"I have given my word that only death will take me from you."
― Philippa Gregory

Tommy lies on a soft bed in a room the Dyscardia and Thermoculus put him in when everyone returned from the mission. He stares up at the ceiling. Though the lighting is dim, he's able to see the pattern imprinted upon it by the plaster. His body aches, burned in the fires of exhaustion and overuse. His mind is consumed by a restlessness that will not cease even when he tries pressing his eyes closed. The darkness dances across the back of his eyelids. His breathing picks up until he opens his eyes again, finding solace in the light that seeps into the room from underneath the door.

He can hear voices from down the hall. He knows vaguely that the voices come from the members of the Syndicate. They are probably planning something. Tommy should pay attention to them, but he finds their voices floating away from his mind. He is too tired to even try to figure it out, so he simply doesn't make an attempt. He doesn't care what their next move is. He doesn't want to know what they are planning. He doesn't even care what they are going to do with him next, or who is all here.

Most of Tommy's energy is spent looking at random objects floating with a red caustic light shining across them in his peripheral vision. Every time his eyes cut over to one, they drop to their resting place. Tommy tries reigning in his powers, but his body feels like a thousand volts of electricity has circulated through his nerves. The last time Tommy felt this way, he had only just gained his superpowers. He remembers Reverie putting a power suppressor around his wrist with a grim expression. Tommy was allowed to have the suppressor off for certain intervals where he spent his time training with them. It wasn't until his second year with the Hunters that the cuff came off completely. Tommy suspects he will have to do something similar this time around, but he doesn't think anyone is going to enforce this upon him. They might even discourage him from doing it. Tommy sighs. He doesn't want to argue right now.

Tommy shakes his head. He lifts a hand up to run it down the side of his face. He isn't wearing his mask right now. He isn't wearing his uniform, either. He isn't even wearing his blindfold. He is completely bare and vulnerable. He sits up, hunching over his thighs. He places his hands down beside him. Though the memories are hazy, he does recall Thermoculus helping Tommy change into clean and dry clothes. Thermoculus had been talking to him the entire time, but Tommy didn't hear a word of it. Thermoculus left him alone when he saw how tired Tommy looked. Once the room was cleared out, Tommy took his blindfold off, holding it in his trembling fingers. He cried softly to himself, more out of relief than grief. When he was gone, he tied his blindfold around his wrist. He laid down to sleep, but he can't get the dreams to come for him.

Tommy places a hesitant foot down on the ground. The floor is cold, sending a shiver all the way up his spine. Tommy hisses. The trembling exerted across his body makes the pain inside of him flare up. He wraps his arms around his upper body, feeling the bumps from scars and chicken skin reach up to meet his touch. Tommy squeezes his body tighter as he places his other foot on the ground. He stands solidly for a moment. He feels the urge to lock his knees. He will inevitably crumple. Tommy closes his eyes, taking a step forward. He almost slips onto the ground, but he manages to keep himself upright. He takes a few more steps. It takes him a long time, but he gets to the other side of the room. Tommy leans against the door, pressing his forehead to the cold wood. He opens his eyes.

He reaches down for the door handle. The metal feels like it was frosted over as Tommy pushes it down. The hinges creak quietly as the door opens outward. Tommy grimaces as he steps into the hallway. He winces as the warm, yellow light enters his eyes. He squints as he shuffles further into the hallway. The carpet tickles the bottom of his feet, and he presses his shoulder against the door to shut it behind him. He hears the voice of the Syndicate grow clearer. If he had the energy, he could understand what they were saying. As it stands, all of Tommy's energy is being used up to keep himself standing.

Tommy enters into the room opposite from the one he was laid to rest in. This room is as dark as the one he came from, and the carpet gives away to freezing cold tile. Tommy whimpers to himself, bringing his arms back up as if he could preserve his bodily heat. Tommy glances around the room. He can't see many details, all of them blurred by the shadows, but he notices Argonaut's red jacket hanging off the back of a chair pulled up to a bed. She isn't here as far as Tommy can tell, but someone is because Tommy can hear slow, sleepy breathing. Tommy shuffles forward, peering into the darkness to find a person covered in blankets on top of the bed. Tommy continues moving towards the person. His foot catches on the chair with Argonaut's jacket, and he falls forward. He catches himself on the side of the bed, but his knees clack together in a way that will surely bruise.

Tommy doesn't care about them. He reaches his hand forward, pulling back the blanket. While the finer details are lost on him, he knows that Serenade is the one lying in this bed. Tommy breathes out in relief. His face falls against the sheets, and he listens to Serenade's breathing. Although it is steady, Tommy has the irrational fear that it will cease. He needs the fragile heart inside Serenade's chest to keep beating. Tommy doesn't know what he would do with himself if Serenade died, especially at Reverie's hands.

