Chapter Text
It had been an accident.
Foolish had seen that Karl had dropped the book that he had always kept on his belt and had run up to grab it for him.
But as soon as his hand made contact with the open pages he was blinded by a bright purple and green light that seemed to swallow him whole.
The light had been so bright that he had closed his eyes tight and even tried to use his arms to cover them, the open book hanging from his hand.
And when the light stopped, he was still afraid to lower his arms. In fact he was fucking terrified since he had no fucking clue what just happened.
It wasn't until he heard a soft, almost hesitant, knock on his door did he finally open them only for them to grow huge in both shock and confusion.
As he looked around himself he was met with nothing but the old Transformers and He-Man posters he had pinned to the wall years and years ago, his broken folding closet doors, various photos of friends and family pinned to a corkboard, his old desk that wobbled just enough to be annoying but not enough that he'd go out and buy another one tucked in the corner of the room with his beat up desk light that shocked him when he turned it on sitting on one corner of the desk, all of his trophies and awards from building contests sitting on shelves just over the corkboard and his sonogram photo in a light blue frame on his bedside table.
"What the hell…?" He whispered to himself as another knock came from the door.
Looking out the bedroom window he saw snow gently falling and a few snowmen out in the backyard.
One of them had pink yarn on its head.
"Foolish…?"
Foolish froze at the sound of a voice right behind him.
It was one he could remember clearly due to how close they had been and how they had worked together many times in the past.
Turning towards the door he was met with a younger Wilbur, standing in the doorway in his red and black letterman, white tee, blue jeans and his favorite black combat boots. The same clothes he used to wear when he first came to live with the Wastakens.
"Wilbur?" He whispers in shock.
Not that Wilbur was here in the house but that he was fucking alive. Not even an hour ago he had been arguing with Ghostbur over who would win in a Potato War part 2; Squid Kid or Tommy.
Wilbur said Tommy until he realized that Tommy was terrified of potatoes now.
"How…How the fuck are you…?" He whispers. "I have to be fucking dreaming. Oh God I never should've touched that damn book. Karl or Sapnap probably got me dead on the head with a shoe or something and I'm having some sort of lucid dream…yeah. Yeah that's it!"
"O-Ok…." Wilbur chuckled nervously. "But um…it's uh, it's time for dinner! So you should probably head out to the bar. I'll tell Tommy you had an…interview or…or something."
Wilbur had made it back out into the hallway and had run down the hall when Foolish went to say something so the god sighed and went to follow when he saw himself in his full length mirror.
"What the fuck…?" He whispers as he looks down at himself.
Before he woke up in this strange place he had been wearing a Blue Bats tee and a pair of skinny jeans he'd bought in the hotel's gift shop but now he was dressed in a hoodie dress that just barely covered his lower thigh and tall socks that went over his knees.
"What the hell…?" He whispers as he smooths his hands over the hoodie and thankfully feels the waistband of a pair of shorts underneath. "Oh thank gods."
Groaning, he quickly opens his drawers and finds a Lovejoy tee, a pair of sweatpants and a pair of comfy socks.
"I am not wearing this-" Foolish quickly removed the hoodie dress and tossed it towards his waste bin. "anymore."
Pulling on his clothes he quickly ran out of his room, past a bewildered Connor and Fundy, and ran down the stairs to the kitchen.
"Mom? Mom!" He calls out as he steps into the kitchen to see Puffy handing little Drista a couple of spoons.
"What Foolish? Don't tell me you're going to another bar. It's your sons-!" When Puffy turned and saw Foolish she stopped talking and just…just stared. "You're not…why are you dressed like that?"
"Because I want to…?" Foolish frowned, stepping further into the kitchen.
The god knew that he should be freaking out more, he should be trying to find a way to wake himself up, but he was curious. He was curious on what his mind could come up with here since this all had to be a dream.
After all he was in his childhood home, his family was younger, Wilbur was ALIVE and when he had looked in the mirror he saw that he looked nearly ten years younger!
He was definitely less toned than he was when he was back home and his skin was paler due to not being in the hot sun building a giant pyramid so he knew that he himself was a lot younger as well. So there was no denying it! He was in a dream.
