Chapter Text
How could this happen?
How could they fucking do this?
Mooshroom Henry is his little cow, his precious little anchor. A gift given to him by the people he cares about the most. The one thing that has been there for him aside from Ranboo and the demons.
But despite that, here Tommy is, watching as Mooshroom Henry burns on a pyre that Tommy's own family built. They shared so many memories together, they had so many good times... Mooshroom Henry is so undeniably important to him. So undeniably important to his new identity, and yet here they are.
The sliding door shifts slightly as he presses even more weight into it, his legs almost giving out from under him as he sobs desperately. All the naps, all the study sessions, all the research, gone. The safe feeling that he brought Tommy when he wakes up from a nightmare about Jeff or his family. Mooshroom Henry was undeniably the one keeping him anchored, keeping him sane and happy, and his family decided they wanted to be the ones to throw that away.
Burning heat floods against his face as the direction of the wind changes, bringing even more tears to his eyes. The ashes of his last year dance around him, catching in his lungs and making him cough violently.
Ahead of him, Wilbur and Techo watch on with unjustified expressions of slight horror. They were part of this, they don't get to- They don't get to act all fucking scared and guilty when they did this to him. Wilbur and Techno were supposed to be his family! His brothers! They were so nice to him over the last week, was that all a ruse to lull him into a self sense of security?
A foot crunches on the note with the communicator number as Wilbur walks closer, but Tommy feels too sick to truly acknowledge it. Why would it matter anyway? His communicator is in there too, in just as much pain as Mooshroom Henry.
Desperately to find something real and solid to latch onto, he reaches his hand into his pocket. He finds Clementine and the bee there to comfort him. Ever so carefully, he brings Clementine out of his pocket and holds her close to his body, trying to use her as some kind of tether to stay in the moment. To calm down. To do something, anything, he doesn't fucking know.
Internally, he apologises for getting her all gross with tears and the ashes that still flurry towards him like snow in a storm. Guilt runs through his veins at the thought. She deserves so much better than this! She shouldn't have to suffer such a horrifically similar treatment to one of her friends.
Clementine and Mooshroom Henry became solid friends over the last week and a half. And that's all they'll ever get to be because one of them is burning in a fire, and the other is being covered with tears and ashes as she's forced to watch.
Horrified, he shudders and clenches his eyes shut, loosening his grip on her for just a single moment. It's with horror that he realises that was a mistake. Wilbur lunges at her with a ferocious shout, trying to grab her out of Tommy's hands. Presumably to make her join Mooshroom Henry. Thankfully, he manages to pull her back in just on time, but he's left shaking with fear at the thought of her being ripped away from him as well.
Swiftly, he shoves her back in his pocket with the bee. Refusing to let go, he keeps his hand in there and backs up a step as Wilbur hovers right next to him scarily menacingly.
All Tommy wants to do right now is to run in and get his stuff, to ignore the flames and save Mooshroom Henry. To save the dressing gown, and his research, and the shawls, all of it. For just a moment he wishes that he had bonded with Sapnap instead of Dream purely for the fire resistance it offers. But he isn't and he didn't, and he's just left here, completely unable to do anything but watch.
"Well, I guess you're here now, so we might as well talk about all of this," Phil sighs, massaging his forehead as he holds the journal open in one hand. "This is happening because you've been possessed by demons. After your first kidnapping, they gave you multiple items for you to keep with you once you managed to escape back to us. These items were given to you so that they can keep their control on you from afar and make you want to put yourself in the line of fire to save other demons."
Voice filled with anger and spite, Phil continues his rant, "They have mind controlled you to think of them like family. They've given you a curse that you're calling 'the bond' in this terrifying little journal of yours. Do you know just how scary all of this is Tommy? I don't think you do."
"Kids like you just can't understand the gravity of these situations. Even if you weren't a child, you'd still be mind controlled and manipulated, so regardless you wouldn't be able to tell," Wilbur hums thoughtfully.
Oh yeah, of course he doesn't understand how scary this all is. Tommy couldn't possibly comprehend just how scary this all is when his entire family has turned on him and burned all his stuff. Definitely not when his dad is doing a villain monologue and his entire life is just casually falling to bits around him. Not when an entire year's worth of treasured work and belongings is being burnt in front of him. Of course he doesn't see how scary this all is, because he's a child!
