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The god’s of this world were playful beings, they pick and choose which mortal would be blessed or cursed. They picked favorites, they relished in offerings and pleas. It’s how they were and how they’d always play until the burning sun went down for the last time. Most humans thought being a god’s favorite was a good thing. A privilege bestowed on only the worthy, a sought after gift you couldn’t just find. Something you could get killed for, who wouldn’t want a god’s eyes on them? The rumors the humans spill, unlimited wealth and luck, strength that no one had ever seen before. Magical abilities that helped you rise.
And then the human’s witnessed how wrong they were, a young man who was well known in his village had been picked. He was known as thoughtful, he’d have given himself up to save anyone. One day he fell ill, bed-ridden for weeks. Nothing helped him get better, the doctors assumed he would die shortly after.
But at the end of the month when one of the doctors went to visit him, they tell the story of how a beast had replaced the once kind-hearted man. Inky filled winks, tar like claws that sliced apart anything with one single swipe. Sharp teeth that lunged for his own skin. The kind man had been picked as a god’s favorite and in the end became something not a single human liked.
The beast leaves that very day when a mob forms to kill him, nothing left but what the man had owned and a few fallen feathers. People collected the feathers to show proof of what was there, they were meant to burn and destroy them soon after word got out. But then one day, an injured child had touched the feather. One day the child’s parents watched as the wound just seemed to heal itself by one single touch.
One day they realized the beast was useful. Yet no one could find it, the thing had upped and disappeared.
That is until down a hundred years a child was picked by the god’s once more. The stories tell how the boy went from normal human, to a screeching half pig. The humans had locked the boy up, the parents of the boy had begged to fix whatever curse was laid onto the boy. Soon they discovered the blood of the child had turned gold, soon the humans discovered another part of a beasts that healed them. The horrible humans collected the boy’s blood, the parents went from distraught to rich just by selling a few bottles of the boy’s golden blood.
A month of suffering, of trying to fight back only to grow weak from them stealing his blood. It all comes to a close when the parents wake up to a crashing sound, a soft whisper, when they had rushed downstairs where they kept the kid all they found was broken chains, all the bottles they had broken and the blood they collected gone, and one little feather left behind.
Stories of more humans turning into beasts came to light, one of a boy who fell ill after falling in a pond that ended up with scales that boosted potions to a max. One of a teen who was hunted down until the hunters became his prey, another of a girl who turned into a half snake. Suddenly the world went from wishing to be a god’s favorite to wishing they’d never be seen by the god’s again.
The world they had known went from just human’s walking the earth to rabid beasts that sought revenge on the cruelty they had faced. Being a god’s favorite was not a cheerful thing, if someone had grown ill they’d be locked up until proven human. They’d face tests, see what they’d become and only be let free if the skin they wore stayed a humans.
Yet no matter what happened, if you turned into a beast somewhere down the line that same feathered beast would swoop in and take the prize for his own. You’d never be seen again, only rumored appearances. No one truly knows what happens when the true beast gets you, some say he kills them so he’d stay the only one. Some say the beast would use the other’s gifts for his own gain, to heal his own injuries.
No one thinks about if the beast just saves his own kind from the cruel hands that were humans. But one day the god’s just stopped, one day turned into years of no human being picked. One day turned into three hundred years of nothing, soon the stories became myths. Beasts didn’t exist. It’s a story parents tell the young to keep them in check. For three hundred years the humans forgot all about the monsters.
That is until a young blonde boy who was known for being a sweet caring boy came to light. Thomas Kin, a little boy who proved the myths to be true. Tommy who learned the true horrors of what a human would do to you if you became useful, Tommy who learns the real truth of who’s truly a monster and who’s not.
When Tommy was five he had come down with the worst sickness known to mankind. Or at least that's what it felt like before, his dad had been worried sick over him. Nothing they did helped and at some point his dad was convinced Tommy was dying, which then convinced Tommy he was dying. That wasn’t fun when you have a child sobbing his lungs out because he truly believed he was about to meet death herself at a young age.
For a week he laid in bed sweating and choking on air, for a week he was in agony from his legs to his head. His back had been the worst, it felt like someone stabbed him a million times. Not even medicine helped ease it and then the urge to build a safer spot happened.
He never did get too, the second he tried he fell back with a scream and his dad came running. They soon discovered even moving him would end in painful screeches, noises no human should’ve made. His dad started to back away from him when his skin turned red in some spots.
And one day Tommy woke up screaming as something tore out his back, he cried and cried as his back arched and two new things ached from the slightest wind. His dad had watched in horror as his son’s back just opened, as two little wings came flapping out and as little feathers started to grow from his skin.
His dad also ran that night when Tommy started chirping sadly, reaching for his father in need of comfort. He doesn’t come back that entire night leaving Tommy chirping and making sad little peep’s that beg his dad to come home. He’s alone the first night, the second night his dad comes back looking at him with disgust that doesn’t register in his brain. He’s just happy his dad was back, he didn’t understand.
Thing’s changed after that, once Tommy was able to move without feeling pain he tried to go out and play. His dad had kept him locked up in the house after that. If he had to go out he had to wear a cloak, he wasn’t allowed to make the bird noises and he wasn’t allowed to show off his wings. His dad had even thrown a horrible fit over coming into a nest covered living room while Tommy sat underneath clothes and blankets happily. In a week Tommy went from human who they thought was dying from an unknown illness to a fucking bird of all things. In a week his dad went from loving parent to hateful beast.
In a week his entire life changed because the god's chose him.
When his wing’s started to grow feathers, his dad raised hell. The only reason he didn’t pluck them off was because when he tried Tommy had scratched him with sharp claws. He had screeched and flapped about, angry warning noises escaping his throat. For a baby bird he was still incredibly deadly, he was still somewhat stronger than his dad in the end. That’s the only reason Tommy was allowed to grow his feathers.
“Papa- papa look!” Tommy had squealed, bursting into his dad’s office holding a dead rat in his hands. “Look what I caught!” And oh had Tommy been proud, something primal in his chest seemed pleased at getting food for them. Something inside him had screamed praise for just catching it.
His dad however was not pleased, he had looked at Tommy with a deep glare first until he caught sight of the rat hanging by its tail in Tommy’s little hand. He looked disgusted, screaming at Tommy to throw it away and to never bring him something like that again.
Tommy ended up placing it on his dad’s bed, hoping it would seem more like a gift than a threat. He goes to bed with a red mark on his face and the threat of his hands being chained if he tries it again.
His father starts staying in his office a lot, he’s always reading and writing. It’s boring because he can’t go out without his dad. After the rat incident his dad had locked the windows and doors so the five year old couldn’t sneak out. He isn’t allowed in his dad’s office either, it’s locked as well and if Tommy knocked Tommy got hurt.
His feather’s grow and grow, a few months before he turned six Tommy had watched bird’s flying from outside. His brain had begged to fly too, his wings flapped at the thought of being in the air. So somehow he finds himself on the counters preparing to jump, he had thought all it would take was height and moving his wings. He didn’t know that the parents were meant to teach the baby how to fly, he didn’t know his wing’s weren’t ready for flight yet. In the end when Tommy jumps he not only scrapes his knee but he also breaks a picture, his dad had rushed out from the noises and when Tommy explained his father had picked him up.
