Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tommy stayed standing underneath the bus stop, it was raining heavy.

He looked up into the sky. The stars were shining really bright.

Sure, he could fly but he would rather not get wet today, not after what happened yesterday.

The rain was so heavy it washed  the blood of his enemies out  a fucking lot of his pink hair dye out!

You could see his that his hair was white from the top now.

It pissed him off!

He has to dye it soon with Purpled. His wonderful roommate who is also the Vigilante Wraith.

The rain hit the ground so loud it almost covered the sound of footsteps rushing towards  him  the bus stop.

His head snapped towards the left, where he heard the footsteps, his dark blue pupils were paper thin slits and his now white feathered ears stood upright.

Tommys pupils dilated once he noticed it was just a man probably trying to find shelter from the rain, his feathered ears laid back onto his head.

Weirdly enough, he looked a lot like the #2 Villain Kratos or Ares or whatever the fuck the League called him.

He sighed, letting his eyelids droop halfway, he turned his head back straight. He shuffled his wings closer and fluffed up his neck and throat feathers, effectively hiding the lower part of his face.

Techno ran around the corner, of course it had to rain today!

He noticed a bus stop not far and ran towards it, he didn't notice another person already standing there until they snapped their head towards him.

Brown irises met light blue irises.

There was a flash of recognition in the eyes of the other and Technos eyes widened just a tad bit.

Did they know?

The Elytrian, as he saw, turned their head away and hid the lower part of their face in their neck and throat feathers.

They couldn't know.

He slowed down once he was within a few feet of the bus stop but still rushing to get under it.

Weirdly enough, the Bearded Vulture had light blue irises and a really dark blue sclera instead of the normal yellow and red.

Techno stared for a while, memorising the looks of the other just in case.

"Take a picture, it will last longer."

The Elytrian muttered, now staring directly at Techno, side-eyeing him.

Tommy didn't know what the deal of the pinkette was but he sure as hell had a staring problem.

"Take a picture, it will last longer."

He muttered eventually, side-eyeing the Piglin who snapped out of whatever trance he was in.

"Sorry."

The man spoke, looking away and keeping to himself.

The silence was suffocatingly awkward.

The only sound was the breathing of them both and the rain.

Drop!

Drop!

Drop! Drop!

Drop!

Drop! Drop! Drop!

Drop!

Tommy growled lowly, shifting himself a bit causing his talons to make a slight tip tap sound against the ground.

He wagged his tail to shake off any stray raindrops.

The Piglin looked over before quickly looking away.

God, even if this man was the #2 Villain why the fuck was he so awkward?

Now that he thought about it, his talons felt extremely dull.

Had he forgotten to sharpen them?

Probably.

. . .

The ground seemed oddly nice to scratch and to sharpen his talons on.

Tommy looked over to the Piglin.

Fuck it.

Tommy dragged one of his talons over the ground, it made a few sparks fly, he continued on doing so with his other talons making slightly ugly screeching noises atone.

One of the Piglins pointed ears flicked and he looked over.

"You couldn't have chosen a better time?"

Tommy stopped in his tracks. He slowly looked over.

"You got a problem with it?"

"You got a problem with it?"

Techno sighed, it was already loud enough when he had to hear Phil sharpen his talons and now this?

"I- seriously- couldn't you have done it like- I don't know- at home?"

The Elytrian narrowed his eyes.

"Well, I oh-so happen to have forgotten to do it and I am not waiting till I am home to sharpen them when I have perfectly good concrete ground under me."

Silence.

. . .

They both stared at eachother.

"I was about to stop anyway but alright."

Now Techno felt guilty as the Elytrian looked away again.

"I- listen, I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way, it's just- it hurts my hearing."

God, Techno, can't even apologise right.

The Elytrian hummed.

"It's fine."

And now silence again.

. . .

A car came down the road and drove along, the raindrops hitting the ground creating a rhythm only they know. and maybe Wilbur.

Tires drove along the road, stopping right at the bus stop.

"God, finally."

Tommy muttered, seeing the doors open, inviting him in.

He took a large step to get into the bus as dry as possible.

His bird legs accomodating perfectly.

The Elytrian walked towards the back, getting into a free seat at the window.

The Piglin stayed outside under the bus stop, probably waiting for the next one.

The other pinkette actually had to duck to not hit his head which made Tommy snort.

Loser.

The bus got into action and continued to drive along the streets.

That was the weirdest interaction he had in months.

Techno watched the bus drive off.

And now,

Where to go from here?

Chapter Text

When Tommy woke up, it was at the crack ass of dawn.

It had been a few days after that weird interaction with, well, the Brute.

He turned onto his stomach and huffed.

The days after that actually went surprisingly calm, he and Grayson dyed his hair again  dyeing was an understatement.

The café was doing well, everything was good, he is getting enough sleep to function in the day.

Overall, everything was great.

Everything wasn't great.

Nemesis and Pandora got into a fight with Nemesis only escaping half-alive.

Phil was sleeping terribly the last few nights, Wilbur somehow lost his voice.

Techno was not doing fine since everyone was doing terrible, Chorus was absent for a couple days and so was Nessite and that was not helping the Syndicate at all.

And to top it all off, his favourite café opened at 10:00 A.M and not the usual 8:00 A.M.

To say, Techno was for the lack of a better word, Suffering.

Overall, everything wasn't great.

Tommy opened the café the moment it turned 10 A.M.

He crooned behind the counter, time to get the shop on the road.

. . .

He ruffled his feathers, it was 3 P.M now.

Tommy shook his head, hearing the wind chimes over the door singing someone's arrival.

The vulture plastered a smile on his face.

"Welcome to the Antarctica Café! What can I get y-"

He abruptly stopped, seeing a familiar pinkette.

His wings dropped onto the floor, hitting the ground with a thud.

The Brute also stopped and stared at him.

Tommy blinked.

"Coucou?"

He said, unsure about this entire ordeal.

The other blinked too.

"Hey?"

The Nether hybrid also sounded unsure about the situation.

Tommy cleared his throat, shuffling his wings to fold neatly behind his back.

"What can I get you?"

He glanced away.

"Uh- Flake tea.. please?"

Ah.

"Oh- so you are the guy Grayson always talks about that never changes his order."

The Brute tensed up.

"Let me guess, Glacier muffin and Icicle croissant?"

The other nodded sheepishly.

He nodded, turning around and getting the order ready.

Tommy fell into the familiar routine of making the tea and getting everything in order.

He shuffled his wings a bit, the appendages fluffing up after almost getting his hands hit with hot water.

The vulture wagged his tail, turning to face the other and putting his order on the counter.

The man handed over the exact amount of money so Tommy didn't have to deal with change.

The pinkette walked over to his usual booth, where Grayson always said he sat down and relaxed by reading books.

You do think Grayson would mind privacy but he was the opposite of that, observing every goddamn customer to the point of knowing blackmail and gossip about them.

Techno wasn't any different.

Thanks to the blonde asshole he knew the guy's name now, remembering the conversation they had yesterday.

"Oh did I mention Techno? You know, the guy that never changes his order, no matter what?"

Tommy nodded, remembering Grayson telling him about the Nether hybrid.

"Yeah, he's got a theatre kid for a brother and a chicken for a father."

At that time he didn't know it was the same pinkette he met days prior, now he did and he probably knew more about the man than the man himself.

