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Wilbur hummed, skipping along the stone pathways. This was a base hidden deep within a jungle temple his family had looted about a hundred years ago- they'd had servants clear it out and maintain it so it could be used as an emergency base if ever required. It was stocked to the brim with every kind of supply Wilbur could ever possibly need- everything, right at his fingertips. One hundred years ago, Wilbur had been at the cusp of being a fully fledged vampire. Young enough that Phil had fortified this place to be perfect for a Changeling. It was a bit much, Wilbur had to admit. Paranoid bastards, the pair of them, but their paranoia had a use.
This time.
Wilbur let a satisfied smirk curl his lips as the servants dipped their heads and shuffled out of his way, clearing the path for him. He hadn't been born into any kind of power as a human; in fact, hadn't had anything until Phil had Turned him. It was still thrilling, all these years later, to be the object of such reverence. Still, he didn't really want Phil or Techno here quite yet. He liked the quiet of the temple- how the halls echoed with his tunes, his footsteps- how the walls shook with every tap of his fingertips. He liked the silence. He liked being the most powerful creature in the building. With Techno and Phil's presence would also bring business and noise and escorts-
The hallways were cleaned and polished, the light fading the further down they went. Young vampires, when separated from their sires, always healed better in complete darkness. It was a precautionary measure Phil had taken considering one hundred years ago, Wilbur had only been two hundred and fifty. Not quite fully matured. Still young enough that if he were hurt, he would have needed Phil's blood to heal quickly. Those days had passed at three hundred years since his Turning, but nonetheless, this was one of the bases where such a chamber existed. Naturally, it had its uses beyond just housing young vampires while waiting for their sires. This temple in particular was also the farthest away from Phil and Techno's main base of operations in the Antarctic. They wouldn't come here for no reason, and as long as Wilbur made regular contact and pretended to be interested in the flora and fauna in the area, they wouldn't come looking for him either. It was all perfect.
Wilbur approached the door. The guards he had personally appointed had watched him the whole way down the hallway, red eyes pointed and gleaming. They subtly moved to the side, unclicking the latch to allow Wilbur access to the chamber. If Techno were here, he'd demand far more than just two guards. In Wilbur's early days as a fledgling, he wasn't allowed outside his own Turning room without a minimum of fifty… plus Techno. He slipped through the shallow crack, closing it quietly behind him. He didn't like being far from his baby - no sire did - but he had to check up with his coven every so often. He kept tabs on them in the coven bonds, circling in the back of his mind- their emotions swirling quietly and tangling with his. When they got too loud, Wilbur would excuse himself with a soft kiss to his baby's cheek, and then he would call the rest of their family.
Techno had his voices and often got lost in his bloodlust, while Phil would drown in apathy that grew from being alive for hundreds of thousands of years. They both needed a tether back to their emotions- a light, so to speak, but Wilbur wasn't exactly the pinnacle of sanity himself. He went unhinged far too often to be able to support either of them, and he found himself leaning into their darker habits, running the streets red. But here, sleeping in a bed Wilbur had put together and with Wilbur's venom running through his veins-
He finally found the sunshine they'd been looking for.
They couldn't know about Tommy. Not yet, anyway- they'd storm over here and demand to know why they hadn't met him as a human and why Wilbur hadn't said anything, and why Wilbur had Turned him without them there to protect him and blahblahblah- Wilbur wasn't really interested in answering their questions. He was a fully grown vampire and he was perfectly capable of protecting his own Changeling.
There was nothing in the room except for a four poster bed. No windows and only one door. No chests. Nothing. The blankets and pillows on the bed were changed every day- the replacements were left at the door and Wilbur changed them himself and exchanged new for old. He didn't trust anyone in here but himself. Not with the sleeping baby. Changelings needed a quiet environment while the venom slowly went through their system. Every day, Tommy's skin got paler and his heartbeat slowed. It was a process that nearly had Wilbur tearing his hair out in frustration, but it was worth it. He and Techno hadn't had the luxury of slow Turnings- Techno fatally injured and Wilbur terminally ill when they were Turned. It had been fast and brutual, Phil having drained nearly all their blood and then replacing it with venom just as quickly.