The poor kid thought he was about to finally receive the comfort he longed for, happy little peeps escaped his throat as he cuddled into his father’s chest. In his mind he didn’t know the tightening of his dad's grip wasn’t a good thing, his dad hadn’t held him since he got better.
And then Tommy finds himself being tossed down the stairs, rolling painfully onto the cold basement floor as he shot his head up tearfully to stare at his dad. “Papa…?” He whispered, his heart clenched when he saw the hateful look his dad had given him.
He stood up shaking, reaching his little arms out for his dad as he whined. “Why’d you throw me?” He cried out, climbing up the first steps with pitiful chirps.
Nothing had come from his dad, just a scoff before the door started to close making him climb faster in fear. He only makes it up when it’s fully closed, a click of the locks echoing in the cold basement along with harsh pounding from tiny hands and pleas to be let out.
He’s stuck in the basement for two days after that, the only thing he had to keep himself warm was his wings and a moldy ripped up blanket. On the first night Tommy discovers how his wings somewhat glowed, the light giving him tiny amounts of heat. It wasn’t much, but he was thankful for it.
When he’s let out he promises to never try and fly again, he promises everything he can just so he wouldn’t be put back in the basement. His dad tells him, “As long as you behave, you’ll never have to worry about the basement.” In that sweet fatherly voice, Tommy believed him.
The next week a doctor comes in and chats with his dad in his office. Tommy was told to sit perfectly still on the couch, he wasn’t allowed to move and for the first time he’s not hiding his wings. The glowing of his wings happened a lot more, hell the feathers on his arm and leg started to glow. His favorite bit was seeing the white pearly feathers slowly start to be replaced by colorful red. His dad had seemed slightly excited over it too, mumbling something about research and fire.
When they do finally come out of the room Tommy’s immediately put off by the creepy smile the doctor gives him. His dad gives him that strained smile, the one that tells him to behave or he’d be in the basement.
“The feather’s aren’t fully developed yet.” The doctor hums, lifting up his wings as Tommy suppresses a disgusted look. They don’t even ask him if he was okay with this, both his dad and the doctor just look at his wing’s and the feathers on his arm while he’s forced to stay still. “You’ll have to give me a call once all the down feathers are gone, if he’s truly what you think then this could bring fortune to the village and you.”
His dad hums, letting go of Tommy’s arm without care. “I’m certain of it, everything’s pointing towards it.” His dad responds back, neither caring to spare Tommy another glance.
He isn’t sure how he felt about it, when the doctor leaves his dad told him he could move and left him to go back into his office. That day Tommy hides out in his room, stuffing blankets and his pillow under his bed before curling into them.
On his birthday he doesn’t get a cake or a party, his only present is the doctor coming back to look at his wing’s again. Gone were the white pretty feathers, now there were red and gold feathers shining on his wings, his arms had red and his leg had the gold feathers. Without his permission they pluck one of them off, glaring at him when he makes a painful chirp. But they were excited for some reason, leaving him again to go back to the office.
In their excitement they forget to close the door and Tommy sneaks up to watch them. To his horror he watches as they place his feather into an odd looking bottle of pink stuff, he watches as it explodes into ash as the liquid swirls turning into a mixture of golden glow. He won’t ever get the sight of his dad slicing his arm before pouring the stuff on the wound, his stomach dropping as the wound heals itself.
“That was mine!” He squeaks out, stomping his way into the office without thinking, “You destroyed my feather papa!” Both of them had turned to stare at him while he threw a fit.
But his dad had bent down to his height, kneeling on one knee as he sent him a bone-chilling grin. Grabbing his shoulders painfully forcing him to stay still. “Yes but you helped Papa fix his wound, my little trophy you could help so many people!” His dad had sung, shaking him slightly as he continued, “Don’t you want me to be proud? Do you want to be selfish?”
A scared chirp escaped him, his dad shook him harder. “I raised you to be kind, you’d really keep this to yourself? Do you want to let everyone stay injured or ill, keep this all to yourself?” The man snarled, yanking his hand away in disgust as tears welled in Tommy’s eyes.
“N-no..” He mumbles fearfully, holding his hands together scared. “I don’t wanna be selfish..”
“Then you’ll understand why we need your feathers, right?” His dad whispers, he isn’t asking and Tommy understands that. His dad was giving him a choice to do this willingly. Tommy debated running, they didn’t lock the front door and he could try. But what would happen once he got out there? People could hurt him way worse than his dad, he could die.
So with a small nod, he tells his dad. “Yes sir.” He lets them take a few more feathers, thankful neither tell him to stop with the distressed noises. He lets them experiment with his feathers, he watches as a part of him disappears forever.
He finds out he’s a phoenix in the next week, a bird that lived to burn, a bird with special gifts that didn’t seem so special to him. He finds out the myths about being a god’s favorite was true, that Tommy wasn’t a human anymore. He doesn’t feel thankful, in fact for weeks he had cried to the sky wondering what he did wrong to make the gods do this to him. He prays for them to take away the gift they gave, to give back his little human life he loved.
They don’t respond and at the age of seven Tommy goes from a son who was hidden from the world to a pet bird locked in a cage for greedy hands to steal from. His wing’s are near bare, his arms and legs are always bandaged. He’s miserable, forced into harsh beatings if he doesn't obey and at some point his room turns into a shop. He’s forced to stay locked up in the basement, forced to be ogled at and treated as some dumb animal.
At seven Tommy discovers another curse that came with his species. He found a sharp tool in the basement one day, something hidden behind trash he dug in. At seven Tommy does something a child his age should never have to resort to. He plunges the tool into his chest, praying for the god’s to be merciful on his soul.
He wakes up to flames dying out on his body and left behind ash of what used to be his first body. His dad had been overjoyed by the discovery, scooping up the ash without bothering to check on the pale shaking boy curled on the floor. Tommy learns that by doing this, he caused a chain of events he’d never get away from.
At eight Tommy has known death like it was his best friend, his father isn't papa anymore. It’s the guy who owns him, the guy who locked him away, kept him as a pet and stole his feathers. He’s known as the guy Tommy see’s before he dies and the guy he never sees when he’s reborn from the flames.
His dad is known as the monster Tommy heard about in the myths. The human who turned on the beast, who wanted to keep him as a tool instead of a friend.
“I hate you.” He spits at his dad, his eye’s barely keeping open as the man moves away with a handful of his feathers. “I hate you- I hope you die.”
“It’s for your own good” His dad scolded him back, leaving him in the dark basement with barely any feathers to keep him warm.
Curling up into his body he whispers a promise, one he’d swear to keep to himself until he was brave enough to do it. “I won’t save you- I won’t save him.” And it’s the truth, if his father was to die Tommy wouldn’t give up any feathers or ash to save him. He’d fight back until he knew the man was dead and gone.
He would be selfish.
But is keeping himself safe, is fighting back against the monster in the dark that forever tormented him truly selfish? Is wanting to live a normal life without greedy hands selfish to them?
Was Tommy selfish for wanting to save himself?
When he first heard the stories of the beast, he had always wondered what truly happened to the others. Where they went, what happened to them, were they happier? He never got an answer, no one did. There’s humans who almost found out, they ended up dead before they could spill the truth.