Tommy hears a quiet muttering. He tilts his head up, keeping his cheek firmly squashed against the sheet. Tommy can feel Serenade moving in his blankets. After a moment, Serenade is taking Tommy's hand. His skin is cool, not unlike a corpse, and Tommy reaches both of his hands out to clasp Serenade's hand. With the lack of support, Tommy's knees touch the ground below him. He squeezes Serenade's hand, pressing his forehead against the edge of the bed. He says in a hushed tone, "You have to promise that you won't die by anyone's hand except my own."

"I promise," Serenade responds. There is more movement, and Tommy feels a grip on his chin. His face is tilted up. He can't see Serenade's eyes, but he somehow knows that he has locked onto them. He feels Serenade tugging him onto his feet. Tommy scrambles for purchase on the ground, and he ends up falling into the bed. Serenade releases Tommy's cheek to wrap an arm around him, keeping Tommy close to him. Serenade presses his face into Tommy's hair. His breath is far warmer than his body is as he continues, "As long as you promise the same thing."

"I promise," Tommy swears. He usually doesn't make promises. He doesn't like being bound to them, and he hates the feeling of not fulfilling them. But this, he promises. He does so because he feels like what he gets in return is of equal value. He can't let Serenade die. He doesn't know why, he doesn't when, and doesn't know how, but for one reason or some other, Tommy has grown attached to Serenade. This villain- because that's what he should be to Tommy- is someone who has infected Tommy, finding a place inside the hero's heart. It isn't the same place as Tommy's family. It isn't even the same place as Enderwalk and Jolt, or Red Dragon and Sleepy. It is, however, a place that seems to be inhabited with Techno, as well. Maybe even Philza, the kind old man. Tommy will keep every fragment of his heart that continues to exist safe.

If Serenade is going to die by anyone's hand, it is going to be from Tommy's. Tommy will be the witness to Serenade's last words, last breath, last moment of life. He will watch the light flicker out in Serenade's eyes. He will try his best to keep Serenade alive, but if push comes to shove, Tommy is going to take Serenade's life before anyone else can.

It comforts him to know that Serenade will do the same.

Serenade nods sharply. He suddenly pulls Tommy even closer. He lifts the blanket up, wrapping it around Tommy. He holds the blonde as if the latter were some sort of doll. Tommy, frankly, doesn't care. He nuzzles close to Serenade's chest. He listens to the heart beating in his chest. He feels it against his skin. He holds so close to Serenade that he feels like he is physically being put in the spot the villain has for Tommy in his heart. Tommy wouldn't mind being somewhere safe and secure like that.

Tommy closes his eyes, letting sleep wash over him and chase away the last dredges of pain and exhaustion. Even as he falls unconscious, he feels Serenade's hand in his own.

—

Tommy wakes up alone. There is nobody's presence around him. Serenade's hand is no longer affixed to his. Tommy frowns, closing his fingers into a fist. He feels better than he did last night, but there is a residual ache that continues to fester in his bones. He needs a long rest and several days of relaxation. He is not able to get any of that, so he forces himself into an upright sitting position. He pulls the blanket up around his shoulders. He lowers his face into his bent legs. He breathes out slowly, and his warm breath soaks through the blanket to touch the skin of his knees.

Tommy tries collecting his thoughts. He assesses the situation from the previous day. Or, maybe it was earlier that morning. The past 24 hours have been horrible for Tommy. Reverie showed up at Techno's cabin. Techno implied that he was going to give Vendetta away for a favor. Tommy ran out late into the night, ending up at a church for a goddess he had no association with. Techno found him, and although they had a nice moment after their argument, the priest ruined everything by telling them villains were fighting. Tommy was faced with Azrael, Inchling, Reverie, and the possibility of Minotaur. He ran himself ragged racing around the city. Thankfully, Pearl and Etho were of their right mind. He was able to get them to Tempestarius, but then he had to run in the rain. Then, Reverie... Serenade... Tommy's powers upgraded. He was put in a safehouse by Dyscardia and Thermoculus. They took care of him, and Tommy owes them his gratitude. Maybe even an apology for being so out of it that he didn't listen to a word they said to him.

Tommy takes a breath to steady his racing heart. He throws his legs over the side of his bed. He drops down onto the floor. He notices that Argonaut's jacket is no longer hanging on the chair. Tommy suspects she got it early in the morning when she came to check up on Serenade. That didn't explain where either of them went. Tommy feels a little peeved waking up all alone after promising not to let anyone kill him except Serenade. It seemed like the sort of promise people talk about afterwards when they're both of a clearer mind. Tommy doesn't regret his decision. He would make the promise again. He intends to fulfill.... But still, it's the principle of the matter.

Tommy undoes the knot keeping his blindfold around his wrist. He ties it around his eyes, peering through the mesh-like fabric. He stands a little more resolutely than he did last night. Thankfully, someone turned the heat up in the room. The tile is a lot more bearable to walk across as Tommy leaves the blanket behind. He walks into the hallway. The overhead light is off, but there is plenty of light coming in from one end of the hallway. Tommy walks toward the light, hearing voices as he steps across the threshold.

