Tommy pretty quickly found himself changing his mind.
At first, his only care had been turning Phil - not by force but willingly. And to accomplish that, he would turn Wilbur and Techno first. It would be a means to an end though, Tommy had even told himself back then that he could kill them somewhere down the line if he wanted to. His interest was solely pulled in one direction.
Oh, how that tune had changed.
He probably should have predicted as much. It made sense. Of course, it fucking made sense. If Phil was as amazing as Tommy had found him to be, then obviously his two sons were also going to be pretty damn great. Tommy had simply needed a moment to have his eyes opened to that when he was no longer blinded by Phil's persistent radiance.
Tommy hadn't regretted it for a moment. The past three weeks of constantly hanging out with Phil, Wilbur, and Techno had been some of the best he'd ever had. And immortality meant Tommy had a lot of years to look back on.
"You need to adjust your stance." Techno's hand pushed against the middle of Tommy's back, right where his neck ended so he would straighten his shoulder. "If you hunch in on yourself, you're easy to knock over."
"I'd like to see you try," Tommy said. It was always pretty adorable to him how these humans thought they could take him in a fight.
"Okay."
But Techno didn't actually attempt anything, instead focusing his attention on Tommy's hands so he could adjust them on the grip. The sword was small and made of iron, a practice sword of Phil's they had left over.
Tommy had been pretending for days now that he had no clue how to use it because he liked it when Techno taught him.
Wilbur chuckled, lightly strumming his guitar from where he was sitting against a tree. They were barely on the outskirts of town today. Since the murders, Phil didn't want them to go too deep into the woods or to all the cool spots Tommy liked so much. He was worried something might happen, though he allowed the three of them to go off if they promised to stick together. Phil probably thought they'd be safe from the serial killer on the loose that way.
Tommy smirked to himself. Humans were really fucking naive, sometimes.
"How much longer is this going to take?" Wilbur asked. "Because Phil will kill us if we're still out by nightfall and we need to go by Niki's place on the way home."
"How much longer before Tommy is at my level?" Techno said lightly. "Another hundred years or so."
"Hey!" Tommy elbowed him and Techno laughed. It was a bit deeper than Phil's chuckle, more vibrant. Tommy relished it.
Wilbur raised an amused eyebrow at his brother. "Do you ever get bored of hearing yourself talk?"
Techno shrugged back at him. "Nah. Do you?"
"Can't we stay out a little while longer and visit the bakery some other time?" Tommy cut into the bickering. It would not be long before Phil decided to move on to another town, Tommy was certain of it. When that happened, he would strike. But until then he wanted to spend as much time as possible with his chosen family while they were still in this state.
And they seemed so intent on making that as difficult as they could manage. If Tommy didn't know any better, he'd start to think they did it on purpose.
Tommy had found himself needing to get rid of anybody who would steal his humans' attention. That stupid potato farmer who wanted to befriend Techno had only been the start. Many more had been killed by Tommy in the past weeks. Like the girl with long auburn hair who made doe eyes at Wilbur, disgustingly leaning close to him and touching his shoulder while Tommy was standing right there. Or the man who kept coming by the market to talk with Phil about the books he sold, with the blond braid and the dimples in his cheeks.
Whenever Phil spoke to him and the man managed to draw a laugh from Phil's chest, Tommy felt that fire inside his own gut. That constant, gnawing loneliness that had finally been filled but threatened to spill over at the edges.
Once they were turned, none of this would matter. Tommy would be their sire, the center of their universe. And they would be the center of his. They could go and make silly mortal friends all they wanted when they were old enough to leave the nest, Tommy would rest secure in the knowledge that his was the home they would always return to.
Not yet though. A fledgling turned by force was hard to manage and more likely to resent their sire. Tommy had been looking for a moment where he could convince all three of them to accept the change willingly. Waiting was unbearable, but Tommy would do anything for them.
And the only reason Tommy hadn't killed Niki too was because she had shown him an odd kindness when he first arrived in town. Not enough for Tommy to allow her to steal his family, obviously. She'd fucking pay if she thought she could get away with that. But enough for him to go out of his way and drain her instead. Wilbur only visited her once a day now, fearing that her disease was contagious.
"We don't have to stay long." Wilbur slung the guitar along his back. When he stood up, he reached out to ruffle Tommy's hair. "How about tomorrow morning we meet up early and I can teach you a new song?"
Tommy hummed, leaning into the touch. "One you wrote yourself?"
"I'll do you one better and we can write a song together," Wilbur promised.
Before he could answer, something slammed into the front of Tommy's knees. He stumbled back and landed on his ass - a noise too close to a growl threatening to build in his chest. It was only stopped by Wilbur's uproarious laughter and the smug look with which Techno was staring down at him.
"See? Easy."
"It doesn't count when I'm not paying attention," Tommy complained. Techno reached out his hand to help him up.
"I think that's exactly when it counts most," Techno said.
