Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Phil honestly didn’t know why he had applied to become a foster parent. He didn’t have any sort of fatherly experience, his own father not being very present in his life. Yet here he found himself staring at a pair of broken eyes, waiting for him to do something. 

Phil gave a smile and knelt down to the young boys level, “Hey there. I’m Phil,” he stuck out his hand, the young boy flinching and closing his eyes, almost bracing for impact. That made Phil angry, who would harm a child? He kept a smile on his face, determined to help this young boy.

When there was no impact, the boy opened his eyes. He looked at Phil confused, then saw the outstretched hand. He hesitantly took it, nearly jumping out of his skin as Phil gently shook his hand, “I-I’m Techno...”

“Nice to meet you Techno. Are you hungry?” Phil stood and Techno watched him with such curiosity and apprehension, “We can have anything you want, as long as it’s not sweets or something. Can’t have that for dinner, can we?” Phil flashed him another smile, trying to make the boy feel safer.

Phil could tell Techno didn’t trust him, so he started walking to the kitchen and motioned for him to follow. Phil opened the pantry door and started rummaging around, intentionally making oohs and ahs to try and latch onto the boy's curiosity. When Techno finally got drawn in, Phil watched his eyes light up at the variety of different items, which put a genuine smile on his lips. 

Stepping out of the way, he let Techno pick out different things to try. When Techno’s eyes traveled up, Phil stepped back in to grab the bags on the higher shelf. Eventually, half of the pantry was splayed out over the counter. There was an assortment of things ranging from chips and peanut butter to cereal and pasta. 

Phil watched Techno’s eyes go from all the items to him, then back to the items. “Well, we can’t have all of these tonight, but we can definitely have some of them. Have you ever had a PBJ, Techno?”

Phil watched as Techno looked at the sandwich with a look of apprehension. They’d settled on PBJs with some potato chips. Techno had watched Phil make the sandwiches, almost like he wasn’t used to food. The boy was skinny, that was for sure. Phil leaned against the counter, watching the boy examine and re-examine the sandwich. He’d eaten the chips no problem, but for some reason, he wouldn’t touch the sandwich. “Go on, try it. It won’t kill you y’know. Not properly eating can kill you.”

He watched Techno digest his words, before hesitantly picking up the sandwich and taking a bite. Before he knew it, Techno had eaten the entire thing and was staring at his plate, “Want another?”

Techno looked at him and nodded, “i-if it’s ok with you?” Phil’s heart broke for the third time that night. He’d flinched at the handshake, was in wonder over a variety of food, and wasn’t used to asking for more when he was hungry. Phil had to help this boy out, there was no way he couldn’t. 

As he made a second sandwich, he watched Techno look at the bag of chips, “Techno, if you’re hungry you don’t have to ask. Unless of course, it’s something with a knife or the stove. You can get more chips if you want more chips.”

Phil smiled to himself as he heard the chair quietly squeak back and the crinkle of the chip bag as Techno moved back to his seat. He set the sandwich down in front of Techno, the boy’s eyes looking a little less broken. 

Maybe being a father wasn’t as hard as Phil thought.

Chapter Text

Techno had watched his brother grow since Dad had brought him home. He was eight when the three-year-old blonde entered his life, changing his life forever. Techno remembered staying far away from the boy and letting Wilbur handle him, children were never his strong suit. As years went by, the annoying, loud boy began to tear at Techno's defenses. 

Techno smiled to himself as he remembered the first time Tommy woke him up. He’d been so annoyed, but something about Tommy made him calm down and comfort the boy. Tommy was crying, and oddly, it hurt him as well. He just couldn’t explain it, other than he had fallen in love with the child, brotherly of course. 

The next memory was when Tommy came home battered and bruised. Techno always had a knack for hiding his emotions, but seeing Tommy in such a state made hiding his anger much more difficult. After that, he taught Tommy some form of self-defense, much to Dad’s dismay. He’d been so proud when Tommy came home and told Techno how he’d been able to stand up for himself and fight back. Tommy got a week’s detention, but the way his eyes lit up was something Techno would never forget.

Techno remembered when he had to leave for a high school trip for a week and how devastated Tommy was. The poor boy cried for an hour, he thought Techno was abandoning him, like his parents. Techno sat there the entire time and reassured him he was coming back, that no matter what he’d always come back to him. Tommy trusted him, but Techno knew the small thought of Techno never returning stayed in his mind. He promised Tommy he’d get him a gift and returned with a wooden slingshot. Tommy lost that slingshot within a week after he almost shot out Wilbur’s eye. 

“Hello? Techno? Are you there?” Techno snapped out of his memories, the smile on his lips disappearing. He looked at Tommy, an angry look on the boy's face, “Did you not hear anything I was saying? Do I have to start over?”

“Sorry, I zoned out. My bad,” Techno gave him a smile, he watched the boy huff and restart his monologue. Something about a war with Wilbur, he couldn’t remember, he was too focused on the boy’s eyes. Tommy always had a sparkle in his eyes when he was passionate about something.

Techno silently vowed that he’d keep that sparkle there. He wasn’t personally Christian, but God have mercy on the person that tried to take the joy out of Tommy’s eyes.

Chapter Text

Wilbur remembered those words. He always heard that sentence in his dreams, whether they were nightmares or not. She was always there too, but recently she was becoming a haze.

His mum loved him, she made sure he had a good childhood in the short time he was with her. He didn’t get why she left him until he was older, much much older. 

She just couldn’t take care of him, whether that was mentally or financially. He didn’t really know, but those words always haunted him. He bounced from home to home, always returning to his social worker with teary eyes or a scowl. Towards the end it was a scowl, why agree to take in a child if you weren’t prepared to love them? So, Wilbur built up his walls of trusting no one, for they could all leave you at the drop of a hat.

He remembered the day he’d arrived at Dad’s door. Techno opened the door slightly and then closed it quickly, he was much shyer back then. Dad opened the door almost immediately after and invited him in, apologizing profusely about Techno. He didn’t have to, Wilbur took one look at the younger boy and knew he’d been through the same. To finally find a good home was rare and they both didn’t want to lose it.

They bonded over that feeling of hope, that maybe this would be the end of their constantly shifting worlds. When Tommy came into the picture only a year later, Wilbur welcomed him with open arms. He doted on the three-year-old, playing with him constantly. Techno was hesitant, but he slowly came to love the boy, in Techno’s weird way of showing affection. 

The older pair knew about the financial state of the family, so as soon as Wilbur turned 15 he got a job. He and Techno swore that they’d make sure Tommy got a better life than they had, he wouldn’t have to worry about money or dinner. He’d be normal, something they couldn’t have. 

So, he worked and balanced school, Techno helping him with his homework. Techno was smart, too smart for his own good sometimes. Wilbur worked for him too, hoping that one day Techno could live a semblance of a normal life too, maybe even go to college and start a good life. 

One day, he heard those words again, but it was a different scene playing out. Tommy was crying because of some trip Techno was going on. Wilbur clenched his fist, for a second thinking Techno was lying to Tommy’s face because his mum had said the same thing to him. Those damned words would never leave him, would they? From then on, he always had this twinge of doubt in his family. Would they leave him too? No, no they wouldn’t. Would they?

He set his eyes on a new goal, he stopped working as hard and dropped his studies. He had to get out, had to leave before they left him. That’s how the world just worked, his foster families had left him in the past, his mum, his dad. It was only a matter of time. He wanted to see the world, constantly moving. That was the only way to feel safe, to never hear those words again.

“I’ll be back soon. Just stay and wait, ok?”

Chapter Text

Tommy was… confused. He always saw girls practically falling over Wilbur, but he didn’t really get why. Dad wasn’t really focused on relationships, but the kids at school have mums and dads, so why didn’t they have a mum? Wil and Techno never pursued anyone like in the movies, was that why they were unhappy sometimes? 

