A/N: Reusing that one scene that's in my other Platonic Philip X Reader
"... It can't be." Philip whispers softly. His hand comes up to the cracked mask you'd caused as he stared at you standing infront of Luz with a glare and gritted teeth as you looked down at him. As one hand supported his weight he reaches his other hand out for you. He lets the broken pieces of his mask break and fall away revealing his blue eye, only for you to spin your staff and smack him away. As he recoils and looks up at you he realized this was not an illusion. It really was you.
He was struck with an odd feeling as he watched you stand your ground, magic coming off you in waves as you stood protectively infront of Luz. It's something he never thought he'd feel again, not after killing Caleb and being seperated from you, from his town and his people and his entire world. He grabbed at his head groaning as memories flooded his mind.
His inner beast roared and he growled lowly. No, not now!!! Lashing out trying to grab you, trying to grab Luz, magic went flying in every direction as you fought in tandem together, glyphs and spell circles combining to fight him. His flesh abominations were tossed away and his glyphs were defeated with ease. As he tried to stay in the moment tried to not let you slip away, his vision begins to blur as he remembers you from all those centuries ago.
"I'm gonna be a witch hunter someday!" Philip doesn't look up from his journal as he hears the young teen come up to him. They walk on the stones near him to be taller, balancing precariously as they follow alongside him. He hides his small smile and hums teasingly in response.
"Oh you are? And what would your mom think of that?" He questions curiously as his quill went across the page quickly as he continued his walk.
They sent him a sharp glare making him hold back a snort. At first an annoyance he must admit he'd gotten used to their constant presence. Being without a father left them longing for male attention and although he had pushed them away when they came to him with questions about witch hunting and far off lands and adventures, Caleb eventually made him reconsider. He was always the softer of the two despite being the oldest.
His brother reminded him, It took a village after all and they had been raised by much more than just their parents growing up. Besides the child and him had more in common than Philip cared to admit. Watching them hop from barrel to stone made him shake his head playfully.
As Philip begins to sketch the child in his journal his eyebrow raises when he notices the wooden sword their using resembles the one him and Caleb played with as children when pretending to be witch hunters. He wonders briefly if Caleb had gifted it to them before looking back to his half filled out page.
They just smile and swing it enthusiastically. They almost fall off what their balancing on but steady themselves before chasing after Philip who had a quick pace. The way they handled the sword was poor form but they didn't seem to care as they continued to swash buckle with invisible foes circling him but doing their best not to get in his way.
"Yeah! Well no... they want me to get a trade job, some sort of apprenticeship. But that's okay. I'll change her mind. After all I'm getting older, almost old enough to wed, which means I'm old enough to leave town soon should I chose." They explain logically for someone their age before they stop circling and just begin to follow behind him. He hums again blue eyes watching them as he continues the sketch. They seemed to be filling his journal now a days, after all now that the town had settled and discovered everything in the near by area, what more was there to do? He supposed him and Caleb should wed soon or go on another expedition to settle new land but neither had an interest yet.
"You know people like you don't typically fight witches." He states honestly with a concerned look.
They had been borne into lower class, which meant a high paying and important political job like witch hunting wasn't necessarily something they should be aiming for. But Philip would admit they were sharp as a knife and quick as a whip. Whatever they wanted to achieve Philip had no doubt they would even if he dissuaded them.
The teen in question frowns at him but seems undeterred by his comment. Exactly like what he predicted.
"I want to make the town safe! Mama says I need to not leave and travel unless it's for good work like an apprentice ship. That I should settle but I want to be out on my own! I want to travel and see the world and fight evil witches!" They respond triumphantly.
They swish the sword more aggressively form still off but they have the right spirit. It makes Philip chuckle and he holds back the urge to ruffle their hair and chase them around pretending they were the wild witch who needed to be hunted. He was an adult he couldn't act so childish and yet they had that affect on people. He often found himself smiling when they were around.
"Oh?" He teases and they nod making their hair bounce as they did so. Their toothy grin made him roll his eyes.
"Yeah! Like you and Caleb! I want to tell stories like you do someday too." They explain and his heart swells at the idea. Philip and Caleb had no families of their own, no wives, and no children. And yet whenever you came to visit Philip couldn't help but think you were his.
