To Each Their Own, and Their Own to Each

Deadly

TW: DEATH, HURT FAMILY

Tommy watched, stunned, as Techno flung himself up the stairs, and Wilbur dashed towards the kitchen to the wall phone that hung loosely beside the fridge. Tommy's ears started ringing, and he felt his chest close in. He ran up the stairs numbly, trying to get to where Techno had disappeared. He saw Phil's door cracked open and quiet murmuring coming from those inside. He felt Wilbur nudge past him and run up the stairs into the room.

Tommy shook his head violently. He was a big man! He was strong and nothing affected him!

He lifted his feet and pushed himself all the way up the stairs. He finally reached the top when knocks sounded on the door downstairs.

"I'll get it!" Tommy announced, running back down the stairs.

He slipped on the rug at the bottom slightly, hitting his knee on the ground with a wince.

He ran to the door and swung it open to reveal a rather short female. She had pink hair that was hastily tied back into a bun. She shoved past him and ran up the stairs.

"HEY!?" Tommy yelled running after her.

Phil was hurt! They couldn't have intruders, especially right now! He pushed his way up the stairs again, his knee struggling slightly, and lightly stepped into Phil's room. Wilbur was crouched by the foot of his bed, Techno was sitting in a corner staring at Phil with a cold expression, and the Niki girl was crouched by his head. She had a hand on his chest with a slight glow forming under it in the dim room. Tommy could only stare.

He could see from here how small the rise and fall of Phil's chest was. He could hear the slight wheeze when he inhaled and exhaled softly. Niki lifted her head towards the other two.

"I'm going to stay here for a little longer this time. You might wanna go out like usual." Niki said softly. Her accent made Tommy curious.

Wilbur nodded and stood Techno followed him and they both headed towards Tommy who was standing frozen at the door staring at the man who had welcomed him into his own home. This man was dying right in front of him. Gods weren't supposed to die!

"Tommy."

Techno's low rumble of a voice pulled him from his trance. He slowly turned his head. His face was neutral but his eyes sparkled with what he was actually feeling.

Techno put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him outside and downstairs. They sat on the couch Tommy slept on when he came here for the first time. He said nothing.

"Tommy...I don't want you to worry." Wilbur started.

Tommy tsked. Wilbur frowned and continued.

"Phil gets a little sick sometimes...he's a very old god so he's way past his prime. Though, as long as we have Niki, he'll be completely fine, I promise."

Words bubbled in Tommy's throat as he struggled to accept Wilbur's reassurance.

"But he was hardly breathing!" He hissed out, the tears he'd been trying so hard to keep back spilling out onto his cheeks.

Why did he care so much? He hadn't even known Phil for even a month yet!

"He was lying there struggling to breath! He looked pale! How can you say he'll be fine! That girl even said she'd be staying longer than normal! What if it-" He cut himself off with a choke of shock and terror.

A familiar feeling, even though only having it once, rose in his chest as he struggled to breath. Not here, not now! He couldn't do this in the middle of a living room!

He pushed himself off the couch and ran to the back yard. He glanced at that little box off to the side that contained what they had just gardened. He wanted to hurl. Techno and Wilbur ran out, trying to reach him in the middle of the yard. He screamed and fell to his knees, the one he hit throbbing from the contact.

That same sensation passed through him as his ears rang.

He heard a sharp gasp when the ringing finally cleared. He didn't look up. He already knew what was there; what was staring back at him. A hand Grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up. He kept his eyes squeezed shut. Nobody could reach him. Not now.

Wait, Wil and Tech...!

He snapped his eyes open, spinning around to try and spot them. He breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw Techno staring back, a look of reassurance in his eyes as he beckoned him closer to the house, and Wilbur with his hand on his shoulder. Though, he could smell the rank decomposing bodies.

Wilbur brought him inside onto the couch. He sat and stared at his trembling hands with a shaky breath. Suddenly, Niki came running down the steps.

"Phil is fine, just resting now. What happened? I saw that flash of light."

Wilbur made a motion to Niki to not talk about it. She glanced at Tommy's hunched form as Wilbur rubbed circles on his back. Techno appeared from outside with a grunt as if he'd come back from a run. Niki stayed silent.