Child Soldier

Chapter 16; The Eye

All Tommy had to do was listen, it was as simple as that.

"It was unavoidable," Dream told him gently. Tommy felt his breath get stuck in his throat, a sob he hadn't known he was holding in escaped, and he put his hand over his mouth to muffle it. They were far from the crowd of people still attending the funeral but he didn't want his voice to carry.

Tommy squeezed his eyes shut, tears running down his face as his shoulders shook with each hiccup and whimper, he couldn't keep it in any longer and it all started to pour out.

Dream watched the boy, his heartstrings pulled by Tommy's sorrow. More and more the man felt himself sincerely caring about Tommy, even so far as to feel guilt for the ways he'd treated him in exile, despite still feeling it was necessary.

He turned Tommy to face him, the boy trying to wipe away his tears on his sweater sleeves and cuffs that covered his palms, but he struggled to keep up as they streamed down his face. Dream took Tommy's shoulders and the boy looked up at him, his expression reflecting the pain he was feeling, and Dream wrapped him in a tight hug, pulling the boy close to his chest, comfortingly.

Tommy shook and his tears continued to escape him, now wetting Dream's hoodie, but Dream didn't mind, and he held Tommy close. Tommy had only ever allowed himself such vulnerability with Tubbo and Wilbur, and the affection was exactly what he needed, given he'd now lost both of them.

They stood for a while, Dream allowing the boy as much time as he needed to work through the overwhelming emotions he was feeling, or rather at least long enough that Tommy was able to make the journey home without another breakdown.

Tommy pulled away once his body started to relax, no longer shaking, and he'd run out of tears to cry for the time. Giving a loud sniffle and drying up his face, he looked up at Dream.

"W-we should probably get goin', big man," Tommy said, letting out a shaky breath at the end of his statement. Trying to compose himself again. Dream nodded in agreement, they didn't have much longer until the invisibility potions wore off now.

"You and Phil at your place?" Dream asked Techno over the communication lines, while he and Tommy headed toward the central Nether Portal. It'd be a faster transportation route.

"Yep, the mission was a success I'd say," Techno responded.

"Good, lets go over plans when we get back."

Dream and Tommy made their way through the Nether silently. Tommy feeling empty inside after his emotional purge earlier, he struggled to keep up with Dream and held the sleeve of the man's jacket to keep from falling behind.

Dream slowed his pace every now and then when he felt Tommy begin to tug significantly on him when he'd lag behind. It made the trip take a little longer but Dream was patient and wasn't in any rush knowing that all of L'manberg was in mourning right now and nowhere prepared to ambush them.

Once they reached Techno's home, Phil was stand-offish and distant with Tommy. Not sure how to feel after having watched the boy slay Tubbo right in front of his eyes. Tommy only looked at him briefly, offering no greeting either when he walked straight for the ladder to the basement. He felt emotionally exhausted and was just ready to rest.

Dream stopped in front of Phil and gave the man a nod in acknowledgement.

"Phil, nice to see you're okay," Dream told him with a friendly demeanor. He'd never exactly disliked the man, they simply didn't know each other that closely. Phil on the other hand wasn't exactly fond of Dream, knowing he wasn't treating Tommy the best in exile, and vaguely aware of his manipulation toward both Tubbo and Tommy.