"Exactly!" Phil agrees with a frown. "We're burning all of this junk to perform an exorcism, Tommy. We're going to get those disgusting demons out of your life once and for all!"
Through hiccuping sobs, he glares up at them and hisses, "I don't want you to get rid of them. I want to go back to them and get away from the real monsters. You three."
"Oh come on, how can you not see the fact that you're bein' manipulated, Theseus? It's so obvious. Listen to yourself! Think about how much you've changed since you managed to escape the demons the first time around. That's not normal, people can't just change like that so quickly!" Techno objects angrily, taking a step forward.
"Fuck you," Tommy glares. "Fuck all three of you. I trusted you! And now you're abusing that trust. I came back because I felt bad for you guys, I didn't want to leave you alone not knowing if I was alive or dead. Now I really fucking regret that descision. It would've been so much better if I had just left you all to rot."
Determined, he tries to remove his weight from the sliding door and stand on his own shaking legs. His efforts aren't in vain, but he only manages to make it to one of the beams holding the roof up over the deck before he loses all stability once again.
With a raised eyebrow, Phil continues, "All three of us discussed this and agreed on this course of actions, Tommy. We planned this with your best interests in mind. If you hadn't snuck home early- and breached the terms of your grounding I might add- then this would have all been over and done with no fuss at all. Instead you've gone and hurt yourself because you didn't listen to us."
Oh, he sees it now. He fucking sees it.
Before he left Wilbur was getting cold feet, Techno was getting cold feet the entire fucking time. That's why they were all acting so suspicious and guilty. Not only that, but it's also why Techno was so firm on not coming home early. Before, they probably would've trusted Ranboo to escort him home whenever he wanted. But because they wanted him out of there until they were finished, they made him promise to wait for one of them.
"It's as simple as that," Wilbur agrees from where he stands near Tommy's shoulder. "You got all this rubbish from the demons, and they are clearly the things that are tethering the curse and the possession to you. It's that simple really. This is all for your own good, just like dad said. Sure, I was a bit anxious earlier, but I see it now! I just didn't realise how bad it was."
There it is, a clean and clear admission of the cause of his behaviour this morning. If Tommy wasn't in a terrifying and very dangerous situation right now, he'd be finding it very amusing that he guessed right.
Glaring between Techno, Phil, and Wilbur, he declares, "I'm not possessed though. I'm not possessed, and I don't have any kind of curse, and you guys are blind and oblivious!"
Wilbur objects, "But you are, Tommy. You're just so deeply under that you can't even see it. It's scary for us, and I think you should at least try to have a bit more sympathy for what we're going through right now."
"You blind fucking hypocrites," he scoffs, not even bothering to lower his voice.
"Actually, I don't think we are, Theseus," Techno declares plainly. "It's like you're a completely different person now. Ever since you got back from the demons you have been. People can't just change like that. I said so before, and I'll say it again. It's just not possible for someone like you to go from being someone so illiterate to being an avid reader and heavy researcher. Not that quickly at least. If you were still Tommy then you definitely wouldn't like books at all."
Hurt by his brother's rather harsh words, Tommy rebutts, "Well that's a really fucking rude thing to say. Even worse when I know for a fact that I'm not being possessed or cursed, and you just insulted me and a positive change that I have made in my life."
"But you are!" He yells exasperatedly, throwing his hands up in the air. "How many times do I need to repeat that people don't change like that? How many times does Phil need to recite the facts he learnt from his research? How many times does Wilbur have to remind you that we're doing this for your own good and that you'll understand soon? You're not only actin' like a different person, you're also actin' like a child."
Anger courses through his veins as he listens to every bullshit word that comes out of Techno's mouth. People can and do change like that for a large variety of valid reasons. Not a single word that came out of Phil's mouth was a properly researched fact. The three of them have a very fucked up idea of what's good for him.
With furious tears dripping down his face as he glares, he shouts, "Of course I'm a different fucking person! I was kidnapped- by a human I might add- and almost died from blood loss. I was saved by demons and then subsequently learnt that everything I thought I knew about them was complete and utter blind supremacist bullshit."
