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Techno was never a social person, far from it in fact. Which is why he found it ironic he was placed in the foster system at such an early age. A system that is known for sending kids to meet random people, force them to live together for several months before the kid gets sent back and the cycle repeats itself.
The young man knew this cycle was going to repeat itself yet again when he peeked his head out into the hallway. His current foster mother's back was to him as she was talking to a social worker. "He's still not talking, much less taking that stupid mask off", she complained, "It's been three months. I can't take the silence anymore; it would be better for both of us if he just went back."
He knew full well it wasn't. The system is cruel, that was practically common knowledge. He wanted to tell her, shout at her, that she was being selfish but he knew it wouldn't do anything but start an argument.
So the boy sighed through his nose as he silently shut the door to the room he was staying in. Techno leaned his back against it as he looked around the room. He wasn't gonna miss this place. The woman was extremely touchy, always trying to hug him and causing him to jolt with anxiety. On top of that, she never respected his boundaries, always asking to see his face from behind the mask he wore or his life with prior foster parents. He hated it. She also had practically shoved him into a renovated closet, hardly enough room for the twin sized bed he could barely fit on and dresser in the room.
Removing his back from the door, he grabbed both bags that hung on the bed frame, a red backpack for school and a maroon duffle bag with everything else. Techno checked the duffle bag over, looking through the items and let out another sigh. He was happy that he always made sure all his belongings were in there, even if it wasn’t much. A week and a half’s worth of clothes, most were now small on him, along with toiletries and a couple hundred dollars, just in case of an emergency. It always had to be filled with essentials, in case of times like this; times where he would be put back into the system.
So, for the next couple of hours he sat on the too small bed without making the tiniest bit of noise. The sound of the two adults talking in the other room was the only thing grounding him to reality as he scratched his skin. What would the new house be like? Would it be a safe space? Would it be another bad one? As he thought the last of the list, his hand went to his nose as his finger traced the mask before he began scratching his arms again..
The voices stopped, causing the young man to snap back to reality. Then, there was a new voice, a man’s voice. Techno couldn’t hear it well from beyond the walls that muffled the conversations he was having with the two others. It was only a few more minutes later when the talking ceased and there was a knock on his door.
Phil was in the kitchen, looking around for food tiredly. Working at home had its perks, but the downside was it was always quiet. Music usually filled his ears but it wasn’t the same as life in the house.
Phil was ultimately a people person at heart and even when the house was extremely quiet in his youth, he always felt relieved that there was always another person. Then in college, he had friends that he still talks to to this day, even when he was traveling the world. Now, back at his childhood home that was devoid of all other life, he was lonely once again.
So, when his phone began buzzing in his pocket, his face broke into a grin, finally being able to talk to someone. Not looking at the number, the man put on a smile and picked up, “Hello, Philza speaking?”
“Yes, Mr. Watson. I’m Devin Fay,” the voice on the phone stated as he could hear another person nearby, tapping their foot incessantly. They sighed before asking, “You are on a list for fostering?”
His heart beat against his chest and his grin grew but he had to keep some semblance of professionality. Messing with his shirt, his eyes glance at the phone by his ear as he asks, “Yes I am, what’s up?”
“I have a kid who needs a house. You are a few towns away but we could really use someone to take him in, would you be able to do that”, they asked and Phil’s hands began to shake in excitement, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
“Absolutely! Address please”, he said, grabbing a pen and paper. Quickly jotting it down and tucking it into his pocket, he said, “I’ll be there as soon as possible, goodbye!”
The car ride was about two hours, only that long because it was hard for Phil to get out of the city, but he drove till he got to the town on the address. Quickly finding the apartment complex he needed and he parked the car and climbed up the stairs.
A knock from Phil’s hand signaled a person opening the door, short blond hair was in a pixie cut as they stared at him with honey brown eyes. The suit they were wearing was a bit intimidating but he didn’t mind. “Hello, Mr. Watson”, they said before inviting him inside where he saw another person.
She had long brown hair and silver eyes glancing at him. Her clothing was a simple hoodie and a pair of mom jeans, cat socks on her feet as she stood there. She quickly nodded to him as the social worker grabbed the paperwork, passing it to him.