All thanks to nosey Grayson.

He can be useful at times though, in case something ever happens with his  foes  friends and he needed to step in to remind them what happens if they ever try to rise up or disobey him.

Nevertheless, it's not like he is going to tell the man either way.

Better to be safe than sorry.

And he knows how to keep the man in check in case he ever tried something.

Overall you know,

Maybe life ain't that bad.

Chapter Text

You know, Techno wasn't actually a bad guy, he was different but entertaining to Tommy.

The vulture looked forward to the conversations they had, they may be short and all that but Tommy still looked forward to it.

One thing though, the man was socially awkward and it made it harder for the Elytrian to form connections with him.

It had been clear from day one but still- didn't mean he couldn't complain.

He just needed to know what the guy liked and then he would (hopefully) be more willing to talk.

And who was his roommate if he didn't know the Brutes interests?

"-nah, the guy is surely a bit harder to read but that didn't stop me on listening in on the conversations he had with his Sounder."

Grayson answered, tilting his head to the side as he kneaded the dough.

"Motherfucker knows greek mythology in and out, weird hyperfixation in my opinion, but I won't judge."

Tommy smiled.

Greek mythology, eh?

"Why are you asking anyway?"

Grayson looked over, confusion swirling in his purple eyes.

"I want to form some new.. connections to put it simple."

The platinum haired teenager glanced away for a second.

"If I were you, I would stay away from that guy, I have a bad feeling about him."

I know Grayson, I know.

He turned his attention back on getting the cookie dough ready.

Tommy smiled, feeling giddy all over.

That is why I want to figure every little thing out about him, what makes him laugh, what makes him cower.

Everything.

And that is a promise.

The next time the guy came in, he walked over and sat down in front of him.

The Brute looked at him.

Tommy blinked.

"Coucou."

He said with a little wave.

"Hey."

Techno replied, waving too.

God, this was awkward.

Tommy looked at the book he was reading.

"So, What are you reading?"

He asked, feigning interest, ruffling his feathers a bit and tilting his head.

"A greek mythology book."

"About who?"

"Icarus."

The vulture blinked.

"Who is Icarus?"

When he worded that question, he was not expecting to be launched into an explanation for the story of Icarus.

And with explanation he meant like in every. Single. Little. Detail.

Now, that was like, what? A month ago? And by god, he actually liked Techno.

Usually it would be him ranting about everything and anything and Techno giving his opinions here and there.

And today, Techno had a new book (not like brand new, just new to Tommy) and he was listening to him explain the story of Theseus.

With feathered ears upright and listening with a keen focus seemed to show Techno that he was actually enjoying this, sometimes even asking a question or two here and there.

Now, while waving goodbye to the Brute he finally understood why Theseus was thrown off a cliff.

"Huh."

Grayson said.

"No wonder why he calls you Theseus at times."

Tommy turned his attention to his roommate.

Grayson noticed it of course.

"What? It's the truth!"

With a growl and a shriek they both tumbled to the floor, much to the customers amusement and entertainment.

The routine continued on, open the shop, wait for Techno, talk to eachother for practically hours, say goodbye and look forward to the next day.

Tommy sighed as he watched the news, a Hero-Villain fight took place last night.

Ares or Kratos got harmed but got away, Tommy of course couldn't help but notice the resemblance to Techno.

He looked at the time and realised Techno was coming soon.

As if thinking of the devil, the wind chimes jingled, causing him to look over with a smile.

It fell the moment he saw it wasn't who he was hoping for.

He was expecting Techno, not some pretentious dickhead.

Nevertheless, he smiled again, the brunette coming over.

"Hello, can I have a Flake tea, a Glacier muffin and an Icicle croissant for my brother?"

Technos order.

And- oh! So this was the theatre kid for a brother Grayson was talking about.

. . .

Ew.

What a cockroach.

He looked like a cockroach too.

"I am guessing you are Technos brother?"

The brunette looked to be taken aback by the question.

He regained his composure and nodded.

"And who are you?"

"The Vulture at the Bus Stop, pretty sure you have heard of me."

The man blinked.

"Ah."

He responded, Tommy frowning and turning to get everything for the order.

The Vulture at the Bus Stop just became an inside joke for them, afterall, they first met at a bus stop and both had left a weird first impression on the other.

He smiled fondly at the memory, remembering how they both laughed at it a bit too much.

"What's your name? Since I highly doubt this will be our last interaction."

"Wilbur."

Tommy gave Wilbur the order who paid up and left.

What he did notice but not speak out loud was that,

Wilbur is a Shit name.

Chapter Text

Tommy huffed, looking over the jewelry in the glass box.

After meeting Wilbur and needing to deal with his brunette ass for like two weeks, the vulture decided to treat himself to a little gift for himself.. and Techno.

Kind of like friendship bracelets- but with earrings.

He quite liked the idea, it showed that Techno belonged to him and the other way around, but the man needn't to know that.

It had to be gold, so he decided for a pair of gold earrings with emeralds embedded in them.

Why emeralds? Because in Elytrian history they were considered so called 'friendship gemstones'.

But he did notice a ring with an emerald on Technos right hand.

He bitterly hoped it wasn't because of a different Elytrian but just an accessory choice.

It didn't help with the dread pooling in his gut though.

Tommy waved the man behind the counter over, having made his decision with the piece of jewelry.

He handed over the money and the man took the identical pair out of the glass box and went to put it in a smaller box.

The vulture nodded at him in gratitude, about to leave the shop before screams atoned.

A Hero was thrown into the street, not just a Hero, the number 1 Hero.

Of fucking course this has to have happened today.

Kratos or whatever his goddamn name was (he could care less), landed in front of the downed Hero, picking him up and throwing him into the direction of the store he was currently in.

Tommy motherfucking screeched as he jumped out the way, narrowly dodging the ragdoll of a living being.

He blinked at the unconscious form of a excuse of the number 1 Hero. Tommy was hunched over, one of his bird legs pulled up, box pressed to his chest, feathered ears pulled back on his head and wings tight against his back.

He slowly shifted his wings to cover his vital organs just in case, the vulture looked out the large window and met eyes with the Villain.

Something flickered his eyes, something Tommy couldn't pin point.

The vulture stepped back hesitantly, watching with a keen eye.

He glanced back onto the Hero before being ushered away by the guy behind the counter.

Tommy stared at the Villain until he blinked, the man gone suddenly, spooked by the disappearance, he let himself be pulled away.

The other customers and him escaped through the back door, the vulture immediately went to the side and spread his wings, nodding to the guy in appreciation before actually getting up into the air.

It had been three days since that incident.

Everything was fine! Really it was- he was just.. shook. To put it simply.

Techno, the observant bastard, noticed of course, but didn't say anything, waiting for Tommy to tell him first.

Well, Brute, not today and probably never will he admit to weakness, he had to look strong.

He lazily preened himself while the Nether hybrid read, he had tried to read with him but gave up on it after a few moments, finding comfort in just leaning against the mans side and leeching off of his body warmth.

He huffed, cocooning himself in his wings and narrowing his eyes at any too close passers-by, taking glee in the fact that they put more distance between him and Techno.

The little plate on the table was pushed to him, the unfinished cake looking at him, it was already eaten a bit.

And it was 9 hours old.

