Chapter Text
Tommy still remembers the day he was born.
He was born fully formed in a cornfield with its leaves tickling at his skin. The sun’s harsh rays greeted his first glimpse of the world, accenting everything in a golden haze. He was welcomed by the sun. Only his domain was there to witness his birth.
He stared up at the sun and somehow knew it was his. A smile grew on his lips and he raised a hand to feel the sun’s warmth. Crows lightly cawed and stalks swayed in the breeze. It was peaceful there.
And Tommy soon found himself incredibly bored, already tired of golden rays and the quiet perfection of a cornfield undisturbed.
This tranquil place was all he knew and yet he needed more.
He stumbled through the tall crops, trampling the stalks and scattering the crows. He was unsteady on newly formed legs, searching for something he didn't have a name for yet.
Outside of the cornfield, he found towns and taverns, so many people in every corner of the world. He found fields and forests that stretched further than the eye could see. He found all of humanity growing under his domain's steady light.
It took him a while to realize there was a definite difference between himself and everyone he met. Others didn’t have boundless strength and stamina. They didn’t have the sun at their fingertips like him. They needed food and rest.
They needed money and companionship and family and a thousand other things Tommy couldn’t begin to understand but wanted for himself all the same.
He came to learn they were mortal and he very much was not. Titan, they would whisper as he shrugged off blows that should have killed him. Titan, they would shout as he started fires with a snap.
They watched him with fear and wonder, always from a distance. He was something to be worshiped and feared. Always handled with caution.
He would stay for a time in each town before he showed a bit more strength than his body should possess and he was revealed once again. When whispers and uneasy gazes started to be sent his way he knew it was time to leave. He couldn’t stand the prayers and pleas they would throw his way.
It was all too much.
He didn’t want to be some object of devotion. He couldn’t answer their prayers more than any regular mortal could.
He kept drifting from town to town. Enjoying the small bits of time before his Titanhood was revealed and everything changed. He cherished the few conversations he could get while they saw him as just another mortal.
He liked to imagine that if he wasn’t a Titan those conversations could be the start of something.
The start of him settling down and seeing other mortals every day. He would greet them each morning before eating breakfast, a breakfast his mortal stomach needed. They’d work and talk the day away till the sun set. He'd have a house and a room of his own.
If he was mortal maybe it would work out. Even then Tommy doesn’t know if he’s made for a life like that. All he’s ever known is power and sparks and never staying in one place too long.
He’s like the sun, always racing across the sky. Not seeking anything in particular, just incapable of staying still.
Before long he met others like him. Others who didn’t sweat or tire and held powers far greater than their forms suggested. They spoke of raising kingdoms and the offerings of mortals, always appraising him with dark looks. He didn’t have any interest in any of that, but the company wasn’t too bad.
He made the mistake once of telling another Titan his domain. He watched as the Titan’s eyes turned from curious to hungry and he barely dodged the inevitable blow. He fought back with the sun’s heat and power, fleeing before the Titan could stop him.
He came to learn Titans were not like humans, not at all. Where humans had festivals and food, Titans had a much different appetite. Titans feasted on each other, consuming flesh and power. Titans clawed and scratched at each other endlessly as Titan’s domain could be taken with enough force.
And Tommy’s domain, the power and majesty of the sun, was appetizing to so many of his brethren.
He learned to hide his power far below the surface, even as it burned at his insides. It was worth it to be free of power-hungry Titans. With his power so far buried he could even pass as a mortal just a bit better. It almost made the pain worth it.
Some Titans were more like him, without the hunger that seemed to possess so many.
When the moon was out, he could hear its Titan. They would talk sometimes. Mainly Tommy would talk, rambling about all the mortals he’s met and the moon’s Titan far away and out of view, would answer through his domain.
It sounded like the echoes of wind chimes rattling around in Tommy’s skull. It quickly became Tommy’s favorite sound. The moon would huff and sigh, giving him one word answers and long silences most of the time.
Still, the moon would listen.
