Includes implied death

~~~~~

Dream was glad to see Tommy.

It was kind of a weird thing to miss seeing Tommy, but any company was good company when you're alone all the time.

"Tommy!" Dream greeted him, walking closer. Tommy visibly tensed, but beneath the look of unease was a look of triumph. Dream stopped approaching the boy. The look of triumph was unsettling.

"Hi," Tommy said unenthusiastically. Dream threw him a couple of raw potatoes, giving him a smile. The blonde just kicked them into the lava. The smile on Dream's face darkened, and an overbearing silence filled the room. "This is my last time visiting you," Tommy blurted. The feeling of guilt that swelled in him made Tommy feel uncomfortable since he knew he had a right to stop seeing Dream.

"You're.... What?" Dream sounded hurt, visibly wavering Tommy's determination. It's working, Dream thought to himself. Manipulation was one of his key tactics, and the reason he liked Tommy was because it was easy to get inside his head.

"There's no reason to keep on visiting you, Dream. Everyone is saying that you've changed, but I'm not believing that bull crap." Fists tightened, Tommy glared at Dream. "You hurt me and everyone I care about, and I don't want to see or even think about you anymore." Tommy felt more at peace now that he had let out his thoughts, and he glared defiantly at the prisoner.

Dream opened his mouth to say something.

Suddenly, the sound of multiple explosions above them roared in the air, making the anger on Tommy's face disappear, replaced with fear as he backed up into a wall, covering his head. Multiple explosions went off, and Tommy repeated the same words over and over like a plea, begging for the sounds to stop.

"Please stop. Please stop. Please stop," Tommy cried, covering his ears. Dream walked over to him calmly, handing him some raw potatoes and looking up at the ceiling.

"Sounds like TNT," he remarked, glancing at the young blonde next to him with a smirk.

"Yeah, I guessed that," Tommy shakily shouted through his tears.

Dream looked at him. "Are you sure this is the last time you want to come here?"

"I don't think this is the right time to ask th-"

More blasts made the cell shake, and Tommy fell to the ground. "Let me out, please. Let me out. Let me out!" He screamed. To Tommy, it felt like another war was emerging around him. Another possible chance for him to lose his final life. His muscles tensed every time the cell shook until he found himself being pulled up from the ground and set up against the wall.

"Tommy, I need you to listen to me," Dream began, his hands on Tommy's shoulder, not breaking eye contact with the boy. "You're fine now, and you are going to be fine. I know you don't believe that I've changed, but trust me, I've changed at least a little bit, okay? I've been thinking about things differently now- mostly because it's all I can do. None of that matters, though, so just know that you're alright, and I'll protect you from anything that comes in here." Tommy's fearful eyes seemed to become more terrified as he backed up against the wall. There was no way he was going to be manipulated again.

"S-stop," Tommy murmured, wiping his face from any tears that had fallen. Another explosion rumbled, sounding closer than the last. With a shudder, Tommy hid his face in his knees, crying quietly.

"Tommy," Dream tried, glancing at the descending lava. Heavy footsteps could be heard getting closer. "Will you trust me?" Dream implored, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. Tommy just shook his head, starting to cry even harder.

The footsteps drew closer, and Dream spun around to face the door, clenching a potato in his hand. He readied to throw the potato at the intruder's head. As soon as he saw a single fold of clothing, he threw the potato with all his strength.

"Excuse me?" Sam said dully after he caught the potato that had been aimed at his face. He tossed the potato harshly at Dream's feet. It only took a moment for him to find Tommy, sitting terrified in the corner. Keeping an eye on Dream, Sam strutted over to Tommy, holding out his hand. The young blonde took it, standing and burying his face in Sam's arm. Sam glared at Dream as he guided Tommy out of the cell.

Dream watched as the lava fell back down, and he sat on the floor, legs crossed. Everything in the prison happened so fast. He stared at the inviting lava. Is this how Tommy felt? Deep down, Dream knew that it was barely anything compared to what he had done to Tommy. Dream got up, straying closer to the lava. A netherite block barrier went up behind him, separating him from his main room. He put his hand next to the lava- that was so close to his face- feeling its searing heat. In the distance and through the lava's bubbling, he could hear Tommy's quiet sobs as Sam tried to comfort him while also sharing the rules in the book that he had signed.

Dream inhaled the hot air. Taking off his mask, he dropped it on the cool obsidian floor.

He took a step forward.