Now he wonders when the beast would come to save him. It always came for the others, it took the others away from the cruel hands so when would it come for him? In every story that came with a new beast, it ended the same. A feather left behind and nothing to show that the monster had existed. He wonders if they lived or if the stories of the beast hurting them was true.
If the beast came for Tommy would he be saved and free or would he die? Would he be locked away again like some pet, would the beast continue hurting him?
If anything Tommy would rather die by the hands of something like him then be dragged up those stairs to suffer endless pain again. In all the stories the beasts were saved not long after turning, the longest would be a few months. But Tommy had been trapped since he turned five, he’s nine now and almost ten. In the bird world he figured out he’s still a little baby, he’s pretty sure that’s because of the stress and no parent bird to teach him what he needed to know.
So far he figured out nesting brings comfort, if someone messes up his nest he gets depressed. He figured out no one understands what he says when he chirps or makes an inhuman sound, they just stare at him in disgust and confusion. He learns he’s supposed to be flying, he’s always been meant to since his flight feathers showed up. But no one taught him out, when he tried he got punished. Then his dad either cut them until he knew he couldn’t fly or they’d take them to use for the potions.
He knows he’s a messed up bird, that his instincts had repressed themselves in fear of danger. He’s a fledgling who’s too scared to let anything new happen, he isn’t allowed to grow into a big bird because big birds get hurt worse than baby birds. His dad proved him right by forcing him to watch as a real big bird was placed on the fireplace, forced to stay forever and never move.
“This is what could happen if you don’t listen, you’ll be a trophy that will never move.” His father told him, grinning from ear to ear as he just stared at the poor thing, silently begging for the bird to fly. Fly please, show me i can be free to. Fly please- please..
That bird was still there, like him. Trapped in a place they could never leave just well- Tommy was still alive.
So really Tommy was fine with the baby bird brain. It had its downsides, yes, ones that made things really annoying for him but the upside was some customers were a bit gentle. If you forget the part where they pay to hurt him, he’d call them great. Like one old lady whose son was ill, she treated him like glass and cooed at him from the couch. She didn’t call him any mean names but she didn’t treat him human either.
He had almost liked her until his dad asked what she’d like, “Feather’s or ash?” and he had thought, hey this is a nice human who wouldn’t pick the part where he had to die! Surely she’d pick the one where he didn’t wake up from flames. He had hopes that got crushed the second she picked ash.
The worst part was how he died seeing her smile even after his dad slit his throat. She didn’t even look slightly disturbed, she just smiled. When he wakes back up on the floor, she’s still there chatting with his dad about how wonderful that performance was.
“How much would you sell it for?” She had asked hopefully, ready to dig her greedy fingers into her purse. Tommy sat up terrified, no one had offered money for him . They wanted his healing, they wanted what he left for them. No one watched him come back, no one asked to buy him.
But his dad shook his head and told her, “Not for sale, kid’s a rare ass thing that brings me money.” and Tommy was disgusted by how sad she was, in fact he’s pretty fucking grateful his dad actually told her no.
She seemed like the type to actually lock him in a cage, so when she pays for his ash and leaves Tommy can’t help but migrate closer to his dad in fear of her coming back.
She wasn’t the last person to ask if he was for sale, people would come and offer millions of rubies for him. ‘A pretty pet.” “A gift to live forever.” it was always the same and soon his dad seemed eager for the next bidding. He was excited to see how far these people would go for Tommy, Tommy was terrified for his life.
Soon people pay just to see him get reborn, the sight was beautiful to them. It hurt him though, he once had screamed to them, “Why is my pain beautiful to you? Is suffering a gorgeous gift for you!?” He got in major trouble for that, locked in the basement for weeks, not even allowed out for buyers to look at him. The bruises hurt the worst, he swore his dad almost broke his wing.
Tommy hoped the beast would hurry up and save him, so he prayed to the god again to send him help. He went as far as to promise the gods his feathers, he’d let them take his wings just so he’d be free if that's what they wanted. This leads him down a dark thought, this thought leads him to being chained so he couldn’t attempt to take the wings off himself.
Tommy had stolen a scalpel from his dad and tried to slice his wings off, he was prepared to ruin them for everyone. His screeches woke his dad up, for a month he was free from dying or losing feathers as his wings were forced to heal. Tommy’s hand’s never grab anything after that, locked tight in a box for his wing’s safety. “He’ll keep trying until they go, he'll start plucking his own wings. Bird’s do this when stressed, he’s still part human so his brain is willing to go to extreme measures to rid himself of a burden.” Another doctor told his dad, Tommy thought this one would save him. He knows the guy pitied him, felt bad for him in every way.
He weeped as the man took old feathers as a payment and left him alone with the monster.
Tommy cries as his dad locks his hands up, “It’s to keep you safe, little trophy don’t be selfish. This is for you, everything is to make sure you help the world. Once you’re better I’ll take away the box.” The monster tells him, fake comfort in every direction. He watches as Tommy thrashes about, watches when Tommy bangs the metal box on the floor screeching for freedom.
He watches as Tommy breaks further.
There’s supposed to be a group of men coming to look at him, see how worth it he is. His dad had walked in the basement with that same sick grin and announced, “There’s a huge offer for you, you’ll be on your best behavior. Show them you’ll be an obedient pet, that you're worth the investment.”
He sat on his fake made up nest and glared at his dad. His hair hiding half his face, knots and messy in every way. No one cared if he was pretty, they cared for the wings. His dad didn’t care if he looked clean, he cared about the money.
Tommy wishes his dad would let him cut his hair, he’s denied every time.
Every time people offered for him, his dad let them come over and look. Every time he’d send them home with the money and tell them to come back with more and we could talk. Soon the fear dims, it seemed his dad would never sell him. There’s a few scares, once his dad almost took the deal and all it took was Tommy squawking till their ears bled for the deal to be cut off.
He got broken fingers after that yet he didn’t care, he was still in the basement at the end of the day. Not some strange fucks house hours away.
So he’s learned to stop getting worried over a future that didn’t seem real, his dad wouldn't give up the one thing that made him money everyday even for all the jewels in the world. His dad wouldn’t give up the trophy he gained, Tommy would stay here until death was ready to take him home.
Though when he’s sitting on the couch like he always does staring at the three odd men, he can’t help but feel off. While his dad tells the blonde one all about what Tommy could do, the other two stare at him with hidden pity. He’s learned by now to not get hopeful over that, they pity you but they won’t save you. That’s how humans worked: greed overtook the displeasure, no one cared if you were happy if they got to be happy in the end.
These men would walk out with a part of him and that pity would mean jack-shit to him. So Tommy just doesn’t look at them, he looks at the bird on the mantle, he looks everywhere but them. He wonders if the three were overheating, large cloaks hiding them away. His dad had told him they were some kind of cult, to not upset them in any way possible.
“That’s all you're offering?!” His dad snapped bringing him back to reality, he looked over at the man and his dad with the other two. The blonde was smiling as his dad threw a fit, “What you’ve offered is enough to get you a piece of a feather, not enough to take the brat with you.”
