Tommy woke up in bed the next morning with five minutes to leave before he'd be late. Tommy wasn't going to call out, they needed the money and Tommy needed the distraction. So, he rushed to get ready, neglecting his hair and teeth, and ran out of the apartment. He was lucky he remembered his phone halfway down the stairwell instead of when he got to HQ.

Wilbur looked surprised when Tommy walked into the floor, curly hair tangled and unkempt, unlike usual for Tommy. He was even in a loose grey T-shirt and sweatpants, which Wilbur had never seen him in. Tommy was very keen on keeping up appearances around the heroes, regardless of how comfortable with them he got.

Tommy spared Wilbur a glance before walking into his office and shutting the door behind him. Wilbur went back to directing heroes on his laptop, preferring the living room to his office for the day. Phil poked his head out of his office and Wilbur looked at him.

"Is he actually here?" Phil whispered and Wilbur nodded. Phil motioned Wilbur to come closer and Wilbur sighed, setting his laptop down and joining Phil in his office. Phil closed the door behind them and Wilbur sat on Phil's fabric swing, leaving Phil to sit in his office chair.

"I don't know why he didn't call out, whatever happened last night must've been bad." Phil nodded and ran his hand through his hair. Even the thought of Tommy going through something so bad he wouldn't say a word about it made Phil horribly uncomfortable and unnerved.

"Kid needs money, I guess. You think it has to do with that South guy who died months ago but was only found, what, yesterday?" Wilbur looked at Phil like he had two heads and nodded slowly as the dots connected in his head.

"That must've been his friend from South. Tommy hasn't brought him up in a while, that must be why." The door opened and Technoblade walked in the room, walking in front of Phil's desk and setting his once again broken earrings down on it.

"That friend was an avian. You read the police report, it was a grasshopper hybrid. Very different." Technoblade muttered his disagreement with Wilbur's idea. The three stared at the broken earrings, trying to wrap their heads around anything going on. "It was Purpled who died. A South vigilante and mercenary who worked for the big bads and detained the small ones. I assume Tommy knew him somehow."

"Hey Techno, I don't mean to impose but that's the eighth time this month that's happened. Is everything alright?" Techno glanced at Phil and sighed, nodding slightly.

"They're just really angry recently. Mostly at Tommy. And each other. And me. And Thanatos, for some reason" Wilbur was a bit confused by that. He couldn't think of a reason for any part of Techno to be mad at Tommy. The voices were more often than not angry, so Wilbur wasn't surprised at the rest of them. "I think I'm going to schedule an appointment with my therapist. Just to see what she thinks." Phil nodded and smiled at Technoblade, trying to show him he's supported through everything.

"Ok. Will you be safe for the day while I repair them? Will and Tommy can spend time with you if you need it." Technoblade hummed and huffed quietly, beginning to get overwhelmed with the voices and his family alike.

"I'll be fine. I'll be in our training room." Technoblade walked towards the door and stopped just before leaving the room. Technoblade looked back at Phil and put his hand on the doorknob to close the door behind himself once he left. "Actually, could I bring Tommy with me? I think he could use some exercise, make him feel better." Phil smiled and nodded, and Wilbur held up a thumbs up.

"I'll get back to doing his work while you guys practice." Technoblade nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. He was nervous to be around Tommy with the voices free, but he had to manage somehow. Technoblade knocked on the door of Tommy's office, hearing a quiet 'come in' a few seconds later. Technoblade opened the door to see Tommy staring at payroll, a completely zoned out mess.

"Hey Tommy, you want to come train with me?" Tommy looked at Themis and sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"I don't train, Themis. I'll come watch if you want though." Themis smiled slightly and motioned Tommy to follow him. Tommy stood from his desk, his bones creaking from moving from their stiff position.

"I know, but I figured you'd enjoy the more physical distraction. Besides, I'm not allowed to train alone." Tommy followed Themis to the elevator, staring at him the whole way trying to figure out what was up with Themis. Themis hit the 31 button and Tommy noticed the lack of his emerald earring. He still had his black ones, so where was the emerald one? Tommy'd never seen him without it.

"Where's your earring?" Themis looked at Tommy from the corner of his eye and looked away as the elevator doors closed.

"They broke so, The Angel is repairing them. Don't worry about it." Tommy nodded slightly and pulled out his phone, looking at his calendar. He wasn't really ready for the celebration, it felt too soon. Shouldn't they give Purpled a funeral first? Sure he wasn't very well known but he deserved to be honored like the rest of them. Tommy wondered painfully when he'd become one of them.

"Come on Tommy." Tommy looked at Themis, who was holding the elevator door open for Tommy from outside of it. Tommy walked out of the elevator and into the training room, apparently floor, that he and The Angel trained in five times already. Themis stretched his arms above his head and walked over to a pile of workout equipment. They seemed more organized at night, maybe The Angel went in and organized it before bringing Tommy. Themis picked up a strike shield, putting his arm through the straps and moving to the middle of the room. He looked at Tommy and held it up in front of him, shifting himself into the same stance The Angel had taught Tommy. Themis motioned Tommy to get closer and Tommy got the hint, sighing and moving closer but crossing his arms.