Usually Tommy wouldn't indulge in fresh things like that but grabbed the plate and started to eat the cake.

Both Techno and him knew that the Brute only ordered food (that wasn't his normal order) so that Tommy could eat it afterwards, of course the Nether hybrid ate a bit before letting it stand and giving the vulture time to grab it and devour the rest.

He cooed, eating the dessert without much fuss.

The box in his pocket felt heavier as time went on.

He put the plate back onto the table, reaching into his pocket and staring at the box.

Techno had to like it and accept it- he just had to. Otherwise Tommy wouldn't know if he would ever try again.

Clearing his throat he spoke.

"Hey Techno?"

The man hummed, gazing over, putting the book onto the table beside the now empty plate.

The vulture hesitated for a moment before sitting upright.

"Here."

He moved his hand with the box towards the Nether hybrid, eyes focused onto his lap.

The man took the box gently from him, giving Tommy the chance to retract his hand.

"It's a gift."

The Elytrian said, moving to face the Brute who seemed curious and a bit confused.

Techno opened the box and Tommy could see the way the pupils of the other dilated.

Please-pleasepleasepleaseplease accept it-

The Brute gingerly took one of the earrings out, the green gemstones catching the light through the window perfectly, sparkling under the attention, the gold was basically shining.

"I-"

Hesitation.

Hesitation was something Tommy feared inevitably. Hesitation wasn't good.

It wasn't good, was it? It wasn't what Techno liked- he should have paid more attention- should have asked-

"It's.. beautiful."

Huh?

Hope was rekindled in his chest, feathered ears raising.

He was.. accepting?

Techno had a small smile on his face. A really small smile, barely noticeable unless you knew the man by a lot.

He was accepting.

The Brute already clipped it to his pointed ear, along with other earrings, letting his fingers feel the cold metal as if he was trying to memorize it by touch.

Tommy blinked.

"Y-yeah! I thought we could wear matching earrings! You know- since we're friends."

He added the last part, hoping that the man would get the hint.

Techno nodded, getting the second earring out and placing the box beside the book, reaching for Tommys feathered ear that had a hole in it and clipped it on too.

The Elytrian felt pride bloom in his chest- because yes- the Brute accepted! He accepted being Tommys friend- one step closer to being Flock!

The vulture smiled with closed eyes, cuddling up against the other again, letting out a quiet chirp which prompted a quiet laugh from the other.

Techno hummed, picking up his book again and continuing to read.

Tommy cocooned himself into his wings, leeching off the others warmth.

A small nap couldn't hurt anyone, could it?

He wondered as he greeted the darkness with open arms, relaxing against a new acquired friend (soon to be Flock, he couldn't help but feel giddy at the thought, his Instincts agreeing excitedly) and ignoring a confused Graysons gaze.

Though he did quietly ponder,

Were matchings Earrings really a good Decision though?

Chapter Text

Tommy woke up to the annoying blaring of his alarm, he growled displeased and pulled out his phone from underneath his pillow, shutting the damned thing off.

He huffed and relaxed into his Nest, chirping at the comfortable material of it all. He stayed in it for a few minutes before getting up and walking out of the doors and to the bathroom.

It was a Saturday morning, meaning he wasn't needed at the café today since it was closed for the weekend.

After finishing his morning routine, he got himself dressed for the day and was out the door in a few minutes.

He hummed a random tune as he walked along the sidewalk, tail swaying idly behind him and wings folded neatly on his back as he made his way to his favourite diner.

It was a wonderful, sunny day with a beautiful blue sky and a few clouds.

It was supposed to be a normal day, a normal day like every other, but the universe seemed to hate him and enjoyed in making him hurt.

Because what happened next was in a matter of seconds, an ear piercing shriek atoned not far from him and then green flashed in the corner of his eye.

Tommy looked over immediately, seeing the infamous Villain Azrael (or was Corvus his name?) on the street with his talons and clawed hands slammed into the concrete, creating a long ripped path were he tried to slow himself.

The vulture stood frozen.

One question came across his mind.

"-blonde hair, warm blue eyes and pitch black wings that I swore saw become sharp obsidian shards once, weird obsession with corvids and the colour green, Elytrian too."

Tommy stared at the platinum blonde, pupils in thin slits.

"An Elytrian?"

Grayson turned his focus from his phone to Tommy.

"Yeah. Elytrian."

"I thought you meant an Avian."

Doom fell over the others face and Tommy saw red-

Will this become a problem?

. . .

It can become a problem.

Multiple Heroes started showing up.

Nevermind,

It will become a problem in the near future.

Fuck.

Tommy got himself out of view and ran down the long alleyways of a labyrinth, the alleyways he knew in and out.

He stopped in a dead end, climbing up onto the rooftop with the help of a sturdy pipe and taking to the skies after he stumbled to his feet.

He watched the fight play out under him as he also looked for a place to perch, finding a tall building and grabbing onto it with his talons, carefully and calculated he turned around to face what was happening.

The Syndicate (That was a name he remembered) was on the winning side, W to them and L to the Heroes.

He gave a hesitant look towards the ongoing battle and locked eyes with Kratos (?), familiarity spiked in his gaze and Tommy stared back not understanding.

Kratos' eyes widened in response. He broke the eye contact and glanced away, towards one of the Heroes, saying something to his comrades and then jumping towards the building Tommy was on.

The vulture looked down in fear for a moment, watching the man climb up the many stories because what the actual fuck was he planning?!

Tommy immediately turned tail and stumbled away from the ledge, feeling a bit of panic course through his entire being.

Before he got far, he got yanked back, forceful enough to get the message over he was not leaving.

He felt a sharp blade on his throat after he was pressed against a warm chest, abruptly they turned around, the netherite axe so close to his throat that he lightly squirmed away.

"Behave."

Was hissed into his feathered ear harshly and he nodded as much as he could.

He felt cold metal scuffing one of his throat feathers and he hissed, squirming to get away.

But he couldn't get away and he felt trapped and he wanted to get away-

His Instincts started screeching and shrieking and it made him panic even more, breaths coming out short and uneven- starting to hyperventilating and holding back tears.

He was trapped- trappedtrappedtrappedstuckgetawaystucktrappedtrappedstuckstuckgetawaygetaway

A chirp escaped his lips and he never felt this panicked.

Something landed with a thud in front of them- he couldn't see because of how blurred his sight was.

Something green and white- a Hero, maybe?-

"-et him g-"

Tommy couldn't hear anything over blood pounding his ears, everything felt blurry- and he felt scared- oh so scared and alone.

Nausea clawed at his guts suddenly- he wanted to get back home and into his Nest- but he couldn't because of trappedandstuckandgetaway-

A loud bird like sob left him and suddenly he was crying- his face was wet and he was shivering and trembling and he couldn't calm down.

Tommy felt the axe getting closer and he couldn't help but try to move away, the arm keeping him trapped tightened.

"-ow about n-"

He couldn't focus, he couldn't get out- he huffed out a breath, trying to get air.

And then they were moving so abruptly- the nausea making him dizzy beyond belief- it was a surprise to himself when he hadn't begun to heave.

He was still trembling and still trapped but now they were moving and he was still hyperventilating and not getting enough air.

And then everything went dark and Tommy sobbed- everything being so sudden and abrupt and not good-

And it was quiet. Oh so silent.

He didn't know if that was for the better or the worst.