"Anyways you were saying something about Tommy?" He hums, walking over to the table where a stack of plates and cups sat.
"It's…It's his birthday." Puffy spoke with a confused tone in her voice. "You're…You're staying?"
Foolish felt his heart squeeze at the questioning and surprised tone in his mother's voice. Taking a deep breath he puts down a red rimmed plate down next to his golden one.
"Yeah mom, I'm staying." He says over his shoulder. "Got a problem with that?"
"No! No, no, no, of course not! It's just…" Puffy looked off to the side, obviously not knowing what to say.
"You always miss his birthdays because you like to go to the stinky places and take those strange pills that make you see things and have sleepovers with other men."
Foolish flinched and turned to look at his baby sister with a hurt look while the girl counted the spoons she was holding.
"Drista!" Their mother scolded.
"What? That's what Tommy and Clay says." Drista shrugged. "That and he doesn't care so he never stays."
Foolish gripped the cups he was holding tightly, tight enough he could feel cracks forming under his fingers. "Tommy…Tommy actually said that?" He asks softly.
This has to just be his mind making him feel guilty right? He was just trying to punish himself for missing so much of Tommy's life. That had to be it!
"Yeah. That's why he gave up on you ever coming to anything." Drista says as she walks over to the table to start putting spoons down. "And why he cries so much at night. I can hear him."
The glass in Foolishs' hand shattered.
It was just a dream. It had to be just a dream. His baby never cried himself to sleep at night. Nope. No fucking way. He would've known.
"Foolish! Your hand!"
Slowly looking down at his shaking hand, the gods eyes widened when he saw glass piercing into his hand and small red rivers of blood started to flow down to the floor.
He was bleeding.
He was bleeding in a dream.
He was…
Slowly walking to the back door, Foolish looked out at the backyard and right at that pink yarn headed snowman. Slowly opening the door he took a deep breath.
He hadn't seen Tommy enough when he was a child to remember exactly what he looked like so as he called out the boys name, at least remembering that his baby used to fall asleep next to the Techno snowmen he'd make every year that would later be mysteriously destroyed and replaced by one that looked like Dream, he felt his legs suddenly give when a small boy in a thin red and white hoodie and a Technoblade beanie appeared from behind the snowman.
His visible blonde hair was curly and ended just above his shoulders and his eyes that bore into his very soul were a, slightly dull, baby blue.
His eyes were also red and puffy like he'd been crying.
But soon his face wasn't visible anymore as the child slipped a white porcelain mask with a sad face painted on in black ink over his head and settled it right over his face. When it was situated on his little face he started walking towards the door and towards Foolish.
The god was shaking as he watched the boy get closer.
"This…This isn't a dream." He whispered before everything went black and he heard concerned yells around him.
"-knew he was drunk. I should've fucking knew he couldn't even go a day without a drink in his fucking hand! "
Foolish slowly opened his eyes and was met with the ceiling he's woken up to for years, glow in the dark star stickers on the ceiling barely lit from years of being glued to the plain white ceiling. Slowly looking around with only his eyes he spotted his door, slightly cracked open, and could see his mother pacing outside the door.
"Mom it's not your fault he's a failure of a parent." A familiar voice huffed. "He knew he'd suck at it but he still kept the mistake."
"Clay."
"Fine. But he still kept Tommy."
"Clay do I need to remind you why Foolish doesn't know how to be a good mother to a kid? Mr. Feeds chicken to a one month old!"
"He was starving and Foolish was probably out whoring himself out like he always does! It's a miracle he doesn't have an STD yet!"
Foolish frowned and sat up, his whole body shaking with the urge to punch his brother in the mouth. He opened his mouth to yell when the door opened wider and a small figure holding a tray stood in the doorway.
"Maybe next time you two start talking like that you should close his door." The figure mumbles as they walk in.
They close the door with their foot just as the lights were turned on.
Foolish grunts and covers his eyes with his arm.
"Sorry." A voice mumbles.