Wilbur had spent all his life chronically ill and nothing before or since had hurt quite as terribly. Techno hadn't spoken much about his own Turn, but Wilbur could feel the phantom echoes of pain through their coven bond whenever his brother thought of it. Fast Turns were easier on sires; harder on Changelines. But while Wilbur had the time and resources, he would refuse to allow Tommy to go through such a painful process.
Tommy hadn't moved much since the last call. Curled into a ball a little more, chest still moving steadily. Wilbur padded over, humming under his breath as he lightly traced a hand over his bite mark. The Changeling's eyebrows furrowed and he tensed- before relaxing completely, absolutely melting into Wilbur's touch. He couldn't help the grin that split his face, his voice lilting into a soft lullaby as he gathered Tommy into his lap. The Changeling made sleepy grabby hands at him, curling into his sweater and snuffling into his collarbone.
Wilbur couldn't help the outpour of lovelovelove that erupted from him, followed softly by a quiet question? from Phil, echoed by Techno. He mentally sent the image of a baby ocelot until he felt them go away.
He kissed at the Changeling's forehead, smiling against the cooler temperature. Soon. Tommy would wake up soon. And once he'd woken, the coven bond would solidify, and sure, Wilbur would have a lot of explaining to do. He'd be fine. Totally. He was a full grown vampire, it's not like Phil could stick him on the naughty couch anymore. He'd just... get up. Yes. That's what he'd do! Stick it to the man. And then if Phil tried to recruit Techno to put him back on the naughty couch, like he did when Wilbur was a Changeling and resentful of being Turned, Wilbur could just convince his brother that they were overturning tyrannical systems of government. It would definitely work.
Tommy shuffled a bit, moving to a more comfortable position in his arms and, in the process, wiping his trail of drool across Wilbur's sweater.
Ah... well.
He could always get a new sweater.
Tommy deserved a good Turn. Part of why Wilbur detested it so much was because Phil waited for so long. He waited to take Wilbur in when Wilbur had no one, waited until Wilbur was on his deathbed, waited until Wilbur's body could not physically handle a slow Turn before Turning him. Wilbur was not going to wait for Tommy. They were friends - brothers, if you were to ask either - long before Wilbur found out how Tommy's parents treated him behind closed doors. And then, the turtlenecks at 30° and the relief in the child's eyes when he spotted Wilbur finally made so much more sense. He'd flown off the handle. Bright-red-eyes in his rage, he had grabbed Tommy by the shoulders and begged Tommy to let him kill them.
Wilbur wasn't a good person. Tommy wasn't either.
By the end of the night, the house was a crime scene and Tommy was reported as a missing person and assumed dead. By the end of the night, Wilbur had tucked him into bed and soothed his fears.
"Is it going to hurt?"
"No. You'll sleep it all off, sunshine. You'll wake up in a few weeks all done. No pain at all."
"Will you stay?"
"Always."
Tommy stirred. In the back of Wilbur's head, he could feel the coven bond opening for a fourth member.
A grin grew on his face as Phil and Techno exploded from their sides. He could only imagine- the two nerds sitting in the Antarctic drawing room reading, feet propped up, and then a fourth bond stirring. A glance at Phil - I didn't sire any fuckin' Changelings, mate - a glare at Techno - don't go lookin' at me - and then both of their heads swiveling around to stare at their phones-
Tommy blinked open his eyes and Wilbur's phone went off, Phil's stupid baby shark theme ringing across the empty room. The Changeling shied away from the noise and Wilbur declined the call, putting his cell on do not disturb as he gently leaned forwards, peppering kisses along Tommy's forehead.
"Sorry Toms," he murmured. "How're you feeling?"
"What's with the fucking-" Tommy blinked, dust falling away from his eyelashes. Wilbur hummed and hefted the Changeling into his lap, cupping Tommy's cheeks with his cool fingers and rubbing at Tommy's eyes, gently flicking the sleep dust out of them. "With all the... head noise?"
"That's the rest of our coven," Wilbur leaned forward to rest their foreheads together, pulsing loveloveloveyou across the bond, his heart nearly bursting when it was returned immediately from Tommy. "I might not've told them I Turned you." Phil and Techno shrieked from their sides of the bond, pushing at Wilbur, poking at the lovelovelove, questions and shock dancing all in one.
