SpongeBob narrator: Two party filled hours later.
Marco and Tom were lying on the floor laughing at nothing while Nacho watched the commercials, that were still going on, as if hypnotized. The white tiger watched Tom and Marco unconcerned as Marco sat up seemingly buzzing from his high of Sugar Seeds with soda and turned towards Tom smiling a mile wide before speaking.
"Wow man, you are a really cool guy. I can't believe I am actually having this much fun with you." Tom laughed and replied.
"Yeah, I haven't had this much fun in YEARS man; this was the best idea ever to invite you to this." Tom smiled up at the ceiling with such a content and sweet smile that Marco felt pangs of pity for being so harsh to him.
"Say Tom, sorry about judging you so harshly; you are actually a nice friend." Tom laughed slightly before his face fell slightly and his voice dropped in tone.
"Yeah, but I wasn't like this once Marco; you were actually right to judge me the way you did at first." Marco's smile fell as their conversation suddenly turned serious.
"Um… why is that?" Tom blinked at Marco in confusion and sat up facing him fully.
"Wait, Star didn't tell you why we broke up?" Marco blinked in shock and shook his head with Tom sighing taking on a somber look. "I know tonight is supposed to be a party but I think you need to actually know what happened between us. The event itself is simple but the led up is anything but." Tom sat cross legged and turned towards Marco. "Know this, I won't judge you any less if you suddenly hate me after what I tell you but please do listen till the end. You see Star and I first met at her 10th birthday party with my parents bringing me along to build better relations with the resurging power that was the kingdom of Mewni. We met and got along despite both of us being shy from past occurrences that we... both experienced in some way or another with both of us being half breeds. I am actually half demon and half Monster despite the fact that I look like a straight up demon to you." Marco nodded with Tom continuing. "Well we hit it off as friends and grew close with each other becoming nearly as close as you and Star are now. Despite how it looks now we actually shared everything with each other including what happened in our pasts. Has Star opened up to you about that stuff yet?" Marc nodded his head yes answering somberly.
"Her hand was kind of forced due to some nightmares and shadows but yes; that's also where Nacho came from." Marco gestured to Nacho who smiled briefly at them before returning to its commercials with Tom speaking again.
"Well I began to want to protect her so that what happened to me and her in the past wouldn't happen to her again. I asked if we could become a couple and she seemed rather shocked that I would show interest in her despite that fact that she is extremely beautiful." Tom sighed sadly before continuing on. "Well when we announced it many people didn't react strongly but I noticed that people who picked on Star either stopped completely for fear of angering me or tried targeting me as well. I had anger issues even back then with far less self-control soooo…" Marco nodded understanding what could have happened with Tom's powers. "Star got worried about me and tried to help me out but there was only so much she could do and my parents wouldn't listen to her saying it was normal for demons. During this time I slowly got more and more 'possessive' of her thinking it would keep her safe from bullies, but in the end it only made things worse…"
A 12 year old Star tumbled through her window from Buck Beak's back smiling at the day feeling light hearted and bubbly. She looked around her room to double take in shock when she saw Tom standing in her room with an angry look on his face.
"Um Tom… what are you doing…" Tom held up his hand making Star fall silent.
"You just ran off like that into the Forest of Certain Death without telling anyone. Do you know you could have been hurt out there?" Tom's anger was clearly evident as he stared Star down her face becoming cautious.
"Tom I had Buck Beak, and I can defend myself to you know."
"Star, do you even know how many people are out to get you?!" Tom's eyes were verging on his anger look making Star quiver in shock. He had been angry like this before but never at her. "Running around in the woods like that puts you at too much risk especially when you don't tell anyone you are out, most notably me!" Tom aggressively advanced on Star with Star backing away in fear. "I need to be with you to protect you!"
"Tom, I can take care of myself when you aren't around. You don't need to treat me like property you know."
"I do Star, I do." Star blinked in shock and grabbed her tail rubbing it nervously as Tom continued. ""Star, the people of Mewni won't respect you as a person no matter how much you please them or help them. The people are only keeping their distance because of what I will do to them if they hurt you, can't you see that?" Tom yelled at Star who was getting nervous and defensive as she retorted.
"Tom you have to stop this, I know people are after me but this isn't right. You don't have to do this." Star pleaded with Tom who took another step forward his anger completely consuming him as he spoke to Star in a low manner.
"I need to protect you Star one way or another…" Tom looked at Star who shined in such a beautiful light in his eyes. "…even if it's from yourself." Tom waved his hands with everything around them shaking.
Burning chains shot out from the dark corners of the room attempting to wrap around Star like serpents. Star leapt out of the way and began yelling at Tom.
"TOM STOP THIS!" Tom didn't relent though and sent the chains after Star, his anger making him blind to Star's pain and deaf to her words. Star leapt around the chains like she was dancing in a desperate attempt to reach Tom and to avoid the burning and writhing chains. As this kept up for a little while Star managed to break past the chains and got up to Tom slapping him across the face. "TOM, SNAP OUT OF IT!" The chains stopped for a moment and Tom looked at her not shocked but offended.