"I went through multiple life-changing events in a matter of months. I discovered just how horrible my family is. I found people who actually care about me who taught me how I should be treated by the people I consider family! Most people get years between their tragedies, sometimes I barely had days!" Tommy continues, practically screaming at this point. Fury to match up the still burning fire bubbles up inside him, and it takes all his self restraint not to try and murder one of them.
Ignoring Tommy's words entirely, Techno continues, "You know what, Theseus? I was feeling bad about the plan. I thought it might have been our behaviour that's been causing some of your issues. After seeing all of the stuff in your journal and your little demon phone, I know that isn't true."
Nodding, Phil agrees, "Exactly. And to think that we felt bad because we thought we might have done something to harm you. How ridiculous is that! It's your own fault that your ungrateful and unruly behaviour has been getting the best of you. The demons may be somewhat controlling you, but if there's one thing I know, it's an ungrateful child when I see one. Even right now, you're throwing a fit and being ungrateful at our attempts to help you!"
Tommy can't even comprehend it all at this point. The words coming out of his family's mouths are such bullshit. Even if he was possessed- especially if he got possessed- he'd be objecting to this cruelty.
Shivering violently with anger and despair, Tommy watches as the fire begins to burn down the last of his treasures. The communicator, the jewellery, all the things that are slow to melt. Mooshroom Henry is gone now. All the research papers are gone. All the clothing is gone.
Somehow, the sight of the fire has gone from something that invoked pure terror to something eerily calming. Perhaps it comes with his acceptance of the fact that there's no saving it all now. Maybe it comes from all his feelings of frustration and betrayal being directed towards his family. Or it could all come from how everything he felt before has just become anger.
Frustration with himself for coming back, and pure rage at his family for betraying him like this. For being mentally stuck in a world where demons are the evil ones and not the humans.
A shuffling noise from behind him causes him to whip his head around in panic. Ranboo is still standing in the lounge with tears running down his face, looking absolutely horrified. Desperately he tries to yell, tries to warn Ranboo, but his own voice is cut off by Phil's.
"And Ranboo. Did you know, I thought of you like a son?" Phil hums just loud enough for Ranboo to hear as he takes a few steps forward towards the lounge.
Prime, Ranboo doesn't realise. The confusion on his face says it all. That fucking book, that stupid fucking journal that Tommy wrote is going to be his demise. It's going to kill his friend. He's going to kill his best friend. Complete debilitating dread fills his body, leaving him completely unable to do anything except cry even more frantically.
"Excuse me...?" Ranboo asks anxiously, wringing his hands together and taking a step back.
Gesturing towards Wilbur, Techno announces, "And we thought of you like another little brother."
He can't do this. Tommy can't fucking watch. This is all his own fucking fault and he doesn't even have the guts to admit it or to face the consequences of his own actions. He's crying so fucking hard that he can't even warn Ranboo to run as fast as he fucking can. How useless is that? Tommy is so upset that his friend might be about to die, that he can't even speak to warn him.
"We thought so fondly of you, and yet you still betrayed us," Phil spits angrily. "You've been lying to us all this time.
Tommy can see the panic starting to build in Ranboo. The tensing of the shoulders, the pressing of the lips, the shift into a more defensive position. When Phil holds up the journal towards him, he moves instantaneously. Racing up to Tommy, he tries to grab his arm and pull him away as Tommy stares up at him and sobs with guilt.
"Ranboo, you are a fucking traitor. A traitor and a demon. How dare you try and infiltrate our family? How dare you try to manipulate my sons? You are the worst kind of scum there is," Phil spits pure venom at Ranboo, gesturing furiously with the journal in his hand.
Immediately, Ranboo's panicked eyes meet his own. Tommy can see the mixed emotions hiding behind his eyes, fear, anger, and just a little bit of betrayal that breaks his heart.
Despite the betrayal in his expression, he still tries to drag Tommy along, to lead them both out of the house to freedom and safety. Willing his legs to help him just this once, he stumbles along desperately with Ranboo. They don't even make it two steps before a seething Techno runs up and blocks their escape.
In one smooth movement, Techno rips them apart. Tommy is flung back a few steps and just barely caught by Wilbur. Ranboo is left standing alone under Techno's savage glare, tears streaming down his face as he squeaks in pure terror. Clearly trusting Ranboo's freeze response, Techno leans down and starts to pull something out of his boot.
