Chapter Text
The next few days were pretty, weird, so to say.
Techno and Phil were being… oddly civil for people who were just yelled at a couple of days prior. Phil’s just been annoyingly soft and weirdly, gentle? To say the least, while Techno’s been offering to help gather resources and look after his animals. The two had even tried to teach him some things they’d taught him when he was younger, like paper lanterns. Wilbur was more into those kinds of things than him though.
Tommy wondered how the lanterns in L’manburg were doing, did the floating lights droop down to earth, sodden by the fact he was gone? Maybe they prospered in his absence without the weight of the boy keeping them trapped--
Shut the fuck up intrusive thoughts, we get It he’s depressed overly dramatic and sad, fuck off with the shit metaphors .
Anyway, He’d considered bringing the weird behavior up, but Tommy didn’t want to push his luck. They’d already spared him the last time he questioned and yelled at them. He didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, even if they were being assholes.
“Hey Tommy!” Phil lightly grinned, either blind to or just plain ignoring the tension between the two.
Tommy looked up from the carrots he was planting, glancing at the older man for a moment before giving a strained smile.
“Hey, Phil. What’re you doing here? Weren’t you gonna go hunt with Techno?”
“Well yeah, but Techno had already gone off by the time I went to go bother him about it. Apparently the voices got a bit overwhelming this morning so he went to go blow off some steam and went and got us at least a couple of stacks of meat.”
Damn it, the only time he’d get away from these cushy fuckers and it’s ruined by Techno’s bloodlust. Great. The animal’s are also gonna be long gone for a couple of weeks or so, so that’s just awesome.
“Huh, well that’s...good? Anyways, what do you need?”
“Nothing really, I just wanted to see if you needed any help around the farm?” Phil offered gently
Tommy glanced back to the vegetable in his hands, before looking at the rest of the field. He guessed having to hang around his old man for a bit would be better than him messing with some of the traps or whatever 45 year old's do in their free time.
The blue eyed boy sighed, “Do whatever you want, just don’t mess with the animals, ‘aight?”
The elder brightened and grabbed a hoe and gloves, working on the wheat rows just a few yards away.
Tommy rolled his eyes at the man before turning his attention back to the plants in hand.
He decided to steadily ignore the tense silence grow heavier and heavier amongst the two men, focusing on the task at hand instead of trying to break the tension.
The empty air continued to fester for a good while while the rustling leaves wafted through the breeze.
“Y’know, when you were a small lad, you used to love wood carving. Your eyes were always practically glued to the knife whenever someone decided to carve anything.”
Tommy darted his eyes to the pale man, fondness written all over his face as a soft smile curled the corners of his mouth up. .
The boy thought back, to a time when he could laugh without a weight hanging on to him and he could call a cottage just outside civilization, his home. Tommy had to have been around 11 the last time he’s been outwardly interested in wood carving. He’s still fascinated with the art, don’t get him wrong, he’s just learned to, internalize , so to say, some of his more personal interests. Though through trial and error, and almost cutting open his fingers several times, He’d been able to learn how to cut a basic owl by the time the early ages of L’manburg came around. Though the figurine looked more like an oval-like lump, if he were to be honest. He hasn’t been able to take up the hobby in a good while though, he could probably look into practicing more later.
It’s a bit surprising Phil brought it up, though. Tommy would’ve thought he’d forgotten by now.
He hummed and raised a brow in curiosity. “Really?”
“Yeah, I tried to teach you the basics, but life kept getting in the way and such. I could barely show you how to hold the knife properly before you left” Phil sighed.
Life, huh? Tommy guessed training and traveling with Techno for hours on end counted as “being busy” to Phil.
“Huh, guess that’s too bad then.” He gave a short reply, trying to signal the end of the conversation.
The older blond hummed, before perking up and facing the boy. “I could always teach you now, if you’d like?”
Tommy paused, before whipping his head around at his father. His eyes widened at the offer and he forced himself to smother any nostalgic fondness, with Phil’s fond eyes and soft smile still on him. He’s still got to keep up this little act of his that he’s got, y’know?
“Wait, really?” Tommy asked in astonishment.
“Yeah, of course mate! It’s the least I could do, after all.”
Phil gave a nervous kind of smile, an emotion the younger couldn’t identify coating the edges.