Against his will he finally calmed down, his breaths evening out and heartbeat slowing down.

The darkness felt nice in a way.

In a weird way.

Silence greeted him in every way possible, he couldn't hear anything other than his breathing and.. whispers, maybe?

Faint whispers, whispers that lulled him to a tired degree.

It wouldn't hurt to sleep, would it?

Just a little bit.

It wasn't his Nest but it would do.

After all,

The Nest is the Safest Place to Rest.

Chapter Text

When Tommy woke up, it was to darkness and a hard ground.

The bearded vulture propped himself up onto his arms, his wings and back aching.

He could see nothing, it was a void of any light.

Tommy sat up completely, trying to make out anything but failing inevitably.

He quietly shifted one of his bird legs, the sounds of metal moving accompanying the action.

He despised how calm he felt, he hated it.

He remembered a few things, like how Kratos held him hostage, throwing him into a panic attack of all things, then moving and darkness and of course, sleep.

The vulture huffed, reaching for his limb with the shackle on.

His clawed fingers brushed cold metal, he grabbed the chain and pulled on it to get an idea how far he could move.

It wasn't far.

Tommy felt a bit of fear course through him, moving his wings and realising they had clamps on.

He held back a sob, pushing himself against a wall.

It wasn't fair.

It felt humiliating to have clamps on, it didn't feel right.

He cocooned himself in his wings as best as he could, deciding to wait it out as he made peace with this new development.

Tommy could feel his primary feathers brushing against the cold ground and he felt relief at the fact that they were still there.

At least one thing was normal.

For the time being he had curled himself up against the wall, exhausted from just everything.

He had no idea how long it has been, maybe a few minutes or maybe even days since he got captured.

He couldn't quite ignore the feeling of hunger panging in his gut, his stomach feeling so empty.

The last time he had felt hunger was a long, long while ago, he had forgotten how much it had hurt back then, his stomach had felt like it was eating itself.

He bit back a hurt chirp.

He hoped Techno was alright.

The next few days(?) passed slowly, he hadn't moved one bit from his spot against the wall, stubbornly sitting there until something happened.

He let his clawed fingers feel over the earring, tracing the engravings.

It was probably the only thing keeping him sane at the moment.

The vulture was reduced to nothing.

Tied to a wall like a rabid dog.

The number 1 Blue dealer reduced to nothing.

He let his hands move back to his chest.

Nothing.

He quietly scoffed at the irony.

Nothing.

Tommy huffed out a breath, forcing himself away from the chain.

He growled, yanking his leg towards him a few times before regaining his energy and trying again.

The chain creaked and croaked against the weight, trying to pull him back.

He hissed, gathering his strength and determination, eventually yanking as hard as he could.

Almost immediately a snap echoed through the room, the metal breaking and falling to the floor.

Tommy blinked, panting a bit.

He slowly moved his leg, the shackle falling to the ground with a clank.

He reached for his bird leg and checked it over for the spot the shackle had held onto him, feeling relief as he noticed there were only a few scuffed feathers and nasty bruises starting to form under them.

The vulture looked over his shoulder, the clamps had a small gap he could maybe use to his advantage.

He looked back over to the snapped chain.

The clamps were surprisingly easy to get rid of once he rested for a bit.

He put the chain in between the gaps of the clamps, through the top gap on top of his wings and then the bottom gap on the bottom of his wings.

Once he grabbed the chains end, he walked away from the wall it was embedded in, with enough upwards and downwards yanking and determination, the wing clamps snapped open cleanly.

Tommy discarded the useless metal and stretched himself out as much as he could.

He preened his wings for a while and got to searching in the dark room, eventually stumbling upon a vent in the corner he previously couldn't reach.

He traced his hands over the screws, undoing them with his claws and getting the vent to open.

Before he inevitably got into the small opening, he couldn't help but feel as if something was odd.

Surely they were expecting him to escape, right?

Why was this all so easy and for what purpose was he even here then?

Before he could ask even more questions to himself, an alarm went off outside of the rooms door.

Abruptly he crashed himself into the vent and pulled the lid over him, crawling along the narrow pathways he was surprised he could fit into.

Once he turned a corner, he could see another opening on the ground with light spilling out of it, he pulled himself towards it and looked down.

A black hallway and-

. . .

Azrael.

Tommy slowly continued on his way, the other Elytrian was just standing there.

Taking more twists and turns and rights and lefts, he eventually got to an opening that actually led outside.

He pushed himself towards it, hearing a crash behind him.

Turning his head 180° told him that the Elytrian from a few minutes ago was now in the vent, with him.

Great, lovely, just perfect.

Snapping his head back forwards, he punched the blockage to the outside, the thing giving out.

He threw himself out and spread his wings, hearing a definitely angry shriek behind him.

He screeched back with as much venom and hate as he could manage, a dangerous rattling tone accompanying the sound.

The sound itself seemed to have shut up Azrael by how flabbergasted he looked as he hung halfway out of the opening from the vent of.. the warehouse?

Tommy clicked in the back of his throat indignantly, assholes.

But now wasn't the time to insult Villains (more importantly the Syndicate) and the vulture immediately bolted afterwards, flapping his wings to get away as fast as he could, which wasn't very quick considering he was starved.

At least the room itself wasn't too small, otherwise he would have really went insane.

He shook his head, stopping his flapping and looking over his shoulder.

He could faintly make out two silhouettes, one with blood red eyes watching him and the other with a long trenchcoat on top of the warehouse.

Tommy felt a shudder run down his spine and he focused more on getting away.

. . .

This Surely wouldn't have any Consequences, would It?

Chapter Text

The moment Tommy got back home, he locked the front door behind him and moved towards his Nest upstairs.

He threw the door open and closed it, let himself fall into the blankets and pillows and burrowed himself away from sight, grabbing some of the food he had stored away under a blanket.

The food was the right age and Tommy practically melted underneath the blankets, being as flat as a pancake could be.

He quietly ate the sandwich and reached for a water bottle and his phone he had previously left in the Nest, checking the date.

. . .

He had been there for three days.

How delightful.

He quickly pulled up Graysons contact and pressed the call button.

It rung once and was picked up.

Before the other could say anything, he spoke.

"I am not coming to the café any time soon. Close it if you have to."

There was a noise of agreement.

"Don't ask what happened, I don't want to talk about it."

Grayson hummed something.

"Mkay. Bye then."

He bid his own farewell and shut off his phone.

He began eating as much as he could but was also careful to not eat too much to make him heave his guts out afterwards.

Tommy sighed, curling into a ball.

God.

He could never catch a break.

It has been a few hours after his escape, he hadn't moved much since he laid his feathered ass down.

Probably for the better anyway.

Though, what did make him finally move was the sound of his phone buzzing and a ringtone starting up mere seconds later.

He snatched his phone as quickly as he could because- he would know that ringtone from anywhere.

Much to his tired happiness, the name on the screen was the exact one he was hoping for.

Brute (Techno) ((Bubblegum Bitch))

He immediately accepted the call and pulled it up to his feathered ear.

"Tommy?"

Came the voice that comforted him so many times before.

"Techno."

Some shuffling on the other end.

"Are you ok? You sound tired."

Right.

"Yeah I'm fine, don't worry about it."

Some more shuffling and a hissed comment he couldn't understand.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Techno, I'm fine mother hen."