A Shrug, Tommy’s eye’s catch on how the guy's back looked odd. “You’ve shown me no worth in him or your business, I haven't been told where you got him from or what all he can do for me.” The man tells him simply, with that same smile on his face. “You’d be surprised at how many fakes I’ve come across in my life, sorry to disappoint.”
With a ghrowl his dad pushes past the man towards Tommy, harshly lifting him up by his arm to show off his wings. He catches the rage on the two boy’s faces at this and for some reason his brain aches. “The shits real, you want proof I can show you proof.” His dad spits out as Tommy knows what's about to happen, he struggles a bit as distressed chirps leave his mouth.
He doesn’t see how the blonde flinched at the chirps, raising a hand almost to reach for Tommy as he in a somewhat panicked tone goes to tell his dad, “I don’t need anymore- I can see the wings perfectly fine-” But his dad never likes to listen; Tommy’s also pretty sure his dad enjoys killing him.
Tommy feels the pocket knife slam into his chest, twisting about to get the job done before he’s let go of without a care. He sees the rage and panicking looks the three men give, pushing past his dad to get towards him. That’s a first for Tommy, as the blonde holds his head telling him he’d be okay all he can think of is how he’s never experienced this part.
No one holds him when he’s dying, no one stays or comforts him. No one actually cared when he died yet as he closes his eyes they just don’t stop- the pain doesn’t wipe off their faces and that’s the last thing he sees in this body.
The next thing he sees when a few minutes pass is his flame dying down showing the blonde holding his dad by his shirt with the other two behind him. They haven’t fully noticed Tommy standing up slowly, looking at them in horror as he watches sharp claws extended from the man’s hands and those black wings rise up. They don’t notice Tommy watching them as they pull off their cloaks to let his dad see the true horror, the first time Tommy see’s something like him is not what he imagined.
“We originally weren’t gonna do this, A few injuries and maybe a missing limb sure. But I was gonna be generous this time mate.” The blonde laughs out, not even bothered by his father’s struggle. “None of this could’ve happened if you let that little knife stay out of the open, so in reality this is more your fault than mine right?” Even his brain seemed to turn to mush, seeing the wing’s from the man pushed that bird part of him out and he almost- almost walked to the man.
That is until he watches the man let his dad go in a false peace treaty, that is until he watches the claw’s slice it’s way through his dad and his body falls into two fucking pieces in front of him while he man gives a good little laugh, In everything he’s imagined he never once thought he’d watch the beast kill his dad. Not in front of him at least, that’s what makes him force the happy bird away and he lets that human part of him come into play.
They don’t expect to turn around to find the little phoenix missing from where he was meant to be, just ash left in his place. For once Tommy had run instead of staying put like a good kid, he’d rather have stayed with his dad then go through whatever hell the beast and his friends put him through so he had ran, ran out the living room and down the hall.
His dad’s office had a window, one that never needed to be locked since Tommy was never allowed in there. He hears them call out to him, the bird guy makes a chirping sound that almost had him pushing in his steps until the images of his dad come back. That’s enough to have him close the office door and lock it in hopes of slowing them down, dragging a chair over to the window so he could bolt.
“Little bird?” One of them coo’s out, feet thumping in the floor as they made their way down the hall, “ We didn’t mean to scare you, C’mon kiddo!”
Fat fucking chance, he’s already started to lift the window up when a displeased squeak escapes him before he can stop it. The whole house went quiet because of that before he heard all three hurrying towards the office.
There’s a knock on the door, Tommy’s halfway out the window. “Kid? You can come out, it’s safe. Phil won’t hurt you, we won’t let him!” That same guy said, Tommy stays silent, the fear to move overtook him. “ You gotta let us in bird, we can’t leave you here. I think you know this.”
I mean they actually could, He thinks with a pout, they could in fact just leave. But because he didn’t respond he watches as a fucking hooved like foot just breaks it’s way through the wood, that causing him to chirp in distress as he keeps wiggling out the half-open window.
“You couldn’t have waited?! Now he’s freaking out more idiot.” The guy screeches back, that doesn’t stop the dude from reaching a hand through the hole to unlock the door.
“Like he would’ve come out anyway.” Another speaks out, deep and rough that means nothing friendly.
The last thing Tommy sees inside the house is the door being forced open as he stares down the two guys. All three look at each other in shock before he’s out the house and on the ground. “Oh for fucks sake, Little oen don’t run!” The fish-like guy cries out rushing to the window, of course Tommy doesn’t listen as he’s already rushing under the gates that wrapped around the house straight into the woods.
The fish-man sighs sadly, watching the little guy run off. “Philll- he got out!” He cries shoving past the pink-haired man who shook his head already seeing how the winged man had taken off the second he called, “How much you wanna bet he’s gonna be brought back in a minute, Tech?”
“I’d say twenty seconds. Wilbur Phil’s fast as fuck when he wants something, kid isn’t gonna last a minute.” Techno huffs out, putting his cloak on along with Wil as they move to take everything that belonged to the kid. Not caring about the body in the living room.
Neither are happy when they find a room filled with jars of ash and feathers hanging on the wall. Or the tools covered in dried blood, if the dude wasn’t dead he would’ve been just by the sight of this.
Though neither deny how excited they were to take the kid back with them.
Meanwhile Tommy however was trying his hardest to not get distracted by the sights he was seeing, being locked inside a house for years at a lot of cons. If it wasn’t for the fact that he’s probably being hunted down he’d have immediately started to play and explore. ‘Explore later escape now!’ He scolds himself, jumping over a fallen limb as he forces himself to run.
If it also wasn’t for the large shadow that flew over him, he’d have thought he’d gotten away from the monsters. But now he watches as the sky darkens and the sound of something whipping across the air rings in his ears, looking up he nearly screams at the sight of the bird guy flying above him.
He turns into the bushes after that, that's when the guy pulls a dirty trick and starts chirping at him. Demanding he stop and come to the dude, Baby-baby-safe-promise tugs at his heart. He screams loudly, “NO!” as he keeps running, voice raw from hardly using it. He knows the guy wasn’t very happy with his response just by how that bird part of his brain screams to say sorry and listen.
Normally listening kept him alive, this time it’d get him dead so he keeps running even as his feet get cut up. The beast always finds his own in the end though, that’s how ever story went and that’s how it’d keep going until the god’s stopped. Tommy had known the ending but it didn’t mean he was willing to go anymore.
He doesn’t get much of a choice when the guy swoops from the air and grabs him, a happy delighted thrill that rattled Tommy as he screeched trying to get out the guy's arms. “LEMME GO! LET GO!” He cries, almost slipping on the man's arms until he’s brought back.
“ Stop.” The blonde demands, forcing him to fall limp. “If you fall and I can't catch you, you’ll die. That wouldn’t be fun birdie.” Tommy whines weakly, sinking into the man's hold at the thought of falling from this height knowing he couldn’t fly to save himself. The guy seems to take pity on him because soon he’s letting reassuring noises out that help calm his nerves slightly.
Though when he chirps back unwillingly the man almost falls apart, “Ooo Wil’s gonna just love you, you’re just a scared one huh? It’s okay- None of us will let you get hurt anymore.” The man promises cheerfully, diving down once he sees Tommy’s house. “You can’t go running off though, god knows what trouble you’d find.”