Tommy needed answers, so he decided to kick down Techno’s door. He knew Techno hated being barged in on, which only made it funnier to him. He quietly made his way to the entrance and kicked it open as hard as he could.

“Tommy! Why, why do you keep doing this?” Techno said as he placed a hand over his eyes, readjusting himself towards the boy.

“Techno, I have decided that I need a girlfriend and I need your help,” Tommy said, beaming at the older boy. His demeanor quickly deflated when he was met with laughter. “What? Did I say something funny?”

Techno only continued to laugh, drawing Wilbur into the room, “Tommy, what have you done to kill Techno?” Tommy’s face was red, and he turned his attention to the floor, “Oh God, what did you say.”

Tommy mumbled, “I want a girlfriend and I asked for his help,” causing Techno to burst into laughter all over again, the man nearly falling out of his chair, “It's not funny, Techno!”

Wilbur cracked a smile, “It's a little funny. Why do you want a girlfriend, Tommy?”

Tommy waited for Techno’s laughter to die down before he continued, “Well, in the movies they just seem happier with a girlfriend. And all the kids at schools have dads and mums and they all look happy, but we only have Dad. So that must mean having a girlfriend makes you happier, right?”

Tommy felt the room tense up, all humor from the older pair vanished instantly, and they exchanged a look before looking back at him. “Right?”

Wilbur knelt down and opened his mouth to talk before Techno cut him off, “It's not that easy, Tommy. Love is something that you gotta find, and that can take a bit of time and effort. It's a two-way street that's not guaranteed to work.” Techno made his way to the pair and sat down on the floor, “Dad just hasn’t found that right person yet.”

Wilbur nodded, “It’s not something you can force, and it's definitely something Techno can’t help you with, he's the king of loneliness.” 

Tommy snickered and Techno turned a bit pink, “Don’t laugh at my loneliness.”

“Love can make you feel whole, but it's not something to take lightly either. You don’t need a girlfriend, Tommy. Just focus on who makes you feel happy, who you enjoy being around, and you’ll find that person soon enough,” Wilbur finished with a smile and a hair ruffle, “Off to work, don’t kill Techno again, ok?”

Tommy turned his attention to Techno once Wil left, “Have you ever been in love? With someone you like like.” He watched the cogs in Techno’s head turn, He’s going to lie to me, isn’t he.

After a minute, Techno gave him a smile, “I don’t believe in that kind of love,” and Tommy swore he saw a bit of sadness flash in his brother’s eyes, disappearing as fast as it came.

Chapter Text

The screaming from the kitchen made Tommy shiver, even though he was under multiple blankets. He hated it when Wil and Dad fought, and they all knew that the breaking point was coming. He got up from his warm oasis and went to find his other brother. He only had to knock once on the door before it opened. 

"The yelling woke you up?" Techno asked with a slight frown. When his younger brother nodded, he let him in with a sigh and went to the kitchen. 

"I want to travel the world, Dad! You've ruined every chance at that! I can't stay here forever!" Wil yelled, coming dangerously close to throwing the mug on the table at the older man. 

"I'm trying to keep this family together! If you want to leave then just go!" Phil gestured to the door. Wil took him up on that offer, leaving with his keys, his phone, and a slammed door behind him. 

Techno saw Phil register what had happened and he left the man to think over the night. He had a Tommy to tend to, again. Walking into his messy room, he saw the boy curled up in his desk chair. Tommy was always closer to Wil, but recently he'd gotten attached to Techno. He'd assumed since Wil wanted to leave him and Techno stayed.

"You can sleep in here if you want, I have to do some work though." 

Tommy shifted uncomfortably, "He's not coming back, is he." 

Techno paused before replying, "No clue." 

Silence filled the room as Techno watched Tommy comprehend the situation. His eyes glanced at his monitor before returning to Tommy, unsure whether he should kick the boy out of his chair or not.

"Did he leave because of me?" Tommy’s sniffles dragged Techno out of his thoughts.

"Of course not." 

Tommy just shrugged and attempted to hide his tears. He made his way to Techno's bed, curling up into a small ball, but able to see Techno at his desk. Techno sat down and continued to work, glancing at the boy in his bed. 

“Is… Is he coming back?” Tommy’s quiet voice threw Techno off slightly. Normally it was loud and obnoxious, oozing with confidence. He forgot Tommy was still just a kid, no matter how much he tried to convince them he was just as strong as them.

“I- I don’t know, Tommy.”

As the time ticked by, the boy kept fighting off sleep, forcing himself to stay awake. Finally, Techno swiveled his chair to look at him, "Tommy, I'm not going to be gone if you go to sleep. I'll be here in the morning, and in the next, and in the next. Get some sleep, your stares throwing me off."

Eventually, the boy fell asleep and Techno watched him for a few minutes before turning back to his work.

Chapter Text

Wil sat on the roof, looking at the stars. He inhaled then exhaled, releasing the smoke into the night. Dad hated it when he smoked, something about the smell. So when the window next to him opened, he froze. 

“It’s just me, don’t get too excited,” Techno said as he carefully made his way over. 

“The whole point of being up here is to be alone, you know.”

“Yeah, and you’re smoking again. I’ll tell Dad if you want to be alone.”

Wilbur grumbled, “Fine.”

They sat in silence for a bit, Wil having to light another cigarette for Techno.

“So, what’s on your mind? Haven’t seen you come out here for a while.”

Wil sighed, “What do you want to do with your life, Techno? Stay here forever?”

“The ideas tempting, there’s no reason for me to leave.”

“It’s boring here. Every day’s practically the same. I want to explore the world, see everything there’s to see.”

Techno nodded, before coughing on his smoke, “How do you enjoy this? It doesn’t seem like much of a stress reliever.”

“Well, you stick to your alcohol and I’ll stick to my cigarettes. There’s more to life than this small town, Techno. Aren’t you the least bit curious to find out what it holds?”

“Not particularly, I’m fine with exploration with my books.”

“And that’s why you’re the boring one.”

“I am not boring, you’re just overly exciting.” Techno pushed his cigarette into the ashtray, “I’m off to work. Don’t stay out here for too much longer or you’ll get a cold. Can’t explore while sick.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just go sit in front of your computer and get drunk.” Wil said whilst flashing him a smile.

“Shut up smoke boy,” Techno retorted as he closed the window behind him.

Wilbur stayed on the roof until his cigarette burned out after he zoned out. When he climbed inside, he was met with an angry Phil, who took away the rest of his pack and grounded him. Despite the bad situation, Wilbur couldn’t help smile to himself while thinking about Techno’s words.

“Maybe I’ll stay a little longer.”

Chapter Text

Tommy practically kicked down Techno’s door, giving the man a scare. Techno angrily swiveled his chair to face the boy, only to find Wilbur with him as well.

“I already don’t like this. What did you two do?”

Tommy grinned at him, holding up a phone, “We’re going to get Dad's girlfriend's game back on track.” 

“That’s the stupidest thing I think you’ve ever said, and Wil’s got a quote book to prove it,” Techno turned his attention to the taller boy, “You’re not actually in support of this, are you?”

Wilbur just grinned, “I think this will go wonderfully.”

With a groan, Techno leaned back stretching, before getting up, “What have you nerds done so far.”

Phil was sitting downstairs sipping his tea and looking at his work schedule. He sighed and set the phone down as he rubbed his face. Two night shifts back to back. That’ll absolutely ruin my sleep schedule, he thought to himself.

Suddenly, there were three sets of footsteps headed downstairs. One was running, probably Tommy, the next stopped and landed at the bottom of the stairs, probably Wilbur, and the last was walking, probably Techno. Phil swallowed his weariness and turned to face the three of them with a smile.

Tommy started first, “So, you know how you’re super-duper lonely? We’ve-“

Wilbur cut him off by elbowing him, “Dad, you’ve been single for a while and Tommy was just thinking-“

Tommy cut the boy off by stomping on his foot, which caused Wilbur to grab Tommy and put him in a headlock as he messed up his hair.

