Work Text:
Sam had seen the way the kids on the server were treated. He has seen them be nothing more than soldiers or tools for the adults, and he had stood by and watched. He wasnt sure why he did it, he wasn’t sure what made them all forget that these were kids who they forced into war.
All he knew is that he wasn’t going to let it happen again. He refused to keep standing by while these kids were treated like soldiers and politicians, when all they should be doing is playing and having fun. They should never have to worry about the next war, and if they were going to live past their teen years.
Tubbo was easy to get through to. He was a genius and he and Sam bonded over redstone. He loved making difficult contraptions that would make life slightly easier, and he was good at it. He was wise beyond his years, but all that told Sam was that he had no other choice but to grow up so fast. He was an open book and a locked vault all at the same time. He told you what he was thinking and his feelings, but he never let you look past the shallow part of him. Once you did though, he was a good kid. He wanted to be a part of a family, and Sam could offer him that.
Puffy helped too. She was the mother figure that Tubbo had never had. She held Tubbo through his nightmares, and never pushed for answers while making sure he knew she was there if he did want to tell her. With Puffy’s help Tubbo was already on the way to recovery.
Tommy was another story. He was fiercely independent, and hated being treated like a child. Sam tried everything he knew but it all fell through. How do you make someone a kid again, when they don’t want to be. He had almost given up when Tommy came to him.
Tommy asked him to make a hotel for him, and with ideas in his head Sam agreed. He knew Tommy loved the Animal Crossing game, he was always listening to some song from it. Thus Sam Nook was born. He made a little gadget to make the Animal Crossing noises, and dressed up as one of the NPC’s. Complete with little ears and everything.
When Tommy had seen him he had laughed, which was more than Sam had expected. The joy clear on his face was definitely more than enough for him to keep up with the charade. Everytime Tommy came up to him, complaining about each task, but doing it anyway, and doing it well, Sam knew he was doing what he needed to.
When Tommy had gotten angry for him, offering to kill Foolish if he had hurt him Sam knew that he really did love this kid. All Tommy knew was violence, but he held so much love and care in his heart still, and Sam knew he would have to work with him on it, but Sam thought Tommy was great even still. Sam loved Tommy and he knew Tommy loved him.
So when Sam offered to adopt the kid he didn’t understand why the kid was so upset.
“I can't be adopted by you Sam” He had murmured and he wouldn’t meet Sam’s eyes.
“Do you not want to be adopted by me Tommy? It’s ok if you don’t-” Sam’s hands already reaching to calm the teen down.
“It’s not that big man! I do want to be adopted, ya know? It’s just, just. Ya’know.” Tommy said, all his bravado gone from him now.
“I’m afraid I don’t really get what you mean Tommy, want to explain?” Tommy looked up, eyes big and worried.
“I already have a dad. I mean he isn’t really around, cause ya’know, i’m a big man. I can take care of myself, and Wilby was always around, so he didn’t have to be. But i’m pretty sure you can’t adopt someone who already has a dad.” He was rambling, forcing some type of bravado into his voice, trying to make himself seem bigger than he was.
“Tommy, that’s not how parents are supposed to work. He just left you? Who is he, did he ever check in with you?” Sam felt himself filled with worry and outrage. Tommy was 16, and by the sounds of it his ‘father’ had left him alone even before he turned that age.
“Well, you know him, big man! My dad is the great Philza Minecraft himself! That’s right, Phil’s my dad, and Techno’s my brother!” He crowed, hiding behind a mask of cockyness.
“Tommy that’s not ok.” Sam saw the way Tommy’s face dropped at those words, and he rushed to put the smile back on him, “But you realize I can still adopt you, right?”
“R-really?” Tommy’s voice cracked and he cleared his throat, “I mean really big man? You’d do that?”
“Of course I would Tommy, just leave it to me!” Sam smiled, and Tommy launched himself on him with a hug, cries of thank you being uttered into Sam’s shoulder. Sam held him closer, and thought of a few choice words he wanted to say to Mr. Minecraft, but kept it to himself.
With the help of Quackity, and his persuasivness with words, he managed to obtain himself a court date with Eret to obtain custody. Ranboo was sent to deliver the papers for the court date to Phil and Techno, and they all got prepared for the big day to roll around.
When the day came Sam dressed up nicely. He made breakfast for Tommy and left him at the hut that Tommy called home. If Sam lost he didn’t want Tommy to be there to see it.
He greeted Eret and Quackity sat next to him, prepared to act as his lawyer. When Sam had asked him to do this, Quackity had nodded and said that if anyone deserved a family it would be Tommy, and Sam was grateful that there were still people willing to be in the blonde’s corner with him.
They all sat and watched the clock tick down until the time for the court to start hit, and then they waited some more, because Phil didn’t show up. People had started to file into the crowd, Puffy, Tubbo, and Ranboo were sitting right behind Sam, and yet as time went by it was silent on Phil’s end. There wasn’t even a message saying that he was going to be late.
Eventually Eret couldn’t hold on any longer and spoke. “I think considering the fact that the birth father isn’t here, that shows that he doesn’t deserve custody. From here on you, Awesam Dude, have full custody of one Tommy Innit.” Eret smiled down at him then, the happiness that the rest of the room was experiencing reflecting in his eyes. “Treat him well, ok?”
Sam nodded, he would do anything for Tommy, and Eret laughed before coming down from the stands to join them.
“Holy shit,” Big Q was laughing, “Holy shit that was so fucking easy! We did it! You’re a dad Sam!” The excitement was clear in his stance, he looked ready to start doing somersaults.
“So this means Tommy’s gonna live with you now?” Tubbo asked, a smile on his face and hope in his eyes, Puffy and Ranboo flanking him.
“If he wants too. Tommy still has his own house and everything, but there will be a room for him with me if he wants it.” Tubbo nodded thoughtfully and Ranboo just grinned and they all moved out of the court house, sunlight shining in their faces.
“We’ll let you break the news to Tommy, while we get things set up at my house.” Puffy said as they parted ways.
“What do you mean set up?” Sam felt confusion marr his features, trying to remember if he and Puffy had planned something.
“A party, duh! This is a celebration Sam!” Puffy grinned and she ran off, Tubbo and Ranboo waving at him as they followed after her.
He grinned in their direction. Of course Puffy would already be thinking of a celebration. He continued on his way to where he knew Tommy would be waiting for him.
The second he stepped into the house Tommy’s eyes snapped to him and he rushed over like a puppy.
“What happened, what did they say? What am I saying, of course you won, you’re Sam Nook! You won right? Right?” Tommy’s words came like a waterfall and his eyes were boring right into Sam’s.
“Tommy,” He started, not letting anything show on his face and he could see the concern, “if you’ll have me, i’m your new dad.” The reaction was instant. A pair of arms wrapped around him, and soon enough he was slammed into the floor with arms full of lanky teenager.
“I take it, that's a yes?” He laughed and the only response was Tommy’s frantic nodding against his chest. He rubbed Tommy’s hair and smiled down at him. Sam knew things weren’t going to be easy, and Tommy was still on the road to recovery, but for Sam this was enough. It wasn’t perfect, but Sam thought that that might be part of the charm. It was imperfectly perfect.