Tommy paused to think about it. It’s not like Phil giving him a wood carving lesson wouldn’t hurt, right? If he asks how he knows the basics he can just say it’s muscle memory or something and he’ll leave it alone. Besides, the old fucker needs to repay his debt to him somehow. It’s just a payment, not anything else, nope. He’s lucky he gets to teach him something for once instead of the other way around!
Tommy looked to the side, trying in vain to suppress a light flush to his face.
“Yeah, sure I guess. That’d be pretty cool...”
Phil chuckled at the teens awkwardness, and gave the faux-amnesiac and fond clap on his shoulder. “If you’re sure. Let’s go and get some of those extra wood planks you have laying around, I’ll lend you a carving knife from my e-chest.”
----
Phil and Techno stood in front of the boy, their luggage and materials packed away as they prepared to leave.
It’s been around 2 weeks since his father and brother stumbled upon the seventeen year old in the forest, and the two had told the boy the morning before that they had to leave soon. The anarchists still lived in the SMP and had to return sooner or later, or people would notice their absence and look for them, which would put Tommy and the life he’s built at risk.
So, he helped the two pack, dreading anticipating when he’d finally be left alone again.
Now here they are, their feet stuck to the dirt as they anticipated who would say the first goodbye.
Phil smiled tiredly, his blue eyes layered with a faint resignation as he tried to stall for just a minute longer.
“You know, we still have time for you to come with us mate.”
Tommy prepared to give the same answer he’s given him practically a thousand times over, the familiar “No, fuck off,” just sitting on his tongue . Though this time, a whisper in his mind suggested he rethink this time.
Tommy went back to the time he’s spent in this clearing. Building his treehouse, finding Clara, Brick, Janice, Woolbur, Clementine, and Tubbee. Hunting and setting up miscellaneous traps, spending hours farming and relishing in the burn of his muscles. Spending the early mornings and late nights sorting through his thoughts as an abandoned ravine with memories embedded in the gritty rock taunting him, with an obsidian wall nipping at his skin and a smiling mask burning through his eyes. The burning stars hung in the sky his sole audience. He’s been healed and he’s been hurt in this jungle, and he’s dealt with it by his lonesome.
Though, to be honest, he didn’t want to be alone anymore. He couldn’t be alone anymore.
Tommy came out here to escape and heal from the chaos that was Dream the SMP, and he did! He got to focus on other things and enjoy his build without backhanded compliment and critiques following him. He could make and forge as much armor and weapons as he could like without the fear of a green hood coming and destroying his progress, leaving him with an empty dirt shack.
But, it was lonely, almost too lonely. Sure he had his animals and pet, but they couldn’t compare to mindless chatter, to the hours of banter, to the smiles and laughter he’d get when his jokes landed.
And yes, Tommy had healed, but he hasn't healed completely. If he stayed out here the rest of his days, he would only get more and more plagued by countless “what if’s” and worries, constantly eating at his mental health, eventually destroying all progress he’s made out here.
If Tommy wanted to truly let go of his trauma past problems, he would have to face them head on and reconcile with any loose ends he’d left behind.
Phil sighed, taking the blonds silence as his answer.
“Alright, if you’re sure. Techno and I’ll go back to the SMP, but we’ll visit sometime, okay?”
Techno took Phil by the shoulder and turned around, the two walking away as Tommy was gathering his thoughts.
“Wait,”
The pair paused just before entering the shadows of the forest, with Phil turning around to look at him and Techno standing to the side.
Tommy looked at the two before taking a breath and letting his next sentence settle in the air.
“I’ll go”
Phil and Techno paused, Phil almost visibly perked up, a hopeful light gleaming in his eyes.
Tommy curled his shoulders subconsciously, anxious unnerved at the intense stares the two were giving him.
Tommy huffed, “Look, I’ll go with you you fuckers. Only because this is probably the only way to find out what happened to me!” He saw the blond brighten while Techno’s shoulder relaxed.
They’ve really fallen for the whole amnesia thing, haven’t they? He’s never gonna let this go.
“I’m also gonna bring my pets, and there nothing you can do about it bitch.” Tommy grumbled.
Phil let out a bright laugh, clapping his hands together while his eyes danced in delight.
“Alright mate, Let’s get you packed then, yeah?”