“Have you ever fostered a kid before”, the social worker, Devin, asked, glancing at him. The man shook his head, looking up from the paperwork. They sighed, ruffling their hand through their hair, “He’s just… Techno has been in the system for a long time and he isn’t very trusting. He’s quiet and not the most ideal to have if this is your first time fostering.”
Phil looked at the door they were glancing at as he finished signing the papers. He was also given a file about the young man but he honestly didn’t want to read it yet. “It’ll be fine”, he smiled, placing a hand on their shoulder before walking to the door and giving it a firm knock.
The door stood silent for a minute before there was a quick scampering of feet that quietly cracked the door open. Brown eyes had an orange, almost red tinge around them as the young boy stared at him; pale skin hiding behind long, brown hair and a maroon mask that covered the lower half of his face. He looked about twelve, maybe thirteen but he was only a few inches shorter than Phil. His clothes looked terribly small on him, tight around his arms and legs.
“Hey”, Phil greeted, sticking his hand out with a smile. His eyes shimmered as he looked at this kid who would be staying with him for who knows how long. “I’m Phil.”
The young man stared at the man’s hand then back to his face. Only when his eyes returned to Phil’s hand and, without shaking, he said, barely above a whisper, “Techno.”
“Well, Techno, we are going to my house. Do you want some help with your bags?” The young man shook his head no, shutting the door for a second before opening it again with two bags.
Walking out into the hall, the woman looked at the young man with a gigantic smile and waved her hand. “Bye Techno”, she said in the biggest baby talk that made Phil glare. The kid just nodded but Phil saw the anger and relief in his eyes. Following Phil out to the car, Techno put his bags in the back seat before sitting in the front with Phil, causing the older man to smile.
About an hour of silence went by and it was almost suffocating to Phil. Looking at the young man, Phil saw him staring out the window in silence, a look of boredom on his face. “Hey”, Phil spoke, causing the young man to jump. Giving a sympathetic smile, Phil turned his eyes back to the road before asking, “Would you mind if I put on some music; maybe an audiobook?”
“Audiobook”, Techno said, words muffled by the mask he was wearing. His brown eyes changed their glance from the world out of the window to Phil who’s eyes maintained focus on the road.
“Alright, mate. There’s a selection in here”, he said, opening the compartment between him and Techno. The brown haired boy looked down, picking up the variety of DVDs before putting one in. “The Odyssey?” Techno nodded before putting his head back on his hands, eyes shifting to the world going by.
An hour and a half later, when Phil arrived at his house, he turned his head to see the young man sleeping. Phil almost put his hand on Techno’s shoulder, but he thought of how the boy jumped by him simply speaking and how he didn’t shake Phil’s hand. Phil knew something happened, probably enough for this kid to need therapy but it was something he knew Techno couldn’t take immediately. Phil’s hand moved to the lever and put the car in reverse. Driving back down the dark street, Phil was back on the road.
Techno woke up to the car still moving, reddish brown eyes fluttering to see the lights flying by as Phil drove them through this new town with the audiobook still telling the tales of Odysseus. “Hey, you’re finally awake”, Phil said with a large smile, “We’re almost there, don’t worry.” Techno nodded, glancing at the man with confusion.
Phil did not look like most foster parents he had; for one thing, he was much younger. Most foster parents Techno had were at least in their forties, if not much older. Phil appeared to be in his mid twenties, maybe a couple years older, with long, shaggy blond hair. Opal eyes seemed to shine with excitement, but also wisdom, a smile that was like he had seen everything. It was something Techno had seen in elderly fosters, wisdom and experience that typically made them his favorite homes.
Driving for a bit longer, Phil smiled as they pulled into a neighborhood with older houses, all extremely large. Techno was not usually this lucky, being able to live in such a lavish neighborhood was not something he was used to. Phil continued up the road and they soon arrived at a large house Techno couldn’t believe he would be staying at. Large and made of gray stone, it stood two stories tall but there was a clear and visible attic that was able to be seen through a window. Everything had a dark brown trim, making them stand out against the gray and white of the house. “Like it”, Phil asked, “It used to be my parents’.” Pulling up to the driveway, Phil stopped the car as Techno glanced at him. “Ready to go in?” A silent nod came from the boy as they walked indoors.