"I do this for you and this is how you treat me?" Star took a step back now terrified of Tom as he continued. "I will still protect you thought BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" With another wave of his hands a coffin launched itself in through the window and, before Star could react, trapped her inside of it. Mumbling some demonic chants Tom made the chains surround the coffin and seal it up tight with Tom's anger abating until he realized exactly what he had done. "Ah… Star I'm sorry. Don't worry I'll get you ou…" Tom didn't finish his sentence however before the coffin shattered with the chains going slack to the floor. Star stood there with her eyes a red veined cat pupil yellow as she yelled at Tom.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She then leapt at Tom and bit him in the convergence of neck and shoulder. Digging her claws into him she turned in a circle and threw him out the window her claws leaving bloody trails and her teeth tearing out a chunk of his shoulder. As Tom fell from the window he heard Star shout, "AND DON'T COME BACK YOU PSHYCO! IT'S OVER!" Tom felt his heart break as he landed in the courtyard feeling something in his body physically break. Tom got up slowly and in pain as he felt no anger, only a cold disgust with himself as he had caused all this with next to no provocation.
"… and that's how we broke up, completely my fault with no one else to blame. Mewni and Hell nearly went to war over what had happened until I actually confronted my parents in front of everyone and told them Star was right in me getting treated for anger management. My parents were shamed in front of everyone for knowing this issue and not addressing it to the point where they publicly apologized to Mewni and told them they would make any amends as Star's parents saw fit." Tom trailed off with Marco taking everything in dull shock before he spoke despite knowing Tom wasn't done speaking yet.
"So… you weren't… actually punished for…" Tom chuckled bitterly taking Marco off guard before taking off his shirt revealing a slim muscular physic with scars over parts of it.
"Oh don't you worry about that, they got me good." Tom turned his back to Marco showing him the bite mark Star had given him and what looked like claw marks along his sides as well as scars Marco recognized from descriptions his family had given in the past. Thick scars in lines ran across his back with ragged edges in such a way that showed Tom was whipped in the past by a powerful whip that had small bits of metal and fishhooks attached to the end. "The worst part was Star was the one who was allowed to whip me as it was she that was hurt the most. The look in her eyes… it was the strangest mixture of satisfaction and pain I had ever seen; like she wanted to whip me but didn't want too at the same time. It was also made a public spectacle so everyone kept away from me in the future meaning I had no friends; although it did make it so people left Star alone for the most part so something good did come out of that at least. *sigh* After that I got the Wandering Hippie to help treat me for my anger problems thinking I could win back Star eventually by showing her I could change. Of course, you know how that part of the story ended right?" Marco nodded in dull shock as he took everything in as it was A LOT to take in. "I failed there as well by still thinking of treating her as property as the best way of helping her… and now I don't think we will ever be friends again despite the close times we had with each other. The worst part is I didn't even see the full extent of the problem until you brought it up." Tom blinked with tears streaming down his face and he put his head down on his knees. "Now you see I'm a horrible person, not just because of what I had done but how I was in denial of it." Tom sighed as he pulled his shirt back on and just sat there with a defeated look on his face. "You can go home whenever you like now, I'll fail the final anger management test but frankly that's what I deserve." They both sat there for an unknown length of time until Marco came over and hugged Tom with Tom blinking in shock as Marco spoke.
"I know you're not a bad person because you actually feel regret for what you did and accepted all the facts of the situation by bettering yourself. Maybe Star will never forgive you for betraying her trust, which is understandable mind you, but you have overcome this and actually have become a really cool guy in my eyes. I can safely say we can be friends still despite what you did so long as you never do anything like that again." They sat in silence for a second until Tom clenched him tightly and began sobbing. Marco just smiled and held him close as Tom let out all of his pain and misery at what he had done to himself and Star for what seemed like hours. Finally though Tom calmed down and loosened his grip on Marco enough to back away and spoke.
"Th-thank you man. *sniff* you are the nicest person I have ever met *sniff* in the whole cosmos. *sniff sob*Take good care of Star for me like you have been doing already *sniff* and don't make the same mistake I did. *sniff sob*" Marco patted Tom on the back until Tom got up and walked over to the couch facing the TV and sat down. "If you don't mind I'm a bit worn out. Could we just sit here for a little while?" Marco nodded and replied.
"Yeah, I'm feeling a bit stretched out too." The two just sat there for minute with commercials still playing and Nacho watching hypnotized by them. After a little while however Marco turned back towards Tom. "Say… why did you pick me for tonight? I get you wanted someone to overcome your anger issues and potentially get a friend but how did you choose me over anyone else?" Tom smiled in a content manner and spoke softly.