Techno looked Phil straight in the eyes, “They signed you up for a dating app.”

Phil almost choked on his tea as Wilbur and Tommy turned their anger on Techno. 

He coughed for a minute, tears slightly blurring his vision, “You three did what?!”

“I didn’t do-“ Techno started, looking slightly alarmed.

“We signed you up for a dating app! Your girlfriend game is really bad you know.”

The older pair just groaned at Tommy’s bluntness while he beamed, oblivious to the fact he’d just insulted his father.

“What Tommy meant to say was that you just seemed lonely and we want to see you happy,” Wilbur said, attempting to save the three of them from Tommy’s outburst.

Phil looked at his boys, before bursting out laughing, drawing a confused look from each. Wiping a tear from his eye, he composed himself, a smile still on his lips, “I’m not lonely, I have you three to take care of. If anything, I’m saving them from you three.”

“But... we want to see you happy with someone you like, love love,” Tommy said confused.

Phil just smiled, “I am happy, I have you three. I don’t need a lover to be content. Just keep smiling for me, and that’s all I need.” 

He watched as the three digested what he’d said. As they thought it over, he opened his arms and hugged them all. 

Tommy looked up at him and gave a sheepish smile, “so uh, what do we tell the 23 women who matched with you?”

Chapter Text

Tommy ran. He didn't know where he was running, but he just had to run. His knees were scraped, his knuckles bruised, his body just ached. He turned the corner and stopped, gulping for air. He looked up and saw a familiar bookstore. He headed inside.

Techno was quietly humming to himself as he rearranged the bookshelf for the 5th time. He wasn't the best singer, he was definitely offkey. He heard the jingle of the bell as the door opened and he took off his headphones, "Hello, welcome t- Tommy? What are you doing here?"

"I... I... Can we go for a drive?"

"Tommy, I have to work. Let's get you patched up and after my shift, we can drive, ok?"

Tommy nodded and followed him to the back. He sat down among some books, sipping on the bottled water Techno had given him. He winced when Techno started looking for injuries, "I think I fell on my wrist when I got p- tripped. When I tripped."

Techno just hummed in response and stood when he finished, "Stay back here. Call Dad so he knows you're with me. You can listen to music, just make sure my phone doesn't die," Techno said as he set down his phone and went to tend to the store.

Tommy opted out of calling and just started scrolling through Techno's playlists. He had to stop himself from laughing when he found sappy love songs. So he's a romantic, who would have guessed.

After a couple, long hours, Techno's shift was finally over. The pair got into Techno's car and headed off. They drove for a while, just enjoying the trees passing by and the comfortable silence they found themselves in.

"Do you want to go to my favorite spot?"

"You have a favorite spot and you've never taken me?" Tommy faked being offended.

Techno just chuckled and continued driving. Tommy looked confused, as they were reaching spots Tommy hadn't seen before.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Eventually, they arrived at a lake surrounded by trees. Tommy followed Techno and his eyes widened in awe. The lake was lit up by fireflies, the soft glow reflecting onto the water. There was a small clearing with a picnic bench and a burned campfire.

"I love it, Techno."

"I knew you would. Coming here helps me calm down," Techno sat down and faced his brother.

"You? Anxious? Pfft, when pigs fly."

Another hum, "So, how did you really get hurt. Not your lame excuse of tripping," Techno patted the seat next to him.

Tommy crossed his arms and moved to sit next to him, "It wasn't that lame. Some kids took the diamond sword charm Dad gave to me, so I punched one of them."

"Did you tell a teacher?"

"I've tried, they don't listen to me."

"Do you want me to go talk to them?"

"No, you'll just scare them."

"So what are you going to do?"

Tommy looked down and started kicking his feet, "Dunno... I can't keep running."

"Good point, so you tell someone who can fix it. Like, Dad. Speaking of, did you ever call him?"

"... no."

"Well, then we're both screwed. Might as well enjoy this while it lasts."

"Yeah, might as well." The younger boy leaned against Techno, his eyelids becoming heavier and heavier by the second, "I'm sorry if I scared you..."

Techno just wrapped his arm around his brother, "That's just what little brothers do."

Chapter Text

Tommy slammed the door behind him, tears streaming down his face. He was mad, he was so mad. He kicked his bed, only to yelp in pain and hold his foot. He knew he was in the wrong, he shouldn’t have pushed Techno like that. Tommy flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. He winced when he heard the front door slam closed and a car startup.

Techno pulled out of the driveway and just drove. His mind was in overdrive, analyzing, and reanalyzing the argument until he forced himself to stop thinking about it. He took a beer that he stole from Dad’s fridge and took a drink. He knew he shouldn’t be drinking and driving, but he was almost there. Sitting down at the picnic table, he watched the fireflies dance over the lake as he finished off the six bottles he’d snagged. His eyelids felt so heavy, maybe a little nap wouldn’t hurt.

Tommy couldn’t fall asleep, no, he wouldn’t fall asleep. He was going to be awake and apologize to Techno when he got home. He would give the most sincere, heartfelt apology Techno had ever heard. As the rain poured down, Tommy glanced at the clock, 3:26 am. Techno had left four hours ago, he must be on his way home by now. Maybe he had just stopped because of the rain?  No, Techno should be home by now. Tommy got up to wake up Dad.

Techno was vaguely aware that he was cold. His mind was cloudy, he knew he was cold, but he didn’t want to do anything about it. It wasn’t until he heard the thunder that he reacted. He groggily opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. It was cold and wet, his clothes were sticking to his skin. Sitting up fully, he stretched his stiff back and realized he was shivering. In his haze, he couldn’t remember which way he parked, nor did he think it was safe enough for him to drive. Grabbing his keys and phone, he decided the best course of action was to get under the picnic table for some source of protection. He fumbled in the darkness with his phone, only to find that it was dead. Great, he thought to himself, I hate nature.


Phil was shaken awake by a crying Tommy, “wh... Tommy, the sun hasn’t risen yet-”

“Me and Techno got into a fight and he left the house with his car and it been four hours and he hasn’t come back yet and it’s raining and thundering and I’m scared and what if he got hurt-” Phil had to physically place his hand over Tommy’s mouth to get him to stop talking. 

With a groan, he got up, “Go wake up Wilbur. Three tired pairs of eyes are better than two,” Phil watched his youngest run off as he grabbed his keys and his fluffy house slippers. Techno was probably just sitting in his car in a parking lot or in the corner of some late-night cafe. He trudged downstairs to find an annoyed but concerned looking Wilbur and a puffy-eyed Tommy.

“C’mon, let’s go find Techno.” Phil grabbed an umbrella and led the pair into the car.

Techno was in hell, but the hell that froze over. He was cold, shivering, and cramped. The rain hadn’t let up and the wind kept him consistently cold. He tried to zone out, but the cold would creep into his mind. The dull ache of his back became less and less dull with every second. He lost track of time, but he was sure that his family was asleep. It must be late, or else he’d see the sun. He scolded himself for being so stupid, he had work in the morning. He shouldn’t have left the house, nor grabbed the beers. Having hindsight sucked.

Phil drove around the town for the third time, Wilbur asleep and Tommy looking around with wide eyes, but each yielded the same result. No Techno, not even his car. He had no clue where Techno went and that scared him. Phil was silently hoping Techno had just fallen asleep in his car somewhere and that they could go back to bed, but the fear on Tommy’s face kept him awake. He couldn’t just go home and hope for the best, not with his son in possible danger and his youngest in absolute fear.

Phil parked and turned to Tommy, “Do you have any idea where else he could be?”

Tommy fiddled with his unbuckled seat belt, “Well, um, there’s the bookstore, the french cafe, the park, the library…” Tommy looked down, scrunching his face in deep thought before jerking his head back up, “The lake! He could be at the lake!”

Wilbur woke up at the outburst, “hm? What? Did we find him yet?” earning a glare from Phil.