A huff of breath on the other line and barely legible talking.

"Not a mother hen."

Tommy hummed at the reply.

"Sure. Not a mother hen at all."

Pleasant silence rolled in afterwards, eventually being broken by Tommy twittering some random nonsense.

A huffed out laugh came from the other end and he could hear jingling from keys.

"Where were you?"

A lock was opened and a dull thud could be made out from Techno.

"At the library."

. . .

Wasn't it already closed since it was night?

. . .

He blinked.

He shook his head and brushed it off, probably one the worst things he could do.

"Right. Anyway- is there anything else you wanted or?"

Tommy laid back his feathered ears against his head, shifting his wings a bit, hearing Techno move around.

" No.  Just wanted to.. check up on you."

Check up on him? Well- it wasn't out of the ordinary so.

"Ok then, goodnight I suppose? Won't be coming to the café for a few days."

The footsteps stopped.

"Why?"

Because maybe a certain Villain kidnapped him and he escaped from said Villain (and said Villains friends or accomplices or whatever the fuck Heroes called them nowadays) and was probably being hunted by them since he escaped, like mentioned above- plus, his identity and business was in danger too now.

"Just tired."

Tommy really hoped the other wouldn't try to pry.

"Oh. Well, that's alright, it's good to take breaks."

The footsteps resumed and the vulture felt relief.

"Yeah. Goodnight then?"

"Goodnight. Sleep well."

Tommy hummed and waited for Techno to end the call, which he did after a few moments.

The Elytrian sighed, groaning, then he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Why do Things have to be so Complicated?!"

Chapter Text

The smell of batter and chocolate wafted through the kitchen, Tommy standing in the middle of it all.

Listen- he wanted chocolate chip cookies and he was going to get them, made by his own hand or not, didn't matter.

It had been two days since his escape and he had done nothing but lounge around and watch movies and such.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they were done, pulling on his oven gloves and opening said oven.

The smell of freshly baked cookies hit him directly and his stomach rumbled impatiently.

He took the tray out and whistled a jolly tune, closing his eyes and turning around, only to open them and see a rather uninvited guest.

"OH WHAT THE FUCK!"

Tommy shouted, immediately putting the tray on the counter, ripping off his oven gloves and facing the threat.

The same threat he escaped.

Azrael.

The Villain did not at all react, just watching ever so patiently.

Oh, how he despised to be in this world.

Techno was not overprotective.

If you asked him, he would deny it with all his heart.

But if it came down to those who he considered close, it became a different story.

Holding Tommy hostage was not on his list- far from it actually and him managing to escape from Azrael and the warehouse?

It was impressive to say the least.

Nevertheless- Techno was concerned about the vulture, something about how he managed to escape didn't sit with him the right way.

It was like as if he was trying to hide something from him, he noticed it a while back, like how his claws had some shimmering blue hue and were sometimes really shaky and how thin he was for an Elytrian his age- it was abnormal.

It were little things like those that tipped him off, that kind of made him think that Tommy was something different than just a mere civilian- that he was something, well, more than that.

But what would he be? He could be a Hero but there weren't any registered vultures there- maybe a Vigilante? Or a Villain? But then again, no vultures.

It irked him that he didn't know, so what better way to find out from Cards what his friendly café vulture was?

He stepped out of the shadows and looked up at the flashing lights.

Las Nevadas.

The neutral place for Heroes, Vigilantes and Villains alike.

The place to find out information at the right price.

Not the best idea, to go here without Tommy knowing.

It would break his trust and break his trust more when he puts together the puzzle pieces and figures out Techno was more than a civilian himself.

Tommy had no idea how he got to this point, sitting on a barstool at his island with a Villain in front of him eating his cookies.

The vulture just offered the cookies after a moment of just staring at eachother and now they were here.

This was a.. rather.. calmer interaction between them.

Especially after what happened.

Don't get him wrong- he was still madly pissed off and the other Elytrian knew, with how much space the other made sure they had between eachother.

The silence felt uncomfortable and Tommy eventually just began drumming his claws against the cold surface, watching with a keen eye what the all mighty Azrael was doing.

It may not be noticeable to people that weren't fellow Elytrians but Azrael himself was shifting awkwardly around, tail twitching that way and wings twitching the other way, Tommy guessed it was because of pent up energy.

Eventually the vulture just sighed.

"What the actual fuck do you want?"

Silence followed afterwards, the Villain just dead on staring at him.

Tommy smiled without teeth with his eyes open, a threat underneath Elytrians.

He could feel the eyes moving over him, scrutinizing him and frankly, it was getting on his nerves.

This little motherfucking oversized kelenken better talk soon or else his guts will meet the walls and his brain the floor.

An ugly screeching sound could be heard as he dragged his claws over the surface of the kitchen island.

Said claws left behind white marks, a threat, a gesture to show his hospitality was running out and that his claws were very, very sharp.

"You escaped."

No shit sherlock.

"Pointing out the obvious will only get you so far."

He smiled wider, staring.

This was going to be a long, long night.

Techno walked through the alleyways, the shadows curling towards him and shunned whispering amongst them.

The Casino was big- large even, you could see it from miles away, it looked like a Casino where rich people would go to, real grandiose with large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a big staircase leading up three ways at the other end of the room.

Bars were on either side and people betting money were sitting at poker tables, jazz like music always played in the background, not that anyone cared enough to listen.

He looked up at the fountain in front of the Casino, stepping out of the alleyway he was in and started moving towards the main entrance.

The briefcase he was carrying swayed idly beside him.

He huffed out a breath, shaking his head, dispelling the thoughts of doubt lingering, the payment was enough, more than enough.

Techno moved on, stepping up the stairs to the double doors, red cape flaying out behind him.

He was let inside without much trouble and he was immediately met with crowds of people and the smell of alcohol.

"I'm sorry- you want me to join the Syndicate?"

Azrael nodded, munching on more cookies and was seemingly more relaxed now than before.

Tommys brain short circuited for a moment- he was absolutely stunned.

Ok- ok- sure- he was basically a bad guy considering his job position in the not-so-civilian-world, but joining the Syndicate?

He knew for sure, for sure, they didn't know he was the Blue dealer- the one who made 'Blue' and was named after it- they didn't know.

And probably never will considering the fact that Blue was a very, very dangerous drug and who knows what the Syndicate would do if they got their hands on it.

But! It could help him more joining the Syndicate, it would make it rather.. easier to have an excuse to murder off the thorns in his side.

What would Techno do?

He knew the man hated the Heroes with a burning passion, not that he could blame him, but he didn't seem like the type of guy to join a notorious Villain group when the opportunity presents itself.

But he wasn't Techno was he? He was Tommy, a bearded vulture, an Elytrian.

He blinked at Azrael who was reaching for another cookie on the tray, he held back a sigh.

He was going to regret this on so many levels.

Techno stood still, it only took a moment for everyone to notice him and move out of his way.

The Villain walked past the many people and aimed for the stairs, stepping up them and making a beeline forward.

The halls flashed by as he rushed through, eventually he came across double doors and he opened them without hesitation.

He was met with an office, a desk and luxurious chair in the middle, across it was another chair and there were large window panels behind it, overlooking Las Nevadas.

Sitting in the chair was Cards, the man he was here for.

Silence lingered for a moment before Cards decided to speak.