A knife.
Finally breaking out of his trance-like state, Tommy manages to scream, "Ranboo!"
Techno snaps up in one smooth motion and aims straight for the heart.
Tommy's scream gives Ranboo just enough time to put the knife into his inventory before it kills him. It isn't enough time to stop him from getting stabbed entirely. Blood gushes out of his chest as everyone stares at his injury in shock and complete silence.
"Run, Ranboo! I'm so so sorry-" Tommy screams, breaking everyone else out of their own trances. Ranboo's head snaps up to stare at him for a single moment before transforming into his demon form. With the way the demon screams, it's painful. When he transforms, the injury is just as terrible as it was in his human form. Still, he uses his added height and strength from the demon form to push Techno out of the way and make a mad dash for the door.
Thank prime his family are too shocked by the sudden transformation to chase after him.
Tommy is distraught. This is all his fucking fault. How could he do this to his best friend? If he hadn't been so stupid and careless writing about Ranboo's identity in that fucking journal, then only one of them would have to be going through this. He wouldn't have just gotten Ranboo stabbed.
Prime, he just got Ranboo fucking stabbed.
Driven by the thought, he desperately tries to fight. He doesn't really know how, but regardless he tries. The anger just activates a primal urge in him that makes him want to leap at someone. To take out his anger and his fear on them and get revenge for their violence against one of his only friends. He's grabbed by Wilbur before he can even begin.
Frustrated, he tries to break free, but for the first time in his life Wilbur manages to stay strong. He tries to reduce Wilbur's gravity, but he can only do so much with his powers at the moment. Unfortunately that so much does not include making people float.
Around them, all kinds of pens and various living room items begin floating, taking the brunt of his furious power usage for the intended victim. Phil, Wilbur, and Techno look around, rather confused and panicked. Still, Wilbur holds the fuck on. The one time Tommy really doesn't want Wilbur to be strong, he's strong. He doesn't think this is particularly fair.
"Well this is the perfect example that you are possessed, isn't it?" Phil says as he turns to Tommy with a deep frown. "Judging by the things you wrote down in that journal of yours, this is the effect of your so-called powers from the 'bond' thing. What normal, unpossessed, uncursed human has the ability to manipulate their gravity? To make things float? Absolutely none of them. Why can't you just accept it mate?"
Techno turns to him as well, "You hid the fact that Ranboo is a demon from us. You know how dangerous they are, because we've warned you! And now look what you've done, you've put us in danger of being attacked by that monster. You put your family in danger because of your selfishness!"
"You are not my fucking family," Tommy hisses quietly.
Phil wanders back over to the fire with a patronising sigh before he hums, "I'm sure that when we get rid of the final bits of this demon stuff, and perform an exorcism, that you'll feel differently."
With these words, he drops the journal in the dying fire, and there's absolutely nothing Tommy can do except fall to his knees and drag Wilbur down with him. There goes the last of it. Everything that he had gathered over the last year, everything with significant memories, gone. There goes every single fucking bit of it. The research, the memories, the items themselves, the comfort, the anchors.
All of it gone in one fell swoop.
With an angry shout, Tommy attempts to leap up again despite his trembling legs. The arms around him release for just one moment, giving him a false sense of hope before they wrap around him again. Now, Wilbur's arms are wrapped around his waist and he's more trapped than ever.
Unable to make his way to a standing position due to the arms around him, he ends up falling backwards and landing on Wilbur as he screams, "Wil! Wil, you let me go right now, you fucking bitch! Let go of me! I fucking hate you! I fucking hate all of you! How could you do this to me? You're all horrible and I just fucking hate you! I wish that you weren't my family. I wish that I never met any of you!"
Unable to make his way to a standing position due to the arms around him, he ends up falling backwards and landing on Wilbur as he screams, "Wil! Wil, you let me go right now, you fucking bitch! Let go of me! I fucking hate you! I fucking hate all of you! How could you do this to me? You're all horrible and I just fucking hate you! I wish that you weren't my family. I wish that I never met any of you!"
His eyes, seemingly realising that their crying had ceased, decide to start again as he screams and cries. Pure heartbreak infests his veins as he yells and curses at his family with hatred he never thought he'd be capable of.