"It was actually Jackie who recommended you." Marco blinked in shock as Tom continued. "After the Blood Moon Ball Jackie somehow got the Hippie's number and called for me asking if I was alright. After our initial conversation, in which she learned what you just learned, Jackie kept on calling back hoping to help me out. When I asked why she kept on doing so she claimed she had never seen a person whose bad actions actually had an understandable and relatable justification even if there were no excuse for them and thought I might actually be a decent person if I was able to control myself. After that I think we became friends as she has called me multiple times and, in one of those calls, recommended you for my final anger management test. She said you would understand and that we might actually get along very well with each other becoming best of friends." Tom looked at Marco smiling with a few tears of happiness in his eyes. "And she was right; I know for sure I am not your best friend but I think of you as my best friend now." Marco shifted in his seat a little before speaking to Tom.
"Well… I do think of you as a good friend now I think. We are going to need to let this friendship grow a little first though." Tom nodded as Marco continued. "Say, I think the commercials are almost over at long last, ready to see the awesomeness that is Mackie Hand?" Tom nodded eagerly with them turning to the screen with the opening credits to 'Mackie Hand: The Iron Monkey' playing.
SN: Several action packed movies later.
Tom's carriage pulled up in front of the Diaz residence with a smell of fire and a sound of cart wheels and horse hooves. Night had gripped the entire neighborhood and there was no one walking or running about as the carriage door opened with Marco stepping out looking happy if tired. Tom poked his head out of the carriage door holding up a badge saying that he had finished his anger management class and passed with flying colors. Tom called out to Marco as he started up the walk to his house.
"Be she to say hi to Jackie for me and contact me if there's anything on earth that I may like." Marco turned back and gave a thumbs up to Tom before replying.
"And you be sure to keep your hands on that conch shell Jackie gave you." Tom nodded and held up the conch shell putting it to his ear with a look of bliss on his face as he pulled back into the carriage. Marco turned back to the front door and opened it up with his house keys, fortunately Janna hadn't gotten them, and went inside as Tom sped away. Looking around the family room he saw Star was waiting there with a worried look on her face and perked up when he came in. "Hey Star, I'm ho-" Star leaped at Marco from 10 feet away and caught him in a massive hug that sent them both to the ground.
"You're alright Marco, I was so worried about you!" Star gripped onto him tightly as she rattled off. "I kept on getting those texts from you but occasionally it would be delayed for a minute or so and I thought Tom had done something to you and you were at his mercy for…" Marco let Star rattle off for several minutes before she finally stopped. "I'm just glad you're ok." Marco smiled just held Star close until she pulled away looking at him with blueish-green eyes.
"don't worry about me Star, and honestly I don't think you need to worry about Tom ever again." Star blinked her eyes in confusion and suspicion as Marco continued. "Tom told me about what happened between you and him and… you are completely in the right for mistrusting him and not forgiving him." Star blinked with satisfaction on her face. "However…" Star's face went to a curious expression. "… I believe he has changed for the better. Tom knows you are never going to forgive him, and honestly I am not going to tell you to forgive him unless if you want to, but I think he and I are friends now. So you may see Tom in the future but he is never going to trouble you again as he will only be here for me unless if you want to be his friend again." Star stared at him in dumbfounded shock as she spoke slowly.
"You… trust him?" Marco smiled and nodded replying without hesitation.
"He is a good person Star and what's more I may be the only friend he has; I can't just leave him after he had gone through stuff like you had gone through." Star blinked and looked down blushing a little before speaking.
"I… hope you're right. I want to be able to be his friend again… but… after what he did…" Marco got the special comb out and began combing Star's hair making her purr softly.
"Take your time Star and let him regain your trust no matter how slowly it may take. From what I heard from him you two were rather close before you were a couple." Star nodded pushing into the comb and curling up next to him. "Just do what you feel is right and don't let anyone push you into anything." After sitting there for a few minutes Star looked at him with her still blueish-green eyes and spoke softly.
"Could you sleep with me tonight? The heater is working just fine but I need to know you are there." Marco nodded and got up with Star. The two of them sleeping together wasn't an unusual thing as sometimes Star needed him to heat her up as the heater wasn't working right or she had been having nightmares. Honestly Marco actually looked forward to these nights as he often slept too warm and her body sucked away heat from his rather nicely. After prepping for bed Marco slipped into Star's room and laid down with Star holding onto him from the front and snuggling her head into the crook of his neck. "Good night Marco." Marco wrapped his arms around Star holding her close and spoke softly.
"Goodnight Star."
Some of you were wondering what happened between Star and Tom, well here it is. Do you hate him, sympathize with him, pity him, are disgusted with him, or something else?
But enough of these dramatic and soft adventure stories, time to get the plot moving again and some context of Mewni with a history lesson as we celebrate our "Mewnipendance" day.
Oh and also, several oneshots have been published on my channel if you want to see them. Just saying. And for that one guest who requested the interview oneshot, that idea is so good I'm gonna make it a chapter of this story