Chapter Text
Tommy tried. He really did.
He tried to be a good kid. He tried to be as unproblematic as possible for his brother.
But… that never really worked out for him, did it?
He just wanted friends! Acknowledgement! Affection!
He knew Wilbur loved him, it was just… well… sometimes it didn't really seem that way, despite Techno’s assurances.
Everything he did was either met with indifference or disappointment. Sometimes what he did was too silly or not good enough or not ‘Viking’ enough. Nothing he ever did was enough. Nothing.
And sure, he knew Wilbur was stressed-- Tommy’s brother was the chief after all-- but he didn’t even take Tommy’s opinion into account. He never took what Tommy had to say seriously. It was frustrating. It was humiliating.
It was depressing.
So now he was sent back up to their house in a walk of shame, Techno assigned to make sure he gets there.
“I really did hit one,” Tommy mumbled.
“Sure, kid,” Techno said.
“It’s like nothing I ever do is good enough for him.”
“Oh come on, now, don’t be like that.”
“Bet if I went missing tomorrow he wouldn’t care. Wonder if he’d even notice…”
“Hey, that’s not true,” Techno said, drawing him to a stop with a hand on his shoulder. Techno always said he wasn’t the best at dealing with emotional situations, but he was really rather good. “Wilbur loves you. He’s just… stressed.”
“He’s been stressed since I was a baby,” Tommy mumbles, looking away. He knows that’s not true. He had some wonderful memories of a childhood filled with laughter with Wilbur, even if he was nearly eight years older than Tommy. But… well, nearly a decade of your brother being stressed and angry and disappointed all the time.. It took its toll on you.
Techno frowned sadly at him, scars stretching.
Techno was their blacksmith. Tommy apprenticed under him. Honestly, Techno was Tommy’s only friend on their whole island.
Techno had once been a renowned warrior-- it was why he was still in charge of Dragon (killing) Training-- one of the very best. Then, in a raid, he’d gotten hurt. Badly. He’d saved everyone around him but himself. A burning beam had fallen on him, leaving him with wicked burn scars down his back. Burnt off most of his hair too. He still managed to fight off the Monstrous Nightmare barehanded, sending it fleeing back to the Nest.
But he’s lost a leg and an arm, and he had a permanent limp with his still human limb. He was lucky to be alive.
Techno was a family friend, practically another brother. He’d known both the Soots since they were young. His opinion was highly valued by all, but especially by Wilbur, and he was essentially Wilbur’s right-hand man.
Tommy counted himself lucky Techno cared about him.
“I know it’s hard,” Techno said softly. “But he really does love you. He just doesn’t want you to get hurt.”
“I’m gonna get hurt eventually,” Tommy sighed, pushing on to his house.
“But you’ll do it being something you’re not ,” Techno stressed. Tommy looked back at him with glossy eyes.
“I just wanna be one of you guys…” he whispered, voice cracking. The door shut gently behind him. Techno sighed, turning to limp back down to the forge. He had some convincing to do.
Meanwhile, Tommy raced out the back door and into the forest, determined to prove to Wilbur he’d taken down the DeathWing.
Determined to prove that he was good enough.
That he was worth being loved.
Chapter 2
Summary:
these are short chapters but i'm trying
Chapter Text
Tommy trudged through the damp morning forest, kicking rocks and stomping on twigs as he tried desperately to force his sadness into anger, something he could do something with. Vikings didn’t blubber. They yelled.
Guess that was just another way he wasn’t good enough.
He slapped a branch out of the way and narrowly dodged it when it whipped back towards him. This brought him out of his thoughts. He looked around at the wreckage on the ground. He followed the deep groove in the ground. Could this be…?
There it was.
Tangled in robes, at the base of the small hill he was on. The DeathWing.
He carefully approached, the beast's massive huffs of air clearly indicating that it lived still. This was it! This was it. If he killed this thing now, then Wilbur couldn’t be disappointed in Tommy! Tommy would have rid them of this beast! Wilbur would be so proud of him! He’d smile again.
The beast was looking at him, but he did not look back at it, instead holding onto the dagger he’d had in his belt. His hands trembled and he tried to force them to stop.
“I can do this, I can do this,” he whispered to himself. “C’mon, Tommy, you got this Big Man, do it for Wilbur…”
The dragon rumbled but it… it didn’t seem threatening. He glanced over. The dragon had brilliant blue eyes, like sapphires that they had stored in their vaults. Tommy hadn’t ever seen a shade quite like it. They were mesmerizing. They were so soft. So kind. They were holding no judgement against Tommy. They seemed so much more intelligent than anyone ever portrayed dragons as.
How could Tommy hurt something that was so intelligent? Something that looked at him with more kindness than any of his own people had in so many years?
He dropped the dagger, shoulders slumping. The dragon rumbled at him again.
He sighed.
The ropes snapped as Tommy cut through them, praying that no one would see him doing this now. They’d exile him for sure if they didn’t just kill him.
He didn’t know if Wilbur would let him live knowing he did this…
The last rope snapped and the dragon stood, towering over the teen. It’s massive wings stretched and cast deep shadows over him as he stumbled back, hitting a rock. His breathing picked up as the dragon leaned closer. It’s breath tickled as it snuffled at his face and hair, before it butted it’s head against Tommy, and darted off, vanishing.
His heart beat horribly fast against his chest as he leaned on the rock to help him stand. This was for naught as he passed out a mere moment later.
Dark wings covered and shielded him from the elements, standing lookout for the boy that saved it when he didn’t need to.