When his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness Foolish uncovers his eyes and looks at the figure. His heart stops at the sight of Tommy standing near the bed with a tray with what looked like a cup of steaming hot tea, a piece of cake and a plate of pizza.
"It's all that was left." The boy says softly, putting the tray down on Foolishs' lap. "Eat before your slice gets cold."
Foolish couldn't take his eyes off of his baby.
It felt like seeing him for the first time all over again.
"Foolish?"
Foolish blinked and frowned. Foolish? What happened to mama?
"Tommy, you can't call me by my first name. I'm mama, remember?" He says softly, moving the tray off his lap to sit on the edge of his bed.
"But you got mad last time I called you mama." Tommy frowns, stepping back. "Why would I call you that now?"
The god flinched, the memory of him yelling at his son to not call him mama after bringing a man home hitting him like a truck.
Holding his head he sighs. "Baby, mommy was drunk." He says softly. "I'm sorry I said that, I really am. I love it when you call me mama."
"Uncle Wilby says that you shouldn't say things you don't mean and that a drunk man's words are a sober man's truth." Tommy mutters.
Foolish slowly looked up at his baby boy, his heart heavy in his chest. "Baby, Tommy, my sweet little pup, I promise I don't mind you calling me mama." He says reaching out to hold his son's face. "So-"
The gods words became stuck in his throat when Tommy suddenly flinched away, his arms quickly covering his face.
His heart broke.
Slowly bringing his hand back to his lap, Foolish felt his teeth quickly sharpening the longer he looked at his son cowering away from a simple touch. He knew the reason why, there was only one reason why.
Memories of his brother confessing everything he'd done to Tommy during that fucked up trial came rushing to the front of his head.
"I used to beat him until he went unconscious and even then I'd still slice him up a little, so what?"
"He used to scream so loud when I broke his bones for misbehaving. Ah, good times."
"Tommy used to get so annoying when I would babysit him, always asking for his pathetic father. I just had to remind him he was never coming back. After all, if he was he would've come running through the door the moment I forced his tiny hand onto the burner."
"I used to cut his wrists and make everyone believe he was suicidal just so mom would use that stupid drug on him. It always made it easier when I would have him destroy a village or two."
"Why does any of this make me a bad guy? He was a stupid and hard to raise kid. I was just…making him more docile. You should all be thanking me!"
"Tommy was just a bad kid. I had every right to do the things I did. He's just lucky I never did anything else other than beat him. Hell I could've killed him and nobody would've batted an eye. Nobody but me has ever loved him."
"I was being the parent he never had."
Quickly standing he rushed for the door and swung it open hard enough that it bangs against his wall, an indent being left by the doorknob. The two rams outside his door jumped and turned to look at him but Foolish just growled deep and low in his chest.
"Clay Dream Wastaken…" He snarled, his body moving on its own until his clawed hands were wrapped tight around his brother's throat. "You have no FUCKING idea how long I've wanted to do this to you."
He heard his mother scream next to him and he could feel his pathetic little brother's heartbeat under his fingers along with the frantic bobbing of his Adams apple but he didn't pay either of them any mind.
The only thing he could think of was that he needed to kill this monster before he could lay another finger on his child.
"Foolish stop! Get off of him!" Connors' voice screamed.
But Foolish still did not listen.
He just applied more pressure to the blonde man's neck.
"I'll kill you for daring to raise a hand to my baby, my pup!" Foolish screams in Dreams' blue face. "YOU SHALL PAY WITH YOUR LIFE PUNY MORTAL!"
Foolish had been ready to snap his stupid brother's neck but the second he stuck his fingers into the crease where he could snap the skinny neck in his hands he felt something suddenly latch on to his leg and something pierce his skin.
Howling in pain he releases his brother and stumbles back a bit in surprise and agony. He could feel the thing puncture his skin and slowly tear through the muscle and tissue underneath.
Looking down he gasps at the sight of his own son, the one he was trying to protect, latched onto his leg with a deep fear in his eyes. "Gwt off!" The blonde boy shouts as he bit down harder than he already was.
