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Tommy was not a hero, not by any means.
Sure, he had healing powers, sure he took on people’s burdens and injuries, helping them out of life threatening circumstances.
But he was not a hero.
He helped people … but not because he wanted to.
It was his duty, he was born to do so. But that didn’t mean he wanted to take the pain of a broken limb, a cut or a slash, he didn't want to take on the pain of a concussion or the feeling of bleeding out.
He didn’t want to heal people. Therefore, he was not a hero. Not like his comrades were, they selflessly push themselves into fights against the villains, protecting civilians and the likes. And it was his job to heal them after those encounters, because while they won the battle they did not win the war. So they had to keep fighting, and how could they do that if they’re not in peak performance.
That’s where Tommy comes in.
Tommy is their fucking doctor .
It was unfair, since he’s not even old enough to go to the doctor by himself. He’s only twelve.
But the city doesn’t care about that, the heroes don’t care about that, as long as he can still do his job, as long as they can keep the city safe. They took him in, an orphaned boy, and now they own him. (‘Own’, because he doesn’t feel real, he doesn’t feel like a person).
Sometimes it becomes too much, the phantom pains in his limbs burn each time he moves, he can barely feel his lungs as he breathes. When it becomes unbearable, he runs.
He goes away.
Slipping quietly past the guards and running around the city. He just wants a fucking break, is that too much to ask?.
He sits alone on a rooftop, letting the cold breeze slip through his clothes, feeling like a fresh balm that soothes his rashes.
He sighs, looking up to the sky, he sobs quietly.
Too immersed in his thoughts he doesn’t hear the footsteps coming towards him.
“What it’s a kid like you doing here, it’s the middle of the night” a deep voice called, startling him.
He jumped, almost falling off, he cleaned his tears as he held his body tight. The stranger chuckled.
And he huffed, offended, then- he turned around.
He stared straight up to a boar mask that stared back with empty black eyes and his blood ran cold.
“Haven’t you heard it’s dangerous to go out at night?”
Tommy’s breath hitched, because the fucking Blood God , one of the most dangerous villains in the city was standing two inches away from him.
“Don’t worry kid, I didn’t come here to harm you. That would be a waste of a perfectly clean blade”
Tommy doesn’t dare to move.
He doesn’t need to, the villain moves, sitting next to him.
“Enjoyin’ the view?”
Tommy nods his head, reluctantly, hiding away his puffy eyes.
“It’s a good view, but honestly, the view is even better when you’re on top of las Nevadas”
“The casino?” the words left his mouth before he could stop them, he slapped a hand over his mouth.
“Huh, I didn’t thought you knew what it was”
“I-I’ve heard of it”
“Really?, Interesting”
It’s all he says and then he’s back enjoying the view. Tommy wondered if he was actually scanning the next place he’ll attack or really just taking on the city.
“Aren’t your parents worried that you’re out so late at night?” the villain asked after a couple of moments of silence.
Tommy flinched.
“Better yet, do you have any parents?”
“I- O-of course I do!” he shouted, defensive, his cheeks turning red. He hoped the villain couldn’t see his embarrassment behind the mask and the poor lighting of the abandoned building.
The Blood God snorted.
“Hm, and they don’t care that you’re here?” he teased.
“They- they don’t know” he huffed.
“Oh?”
“What do you care bitch?! Just go away!”
The villain hummed, and he thought that maybe he went too far, he didn’t mean to lash out. He tensed, wondering if this was how he died.
The man just snorted, looking at him.
“Well, I was just wondering, and it’s true. I really should get going”
“You’re going to commit crimes?” He asked, knowing it was a stupid question, so that even he cringed.
The man gave a huff, almost like a laugh.
“Oh yeah, so so many crimes” Tommy can practically see the villain’s grin even when the mask is on. “You should get going home too”
Tommy huffs.
“You’re not the boss of me”
“True, do as you please then, goodnight.”
And with that he disappeared into the night.
-
He hoped to never see the villain again, but his wishes were never heard.
And so he found the man sitting on top of the same building. He planned to go back to turn around and pretend like he had never gone out at all, but it was too late.
“Lovely night, don’t you think?”
Tommy froze.
“It’s a shame pollution don’t let stars shine as brightly in the city” he hummed “Is truly a sight to marvel at”
Tommy just stared at the man’s back.
“Have you seen the stars, kid?”
