Work Text:
Tommy let out a sigh, sipping the rockstar to his right as he continued to stare at his history study papers. He knew that work wasn't the best place to study, but he worked the evening shift tonight, and the test happened to be tomorrow.
Usually he never had to swoop so low as to study in the break room, but he was on his half hour break, and he knew that he wouldn't study after getting home from work, he'd be too tired. His only option was to study now, hope for the best later.
Tommy looked up from his papers to see none other than Dream walk into the room, he froze. The prank war was currently in full swing, and it was the D-teams turn to rebuttal, as the Grocery Dept. had just done a prank on the managers. Alongside that, the opposing side had been silent for the last few days, meaning something big was coming (hopefully they didn't focus on Tommy just because he was the one they found at the scene of the crime).
Dream didn't seem to notice the way the kid froze, opting instead to just sit down. When he finally did notice, all he had to say was, “chill Tommy, I was just bored and decided to talk to whoever was on their break.”
Dream did a once over on the boy as Tommy looked back at his papers briefly. Tommy had large bags under his eyes, as well as a rockstar can sitting beside him, both things usual for the teen. But Dream had been noticing how Tommy had seemed to be more and more tired as he came to work, and how the kid almost averaged three energy drinks per shift. Tubbo wasn't much better, but he wasn't this bad. Sometimes he forgot that they were just kids.
“So uh, working on school stuff are you?” Dream started whilst slouching into his chair.
“Uhh yeah kinda, I have this test tomorrow, and midterms are also coming up, so...” Tommy took a deep breath and exhaled. “I dunno know, thought I might as well start studying.”
He looked up at the manager sitting in front of him, a person who he’d started to consider a close friend, despite all the 'wars' the two had against each other.
“Oh yeah, Midterms… I remember those, AP Calculus sucked man.” Dream visibly shivered, obviously remembering his own high school years. “How’s it going so far? I know school can be hard.”
Tommy was taken aback by that question, usually he didn't share much about his personal life, and Dream knew this. He must be really bored if he was going to Tommy of all people for the ‘tea’.
“I mean… alright I guess? Although something about having eight missing assignments keeps spamming my emails, and it's so annoyiiiiiiing.” Tommy whined, before chuckling at his own joke. Dream didn't seem to share his amusement.
“Eight missing assignments..?” Dream repeated quieter. Had he been giving the kid too many hours? Had he been pushing too much responsibility on him? He had heard from Wilbur that Tommy's parents were strict, but making your kid stress so much over school that he had to do it at work?
“Hey, hey,” Tommy huffed trying to hide the embarrassed blush on his face. “I mean it used to be 15 so at least i'm getting there.” Dream snapped out of his thinking when Tommy stood up, stretching. “Do you know if that shipment came in? I gotta unload it before it thaws.”
Dream was about to reply, when a voice interrupted him over the intercom.
‘Receiver to receiving doors please, I repeat, receiver to receiving doors please, thank you.'
“That's my cue.” Tommy said, throwing out the now empty monster can and picking up the school-binder. Before he made it out the door, Dream spoke up once more.
“Look if you ever need less hours to focus on school work, or just to catch up on sleep, you can tell me, got it? I won't be mad, you're still technically a minor kiddo.”
Tommy smiled before nodding. “Gotcha Big Man, I think I'm good for now though, see ya later!” Dream watched as Tommy shoved his binder into his locker, before running down the stairs to where the truck was waiting.
He would have to keep an eye on the kid.
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About two weeks later, Dream had discussed Tommy's predicament with the other managers, and all agreed to lower Tommy's work hours. The kid worked almost 30 hours a week (-mostly six hour shifts, and only some of the regular four hours), and the trio could see that it was weighing down on him. The store had been unbelievably busy, and every time they saw the kid, it was glaringly obvious he was trying to hide how tired he was.
It wasn't that he wasn't the same old Tommy (because they still caught him mucking around every so often), but they had seen a decline in his usually constant shenanigans over the past few days. With how business was currently skyrocketing for the store, and how there was a seemingly endless amounts of trucks pulling in for Tommy to unload, it was no wonder he hadn't had time to get up to his usual mischief. It was a worrying sight, if they were honest.