"Tell them to be quiet," Tommy huffed, puffing his cheeks out. Annoyancehurtsleepyloud echoed across and the other two quieted almost immediately. Wilbur chuckled lowly, pulling away. "My head hurts." Tommy whined up at him.
"It's because you haven't eaten, sunshine," Wilbur brought his wrist up to his mouth, using the sharp point of his fang to make a shallow cut across the veins. They bled out sluggishly and he offered it to the Changeling. "Here." With an approving nod, Tommy latched on with not-quite-sharpened baby teeth, suckling greedily at the flow of blood. The echo of a headache from the baby fled from the bond as Tommy ate, his body settling with some food. "You'll be eating from me for a long time, alright bubs?" Wilbur pet his hair as he ate, rearranging him so that Tommy's back was on his chest. More comfortable for Tommy to eat. "You can also eat from Phil and Tech, but you'll mostly be getting blood from me. You won't be on a human diet for a very long time."
Wilbur carefully watched his Changeling eat, content to just let Tommy drink until he decided he was done. Phil prodded at the back of his bond, insistent and demanding, so Wilbur detached his wrist. Tommy whined, high and sad, and it took all the willpower Wilbur had to not give him his wrist back.
"I'm sorry, sunshine," he kissed Tommy's head. "You'll make yourself sick. Naptime."
"Not tired." Tommy grumbled. He was doing the lizard blinks, head drooping every so often.
"Definitely not," Wilbur laughed. "But I am, so do you mind if I lay down?" he laid them back against the pillows, letting Tommy curl up against his chest. Within seconds, the Changeling was back asleep, slowly creating another puddle of drool on Wilbur's sweater.
He knew he had to face the music at some point, but he was really hoping it was gonna be tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the day after that. Or really, just... never. Faintly, Wilbur could imagine Baby Shark playing.
Wilbur sighed and picked up his phone.
It was already ringing - Techno's contact photo of his brother stuck in a tree by his underpants and trying his damndest to stop Wilbur from taking said photo while on his tip toes and getting a wegie á la oak... muah. Made Wilbur's entire life.
He slid the bar to the side and waited for the lecture of his life.
"Where are you." Technoblade's gruff voice cut through the cellphone and echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls.
"Techno! My brother-"
"Where. Are you?"
"You already know where I am."
"So you weren't lying?"
"No!"
"I don't know, you've been lying about a lot of things recently." Now Wilbur felt that that one was uncalled for.
"You never asked if I had a Changeling and therefore never gave me the opportunity to lie about it. You asked my location- the jungle temple you two turned into a base. That's where I am. That's where my baby is. I told the truth on that front. You asked what I've been up to. I said I've been watching the animals. I've been doing a lot of bird watching from the screens the servants set up while I've been sitting with my baby- another truth. So you tell me, Technoblade, what exactly have I been lying to you about?" Checkmate. Go fuck yourself, Blade.
The line went silent. Ah ha! Wilbur ran his fingers through Tommy's hair and internally celebrated his victory.
"Phiiiiiiilllllll." Techno didn't whine, per say, but this was the closest he got to it. "Wil's being difficult."
"Don't come crying to me, mate," Phil laughed from somewhere in the background. "You're the one who taught him to do that. I told you it'd come back to bite you in the ass. You didn't listen."
There was some shuffling and muffled grumbling, before the line clicked a bit and Techno was back on.
"We're arriving in a few hours. How many entrances are there into the room?"
Wilbur sighed. "One."
"Are there guards?"
"Yes."
"How many?"
"Two."
"Only two?"
"I'm in here with him all the time, Techno. It's fine."
"It isn't fine. Any assailant could take out only two guards. Anything could happen. Ph- Phil! Phil! Call Niki and tell her to assign herself and her best guards to the jungle temple! Wil only has two guards on the Changeling! .......I know, that's what I said!"
"Techno, really?" Wilbur groaned. Now there was gonna be a guard stationed every centimeter down the hall. Ughhhhhhhhhh.
"His safety is paramount," Techno argued. "Speaking of, is he a flight risk?"
"Pardon?"
"Is he a flight risk? Was he a willing Turn?"