He whines at that, digging his own claws into the man's arms yet all he gets is a happy little laugh. “Don’t get all sad, just until we’re safe. Then you can run all around until you’re satisfied!”
“I want down!” He screeches out as they step through Tommy’s door. Yet the blonde doesn’t even slightly put him down, just a huff.
“You’ll run the second I do that, I don’t think you’d like being tied up as a result.” And that’s enough to make him still, he doesn’t hardly breathe in the guy's arms and he immediately closes his eyes when he sees the other two walk with bags of things.
“Is that everything?” The blonde asks, not even realizing he had started messing with Tommy’s knotted hair.
The pink guy huffed, “Wil’s got all the kid’s shit, I have the stuff they stole.” Which then makes the fish guy pop up annoyed, “Kid barely had anything! All his shit was in the basement, Phil they chained him.”
Oh Tommy was definitely never gonna tell them why they did that, he refused to have that fucking box go back on his hands. He guesses Phil was the guy holding him, because the man's hold had tightened at the word chains. He can’t tell if that's a good or bad thing, he hopes good.
When he opens his eyes slightly he cries out when all he sees is red ones staring right in front of him. Kicking his legs to get away yet Phil’s chest blocked his path. “He’s small. Can’t be more than six right?” The pink haired guy asked, softly forcing Tommy’s hand into his large one.
He’s not six . He’s not a little baby either! He sends a scowl at the man who tilts his head in return, “No? Are you seven?” He asks gently, something that had him rattled.
Tommy shakes his head slowly, realizing how the other two seemed focused on their conversation. “Nine.” He whispers out, looking at both their hands in confusion. He was waiting for something to hurt, to be lifted by his hand without blinking. Not for the guy to just hold it like he was some precious piece of glass.
“You’re nine?” The fish guy whispers, bending down to face Tommy like the other guy was, “That’s a very big age isn’t it?” Tommy nods again, pleased that one of them saw he was a big kid. Though he sees the Pink guy doesn’t look happy at the age reveal, “You’re so small…” They both say, looking near sad at the sudden thought.
He’s big . He lets them know with a screech, one that has the Phil guy laughing. “He’s not happy with you two calling him tiny.” Phil tells them, placing Tommy on his hip and for some reason Tommy doesn’t struggle.
“Can you give us a name too? Please.” Phil adds on, watching with gentle eyes as Tommy looks at his wings. Something he’s only seen on himself and the birds outside.
“Tommy?” He says, trying to pronounce it right. Having little to no schooling and barely talking ruined things for him, he knew how to speak by chirps and shit. That was easier because it relied more on his feelings than really speaking words, no one ever understood him when he chirped or made any bird like noise so in the end it never mattered.
Phil however was a bird like him and understood everything Tommy was saying if he didn’t truly speak. Getting a smile from the guy after he told them his name felt like some grand prize he’s never received, it was genuine and not the smile his dad or customers gave him. His chest screamed at the slightest warmth anyone gave him.
Phil though pets his hair and stares at him like he’s a gift, “That’s a nice name Tommy, I’m Phil and these two shits are my kids. Techno’s the big guy, I promise he’s a softie at heart. Wilbur’s the one beside him, he’s not gonna hurt you either.” And then he feels Phil press a kiss on top of his hair, like his dad used to do before he grew wings, “No ones gonna hurt you again, birdie.”
He doesn’t really fight against them when they leave. In fact Tommy doesn’t even look back to his house, his entire focus was on Phil. The baby bird in him was so happy- he didn’t understand it or get why it was happening. But just why getting a few chirps from Phil, Tommy was acting like a baby who wasn’t able to leave his nest. Phil and the other two seemed very happy when they placed him in some weird moving thing that had horses in the front and all he did was make grabbing hands towards Phil.
“Wil- Hold him until we get home.” Phil tells Wilbur who seemed happy at being the one to get Tommy’s attention. Tommy still made a sad noise when Phil bent down to make sure he was secure in the carriage. “Oh I know little bird, It’s gonna be okay. Wil’s gonna keep you safe until we get home.” Phil sighs out, holding his little hand that made him calm down until he pulled away to move onto the seat outside. Cloak back on covering every part of him as the other two moved to sit inside with Tommy.
“Tiny bird- oh Techno look at his eye’s. I've never seen a bird in this stage,” Wilbur squeals out holding onto Tommy’s hand and while it’s not Phil it helps ease his nerves. “He’s in baby mode isn’t he?”
“Phil would kill you if he heard you call this baby mode.” Techno sighs out, putting his hood over his head as does Wilbur. For a second Tommy’s able to see until there's something placed on him as well covering his eyes, “It’s just until the coast is clear, no one’s gonna question the ‘cultists’ coming from that bastard's house.” Wilbur snarls, glaring at the village as they passed by, not one blinking an eye at them.
Tommy responds to both of them with a confused noise, Wilbur holds his hand tighter in return.
He’s stuck in what Wilbur calls, Baby mode, for weeks. From the second they stepped off that moving thing he’d stuck to Phil like glue. Being placed in the coolest nest he’s ever seen, which actually made him sad after because he realized his original nest was shit compared to Phil’s. The man had freaked over him crying so in the end they let Tommy add anything into the nest. What no one gets is how Tommy put a clock in there, when Phil tried to remove it it was like Tommy had broken. There’s a clock in the nest now.
In this time he’s just absolutely spoiled, he’s pretty sure his own feet hadn’t even touched the ground. He gets the first bath he’s had in forever which in return created a little fight with Techno and Phil. The second they saw a clean shining version of his hair the piglin instincts sprung out and all he saw was gold . Techno wanted Tommy in his nest and Phil wanted Tommy in his, Wilbur had laughed during the entire thing holding the peeping child before placing him on his bed, by the time they realized Wilbur took Tommy they both were fast asleep.
Didn’t stop Techno from calling him, “Gold.” Each time he spoke with Tommy, if it wasn’t his name or gold he’s called little flame by the guy.
He also experiences real meals, not scrapes given to him by his dad. No the second they figured out how skinny he was was the second Tommy was introduced to a world he had known before. They don’t push him to eat all of it but he’s not exactly allowed to leave until he eats enough to make them happy.
And the first time he genuinely got in trouble was after he started coming into his senses, he had snuck out Phil’s huge nest to explore. None of the doors were locked, he wasn’t chained down to keep in place and they were nice so far he had just assumed he’d be allowed to walk freely.
He’s outside playing with flowers he hadn’t seen in years when he hears Phil scream his name as crashes echo from the house. “LITTLE BIRD?!” Phil cried as Tommy saw Wilbur running past one of the windows in shock. “TOMMY?!” The older winged man screeched, it wasn’t nice and it made his stomach churn. It was hysteretic and demanding, what his dad used to sound like if Tommy hid from him. It made the bird part of him feel like he did something bad, it made the human part wish to hide.
Instead of hiding he takes a shaking stand, a few unhappy thrills call to Phil. Sorry-sorry-outside-sorry. As he wrings his hands together, flinching when the front door slams open crashing into the side of the house. Phil’s standing there with his wings flared out and puffed up, the guy looked near insane until he caught sight of Tommy looking terrified.