Inside was just as large as the outside implied, high ceilings and walls painted the color of forest green. Dark oak floors were covered by a maroon rug. “You can take off your shoes if you want”, Phil said, taking them off as he put them in a large woven basket by the door. Doing the same, Techno followed Phil around the house.
The rest of the house had matching walls and floors, and along with the several kinds of exotic plants made the house look like it was an overgrown forest. Along with plants, a lot of the many shelves had different souvenirs from travels around the globe, all from a variety of different cultures.
The kitchen also amazed Techno, large with a small collection of herbs being grown in the kitchen, held in large barrels that looked like kegs of beer from fantasy movies. “They’ve been around a while”, Phil said with a smile, laughing a bit, “I really like gardening, but when I left for college, these were the only ones that stayed alive.”
Phil showed Techno his room last, leaning on the wall against it and knocking on the door, “Here’s your room, bud.” Techno nodded, still silent as he put his hand on the door and cracked it open. “Actually, Techno”. Phil started, looking the young man up and down as he glanced at the older man expectantly. “Do you want to buy new clothes soon? I have a lot of free time so any day is fine”, the blond rambled before Techno gave a small nod, causing Phil’s eyes to dilate in excitement, “Alright! Tell me whenever you want to go, okay?” Another nod came from the brown haired boy, causing Phil to let him go.
Shutting the door, the room was way better than any room he had before; large with what looked like a full sized bed waiting for Techno with a black comforter and pillows. A desk sat next to it, pencils and paper already waiting for him. In between the two was a thin bookshelf, a couple of books sitting there, waiting for him to explore their unfamiliar worlds.
He let his back rest on the mattress, letting the blankets envelop him in a comforting feeling of warmth. Techno removed the maroon mask before immediately covering the lower half of his face with the blanket. Eyes fought to stay open before ultimately giving up and letting the young man get some rest.
It took Philza a couple days before he saw Techno again but the fact another person was in the house made him more comfortable. Phil left food in front of Techno’s room for every meal, not wanting the young man to grow hungry but letting him have his space. Every morning, the plates and cups would appear washed next to the sink, letting him know the young man was alright.
Techno appeared in the doorway of Phil’s office, causing the blond to stand up so he could see the boy and give him his undivided attention. “Um, you mentioned shopping”, he started, fidgeting with his hands as he looked at Phil, “Can we do that soon?”
Phil nodded, saying, “Yeah, we can do that today if you want. There are plenty of shops in town; want to do that today?” Techno shrugged and Phil nodded, “Okay, how about you get ready and we meet up in half an hour? I am almost done with this section.” Techno nodded before quietly leaving.
Sure enough, half an hour later they were at the front door, ready to leave. They continued their audiobook as they drove into the town. It was average size but the fact it was so close to two other towns made the three of them feel like one big city.
They arrived at a large shopping mall, Techno seemed shocked by the large number of people, sticking surprisingly close to Phil. They walked through lots of different stores. What also surprised Phil was Techno’s fashion style; the young man chose button ups and red sweaters, black pants that fit perfectly around Techno made him look so much more comfortable.
The two walked around, looking at the comforters for Techno. Phil wouldn’t admit it but a lot of the stuff in Techno’s room were hand me downs from his old room when he was in his junior year. The young man had picked out a red one before stepping away for the first time that day. Phil’s eyes followed the kid to some stuffed animals, watching as Techno picked up a stuffed pig, petting it and giving it a quick hug before placing it back. So, when Techno said he had to use the bathroom later, Phil sneakily bought the plushie, hiding in one of the large clothes bags for a later time.
“Techno”, Phil said when they got in the car, not yet on. Techno looked at him with a tired look. Phil went through the bags in the back, pulling out the pig and handing it to him. Techno’s eyes widened in wonder as Phil handed the soft pig to the young man. Techno embarrassed the fluffy exterior, the fidgeting with his hands turning into messing with the pig’s legs. Phil gave a small chuckle as he put the car in reverse and began to pull out of the parking lot.