"I'm not punching that." Themis grinned and tapped the strike shield, raising his eyebrow expectantly.

"Come on, hit me." Tommy rolled his eyes and raised his fists, considering whether or not he was actually going to do it. "Aren't you angry?" Tommy looked Themis in the eyes and huffed, throwing a first punch at the shield. Might as well if Themis wasn't going to let it go, but also, yes, he was angry. Tommy thought as he threw a second, third. Tommy was furious. A fourth, fifth, sixth. How could Purpled die to hypothermia of all things? Was he not being careful? A seventh, Tommy lost track. He punched faster than his brain could process, and Themis watched Tommy work through all his emotions while being pushed back slowly from the force of Tommy's punches. Every part of Themis was so focused on Tommy's rage and anguish that he didn't notice how far back he was being pushed until his back collided with the padded wall. Themis jumped from the unexpected touch and looked down at the shield, noticing a bit of blood where Tommy had been punching. Tommy threw another fist and Themis caught it, bringing Tommy back to the present as well. Tommy looked a bit surprised and looked down at the shield and then his knuckles. He'd been punching so hard his knuckles split, and Tommy nervously chuckled.

"Oops." Tommy looked up at Themis, who grinned at Tommy. Tommy noticed Themis was backed against the wall and took a step back nervously. "Sorry boss man, didn't even realize." Themis shrugged and moved away from the wall.

"It's ok. You feel better?" Not really, Tommy thought. Tommy shrugged and walked a bit away from Themis, looking around the room for anything else Themis would use. Probably everything. Themis threw the strike shield into a corner and hummed while walking around, looking for something for the two to do.

"You've got strength kid, I'd love to see what else you can do." A small alarm in Tommy's head went off at Themis's use of kid while they were training. It was far too close for Tommy's liking. Themis seemed unfazed and picked up a weight, smirking to himself and walking back to Tommy. Themis held out the weight to Tommy, who stared at it uncertain if he should take it or not.

"No judgment, try to lift it above your head." Tommy rolled his eyes and grabbed the weight, feeling the weight shift heavy as soon as Themis let go. Tommy huffed and lifted it, struggling against the weight. Themis seemed impressed when Tommy managed to get it up to his shoulder, but Tommy couldn't get it above his head and dropped it to the ground.

"Holy shit man, how much does that weigh?" Themis picked it up easily and walked back to where he got it, setting it down beside a pile of weights.

"100 lbs." Themis put his hand on his head and grunted quietly, shaking his head quickly and picking up a rope. Tommy watched Themis concerned, finding himself worrying more and more about why the earrings break and why Themis isn't allowed to train alone. Themis wrapped an end of the rope around his wrist and tugged, holding it tight against his wrist for a minute before letting it go and walking up to the wall. Themis opened a hidden compartment in the wall with just a hook in it and tied the rope around the hook, making sure it was tight.

"Hey Themis, why did you wrap it around your wrist first?" Themis didn't answer Tommy for a while, instead huffing to show he heard and then ignoring him. Themis walked across the room, carrying the rope with him and doing the same as before to the wall across. Themis struggled with the rope for a minute before huffing and deciding to answer Tommy.

"It's for discipline. Keep me in check." Tommy stood uncomfortably, watching Themis struggle in more ways than one.

"You.. self discipline?" Themis hummed agreement and Tommy continued staring. "Does it hurt?" Themis tied the knot and looked up at Tommy. His face looked unconcerned and Tommy could tell he really was unbothered by it, but it did bother Tommy.

"I suppose it does a bit. It brings me back in the moment though, nothing to worry about Tommy." Themis stood up and lifted his coat sleeve up, showing jagged scars along his arm. It looked like he'd been torn up by an animal. "It's better than this. Now people don't care when I do it, they used to care about this." Themis put his sleeve back down and Tommy continued staring, too shocked to move. "Are you alright?"

"That's not self discipline Themis, that's self harm." Themis stared back at Tommy, his expression not changing and worrying Tommy further. Themis furrowed his eyebrows and put his hand on Tommy's shoulder.

"The line between the two is blurry, Tommy, but I assure you that's not the case." The way Themis spoke showed promise, making Tommy even slightly believe what Themis was saying might be true. It felt unreal, unheard of, a hero who self harmed. Especially Themis, who people believed to be emotionless and brutal. Tommy felt he wouldn't be able to wrap his head around it if it were self harm, so he'd have to hope Themis was telling the truth.

"Why do you do it?" Themis stared at Tommy as a mix of emotions crossed Themis's face. The one that stuck was anger, prominent in the way his lip curled up slightly and he looked away from Tommy.

"Another day kid. Come on, let's train balance." Tommy sighed and nodded, knowing the sensitive subject would probably never come up again.