Tommy would beam at each response, he had at least one Titan that didn’t try to eat him.
He had the moon and that was enough.
He lived on the outskirts of towns, occasionally becoming a part of their tales and songs. They didn’t provide him with anything he needed. Titans had no use for shelter or beds or warm meals. He just found he liked living near mortals. He liked their loudness and idle chatter.
Mortals were always up to something interesting. There were new words and new inventions every place he turned.
He’d make the towns he visited summers warmer and winters brighter. Their crops would grow tall in his rays and ice melt all the faster. He couldn’t answer their prayers but he could do this much at least.
He’d tell the moon all about each new town and its people.
In those days he learned to live like a mortal. It was sort of fun. Stuffing his face with mortal food and pretending he could actually sleep. He’d make a game out of seeing how long he could last as a mortal in each town. It wasn’t a fun game to lose, but playing it was electrifying.
Tommy shrugged off the company of Titans, beside his moon, and lived alongside mortals. Getting used to their strange customs, trying his best to act just like them.
He was never naive enough to consider himself one of them. Even as they fed and sheltered him, he saw the way they never quite met his eyes. Always keeping some distance from him. He was just an outsider looking in, an outsider they could only tolerate for so long.
With every town he visits that painful truth sinks deeper in. He was allowed to live alongside mortals but he was never truly welcomed by them. Forever living in painful proximity to them.
No matter how good he got at playing mortal, they always somehow knew. He would stare into lakes for hours, studying his reflection for what small defect gave him away. No matter how hard he looked he could find anything Titan-like in his eyes, just a regular, mortal shade of blue. He didn’t have the pointy teeth or red eyes Titans always seemed to have in paintings and murals.
When he asked, the moon didn’t have an answer for him either.
As he stares down into his rippling reflection, minnows swimming alongside his head, Tommy looks mortal enough to him.
One day news was brought to one of his towns of a new breed of Titans, gods. The conversation soon switched to who was stronger. The townspeople argued back and forth, bringing up the many feats of Titans and gods.
The gods seemed weaker to Tommy, each only having one domain and without the Titan’s capacity to acquire the domains of others. They were even born like humans, all small and weak.
Before long he heard tales of Titans and gods, their battles and treaties, and unending differences. Tommy stuck to his towns, far out of sight of both beings. Though even he was unable to avoid always hearing about them.
The conflict between Titans and gods culminated in one final, bloody battle, the Titanomachy. It would be the end of either Titans or gods. Mortals excitedly chattered over who they believed would win.
Tommy had no interest in participating. His kind had never given him anything but pain. He wasn't about to fight for them only for them to eventually turn on him.
The night before the battle, the full moon hung overhead. It seemed like an omen to the Titan's sure victory.
Are you really going? Tommy asks the moon. He already knows the answer, but he hopes if he keeps asking, it'll change.
Yes .
The moon's Titan was as unmovable and blunt as ever. His usual dry sarcasm was completely absent, replaced by a seriousness that didn't suit the Titan.
We're gonna win anyways , Tommy pouts, he didn't want his moon anywhere near the fighting. Even if the gods couldn't hold a candle to his kind's power.
The moon had never pressured Tommy to join in on the fighting, which he was grateful for.
Goodbye . The sound of chimes filled Tommy's head.
Don't fucking say that shit. This isn't goodbye.
The moon laughs, I figured I'd say it just in case.
Shut the fuck up . Tommy draws his kneels to his chest. I'm not saying it.
Goodbye, little Titan.
Tommy rose with the sun. He could feel the effects of the battle. The power of gods and Titans was thick in the air. Even the townspeople could feel a bit of it's effects.
The battle happened continents away and yet it felt as if it had been fought in this very town.
The townspeople waited eagerly for news of the battle's outcome to arrive. Tommy waited right alongside them.
When the moon stopped answering him, Tommy got the answer to who had won.
And when humans told tales of gods and Titans faded into the echelons of history, he got his answer.