“Look”, Phil started, eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel as they talked, “you have to go to school soon. I’m giving you two more weeks but I want you to decide in the next few weeks if you want to go to public or private school.”
“Public”, Techno said immediately, thoughts of how much a private school cost made Techno nervous, especially if he would be leaving in a couple months at most.
“Alright”, Phil smiled, looking at Techno with eyes that seemed to read him like a book before reassuring, “if that’s what you want.”
The day before Techno went to school, Phil was nervously standing in front of Techno’s door. One hand was at the door while another was holding a box. Taking a deep breath, Phil gave a quick knock, “Techno, may I come in?”
A hum came from behind the door, causing Phil to enter the room with a smile. Techno was sitting there, book open and a mask on his face. Walking over and sitting down, Phil placed the box on the bed.
Techno carefully grabbed it, looking at Phil nervously. “Go on ahead, it’s nothing bad.” Nodding, Techno removed the yarn tying the gift, Techno messing with it a bit. It was a mesmerizing shade of burgundy, super soft and fluffy that made Techno smile a bit from behind the mask.
Opening it, he saw a scarf, made out of the same material as the yarn. Techno ran his fingers over it, Phil noticed how his eyes seemed to dilate and he could see his cheeks rise a bit, implying the young man enjoyed the gift.
“I don’t think the school will let you wear a mask and I know you like your face covered so I made you a scarf.” Techno was still messing with it, a small chuckle came from him causing Phil to stand, “You go back to whatever you were doing, alright?”
Walking towards the door, Techno looked at the older man. His hands were shaking as he held the scarf in them, fingers running over the soft, red yarn. “Phil?”
The blond stopped in his tracks, his hand placed on the doorway turning around to face the kid sitting there, “Yeah, mate?”
“Thank you”, he mumbled, hiding behind his hair. His eyes welled up with small tears he dared not let slip in case Phil saw, “this is the nicest thing anyone has done for me…”
Phil’s heart melted as he smiled. He couldn’t help but feel a small tinge of sadness at Techno’s words but he spoke softly, “no problem, mate. Get some rest, you have a big day in the morning.”
Sure enough, the next day came and Techno was in public school. Every day Techno came home silent and tired, immediately passing out on his bed whenever he got home and was up all night. Phil couldn’t blame him, school was tiring and, whenever Phil stayed up, he always saw Techno trying to work.
It became a regular rhythm for the next few months and this was one of those days, where at seven, the light was fleeting from the outside. Phil was working in his office, typing away at his computer. He had been working on a new project and he just finished the planning stages.
From out of nowhere, he heard shouting, causing him to stand up, running out towards the door. Outside Techno’s room, Phil knocked once or twice before opening the door, seeing Techno crying, rustling in the sheets, seemingly trying to fight something off, “Techno!”
No response came as Phil tried to wake the boy up, not wanting to touch him as his mind raced with thought. Would that make it easier? Would that make the nightmare worse? Would it ruin the relationship the two had barely made? He decided not to, sitting at the foot of the bed and staring at the boy as he fought off whatever was in his nightmare.
Techno sat upright half an hour later to see a crying Phil look at him. “Techno, oh thank god mate… You alright”, Phil sighed, wiping the tears from his eyes before looking at the kid.
Techno sighed, grabbing his mask and putting it on his face. The room was dimly lit so it made it hard for Phil to see his face, the thought relaxing the young man.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Techno shook his head, the long brown threads he called hair waving from side to side. “Okay, alright… Can you speak?” Once again, Techno shook his head. Phil thought for a second, looking for a solution. “Come on. I wanna take you somewhere.” Techno stood up shaking, taking the blanket and stuffed pig with him.
Neither bothering to put on shoes, they walked out to the car, sitting in the front seat, Techno put on the new audiobook, once again another Ancient Greek story. The tale of Heracles rang through his ears but he couldn’t focus on them with other words, voices in his head. All sounds of previous foster parents and bullies, telling him of his inadequacies. He couldn’t help but wonder when Phil would do the same as every single foster parent?
