Chapter Text
They said they wanted to fix things. And they tried. But it didn’t really work.
Things had gotten better between Techno and Tommy. Honestly they might have been even closer than they were before the entire disaster making Tommy look like a shitty person. Techno had become ever more protective. Despite George’s proof that Tommy had done nothing wrong, many people at school still hated him. Techno was working to fix that, as well as making sure that anyone who tried to fuck with Tommy knew that they would be facing an entire angry football team if that happened.
Wilbur felt guilty, and Tommy knew that, but the way that his older brother had turned to isolating himself from the youngest, it made Tommy feel sick to his stomach. His anxiety liked to twist the way that Wilbur was acting. Making him think that Wilbur was still angry, despite them making up.
So yeah it was one of those days where he couldn’t get out of his head. He couldn’t go to Phil about it, because he had pulled his dad away from work far too many times recently, due to panic attacks that he and the school felt were bad enough to send him home over. He couldn’t go to Wilbur for obvious reasons. Tubbo and Ranboo were out of the question, because despite loving and caring for them very much, there was an amount of trust that still was being reformed, and being on the verge of a panic attack was not something you go to friends you can only, kind of, trust for.
So he was laying on the bleachers watching a bunch of people who liked body slamming each other, fight over a football, as they prepared for regionals. What a way to deal with anxiety.
He was able to catch Techno every now and then, a flash of pink catching the light from underneath his helmet, and he let out a quiet cheer at any pass that he determined was good.
Honestly he had no clue about football. He was not a sports man. He liked video games and music. Sports was a Techno thing. Being academically smart was also a Techno thing. Two things he looked up to his brother for, but also didn’t really necessarily want or need. He just thought it was cool.
“Hm, guess somebody finally kicked your ass huh?” A voice sneered from down by the steps, and Tommy sat up to catch sight of group of older boys that Tommy had seen every now and then. The kid was staring at Tommy’s casted hand, and the blond rolled his eyes.
They liked to beat up on freshman and sophomores, but Tommy honestly had always been able to avoid their sights.
“Bet Dream did it,” Another one of them laughed, “Kid called the captain of the football team’s boyfriend a fag, what did he think would happen?”
“I didn’t fucking do that!” Tommy yelled.
“He’s not denying Dream, broke his had though,” The first guy laughed, “And look at big brother Techno, out there, being all buddy buddy with him. No one gives a shit about you.”
Tommy glanced out to see Dream throwing an arm around his brother and the two were laughing. And yet, Tommy didn’t harbor any ill will towards Dream. Because he was one of the only people who wasn’t actually close friends with Tommy before everything, and he still apologized, without expecting forgiveness.
“Can you just leave me alone,” Tommy murmured. “Please?”
“Please Jared,” the second guy mocked, “Just leave me alone.”
Oh, so that’s also where Tommy remembered him from. He dated Wilbur’s ex for awhile, and it fucked him up big time. And… Tommy narrowed his eyes at the younger boy who stood next to them without say a word. He was the same age as Tommy. Dark hair. Black hoodie, and it had green paint stains on the sleeves.
“You had him fucking frame me,” Tommy hissed.
“Yeah well,” Jared smirked back. “Tell your brother to stop writing love songs about Sally, and maybe I’ll stop ruining his other relationships. This was just the start, what do I ruin next? All allegedly by the way. If I had actually framed you.”
Tommy set his jaw and scoffed, folding his arms around himself.
It was never about him, just about Wilbur, which felt so much worse. Because even if he had been nicer, less annoying, quieter, nothing would have stopped it. Scooting his way off the bleachers, he brushed past the group of boys.
Jared grabbed him by the back of his shirt, and pulled him around to face him.
“Awe come on kid, don’t leave yet, were just getting started.”
Tommy sat in the rain.
It soaked through his cast, which was a problem.
His face was bruised, there was blood running from his nose, and his eye was swollen shut.
He wondered if his family had been calling him. He wouldn’t know considering he hadn’t looked at his phone. He couldn’t call for help, which meant he should probably get walking, but his head was spinning and he didn’t want to move.
This sucked. Everything sucked.
Something glowed.
He glanced down at the stupid compass necklace that he hadn’t taken off since Tubbo had given it to him when they were kids. It beeped again and he heard footsteps.
