Felicity's Beast World Apocalypse-Chapter 134: BONUS - Tommy’s Day

Tommy woke up early because he was a rhino and rhinos woke up early. He didn’t know where he learned that. He had never seen a rhino before the world ended, and even if he had, he probably wouldn’t have studied their sleeping habits, but someone had said it once, confidently, and that was enough. It made sense, rhinos were large, large things woke up early. That felt correct, so Tommy woke up early.

He sat up immediately, eyes open, fully alert like his body had been waiting for permission to exist again. For a second he just sat there, hands on his knees, staring straight ahead, thinking about nothing and everything at the same time. Then he nodded to himself once, like he had just confirmed something important, and stood up. "Good," he said out loud "another day," he didn’t specify what kind of day.

He stepped out into the hallway with purpose, already moving toward his first task, which was checking if Sarge was alive. This was a daily routine, not because Sarge had ever died, but because things happened now, and it felt responsible to check. He didn’t knock, knocking implied uncertainty. He opened the door just enough to see inside, spotted sarge still very much present, breathing, existing, and immediately walked in like this was expected.

"You’re alive," Tommy said, satisfied.

Sarge opened one eye slowly.

Tommy took that as confirmation, before Sarge could react further, Tommy stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him in a full, committed hug. Sarge hit him immediately.

Tommy stumbled back half a step, then broke into a grin so wide it almost looked painful "Good," he said again, nodding seriously. "Strong hit, that means you’re definitely alive."

Sarge stared at him like he was reconsidering letting him live.

Tommy left before that thought could develop.

The kitchen area smelled like food, which meant it was working as intended. Tommy walked in confidently, grabbed a juice box, grabbed a muffin, and turned and then saw her, Felicity. He stopped not fully. That would be obvious, just a slight pause, a microsecond of re calibration as his brain reorganized priorities. That was his queen, he would never say that well he has said it but that doesn’t matter it would be insane. She was queen of the team or pack or what ever this was. "Morning," he said, in what he believed was a normal voice, it was not normal It was slightly too careful.

She looked at him, soft, calm, like she always did, and nodded. "Morning, Tommy." That was enough to sustain him emotionally for several hours.

He drank his juice box immediately, like it was part of a ritual, then took a bite of his muffin while pretending he was not standing slightly straighter than usual, he did not stare, he definitely did not stare he had only glanced once then maybe again. Then stopped because Victor was nearby and Tommy valued his life, he turned and left with dignity.

It was time for kindergarten.

He still didn’t fully understand how this had become part of his daily schedule, but he had accepted it. Some things in life didn’t need to be questioned, like waking up early, like checking on Sarge, like kindergarten. He met the cubs outside, Luna already there, Frost close by, both of them moving in small, fast circles like they had too much energy for their size. Tommy nodded at them like he was also small and fast and not a very large, extremely armed man who attended kindergarten on purpose.

"Good morning," he said.

Colt and Jasper showed up next, and Tommy immediately felt like this was now a group activity. He nodded at them too "Alright," he said.

The first thing you had to do was wash your hands. Tommy crouched down in front of the sink and immediately knew something was wrong, the sink was too small, the tap was too low This had clearly not been designed with him in mind, which felt like a major oversight considering his importance to the group. He turned the tap anyway and shoved his hands under it, immediately splashing water everywhere except where it was supposed to go he adjusted his angle that made it worse "This is inefficient," he muttered, frowning at the sink like it had personally offended him.

One of the cubs next to him washed their hands perfectly. Tommy watched "...interesting," he said, he tried again it went everywhere, still bad but its alright he accepted defeat.

Story time came next Tommy loved story time he sat on the floor immediately, legs crossed, posture straight, hands on his knees like he was attending a very serious briefing. The teacher began reading, and Tommy listened with full focus, nodding at appropriate moments, reacting quietly but intensely, when something sad happened, he frowned and when something good happened, he nodded. If a character made a bad decision, he whispered, "That was avoidable."

Drawing time followed, Tommy approached the table the chair did not survive it gave up immediately. Tommy froze "...not designed for me," he concluded. He sat on the floor instead, carefully picking up a crayon and attempting to draw. His hands were not built for precision the result was... abstract. "That’s good," a frost said Tommy looked at it, then nodded. "Yes, thank you."