Sorry-sorry-i’msorry-please- The little bird cries out, stepping back from Phil in fear of being hurt and Phil snaps rushing to Tommy in worry as he clings to the shaking boy, It takes him a minute, he’s crying loudly waiting for the hit until tiny arms wrap around Phil’s neck slowly. Mad-sorry-sorry.
Worried-notmad-safe?-safe. Phil chirps back, standing as he tightly holds Tommy in his arms. “You- you can’t run off like that kiddo, you could’ve gotten hurt. You’re still recovering baby, no more sneaking ok?” The man tells him as he quickly brings the boy back inside, Wilbur having shut and locked the door the second he got in. Tommy nods and he doesn’t throw any fit when he’s placed back in the nest.
The next time he tried exploring he not only asked Phil or the other two to come with him but he also discovered they kept the doors locked now in case he wanted to sneak off again. Before he can even think negatively about it he’s whisked away.
His favorite thing with Phil was how the man allowed him to cut his hair. Like he said he never liked how long it got, hell it reached past his wings at this point and it was hard to maintain. In the midst of Phil just randomly brushing his hair, Tommy catches sight of some scissors and points to them.
“Can you cut my hair?” He asks slowly, ready to bolt if Phil got mad. Instead the man looked shocked at the question, he didn’t get mad. “Please?” He adds just to be safe, they were all teaching him about manners now.
“Of course, I didn’t know you wanted it cut.” Phil tells him gently, setting aside the brush as he reaches for the scissors. “Dear, If you want something you can always ask us okay?” Tommy nods once, though everything stops when the scissors get too close to his neck, he stops breathing when all he sees is Phil stabbing them into his neck. “This is what happens when you ask, this is what selfish kids get.” Echoes in his ears as he lets out a terrified squeak, Phil doesn’t let him run but he does put the scissors down fast before holding him.
“It's okay, you’re okay. No ones here to hurt you, okay?’ Phil whispered into his hair, waiting for Tommy to calm down. “Do you wanna wait, we don’t have to cut it today.”
He likes that he’s given a choice, but did he really want to deal with this until he stopped getting scared? Not really, he’s dealt with it for years and refused to live with it for more. “You won’t hurt me?” He asks, grabbing onto Phil’s hand in a near plea, “I’ll be okay?”
Phil looked sick at the thought of Tommy being hurt by his hands, “You’ll be okay, I would never hurt you. If you can’t do it, tell me okay?” Tommy hesitates at first, nodding once giving his entire trust into Phil’s hands. The first snip he flinches and Phil checks on him, it’s a repeated process until they reach his shoulders.
“You wanna stop or keep going? We could stop below your ears, that way Tech can still braid it and you can feel more free.” Phil asks him, brushing away loose hairs as Tommy thinks.
He ends up telling Phil, “Keep going.” Keeping his head straight so he wouldn’t get cut on accident. Phil listens and he does keep his word, he’s slow around Tommy's neck when the boy lets out a distressed whine. And he does stop below his ears, he listens to Tommy.
When they finish Phil lifts him up to look in the mirror, for the first time since he was five Tommy sees the boy he was. It’s enough to make him cry, no more itchy long hair to annoy him or get tangled in his wings. Phil holds him until he stops and when they show Techno and Wilbur neither are upset at the short hair.
In fact Tommy was pretty sure he would’ve stayed red from how they cooed over his haircut, Calling him all sorts of nice names and telling him how brave he had been when Phil told them about his panic.
“It’s okay?” He questions them, shifting in place nervously, “Good?”
All three of them smile at him, “It’s amazing Tom’s.” Phil tells him again and this time Tommy believes him.
Whenever his hair grows past his neck, he goes to Phil to cut it.
Techno would probably be his second favorite, though that switches a lot between him and Wilbur. The man has his days where he places Tommy in his own nest and refuses to let him out, he’d get scary and growl a lot if Tommy tried. Actually once he made Tommy cry and run until he hid under the couch and refused to come out no matter what they demanded. The only reason he got out was because Techno, made by Phil, promised to not scare him anymore.
“Promise?” He mumbles, poking his head out slightly to look at the miserable piglin who grit his teeth.
“I- Promise.” Techno grunts out, sounding like a dying chicken during it that has Tommy laughing. It gets him to squeeze his way out and immediately Techno picks him up, chuffing happily as they make their way back into the man's room.
He also makes Tommy really good food, if Tommy had shown the slightest disgust to something Techno would refuse to cook it. Which sucked for Wilbur, who oddly really liked fish and Tommy who didn’t like the taste. Wilbur has to go to a friend, someone Tommy can’t meet yet, to get fish. Tommy also found he hated green beans and Phil, who was very strict about Tommy eating greens, was not pleased to find out Techno had destroyed all of it just so Tommy would smile.
He still has to eat greens and even Phil has control over Techno’s instincts, he doesn’t know what happened but the next time they had dinner Techno had to hold Tommy down when the boy tried to run at the sight of green beans. He isn’t allowed to go until he ate at least half of them.
In return, Tommy slept in Wilbur’s room for three weeks and refused to talk with either of them. Wilbur enjoyed it, the other two hated it. “Look- Look Tommy I got a really soft blanket! Don’t you wanna feel it, birdie c’mon-” He runs away from Phil into Wilbur’s arms. “Hey kid- I’ll fix you a cake tonight if you just make one chirp, or hey you know a hello would be nice.” Techno had actually begged, Tommy instead turned to Wil and asked, “Cake? Please?”
He gets a nice chocolate cake with Wilbur while the other two men cry in the background. Tommy doesn’t eat green beans anymore now as a peace treaty, he’s also pretty sure they were an inch away from just yanking him and never letting him out their rooms if he ignored them a minute longer.
Techno’s also the one who helps Tommy read and speak better, though no one really pushes him to talk a lot. They understood him enough by the few words he said and Phil understood him by chirping. He didn’t like speaking as much really, growing up basically mute forced him into barely liking to speak. But Techno gives him the education he was meant to have, he helps Tommy when he’s stuck and never raises his voice if Tommy gets something wrong. When he gets something right, like saying the word squirrel right, Techno gives him little snacks and if he gets an answer right on paper he gets stickers.
Little feet run about towards the living room, Wilbur and Phil immediately knowing who it was by the happy squeals that reached them. Tommy appears out the hall giggling as he runs to them holding up a piece of paper, “Look! Look!” He demands pushing the paper into their hands, “Good, I did good!”
“He did, he got everything right.” Techno speaks up behind him, moving to sit in his chair. “Didn’t even need my help this time.”
He was so excited when the other two congratulated him, hugging him as they sang praise into his ears. Each time Tommy got a sticker or learned a word he bragged about it all day, each time they listened while telling him how proud they were.
Once Techno got really hurt, during a super secret trip that Tommy wasn’t allowed to know about, he had come inside while Tommy was playing with some toys they’d given him holding his left side and blood seeped through his clothes. Tommy screeching in fear was what brought the two others out thinking he was in danger until they saw Techno leaning in the doorway in pain. For two hours Tommy wasn’t allowed in Techno’s room, Phil going in and out with worry on his face and Wilbur picking at his hair in stress.