"Make it quick."

Techno moved over, doors falling shut behind him.

He put the briefcase onto the desk and sat down.

"What do you need to know?"

Cards looked up, the full face mask staring at him, depicted on it was ':]' with cut in half cards surrounding it, he was wearing a white dress shirt and black pants, nothing special.

They weren't on good terms at the moment, especially after what happened with Azraels dagger.

"Do you know any bearded vultures that aren't civilians?"

Cards seemed to ponder for a moment, before gesturing towards the briefcase.

Techno undid the latches and turned it around, opening it.

Inside were three Nether Stars, in pristine condition- they would cost a fortune if you decided to auction them.

"I know one bearded vulture that's apart of the Reflection. I can't tell you a lot or else he will have a problem with me but.."

Cards paused, eyeing the Nether Stars and seemingly considering what he would say next.

"He isn't well known, at least not necessarily in the Reflection, he doesn't play a major part in it, though, he does play a major part in the Pit."

The Pit.

He knew about the Pit, who wouldn't? It's just the fact that he didn't come to that conclusion before.

If the bearded vulture wasn't known in the Reflection, he was known in the Pit.

"His name is Tranquilizer Blue and as the name suggests, he was named after his first creation, the highly dangerous drug 'Blue'."

Techno knew what Blue was. He hadn't had any nice experiences with it.

He could still remember the blue fog that crowded around him, making him feel delirious and lose any motor function he had left in his limbs- it felt as if he was in a fever dream- seeing things and hearing things as he inhaled more and more.

If Phil hadn't came and got him out- he was sure he would have died that night.

He was bedridden for over two months afterwards. Phil had mentioned he didn't know what it was either once during that time, a far away look in his eyes.

That was before it was released out to the public, before the Pit got its hands on it.

"He didn't just make Blue, he made other drugs too, like Red or Green- even White and Black after Blue but they aren't as lethal as Blue was and still is."

Cards explained, it was true, what he said, after Blue came out in the Pits markets, the dealer, Tranquilizer Blue, made Black, White, Red and Green in that order.

Green was still quite new to the markets, it only made its first appearance a month ago, so relatively fresh.

Techno hadn't had any instances with the other four drugs yet, a few close calls with Red and a very, very close call with Black but other than that, none.

"He is mostly situated in the Pit, it makes sense, since he has the most influence and power there but there are some.. exceptions, so to say, when he's not in the Pit, he's up here, in L'manburg, and that is dangerous for many reasons, if he can make the most lethal drug, then he can make something far worse."

Cards sighed, shoulders sagging and tension leaving his body, he.. looked more tired now. Defeated. As if he knew that talking him out of this decision wasn't possible, which it wasn't.

"All I am saying is, Kratos, that you should be careful when you seek him out, I don't know where he is exactly in the Pit but I know one thing and that is to follow the people with the respective colours of the four drugs, a friend of mine sees them at least every six months in the Pit."

Techno nodded, acknowledging the concern and accepting the information.

He stood up and turned tail, already moving to the doors.

"Kratos?"

He stopped in front of the doors.

"Two months from now."

With that last piece of Knowledge, he Left

Chapter Text

A huff atoned in the quiet room, some feathers rustling accompanying it.

He had been spending a lot of time in this room, now that he thought about it.

The shimmering blue liquid swirled around in the glass vial as he methodically swayed it in circles.

This prototype took a lot of time to be sorted out to perfection.

He looked over his left shoulder, seeing the same blue liquid in glass vials situated in trays just brighter, each one having at least one defect.

He looked back to the glass vial he held in between his index finger and thumb.

His fingers were in question stained blue all the time because of his constant work, the staining couldn't be washed off no matter how much one could try, always leaving behind faint traces of its existence.

A sigh.

He pulled his focus towards the book opened on the desk, the recipe written down.

If this was it, if this was his desired outcome, then he wouldn't need that book anymore.

He popped off the cork of the vial and sniffed at the opening, finding it to smell like sweet blueberries, just like he wanted.

He put it against his lips and tilted his head back as if he was downing a shot, letting the liquid wash down his throat.

He let his head fall forwards after he downed all of it, putting the empty glass vial aside.

The effects were immediate.

He washed the fire roar in the fireplace, feasting on the wood with grave and unsatisfied hunger.

The weight of the book in his hand felt.. comforting, almost.

He had completed what he wanted, he had achieved everything, obtained knowledge about [REDACTED].

The only person who could know everything about it was himself, noone else, just him.

So, with no hesitation, he tossed the book into the fire, watching it burn and turn black at the corners, shrivelling up and turning to ashes afterwards.

This deadly and dangerous information would die with him, only him.

He clasped his hands together behind him, watching the fire eat the paper.

He turned tail and left, knowing that this knowledge was safe and sound with himself.

Azrael, the black feathered fuck, gave him a week to think about it, about joining the Syndicate because in his opinion,-

"It isn't often you come across a civilian who would screech back at you with so much venom and rage that it makes you flabbergasted."

Tommy pulled a face at that, of course he would screech back? Who wouldn-

Cut that thought.

Noone would screech back.

Other than him of course.

Because he has seen worse things than what the Syndicate could do.

. . .

Ah.

. . .

He sees it now.

-yeah. That was basically their interaction in a nutshell.

Not necessarily the best but not the worst outcome he had thought about.

Now, back to the present.

So, Tommy decided to finally stop feeling sorry for himself and get his living feathered fossil type ass up and actually go touch some grass.

He was walking through a park, minding his own business and keeping to himself, having a grand time by himself when all of a sudden a Hero got flung from out of the sky and into the grass covered ground beside him.

If he had a nickel every time someone was being thrown at him or in the general direction of him, he would have two, which is weird because why the actual fuck did it happen twice?

Seriously, what was with Heroes being thrown at him like he was a white and red target?

Tommy just blinked, not finding the words.

No.

Wrong question.

What was wrong with the Villains for throwing Heroes in his direction?

He turned his attention to the sky to see a black winged individual that totally didn't eat his cookies, like, four days ago with his lackey- the one with the trenchcoat that was dramatic as fuck and a theatre kid behind that mask.

Huh.

Reminded him a bit of Wilbur.

If he was a Villain.

The Hero in the ground beside him was knocked out- wow! Such a shock! Who knew? And the Villains were just.. there. Existing.

Eventually he just quietly and awkwardly backed away from the incoming fight and turned tail and sprinted himself out of the situation.

Fortunately for him, nobody followed him, but he was sure the pigeon shit saw him.

Meh.

Yolo.

But then again, did he really want to die now of all times?

Nah.

So he just went to another park.

Not like he was planning on staying to watch the fight. No.

Totally not.

Life didn't treat someone fair and if it did, then that someone was far, far away from this universe.

Well, at least that's what he always told himself.

Noone was treated fairly, neither the Heroes or the Villains and definitely not the ones Intermediate the Reflection.

It wasn't possible, in no way was it ever possible.

A scratch of a quill on paper.

It never will be possible.

The sound of liquid being swirled around.

It was a fact.

Footsteps across concrete floor, they echoed throughout the room.

Unfairness was in everyones life, whether you were selfish or selfless.

The sound of trays and glass clinking together.

It didn't matter where you fell into.

A gun being loaded.

Noone could escape the unfairness.

Something being tightened.