"Yes... yes, he was a willing Turn," Wilbur blinked away the memories of Tommy's mother, legs sticking out from behind the kitchen island, a pool of sticky red growing. His father, cowering in front of the fridge, the belt that he'd used to- the hands that he'd hit- and he'd begged for his life. Wilbur had leaned down, teeth bared- "He might... run," Wilbur huffed uncertainly, drawing circles on Tommy's scalp as Techno hummed soothingly. "If you and Phil do... things towards him."
"Define things?" Wilbur didn't answer straight away so Techno took a breath before continuing. "We don't need the full story until he's ready to tell us. Just tell us what to avoid so we don't scare him or trigger anything."
"Mhm," Wilbur scratched at Tommy's scalp and grinned at how the Changeling melted. "Shouting, aggressive tone or body language. He's claustraphobic so no small spaces and no threatening to put him in small spaces. He's been... hit. By parental figures and by people with your stature, Tech, so I'm pretty sure he's going to be skittish around you and Phil for a while until he figures out you're not going to hurt him. He's afraid of being abandoned. Doesn't like to be alone."
"Alright," Techno drawled. "I'll let Phil know. For now, we won't be alone with him. You stick around him and we'll slowly increase the time we spend with him. Positive interactions. Show him we're not a threat. You know his love language?"
"Physical affection and quality time, mainly," Wilbur eyed Tommy's arm, trapped under his body. He gently moved it, tucking Tommy in around the covers. "But he also responds very well to gifts and words of affirmation from people he trusts. It takes a while to build up to a level where he'll accept either from you, though."
"Alright," Techno's voice cracked and he cleared his throat, hesitation sparking through the bond. "What's-" he paused and Wilbur waited for his brother to get through the storm in his head. "What's his name?"
"Tommy," Wilbur grinned. "But that's just a nickname. His full name is Theseus."
"Ah," Techno said. Blandly, like Wilbur couldn't feel the pleasedpleasedpleasedlovelovebabylove rising like a tickle in his throat, feather-light; a helium balloon full of giggles and running on glee. "I'm not opposed to that."
"I didn't think you would be." Techno's joy was infectious, leaving Wilbur with happy bubbles in his chest, pulling Tommy closer so he could rest one cheek on Tommy's head and the other with his phone.
"Techno! C'mere, I pulled out all the boxes from when Wilbur was just a little baby. We're gonna need the teethers-" Phil interrupted their MomentTM, something clattering in the background. There was a rustle, a shaky bruuuuuh, and then a scratchy sound as the phone's speaker was dragged over the whisps of Phil's beard. "Hello Wil!"
"Hey Dadza. Tommy says hi."
"...Tommy," something soft and reverent was in Phil's voice as he repeated the name, said it like it was gold. Something precious. It absolutely was, even if Tommy would deny it. "Is he awake? Can I speak to him?"
"He ate and then went right back to sleep," Wilbur grabbed the edge of another blanket and tugged it up. "Little gremlin." He huffed.
"You stopped feeding him when I told you to, right?"
"Yeah, would he get a stomachache or something from it?"
"Not quite. The way he approached the bond felt like a slow Turn. Not a fast one. He's not quite vampire yet- somewhere inbetween human and vampire. Too much blood will overwhelm his system and send his body into shock. Little meals will keep him fed and happy while the venom finishes its work. We should be there before he wakes up again, but let me know if he does just in case, alright?"
"I will," Wilbur hummed. "He looks a lot like you, you know."
"Does he?"
"Blonde hair, blue eyes… he's got more baby fat in his cheeks and a different build, but I think he has your nose." Wilbur made a point of booping it. "Boop."
Tommy wrinkled his nose in his sleep and battled at Wilbur's fingers like a particularly disgruntled kitten. It was adorable.
Phil sighed, something fond and half dangerous all in one. "You are in so much shit when I get there." he said- almost whimsically, like he was thinking up punishments. The Naughty Stool. Gold stars above the fridge again. Or- Techno's favourite, the Family ConversationTM.
“Hmph,” Wilbur hummed, tucking Tommy’s head under his chin. “I think you’ll change your mind when you see him.”
“I said nothing about him being in trouble, mate.”
“You gonna be here soon?”
“...yeah,” as stern as Phil liked to pretend he was, Wilbur could hear the edges of the tone crack as his sire leaned in closer to the phone. “Just a few hours out. You keep him safe while we get there, alright?”
“I have been.”