Tommy kept living among mortals. The time of Titans was over and its sole heir did all he could to distance himself from it.
Hiding his power, a skill he had long since mastered, was honed to perfection. His towns lost their blessings as he tangled his power into knots and buried it so deep inside even he could barely reach it. He didn’t give the gods any chance to find him.
He kept living his imitation of a mortal life. Living with humans that would open their doors but never their hearts to him.
He would talk to the moon, pretending the long-gone Titan was just giving him the silent treatment again. He would tell the moon of how the world had changed and all the new things mortals had made.
When the mortals slept and Tommy could not, he would stare up at his old friend. He’d ramble on and on about his day and his newest town in a way he knows would have annoyed that old Titan.
There was never a response.
The rule of the gods seemed gentler, less mortals fighting in battles orchestrated by beings that believed themselves mightier. He heard fewer tales of the slaughtering of entire towns for an offense one mortal unknowingly committed.
Maybe he should hate the gods. They killed his kind and nearly wiped history of any mention of Titans. The words that did remain were cruel and scathing. Worse than even the Titans deserved.
But thousands of years was too long for any being to hold a grudge. As Tommy looks up at the gates to a town he once knew with buildings higher than he’s ever seen before and banners more colorful than a sunrise greeting him, this town raised by the gods into a bustling city, he can’t help but think gods can’t be all bad if they were kind to humans.
Tommy kept living in this world built by humans and guided by gods, still pretending he was mortal. There was nothing else for him to do. No revenge for his kind for him to seek nor town for him to bless.
As buildings grew ever higher, almost threatening to touch his domain, and as mortals created light not of sun or fire, but their own power, he continued to live.
The world changed and Tommy remained its only Titan.
As he continued to hide, he heard of gods taking up the domains of Titans long gone from this world.
Every time he listened he hoped to hear of a god with a domain matching his, a domain long silent and unfulfilled.
A domain that hung above him and listened to his ramblings each night.
Every time he found himself disappointed.
Tommy could see it fine from the decaying old warehouse he’s called home for the past few days, but for some reason, he was drawn here. To this park.
It was a poor intimation of the forest and fields that used to occupy the space. Tommy can still remember tracing his hands on the tall grass that once stood. There had been a small brook with lilies and cattails where a garbage can now stood.
Nothing about this park called to him and yet he had been drawn here all the same. The picnic tables and benches and concrete paths that litter the park were of no concern to Tommy. His eyes were solely on the scene playing out above him.
His domain hung high over the park and the moon hung right next to it. The two orbs decorated the sky, turning the sky dark as they neared each other.
The usually quiet and near-empty park was filled as everyone gathered for the eclipse.
Tommy hadn’t seen one in centuries.
He stands away from the crowd and stares as the ever-silent moon nears his domain. His eyes trace the craters of the moon. They are nearly obscured by the light of his domain.
He’s stared up at the moon a thousand times before. Shouting and talking to it each night. This was an exercise in futility.
Tommy still stared as hard as he could. Holding onto the faint hope that maybe this time he would get an answer.
“You’re going to burn your eyes,” A voice says beside him. Some nosy mortal was looking at him instead of the eclipse.
Tommy scoffs. Like the sun, his domain, could ever hurt him.
Tommy stares harder. The stupid moon was about to block him out, this was his show of resistance. Even he could see it was a feeble attempt, but it was the principle of it.
The stupid moon, the one that never called to him anymore. Always marring the night sky even as its Titan has long since faded from the world. It even had the gall to cover up his sun.
As the moon neared the sun, a different shadow blocked Tommy’s view.
“I said you’re going to burn your eyes.” A head of curly hair was covering up the eclipse.
That annoying mortal was back.
“Hey dickhead, this is a once in a lifetime event. Move.”
Well, it would be if Tommy was mortal.
Tommy pokes a warning finger into the stranger’s chest. It would be easy to put just the slightest bit of power into that finger and send this mortal falling on his ass. Any other Titan would have done it (and more).