“And do you know how to get to this lake?”

The rain was slowly becoming less heavy, much to Techno's relief. He wanted to be home in his nice, warm bed. He hoped he could make it home before Dad woke up, he’d get an earful from both him and Wil if they found out. He realized he was probably going to get a cold, something he couldn’t have if he wanted to work. He groaned, they couldn’t afford for him to miss work. Money had always been tight, but with Tommy getting older, it was definitely getting tighter. Techno had dropped out of college to use his tuition to go towards Tommy’s and settled for a part-time job at the bookstore. God, you’re so stupid Techno. You just had to go out on a work night, didn’t you? Before he could mentally berate himself any further, he saw lights drawing closer to him. Getting out from under the picnic table, he stumbled towards them.

“I-I think this is the right lake. It looks like it,” Tommy stumbled over his words, sleepiness getting to him, “Look! It’s his car!” Tommy yelled, waking Wilbur once again. Phil leaned over and tried to grab Tommy’s arm, but missed as the boy ducked out of the car.

“Tommy! It’s still raining! You could catch a cold!” Phil rushed to get out of the car and follow the boy, ruining his fluffy house slippers.

“It’s off. Dad, it’s off! Does that mean Techno isn’t here?” Phil rushed to grab his son as Tommy started panicking, “Did I make him run off? Is that why he isn’t here? Is this all my fault?” 

Phil hushed the child as he cried into him, “I’m sure Techno is just around here-” Phil stopped himself when Techno stumbled from behind a tree, dazed and soaked, “Techno!”

Techno looked up before collapsing to the ground, exhausted and shivering. Phil ran over with Tommy and the pair carried him to the car. Phil gently shook Wilbur awake and had him drive Techno’s car back home, while Tommy sat next to the sleeping figure. Phil kept glancing at the back, reassuring himself that everything was ok, that Techno was unharmed.

—

Techno came to the next morning, his head throbbing and his throat scratchy. His headache from the alcohol seemed to worsen with the cold he had caught, but he didn’t mind. He was safe and warm in his bed, something he’d taken for granted. When Phil came into his room, he sat up, biting down the pounding in his head and the slight sway he had.

“I can still go to work, I’m fine, really-” Techno couldn’t stop himself from coughing, watching Phil’s face turn to worry, “I’m fine, Dad. I can go to work.”

Phil watched his son start to get out of bed and eased him back into bed, “No, you’re not fine. You need to rest. We’ll be fine for a week, a month, however long it takes you to recover. Please, just focus on yourself for once.”

Techno just shook his head, “No, I’m fine, I can work. It’s just a headache.” He once again moved to get out of bed, but Phil didn’t stop him. He stood and took a few shaky steps before stabilizing. Giving Phil a smile, he took a step and broke into another coughing fit. This time, he allowed Phil to guide him back to bed. He rolled his eyes and grumbled, “fine, you win.”

Phil let out a laugh as Tommy entered the room, to which Techno’s eyes snapped to the boy, “Hey, Tommy. Might not want to get close, I’m not feeling too well.”

Tommy just nodded and stayed in the doorway, “Um, I just wanted to say I’m sorry for annoying you so bad. I should have realized you were tired from work.”

Techno nodded, “I’m sorry for snapping at you and running out of the house,” Techno looked to Phil, “and worrying you both.”

Phil gave his middle child a smile, before standing up, “Let's give Techno some space, ok Tommy? He won’t get better if we keep annoying his Royal Highness,” and lead a laughing Tommy out of the room, turning off the light and closing the door.

Techno laid back down and buried himself under the mounds of blankets he had. Maybe taking a break from work wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

Chapter Text

Techno was trying desperately to zone out, but Wilbur and Tommy’s singing were dragging his mind out of his thoughts. Well, Wilbur was singing and Tommy was trying to follow a completely different melody. He sighed as he pulled into a gas station, turning down the music before his speakers blew out.

Techno got out, followed by his brothers. Wilbur walked in first, followed by Techno, then Tommy. The youngest split off, heading to grab as much candy as he could possibly carry. They reconvened at the counter, Tommy setting down an armful of assorted candy and Wilbur setting down two packs of beer. 

“And two packs of cigarettes please,” Wilbur said as he moved to grab his wallet. Techno took note of Tommy’s uneasy stance, maybe they’d made a mistake coming here with the boy.

When the cashier finished ringing the trio up, they all piled into the car and continued on their journey. They had snuck out after Dad fell asleep to have a nighttime hangout. It was like what they used to do when they were younger, but instead of pillow forts and Pokémon, they were sitting on the hood of Techno's car watching the stars. 

Pulling up to their favorite spot, the boys got out and prepared their individual rituals. Tommy watched Techno grab a couple of beers and sit down on a rock not too far away while Wilbur hopped onto the hood and lit a cigarette. He felt a bit childish joining Wilbur with a big bag of M&Ms.

“I didn’t know you two did... this,” Tommy shoved a handful of the colorful chocolates into his mouth, failing to swat Wilbur's hand from stealing a few.

“Define ‘this’,” Techno said as he moved to lean against the hood facing Tommy, also stealing a few of the chocolates for himself.

“Smoking and drinking,” Techno and Wilbur exchanged a look, “Is it good? Can I try?”

“No.”

“Absolutely not.”

Tommy huffed, “So why can you two do it but not me.”

Techno finished off his bottle as Wilbur exhaled smoke, “Well, both of these things come with age, “ Techno started and paused, “They can also be horrible for you and we don’t want you to go through that.”

Wilbur nodded, “Smoking really does kill people you know. Drinking too.”

“So why don’t you two stop? If it’s putting yourselves in danger, then you need to stop. Do we need to tell Dad?” Tommy looked at the pair, but both averted his gaze, “Do you need help? Dad and I can help you!”

Techno patted the boy's shoulder, “That’s awfully nice of you to offer, but it’s not easy to quit this kind of stuff. Don’t follow down in our footsteps and try this kind of stuff, ok? It can be really dangerous.”

Tommy just looked up and sighed, “fine, whatever,” as he turned his attention to the stars, he couldn’t help but think about his brother's situation. Was something wrong that they just couldn’t tell him? Did they not trust him?

As the three finished their stargaze and rituals, Tommy saw a shooting star. Squeezing his eyes tight, he wished for one thing.

I wish for my brothers to get better soon.

Chapter Text

Tommy was sitting outside his school gym, looking at the pavement. He heard the music blasting and the sounds of everyone dancing, but here he was outside, alone. He should have taken Techno’s advice about Homecoming, but anything Techno told him not to do, he just had to do it to annoy him. 

Maybe I should listen to him more, he thought to himself as a car pulled up to him.

The sound of the door quietly closing and footsteps walking towards him finally made him look up. He was met with a worried Dad looking at him, “Did you get hurt?”

Tommy shook his head, “Nah, it was just people jumping up and down. Boring really,” which was true, it was a boring experience and a waste of five dollars.

Phil nodded and started walking to the car, Tommy following close behind, “Well let’s get you home. Techno had to go to the bookstore for somebody missing their shift and Wilburs, uh, out. So it’ll just be us tonight, won’t that be fun?”

Tommy looked at the smile on his dad's face as he opened the passenger door and forced a smile on his face too, “Yup, just like old times,” Tommy slipped himself into the car and stared out of the window the whole way home, half-listening to Phil ramble on.

“Tommy? Are you alright?” Tommy jumped and looked at Phil, who looked concerned again, “We’ve been home for a couple of minutes. Are you feeling alright?” Phil reached over to touch Tommy’s forehead only for the boy to quickly shove him away.

“I’m fine! I’m fine! I’m just tired is all,” as Phil pulled back, he got out of the car quickly, heading to his room as fast as possible. 

Locking the door behind him, he changed out of the suit and into a hoodie and sweats. He flopped on his bed, glad that he was home and as far away from that gym as possible. He was never really clued in on his family’s financial state, but he knew they weren’t the richest family in town. Seeing all those kids in their nicest clothes, watching them pull up in their expensive cars, it finally hit him. They were barely able to stay afloat and they were all working to keep Tommy oblivious to it all. 