Political tyrants or silver tongued maniacs.

Footsteps across the floor.

A scoff.

Not even himself.

The sound of something falling upon something else.

But that won't be a problem anytime soon.

A door being opened.

All he had to do was get rid of the obstacle in his way.

The door being slammed shut.

. . .

Kratos.

Chapter Text

Tommy sighed as he waited for the bus to arrive at the bus stop.

It was getting boring, his phone could only keep him entertained for so long.

Nevertheless, it was night, the moon was shining or, well, reflecting the suns light nicely today.

Tommy turned his attention to his wings, going through them and pulling out loose and broken ones.

Eventually he sighed and just fluffed his throat feathers up, hiding his lower face in the soft feathers.

This was going to be a long wait.

Everything was not going great.

Much to contrary belief, the Syndicate was running into dead ends and more dead ends.

Almost immediately after he mentioned the vulture-Villain, Tranquilizer Blue, to his Sounder and team- they have been trying to figure out more information.

Emphasis on the word trying.

Cards was refusing to tell them more- no matter the amount of money or things they offered, there was basically no records of a Villain named Tranquilizer Blue in the Hero records and there wasn't any information or lead they could go after.

Other than the Pit and.. well.. drugs, to be blunt.

It wasn't bringing them any further and by the gods above- was it frustrating.

On top of that, the number 1 Hero blew one of their most important meetings, a meeting with other Villains to get more connections and knowledge onto their side.

And right now, Techno was tired and frankly just angry at society.

Phil, the absolute opposite of tall, noticed and pulled Techno into his Nest, made him lie down and let himself be treated like a child.

Hence the claws going through his hair, untangling knots, scratching at his scalp and his head laying in the lap of the Elytrian.

It was nice, calming and relaxing, Phil was sweet and lovely and all but honestly, right now he could probably use Tommys jokes and his cocooned self beside him.

Though he was pretty sure the kid was more than busy and bothering him wouldn't do either of him good.

As if on cue, his phone began to rang not far from him, the claws stopped moving and Techno lifted his head, hearing the familiar ringtone.

He reached for his phone and looked at it.

Offended Plucked Chicken (Tommy)

He sat up and leaned against some pillows, swiping the green phone icon up and lifting it to his ear.

"Techno?"

He could hear on the other line.

"Yeah?"

Silence, then some shuffling.

"You wouldn't mind giving me a ride home, right? The bus got cancelled and another one won't be coming until like- two fucking hours and frankly, I don't have time for that."

Techno blinked, something warm blooming in him- not that he would admit it.

"I can come pick you up, which bus stop?"

He asked, getting up and moving to the edge of Phils Nest.

"You know, the one."

Techno hummed, hearing something faint behind him.

"Of course, will be there in 30-ish."

"Thanks big man, see you until then."

"See you."

The line got hung up and Techno slipped his phone into his pocket.

He was about to go step down the hanging ladder when Phil asked.

"Where are you going?"

Techno looked up.

"Going to pick someone up, noone important."

A hum came from Phil, the man blinking and grabbing one of the pillows, fluffing it up.

"When are you going to be back?"

Probably for the night. But he didn't tell him that.

"Depends."

A sigh came from Phil, the type where Phil knew that he wouldn't get any more information out of Techno (or Wilbur, for that matter).

"Just be careful if you are going to be gone for long."

Techno nodded, seeing how the other put the pillow back in its place. He looked over to him.

"Off you go."

He said with a warm smile and closed eyes, the crows feet in the corner of his eyes showing.

The pinkette didn't wait any longer than that and climbed down the ladder, getting onto the floor and making his way out of the room.

Tommy waited underneath the bus stop.

He was watching a video on his phone, so he didn't notice the way a car stopped in front of him.

The loud honk made him jump and look up though.

He blinked, the window rolling down and showing a familiar person.

Techno.

Tommy got up from his seat and turned off his phone, smiling with closed eyes as he opened the car door.

He sat down and closed it, reaching for the seatbelt.

The vulture cooed after a while.

"Wanna stay at mine for the night?"

Techno snorted.

"I knew you would ask that."

Silence.

"Is that a yes?"

A tired nod.

"Fuck yeah."

Tommy was awake.

Techno was not.

He's been thinking for a while now and that was dangerous in itself for Tommy.

Because if he started thinking, he would start second guessing, if he started second guessing, he would start planning, if he started planning, he would start acting.

It was a cycle really, a routine at this point, always in the late of the night like usual, only difference being that he couldn't stand up and leave like he usually would.

The Elytrian never bothered to break it, always feeling calmer after what he acted upon.

Kratos.

Kratos was a Villain.

An.. achingly familiar Villain.

He held back a groan, curling into Technos side even more.

At least he's got someone here to keep him close.

Tommy looked at his claws, a faint shimmer of blue fanning over them in the dim lantern lights.

To hell with keeping himself here- he needs to act now-

Just as he was about to get up, did Techno move, plomping himself onto the Elytrian.

"You 'eally need to 'top thinking so much, I can 'ear the gears 'rinding against eachother inside of 'hat head of yours.."

Tommy just squawked offended, the crushing weight of the Brute on top of him keeping him from moving.

He struggled against the brick wall of a man for about two minutes before giving up entirely.

"If you keep laying on me, I will suffocate or end up with broken bones- I have got hollow and brittle bones might I add! Now off with you Satan!"

Techno grunted and rolled off, ending up beside Tommy, who then bit his upper arm in revenge of the torment he was just put through.

The Brute didn't react to the bite, only wrapped his arms around the more than pissed off Elytrian and moving onto his side so that said Elytrian was forced against him.

Tommy let go of the upper arm and twittered a series of curses the other didn't understand, only humming in response when the stream was over.

"Bed 'ime, otherwise you are 'oing to be 'rumpy again 'omorrow."

Techno said, a yawn accompanying the sentence.

The Elytrian huffed but curled up in a ball.

So much for acting upon the plan.

He thought as sleep dragged him under.

Techno looked down at the now sleeping Elytrian and snorted.

Offended plucked chicken was going to be a good nickname.

Sleep never came easy.

It was just a matter of turning and moving until he gave up and continued to work.

. . .

Kratos.

Kratos was sticking his nose into places he shouldn't.

It was already bad enough to have him on his tail, it would be worse to have the Syndicate at his heels too.

Fortunately,

He tapped one of his fingers on the desk, the blueprint in front of him littered with notes and crossed out words.

They wouldn't get far with the information they have now, it was too much of a weak lead.

Unless..

He stared at the depicted vial drawn in white on the paper.

Unless Cards couldn't keep his mouth shut.

The Gala might have to be put off or at least done later in time.

He leaned over the blueprint a bit.

But that would upset the guests.

A flutter of feathers could be heard as a chair was pushed back, steps echoed through the room, a steady pace of walking back and forth.

They wouldn't like to wait.

They wanted entertainment and him, as the host, will guarantee they shall get it, one way or another.

It wouldn't harm his reputation if he lost the connections, but it will be a bit harder to form new ones if all of them decide to leave abruptly.

He turned his attention to the glass doors and balcony overseeing the Pit.

He walked over, sliding them to the side and stopping in front of the railing.

He quietly watched the Villains and Mercenaries hush along beneath him.

His claws found grip on the railing, trembling from the side effects he created.

No.

