him. "You and the book were just gone, out of nowhere. We've been looking for you for weeks, where did you go? Are you alright?""I- I'm fine, Dream," Tommy says, his head tilting up slightly- looking for them. But neither Wilbur nor Techno have made a move, both equally fascinated by this conversation. "I've been fine, I don't need-""Good," Dream sighs in relief. "I hoped my luck would rub off on you. Good thing no one found you, right? Theo, I don't know why you left, but that was dangerous . If someone found out about you- you know you wouldn't be safe, right? You need to come back home.""I'm not going back," he says, raising his voice. "I'm not- I don't want to."Dream stops at that, tilting his head. He reaches up for his mask, putting it aside- at just the wrong angle, so Phil can't see his face, but Tommy can. "Theo, you're coming home. Look, I know things have been... rough, recently. But you didn't have to act out like this. I said I'm not mad, but I am disappointed-""Gods, you sound like you're trying to be a dad- ""I'm not your dad," Dream says sharply, before softening his voice. "I'm your best friend, Theo. I've been protecting you for years, isn't that enough for you? How much do I have to prove myself to you, that I always have your best interests at heart?""You don't!" Tommy shouts, loud enough to hurt Phil's ears. "You don't have my 'best interests at heart', you- you fucking prick. You're not my best friend- you're not my brother- you were my fucking jailer-"Even at a distance, Phil can see how Dream's fists curl up, and it startles him into moving. He drags Wilbur to his feet, Techno following suit on his own. They promised Tommy that Dream wouldn't put a hand on him, and they meant it."Theseus," Dream says, cutting off Tommy. "Don't you ever speak to me like that. Not after all I've done for you." Tommy shrinks a little against the wall, trying to put more distance between them despite how he's trapped. "You're coming home with me, Theo. Whether you want to or not. You may have taken the book when you threw your tantrum, but that doesn't change anything.""...what?" Tommy whispers, barely audible even through the earpiece."I already memorized what was in it! And besides that- I've used it!" Dream steps even closer to Tommy as he cowers , no other word describes it so accurately, he's terrified- "And you know what, Theo? If you really want to put up a fight, if you want to whine and scream? That's fine. But you'll learn to be better. I've heard limbo, the place your soul goes between dying and being revived, is just like your own personal hell. And time isn't the same, either. A few hours of death would be days there. It'd be greater than any lesson I've already taught you. Maybe you'd finally listen to me for once.""Dream- Dream, you can't. ""Oh, Theo. I can do whatever I want." Dream reaches out, Tommy flinching and shutting his eyes before Dream's hand can touch his face-And it never does.