They walked into town, and Tommy stayed outside while Techno and Wilbur went to visit Niki. He had absolutely zero interest in seeing her, all pale and shivering. All pathetically hogging their attention. He hated it. No, Tommy was rather looking forward to seeing Phil in a bit.
Usually, the older man would invite him inside for dinner. Then Phil would play cards with him and-
"Hey!"
His thoughts were ever so rudely intruded upon by the voice of a man. Tommy vaguely recognized him, he lived in the town. Had been living there for a long, long time.
"What?" Tommy didn't bother keeping up his facade of fake friendliness. He simply wasn't in the mood for any games. The man just watched him, studying his demeanor. If he was one of the elder residents, who knew how often the old guy had seen Tommy around?
"You're hanging out with the devil's breed?" the man spat, mouth contorting around the words as if they tasted particularly nasty.
"The what?"
"That one with pink hair." Looking up at the house behind Tommy, there was something dark about the man's gaze. "Him and his entire family, probably."
"You think the devil goes around dyeing people's fucking hair?" Tommy asked. "Are you that dumb or are you just a prick?"
The man scoffed. "Why, you ungrateful brat. I'm just trying to warn you. Our patience won't last forever. Do you think all these people dying and going missing have been an accident? I saw Sally talking to that wretched man the other day and now she's-"
Quicker than human vision would be able to parse, Tommy grabbed the front of the man's shirt. He dragged the man forward, close enough that their noses nearly touched.
"Do not. EVER. Speak about them that way again."
He let go and the man tripped over himself to back off. Those wide brown eyes were searching his face, looking for something. A humanity that in this very moment, Tommy had forgone in favor of his anger. His own irises burned, blazed. He wanted to rip this guy's throat out.
But then Tommy exhaled. And when he blinked, he knew it had passed over him. And as such, out of the man's mind. As if it never had occurred.
Confused by the instant thrall wearing off, the man lumbered away from him. He wouldn't remember what had happened, nor would he even question it until much later tonight. It did leave a bitter taste in Tommy's mouth though, and he had more trouble than usual forcing himself to plaster on a grin again when Techno and Wilbur exited the house behind him.
"She seems to be doing a bit better." Wilbur had that soft expression on his face that was equal parts worry and fondness. It was wasted on somebody like Niki. Tommy shook it off.
"Great? Can we get going then, I'm freezing my fucking ass off over here."
Wilbur's attention fell on him, expression the same. Even if Tommy had the ability to feel cold - which he didn't, but a white lie never hurt anybody - his humans would be able to chase that feeling away with their warmth. He was sure of it.
Soon. Soon. Soon.
He wanted the perfect moment.
They went in through the back entrance of the inn, a small staircase that led straight up to the rented rooms. Phil opened the door for them, looking visibly relieved that they'd come home before nightfall. The smell of blood hit Tommy like a brick wall. His head spun with it, his mouth watered.
"Oh, right in time for dinner." Phil stepped aside to let them in. When he raised his hand to pull the door open wider, Tommy could see he had a bandage wrapped around it.
"What happened?" Techno asked, noticing too.
Phil turned his hand over, then shrugged. "Just cut myself while preparing the veggies. Don't worry about it, mate."
Tommy took a step back. "So I'll see you guys in the morning?"
"You're not coming in for dinner?" Phil asked. The way his face fell - a mix of concern and disappointment - came closer to killing Tommy than anything else could. Centuries of not feeling a damn thing and now he would have his heart ripped out by emotions.
The universe could be so fucking cruel.
"Nah, I got some stuff I need to take care of at home." Tommy didn't let them stop him, he couldn't let them stop him.
This was not hunger, it was not craving. It was so much worse.
If Tommy had made the mistake of entering that room, he would not have been able to hold himself back. And that just wouldn't do.
The timing had to be perfect, the situation had to be called for. It was a lot of effort, but Tommy would make it worth it. He went to bed that night, into that restless vampiric semi-slumber that was consumed by thoughts of his soon-to-be family more and more often lately, and knew that biding his time would make the result all the sweeter.
But his restlessness would find a home soon.
A lot sooner than intended it turned out. Because Tommy was right about one thing: the universe was cruel.
Or maybe it was extremely generous since it did end up throwing an opportunity into his lap that Tommy would come to greatly appreciate.
The man who stopped them in the middle of the town square was the same one who had spoken to Tommy the day before, memories evaporated with the dew of morning. His anger was fresh though, still alive and finding the source of its ire in the two people Tommy had with him.
And the man wasn't alone either.
The crowd was restless, subdued but in the way a sea could be before a storm broke out. Tommy didn't like it one bit. He liked it even less when Wilbur gently put a hand on his arm and pulled him back. He put himself in front of Tommy - useless, absolutely senseless - and cleared his throat before he spoke. Techno shifted closer to Tommy too.
"Good morning." Wilbur had an impressive ability to make his own uncertainty sound inviting. "Can we help you, gentlemen?"