It had all been going so fucking well, and they ruined that. If they just had kept their hands to themselves then all of this would have been so much easier. They wouldn't have had to go through this, and everything would still be alright. Or maybe if his family had more progressive mindsets they could have changed their minds about the demons! He could've got the shared custody he always wanted. In the end, he supposes it's a good thing they didn't.
Ranboo's words throughout the years, especially the last one, finally make their full impact. It's undeniably true that Tommy's family were never really good to him. From being downright neglectful to whatever the fuck is going on now. They aren't good people. They aren't good people, and he should've run and never come back just like Tubbo said.
Why didn't he just listen to his best friends? He should be able to trust them. He should know them. Even Puffy told him that their behaviour wasn't okay, at least with the phone situation, and did he listen? No, and what a fool he is for turning a blind eye.
He fucked all of this up so bad.
Phil sighs and leans down to pick up a stray piece of paper before dropping it back on the pile to burn with the rest of them. Utterly speechless with anger, Tommy watches as they actively try to erase everything. Not just most of it. Everything. Does that mean they're going to go for Clementine next? They know he didn't get her while he was with them. Wilbur made a grab for her earlier. Fuck, it's all Tommy can do to pray that none of them remember. She's all that he has now.
Footsteps fall behind Tommy, causing him to whip around and try to see through his tears. Techno stands hovering over them with a sad expression before placing a firm hand on Tommy's shoulder.
Angrily, he tries to fight it and shove it off. He doesn't want Techno's stupid fucking arm on his shoulder. He wants that fuckface to disappear and just leave him alone. Murders aren't people he wants to be around, and they sure as fuck aren't people he wants to be touched by.
"Tech- Techno- Let me go!" He screams angrily, hitting Techno's arms desperately. "Don't you fucking dare touch me, get your hand off my shoulder right now! You earned this. You fucking earned this, all of you did. You don't get to look guilty or get to be sad. You don't get to act like nothing happened, or that you didn't just try to murder my friend. Fuck- for all I know you did! For all I know, you just brought my best friend to a slow and painful death. I don't want you anywhere fucking near me!"
As Wilbur's hold begins to slip, Techno takes over, holding him tightly and refusing to let him go.
Ever the patronising fucker, Techno mutters, "Shh, Tommy. You're alright. I know you're upset, but this will all be over soon. You'll get back to being yourself and then you'll probably regret helping him escape once you get back to being yourself. It'll be alright though, we'll help you through it."
"Fuck off, you patronising bastard. I don't want to hear your bullshit," he spits, trying to tug his arms out of Techno's grip.
He knows that he has no hope of escaping his brother, but the action was more to emphasise his point than anything else. What else can he do?
"He's not being patronising Tommy, he's telling the truth," Wilbur hums as he leans against Tommy's side as if he hadn't just broken his heart.
Snorting, he corrects, "Actually, I think you'll find that he is you stupid fuck. Consider for a moment that you just might not be right with this one. That you might have a dumb, fucked up, closed minded mind-set that's making you awful to be around and patronising as fuck. In what world is it not patronising to ruin someone's life and then be all sweet and kind and 'mature' afterwards? While pretending to be the only one capable of independent thought, of course. Can't forget that."
Wilbur doesn't justify him a response, nor does Techno, or Phil. Wilbur just sings what used to be his favourite calming lullabies. Now they're just sickening to listen to. Phil continues picking up the escaped pieces of paper and adding them to the flames. Techno gently strokes a hand through his hair.
The most horrifying part of all this is that they actually think that this is the right thing.
Letting himself sink into a catatonic state, Tommy slumps back against Techno's chest. At least they're on the floor now, so he doesn't have to try and continue to stand.
Despite his sudden relaxation, Techno's hold doesn't waver. Wilbur coos sadly and joins Techno in running his fingers through his younger brother's hair. With every stroke comes a promise that everything will end up alright, and that this is for the best. If only Tommy could believe that.
The fire is still hot and ash still blows towards him, even now that he's sitting slumped in the living room. Coal black powder covers the carpet and the furniture near the sliding door. If his family is going to hire someone to clean it, he feels bad for them. If his family are going to do it themselves, then he doesn't feel bad at all. They made their bed, so they deserve to lie in it.