He wouldn't afford to lose them, some can't keep their mouths shut when under pressure.

He couldn't afford to lose them, at least not to the Syndicate or Heroes, otherwise his business would be in danger.

He needed to slowly weed them out, one by one, kill them off and replace them himself, this time he will choose stronger links instead of weak ones.

They had fulfilled their job of spreading the substances, his substances.

It was only fair.

But until then,

He pulled out a straight, long black pipe with blue accents from his pocket and the stick that belonged to it.

He handled the pipe in one hand and the stick in the other, striking it across the surface of the pipes stem and lighting it, putting the burning tip into the bowl of the pipe.

The bowl began to smoke, a brilliant blue colour, he shook out the stick and put it into his pocket, putting his lips around the bit and taking a deep inhale of it.

As expected, his muscles only relaxed and the thoughts that were racing in his mind came to a slow stop and continued at a more evened out pace.

He would wait.

Chapter Text

If Tommy knew one thing, it was to never trust someone with your secrets.

He waved Techno goodbye as the Brute got into his car.

No matter if you trust them, no matter if they are family or friends, you keep them to yourself, no matter how difficult it may be.

The car started and began driving out of the driveway.

Tommy learned it the hard way years ago.

Techno waved goodbye too before he left completely. A faint smile on his face.

It wasn't a pleasant experience.

"Surely you can't be serious!"

[Redacted] yelled, worry flashing in his eyes staring at the vial of blue liquid in 'Vultures' claws.

"It's far too dangerous to make such a thing, less alone make it available for the public 'Vulture'!"

'Vulture' knew that it wasn't dangerous. He hugged the vial of liquid close to his chest. To be scorned because of his creation by his own friend? 'Vulture' wasn't expecting that- the blue liquid was supposed to help- not hurt, why couldn't [Redacted] see that?

The yelling fell deaf on 'Vultures' ears, did he go too far? Making a tranquilizer this strong? All of the prototypes weren't good enough, the liquid in this vial alone was a prototype, far from perfection, he only told [Redacted] about this because he thought it was right. Maybe it was wrong? To tell [Redacted] this secret of his? That couldn't be. Surely-

. . .

Maybe he shouldn't have told him. Kept it to himself. 'Vulture' thought that [Redacted] would understand or was it just naiv ety speaking?

"-Are you even listening 'Vulture'? Can't you see how dangerous that-.. that liquid is?-"

"It's supposed to help, [Redacted], surely you can understand that?"

Horror fell upon [Redacted]s face.

"You think that-"

He started, voice shaky with fear, as if his entire world was crumbling away.

"-that liquid is supposed to help, 'Vulture'?"

'Vulture' nodded, it was supposed to, it was only a tranquilizer after all, a strong one, but a tranquilizer nonetheless. It was supposed to calm, help get things under control. It wasn't dangerous.

'Vulture' knew now that [Redacted] was right, that the liquid he made from scratch was dangerous, he had tested the prototypes through and through, unknowingly making himself resistant against its capabilities and therefore.. dulling the results, causing him to go further and further and making it unbelievably difficult to resist for others.. while it was nothing than mere weed for him.

[Redacted] stared, stepping back, away from him, tension rising higher and heavier with each breath both took.

It became difficult to breathe in the room, the other vials of the liquid twinkling under the light, a far too bright blue liquid there, a far too dark blue liquid here.

Then it suddenly clicked in his mind.

He looked at [Redacted], something numb and cold invading his heart, secrets were supposed to stay hidden.

And he would make sure that his stayed hidden now.

No matter what.

He didn't know what happened after that, only that he knew his dear old friend was suddenly gone.

Tommy closed the door, looking down at his claws, the familiar faint blue shimmer stared back.

Footsteps sounded behind him, jumping down the last few steps like they always did.

"Grayson."

He turned around, meeting eyes with the other.

Grayson was the very rare exception though, he knew how to keep his mouth shut, unlike his other friend, but then again, he only knew bits and pieces, not the full picture.

He hoped that Techno wouldn't do anything he might regret.

Kratos and him were similar in that way.

Techno frowned once the house was fully out of sight.

He knew Tommy was hiding something, but he didn't know what.

Thinner than an Elytrian should be, faint blue shimmering on his claws, a rather uncanny valley feeling around him, as if he knew more about something than he let on, it irked him, he knew the observations were old ones and previously thought about ones.

He looked in the rearview mirror, seeing the earring the Elytrian got him, it glinted in the daylight.

Maybe he was being paranoid and the thought of his friend being a secret drug dealer in the Pit were just the Voices talking conspiracies or his fear of losing said friend.

Techno should ask Cards about more information about the Pit and the Reflection, maybe then his paranoia will cease to exist.

But.

. . .

The reminder of Tommy being awake and not sleeping, looking as if he was calculating some sort of plan while Techno was asleep, it was by a miracle Techno noticed it in his hazy mind.

It felt wrong.

He shook his head, eyes sliding back onto the road.

Maybe it was really the paranoia spouting nonsense.

After all, Tommy would never do anything without telling him.

. . .

Right?

The door closed behind him again as he stepped into the house.

Grayson left a bit after Techno did, the man off and about in L'manburg somewhere, probably finishing jobs and saving people left and right in broad daylight as Wraith.

. . .

Tommy blinked and looked around, something was off.

He slowly made his way into the kitchen and saw a familiar Elytrian sitting on his island.

"That is really unhygienic."

He spoke, voice a void of emotion. Azrael turned his head towards him, wings and tail shifting.

"Have you come to a decision about it yet?"

Right.

Joining the Syndicate because he did the bare minimum of screeching at one of the leaders.

Thinking about it, he.. hasn't really made his decision yet. Not to say he wasn't inclined to say yes.

"Benefits?"

He asked, Azrael tilting his head and huffing, the veil from his hat moving.

"Protection, easier ways of getting rid of people you don't exactly like, getting rid of the Heroes, a lot of new connections in the Reflection,-"

The Elytrian counted the pros on his hands, claws glinting dangerously in the daylight.

"-people who you can rely on,-"

"Ok,"

Tommy cut the other off.

"That's enough."

Azrael let his hand drop, head untilting.

Tommy stared for a little while longer, while being Tranquilizer Blue was already hard enough, he could use some new allies albeit under a different identity.

He mulled the thought over.

Surely it couldn't be harder than juggling Tranquilizer Blues identity and his civilian one, right? It would be a nice change of pace too. To be in the spotlight for once.

As much as he loved being in the background, he could use some combat from time to time.

He sighed, gaze turning to the couch.

As long as he appeared at least once every other week or month, he could smoothly take care of three identities and nurture them accordingly.

But he would have to appear before the Gala. That is a thing he would need to do.

He sighed.

"Fine, I will join under one condition."

Azrael leaned forward, feathered ears tugging back.

"I won't need to appear every time you go out and bother the Heroes- I have got a whole lot on my plate already."

The feathered ears on his own head pulled back, wings lowering towards the floor as he looked over.

"Besides that, I wouldn't mind juggling another identity."

A third identity was left unsaid on his part.

"Clever, you have yourself a deal."

Good. It will get him closer to Kratos too. Cards told him that he was questioning about him, wherever he got that hint from. Tommy supposes he isn't as stealthy as before, he let himself relax.

This will just make it easier to dismantle people who he considers a threat

"Lovely."