He shook his head.
“You should, they’re really beautiful”
Tommy wanted to say how he would never be out of the city, he was technically not allowed to leave the heroes’ tower. He wanted to admit that he would love to see the stars, maybe they would make the ache under his skin fade away, he wants to think shooting stars are real and that he’ll wish to be free and his wish would be granted.
“I don’t know” he murmurs instead.
The villain pats at the edge beside him, and Tommy relents, walking and sitting next to him (For some reason the second time he sits next to a villain isn’t as scary as the first)
He curls on himself, holding his knees up to his chin, hugging his legs, trying to forget the pain he was made to endure all day.
Somehow talking to someone that treats him like a human person instead of as a healing pool, asking trivial things, is comforting, it distracts him.
“So, why did you come here?” he finds himself asking.
“I could ask you the same thing” the villain chuckles.
Tommy hums.
“It’s a good distraction” he admits, quietly, not wanting to be heard (It is heard either way).
The man keeps quiet for a second.
“What’s your name kid?”
“Wha- where did that come from?”
The man shrugs.
“I just wanted to know, I can’t keep calling you ‘kid’ all the time”
Tommy huffed.
“I’m not giving you my name! You’ll- you’ll use it for evil shit! I bet!”
“Heh?! For what could I use your name?!”
“I dunno!” He grinned “But you’re evil! You’ll use it for some evil shit!”
“Wha-?! I’m not evil, I’m a villain!”
“That’s the same thing!”
The man shook his head.
“Untrue, I fight for my ideals, which are correct by the way, your government and all the bunch of heroes just don’t want to acknowledge them”
Tommy huffs, and so does the man.
“Fine, you don’t want to give me your name-” Tommy froze, looking at the villain with wide eyes as he thought he was going to attack him “I’ll have to give you one”
He’ll have to what?
“Wha- that’s not how it works!”
The villain raises a hand towards his face, shushing him as he holds his chin.
“Shh, I’m thinkin’”
“Wha-?!”
The man hums for a second.
“Theseus”
“Excuse me?!”
“Theseus, that’s your name now”
“Why-?”
“You almost fell off the edge when we first met, it’s almost like falling off a cliff, it’s mythology, greek mythology.”
He was speechless for a second.
“You- you just don’t get to change my name like that!”
The villain huffs.
“Watch me”
The man was annoying and definitely evil. He didn’t wish to see him ever again after this blatant form of disrespect (It was funny, he almost laughed, he wished he could have conversations like this every day).
-
Him and the Blood God kept meeting on the same rooftop. It was nice, they’ve had plenty of conversations, sometimes they just sat next to each other, basking in each other’s presence. Tommy didn’t like silence, but with the villain it was always comfortable, welcomed even.
He had fallen asleep on the man’s shoulder once. He was so comfortable, one of the best naps he ever had. It was hard not to make a habit out of it.
At some point he had admitted that his name was Tommy, and the Blood God had laughed at the resemblance of names. Some time after that he trusted him with his.
Technoblade, the Blood God was named Technoblade. It was fucking stupid, and he made sure to tell him that. He got a light smack in the head for that. Worth it .
It was nice. Technoblade made him forget about the pain, talking the night away until it was time for both of them to go back to their lives. Tommy wished he could accompany Techno to his world, to his life. Surely a life of villainy would be better than the pain he was enduring.
-
He was playing with Techno’s hand, tracing the scars on them as he rested his head on his chest.
“Penny for your thoughts” he heard Techno say, and he lifted his face to look at him”
“Would you actually give me a penny?”
Techno hummed.
“Hmm, no” he laughed.
Tommy huffed, turning his head back down and yanking on Techno’s fingers.
“Bitch”
Techno chuckled.
“What are you thinking Toms?”
“Nothing … I don’t want to think of nothing” he confessed, letting out a yawn.
Techno hummed, putting his cheek on top of his curls.
“Are you tired?”
He nodded.
He was always tired.
Techno lifted his head, bringing up his free hand to scratch as his scalp, smoothing gently the golden locks.
He leaned back on the man, his hand long forgotten, and felt as if he was shifted. Next thing he knew he was resting on the man’s lap as he brushed his hair.
“Sleep Theseus, I’ll wake you up if something happens”
He hummed.
The moment felt so light, so fragile, and so so comfortable.
It was easy to fall asleep.