Tommy felt tears prick his eyes. He couldn’t believe that they had been lying for so long to his face, that they couldn’t trust him with this blatantly obvious truth. He wasn’t a child, he could help too. He’d get a part-time job too, maybe at the gas station or the grocery store.

There was a knock at the door, “Tommy, do you want hot chocolate and to watch a movie? You can pick one,” Phil called through the door.

“Uh, sure,” Tommy called out, unlocking and looking at his dad, his lying dad. He put on a fake smile, he’d talk to Techno about getting a job. Techno always knew what to do. 

Together, the pair headed downstairs and both fell asleep during the movie.

—

Techno quietly closed the door behind him. He was exhausted, he’d worked early that morning and then taken up the extra shift that ran late into the night. His eyes moved across the room to find the tv on and two figures asleep on the couch. 

Turning off the tv and the living room light, he smiled to himself at the sight. Tommy had fallen asleep clutching a pillow like a child holding their favorite stuffed animal and Dad had a hand hanging over the end of the couch. He moved the blankets to cover them and started on his way to his room, but stopped when he heard someone waking up.

“...techno?” He heard a quiet voice call out, sleepiness laced in. Tommy rubbed his eye and looked at the older boy halfway up the stairs.

“Hey Tommy, did I wake you up?” Techno moved back down the stairs but stopped on the last.

“‘ts ok... I wanted to ask you something,” Tommy slipped off the couch and made his way over, his eyes focused on his feet.

Techno shifted, his leg was falling asleep, “Why don’t you ask in the morning, you look tired. And you can tell me all about how homeco-“ 

“Can I take a part-time job? You and Dad and Wil always look so tired, so I was thinking that I could get a job too,” Tommy glanced up, seeing his brother tense, before turning to his right. He took in the quiet, dark kitchen, two empty mugs sitting on the counter.

“I, well...” Tommy looked back and saw the Techno he hadn’t seen since he was young, one with his walls down. He looked tired, and Tommy watched him fumble with his words, “Tommy, we... Let’s talk about this in the morning, ok?”

Tommy just nodded and followed Techno up the stairs and headed into his room. He fell asleep a couple of minutes after, not hearing Wilbur come home and the quiet argument that ensued.

They didn’t talk about it in the morning.

Chapter Text

When Wilbur got the text from Tommy, he dropped everything and rushed to his former high school. Tommy and Wil had a system of safe words and this one was at the peak. Something was happening to his little brother and he was going to kill whoever was tormenting him.

Tommy was in full panic mode. He swore the locker walls were closing in to suffocate him. Trying to take deep breaths, he tried to focus on his phone but the walls kept taunting him.

Wilbur arrived and texted Tommy where he was, only to get a vague response. Whatever I can get, he thought as he walked up to the front desk, “Hi, I’m here to check my brother out of school. I can go get him, he needs help carrying something,” he gave the lady a smile. She simply shook her head and he was paired with his past history teacher.

Tommy was panicking, Wilbur had arrived but there’d been no follow-up text. He stifled a sob that escaped from his mouth. He just wanted to get out of this stupid box.

Wilbur looked down the hallway Tommy said he was in, but didn’t see anyone. He stopped and texted Tommy to make sure. Tommy’s phone dinged and he raced down the hallway, stopping in the middle, “Tommy? Tommy where are you?”

Tommy heard Wilbur and started crying in relief, pushing against the door, “Wilbur! I’m here! I’m here!”

Wilbur ran to the locker, “Tommy, Tommy calm down ok? I’m right here, we just gotta get you out,” he saw the teacher take the hint and go get someone to help.

Tommy was sobbing, “Wil- I-I just wanna go home, please get me out, please.”

“Shh, shh, it’s ok Toms I’m here. We’ll get you out soon, but I won’t leave your side,” Wil was desperately trying to get Tommy to calm down, he could hear the boy starting to hyperventilate. Finally, the teacher came back with a key and clipboard and Tommy tumbled out.

He threw himself into Wilbur's arms, sobbing hysterically. He felt Wil hug him and rub circles on his back, quietly humming in his ear.

Wil eventually moved the boy off him, and grabbed his stuff, “We’re going home, c’mon,” and Wil took his hand and led the crying boy to his car. On the drive home, Tommy had curled up in his seat and fallen asleep, Wilbur smiling at the sight. He was glad his Tommy felt safe with him.

When they got home, Wilbur took Tommy’s stuff inside first before gently picking up the boy and carrying him in. As he set Tommy down on the couch, Tommy woke up and grabbed him, “stay, please.”

Wilbur gave him a smile and ruffled his hair, “I gotta get my stuff out of the car and close the door. I’ll be back immediately after though,” and he left. When he came back, he saw Tommy drifting off to sleep, but woke up to look at him.

Moving onto the couch, Wilbur hugged his brother as Tommy fell back asleep, making a mental note to ask who put him in the locker. He knew Techno and Dad would be just as pissed, if not more.

But for now, he would stay with Tommy on this couch until he didn’t need Wilbur anymore.

Chapter Text

They were all sitting around the dinner table, looking at the letter laid in front of Techno. He could almost feel their attention switching from the letter to him. 

Tommy let out a groan and laid his head down, “Are you going to open it or what?”

Techno hesitantly took the letter into his hands, toying with it for a moment. He looked at Phil, a wide smile on the older face. 

“Techno just open the stupid Harvard letter,” Wilbur rolled his eyes and earned a jab from Phil.

Techno took a deep breath and opened it, quickly scanning over it. He reread it a couple of times over before looking at the three eager faces, “I got accepted... I got... accepted.”

He watched their faces light up and they all jumped up to hug him, shower him in praise and love, but Techno felt numb to it all. He was running numbers in his head, numbers he couldn’t bear to think about. He wanted to go so bad. He could picture himself at the school, the numerous amounts of books, the late-night studying, everything he ever dreamed of. Yet, his gaze went to each of their faces before landing on Tommy. That perfect dream began to form cracks.

“... I can’t take it.”

“What?” They all looked at him confused, the existing cracks starting to splinter and form new branches.

“Techno, look at me,” Phil placed a hand on Techno's shoulder, “You have to. This is a massive opportunity, you can’t pass this up.”

“Tommy, can you go get my laptop?” Techno said as he turned his attention to the table.

“I- fine,” Tommy grumbled and went upstairs. He stopped to say something before catching Phil's gaze and continuing.

Wilbur stood, his chair clattering to the ground behind him, “Techno, you’re mental if you turn this down. This is such a big opportunity for you!”

Techno slammed his fist down, “Don’t stay that!” Wilbur jumped, causing him to sigh and close his eyes. Rubbing his fist and taking a minute to recollect himself, he continued “I can’t go. It’s too expensive and unfair to you guys. If you’re struggling with my student debt, then how will we ever pay Tommy’s? Or anything in general.”

“Don’t focus on us, we can-“ Phil cut Wilbur off by placing a hand on his shoulder, Techno's attention snapping to him.

“It’s expensive, yes, but we can manage. We’ve always managed,” Phil gave him a smile, “Besides, you’ll get a pretty big job after you get out of college, right?”

Techno scoffed, “We can’t just hope that everything will be ok, Dad. And I don’t want to bank on luck for how fast I’ll get a job afterward. I’m not going, I’ll just go to the community college down the road, it’s fine.”

Wilbur went to start again but stopped with Techno’s cold gaze. Phil just sighed and gave a smaller smile, “Then we’ll support you in that decision.”

Techno nodded and quietly excused himself. As he trudged up the stairs, the realization of everything hit him as he closed his door. He let out a quiet "Oh" before muffling himself as his dreams finally shattered under the crushing weight of reality.