Play time escalated immediately, the cubs tackled him all of them at once, He fell back with controlled force, letting them climb over him, small hands grabbing, tiny bodies piling on, chaos unfolding in a way that felt correct "Tommy is very brave," the teacher said. Tommy felt that absorbed it, he would carry that with him.

At some point, he demonstrated his water powers, forming small streams, letting the cubs interact with it, guiding it carefully they reacted exactly how he hoped excitement and curiosity as well as respect, He was promoted maybe though no one said it.

He was now a teacher, training began for the cubs "Watch," Tommy said, like he had been doing this his whole life he demonstrated simple control. they copied him, they all did really well, this confirmed in his heart that he had been promoted.

Nap time came Tommy loved nap time, he lay down immediately, no hesitation, fully committed, he was asleep within seconds. When he woke up, he felt like a new man.

Somewhere between being tackled for the third time and demonstrating controlled water flow to a group of very impressed cubs, Tommy had a brief, important realization. He was thirty years old, He was built like a wall he could break bones without trying and had fought things that should not exist and walked away from it yet here he was, sitting cross legged on the floor while a cub showed him a drawing that looked like a square with legs. He nodded seriously "that’s strong work."

By the time they started winding down for the afternoon, the teacher was already organizing the room with a kind of calm control that Tommy respected deeply. Diana Reedy moved through the space like she had always belonged there, guiding cubs back into place, adjusting small hands, fixing crooked clothes, all without ever raising her voice. She had a way of looking at chaos and making it behave.

Tommy watched her for a moment, thoughtful "She’s good," he said quietly to no one, one of the cubs nodded like this was obvious.

The apartment block was louder when he got back, the kind of noise that came from people who knew each other well enough to not be quiet anymore. Snow Team was spread through the space in pieces, movement, voices, the low hum of something always happening. Tommy stepped into it like he belonged there, because he did.

Pope was nearby, grounded as always, steady in a way Tommy respected deeply. Ash wasn’t far either, already half focused on something else, probably important, probably complicated. Tommy approached both of them like this was a planned meeting "I’ve been thinking," Tommy said. That alone should have been a warning, Pope glanced at him once. Ash didn’t look up. "That’s new," Pope said Tommy ignored that. "The light," he continued, nodding like this was a serious topic, "people like it. It keeps them... normal. Less weird."

Ash finally looked up at that, not dismissive, not confused just interested.

Pope straightened slightly too, like something had just aligned in his head.

Tommy saw it happen and nodded once, satisfied. "Exactly."

"You’re right," Ash said slowly, like he was working through something important. "Stability matters and people need something to hold onto."

Pope added, "Structure, identity, something consistent."

Tommy felt a quiet sense of pride settle in his chest. They understood him "So," Tommy continued, building on it, "we should expand it."

Neither of them interrupted this was going very well "We need to learn how to paint," Tommy said, completely serious. "Or draw something visual."

Ash’s attention sharpened.

Pope nodded slightly, already following.

"So we can worship our goddess wherever we go," Tommy finished, like this was obvious.

Ash leaned back slightly, thinking. "Portable worship, something in addition to our shrines?"

"Yes," Tommy said immediately "Exactly."

Pope glanced between them, then nodded once, decisive "that would increase consistency across locations."

Tommy pointed at him. "Yes." Encouraged now, he kept going "we make images good ones, Strong ones. Then we take them with us. Hang them up put them in rooms everyone sees them."

Ash’s expression had shifted into something thoughtful, almost approving. "It reinforces presence."

Tommy nodded again, faster this time "Yes Presence."

Pope added, "It would help people stay... aligned."

Tommy didn’t know what that meant exactly, but it sounded correct "aligned is good."

Ash exhaled slowly, already halfway convinced. "We’d need to standardize keep it."

Tommy blinked "Yes," he said, like he had thought of that first. Tommy shifted his weight slightly, then added, almost as an afterthought, "She’ll like it."

Ash’s gaze flicked toward him.

Pope’s too.

Tommy nodded, fully certain. "She likes when people... care" that was as much reasoning as he needed.