When the two went into Phil’s room to talk Tommy did something he had been forbidden to do. They told him he couldn’t pluck his feathers out, if he did Phil would put gloves on his hands until he knew to not do it. They wanted his wings to hold his feathers, they wanted him to be free of worry. No fear of them stealing his feathers to use them for their own. But Techno was hurt and what every beast knew was your gift didn’t heal you. It just protected you at most, at the time he didn’t think about how Phil or Wilbur could help.
Instead Tommy yanks out a feather and sneaks into Techno’s room. The man's asleep breathing heavily as Tommy places his feather on the wound in hopes of it helping, he didn’t really know if it worked like his ash did. With that all they had to do was sprinkle it on the wound or in drinks, for his feather all he’s seen is people mixing it with potions.
But he watches in awe as the feather glows when blood sinks into it, golden and bright as it slowly sets on fire. He sits and watches until it’s gone and there’s nothing left but a scar, Techno was safe and Tommy had helped. Willingly he had helped and he all but ran out the room smiling as he burst into Phil’s room shocking the two older men.
“Tommy- sweetheart we’re talking about something serious-” Phil starts moving to push him out when Tommy jumps in excitement.
“I helped Tech! He’s fixed!” He squeals out grabbing Phil’s hand to drag the man out, not caring about the shocked or pale look he got in return. “See see! He’s okay!” He whispers rather loudly as they enter Techno’s room and sure enough the man was healed.
He thought they’d be happy, he thought they’d tell him he was good like they always did when he did something good. Instead when he turns around smiling at them he’s met with mad looks directed at him. Something he’s never really experienced before, not even when he messed up with them. None of them had ever gotten mad with him so this had him shrinking back.
“Tommy.” Phil starts standing straight as he glares Tommy down, “You used a feather didn’t you?”
Tommy nods as his wings twitch nervously, shooting looks at Wilbur who wouldn’t even look at him. Instead the older boy had directed his attention onto Techno. “Yes sir..” He whispers, he was terrified of what could happen. Would they hit him or scream? Lock him in the basement for disobeying?
Phil bends down to his height, lifting his chin up with a sharp claw. “You know you aren’t supposed to do that. You knew it was against the rules.” Phil’s voice grew sharp, not realizing his claw had slightly stabbed into his chin and not focusing on how Tommy started to tear up. “We told you to not pick out your wings, we told you to let them grow. Little bird I could’ve used my own feathers if you had waited .”
Sorry-sorry-hurts-sorry. He cries out as the claw gets deeper in his chin, a small drop of blood leaking down Phil’s hand. They had also promised to never hurt him, they swore they wouldn’t.
“ Phil - stop!” Wilbur squawks out when he finally looks at them, seeing how scared Tommy was and the blood coming from under his chin, “You’re hurting him!”
With that Phil snaps back into place, yanking his hand away in shock like he didn’t know what he was doing. “Oh gods- oh Tommy I didn’t mean too-” Phil tries to tell him, reaching for the shaking boy for comfort yet all Tommy saw was his dad’s hand aiming to hurt. The blonde boy screams before he pushes Phil away, rushing out the room before slamming the door as he runs somewhere in the house.
There’s another slam somewhere but before they can even move to find him Techno sits up with a groan, “What’s with the yelling?” He yawns out, wincing as the phantom pains his side gives him.
Glaring at Phil Wilbur spits out, “ Phil fucked up and now we have a terrified baby bird somewhere hiding.” With Phil’s flinch Techno knows it’s true, his eyes immediately focusing on the blood on the man's hand before he snarls lurching out his bed.
“What did you do? ” Techno growled out, trying with his best to not raise a hand towards the man who raised him. “You hurt him- why?!” He screeches instead, relishing in the flinch he was given.
Phil stuttered, he had actually looked sick to his stomach at what he’d done. “I don’t- I don’t know. Oh gods- move move I gotta find him!” He cried out pushing past his sons in a hurry, ignoring their calls as he rushed around the house chirping for Tommy to come out. There’s nothing, not even a peep.
“What if he went outside?” Wilbur questions, watching as Phil nearly ripped apart the walls in the kitchen. “Or what if-”
“He’s in the basement.” Techno pipes up, staring at the old door that leads downstairs, “If you’d shut up and listen you can hear him crying.”
Phil moves towards the door but a gentle yet firm push forces him away. Techno stares at him with slight rage, “You can apologize to him later, when he’s not scared of getting hurt. Stay with Wil, I'm checking on the kid.” He tells them as the door opens and closes, leaving the two behind in shock before Phil turns again and heads straight towards his room.
“Bake him a cake. This is about to be one hell of an apologizing party.” the blonde demands his son who immediately jumps into place.
Techno however finds himself sitting on the last steps trying to coax out a frightened kid who seemed dead set on living his days out under an old workbench that definitely housed spiders. Though he guesses did kid didn’t care about them, actually he’s pretty sure he saw the fucking monsters curled up on him in some weird attempt of comfort. And the kid wasn’t shaking them off .
“Kid- Phil didn’t mean to hurt you and I promise he’s not touching you again until you’re comfortable with him.” Techno tries, aiming for peace yet he gets a loud cry in return.
“He promised- He broke it!” Tommy cries out, curling deeper into his hands as his body shook with painful sobs, “I was bad- I didn’t listen. I’m sorry- I’m sorry please-”
It was gut-wrenching hearing the kid plead for mercy even when he wasn’t being hurt, the fact he sought after the basement for safety had hurt enough. So Techno moves to sit in front of the desk, placing a hand down gently underneath it, “You’re okay, no ones gonna hurt you. What Phil did wasn’t okay, if you did something wrong we would talk to you. Not hit or kick, we don’t hurt you for mistakes. That’s what was supposed to happen, Phil’s already sitting in his guilt and suffering the consequences.” The older explained, smiling small when a tiny hand moves on top of his own to play with his fingers. The sobs had dimmed down, Just a few hiccups left in its place.
But Techno continues, “You’re a kid who’s been through a lot, things you never should’ve endured. What happened tonight isn’t something you have to forgive, you’re allowed to be upset okay? Don’t feel guilty over being mad, don’t cry over thinking you did something wrong.” He watches with a soft look as Tommy starts to crawl out, spiders crawling their way off the boy as Tommy moves into Techno’s lap with little whines. In all his life Techno never thought he’d be wiping snot off a kids nose, guess Tommy kept changing things for them. “Phil loves you, Wilbur loves you, I love you. Nothing you could do would change that.”
The brat seemed to calm down more at the soft words, laying his head onto the man's chest as Techno placed a hand on his head. “I love you too..” He muffles out, quiet and scared as if he wasn’t sure he could say it. But Techno preens at the words, holding the kid close to protect him from the world outside them.
An hour later when Tommy comes out of the basement in Techno’s hands, he’ll have experienced a whole event of sorrows and gifts. He’d have debated on if he would forgive Phil yet, he almost didn’t want to. But when Phil holds his hand in his own, crying his eyes out as he promises to never do it again. “If any of us do, you hit and scream until we’re down. Got it?” Phil says to him, Tommy nods once. In the end he’d have forgiven Phil, though he wouldn’t trust him as much.
In an hour he’d go to bed in Techno’s nest after he’s forced to promise to truly never use his feathers like that again. He knows one day he might break it, that they’d be really mad but he’d do it for them.