“I’m going to hang up now, alright, love? If he wakes up, don’t feed him again. We’ll be there soon. Call if you need anything.”
Wilbur tucked Tommy into his lap, pulling the blankets over Tommy’s chest and tucking his baby into a little blanket burrito. “I will.” the phone clicked as Phil hung up, and Wilbur’s red eyes stared unblinkingly, glowing, out into the darkness beyond. Every shuffle, every movement outside of the room had Wilbur on guard, growling under his breath.
A few hours saw Phil and Techno stepping into the room, a hearty bustle and buzz from the hallway following them as Niki dragged Wilbur’s appointed guards off to interrogate them, barking orders to the vampires she had brought and arranging patrols across the entire base and its perimeter.
Techno carefully peeled off his boots, eyes fixated on Tommy’s tuft of blonde curls, and Phil gently eased the door closed as Wilbur let the corner of a blanket slide off Tommy’s shoulders. The Changeling huffed and puffed, face screwing up into Wilbur’s favourite disgruntled expression, pawing up at Wilbur’s hands in his hair with sleepy fingers and a pouty lip.
“Dun wanna go to Build uh Beaw,” Tommy slurred. He turned over in Wilbur’s arms, shuffling down and burying his face in Wilbur’s jumper. He snuffled quietly, nuzzling in before letting out a little snort. “Fuzz.” he decided, nodding once.
Wilbur brought up one hand to his mouth, closing his eyes and trying to stifle his giggles as Phil grinned from over Techno’s shoulder, Techno’s own lips twitching in amusement.
“Tommy, Toms,” Wilbur whispered. His baby whined, high and irritated, and he smacked out wildly. He completely missed. “Sunshine. Love. Dearheart. Our coven is here to see you.”
“I don’t want any ovens,” Tommy groaned. “No ovens.”
At that, Wilbur tipped his head back and cackled, bringing a hand up to try and guide Tommy when the fledgling reluctantly sat up, rubbing his eyes, only to freeze at the two hovering over his bed.
Questionquestionafraid? went through their bond, and Techno stepped forward, gently cupping Tommy’s cheek. He pulsed back with loveloveloveprotectalwaysalways, bringing their foreheads together.
“Technoblade,” he murmured. “The old man behind me is Philza. We’re your coven.”
“Oi!” Phil barked.
Amusementfondnesslovelovelove- rushed through Phil's side of the bond and Tommy lifted an arm up, shaking with sleepy giggles.
"Tha's grea'," he mumbled. He patted at Techno's chin with his hand, smacking at the older vampire's face gently when Techno pulled away, a stumbly mimic of how Techno had cupped his cheek. "'nooze."
Tommy grabbed Techno's arm, curling into Wilbur's lap like a little kitten, snuggling into his stolen appendage like a plushie. Techno froze and slowly got to his knees, shuffling forwards and offering more of his arm. With a sleepy, satisfied hum, Tommy grabbed at it, laying his head on Techno's bicep and nuzzling into the silky fabric.
"I-" Techno opened his mouth. His jaw worked and then it closed with a snap. With an awe that Wilbur hadn't ever seen on Techno's face before, his brother reached out- with trembling hands, he brushed the bangs out of Tommy's face.
The vulnerability pouring out of Techno made Wilbur refrain from teasing him. Just this once.
"He's so small," the bed dipped as Phil joined him, settling on Wilbur's other side and gently placing a hand on Tommy's bite mark. "You did well with the placement. Good angle. Got venom in as quickly as possible."
Wilbur laughed a bit, shifting closer to Phil. "I think Tommy broke Techno."
Techno's pupils were completely blown. He had graduated from tiny little finger presses to an entire hand in Tommy's hair, pulling through the strands with his free hand while Tommy snuggled into his trapped one.
"Leave him alone, mate," Phil scolded. "He was so afraid that Tommy would be scared of him. Let him have this. He's never seen a baby quite so young before." Phil's eyes softened. "Neither of you had the opportunity to."
"Yeah, yeah," subtly, Wilbur angled his cellphone up. "I won't tease him… yet."
Click.
Techno didn't even blink when the flash went off; too busy figuring out that Tommy loved getting his head scratched.
"Wilbur!"
"Shhhhhhh," Techno hushed them, twirling a stray curl around his finger. "You're gonna wake him up."