Some of the other workers had also noticed how Tommy almost seemed to be sick, and Dream had even seen some of the regulars give the kid worried glances. Tubbo especially was starting to get worried about his friend, going so far as to approach Dream about it, -even though the boy himself wasn't faring much better.
Dream, George and Sapnap discussed the issue, before deciding a break was needed. They couldn't deny their need to fuss over Tommy. He was one of four teenagers that worked at the store, and they cared deeply about all of them and their wellbeings.
They had given Tommy 3 days off on the next schedule, and had only scheduled him for four hour shifts instead of his normal six hour ones. They did a similar thing with Tubbo and the rest of the teenagers schedule's. Changing them was easy enough, but they all knew the hard part was going to be explaining the reduction to Tommy without him getting upset.
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Tommy stared at the time-table that had just been posted. Three of the days that he had worked since his very first day at the store, he for some reason had them… off? And to top it off, he had no six hour shifts?! Tommy wasn't complaining but- had he made Dream or the other managers mad or something? The last prank that he and Wilbur had done wasn't even very good, considering that Tommy had been running off of 2 hours of sleep when he had planned it for Wilbur (the man had been busy).
He took a picture of the schedule with his phone, and placed it in his pocket. Tommy would have to speak to the managers. As if he'd heard him, George turned the corner and began walking down the hallway Tommy was currently standing in, his nose buried in an inventory sheet.
“George!” Tommy said jogging up to the man. George’s head shot up, startled, before yelling back at him. “TOMMY!”
Tommy came to a stop in front of the man. “That's Purpled's thing, he’ll literally kill you if you start using it as well.”
“Whatever you say Tom's.” George replied, sliding his white shaded glasses off of his nose and up onto the top of his head. “What's up?”
Tommy suddenly felt nervous, “uhhh i was just wondering why i got less hours this week? I mean I'm pretty sure I didn't piss you guys off, but whatever it is-”
He was interrupted by George chuckling and placing a warm hand on his shoulder. “No Tommy, you didn't piss Dream off or anything. Its just uh, I think that he just wanted Wilbur to train some new employees! Something about Wilbur needing more experience because you trained everyone else, hehe.”
Tommy let out the breath he had been holding, “So he’s not mad at me?”
“Of course not Tommy! I think that it also might have to do with the fact that you worked all of the days that we had the big rush, you deserve a break kiddo.” George ruffled his hair before walking into his office.
Tommy watched the man curiously before shrugging and turning toward the locker that held his stuff, not having to walk to work after school would be nice. Right now all he wanted was to sleep, and since Phil had offered to give him a ride home today, he wouldn't have to walk. Thank goodness.
The older man met him at the front entrance, and they both walked out to his SUV. As soon as Phil started driving, Tommys eyes began to droop. His house was only 15 minutes away, and by the time Phil pulled into his driveway, the teen was already drifting off (to be fair though, it was already dark outside). He was shaken awake by Phil.
“Go get some sleep kid," Phil whispered "Tubbo told me that you're home alone for the week, so if you need anything just call me.”
Phils concerned eyes searched Tommy's, causing the teen to decide that it would be far easier to just agree with him.
“M’kay.” was all Tommy said. He hopped out of the car with his backpack and binder, waved goodbye to Phil, and walked up to his front door as the older man pulled out of the driveway.
He was barely able to change out of his work clothes before he crashed into his bed. Sleep was quick to greet him.
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The managers were all in the office, waiting for Phil to text them back. He had offered to help them as soon as he'd figured out what the trio had planned. Phil had also noticed Tommys deteriorating state, and had devised his own plan to help as well. They had joined forces, changing the time tables, reassuring Tommy, informing the other workers of his struggle so they could assist, and Phil working later so that he could drive Tommy home.
All of that effort, just for the sake of getting this one, cheeky gremlin child to go to fucking sleep.
Later that week the trio of managers get thank you notes from Wilbur, Niki, Tubbo, and the Badlands. He even got asked by some of the regulars if Tommy was alright, and when he told them what happened, they thanked him. Something about ‘being worried for the kid, as he was their favorite.’
When Tommy got back from his ‘break’ he was as energetic as ever, and his energy drink intake had reduced greatly, along with his eyebags disappearing. The store was happy to have their Tommy back, and the D-team was going to make sure that it never happened again.