I can't even say much as to why I haven't updated except fuck life and the curveballs it throws at you when you're considered an adult...

That said, have a funny prompt to tide over the withdrawal of Tom/Kaz.

Neither of whom I own copyrights to.

Tom knew where to find Kaz. He just didn't know when would be a good time to do so.

It had been at least a month, human time-wise, since the defeat of the M'arrillians, and the redhead had become gloomy and reclusive, to the point even H'earring had noticed. Though Tom had known well before then, due to the completely random fights Kaz had been getting into at school, which he'd rescued his best friend from. Even knowing how strange it was, strange was Kaz, so Tom had let his best friend have his space. (Besides as scrawny as Kaz was his left hook could knock a Creature flat on its arse.)

After Sarah exploding at the table in Chaotic about Kaz's 'attitude', Tom finally broke and went to find the redhead, whom it turned out had been visiting Kiru City, atop the meeting hall the Resistance had taken it's final stand.

"...Kaz?" No reaction from the ball of Underworld-fan. "Kazzyyyyyyyy." Not even a twitch. "Kazzerinooooooo. Kazzerpants. Kazooeyyyyyy-"

"I can HEAR you."

Well, better than getting an immediate 'fuck you'. Tom chanced it and climbed across the roof; he knew this part of the building. Where Kaz had broken the M'arrillions' control over him, Sarah, and Peyton. He plopped down behind Kaz, staring at his buddy; he didn't dare be the first to speak yet. Kaz might lash out, and Tom's nice body would turninto a splat below, which would suck. A lot.

"I could've been a hero..."

Tom blinked in surprise. "Wha- Kaz? But you WERE a hero! If you hadn't snapped us out of it in time-"

"Nobody else knew. Not even Takinom knew what I did." Kaz remained scrunched up in a ball. "Nobody knew what I did besides Codemaster Crellan and you guys. If I had stayed like you, maybe I could've done even more to defeat the M'arrillions."

The darker-skinned boy sighed and sat back. "Could you?" Kaz twitched a little. "I mean, you were barely able to grab the Psyche-Sphere and get us. Even if you'd been with us from the very beginning, you might've gotten caught with us, or not made it back in time, or-"

"I GET IT!"

The snap was loud, and Tom bit his tongue as his words stopped. Bright blue eyes were wide in shock Kaz somewhat uncurled, fists balled up and ready to hit whatever was in range. "I get it, okay?! I'm no hero! I couldn't save anyone unless it was by absolute sheer dumb luck! I'm nothing like my dad! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED TO SAY?! I KNOW THAT ALREADY!" Tom's mouth dropped, unknowingly echoing a certain Creature who'd been listening in with a few others.

Chaor, Takinom, and Agitos had met on friendly terms with Maxxor, Intress, and Najaryn during the peace they were all aware wasn't going to last long. They had heard the footsteps on the roof and were currently in the room just beyond the window used to get out where the boys were.

"...Kaz..." And the tone of Tom's voice was so saddened that it prompted Kaz to look up with furious tears to see Tom's eyes watering. "...You thought I was...You're not..." And when Tom scooted over, Kaz flinched as if he'd get hit. "I would NEVER compare you to anyone, Kaz. Your dad's a hero, yeah, but...Kaz, being a hero doesn't mean the whole world knows about the things you do." The redhead turned away almost sullenly, as if he didn't want to hear. "...Bein' a hero's...Doing heroic things because it's the right thing to do."

Kaz sniveled, and Tom spared him a glance before moving in a blink and suddenly swaddled Kaz with his arms, legs laced around Kaz's waist so he was pretty much koala-clinging to Kaz. "...Besides. You're my hero. And I think you're pretty great."

When the redhead made a noise of agony mixed with somewhat not quite happy but still positive, Takinom almost felt like echoing the sound. Despite them not giving the air of caring, the Underworlders had become extremely attached to the human, and had in fact been paying attention whenever he ranted. When he talked about his heroic father, who'd died in a fire protecting human children stuck under debris. When he defended Tom despite his support of Overworlders, as Tom had gotten bloody and bruised saving Kaz from bullies all their life as friends. How he wished he could be like Tom, like Chaor or Takinom, or his dad.

