Chapter Text
It had been a few weeks since Tommy first met Brown, and it was already a routine to meet the two wolves in the woods.
Every few days, Tommy would ride his bike out to the path where he first met Red and wait for the two to arrive.
Sometimes they would already be there, napping or rough housing in the clearing.
Tommy had tried to rough house with the two, but Red had gotten mad when Brown over stepped. The wolf had leapt on top of Tommy and pressed its paw it his chest, moving its jaws down to his throat.
Tommy had stopped breathing in that moment, but Brown only held its jaws gently around his neck before getting off.
Red had growled at Brown for a good few minutes after that.
Other than that, the wolves were gentle with him. They mostly sat with him and listened to whatever he said. Though Tommy knew that they had no clue what he was saying, he still rambled about Dreams most recent break down, or what funny thing he heard at work.
They were quickly becoming the blond’s favorite thing about the town. not once in his life did he think his only friends would be a pack of wolves and maybe his boss. Yet here he was.
Sadly, Tommy’s happiness could never stay.
He was eating a silent breakfast next to Dream again, thinking about if he should go to the store to get food before going to see Red and Brown today.
“you have been getting home later.” Dream spoke up casually.
Tommy glanced up from his bowl of cereal, “oh, yeah- Nicky needs me a bit more now, because someone quit.” That was a lie. Nicky was fine, but he often lost track of time in the woods.
“I see.” Dream hummed, dropping the issue easily. That was odd for the man. He never let anything go without constant nagging, though Tommy guessed he was just in a good mood.
“I have work in an hour, so I have to go.” He said quickly standing and putting his dish away.
Dream stared at him a moment longer, “I assume you’ll be home late again?” he raised an eyebrow.
“Yes. I’m closing.” Tommy lied again, not looking back at Dream as he slid on his shoes.
“Ok.” Was all he heard his foster parent say as he walked out the door.
Work went by without a hitch, and Nicky dismissed him at noon. He said goodbye to her before heading to the store to grab food.
The clerk rang his order, and Tommy grabbed a bag of jerky from the rack while waiting. Brown had eaten the rest of the bag last time, so he supposed they liked it.
The sun was above him as he rode down the old roads to the trail, easily finding the entrance.
His tires rattled as he sped down the path, the rocks fucking up his tires even more.
He came to the clearing, finding it empty. This didn’t bother him anymore; Tommy knew that the wolves would show up soon.
He set his bike down and grabbed his food, sitting by a tree and opening his coke.
Several minutes of silence passed, before it was broken, though not by the usual grunt or huff of Red or Brown. It was a voice.
“Tommy.” It was Dream’s voice.
The blond whipped his head up, looking at his faster parent. He was standing in the clearing beside Tommy’s bike.
“Dream-“ He said, stunned, “what are you doing here?”
“I followed you” the elder took a step forward “I thought it was odd that you were getting home later, so I called Nicky. You want to know what she said?”
Tommy swallowed thickly, not answering.
“she said that you have been leaving at the same times as always” Dream continued, the rage building in his voice, “she said she had no idea where you had been going, so I asked you this morning where you had been, and what did you say to me?!”
Tommy stared, speechless at what was happening. This couldn’t be happening.
“I know why you lied Tommy” He knew about the wolves? “I know you are planning to run.”
Tommy’s mind blanked. Run away? How the fuck was he supposed to do that? They were miles away from any civilization other than the town. It took hours for his social worker to drive him here.
“You are planning your escape every day, and you thought I wouldn’t notice?!” Dream yelled, taking another step forward, only he didn’t stop at one this time. He continued to march towards the blond, who’s brain had finally kicked into gear.
“Wait- Dream I swear I can explain!” Tommy held up his shaking hands to cover his soon to be bashed in face “I wasn’t trying to leave I swear Dream!”
Tommy could only watch as his foster parent stalked closer, fist already raised.
He closed his eyes, bringing his arms up to prevent the first blow, though it never came.
Tommy heard a gasp cut through the air, followed by a scream.
He opened his eyes slowly, to see Dream was no longer in front of him. He was a few feet to his left, with a giant, and very angry Red on top of him.