Foolish hissed in pain when he felt those sharp, slightly serrated teeth snap a tendon or two. He knew that he shouldn't try again, that he shouldn't lunge at his brother and attempt to rip his throat out but he just couldn't help it. Unfortunately Tommy went with him, teeth still stuck in his leg.
He watched as his brother quickly hid behind Puffy and yanked Connor behind him. God did he wish he was a nature god. Then he could use the houseplants scattered around their home to kill that bastard ram.
But right now he needs to focus on someone else.
"Tommy, he hurt you!" The shark god hissed, staring into his brother's scared eyes. "He's done and will do so much shit to you that'll scar you for life! Why are you trying to protect him?!"
A second later he felt the teeth pull away from his flesh, blood running freely down his leg.
"Since when have you cared?!" Tommy shouts.
Foolishs' heart stopped for a second, his hand twitching slightly.
"I have been here for three years and this is the first time you've EVER stood up for me but Dream has been there every step of the way! He's helped me a HELL OF A LOT MORE than you have!"
Slowly turning to his son he tries not to snap. He tries so hard not to just grab his son, shake him and explain that hurting someone doesn't mean love.
That Dream didn't love him. He was just trying to make a puppet to control later.
"T-Tommy! Come here! Your mama's gone nuts! You need to get away from him!"
But, like a fragile stick under a heavy boot, his resolve snapped when Tommy tried to step past him to get to Dream. He couldn't let it happen again.
Grabbing Tommy by the back of the shirt he pulls him back and holds him tight to his chest. The scream he let out hurt his ears but he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was getting his son someplace safe.
Looking up at his brother he grits his teeth in warning.
"You even try touching my pup again and I'll fucking kill you." He snarled. "It'll be easy too. Sharks don't leave evidence and neither do pigs."
Lifting his screaming son up he walks into his room and slams the door shut.
Gently tossing Tommy onto his bed he picks up his dresser and slots it between his door and the end of his bed longways so it was impossible to open the door even a crack.
Just as he stepped away from the door it was slammed against with a loud grunt and groan.
Jumping back in surprise he watches the dresser jerk forward a bit and slam his bed against the wall.
"Foolish! Open this door!" Dream screams from the other side. "If you even lay a finger on my so-nephew then I'll gut you like the fish you are!"
"Fuck off Dream!" The raven haired man shouted back. "I'd never hurt my boy unlike you!"
"Foolish I swear to Prime-!" His "brother" grit back.
"Back off Dream." Foolish hissed. "Or do I need to remind you that you are on thin ice with the police and your fucking probation for what you did to Thomas as a baby?"
The other side of the door quickly went silent.
"Leave us alone or I'm calling the police and Grian." The shark god huffed.
"Call him a wanker…" a small voice whispered.
Jumping, Foolish turned to where Tommy should've been but he didn't see him. Sniffing the air he follows the scent trail and spots a small foot peeking out of his closet.
Turning his head a bit hears Dream grumbling angrily behind the door. "Dream, you're a fucking wanker!"
A loud thump against the door made him jump. Shaking his head he slowly walks towards his closet, noticing the foot had disappeared behind the half closed door.
"Tommy?" He whispers, crouching down right outside the closet. "Are you ok baby?"
"Loud…you're all too loud." He hears Tommy grunt, the sounds of his tail thumping heavily against the floor telling him that he wasn't speaking to him. "Shut up…no…blood…"
Foolish sat back and crossed his legs, his heart feeling heavy in his chest. Looking around he spots his old ukulele leaning against the wall by his desk chair.
"I must not have given it to Tubbo yet…" Foolish thought as he stood up.
Making his way to the small instrument he takes a deep breath.
He had no idea if this was going to work.
The last time he'd done this was back when Tommy had gotten attacked with the golf club and his voices were actually taking pity on him back then.
Gently lifting it up he leans back against his wall and slowly slides down it. His fingers slowly went over the strings as he cleared his throat.
"We were playing in the sand…" He softly sang. "And you found a little band…"
Closing his eyes he feels a weight forming around his heart as his treacherous brain replays memories of Schlatt and Quackity gently holding a thrashing Tommy while softly singing the song he loved so much and the memories of Tubbo and Ranboo hugging him tightly, forcing his bloody hand away from his opposite arm.