One moment he's practically lying on the ground completely tuned out, and the next he's being picked up and carried across the room by Techno.
Panic at the action sends him scrambling, trying to escape his brother's firm hold. He doesn't know what's going on, what are they going to do to 'exorcise' him? Is that what's about to happen? Tommy is petrified, he doesn't want to be here. He doesn't want to be scrambling around in Techno's arms for any possible hope of escape. He doesn't want to be crying his eyes out because of family. All Tommy wants is to go the fuck home to the demons and be safe.
Not expecting to be dropped so suddenly, Tommy tries to jump in surprise as he hits the floor. Instead of sitting up, he just ends up bashing his head against something. Confused, he glances around, trying to get his bearings. It turns out, he's hunched up on a rug being surrounded by the semi-transparent walls of a tiny trapping circle.
Desperately, he tries to push against the walls, to swipe the chalk on the rug away, to do anything. His experience tells him that there's nothing he can do. Tommy tries anyway.
Punching the walls doesn't work. Trying to stand up doesn't work. Trying to shove his fingers under the walls doesn't work. Nothing works. He's trapped here now. He's fucking trapped and there's absolutely nothing he can do about it. Cursing himself for not being more attentive to where he was going or where he was about to be put, Tommy hunches in on himself.
The most powerful demons he's seen can't escape from these. He's been there to see them try. Tommy was the one to free them, always the one on the outside ready to save the day. But there's no one here to be his Tommy.
Acknowledging the fact that as much as he can't get out, his family can't get in, he carefully takes Clementine out of his pocket. With shaking hands, he turns her to face him and immediately breaks down. The guilt is overwhelming seeing her soot covered face and feeling the damp patches from his tears. He doesn't know if her soft grey fur will ever recover from this. She deserves so much better than him.
Refusing to listen to the bullshit words of his family hovering around outside the circle, he pulls out the bee as well and officially introduces the two of them.
"B-B-Bee this- this is Cle- Clementine. Clem, this- this is B-Bee," Tommy stutters, as the walls feel like they're closing in around him.
Turning Clementine to Bee, he tries to speak for her despite his voice being broken by trembling, stuttering, and anxiety, "H-hi Be-Bee. N-nice to- to meet y-you. How a-are y-y-you?"
Bee turns to Clementine next, "I'm al-alrig-alright. This is-is a p-p-pretty b-bad ti-time thou-t-though, h-h-huh?"
"N-n-not ideal," Clementine agrees before the two of them fall into silence. Tommy just can't bring himself to continue to try and talk past the overwhelming emotions. He tried, at least. He tried his best to pretend that everything is okay, and now he's just left to suffer in reality.
All he can bring himself to do is lift his shawl and tuck it around their little bodies to keep them warm and protect them from his tears. They're nowhere near as frequent anymore, but he assumes that's because he's been crying for what feels like hours. In reality it's probably only been twenty minutes, but twenty minutes in a traumatic situation does generally feel more like a thousand.
With a headache lingering, Tommy frowns down at his precious little dog and his precious little bee wrapped up in his shawl. They're all he has now, and he's glad he has something to make them more comfortable even when he isn't.
The shawl is green. He fucking knew that it was a green shawl day today.
A sudden cold washes over him, causing him to hunch up a little bit tighter. Compared to the blistering heat of earlier, it's shocking. It's shockening and sickening.
Glancing up with stinging eyes, Tommy sees the fire completely extinguished. All that's left now is a pile of soaking wet ashes. It's quite horrifying just how quickly treasured items and memories can become wet ashes. This could happen to anyone in a heartbeat. Is this how people who have their homes burned down in fires feel?
The fact that it probably is leaves him horrified that he's underestimated the pain that people go through when their houses burn down. Sure, they probably don't have the added bonus of being completely betrayed by their own family, but even then.
Speaking of exorcisms, the fact that Phil is walking up to him with a book in hand is not very promising. Tommy is pretty sure that they're not just about to read him a bedtime story. But then they've been so fucked up with their actions that he wouldn't be surprised if they did try to read him one to be honest.
Terrified, he pushes himself against the back of the trapping circle. Not that there's really anywhere to go. If he wasn't already freaked out and panicking to the max, he'd probably be panicking about how insanely claustrophobic it is.
