It's You that I Hold Onto

"Thank you, uh..."

"Wilbur!" The man added on cheerfully. Tommy found himself resisting a tug at his lips hearing the happy tone. "You can call me Wil if you like though, it's what my friends and family call me."

Family. The word sat uncomfortably on his mind, small flashes of past families he had tried to settle into speeding across his vision. He didn't remember the details of his past families, like their faces or voices, but he does remember all the emotions they had caused in him. Happiness, comfort, love, despair, loneliness and regret.

Oh, Tommy wished he could be mortal. He wished he could love people and die loved, surrounded by his family, and finally escape this horrible curse. He wouldn't have to deal with categorising each and every individual into a group of their predictable futures, he wouldn't have to deal with leaving anybody he liked, and he would be at peace. He wouldn't be lonely.

The man in front of him must have seen his subtle change, because a frown formed and he was asking another question before Tommy could hide his inner turmoil. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm... I'm fine thank you." Tommy shook off the thoughts of his past, and put on a fake smile.

If only he were mortal, and was not cursed with such a lonely life. Then maybe he could've stayed.

----

Or, Tommy befriends a stubborn bard after he swears to himself he won't seek out new friendships. Being immortal doesn't normally offer lasting happiness, only sadness and grief. Yet apparently this logic is thrown out the window when he meets Wilbur.