Hello everyone! just a quick little note! I do not own any of the art used as the cover or chapter images! I will let you know when the art is of my own! Also not to confuse any of my newer readers. If you see - at the start of an indented paragraph, it stands for a POV change. It is normally noticeable right away because a character will be addressed as differently than in the other POVs! Now back to the story!
- Dream was out the door and making his way down the snowy steps. Oh was the weather cold against his bare legs and feet. He made it down the stairs and as his feet touched the pathway a muscular arm wrapped gently but firmly around his middle. Dream tried his best to bite the arm but the loose muzzle was still in the way of his only chance of freedom. The arm quickly lifted him up to the owner's chest, who proceeded to have his cloak cover the child.
"What in the world were you thinking! You will die out here in your condition!" Philza stressed as the man carried Dream back into the house.
Technoblade carefully adjust Dream back into both his arms as they returned to the sheet on the floor. Dream struggled the whole time, but the large man was no teen. He would not be outmatched by a skinny little kid. Dream noticed that Tommy and Tubbo both were successful in what they were tasked to fetch.
- Philza carefully cared for his wounds as Techno would readjust the kid so Philza had the access to the wounds. Philza knew that the muzzle and matted hair were going to be a fight to get off the kid. This child has been tortured and abused for a long time. All the scars marring his body alone told details of the tortures. When Phil finally grabbed a strap of the muzzle the child froze every movement. Including breathing. The child's eyes locked with Phil's, terrified. As Phil tried to unlock the muzzle, the kid slowly began to breathe again. When Phil was unsuccessful in unlocking the darn thing, his eyes met Techno's. He could see the worry in his eyes even when he tried to stay stoic in this situation. The kid's hair was tangled into the lock. They were going to have to cut the muzzle and matted hair off.
Philza knew it was risky but he needed to get this kid cleaned up.
"Tommy get me shears from the chest please," Philza said meeting the kid's eyes.
"I promise not to hurt you. I am going to cut the muzzle off and some of your matted hair. Okay?" Philza reassured the child.
Tommy returned from his mission and handed the shears to Phil. When the shears came into the child's view he panicked. Technoblade almost lost hold of him before Ranboo gently grabbed the kid's legs and Techno restrained the kid's arms to his chest. Tommy carefully grabbed the kid's flailing head and held it still so Philza could cut what he needed and not risk hurting the kid.
"Hold him still. I'll make it quick." Phil told the other three as Tubbo was stuck watching the terrified child.
- No No NO NO NO! They were going to hurt him! They are just like Sir! They were going to punish him will the shears. He should not have ran. They were kind to him and he fucked it up. He knew it was too good to be true. He had to be bad again. He could never learn! Sir was right! Everyone hated him!
As the three held Dream, tears started to flow down his face. He was terrified. His heart was beating like it was trying to tear itself out of his chest. Dream's world turned into his dark cell. Sir standing in front of him with no remorse, covered in Dream's blood. That laugh rang in his ears as his beaten body heaved for air. Instead of hearing the steady calming whispers of the four trying to help Dream, all he heard was the repeating words of Sir meant to break his will more and more.
- The kid was lost in his own brain. Techno could see that well enough. He already almost lost himself to the voices in his own head when he first saw the kid. He was told to get warm water to help clean the kid up but when he was getting a bucket from his storage room downstairs. He heard a ruckus above him towards the door making Techno rush out his downstairs door. He saw the kid running out of the house and down the stairs. Technoblade rushed forward before gently snaking around the kid's middle. Techno was careful to hold him firmly but not too tightly, before getting his cloak to cover the kid who had no clothes besides the oversized boxers.
"What in the world were you thinking! You will die out here in your condition!" Philza stressed as Techno then carried the kid back into the house.
They returned to the sheet as Techno handed the bucket to Tubbo who quickly got the warm water. Technoblade watched the kid's eyes as Phil cared for his wounds. They were the eyes of a tortured and terrified human dragged into something so inhuman that they didn't understand kindness anymore. Phil grabbed the strap of the muzzle before meeting the kid's eyes. He froze. The kid froze like a terrified prey animal. He was not even breathing, just watching Phil. That's when Philza tried unlocking the damn thing. After multiple unsuccessful attempts, he met Techno's eyes. The voices screaming Blood For The Blood God were giving Techno a headache. He hid his fury but he knew Phil could see the worry.
"Tommy get me shears from the chest please," Philza said meeting the kid's eyes.
"I promise not to hurt you. I will cut the muzzle off and some of your matted hair. Okay?" Philza reassured the child as Techno could feel the kid start to tense.