“We’re here”. Techno looked up from the stuffed pig in his arms to see them standing at a small beach,the moon and stars shining down on it as if they were smiling at him. Phil stepped out, taking two large blankets and pillows out of the trunk of the car. Waddling down, Phil let the blankets rest on the ground before the two let their heads of the same on the pillows.
The sound of the wildlife and crashing waves filled Techno’s ears instead of the intolerable voices, soothing his soul as he stared up at the stars. “Look”, Phil said, a small smile on his face, “I completely understand not talking about your issues with me but I feel like I am not experienced enough to help you with this.” Techno turned to Phil, seeing him look up at the sky with a few tears in his eyes. “I know I absolutely hated my parents when they put me into therapy without asking”, Phil said tiredly, “But it really did help. You don’t have to start now but think about it, okay? It really helped me with my issues.”
Techno could hardly believe that Phil needed therapy at one time. He seemed so together, so experienced in life that Techno honestly couldn’t grasp. “What issues?” Phil smiled, looking at him with a smile. “You don’t have to answer”, Techno started but Phil laughed.
“It’s fine, mate. Well, I just caused a lot of trouble. It was hard to get attention growing up and that was the easiest way. Then my parents just gave up and sent me to therapy. Made me realize I don’t need other people's opinions weighing me down.”
Techno nodded, his hair covering his face and what didn’t was covered by his mask and knees. Hugging the soft pig plush in his arms before saying just above a whisper, “thank you.”
“No problem, mate”, he stated kindly, “Do you want to stay out here for a bit longer?” Techno nodded, looking up at the stars. The next couple hours was Phil teaching Techno the different constellations and the two talking about the myths correlated with them.
Then, Phil took the two of them home, letting Techno go back to bed as Phil walked to his office. On the desk in the corner was Techno’s file, something Phil hadn’t read since the day he got Techno, letting it sit there for the past month to gather dust. His hand reached for it, wanting answers to his questions but his fingers flinched once they got too close. Taking a sigh, he picked it up and threw it into his desk drawer, a place he would hopefully forget about it being so it wouldn’t tempt him again.
Two months of Techno going to this school is what it took for teachers to call him for a conference to talk about Techno’s grades and behaviors. So, that morning, Phil knocked on the door of the young man. Quickly, it opened and Techno was there, mask on and hands over the scarf he wore daily.
“Hey, I have a meeting with your teachers today; it’ll be after school so you can either stick with me after school or you can ride the bus home so you can rest. Your pick.” Techno thought for a second before saying, “I’ll ride home.” Phil nodded, letting the boy finish his routine before driving him to school.
Six hours later, Phil returned to the brick building, the place making him growl at how terrible it seemed. It was at that moment he finally understood why his parents took him to a private school. The place looked like a prison, little windows to let light in and a flat roof to make it seem like it was just placed there. The local private school was at least more like a university, with a large campus with multiple buildings, also with smaller classes.
Signing into the office, Phil soon found the meeting room he was asked to come to. It was white, with stone gray floors that made the room feel barren and lifeless. Seven teachers and the assistant principal sat there, a seat waiting for him which he took graciously.
“Mr. Watson, as Technoblade’s legal guardian, we need to talk to you about your child’s recent behaviors”, the vice principal said, causing Phil to nod. One of the teachers he recognized as Techno’s math instructor spoke up, “He doesn’t seem to pay attention in most of our classes. He doesn’t talk at all and most of our classes require participation. It would tank his grade to begin with but the half finished assignments are not helping.”
“I get that,” Phil stated bluntly, not trying to be rude but definitely didn’t have the energy to deal with this. “He doesn’t talk unless necessary at home so I wouldn’t expect that here.”
The teachers continued to talk, all having complaints about his kid that made Phil’s blood boil but he tried his hardest to keep a level headed demeanor. They talked about how Techno would talk back, argue with them when he thought an answer was wrong and wouldn't be polite to other students either. “If it’s okay for me to ask, what kind of help have you offered Techno?” At that moment, every teacher went silent, causing Phil to stand up, “that’s what I thought. Now if you don’t mind, I want to talk to my child.”
As Phil strolled out the door, the vice principal spoke again, “Mr. Watson?” His eyes glared as he turned, his hair puffing up and his body twitched, like a bird ruffling its feathers. “Yes?”