-
“We know you’ve been sneaking out” it was spat at him once he finished with the last hero of the day.
“What…?”
“Oh c’mon! Did you really think you could fool us?! Do you think we’re dumb?!” He was pushed back to a chair.
“I didn’t do anything!”
“Yeah, yeah! YOU LIED TO US! Thomas! All we want is to keep you safe! You don’t know how dangerous the world is out there!”
How could he not know when he threatened with life and death each time? Every single person that was brought to him was a clear sign that the world was dangerous.
He didn’t care.
“But I-!”
“We don’t want to hear it!”
He flinched back.
“You’ve been sneaking out, for almost every night for the last couple of weeks, where have you been going?! What are you doing?!”
“It- it doesn’t matter! I came back, didn't I?!”
“YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO GO OUT IN THE FIRST PLACE!”
“WHY NOT?!”
“THE WORLD IS DANGEROUS! PEOPLE WILL TRY AND USE YOU! THEY ARE GREEDY AND WON’T EVER LOVE YOU!” they gasped for air, then their gaze softened with a toxic glint “Thomas, we just want to protect you, the world- is horrendous, there’s nothing there for you, there’s no one there for you”
Tommy hissed between his teeth. That couldn’t be- that couldn’t be true. Not when Technoblade kept waiting for him on that rooftop, when he talked so gently with him, not when he listened to his rambles. When he held him close like always wished his mother would, so warm and gentle that he melted into his embrace every time. When he joked with him.
Not when he even confessed his powers and the only thing the man did was hum and compliment his skill to then keep braiding his hair. Those moments were all true, unlike the nonsense the person was speaking to him.
Techno loved him and he loved Techno, he loved him as if he was his father. He didn’t want nor need the world, he just wanted Techno, he just wanted his father.
“SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT U-”
A hand slapped his cheek harshly.
Time stopped for a second.
“HOW DARE YOU YELL AT ME?!”
He stayed still, watching with wide eyes around him.
It hurt.
But this time, he was hurting. It was his pain.
And maybe it was a knee reaction, maybe it was him finally getting courage to fight back. Perhaps his own pain was different than the one before.
But something snapped.
He heard a crack as pain and adrenaline rushed through his veins.
He pushed the person aside, running away.
Even though he heard people yelling behind him, trying to catch him, he just covered his ears and kept running as tears sprung in his eyes.
Tommy ran and ran until his legs gave out, collapsing on the road concrete, he heard people talking over him, loud klaxons pounding on his ears.
He couldn’t breathe.
His lungs felt like collapsing, closing their crumbling walls to any air that Tommy tried to get in as he greedily gasped for air. His blood burned like lava under his skin.
He screamed. His throat closing and aching as he clawed at his skin, trying to get rid of the painful feeling.
It hurt.
It hurt so much.
The only thing his panicked eyes could focus on was a golden light. So bright that almost burned his pupils. He closed his eyes, feeling the tears run free in his cheeks.
He heard a loud crack.
Then mumbled and worried voices.
“GET OUT OF HERE!” he heard someone yell, loud and commanding.
He felt compelled to obey, but his body was aching, he couldn’t move, it hurt too much to even breathe.
Then people started screaming, he screamed with them, loud thumps surrounding him, loud sensations crashing from everywhere to him.
Tommy felt his skin aching more with each one, his nails digging painfully into his arms.
He sobbed, each time with a hiccup that wrecked his form.
“HE’S DANGEROUS! STAY AWAY FROM HIM!”
Each word stabbed a stake through his heart.
He cried, screaming once more.
He wasn’t dangerous- he didn’t mean to. He just didn't want to be alone, he wanted to be loved, he didn't mean to be dangerous.
What he wouldn’t give to have Techno here right now.
He sobbed, and soon enough arms were around him.
He tried to trash to break free from them, but the mere idea of moving felt like thorns wrapping his skin.
His head was maneuvered, placed against something sturdy and comfortable, familiar fingers started treading his hair, and for a moment he thought he had lost the fight against insanity.
“It’s alright Theseus” a deep voice said and he froze.
He recognized that voice. He recognized that name.
Engraved in his mind, written over rose petals with a golden ink.
It was Technoblade. His savior, his father .
Relief cursed through his body as he heard him speak again.
“It’s okay”
…
-
Technoblade didn’t expect to see a commotion.
It was his day off after all.