"How much longer are you going to darken our town with your presence?"
Tommy bristled, and he heard Techno snort slightly in amusement beside him. But Wilbur was completely sincere when he answered.
"We had heard this place was quite friendly to travelers. Turns out we were wrong." There was almost an edge of scathing sarcasm there.
Another voice from the back of the crowd rose out over the disgruntled muttering. "You think we wouldn't notice? Things didn't get bad until you showed up here. We want you gone."
"That's a bold accusation, considering you have no proof," Wilbur said. It did not have the intended effect.
Quite the opposite.
"We'll have our proof once you leave and we'll regain our peace!" Somebody moved. Tommy stepped forward too, brushing past Wilbur to wave these insolent mortals off. They got quite a bit of nerve, acting like jackasses to his family.
"Oh, piss off and leave them alone." The guy's enraged snarl was aimed at Tommy next. "You have no clue what the fuck you're talking about!"
"We know you're a traitor to the town," the man accused, arm swinging wildly to gesture. There was a flash of silver that Tommy noticed too late. He was too distracted by his own swelling irritation. "We'll have no problem getting rid of all four of you if that's what it takes."
For the second time in much too short a timespan, the coppery scent of blood filled Tommy's nostrils.
Wilbur gasped, choking on his own cut-off breath. Tommy's head snapped towards him, searching for the source. Desperate to know the sudden spike of fear so potent he could smell it on his human, senses pushed into overdrive. But it was not Wilbur who was bleeding.
It was Techno, fingers curled around Tommy's shoulder to pull him out of the way of a knife that would have harmlessly buried into his undead body but had found a more lethal home in Techno's stomach.
Oh.
What happened next was a blur that Tommy would recall later in a smear of red and gore. Wilbur collapsed to his knees at some point, cradling Techno close to him. Too distracted with care over his brother, he was not aware of the calamity left in the wake of Tommy's fury. It was better that way. Tommy would not let a single human from that crowd live to see another day. Not after they hurt one of his. When he was done, he grabbed them both and ran, leaving the massacre behind them.
It was not the plan he had in mind, but Tommy would make it work. He already knew how to make it work.
Tommy had been clever and set up his apartment for the arrival of his fledglings. The bed was made up into a nest, Tommy had prepared everything he could possibly need from blood bags to pain medication. Wilbur and Techno would be perfectly taken care of. Tommy was ready.
He was so ready, anticipation would hardly do to describe it.
"Wilbur?" Tommy touched his new brother's face with both hands, ignoring the smear of blood left on Wilbur's pale cheek. He was in shock, it seemed. Not exactly ideal, but also not a bad thing. This would make the convincing part a little easier. "Wilbur, are you okay?"
The firm pressure of a thumb against his temple made Wilbur blink, some sense returning to him. "Tommy?" his voice was a little smothered, confused. Tommy wanted to hush him, but no - not yet. Not yet.
So he settled for pressing their foreheads together. "You're okay, Wilbur. I'm here."
"Tommy, what the fuck is-"
"We're kind of in a hurry so I don't have forever to explain," Tommy said. "Do you want me to help Techno?"
"Do I want you to-" Wilbur cut himself off, frantically looking at his brother prone on the bed. The knife was still in his stomach. Good, Tommy couldn't afford Techno dying too early. "Yes?! Yes, fuck, Tommy, I-"
"Good, I'll help. I'll help both of you." His hands slid down, to grasp Wilbur's shoulders tightly. "And you want to stay together, right?"
"Tommy?"
His nails dug into Wilbur's shoulders, almost too tightly. "Do you want to stay with him?"
"Yes," Wilbur said. "Of course."
A grin pulled across Tommy's face, the corners curled upward. Finally, the right time had arrived.
"Perfect."
Wilbur heaved when Tommy's teeth pierced his flesh, body convulsing against the pain once before it went impossibly still. Tommy had never turned somebody before, but it came surprisingly easy. After only a moment, Wilbur sunk against him, eyes half-lidded and face an odd mixture of agony and confusion. Tommy gently lowered him into the nest.
"I know," he said, trailing one finger against the already healing bite. "It's not exactly the most pleasant thing in the world, is it? But it'll be over before you know it."
Dying was a slow and painful process. The poison needed time to set in, though. Which also meant Tommy had no time to waste.
Techno looked close to losing consciousness and Tommy doubted he was present enough to have witnessed what transpired a few seconds ago. He knew there would only need to be a simple question asked, to seal the deal.
"Techno? Hey, Techno?" Tommy leaned in close, licking his lips. They tasted heavenly with the residue from Wilbur's blood. "You don't want to die, do you?"
And when those glazed-over eyes settled on him, there was a nearly imperceptible shake of Techno's head through the general hesitancy otherwise conveyed. It didn't matter if there was no full realization of what was going on, the human survival instinct would prevail. And for all intents and purposes, it would count as an agreement.
Both of them had agreed for this to happen.
Tommy would not let it go to waste.