“Our school librarian wanted to speak with you too.” Phil nodded before walking out, letting the door slam behind him.
He found the library easily enough, walking inside to see a sweet older woman with knowing eyes smile at him. “I assume you are Techno’s father?” The words filled his chest with pride, causing him to nod. “Your son is a wonderful boy but I need to talk to you in private,'' she said, gesturing to the camera near the door.
Following along, she led Phil to her office. The two sitting down on other sides of the desk. “He is incredibly bright but I don’t think this school can do anything to help nurture that.” Phil was taken back by how blunt this woman was but he had to agree with her. “He reminds me of my grandsons, all of which are not neurotypical. Have you ever thought about getting him tested?”
“Yes, but I am waiting for him to be more comfortable before I bring it up.”
She nodded before saying, “The school won’t help him without an official diagnosis and a 504 plan, even then half his teachers won’t care. It’s how the system works but he is a really smart kid. So, I suggest you take him to the local private school. They are more willing to help, I promise you.”
Phil laughed a bit, saying, “I know, they put up with me for twelve years.”
She laughed, digging a book out and handing it to Phil, “Take this to him. He has checked it out several times and I thought he should keep it. I’ll get the school to order a new one.”
Phil took the book graciously, looking over the cover and seeing it was another mythology book causing a small smile to appear on his face. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you. Not every day I get to meet such a talented young man,” she stated.
Phil walked towards the door when he noticed something small on the ground. Blood. Quickly bolting inside the house, Phil ran into Techno’s room to see the young man without his mask or scarf for the first time. His eye was covered by his hand and blood slowly poured out of his nose and mouth. “Techno?”
The young man stopped in his tracks, looking at Phil mortified before covering his face in his hands, trying to grab his mask. “Techno, what happened?”
Phil ran to his side but Techno shrugged him off, “I’m fine.” The blood dripped down onto the bed through his fingers, tears welling up in his eyes. He turned his head away from Phil, "seriously, I'm fine. Go away."
“No you are obviously not and I wasn’t asking.” Techno stayed silent as Phil panicked, looking at his son with worry. “Come on, we’re going to the hospital.” Techno argued but Phil looked at him firmly, “I have never forced you into anything. I don’t like it but this is one of the few times I have to. Let’s go.”
They arrived at the hospital not long after and doctors immediately started looking at the young man as Phil filled out paperwork before watching Techno closely. It took doctors nearly fifteen minutes to convince the young man to remove the mask but when he did, Phil was surprised at what he saw.
His son was extremely handsome but his entire lower half of his face was covered in really bad acne, some spots bleeding from something rubbing against or being hit too hard. A thick scar went over his nose, where the edge of his mask normally sat covering it. Another scar sat against his right cheek, the same deep cut as the scar on his nose.
His canines were sharper and longer than what most people have but it is kinda cute. When the doctors made him remove his shirt, more scars covered the boy’s back. That’s when it finally clicked in Phil’s head that his kid needed more help than he thought.
“Mr. Watson?” Phil’s head turned from his resting son to the nurse who gestured him outside. “Is everything alright at home? Don’t lie to me, those scars are terrible. They probably didn’t heal properly.”
“Yeah, but he has only been living with me for about three months.” His eyes glanced at the door, heart worrying about his kid as he stated, “I don’t know how he got them, though.”
She nodded before saying, “Does he always wear that mask?” Phil nodded, causing her to sigh, “Yeah, that needs to stop. It’s causing a terrible build up of acne, it’s getting infected and it can cause permanent scarring on his skin. He may hate it but it needs to be done.” Phil nodded before taking the lists of prescriptions and walking back in.
When Techno woke up, Phil was overjoyed but he sat at the foot of his bed. Techno was ready for screaming or shouting, trying to hide his face. After this, Phil would send him away for sure. “Hey”, Phil said softly, looking at Techno with a small smile. “Let’s go. I hate it here.”
Techno looked at him, eyes about ready to spill tears. That’s it? No yelling? No mentioning his scars? Techno didn’t believe it. Phil was just waiting till they got home, then he was going to be packing bags and leaving a place he had finally grown an attachment to.