He doesn't want to know what this seemingly inevitable exorcism will do to him. Even more importantly, he doesn't want to know what it would do to Dream. Prime, he wants Dream. He just wants to be hugged, to be loved by someone who really does care. To be with someone who he actually considers family. Someone who won't hurt him.
Hopelessly, Tommy begs under his breath that Dream will come to save him. That his and Ranboo's attempts to summon him through the bond will work for the first time. He's done trying to be the saviour now, all he wants is for someone to come save him.
It won't work. Tommy is completely doomed, but you can't get anything if you don't ask, and you can't do anything if you don't try. With all of his might, he forces every bit of his emotion into the bond. Every bit of fear, every bit of anger, every bit of sadness, every bit of resentment, every bit of anxiety. Everything he can possibly muster with a mental 'please help me' on the side.
When nothing happens, he reluctantly accepts that this is it. Their reunion plans will never be able to come into fruition, because everything is destroyed. Everything is destroyed, and Dream might fucking die from this exorcism.
Once again, he finds that this is entirely his fault.
If he had just kept his words to himself, didn't research, didn't write in his journal, he'd be fine. Ranboo would be fine, and Dream would be fine. There would be no probable death on his conscience.
Another choking sob racks through him, and he clenches his eyes shut. This is the end of his time with the dream team. Even if Dream comes out okay, George and Sapnap will still be furious at him for almost killing their brother. If Dream doesn't... it can only get worse.
The sound of a scream brings him jumping back in panic, suddenly widening his eyes with a hiss as he bangs his head against the top of the trap circle. Frantically, he tries to pinpoint the cause of the scream.
Whirling around as best he can in such an enclosed space, Tommy finds himself staring right in the eyes of the cause. Standing next to the circle is Dream, looking just as confused and horrified as Tommy feels. In a disbelieving, trance-like state, Tommy raises a shaky hand up to press against the top of his small cage. Dream's hand meets his on the other side of the glass.
Unable to accept what his eyes are seeing, Tommy blinks repeatedly trying to clear what must be a cruel hallucination from his eyes. Even after the blinking, Dream is still standing there watching him with an indescribably pained expression.
Is this really- Is he really...?
From the other side of the living room, the noise of a knife scraping against a bench can be heard. Whipping their heads around in unison, Tommy and Dream both stare at Techno. His family looks scared, but much to his alarm, they still look determined. Techno holds a knife while Wilbur takes his own out of his right boot. Phil holds the book defensively in his arms as his sons form a defensive line in front of him.
Dream's previously blank gaze turns to the most hate filled glare Tommy has ever seen as he watches them.
Slowly, the three of them creep forward step by step, Wilbur and Techno still acting as shields while Phil frantically flicks through pages in his book. If Tommy can give his family praise for anything, it's their determination. It's not really something he's loving right now, but he can respect the fact that they're willing to face a demon with two tiny knives because they think it's going to help him.
If they weren't completely wrong about demons, he'd appreciate it. They are completely wrong about demons though, and they're currently facing his demon, so he doesn't really feel the gratitude. Especially not when Phil starts quietly chanting under his breath.
Tommy watches the scene playing out in front of him like one watches a car crash. It's horrific, it's scary, but he just can't look away.
Suddenly, he finds himself collapsing to the floor from where he had himself propped up. Next to him, Dream collapses completely, his head just narrowly missing the corner of a table on its way down. This isn't good. He's reminded very quickly and very violently that he's one of the people in this car crash, and his family both biological and chosen are coming down with him.
With all his energy, he shuffles around to face Dream, "Dream- Dream you can't die. Please don't die. I don't want you to die. If- If you die now then I'm going to make Sapnap burn every last one of your hoodies. I'll break into your room and find all your masks and draw Dreamnotfound fan art all over them."
As Phil keeps chanting quietly in the background, Techno and Wilbur hover cautiously around Dream. He doesn't know what he'd do if he lost Dream. There's no doubt in his mind now that if this exorcism gets completed, then Dream will die. If anything, he should've remembered it immediately. It's one of the first things he researched about the bond after all. Even the slightest thing goes wrong, and then suddenly then both the demon and the human are in a bad spot.