Chapter Text

Techno had a love-hate relationship with alcohol. He drank it because it allowed him to calm down and let his walls down, forget about the stresses of his life. He hated it because he always felt like his father, his real father. Phil was a great man, but they both knew that he was Dad and not Father.

The empty can in front of him was practically taunting him. He could only drink out of cans when sober, actual beer bottles made him uneasy just holding. In fact, anything that sounded like glass shattering made him shutter. Phil had dropped a plate once and he’d completely shut down. Poor Phil had to sit there and calm him down for an hour.

He glanced at the bottles Wilbur had gotten him on accident. Too familiar, he could almost hear the screaming from his father. Too familiar, he pictured the bottle flying past him and hitting the wall. Techno instinctively pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. Too familiar, he swore he felt the glass cutting his skin, but there was nothing there.

Everything became a blur as Techno’s eyes filled with tears and he lost himself in his repressed memories that suddenly came flooding back. He suddenly couldn’t breath as he felt a hand wrapped around his neck. When he raised a hand to pull it away, he found nothing, and air flooded back into his lungs. He coughed and took deep breaths before hearing his bedroom door open.

”Techno? I heard you coughing, are you alright?” He heard Dad call out, drawing him out of his mind completely. He rubbed his eyes and placed his feet on the floor as he turned, giving the older man a small smile, “Have you been crying? What’s wrong?” Phil stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

”I’m fine, Dad. I just, I choked on my own spit,” Techno’s voice was shaky and weak, a sound he despised. He looked to his hands, clenching them to try and stop them from shaking.

Phil placed a hand on Techno’s shoulder but quickly pulled away when he flinched. “You’ve thought about him, haven’t you?” Phil didn’t need a response before he pulled Techno into a hug, the shaking figure melting into him, “He can’t hurt you anymore. We won’t let him.”

Techno learned to hate bottles just a little bit less.

Chapter Text

Phil sat at the kitchen table, staring at the front door. Wilbur had gone out and he was supposed to be home three hours ago. He rubbed his face, exhausted from the long day at work. Tommy had thrown a fit over some petty argument him and Techno had, making dinner much longer than normal. Wilbur had left before dinner was even made, claiming he had dinner reservations with some friends.

The time on the wall only made Phil groan. Phil wanted to trust Wil, to know that maybe his son had just stayed over at his friend’s house and was perfectly fine and sober. That hope vanished as he heard someone struggling to open the door. He watched Wil stumble in, nearly tripping over himself.

“Ohheyy Daad.” Wilbur slurred, a smile splayed on his lips. He gave Phil a small wave, “You didn’t, didn’t uh,” he started to giggle, “didn’t have to stayup.”

Phil just sighed, “Wil, it’s three am. Where have you been?” He moved from his seat to help the drunk mess to his room. He closed the door behind them, then practically dragged Wilbur towards the stairs.

“I’s was out with some friends. They’re really, really, really, really nice people.”

“Wilbur, you’re grounded.”

Wilbur stopped suddenly and Phil nearly fell, “I’m whaat? You shouldn’t be so harsh, it’s only three am!”

“You’re grounded Wil. I don’t want you hanging out with these... friends of yours. They’re a bad influence.”

In a brilliant stroke of word association, Wil responded, “I think you’re just being a bitch!”

Phil looked at him stunned, “You’re still grounded Wil. I’m your father, we can talk more about it in the morning.”

Wilbur laughed as Phil set him down on the bed, “Ifff this is how you treat me, then I wish you weren’t my dad, bitch!”

With that, Phil closed the door behind him and went to check on his other boys. Tommy was snoring loudly as he opened the door and Phil frowned at the messy state. Shaking his head, he quietly closed the door and took a sharp breath at the dim light creeping under Techno’s door.

He opened it and found the back of Techno’s chair facing him, some show on the screen, “Techno, go to bed, it’s 3 am-“

The chair swiveled to face him, “Wilbur’s back right?”

Phil just sighed, “Yeah.”

Techno stretched and stood, “Then off to bed for me. I didn’t want to get awoken by you shaking me in a panic again. I was having a good dream too...”

Phil just let out a huff and closed the door. As he trudged down the hall to his room, he replayed the conversation with his eldest in his head. Wilbur didn’t mean what he said, did he? He was just drunk, that wasn’t actually Wil... right?

Chapter Text

Techno fiddled with the mouse, staring at the screen. He’d gotten a reply on his job application and they accepted. The downside was that it was in New York, the complete opposite of California. He heard a knock on his door and quickly closed the page.

“Dinners ready. Dad and Tommy are setting the table if you want to come and help for once,” Wil joked, before noticing Techno's downtrodden face, “What's wrong? Got rejected by an e-girl?”

He just shook his head as he stood, “I’ll tell you at dinner,” he said as the pair headed downstairs.

Tommy ran to them, rambling about how he was going to start stabbing if someone did something. Techno zoned out as they sat down and only caught, “So I grabbed my knife gun and shot a seagull-“

Wilbur quickly cut him off, “Tommy, that’s all well and exciting, but I think Techno's got an announcement.”

Techno looked at him before looking at the rest of his family, “Well, uh, one of the jobs I applied to accepted,” he waited for their cheering to die down before he continued, “The only downside is that it’s in New York.”

The silence that followed was broken by Tommy, “So you’re not taking it, right?”

“It’s unfair to your brother to not let him take it. I think you should take it,” Phil smiled at Techno, who was starting to drum his fingers.

Wilbur crossed his arms, “I agree with Tommy. It’s too far away, is it even worth it?”

“Yeah, and besides, it’s not like a super good job, right Techno?”

Techno looked down, “I accepted it.”

The silence that followed this time was soul-crushing. There was the sound of a chair scooting backward and a pair of feet storming upstairs.

“Tommy-“ Phil said as he followed the boy upstairs.

Wil waited for the sound of a door slamming closed before he turned his attention to Techno, “You can’t be serious. You’re really going to leave? That’s so hypocritical of you! You’re always telling me not to leave, yet here you are about to go off!”

“I’m taking the job to help support you guys. You know how stressed Dad can get with work, and Tommy’s going to college pretty soon. I'm going to help the family, you just want an out because of your mommy issues.”

“Oh fuck off!” Wil yelled, standing up and storming out the backdoor. Techno slightly flinched at the screen door rattling from the force. 

Techno sat at the dining table poking at his food until Phil came back down, “Tommy's in his room if you want to talk to him.”

He just nodded and headed to the youngest’s room, “Tommy?”

“Go away! I don’t want to talk to you!” Tommy yelled back, slightly muffled.

“Tommy, please, just listen to me, ok?”

“No! You’re abandoning us! You’re turning into Wil! You promised me that you wouldn’t leave!” Tommy yelled at him, Techno opening the door to find him huddled under a blanket, “You’re just a liar!”

Techno sighed as he leaned in the doorway, “Tommy, I have to go. You’re still young so you don’t get it-“

“Stop treating me like a child! I’m not stupid!”

“I don’t think you’re stupid, there are just some things that come with age. You’re going to be going off to college soon, I want you to have a good experience with it, not feel pressured by issues we should have taken care of for you.”

Tommy started throwing his pillows at him, “You’re lying! You’re leaving cause you hate us!”

“That’s not true, I love you guys and it’s gonna suck to have to leave.”

“Then stay,” Tommy pleaded, his anger replaced with sadness, “I don’t want to lose you too…”

Techno walked over and hugged the boy, “You’re not gonna lose me. I’ll always be there for you.”

They stayed there for a bit, Tommy eventually tiring himself out and falling asleep against his headboard. Techno quietly sighed and stretched before heading back downstairs. He stared at the now cold dinner and glanced at the screen door, an argument starting to get louder.

He looked around before moving closer to the door, hiding against the wall next to it, “Make him stay! You’re making me stay, so keep Techno here too! It’s unfair! This is blatant favoritism!”

“This is his choice, Wilbur. He’s got a good, secure job there, we have to support him.”