Tom nuzzled Kaz's back, still sad-looking. "Without you, I wouldn't be here. I'dve never known Chaotic and Perim were real. Or that I could have so much more fun than I ever would've if I'd just stayed playing online and never entered my passcode. I'd have never even started playing Chaotic if you hadn't taught me how much fun it was."

Kaz hiccuped the noise again as Tom squeezed him in a hug.

"And without you...I'd probably have gotten killed in the final battle. You're...Really. My hero."

Bawling. Bawling was the noise, that Underworlders never made so she hadn't recalled it right away, but Takinom now knew was what Kaz was doing. His chest heaved and Tom shifted as the air came out in a noise that wasn't mourning, wasn't joy, wasn't relief or hurt. It was ALL of the emotions rolled into one keen that blared out loud enough that even the wind couldn't block it out from the Tribe leaders ears'.

It went on for a few minutes, Tom clinging to Kaz's back as his friend cried and clung back to him. When finally it died down, the air unusable in Kaz's lungs, and his face was as red as Chaor's, Tom reached and pulled out a little rag from one of Kaz's pockets. The redhead blew his nose, removing his glasses so Tom could dry them and put them back on his friend's face. "You're Sarah and Peyton's hero too, y'know. You were scared to come, but you did it anyway. And H'earring too! If you hadn't been so insistent, he wouldn't be around still too!"

Kaz gave a watery chuckle before turning away, the red of his face beginning to fade. Tom once again wrapped him in a hug, setting his chin on Kaz's shoulder.

As disgusting as he considered it, Chaor had to admit. The two looked...comfy. They were comfy as friends, even if a filthy Overworlder was touching his little boy Kazzy. And to think, the scrawny human had done such acts, unprompted and while afraid, was a bit endearing; he had guts. Chaor admired that, though he'd be loathe to admit THAT.

Tom nuzzled Kaz's face with a weak smile, which then turned evil, though the Creatures were the ones to see it and not Kaz. The darker skinned boy drew in a deep breath-

And proceeded to raspberry Kaz's neck.

Najaryn was pretty sure even the Danians and Mipedians could hear Kaz's shriek. "MOTHERRRRRRFUCKERRRRRRR I WILL MURRRRRRRDERRRRRRR YOUUUUUUUU!"

Only he and Chaor were able to keep somewhat straight faces as the others fell gracelessly to the floor roaring in laughter. Kaz was screeching and flailing, Tom hanging on tenaciously as Kaz rolled about with Tom underneath him. "I WILL END YOU MOTHERFUCKER GET OFFFFFAAAAAAAHHHHHHCK!"

"Never!" Tom shouted, inhaling again to continue the 'abuse'. Kaz tried to stumble to his feet, Tom clinging with his arms latched around Kaz's shoulders and his legs around Kaz's waist.

Kaz spun around, trying to throw Tom off, to Chaor's chuckled mutter of 'get him, Kazzy'. "FUUUUUUUUUUUCK YOUUUUUUUUUUUU MOTHERFUCKERRRRRRRR!"

"This is my love for you, my hero!" Tom snickered, yelping as his arms lost their grip and he half-fell, legs clinging still as Kaz now held onto the limbs in surprise. He stared up at Kaz, who began to smirk as Tom's face turned ashen and pale. "DON'T you DARE, you FUCKER-"

Kaz looked amused by how Tom's voice rose and fell an octave. "What, you mean the thing you hate? Okay I'll do it." And to Tom's shriek, Kaz started spinning, Tom flailing like a helpless rag.

"I WILL BARF ON YOUR GODDAMN BACK!"

By now the Tribe leaders were all in stitches, Najaryn unable to keep from shaking in mirth both at the humans antics and because Chaor and Maxxor were cackling on the floor like lunatics. As Sarah and Peyton arrived to confusing amusement, Najaryn could only wheeze and point out the window, where Tom had caught hold of the roof and held on as Kaz flailed about.

"...At least the idiot's acting normal." Sarah muttered wide-eyed.

Tom then slipped, and Kaz shrieked, clutching his friend before they could go sliding off the roof. The two caught their breath in shaken panting, looked at each other, and burst into laughter, laying back on the roof.

Peyton just grinned, making a 'wave' gesture. "Dude's got his Perim mojo gogoin' again."

Read and TRY TO HANG ON I SWEAR IM TRYING TO GET BORTH-MAJAR'S DONE.