Even his brother and his parents had taken the day off, just because.
So it was weird that people were yelling and running away.
He pretended to be a curious civilian, walking closer to the core of the chaos.
People pushed at him, and he could hear heroes yelling to go away, that there was someone dangerous. A clicking bomb of time he had heard one of them murmur.
He hummed. Peeking through the crowd.
He expected to see a million things.
Another villain, someone with a bomb or a weapon-
What he didn’t expect was to see Tommy.
His Tommy.
Curled up on the ground, glowing with golden tears that fell off his face and yellow cracks that adorned his skin, as if he was made of porcelain and breaking with the pressure of the contents inside.
He stood there for a second, frozen.
Heart clenching as he heard a painful scream.
It was Tommy. His Tommy, and he was hurting.
Whatever power he had was breaking and pouring out of him. And Tommy was keeping himself from exploding.
Techno could see just how painful that was.
Without thinking twice he sprinted towards him, pushing past the people that hurried in the opposite direction.
He felt someone grab his arm but he yanked it back.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! COME BACK!"
He didn't pay the hero any mind as Tommy let out another scream, his eyes focused on the young boy that used to curl on his chest when he was tired, the little boy who would laugh at his jokes and tell him all kinds of dreams he had.
The boy he would consider his son.
(He knew Tommy was bluffing from the start, even before he confessed to be an orphan, he knew what he lacked. And he was willing to step in that place.)
And in the blink of an eye he was there, falling to his knees next to the boy and holding him.
The boy flinched.
His skin was hot to the touch, almost burning, like lava, but that didn't bother him, his power could handle it.
Techno held him close, tight, as if trying to alleviate the burden and to keep him together.
He cradled his head gently, guiding it to his chest. He put his chin over the golden curls, just as he grew used to do.
"It's alright Theseus," he felt the boy's breath hitch "It's okay."
He rubbed the boy's arm gently, trying to ground him into the moment.
"It's okay Theseus, let it out, I can take it."
He squeezed Tommy tightly, confident that his own powers would be enough to keep Tommy's at bay, letting him flood out without taking the world out with him.
The boy turned to look at him, pleading blue eyes that shined with golden tears.
"It's gonna be fine" he offered him a small smile.
The boy heaved, letting out a wrenching sob before launching himself to Techno's chest, holding tight to his shirt. He held him tighter.
And then he broke.
Letting out an explosion of heat and light that was barely contained by Techno's own body.
He opened his eyes after a moment, not having even noticed when he had closed them in the first place.
The light had faded around them, letting them sit alone in a now small crater.
He was still holding Tommy.
He felt his skin hiss, minor burns that should get treated protesting to him. He didn't pay them any mind.
Neither did he acknowledge the gasps of the people that got close.
Only focused on rocking Tommy back and forth as the boy continued to cry on his chest. He didn't glow any longer, nor did he have cracks on his skin, but that only made Techno want to hold him tighter.
"It's alright" he murmured as he showered Tommy's head with kisses "You're okay, things will be okay"
The heroes were hesitant to get closer, not wanting to turn on the treat again. And honestly, he didn't want them anywhere near him or his boy.
There were cameras pointing at them, and he tried to hide Tommy in his arms. Oh, how he hated the press.
Eventually Tommy tired himself out, only barely keeping himself awake for a couple moments.
Techno chuckled softly at seeing him struggle to keep his eyelids open, pressing yet another kiss on his brow.
"Are you okay? We'll take him back" a hero approached him after a while, and extended his arms to take Tommy.
Techno nearly growled, pressing Tommy tighter to his chest and moving back so that the hero couldn't reach for him.
"Don't touch my son" He hissed.
They flinched back, startled, but not scared.
Techno wished he had his boar mask, maybe that would be more intimidating.
"Your son?" They asked in disbelief, but they shouldn't doubt him.
His statement must be believed to be true, they would have no reason to doubt him, unless- they knew him . Unless they knew Tommy.
And if they knew him, oh he would be so very pissed that they let him break down, abandoning him to deal with his own powers alone.
"Let- let us take him from you, so that the paramedics can treat you"
"I don't need to be treated" He hissed, holding Tommy tight.
The heroes frowned, unsure, looking back at each other.
He was escorted with Tommy to an ambulance after almost an hour of insistence. It was getting annoying how they kept trying to take the boy from him.