For now though, that hour hasn’t passed and Tommy just seeks comfort in the arms of a brother who wouldn’t let him get hurt. For now Tommy hides away from the other two.
For now he’s okay with staying in the basement with Techno..
Wilbur was the oddest of the bunch. He showed his love way more than the other two and constantly kept Tommy’s energy high. He’d fallen into the brother role way easier than Tommy or Techno had, ironic enough he was worse than the other two with his hoarding. Though unlike them he didn’t experience instinct drops as much, either in high stress or just when he needed to let go. Tommy learns that unlike Phil or Techno, he actually can’t escape as easily.
Wilbur actually locked the windows and doors during these days, food was brought in by him and everyone had their own bathroom so somehow they survived. Sleeping and cuddling was the most they did, sometimes Wilbur would treat him like a jewel then a human. Which he didn’t like but didn’t complain when Wilbur scratched behind his ears when he got upset.
“Happy little bird, happy little brother.” He crooned as Tommy starts to fall asleep, tucking him in gently with unneeded care. “Happy nestling, happy happy.”
There’s also the new thing they do where Wilbur takes him outside past the gates to walk around the little village they had built. Tommy wasn’t allowed out here yet in fear of overwhelming him, some fear of the other beasts attacking him out of nowhere since the stench of humans was still swarming him. What he doesn’t know is the real reason they didn’t want him out was the fear he’d take off the second he was past the walls. They wanted to create a bond before they let him out. That way he wouldn’t leave them.
There’s the small threat of a child leash, “You have to hold my hand and stay close by ok?” Wilbur told him the first time, he had been hopping around in excitement. “If you let go or get out of my sight, I’ll get Phil to put a leash around your chest Tommy, I mean it.”
He whined, not liking the wait or the idea. “Okay okay! Can we go?” He pleaded, tugging the man's arm harshly.
He listens in the end and still does, the fear of the leash kept him in line.
Wilbur also taught him how to bake things, though he’s only allowed to stir and watch right now. He taught him how to decorate the desserts , which ones Phil liked and which ones Techno liked. He taught Tommy art, how to paint and draw, though he’s only drawn spiders. He teaches Tommy the art of music, apparently The gods gave him two cool abilities. His scales could heal and his voice could trap. Though he promised Tommy he’d never use it on him, which he was grateful for.
There’s also his favorite game, picking which nickname he likes. ‘Sunshine?” Wilbur will ask, Tommy would say, “I’m not the sun silly!” Which will make Wilbur pick another, “Guppy.” Tommy tilts his head before shaking it, “I dunno what that is.”
His favorite so far is baby bird, he has a nickname with them all but that one belongs to Wilbur until Tommy picks a new one. He's a baby bird and that's how he knows when Wilbur leaves gifts behind with the notes, he’s baby bird when it’s bedtime or naptime. He’s baby bird when they play games, he’s also baby bird when he’s doing something he’s not meant to.
Like Techno teaches him to read, Wilbur teaches him to write. Though it’s very sloppy and he can’t spell most words quite yet, he still tries to get better so Wilbur would know he’s a great teacher.
“Tom’s, dear, you spelled apple with two b’s instead of two p’s.” Wilbur snorts out, handing the boy back his paper as Tommy huffs.
‘“That’s a b.” He tries to lie, he really does but Wil laughs not fooled at all.
“Then it’s upside down, nice try kiddo.”
He won’t tell this to Wilbur but he hates spelling things with a passion, it’s not as fun as music time where Wilbur teaches him how to sing or how his guitar works. He likes that part of learning more, he wouldn’t ever go into the human world anyway why did he need to learn how to spell things? “Because we still teach kids here Tom’s, if i had to learn you have to learn.” Wilbur will tell him if he dared to complain.
But even when he dislikes it and it’s very boring, it’s still time with Wil and he’d enjoy it until he was free to leave behind the school part. Especially when Wilbur sneaks him desserts in the middle of learning even when he didn’t get something right. Wilbur’s also his favorite because he just gives Tommy things for no reason, like the ruby he got the other day all because he said good morning! Getting neat things was cool in his eyes and made his personal nest look very pretty, though Phil did put a ban on food being put in his nest.
Wilbur still snuck in food for him and he took the blame when Phil found it.
His favorite memory with Wilbur was how he had crawled his way onto the man's lap flapping his wings happily as he settled in his spot. Originally he was gonna take a nap, but he felt really soft during the time and whispered a small, “Love you..” to Wilbur who had frozen the second it reached his brain. He ended up squawking in shock when Wilbur tugged him into a spinning hug squealing like a little kid.
“Say it again! Oh wait- Oh my god this is the best thing to happen to me holy shit-” Wil rambled, ignoring how Tommy tried to push his way out only to end up with kisses peppered all over his face from a happy brother. “Oh my gods you’re so fucking adorable, have you told Phil that or Tech? Am I the first? Don’t answer that actually- OOO I love you too you gremlin!”
He wasn’t let go of that entire day, actually Wilbur had pushed him so far into baby brain he’s pretty sure he was just like a scruffed kitten all day until he was put down for bed. Chirping and snuggling against Wilbur who he refused to leave from, though it didn’t really matter since Wilbur had refused to part from Tommy as well.
That’s his favorite memory. And don’t tell this to the others, But sometimes Wilbur’s his number one on his favorites list. He wouldn’t tell any of them, it’d not only hurt them but Wilbur’s ego would inflate like a balloon and no one needed an over-ego of Wilbur. That wasn’t fun for any of them, so Tommy keeps it a secret for the reason of peace.
Though most of the time, Phil stays number one. Something Wil found out and had cried over for days, during that time Tommy just sat on the boy's back and offered comforting pats.
He tries his best for Wilbur.
Tommy had lived half his childhood hurting and treated as a pet. He wasn’t allowed to act like a child or a bird, because of that his brain wasn’t able to mature like it should have. But with his new family he’s taught everything he needed, even if there’s a few rules that felt slightly like a cage he was locked in. They gave him more freedom than anyone had, they had saved him when no one else would have.
He learns what love was meant to be like from a family, he isn’t forced to die over and over again and he’s actually allowed to grow out his feathers. He’s able to be a kid and a little bird with them, they don’t even complain when he’s just in baby bird mode either.
He’s ten years old now and Tommy gets to learn what being in the air feels like. Phil didn’t do the normal way of teaching him how to fly, too scared to actually push him off anything high really. So the four found themselves in a clear field, Phil held Tommy’s hand tight as the boy flapped his wings as told. Twirling him around in the air gently before letting him go, Tommy doesn’t fall.
He flies for the first time in his life, laughing loud and bright as Phil flies up with him spinning around him like a fun little game as his brother’s cheer from below. Tommy knows if he does fall, he’d have three people to catch him and keep him safe.
Since he was five he’s never felt free, until now as he and Phil swarmed around in the air like they were always meant to. He’d felt free unlike before, no more of that tight cage that forced him to think he wouldn’t ever know true freedom.
The gods are cruel if they pick you as a favorite. But as Tommy is softly landing in the field with his dad as all three bring him into a hug, he can’t help but thank the gods for picking him in the end.
They gave him a family after all.