"I'll- I'll convince George to move out of the house and let him have one of my many wives-" Tommy begs desperately, looking for any sign that Dream can even respond to him. "I'm going to- to get bad to swear and- and you have to be around for that! Are you- Are you really going to let yourself miss out on seeing that? You have to be around for that...! Please... You have to..."
The only sign that Dream can even hear him, is how he manages to open his eyes and stare at him in fear.
Sighing, he slumps back against the circle's walls, "I don't know why I thought that would work, I'm so fucking stupid. This is all my fault, I'm so sorry, Dream."
Seemingly disliking his words, Dream managed to scrunch up his face and twitch for just a second. The brotherly instinct to not let their siblings talk shit about themselves seems to have kicked in.
Tommy knows exactly what he has to do.
"I'm useless," Tommy hisses with faux sadness. "I'm stupid, and I'm a waste of space, and everyone would just be better off without me. People should leave me alone before they end up getting themselves hurt. I'm a bad person to be around."
Immediately turning to him, Techno and Wilbur crouch around the circle trying to coax him down. They argue with his words, playing the caring family. Over their heads, Phil just keeps chanting with a frown. He doesn't care about their reactions though. Not when they're not his family anymore. All he cares about is the way Dream twitches again, looking confused, concerned, and like he desperately wants to give Tommy a hug.
Tommy wishes that he could oblige.
"I'm a failure," he continues. "I'm clumsy, I'm too loud, and I annoy everyone around me. I'm an inconvenience, I'm selfish, everyone just wants me out of their lives, and I don't blame them. I'm a terrible person and people deserve better than to have to deal with me. My friends are only my friends because they feel bad for me."
Despite the fact that he doesn't genuinely mean even half of these things, he keeps saying them. With increasing desperation and sadness in his voice, he gives Dream the fuel to get stronger and stronger. Tommy almost nulls all of his hard work by laughing when he realises he's essentially trying to activate Dream's maternal instinct. It may be funny, but it's also true.
Eventually, somehow, he runs out of bad things to say about himself.
He's not never been one for self-deprecation, but he really never thought that would happen.
Thankfully, it seems like what he's already said is enough. Techno and Wilbur take an anxious step back as Dream begins pushing himself up from the ground. Phil continues to chant, but the shake in his words is undeniable.
One moment Dream is weak, sprawled out across the floor, rendered completely unable to move. The next, he's slowly pushing himself up. The next, he's leaping at Phil like a lion leaping at his prey.
The action stops Phil from chanting as his head is bashed against the ground. Tommy can't find it in himself to feel bad for his biological father. Immediately a refreshing wave of energy hits him with the ceasing of the exorcism, and allows him to return to his hunched over sitting position. Excited and hopeful, he picks up Clementine and Bee and holds them close.
Twirling around ahead of Tommy, Dream lets out an inhuman snarl.
Right before his very eyes, Dream begins to grow taller. Horns begin sprouting from his head, and the ends of his fingers turn into claws. Tommy never thought he'd see it. Dream's demon form.
He watches with unsettling joy and hopefulness as Dream grows into his true form, his tail flicking threateningly. With another inhuman growl, the demon watches Techno and Wilbur like a hawk. Tommy's brothers look scared shitless, glancing between their unconscious dad and the very angry demon looming in front of them.
Shakily, Techno moves his knife in front of his body, pointing it towards the demon in a false show of determination and confidence.
This is all the invitation that Dream needs.
Once again, Dream leaps across the lounge and punches Techno so hard in the ribs that he goes flying across the room. His only saving grace from some massive injuries is the fact that he lands on the couch. Wilbur screams, trying to run, but Dream picks him up and tosses him to join Techno. The pair of them collide with a pained grunt, unable and unwilling to do anything but lie there in pain and watch.
Straightening up to his full height, Dream glances around the room intensely, looking for any possible dangers. Phil is still out cold, the twins are left lying debilitated on the couch, and there's no one else here to attack them.
Tommy recognizes that Dream has decided that the room is safe when his gaze moves down to meet Tommy's own. Crouching down in front of him, Dream scrubs the chalk off the rug, breaking the circle and bringing down the walls that suffocated him.
Grinning down at Tommy with inhumanly sharp teeth and shining green eyes, he laughs warmly.
"Heard you were talking shit about my brother."