And there was one thing that the media was good for. Broadcasting his location on TV.
He almost sighed in relief at seeing his father's limousine park near the scene, the press turning back to the man and flashing their lights and cameras at him as he exited the vehicle, Wilbur was right behind him.
When he approached them, the police didn't have enough power to detain one of the richest persons in the city.
"What is the meaning of this?" His father frowned, questioning the heroes that stood outside the ambulance.
Techno didn't miss a beat, answering for them.
"They want to take Tommy from me"
(They knew Tommy, how would they not when he talked all the time about him?)
Wilbur catched quick to his game and scoffed, so eloquently as always.
"Why do you want to take my nephew?!"
The heroes halted.
"H-he's dangerous, he almost just blew the city, we just want to keep everyone safe. We have to make sure he's stable-"
"You can do that without taking my son away" he stated.
"He's not your son" someone new called. Someone he recognized as the leader of the heroe committee.
Phil discreetly stood in front of him and Wilbur, keeping them behind his back.
"You're not that boy's father"
And if Techno suspected the heroes had any relationship with Tommy, he was now sure.
"What are you implying? That my son is a liar?!" Phil defends.
"I'm stating the truth, that boy doesn't belong to you"
Techno frowned.
"He's just a kid, he doesn't 'belong' to anybody!" his brother hissed.
Tommy stirred awake at the argument. Fluttering his eyes open.
"Thomas" the boy flinched at the voice, keeping an iron grip on Techno's shirt "Stop this nonsense and come back"
"Don't talk to him" Wilbur shouted.
"You can't tell me what to do-"
"But I can and will tell you to leave my son alone" he interrupted.
Tommy's breath hitched, looking hopefully to him.
"HE'S NOT YOUR SON-!"
The boy trembled and sobbed in his arms, clutching tight to Techno, catching all of their attention.
"I want to go home" he whispered.
"Of course Thomas, let's go-"
"Dad," he looked up at Techno. "I want to go home" he cried, loud, burying his face on his neck.
And with that he won.
The man flinched as the heroes’ and nurses’ gaze fell upon him. Techno knew that he'd won after Tommy just stated publicly that he was his father, announcing his role to the curious press that kept the cameras pointed at them, another point to the media he guessed.
He cradled his son's head , holding the golden curls gently.
"We'll go home, Theseus" he said as he cleaned a stray tear from his cheek.
"This isn't the end of this" the man hissed.
"Oh, I think you'll find it is" Phil stated.
And Techno was glad to have his family have his back. He knew how easy it would be for his father to get fake papers for Tommy, how the adoption process could be simplified with a little cash spent here and there.
The man huffed and walked away.
And Tommy finally let out a breath he had been holding, holding tighter to Techno.
"Thank you" he murmured.
Techno shook his head, holding him tighter.
"It's nothing, it's my job after all, protecting my kid"
"Did you mean it?" He asked, soft, not wanting to be heard, doubtful, but so full of hope.
Techno pressed a kiss to his temple.
"Of course. You're my son, in everything but blood"
"Really?"
"Yes, who else would make sure you stay off the cliffs?"
And Tommy chuckled, a melodic sound that soon crumbled with a hiccup, turning into a sad laugh, and then a sob. The boy then launched himself into his arms, placing his around Techno's neck, holding tight.
"Thank you" he sobbed "I love you" He murmured.
And Techno- froze for just a millisecond, before tightening the hug.
"I love you too"
…
There was a coff.
They both turned their heads at the sound.
"Well aren't you going to introduce us to my nephew?" Wilbur smirked.
Phil gave him a small hit in the head for ruining the moment.
And he would've felt annoyed, but Tommy laughed again and Techno thought that was all that mattered.
If his son was happy then nothing else mattered.
He gave a small smile.
And later they would go home and proper introductions would be made, without the pressure of the press or prying eyes. Then Tommy would spill everything he went through with the heroes and they would be mad at them, and they would act on it, not without pampering Tommy first with anything he wanted, helping him heal, both physically and mentally. Later, Wilbur and Tommy would become a menace together, and Phil would spoil his grandkid with his favorite foods and games. Tommy would only use his powers when he wanted, being taught to control them. Later they would get the adoption paper, making everything official.
But for now they were happy in the moment.
Since Techno had his son in his arms where he could love and protect him. And Tommy got what he always wanted, a loving family.