The two walked out to the car but Phil didn’t drive home. He drove them through the streets before stopping. Techno’s eyes widen as he sees the beach. Phil silently grabbed their stuff as Techno scurried out, letting his feet feel the sand. Phil smiled a bit as they watched the moon rise over the water, unfolding the soft pieces of fabric.
The two sat there in silence, letting the waters of the sea and the nearby wildlife relax them before Phil asked, “do you want to talk about why you were in the hospital?”
Techno shook his head before his heart made him say, “some kids who have been picking on me apparently ride my bus. While I was walking home they ganged up on me, took off my mask and...”
Tears fell from the young man’s eyes when Phil took a hand and rubbed them away. Techno looked at him shocked before leaning into the warmth of Phil’s hand, a small smile appearing on his face. At that moment, all his problems seemed to disappear. “It just sucked. I fought them.”
“Give them what they deserve and more?” Techno’s eyes glanced at Phil in surprise, not expecting such an answer out of him. Phil stayed silent though as he waited for an answer.
Techno chuckled a bit, “Yeah.” His smile was small and his canines stuck out a bit. It was crooked and imperfect but somehow perfect at the same time. Phil’s eyes widened at the realization that this very moment was the first time he ever saw his kid smile.
“G-good,” Phil sputtered out, eyes transfixed at what he saw before him and wanting to keep it forever.
The two enjoyed the silence for a few minutes before Phil said, “We have to talk about a few things.” Techno nodded, causing Phil to start. “First, we are switching schools. I know you wanted public school but your librarian and I both said it was a better choice for you. You can change your mind when you start high school but for now, private school.”
Techno looked at him with a bit of confusion, “Ms. Sophie?” He liked her. She had the same energy as Phil, the relaxed kind that knew far beyond her years and a very direct tone.
“Is that her name,” Phil asked, crossing his arms and subconsciously leaning towards his kid in interest.
Techno hummed, untucking his chest and sitting crossed legged on the blanket they laid out. “Yeah, she insists on students calling her that instead of her last name.”
A smile grew on Phil’s face, “well, yeah. She also suggested you get tested for being neurodivergent, which I agree with. Your teachers all said you get distracted too easily and your grades are plummeting.” Techno nodded before he mumbled in agreement.
Phil smiled, looking at his kid with tired eyes, “there is nothing wrong with being neurodivergent. It gives you strengths and weaknesses, just like everyone else. I am, there’s nothing wrong with me, is there?” Techno shook his head.
Then Phil said, “Number two, the doctors said no more masks. It’s bad for you but I’m letting you wear the scarf to school. Alright?” Techno grumbled, not wanting to part with it until Phil said, “I get you don’t like the scars but you are so handsome, I doubt anyone will care. If they do, fuck them. It’s not their business.”
Techno stared at Phil with admiration, softly saying, “alright, fine.”
Phil smiled before saying, “Lastly, you and I have to start looking for a therapist. I want to help you but I know I can’t help you with everything. Is that alright?” Techno nodded before leaning his head on Phil’s shoulder, eyes transfixed on the waves crashing on the shoreline.
Phil’s eyes widened, looking at Techno before slowly wrapping his arm around the boy’s small frame. The two sat in silence for the next half an hour, the water and animals being the only noises from the world before driving home.
The next two weeks Phil and Techno spent a lot of time together, mostly in Techno’s room because he felt more comfortable there. The two spent a lot of time looking through therapists, not yet deciding on one for Techno to go see.
Besides that, Techno also finally got tested and the list of mental disorders was long and lengthy. Depression, Social Anxiety, Regular Anxiety, Body Dysmorphia, Face Dysmorphia, ADHD, PTSD, the list just seemed to go on and on but Phil helped Techno through it all. He also got Techno glasses while they were out, finding perfect ones for his kid. All the new medication scared Techno but it honestly made the next two weeks the most relaxed and productive weeks of his life
Now here they were, dropping Techno off at the new school for his first day. Techno was quieter than normal, the audiobook played as Phil noticed the young man’s hands shaking. “You got this”, he smiled, putting his hand out which Techno obliged, placing his hand gingerly into Phil’s. They sat in silence for a minute before Techno sighed, walking out of the car. “Have a good day, mate.” He only got a nod for response before he wandered to his first class, a map clutched in his hands.