He tapped it back, and he knew that it had likely lit up on Tubbo’s end.
It glowed once, white, a question of HOW R U?
Tommy grabbed it and twisted it, knowing it would light up a black.
Universal signal meaning everything was bad as it could be.
His phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Tommy where are you?”
“Tubbo?”
“Yeah and Ranboo too, where are you?”
“By the dumpsters behind the school, got hurt.”
“Shit, shit we’re coming.”
Tommy let his eyes close, and when he opened them, his friends were kneeling in front of him.
“Tubbo!” His voice cracked, and his head felt fuzzy. “Ranboo.”
“Hey Tommy, Techno and Wilbur have been looking for you for hours man.”
“Oh sorr-y,” He slurred, “Fucking Jared man, fucking dick-ead inn’ he”
“What’d Jared do?” Ranboo asked, pushing wet strands of hair from Tommy’s forehead.
“‘Pparently fuckin’ up George’s painting was his plan to make Wilbur mad at me, ’cause apparently Wilbur can’t be happy,” Tommy waved his hands around almost whacking Tubbo in the face, “cause ‘f Sally, ’n then he beat me up.”
“What the fuck,” Ranboo muttered.
“He’s a wrong’un,” Tommy leaned into Tubbo’s shoulder, “Thanks for finding me.”
“No need to thank us, as soon as Techno couldn’t find you after practice we were with the search party,” Tubbo laughed and Tommy flailed a hand around to find Ranboo’s.
“I have a concussion.” He said dumbly.
“Yeah no shit,” Ranboo mumbled.
It wasn’t long after that Wilbur and Techno found them, Wilbur bundled him up in a hug and wouldn’t let go. He even sat in the backseat and let Techno drive, and most of the time, he refused to let the younger of the two drive.
Phil met them at the hospital, Tommy needing to get his half disintegrated cast replaced.
It was a silent affair, and Tommy was certain everyone was pissed at him again.
He was unsure of what he had done specifically, but it had to be something.
When the finally returned home, Tommy put on pajamas and was wrapped up in blankets in the living room. He was given Henry, reminiscent of the day that he had hugged George in the art studio.
“Tommy what happened?” Phil asked him, tone light, but barely masking the anger in his gaze.
“Uh some kids at school beat me up.”
“Okay we know that part, who and why, so we can report it.”
“Does it matter?” Tommy whined, looking anywhere but at his family
“Yes,” Techno responded, a fire in his eyes, and gritting his teeth.
“It was, um Jared, and two other kids,” Tommy admitted, guiltily. “Something about Sally and uh, you Wil. I’m sorry.”
“Wh-what?” Wilbur stuttered slightly, eyes filling with tears, “shit.”
He stood and stalked out of the living room, a hand over his mouth, and Tommy’s stomach twisted. Fuck this was all his fault. He never should have said anything. He should have just lied. Wilbur hated him. Probably even more now, this was all his fault.
Techno followed Wilbur a few seconds after, and Phil stood, and sunk into the couch next to the blond boy, who’s heart was pounding.
“It’s not your fault, people do fucked up things, and it’s not right, and I’m sorry you’re in the middle of it Tom’s.”
It didn’t feel like too long later, when Wilbur came back into the room, followed by Techno, and dropped into the couch next to Tommy.
“I’m really sorry Sunshine, I haven’t been the best brother recently, have I?” He asked, voice heavy, and Tommy could tell he’d been crying.
Tommy just shrugged, and Wilbur tossed his arms around his little brother, pulling him into a hug.
“None of this is your fault, and it never will be. I’m sorry I’ve been pushing you away, and with the way I reacted. None of this has been very fair. And even when I said we would fix things, I didn’t work at it because of guilt, which wasn’t fair to you.
And it’s even worse now because it’s left you open to getting hurt because I’ve been neglecting you. And I’m sorry. I love you so much, and I’m so sorry. This is never going to happen again. Never again. Okay?”
“Okay. But you’ve gotta mean it.”
“I do. I really do.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
“Next time I see Jared around you, I’m going to kill him,” Techno muttered.
“I’m also going to speak to the principal tomorrow morning,” Phil responded, “and if they ever approach you again Tommy, you have my permission to go absolutely fucking feral. With no repercussions.”
“Ah hell yeah!”