Tommy watched as the wolf gave a deafening growl in the man’s face, saliva dripping onto him.
“Red” Tommy whispered. When the wolf didn’t look back at him, he said it louder, “Red!”
The wolf’s eyes flicked to him before landing back on Dream. It was going to fucking kill him.
“Red no!” Tommy yelled, hoping that it could understand him “Red, please no!”
Red growled again, but this time at Tommy, an obvious ‘stop’.
“TOMMY.” Dream finally seemed to find his words “TOMMY GO GET HELP” he screamed.
“No. you can’t hurt him!” Tommy pleaded uselessly with the creature, ignoring Dream. What would happen if Dream died? Would they hunt down Red? Hurt him?
“they’ll hurt you!” Tommy stood up shakily “they’ll hunt you down, please no-“
Another growl cut through the air, this time behind him. Tommy tuned to see Brown, with fur standing on end and canines exposed.
“wait-“ He held out his hands, stepping away from Brown and towards Red.
The wolf leapt forward, now standing in between Tommy and his foster parent, who was now trying to escape. It was useless, considering the fact the Red was pretty much his size, and definitely heavier.
“Brown please” He was close to tears now, frantically glancing between Brown and Dream, waiting for Red to attack. Waiting for blood.
For a moment, everything was silent.
Tommy holding back tears, Brown glaring at him, and Red growling at Dream.
Then there was a bark.
Tommy, Brown, and even Red looked in the direction of the noise.
There was a blond, almost white wolf standing there. Red had nothing on this one. It was probably Tommy’s height, with pale blue eyes.
It was fucking terrifying.
Tommy stared at what was obviously the leader of the pack, waiting for it to give Brown the order to fucking kill him or something.
Though the wolf did something else. That something was to turn into a fucking man.
Tommy watched in half awe, half terror as the creature shifted into a much smaller man, with blond hair and a suit.
It was the fucker that had come to work with Dream.
It was obvious that Tommy’s foster parent had noticed this too, because he heard a scream of “PHIL!?” from under Red, which made the wolf’s growl pick up again.
“Hello Dream.” The man said breezily. Though his voice was calm, his eyes looked wrathful.
“What the fuck” Tommy breathed, his voice shaking slightly.
“Oh Tommy, I never got to properly meet you, though I know my son did.” The man- Phil looked back at him, his eyes softening.
“No, no- I- WHAT THE FUCK.” The blond took a step back, his legs almost giving out form under him.
“I know this might be a bit of a shock sweetheart, but I promise none of us will hurt you” Phil smiled. Red didn’t so much as twitch, but Brown gave a slight boof.
“Who the actual fuck are you talking about?!” Tommy glanced around, looking for more people.
“The same people you have been talking to for the past few weeks” Phil gestured to Brown.
Tommy stared at the wolf, who just stared back. They stared at each other until Tommy was no longer looking at a wolf. He was looking at the fucker from Dream’s meeting.
“Oh. God.” Tommy took another step back, his foot hitting a tree.
“Hi Tommy.” Fucking Wilbur smiles, towering over him.
“WHAT THE FUCK.” Tommy’s breaths are coming faster now. he’s dreaming. He’s dreaming and will wake up soon. He probably ate something really weird and got sick. Yeah.
“it’s not a dream Tommy.” Wilbur’s smile grew “this is real.”
“You are not a fucking wolf.” Tommy’s shook “You’re not brown!”
“Aw, you wound me.” The Burnett took a step forward. Tommy tried to counter with his own step back, only to remember there was a fucking tree. The same one him and apparently Wilbur had sat under almost every day now.
“Why couldn’t you come up with a better name Toms?” Wilbur continued to get closer “Brown was a little unoriginal.”
“Yeah? Then how about fuck face, or bitch boy or-“ Tommy’s voice caught in his throat. The older was right in front of him now.
“If you’re going to kill me- then just get it over with.” He tilted his chin up, trying to make himself look bigger. That’s how you got wolves to go away? Did that work with- whatever these fuckers were. Werewolves? Hybrids? Cryptids?
Wilbur sighed “we already told you; we aren’t going to hurt you.”
