AN: So, I know what you're thinking- "Hey, I thought this was Wonder Tales! What's a submitted Omake from your other story doing here?" Well, I can't help it if someone else feels inspired to write something different. Plus, the title itself does not inherently mean only Age of Wonder one-shots.
A Spark of Kinship by gemknightquartz
One would think the life of the Demon Prince of the Underworld would be utter paradise compared to a normal person. A giant castle, great food served whenever hungry, the best of education, servants at his every need and whim, and libraries and game rooms stuffed to the brim of the latest toys and entertainments for every child imaginable.
It should have been absolute heaven for someone like Tom. But see, the thing is, every life had its ups and downs. While Tom may have had a privileged lifestyle ahead of him, not everyone treated him like they would a prince.
Oh sure, in public they asked like they kissed the ground he walked on, but behind closed doors, their eyes made no secret of revealing their true thoughts on him. After all, a Demon Queen? Sleeping with a Mewman? That was the most ridiculous thing they could have ever heard.
Even his own parents knew no one liked their relationship aside from some close friends and family, and even then, that was pushing it. If not for the diplomatic efforts of Prince Jushtin, chances are they would be sooner fighting go the death the spending every night cuddling in bed amongst one another.
They couldn't take any of those feelings out on the parents, so when they thought they were safe. They took it out on Tom, at least non physically... They thought he would forget, but he remembered...
He remembered all ugly those looks people would give him when they thought he couldn't see. He remembered all those snide remarks they would make behind his back He remembered being called so many hateful words. Scum, ugly, unnatural, horrifying, abomination...
All little bits and pieces of abhorrence that built up over time. How long had he spent staring in front of a mirror, trying to force his third eye shut and cover his horns to fit in with the 'normal people.' How long had he left a group together from the neighboring Royals, each royal brat mocking him, pulling at his horns, calling him a freak straight too his face and any time he tried to fight back he was the one in trouble...
How long had he hated his own kind? Every day, every hour outside felt like a burden, so he stayed inside whenever possible, cooped up in a library, through studying or for entertainment purposes.
By age 6, he was nothing but a weak little scrub who could barely through a punch. His Mewman and Demon blood begging for violence at his tormentors or just for sport which he tried bottling up.
That one day, the bullying at the visit to Butterfly Castle while the parents were away, he was on the verge of snapping and burning each and every one of them in a pit of fiery doom...
Until a knight in not so shining armor appeared...
"Hey! Leave him alone ya Jerks!" He remembered a young prince, one he thought to be just like every spoiled pig, racing up to him and defending him from his tormentors.
After fighting off nearly all of them and getting his fair share of bruises for his troubles, he remembered him wiping his cheek and then raising a hand, excitedly asking if the young Demon Prince wanted to play with him.
He remembered being dragged joyfully through fields of corn, racing down as that same prince who saved him treated him with no disgust like so many of his subjects had done. He remembered climbing trees with Sirius, eating the first Apple fresh from an orchard in his life. He remembered how sweet it all felt...
He remembered how Sirius introduced him to Ponyhead, who in turn introduced him to Kelly and Tad. He remembered staying up past the bed times he used to hesitantly obey to spend a few more hours chatting with them all. Planning events like the watching Gladiators or jamming it up at the Bounce Lounge. He remembered spending Saturday and Sundays, once alone reading a book, hanging out with friends.
He remembered his first birthday party without his parents and the staff supervising. A Blue Moon Festival with all kinds of treats and surprises he had never seen before. He remembered bobbing for apples, playing Carny games, and he remembered how his friends were the ones who brought him there, planning the most, in their words, "Super Special Awesome Surprise Party Ever!"
He remembered attending all their parties in turn, bringing gifts he had placed great thought into, planning them weeks behind the actual date. He remembered swimming in a pool for the first time, Kelly nearly drowning with all that wet hair weighing her and Tad down. (Thank Corn the lifeguard had saved her!)
He remembered his first gift; a stuffed Teddy Bear, red like velvet cake and tiny claws poking out. He called it Mr. Stufflesnaps. He remembered, that all this fun, all this freedom, all this happiness. All started during that faithful day.
"Howdy! I'm Sirius, Sirius Butterfly!" A healthy young boy held out a hand as the Demon Prince stared at it like it was a never-before-seen object. "Well? What's your name?"
"... Tom, Tom of House Lucitor."
"Well nice to meet you, 'Tom of House Lucitor,' wanna go ditch this boring place and go have some fun in the fields?"
"... O-ok."
He remembered how brash and idiotic Sirius could be, how his dumb ass got them into trouble more times than they could count. That brown haired, braindead, simple-minded buffoon... was undoubtedly the best friend anyone could have asked for.
Maybe one day, they may move on from this teenage friendship, just becoming two acquaintances of allied kingdoms (although he hoped it never would), that Sirius would forget all about him one day, wrapped up in the racist remarks of half of his kingdom before he stared at Tom with those eyes that haunted him day in and day out.
But regardless of if Sirius forgot him, Tom would never forget Sirius. Because that single act of kindness, that was the first step he had needed to becoming an ideal King.
One who could forgive and forget, one who would have the patience to deal with all kinds of stupidity.
One who could make a friend from anyone, even an enemy...
All because of the first friend he had ever made... and the first man he had ever loved...
(So yeah, Tom has a crush on Sirius, could make this a minor thing, or have it been a factor in why Tom can overlook any stupidity Sirius comes up, and I feel it would be a great drama factor. -gem)
A/N: Let me know what you think! All feedback will be given to the original writer. If you have a one-shot you want to post, just PM me. Be seeing you~