It hadn't started out that way but from your insistence on following him and Caleb's liking of you he felt the attachment only made logical sense. Chuckling he smiles almost done with what he was working on.
"Well maybe you'll come on our next adventure." He says only semi seriously. He doubts your widowed mother would let you leave with Philip and Caleb especially on something she considered impractical and not a true job but who knows? He could be very persuasive and it would be good for you to travel. He could help you in your schooling on your travels and teach you things you couldn't learn here.
The teen runs in front of him suddenly blocking his path. He stumbles in his surprise nearly tripping over his boots as they look up at him. His grip on his journal tightens and he stares at them with a raised brow. Their eyes are wide as the sword drops down to their side.
"You mean it?" They ask quietly before they get excited. "Really? Really???" They demand as they begin hopping in place.
Philip is flustered for a moment at their excitement but smirking he simply pulls his quill away from the page to keep from ruining it and smiles before tapping their head with his journal.
"Maybe. But it'll be dangerous." He warns with a sly grin. Their face lights up at the idea of an adventure however, and he can tell their mind is reeling with possibilities.
"I can handle dangerous. I can!" They promise and he chuckles again before looking down at his finished sketch of them in witch hunter clothing.
"Than we'll see won't we? Witch Hunter (Y/N). Nice ring to it." He states as he rips the freshly finished page from the binding of his book. Closing his journal he holds the paper delicately. Passing them the small gift they hold it close before running off to play and allowing Philip to continue his work in the small town.
He had come out of his rage and was now staring at his broken mask on the ground thinking of you. Goop dripped off him as he grunted in pain and he swallowed before gasping his fingers clawing at the ground. He had somewhat pulled himself back together but he was still seething and struggling to remain in control.
The Petrification had failed and you and Luz had escaped with Eda the Owl Lady and his treacherous second in command Lilith. You'd left him...
Philip closed his eyes breathing harshly. He felt the goop dripping off his form and his fingers reached out for the broken mask on the ground. His messy blonde hair hung like a curtain as he panted trying to control his raging emotions. Standing slowly he stumbles towards his throne.
You had helped Luz escape him but he wasn't focused on that. Closing his eyes his hand tangled in his hair as he kept seeing you and them.
The witch hunting uniform on you. The witch overlapping with the witch hunter. The play sword and the wicked staff switching places.
As much as he tried to grab you, to keep you with him safe, to save you, you had slipped away. Chuckling he finally stumbled up the steps to his throne before collapsing into it. You had always been tricky. And in his surprise you'd escaped.
But that didn't matter he'd find you again soon enough. You and Luz.
Shuffling he carefully takes something out of his pocket. The paper was worn from years of use but Philip had been careful to keep it safe. As he stared at the picture he'd drawn so many years ago he smiled tracing it fondly. Almost four hundred to this day. He had given it as a small gift to you, a way to fuel your witch hunting dreams. But before he got trapped in the Boiling Isles, in this infernal place, you gave it back to him. As a good luck charm you'd said. When he returned you'd become a real witch hunter with the uniform he'd designed and everything. Mom promised you could and finally gave her blessing.
You were dead now no doubt. Hopefully you'd married and had kids and a fulfilling life with the church. Maybe even gotten that internship your mom wanted for you. You'd always been off... weird. Perhaps that's why you and him had been such similar souls.
And yet despite four hundred years passing he has found you again. Somehow. Someway... you'd come back to him. What an ultimate irony that you were what you were now. A witch. The very thing he swore to teach you how to destroy.
"(Y/N)..." He murmured softly. Closing his eyes holding the picture close his memory was hardly able to distinguish witch you from past you. Your outfit changing from the witch hunter uniform he'd designed with the wooden sword to what you wore today with your staff. You were exactly the same. Hair. Eyes. Nose. Mouth. Body type. Body weight. Voice. Mannerisms.
The only thing different was your ears and teeth. They were both sharp.
He didn't even care. He could trim your ears, file down your fangs. Whatever he had to do, he'd do it. He was sure this was a gift from God. A thankyou for all his hard work. He would bring Luz home but he'd bring you as well.
After years of being alone, of being trapped in this infernal place, he'd finally get what he so longed for. A family. An heir. And he would keep his promise. Once he fixed you in this world he'd teach you to witch hunt in the next.
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