“Then go away!” Tommy yelled.
“Tommy, do you really want to stay with this man?” Phil spoke again. Tommy couldn’t see him that well with Wilbur blocking his fucking view, but he could at least see he was frowning.
“I- well- yes. Yes, please go away” He stuttered. He didn’t actually want to stay with Dream, but he wasn’t about to say that.
“you have been going on and on about how much you hate him ever since we met, and now you’re saying you want to stay with him?” Wilbur raised an eyebrow.
“yes.” Tommy’s voice was small.
“yeah ok.” Wilbur looked unconvinced.
“what the fuck would you even do if I didn’t like him? Its not like you can do anything.”
Wilbur’s smile turned sharp “oh but there is something we can do.”
Tommy didn’t like the sound of that.
“We can get rid of him. You would never have to see him again Tommy. You could come with us. I’ve always wanted a little brother.” Wilbur spoke quickly, almost rambling, “you liked the time you spent with us, didn’t you? It was like we were a family! We could keep that; all you have to do is say so.”
Tommy stared in horror at the fucking maniac in front of him.
“No!” He yelled, his throat beginning to hurt from all the yelling he had been doing lately.
Wilbur’s smile vanished, replaced with a slightly disappointed frown. “I hoped you wouldn’t say that.”
Dream of let out another strangled noise, this one louder and more wet than the previous ones. Tommy looked over to see Red place his jaws around Dream’s throat.
Wilbur stepped to the side, fully obstructing Tommy’s vision of the two, but that didn’t stop him from hearing the deafening crack that echoed through the clearing. It felt like the noise bounced off the trees, entering Tommy’s skull multiple times.
“NO” Tommy lurched forward, trying to get to the man that never cared for him, but Wilbur grabbed him. He struggled against the burnet, but he was simply too weak, and too much of a mess to truly fight it.
“it’s ok Tom’s, he never deserved you.” Wilbur said into his ear. Tommy could barely hear it over his own screams, tears sliding down his face. “We will take such good care of you, sunshine. Don’t worry.”
Tommy felt his knees give out, Wilbur adjusting to his change in position. The two knelt to the ground, Tommy leaning on Wilbur, his face in the order’s sweater.
“I didn’t want him to die.” Tommy sobbed weakly “why did he have to die?”
“Because he hurt you.” Phil was standing above them now, “we don’t take kindly to those who hurt children.”
“I didn’ want him to die…” Tommy repeated.
“Is he ok..?” a new voice spoke from overhead.
“He will be, he just needs to cry it out.” Wilbur said, holding Tommy close.
Tommy hated the way they made it sound like he was a toddler that hadn’t gotten what he wanted, rather than a full grow teen who had just witnessed a murder.
They sat there for a while, Tommy sobbing into Wilbur's stupid sweater. Eventually his cries died down, and he just sat there, sniffling pitifully.
“You feeling better?” Wilbur asked, he would sound kind if Tommy didn’t know what the fucker just did.
“no.” He could feel new tears welling up.
“I’m sure you will feel better after some sleep.” Phil placed a hand on Tommy’s back. The blond flinched, and the hand pulled away.
“I’m not sleeping.” Tommy tried to lift his head, but Wilbur pushed it back down.
“Ok, you don’t have to.” Phil stood, and so did Wilbur, holding Tommy in his arms.
“Lemme go.” Tommy squirmed, trying to escape.
“I don’t think you can walk right now.” Wilbur didn’t let go.
“Fuck you.” He continued to try to push away from Wilbur. It took a few good minutes for Tommy’s arms to grow tired from struggling, and for him to give up.
“Aw, are you sleepy?” Wilbur smiled. Tommy almost gagged.
“I liked it better when you couldn’t talk.” He said with venom.
“I liked it better when you didn’t swear as much.” The older countered.
“I liked it better when Dream- was still alive.” Tommy almost didn’t get the sentence out, choking halfway through Dream’s name.
Wilbur smiled “don’t worry sunshine, I’m sure you won’t think that for much longer.”
Tommy frowned, trying not to dwell much on that sentence as they walked further into the woods, away from Dream’s body.