"You told me you fell in love with it, hadn't gone as I planned…" he continued to sing.
The memories quickly switched to him arguing with Quackity about how they should let Tommy suffer since he's "the reason that Technos' gone" and to him drinking away with Wilbur saying that Tommy "only hurt himself for attention, his life is perfect so it's the only reason".
"When you had to bid adieu…said you'd never love anew."
Slowly opening his eyes he remembers when he'd slowly sneak into Tommy's room and stare at his slightly bloody bandages and his tear stained face.
"I wondered if I could hold it and fall in love too…" Slowly looking up he sees his pup staring at him with a tear stained face, a thin trail of blood falling from his bitten lip. "You told me to buy a pony but all I wanted was you…"
Softly humming he sets the ukulele aside.
Memories of gently tracing his fingers over those hidden marks and holding back sobs, knowing that what he was doing and saying wasn't helping the child he loved more than life itself, flooded his mind.
He held his arms open wide for his son and when he flinched back he didn't let the hurt and anger towards his family show.
Even if this was an accident, a potential misuse of somebody's magic, he knew that he was given a second chance.
A second chance to do right by his pup, to fix everything he'd broken so long ago by not being a good parent, to protect him from Dream and what could be his future.
As his son crashed into his arms with a loud sob he quickly wrapped him up in a tight hug, tears of his own threatening to fall, he knew that this time, this time he'd do everything right.
"That bastard will never hurt you again Tommy…I promise."
In a quiet Inn, someplace far from the main Hypixel hub, two men sit in a room together.
One had a small gift box wrapped in beautiful red and gold paper and a small bow made from a silk red ribbon in his hands while he watched the other man place a small cupcake with a single candle in the middle down in front of a cracked photo frame on the desk in the far corner.
"It's almost midnight mate…" One of the men whispered. "We need to light the candle soon."
"I know…" The second man whispered.
The first man was quiet for a moment before gently placing the box down on a bedside table. He slowly walks over and pulls out a brush from his inventory.
"Do you want to brush your hair?" The first man asks. "It's all knotted up. Almost looks like a nest."
The first man chuckles softly at his own joke but the other man just stared at the photo frame.
The two were silent as the first man started to slowly drag the brush through the other's dull pink hair. A few minutes passed before the second man spoke in a sad, low tone.
"How big do you think he's gotten?" He whispers.
The first man stopped for a second before attempting to loosen a knot under the brush. "Well…all of us are quite tall so I'd say…at least a foot." He hums.
The other man nods slightly as he pulls out a lighter from his pocket. Flicking the wheel he watches the flame dance for a moment before leaning forward and lighting the nearly depleted candle.
Pulling away he just stares at it with small tears in his eyes.
"Do think…do you think he hates me?" He asks softly. "F-For leaving?"
The first man stilled before sighing softly.
"Techno…" He spoke softly to the silently crying man. "There's no way he would ever hate you. You're his father."
"You're mine and Wilbur's father and Wilbur hates you." The second man, Techno, mutters.
The first hisses softly but sighs. "I-I know. But that's different." He replies, carefully undoing a knot.
"How Phil? How is that different? He hates you because you excluded him from our adventures, saying that it needed to be just you and me because of my voices but I told you countless times that they weren't so bad with both of you with me." Techno growls, slamming his fist down on the desk. "An-And now I did it to Theseus! I left him, I abandoned him because of m-my chat and…and he has to hate me…"
The first man, Phil, sighs and looks to his left to see a few empty bottles of red wine next to the desk and another empty one hanging from the pinkettes fingers.
"How about we get you to bed?" He whispers. "We can celebrate tomorrow."
"No!" Techno shouts loud enough that the walls shook. "Today is his birthday so we are gonna celebrate today! My boy is ten! He's…He's…I'm gonna be sick."
Phil watches his son run towards the bathroom and frowned. Shaking his head he leans down and blows out the candle and lifts up the photo frame.
"Happy birthday Tommy…"
The avian hybrid couldn't look at the photo of his smiling grandson. His heart wouldn't allow it.