Tommy comes into a living room area that branches off into a kitchen. Phil is moving around the kitchen. He is humming faintly to himself, an apron tied around his main body and a bowl underneath his arm. Serenade and Techno are both wearing comfortable clothes as they sit at the bar. They seem to be conversing quietly. Serenade is wearing a mask, and Tommy wonders if he was wearing one last night. He knows that he wasn't. He doesn't really care if Serenade sees his face or not. Techno has seen his face, after all. Tommy has no reason to hide his appearance, though he keeps the blindfold on for his own sanity.

Tommy walks across the room. Techno notices him first, his red eyes cutting over to Tommy. The blonde nods at Techno, but he sits right beside Serenade to reassure himself that Serenade is still alive. He fears that he will blink, and there will suddenly be another arm through Serenade's chest. The villain might recognize Tommy's fears because he reaches his hand out to take Tommy's hand. He squeezes possessively, giving Tommy a reassuring smile. Tommy places his chin in his other palm. He stares at Serenade and Techno. He wonders if Serenade will have a name as stupid as Techno or Philza.

"Good morning, Vendetta. How are you feeling?" Phil asks, turning towards the stove. He starts to pour whatever is in the bowl into a pan. He sets the bowl down, looking over his shoulder at Tommy.

"Fine," Tommy cuts out, coughing as the words cut the muscles inside his neck. Serenade quickly reaches across the bar to grab a bottle of water. It is already opened, but Tommy settles for waterfalling the bottle. The water hurts his throat until he's had a few gulps of it.

"Yeah, 'fine' isn't the word I'd use. Look around, Theseus," Techno points out. Tommy glances around. There are random objects floating all around them with the red caustic light spilling across their surface. Tommy hisses, jerking to the side. He closes his eyes. He tries pulling his power back to his body. He hears a few objects drop to the ground, but he senses that his power is still being put to use. He tries to force his powers back once more. He doesn't hear any results. He peeks an eye open, and there are a couple of objects that continue to float despite his efforts. Tommy closes his eyes again. He squeezes Serenade's hand and makes his other hand into a fist. The pressure continues to build, but it never overflows, pops, or explodes. Tommy is stuck with the sensation of his powers being drawn away from his person.

"We'll have to go through some training," Phil adds, and Tommy can hear the searing of whatever he is making. Tommy turns away from his uncontrollable powers. He meets Phil's eyes. The man is smiling softly as he flips the pancake. "Due to your recent, er, trauma, your powers have intensified. This isn't an uncommon occurrence. I know a few people who had their powers mutated by further trauma. Argonaut, actually, went through a similar phenomenon. You should talk to her about it."

Tommy grumbles. He knew he was going to have to go back to training, but it honestly makes him feel like a child. He should be stronger than this- better than this. He has spent enough of his life biding his time. He should be ready to take action. How is he supposed to consider winning against Azrael and Inchling if his powers aren't even working properly? He's vulnerable right now. Worse, he's a liability to the people around him.

Phil puts the pancake onto a plate. He slides it over to Tommy. Techno places the syrup closer to him. Tommy looks at them both curiously. Tommy is hungry right now. He is used to eating like this since Techno didn't stock up on the gray powder. He just feels a little guilty about it.

His guilt disappears when Phil puts a fork on Tommy's plate. Without a second thought, Tommy is using his fork to cut up the pancake. As he eats, Tommy meets Phil's eyes, "How did the planning go last night?"

"I wanted to tell you and Serenade together," Phil explains. He leans against the other side of the bar. He looks between Tommy and Serenade cautiously. "Because of the recent attack, the Red Army is paying attention to us."

"The raid and the creation of the antidote has given the Syndicate the opportunity to win. We are hoping to end everything in a climactic battle. We're going to need both of your help to do that," Techno continues.

"But this kind of battle needs preparation. Serenade, you need time to heal, and Vendetta, you need to train and master your powers. Serenade, we know where we're going to put you for the time being," Phil's eyes cut over to Tommy. "We don't know where to put you. It needs to be somewhere the Red Army either can't reach or won't think to."

Tommy scowls as he eats another bite of his pancake. He doesn't like being put on the sidelines. He can help the others plan for this battle. He can help them prepare their chosen battleground. But as the syrup bottle begins floating, Tommy relents that maybe he needs to take some time for himself.

He needs a place that not only follows the qualifications Phil gave him, but would also be a place that Minotaur wouldn't grow upset over. He needs someone that is unaffiliated with villains and with Las Nevadas. It needs to be a hero or vigilante since they need to be strong enough to defend themselves from the Red Army. It would need to be someone willing to hide him. A name comes to mind. He nods at Phil. "I know a place. Tempestarius."

"Hmm... is that so?" Serenade asks idly. He is looking at Tommy in a way that almost makes him uncomfortable. Or maybe it is more accurate to say it should make him uncomfortable. At the moment, Tommy finds a little bit of comfort in those dark eyes.

"Tempestarius is powerful. She's a hero. She'll protect me." At least, I hope she will.

"If that's settled," Phil starts. "Come by the gym in Empires tomorrow. We'll start your training program."

"Understood," Tommy says as he finishes his breakfast. Once he's finished, he gets up, leaving without another word.