Till Death Do Us Part

Warm

Big(ger than usual) chapter

...

The next morning Tommy wakes Michael and they have breakfast together, laughing and smiling and exchanging stories of Techno and Phil. Niki watches them with a small smile, hovering on the outskirts of their conversation. Tommy felt light, like talking about his past had helped him come to terms with it, if only the lighter parts. He hadn't felt so careless since he was... well. You'd have to rewind more than a few years.

"Will you..." Michael eventually asks the question, eye dropping to his empty plate and fingers fiddling with his fork. "Will you come back to the clearing with me?"

Tommy dropped his own eyes.

"You don't have to stay for long," Michael rushes out. "Just to talk, no promises or expectations!"

"I don't know Michael," Tommy scrubs his face with his hands. "I'm not the same boy they raised, am I?"

"They don't care," Michael strains. "They... they would be so happy just to know that boy, you know? They've been so desperate to reconnect, even if they don't say it out loud. I can hear it in their voices, see it in their eyes, every time they talk about you. You're still you at your core, and they still love you."

"You don't know that," Tommy says, but Michael's reassurance has still brought a small smile to his face nonetheless.

"Maybe I don't," Michael says. "So come figure it out for yourself."

Tommy exhales, thinking it over. It's been years, and he won't deny that the thought of reconnecting with his distant family has crossed his mind more than once over those lonely years. Even after he'd found a family of his own, there was still always something missing, something he'd been trying to ignore.

And then he thinks of Isaac, Isaac who is so loved and could be loved so much more. Who deserves grandparents, uncles, people he could trust that weren't Raelyn, or Alex or him. A bigger family, more stories, more love and smiles and joy. Isaac could have so much more.

Tommy finally looks up.

"Okay," He says.

"Okay?" Michael repeats excitedly. "Okay!"

"Let me go see Isaac first," Tommy says. "You can go ahead, I'll be right behind."

"Are you sure?" Michael looks unsure. "I can wait."

"No, it's fine," Tommy reassures. "It would be fair to give them a warning that I'm coming anyway."

Michael nods, still a little uncertain, but Tommy's set his jaw.

"Alright, I'll see you there then?"

"See you, Michael," Tommy smiles, making sure to ruffle the piglins hair as he walks by. "Don't get lost, okay?"

Michael laughs, giving Tommy what would be a wink if he had more than one eye. Tommy grins at him, feeling something warm bloom in his chest.

And then Michael's gone.

Tommy hopes he can heal whatever bond he's frayed with Phil and Techno, because he really wants to keep that kid in his life.

Tommy shakes his head, going to see Isaac. When he reaches Isaac's room, his son is sitting up, rubbing the last dregs of sleep from his eyes.

"Dad!" He exclaims when he sees him. Tommy's eyes widen. This is the most life he's seen in Isaac for the past few months. He can feel tears forming in his eyes, but refuses to let them fall.

"Isa, oh-" Tommy gasps. He runs to his son and scoops him into his arms. "How are you?"

"I'm really good!" Isaac says. He's smiling, and Tommy missed that smile. He holds his son tighter. "Can we go home soon?"

"Of course, of course," Tommy says. "Only a few more days to make sure you're feeling better and then we can go see Raelyn and Alex and home again, okay?"

"Okay!" Isaac's grin brightens, his old enthusiasm shining through. Tommy's heart aches. He never wants his son to lose that endless positivity ever again. Isaac's eyes are starting to droop again. Tommy tucks him in carefully, stroking his hair gently as he drifts to sleep.

"Dad," Isaac says, just before he falls asleep. "I love you."

"I love you too, Isa," Tommy whispers, and Isaac is asleep. Tommy smiles softly and walks from the room.

"You're leaving?" Niki asks when he walks into the kitchen.

"I'm going to see Techno and Phil," Tommy ignores how strange the names feel on his tongue. Growing a family of your own puts a strange perspective on your own family.

Niki brightens. "Oh, good luck!"

"Thanks," Tommy grins. "Keep an eye on Isaac for me, will you?"

"Of course," Niki says. She reaches for one of his hands and squeezes it, lowering her voice. "They love you, Tommy, remember that."

Tommy nods, throat feeling clogged. He doesn't understand how he gained and kept such an array of beautiful people in his life. His trip to Esempi had been expected to be many things, but good was never one of them. He feels blessed that despite the many hiccups in his life, he still always had those second chances and smiling faces waiting for him.

"See you soon," He calls over his shoulder as he leaves. Niki waves back at him and he smiles. The world has never felt so light on his shoulders.

Of course, it never lasts.

Tommy makes his way to Phil and Techno slowly, taking his time to run over what he could say in his head. He's surrounded by the woods of his childhood old memories running 'round his mind, filling it with ghostly laughter. He tries to shake it, but something feels off.

Wrong.

Bad.

Something bad is going to happen.

Tommy stops walking, taking a moment to scan the shrubbery for anything. Danger, something in him screams. He almost turns around and goes back to Nikki, but he doesn't. His desperation to see his family outlasts the prickling in the back of his neck.

"Tommy."

Every nerve, vein and limb of Tommy's freezes. He knows that voice. He knows that voice. Tommy turns towards it, the brittle ice that coats him tightening as he spins. He hasn't felt fear like this in years. It consumes him, clouding his judgement and his eyes as he struggles to make out the figure in front of him. Recognition shoots through him like lightning, melting the ice and filling him with red-hot fire instead. He's burning. He's screaming. He's crying. He's doing nothing but stare as the man in front of him grins wicked.

"Welcome home."

...

yall know exactly who that is

1000 words! who knew i still had it in me? not much to say surprisingly, just the same old reminder of don't expect the frequency of updates to stay frequent, I'M UNRELIABLE as we've established. this fic's been going for two years ffs, and we're only just getting there. strap in, ig.