Lanterns

Those early days

He doesn't know exactly when the tradition started. It had begun before he even showed up in that old  house. However he knew what it meant. He knew what it meant, so why was it here? He shouldn't we allowed here. Not after what he'd done.
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Lanterns had always been a sign of safety in Phil's home. Candles fashioned from magic, and love, glittering in frost tinted windows. The first time Tommy saw this was when Technoblade brought him home. Out of the cold blizzard, into the cabins warm walls that whispered reassurances. The young frost bitten boy had taken note of three glowing Lanterns in each of the windows. Each a different color and size. He had fallen unconscious soon after.

He next noticed the lanterns a week later. Having tried to run away, and soon circled back, missing the warmth of home of the cabin. Missing Techno,Wilbur,and Phil. He found himself stumbling towards the three lantern lights again. Hoping that the members of the home would welcome him back.

He found no one in the home. Thinking he'd gotten away with it, he slipped back upstairs and into the guest room where he'd been staying. Later woken up by a crying Wilbur, a smiling Phil, and a concerned Technoblade. They'd been searching for him, in the cold. Tommy cried too that night. Happy tears.

The next time Tommy noticed the lanterns was a month later. Phil,Wilbur, and Technoblade had approached him at breakfast. Holding a carefully crafted candle. The was red with gold,pink, ad green designs, accents of white slipping in. Technoblade held a metal lantern frame, the iron and glass structure perfect for the candle. Tommy smiled, and again later that night as Phil flew to every windowsill in the home and placed a lantern there.

He noticed a third time, when a wandering trader by the name of 'Jackup' had stayed the night in their home. Claiming no where to go. Phil invited him to stay, and Tommy quickly grew attached. The man acting like an uncle to the 12 year old. Then a few months after his stay Phil gave the man his own lantern. The man gave Phil a fake smile. The lantern was hung with the rest

Tommy noticed again, a week later. The night Jackup tried to kill Tommy- for his hybrid status, the man had claimed. The glass of Jakob's lantern cracked. Before the candle went out when Technoblade slayed the man. Tommy saw the broken Lantern in the window for only an hour before Phil and Wilbur had worked together to take them all down. Technoblade treated Tommy's wounds. Tommy cried that night.

He noticed a fifth time, when Technoblade moved out. The lantern reminded in the window glowing brightly. When they visited Technoblade later, he had moved to a snowy tundra. Four lanterns sat on each window sill. Tommy cried that night, for different reasons. A smile fitting his face.

Tommy and Wilbur moved out soon after, waving Phil goodbye from the doorway. Each lantern glowing like a beacon home. Soon after, Tommy and Wilbur got into a war with dream. They took to sewing different colored flames on their uniforms for each member of the war effort. Erets was removed in tears after his betrayal. Wilbur made a lantern for Fundy, wax burning his skin, after the boy was born.

Fundy had smashed his lantern to burn the L'manburg flag. Wilbur had cried, Tommy had seen the boy later desperately trying to peace the Lantern back together, late at night. Tears flowing down his face as he cut his paws on the glass. Tommy went to help him. But was chased off by Punz. Tommy didn't tell Wilbur.

Wilbur blew up L'manburg, Phil killed Wilbur per his request. Technoblade unleashed Withers and Tommy stood against him, desperate for something stable, somewhere to call home.Tommy knew he'd be taken out of the window sill, just like he knew that Wilburs flame had gone out. He didn't dare look in Phil's windows, for his home in New L'manburg. He knew it would only occupy 3 candles. One burnt out but left there for a ghost. The other two surly burning brightly. He thought his candle would be gone. If only he'd looked

Tommy met Ranboo, he was the first person to get him to smile since Wilburs death and Technoblades departure. Phil hadn't said a word to him either. Tommy's candle burned in more then one window sill against his knowledge. Tommy burnt down George's home. Tommy was exiled from L'manburg.

Tommy's camp in Logstedshire was pitiful. Damp and wet. Still however, lanterns burned in his secret bunched. A sickly green one joining them whenever Tommy was in a really bad mental state. The metal frame flimsy, and the flame flickering.Because dream was his friend(?) but he hurt Tommy. But he also, helped Tommy. He made him better! Tommy cried that night.

He had run! He had escaped Dream-and prime he had run away!Heshould go back- Dream was his friend- no he wasn't. Tommy remind himself of what dream had done to the candle Tommy had presented him with. He had laughed before snapping it in half. They weren't friends- had they ever been? How had Tommy ruined it?

Tommy stumbled through the terrain, going further North, it slowly got colder, rain that had chilled his bones and seeped into his skin, turning into ice. It stuck to his limbs and his fingers were bright red from the chill. He hardly noticed he was shivering as the snow got deeper. Quickly getting to knee deep as the sun set on the horizon. The cold seeping into the frail boys bones.

His eyes blurred as he pushed on ward his movements slowing down as he trudged through the snow, the night chill clawing at him. Telling him  to lay down, to accept the cold that he was slowly growing numb to. He sluggishly blinked his eyes open as a light from the distance slowly came into view.

Tommy limped closet to it desperately, the light splitting into 3 different lights. Then, Tommy knew. Recognizing the district frame of the lanterns. Tommy stumbled to a stop. Taking in the fact the somehow, he was welcome. His mind- slowed by the cold, caught up to him. For the last time he was reminded of the Lanterns. Of their meaning, of their worth, and Tommy cried as he collapsed to the ground.

The snow fitting and hugging his body as his tears froze his eyelids shut. Tommy didn't mind, he was tired, and happy. Because if Technoblade cared for him despite everything he did. Tommy wasn't unlovable, he wasn't worthless. He could die happy with that. So Tommy settled into the snow, ready to die knowing someone would bury him.

He didn't hear the crunching sound of rushed footsteps as he faded into oblivion.