Tommy returned from his mission and handed the shears to Phil. When the shears came into the child's view he panicked. Technoblade almost lost hold of him before Ranboo gently grabbed the kid's legs and Techno restrained the kid's arms to his chest. Tommy carefully grabbed the kid's flailing head and held it still so Philza could cut what he needed and not risk hurting the kid. Techno could hear and feel the kid's heart pounding in his chest. Philza, Technoblade, and Tommy could all see as the kid was in his head seeing things not there.
- Philza quickly made his way through the strap of the muzzle. He could hear pleading mumbles fall from the kid's mouth. He knew that Tommy couldn't hear the mutterings but Techno could. Phil needed to finish cutting the child's hair before Technoblade goes into a rage. Once Phil was finished, he gave Tubbo the shears and pulled the kid into his arms.
"Tommy, lead Technoblade to the woods while we clean up and care for the kid," Philza told Tommy as Ranboo began picking up the discarded hair.
Tommy nodded as Phil began to bring the kid to the bathroom. Philza gently sat the kid on the bathroom sink's counter.
"How about we get you cleaned up?" Phil asked the kid who was tensed and watching Phil.
- "How about we get you cleaned up?" Philza asked Dream who was watching him.
Technoblade and Tommy were leaving meaning fewer people to run from. He just had to wait for Phil to start the water before running. Ranboo and Tubbo should be busy cleaning up and if they aren't, their arms should be full from what they cleaned up. Dream watched as Philza knelt on the bathroom floor before beginning to adjust the water temperature. Dream slowly pushed himself to the edge of the counter making sure to not make a noise. When Philza leaned into the tub is when Dream made his move. He wasn't expecting the feathered wing to curl around his front cutting him off from the door.
"Now you didn't think I wasn't expecting you to try running again, right mate?" Phil asked turning towards the child.
Dream stood like a deer in headlights with one fist held up to his chest as his other hand was frozen in motion inches from the feathered wing blocking the door handle. Phil's wing pulled Dream to Phil who gently grabbed Dream's hands.
"Mate, we are trying to help you. I know you are scared and you have full right to be. You didn't deserve what happened to you. We won't hurt you and we will protect you." Philza softly told Dream looking into Dream's eyes.
Dream stared into Phil's eyes before a slight nod was made. Phil smiled softly before he checked the water level.
"Alright mate, why don't we get you cleaned up and in different clothes," Phil spoke before he helped Dream remove his remaining clothes and carefully lifted him into the tub.
Dream's face was a bright red. He was not used to other people bathing him. He was the one who bathed himself but he knew Phil would not stand to leave him alone right now.
"No need to be embarrassed. I've raised three boys already. Practically four if you count Tubbo." Phil told him as he pour water over his newly cut hair.
- Philza could now see all of the scarrings without any dirt or blood covering them. His blood boiled at what he saw. One scar stood out from the rest. A burn scar. More specifically a branding you'd burn into a farm animal or leather. Phil was going to kill him. A :] was burned into the child's shoulder blade. Philza was going to murder Quackity as soon as the kid was less of a flight risk. Technoblade would be informed about this once he was calmed down from when he first saw the kid. The boys though. They will wait a little while if it can be helped. Philza did not even realize that he was almost done bathing the kid. He must still have the muscle memory from bathing his boys. Phil looked down at the kid. He was relaxed in his hands. Falling asleep almost.
"Hey, bud. We are going to dry you off and get you in some pajamas. Then you can sleep. Okay?" Philza softly told the kid.
The kid nodded softly before Phil lifted him from the tub and wrapped him in a towel.
"You got a name kiddo?" Phil asked the boy.
The kid tensed while looking down at his feet.
"If you don't want to tell me, that is alright. You can tell me when you are ready. " Phil told him as he began to gently dry the boy off.
Once Phil finished drying him off, he helped the kid into the almost-too-big pajamas. Philza gently lifted the kid into his arms, where the kid gripped the front of his shirt weakly. They went to the living room where Ranboo and Tubbo were now on the couch. Philza settled into one of the recliners with the kid on his lap. Phil tried to get the kid to sit in a chair but the kid didn't want to let go.
"How long do you think Tommy and Techno will take to get back?" Tubbo asked.
"However long Techno needs to calm the voices. Tommy should be here any second now." Philza explain and seconds later the door flew open.
The door slamming open scared the kid in Phil's arms. He jumped before burying himself into Philza's chest and in return Phil tighten his hold on him.
"Have you checked your communicators!?" Tommy yelled.