“You don't know that! He’s leaving us for no good reason!”

Techno finally stepped outside, “Wil, I just put Tommy to sleep, can you keep it down.”

He immediately stumbled back as Wil’s fist collided with his cheek, “You don’t get to tell me what to do! God, I wish I could just beat the sense into you sometimes-“

Phil cut the boy off by pulling him away from Techno, “Wilbur!”

“I’m not sorry! Techno preaches sooo much about ‘Growing minds need a support system’ or ‘Think about Tommy’ yet here he is leaving us, all of us, for some stupid job!” Wilbur yelled, tears flooding his eyes.

“I can turn down the offer if you’d rather.”

"Oh fuck off! Don't pull your manipulative bullshit on me!" Wilbur shouted, pushing Phil away and walking back towards Techno, "You're such a selfish fucking prick, you know that?"

"Boys-" Phil said, glancing at Tommy's window.

Techno glared at Wilbur, "Oh, yeah, I'm the selfish one. Stop throwing your abandonment issues in my face like a shield and give me one good reason I should turn down the job."

"Because you're going to New York, Techno! Did you consider the cost of living? Do you have an apartment picked out? How about a mode of transportation? Or did you just see an opportunity to leave and took it because God forbid you have to stay another day trapped with us!"

"Yeah, actually, I have looked at that! I'm not like you, Wilbur, I'm way better at actual planning rather than sitting on the roof all day and fantasizing about my life! You want to leave, right? Then why haven't you actually done it?" Techno laughed and shook his head, "You sit there and complain about your life, yet make no effort to change it. It's sad that everyone around us has grown up, yet you sit there like some dazed freshman."

"Enough! Both of you!" Phil yelled, placing himself between the two, "Wilbur, go to your room."

"I'm not a child, Dad!"

"Now, Wilbur. We'll talk about it later," With a huff, Wilbur groaned and walked back inside. Phil waited for him to go before turning to Techno.

"Thanks, Dad."

"You're both idiots, you know that? Just because I sided with you doesn't mean I approve of how you treated your brother," Phil crossed his arms as Techno looked down, "If you two aren't on at least speaking terms by tomorrow night, then I will ground you both indefinitely, do you hear me?"

"Yeah, I got it..."

"Good. Goodnight," Phil said, going back inside. Techno watched him go before turning to the stars overhead and closing his eyes. Letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes and groaned, dropping his shoulders.

"I'm so screwed."

—

After a month, Techno and Wilbur had still not made up. Phil intentionally split them at dinner, allowing them both to eat in their rooms rather than face another argument breaking out in front of Tommy. As Techno double-checked his suitcase, he heard his door open.

"Hey," Tommy said, peeking into the now barren room, "So... Tomorrow."

"Yup, just checking my stuff again before heading to bed," Techno said, looking up as he closed the suitcase, "You excited to not have me scolding you for kicking my door? I'm sure Wilbur won't kill you."

Tommy let out a chuckle, "He might kick me off the roof."

"Then you can brag about getting into a fight and have girls sign your cast. Seems like a win in your book," Techno hummed and stood, slightly dusting his knees.

"I guess..." Tommy mumbled, "I'll miss you. Kinda."

"Oh be still my heart, can't wait to be 'kinda’ missed by you," Techno smiled and rolled his eyes, walking over to ruffle the blonde's hair, "Well I'm sure you'll be calling me every night to tell me you 'kinda' miss me."

Tommy turned slightly red and crossed his arms, "Whatever. Look, I just- I just wanted to ask-" he looked down and mumbled, "if I could stay with you tonight..."

"Clingy much?"

"I'll whine to Dad if you don't," Tommy smirked.

"The answer was yes anyway, so your loss," Techno smiled, "I gotta finish something though, so go ahead and get in bed."

As Tommy slipped into the messy bed, he looked around the room. Techno came back a few minutes later, sitting on top of the covers as Tommy stared out the window. His eyes slowly started to close and before he knew it, he awoke to the bed shifting. Groaning at the sudden awakening, he opened his eyes to find Techno getting up.

“Where are you going...?”

“Tommy, did I wake you up? I’m sorry,” Techno looked at him, an air of uneasiness surrounding him, “Go back to sleep, ok?”

Tommy sat up, “where are you going? You’re not leaving now, are you?”

“No, I’m just going for a walk. I’ll be back before you know it,” Techno ruffled the boy's hair, “Now get to sleep, I don’t want a sleepy Tommy when I leave.”

Tommy laid back down and Techno waited until he fell asleep before slipping out of the house. He left the car and just started walking. He stopped every once in a while to say goodbye to a memorable place, the park his brothers played in, the cafe they went to when it got cold, and finally, their high school. He was going to miss driving Tommy to school every morning. With a sigh, he started on his way home. 

He saw Wil on the roof and went to join him, “What’s up, Smoke Boy?”

Wil remained silent, inhaling smoke. He glanced at Techno before setting down a bottle of beer and exhaled, “Might as well enjoy our last night.”

Techno took the bottle, “Might as well.”

They sat in silence, Wil exhaling every few minutes and Techno nursing the bottle till it was empty. 

Techno was going to miss nights like this.

Chapter Text

Techno walked alongside the large crowd, grey buildings looming overhead. He just kept his head down, avoiding the gaze of the crowd. He had a panic attack the first couple of days from just walking, but he got used to it. If he never interacted, then there was no reason to get nervous. It’d be worse having a one on one with a taxi driver, but he knew Wilbur would probably enjoy it.

He almost missed his apartment, catching himself drifting into deep thought on his family. He slipped inside and began his trek up three stories. He wasn’t like Tommy, who could probably run up and down the stairs three times over before being out of breath. He chuckled at the thought, before arriving at his door.

Techno didn’t have the nicest apartment, but he didn’t mind. It’s not like he was bringing anyone over. Shedding his dull red trench coat, he slung it over a chair as he entered the kitchen. He just made some toast, too tired to put any effort into a real dinner, probably must to Phil’s dismay. Grabbing his phone and toast, he laid down on his bed. 

Letting out a sigh, he scrolled through his Twitter feed while he ate, soaking in the rare silence. He put the dish up and fell asleep, only to be woken up by a call. 

Sitting up, he glanced at the time. Who’s calling at midnight?  He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and answered, “Hello?”

He had to immediately jerk the phone away from his ear as three voices all started speaking at once. Tommy was the loudest and rambling about school, Wilbur and Phil scolding the boy.

Dad's voice became the clearest first, “Were you asleep? Did we wake you? We meant to call earlier but somebody decided to go on a run without telling us.”

Techno laughed and moved more upright, “Nah it’s fine. I was just taking a nap.”

“What are you? A cat?” Wilbur joked, and Techno could almost see his smug grin through the phone.

“Ya because he’s a pu-“ Tommy got very quickly cut off by the older pair yelling at him. 

Techno shifted to lean his back against the wall, the window to his left, “That’s more Wil than me, Tommy,” he once again had to pull the phone away as he heard Tommy start howling with laughter, Wilbur starts to yell, and Dad struggling to contain the two.

“ANYway,” he heard Dad start and pulled the phone back towards him, “When are you coming home? Maybe for the holidays?”

Techno went quiet, starting to fiddle with his blanket, “Well, I actually don’t know yet. It’s expensive to fly out, especially during that time of year and-“

“So no Christmas with Techno?” He heard Tommy sniffle and it broke his heart. Techno grinned and had a stroke of genius.

“Nope, I’m sorry Tommy. We can call over Christmas and I’ll buy you a really nice game or we can do almost anything you want, with limits. I promise.”

He heard silence on the other end, which hopefully meant his plan was going along swell, “Yeah I guess...”

Perfect.

“Ok, well I have to go. I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow?”

He smiled as the three wished him goodnight and hung up. Time to begin his master plan. Techno pulled together his excess savings and bought himself a ticket and a Santa outfit. He texted Dad about his plan, fly out Christmas morning, Dad would come to pick him up, and they’d drive back to the house to surprise his brothers.