He wouldn’t have been able to hide for long if he wasn’t able to keep a tight grip on his powers. Even as the knots of his power tangle his very being, trying to claw their way up. So desperate and ready to be used.
He pushes them back down like he always does.
“I’m not letting some stupid kid permanently damage his eyes in front of me,” The mortal says.
Tommy rolls his eyes. After thousands of years, he was still being called that. It had gotten out long before his hundreds.
“I’m not a kid. Now move.” Tommy ducks his head.
The stranger just follows Tommy, being just a bit taller he was always blocking Tommy’s view.
“I can do this all eclipse,” The man says smugly.
Tommy feels his power began to rise, matching his anger. This is the time he’s closest to the moon if the moon was ever going to respond to him. It’d be now.
He needed this. He needed to know if the moon was ever going to answer him. He’s wondered for centuries if the domain was ever filled. He had to know if the new god was simply too cruel to never answer back or if there was no god and there never would be.
He wants to scream at this mortal for trying to take that away from him. Instead, he does what he is always forced to do, he keeps tight control on his powers and emotions.
“I won’t stare directly at it, okay? Now quit it,” Tommy huffs as he clenches his fists.
“Consider this your probation.” The mortal squints at him as he finally steps aside.
Tommy can see the moon once again, its edge was just barely touching the sun’s light.
The eclipse turned the world around him dark and quiet. It should be eerie, instead, it’s peaceful. Like the world closing its eyes and taking a deep breath.
The park before becomes bathed in an almost gray light, it wasn’t the light the sun so commonly gave the world. It was the moon’s ethereal light.
Tommy is so transfixed on the scene in front of him, he nearly forgets why he’s here.
He stares up at the moon, the sun just a bright ring of light spread out behind it. He focuses on the closeness of their domains. Moon and sun, so close they could almost touch each other.
He gives the moon his message. It’s the same message he’s sent for years.
I’m still here.
He always is. Always waiting on his twin.
Even as centuries of silence pass between him and the moon, he still keeps hoping. The long gone Titan of the moon would keep him waiting for years before replying in short dispassionate bursts. He can wait for just a little bit longer.
It’ll be worth it to talk to the moon again. Even the new one will be a bit different.
It’ll be a god this time. At least there should be a god of the moon by now. Sometimes it seemed as if every domain but the moon was filled like the universe was taunting him, punishing its last Titan.
He’s hoped for so long that they could talk to each other as sun and moon. If only the moon would answer him.
Tommy stares as the moon glides slowly away from the sun, the eclipse was almost over. He listens for the moon’s telltale chimes in his ears.
The moon was silent as always.
“You’re staring, again.”
The mortal leans over, blocking his view. This time Tommy looks at the mortal, actually looks.
Past the dark curly hair and wire-framed glasses, there’s something so obvious about him. Tommy doesn’t know how he ever could have missed it.
It's written into every crease of his face.
Standing in front of him, blocking his view, is the moon.
In all these years he’s spent talking to the moon, imagining the face of the past Titan and new god, he never thought the god would look like this. He looked so normal, so ordinary.
“Your face is fucking ugly.” The words fall out of Tommy’s mouth before he can stop himself.
The man sputters, nearly falling over on Tommy. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Your face is ugly, you’re pale as shit and you have massive eye bags.” This painfully mortal looking guy was really the god he’s wanted to meet all along.
The god blinks. “Excuse me?”
He should stop. Just turn around and never speak to the moon again. Nothing good can come of this. But this is the first conversation he’s had in years and his mouth won’t close. “I mean I can go on. You also have bedhea—“
“Wait,” The man says. His eyebrows furrow as he leans in to examine Tommy’s face.
Tommy stills. The god has to notice. It only took Tommy a glance to realize what the man was. The god stares for a moment too long.
This was it, centuries of hiding ruined all because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Mortals could always tell he wasn’t human, this won’t be any different.
“Hang on a second we have the same fucking complexion?” The god steps back, completely baffled.
