Chapter Text
"May I have this dance?" Dream asks, being halfway with his hand on his chest.
Tommy hesitated, resisting the urge to spit in his face and say no, knowing he shouldn't deny for the sake of their alliance. He dipped his head in a bow. "Of course, your majesty."
He could feel Ranboo and Tubbo's eyes on them, switching between watching Dream's every move and analyzing Tommy's reactions. They've always been bad at spying.
The crowd of rich higher ups laughed and danced around them, the ones surrounding them making sure they didn't too closer from the host and his victim. The music was loud but at least not to the point he couldn't hear the one next to him, one of those classical tunes that Techno would listen to.
It almost burned Tommy's skin as he placed his hands in Damion's. Damion's swift pacing made it a little difficult to match paces with him, but he managed. After all, he used to ball dance with Wilbur and Techno all the time, and one of them was much taller than Dream. He was never allowed to lead, like now, so he was used to being forced to keep up.
The dance was traditional, easy to recall the steps like the back of his hand. When the notes of the musical instruments lifted high, he was twirled and brought back as the dance demanded. It was awkward and put him on edge when all the view he had was Dream's porcelain mask never once turning away from him.
At least the king didn't try to make small talk as they danced.
"As much as I think your skills are well practiced,"
Well, he spoke too soon.
Suddenly Tommy was turned and dipped, "Let's cut to the chase." Dream paused in that position for a moment, tightening his clasped hand in his and making him tense. "I'd like to make a deal with you, young Theseus."
"What kind of deal..?" Tommy managed to ask, practically choking on the cold fear that grew inside of him, his heart picking up speed.
Damion slowly let him back up, yet keeping a grip on him like a bird latching on to its prey. "Let's join alliances. Closer than before, and more stronger. Think about it; with my power and your influence, we can be even greater."
He blanked, blinking up at him like he's seeing double. He feels cold sweat form at the side of neck and his heartbeat pick up speed. "Are.. Are you sure? Is that a good idea?" He stuttered out, wanting nothing more than to rip himself away and run all the way back home. "How will that even happen?"
Tommy paused, barely holding back his grimace, barely managing to keep the sheer disgust from his voice. "I'm not marrying you..."
"Oh, no, of course not!" Dream laughed with a wheeze that was so surprising coming from a man of such intimidating status, throwing his head back and letting go of his hand. "No, I don't want to m-marry you! Just alliances. More than acquaintances, though. Like.. friends."
"Friends?"
"Yeah, why not?"
"I don't know.. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for rivaling kings to be friends?"
"Who said we were rivals? I admire you, you know, King Theseus. I think it's fascinating that you got crowned so young, all that weight on your shoulders must be exhausting, isn't it?"
"Well.. yes, I suppose so.."
"Then how come you won't let me take some of it off, hm?"
"You'd help me?"
"If we join alliances, become friends in other words, then yeah. I'll help you." Dream puts a hand on his shoulder, the weight of it heavy and rough. "I'll.. become your new older brother. How does that sound?"
Wonderful. A voice sounding like his own sighs, filled with yearning and desperation.
"I'll think about it." Tommy settles for. He has a feeling he would be sending him a letter by the time he gets home.
"You shouldn't love me." Tommy mutters with half lidded eyes, a far away look to them that threatened to take hold of him. He lets his forehead hit the wall with no care for his image. He's not sure his image could be more pathetic than this. "When you love a [last name], it's a curse."
"No," They spoke up, stepping forward with confidence as if they weren't just proposing an idiotic suggestion. "Not to me. Loving you is the greatest blessing ever given to me. P.. Pardon my words, my majesty, but I don't care if you're apart of the bloodline of [last name]. It had never mattered to me." Their voice near shook with the amount of emotion it held, tight with a lowered tone as if confessing a sacred thing, a regular knight would pale in comparison to the pure devotion Ranboo had. "I just care about you."
They kept walking closer, their pristine armor clanking as their steps quicken with eagerness. "I've spent most of my life preparing for this moment, for the opportunity to protect you. My king." They were behind him now, arms twitching to reach out and pull him away from the wall and face them.
Tommy closes his eyes, furrowing his brows. He doesn't understand how the knight could say such sweet nothings so easy, as if it were second nature, when their king is nothing close to being worthy of it all. He breathes in deep. "You can retire... Take back the years you wasted on a pathetic king and live a normal life, somewhere far from here. Forget this ever happened, that our families ever had an agreement. I can forget it for you, if that's what you want."
He tenses his jaw when he hears the sharp inhale from Ranboo. He doesn't know why, but an internal part of him shivers and reels back with anticipation of a lashing out hand strike. His body automatically tenses in preparation to flinch, he can feel the unease buzzing in his skin and fear momentarily going through him.
But Ranboo would never hurt him. He'd rather cut off his own limb than hurt him in any way, Tommy knows that with his whole being, and he can't imagine a world where they betray him like that.
So he doesn't know why he's surprised when their response is a more calmer, somehow even more patient, tone. He's not met with pain, and he doesn't know why that same part of him that was so fearful was... disappointed, aching in a way, for that familiar action. Feeling lost without it.
"That is the last thing I ever would want. I don't want to leave you. My king, I.. I can't imagine a life without you in it. You're my ruler, my leader, my light in the dark, my..." Ranboo breathes out. "My best friend. I will never leave you, not ever. Especially not to them."