—

When the day finally came, Techno was overjoyed. He’d kept up the act of disappointment throughout the call last night and he couldn’t wait to see the look on his brother’s faces when he got home. As he got into Dad's car, he didn't even have a chance to turn before he was pulled into a tight hug.

“Dad- It's great to see you too but please hurry up so I can show those nerds up.”

Phil just chuckled and started driving, taking note of the spark in Techno's eyes. Phil smiled and started laughing once again.

“What? Why are you laughing?” Techno looked at him confused.

“Oh nothing, just thinking.”

Techno hummed and as they got closer, he turned and grabbed the final piece. He threw it over his shoulders, only to draw more laughter from Phil.

Phil parked and got out first, “I’ll go get them to come out. Stand at the door waiting,” and off Phil went.

Techno followed a few seconds after but stopped at the door. He heard two pairs of footsteps run down the stairs and he couldn’t help but smile. 

“What lame present did Techno-“ Tommy opened the door and stopped dead in his tracks, only to have Wilbur collide into him.

There Techno stood, a red coat with white, puffy fur lining the edges, “Merry Christmas, Nerds.”

Chapter Text

As the screaming downstairs grew louder, Tommy just groaned and threw a pillow over his head. Wilbur had come home drunk again and Dad was upset. Wilbur had barged in during lunch, effectively cutting it short.

Tommy got up and went to slip through the door before stopping himself. Oh right, Tommy lowered his hand, Techno’s in New York.

He sighed and grabbed his phone, fidgeting with the silence slider. Techno was busy now, he had a life. He was probably doing something fun, like watching a movie or doing adult things.

Why couldn’t Techno have taken me with him?

Tommy felt tears stung at his eyes and harshly wiped them away. Techno had abandoned them, left him.

That’s not true. Techno loves us… Right?

“Of course he does,” Tommy mumbled to himself and glanced around his room. Making up his mind, he grabbed a bag and started throwing clothes into it. He grabbed his laptop as well, tossing that into the bag. Looking around his room, he stuffed his wallet into his pocket and climbed through the window.

Tossing his bag into the bush as gently as he could, he jumped down next to it. Dusting himself off, he grabbed his bag and took one last look at the figures in the window before trudging through the snow. With a soft sigh, he pulled out his phone as he walked and set the GPS for the airport.

—

Tommy fought off a yawn as the plane landed. He turned his phone off airplane mode and immediately muted his phone as it was flooded with texts from Phil and Wilbur. He hesitated and called Techno, looking out the window. It ringed a bit before going to voicemail and he tried again.

“...Tommy? What are you doing…” Techno mumbled, “I was asleep…”

“Can- Can you come pick me? My plane just landed…”

There was the sound of soft rustling, followed by creaking, “What do you- Are- Are you in New York right now?”

“Yeah. Wil and Dad were yelling and I just couldn’t take it and-“

“So you got on a plane and flew across the entire country? Tommy, it’s just an argument. Do you even know how worried Dad probably is right now?” The sound of a door slamming shut caused Tommy to flinch, “Just- send me a picture of your ticket, I’ll wait for you at baggage.”

“Okay. Uh, how do I get to baggage?”

“I- just follow the crowd and the signs.”

“Okay,” Tommy said and sighed as Techno hung up. He grabbed his bag and forced his way through the line. He looked around at the signs before figuring out where he roughly had to go and quickly making his way to the baggage claim.

Tommy avoided Techno’s gaze as they made their way to get a taxi. They stayed in silence, Techno letting out a tired sigh once they got into the backseat.

“Do you understand why I’m mad.”

“I didn’t mean any harm-“

“Tommy, I have work in a few hours. I can’t just drop everything and rush to help you! You’re 16 years old, when are you going to stop being so childish!”

“I didn’t have anywhere to go! Techno, I can’t take it anymore-“ Tommy felt tears rush to his eyes, “Techno, I want our family back! I want things to go back to how they were!”

Techno groaned and rubbed his face, “Tommy, I don’t mind you coming to me when you’re stressed and scared, but you just- just left home.”

“If you want me to go then just fucking say it!” Tommy yelled and fumbled with the seatbelt, “God I don’t even know why I came to you-“

“Tommy, if you step out of this car without me I will make sure you are grounded for life.”

“Fine,” Tommy mumbled and stopped. He crossed his arms and looked out the window, “I’m sorry… about work. I didn’t know that the plane would land so late.”

“It’s… it’s fine. I know how Wilbur and Dad can get, so I don’t entirely blame you for wanting to leave,” Techno said as he pulled out his phone, “Just next time, tell me in advance.”

“Okay...”

Chapter Text

Wilbur stood in front of the mirror, adjusting and readjusting the object around his neck. He decided to just ditch the choking item, ties were never his favorite item. He settled on ditching the jacket as well, Techno could reign supreme in the full outfit. 

He stepped outside to find Dad and Techno having to hold Tommy still to put on his tie and smirked, “Tommy, the more you squirm the tighter it gets.”

“Wilbur, where’s your jacket and tie?” Dad turned away from Tommy as Techno nearly choked the boy with the tie. 

“I’m not wearing it, Techno can play dress up for me,” Wilbur laughed and ducked as a sock was thrown at him, “You look very pretty Techno, like a doll.”

Techno threw a shoe and Wilbur couldn’t move in time as it hit him in the stomach, “Just because I look good in a suit doesn’t mean you can be jealous.” 

“Techno!” Dad sighed as he attempted to tame Tommy’s blonde hair, “We have to leave soon, can you two act your age.”

The pair just grumbled and went to the bathroom, Wilbur fixing his hair and Techno readjusting his suit.

“Whose wedding is this again?” Wilbur leaned against the wall, watching his brother repeatedly straighten his jacket and he put a hand on his brother's arm, “Techno that’s about as straight as possible. You’re going to mess it up if you continue.”

Techno snapped out of his reflection and looked at Wilbur, “Sorry, repeat that? I was,” he glanced to his reflection, “having a conversation with myself.”

Wilbur just rolled his eyes, “I said, whose wedding is this and stop straightening your jacket.”

“Some cousin or family friend of Dad’s. I don’t know,” Techno looked down at the sink, placing both hands on the counter, “Do you see yourself getting married?”

Wilbur noted the tone shift and tried to lighten the mood, “You want me gone that bad? Wow Techno I didn’t think-”

“Spare me the humor and just answer the question,” Techno cut him off but continued to stare at the sink, his tone colder than normal.

“I... personally, no. I would want to move too much, unless they were okay with that I guess. You?”

Techno just hummed, the gears in his head turning, “I think we should wait for Dad and Tommy in the lobby,” and Techno turned and left, leaving a confused Wilbur.

Wilbur looked at his hair once more before walking out after him. He saw Dad still attempting to get Tommy ready, but no Techno, “Any clue on where the dress up boy went?”

“Something about the roof,” Tommy said then he stuck his tongue out at Phil.

Phil gave up and looked at Wil, “Can you go find him? I think we should go ahead and leave early.”

Wil nodded and left the hotel room, quietly closing the door behind him and headed for the roof. He found his brother sitting at a table, staring out the roof windows at the grey sky.

“I’m assuming it’s time to go,” Techno said, slowly turning his gaze to Wil.

Wil nodded and watched Techno stand. He grabbed his arm as the boy started to pass him by, “You never answered my question. Do you see yourself getting married?”

Techno hummed, and although Wilbur couldn’t see his face, he knew his brother was thinking how to approach the question, “I think when it comes to romance, people are heartless and selfish. So no.”

Wilbur retracted his arm and let the younger continue, “Bold words for someone at a wedding.”

Techno scoffed, “Divorce is always an option,” and Wilbur watched him round the corner, not quite sure how to process his brother's thought process.

He smiled and sprinted to catch up, “You’re gonna fall so hard one day and I’ll never let you live that down.”