Tommy breathes a quiet sigh of relief and continues to run his mouth. “Please, have you ever looked in a mirror before?”
“Okay, you clearly have done severe damage to your eyes. Let it be known I tried to save you, but alas you can’t save stupid.” The god shakes his head, pretending to wipe a tear from his face.
“You being annoying as shit was you trying to save me?”
“Even now you’re ungrateful,” Wilbur clenches at his heart, “such is the life of a god–good person.”
Tommy snorts. How bad could this guy be at pretending to be mortal?
“Just looking at you makes me wish the sun finished the job.” Tommy groans with pain and rubs at his eyes, mocking the god’s dramatics.
Instead of laughing, the god’s face creases with panic. His eyes go wide. “Do your eyes actually hurt?”
He steps forward, trying to get a good look at Tommy’s eyes. As if he would actually be able to see, much less heal the damage. It was a pointless gesture but it made Tommy’s heart soar all the same.
This felt like something Tommy hadn’t experienced in a very long time. Real genuine concern.
“What? No?” Tommy says. He can feel his cheeks growing red. He wasn’t this weak.
This kind of concern, he wasn’t used to it. Titans didn’t need this. It still felt nice.
“Oh,” The man says softly, an edge of embarrassment rising in the god’s voice. “Here, just use these, there’s still a bit of the eclipse left.”
The god presses a pair of eclipse glasses into his hands. They look like the flimsy 3D glasses shitty movie theaters give out. So this was all mortals needed to thwart his domain.
Tommy doesn’t need to, but he puts the shitty glasses on. The god looks pleased when he does.
Tommy stands side by side with the god as the eclipse ends. The moon, as it always does, drifts away from the sun. Tommy side-eyes the god, looking for some sort of a reaction. Surely the god had to have heard him earlier.
The god simply watches with a small, unreadable smile as he stares directly at the eclipse in the same way he had chastised Tommy earlier for. He gives no sign of having heard Tommy or that he's looking for the Titan of the Sun.
He seemed to be like all the mortals around him, just thoughtlessly watching the eclipse.
The world brightens as the dance of sun and moon ends. It all ended too fast for Tommy’s taste.
He had finally met the god of the moon. He seemed a bit nicer than the old Titan. That only made what was about to happen even harder.
Tommy had gotten what he came for. The only thing left to do was leave. Before the god finds out what he is and the Titanomachy is finished once and for all.
“I’m Wilbur by the way,” The god says, looking at him expectantly.
He really shouldn’t give the god anything to remember him by. It’ll only help the gods inevitably hunt him down faster.
“Tommy,” He says, keeping his voice low.
“I know this bakery nearby that is serving mooncakes in honor of the eclipse,” The god says casually.
“Yeah?” Tommy pulls off the eclipse glasses.
“Do you want to get some?” Wilbur asks.
Tommy stares blankly. What was the god getting at?
“With me,” The god clarifies.
A realization finally dawns on Tommy, this was an invitation. The first one he’s gotten in decades. It was an invitation from his natural enemy but an invitation nonetheless.
Too bad he didn’t have any money for moon cakes. Not to mention the fact he couldn’t afford to spend a moment longer around the god. He’s managed to survive detection this long on pure dumb luck, there’s no telling when it will run out.
“Oh, I’m broke.” And you’re a god that will definitely kill me.
“I invited you, I’m going to fucking pay for it.” Wilbur rolls his eyes.
The god made it sound so simple. Tommy was invited and paid for, all predetermined and decided.
They’ll just eat mooncakes together, Titan and god.
“In that case, I guess I can come. Just warning you I will order a shit ton of mooncakes so you better not be fucking poor,” he says and Wilbur laughs.
With those words, Tommy seals his fate. Forever tying himself to the god of the moon and whatever destruction the god will bring him.
This was such a bad idea. By far Tommy’s worst. Yet when Wilbur’s face lights up, he finds he doesn’t regret it. Tommy smiles too, feeling his domain beam down on the both of them.
It’s been too long since he’s spoken to the moon.