Techno was pleasantly surprised at his day at this new school. The introductions in every class were nerve wracking but the classes themselves were interesting. Teachers taught outside the box and with the smaller class sizes, everything felt more personal.
So, at the end of the day, Phil couldn’t help but give a wide grin when he saw Techno’s smile return after they left the parking lot and took off his mask. “So, I’m guessing the day went well?”
He nodded, leaning his back against the seat and looking at Phil, his reddish brown eyes giving a small shimmer. “Really well.”
Two weeks after school began the two finally found a good therapist for Techno, with good reviews and ratings. She wasn’t far from Techno’s school either so it was an easy drive after class for Techno to get there.
She was pretty young, with dyed red hair and shining blue eyes. Her clothing was more relaxed than professional, with a large sweater over top, a black skirt, flats to match.
“Hey, you must be Techno. How are you?” The young man flinched at her excitement, and she grabbed a pen and paper. She was bubbly and loud, but she was at least endearing.
“Nice to meet you, Dr. Picani,” the boy said, not putting his hand out but nodding as a greeting, “I’m Techno.”
“Please, call me Amelia. Dr. Picani is my brother.” The two sat down on the beanie bag chairs in her room, a couple plushies sitting around them. Techno picked up the small pig plushie, smiling as it reminded him of the one he had at home. “So, Techno, tell me about yourself.”
The young man stayed silent and his eyes staring at his lap, trying to think of what to say without saying too much. What could he tell her? Would she tell Phil? His mind raced for a second before the sound of something being placed on the chair awakened him to reality. Her hand moved when he realized it was there, a small smile on her face. “Tell me everything, this is a safe place. I promise I won’t tell anyone, including your dad.”
Her last word rang in his ears but his heart sped up at the thought. Phil? His dad? The thought made a small smile appear on his face as he turned his attention back to her. She smiled reassuringly and something in him said to do it.
So he told her everything. His family life from before the foster system, the scars he earned, the trauma from the foster system and prior foster parents. Then he got to Phil.
“This is the first place I feel safe,” he said in a small voice, biting his tongue as he fought back tears. “I love it here and I don’t want to go. Phil’s nice to me and… I’m scared. I’m scared that he will get enough of me and he’ll send me away again.”
For the first time in a long while, the boy broke out into a heavy sob, and Amelia smiled softly. “Techno, you deserve good things,” she spoke, her tone soft and quiet but the words caught him off guard, “you don’t need to worry, I don’t think Phil will be giving you up any time soon. What you are doing is jumping to conclusions; has Phil ever said or done anything that would’ve hinted at that?”
Techno looked at her, her smile soft and tender as she waited for his response. He shook his head, making even more tears fall down his cheeks. “See? It’s something that anxiety does and it’s something you need to catch and ask yourself if it actually makes sense.”
Not long later, Techno was sitting in Phil’s car, exhausted from the day he had. Phil smiled as he drove them through town, parking the car when they arrived at a small ice cream parlor. “Come on”, Phil called, hopping out of the car and the two walked inside.
Techno took a sip of his chocolate milkshake, glancing at Phil who had a mouthful of chocolate chip cookie dough in his mouth. “Good job on your first day of therapy, mate. How did it go?”
“It was alright”, Techno spoke, trying to hide himself in the booth so no one saw his face, “we talked about ourselves. She apparently has a brother who is also a therapist and they both like cartoons.”
Phil nodded, taking another large mouthful of the frozen dessert and letting it melt on his tongue. “That’s cool. Do you like her? We can always find a different therapist.”
At that statement, Techno shook his head, “No, I like her.”
“Okay then,” Phil spoke, eyes widened at the fact his kid jumped to her defense so quickly, “drink up. We both have a lot of work to do and it’s already getting late.”
Another two weeks later, after a particularly long day, Phil was in his office. He had been emailing an artist back and forth for his most recent project and he wanted it to be just right.
Half way through writing, Phil heard thrashing and screams from down the hall. It was nothing new, it happened every couple of weeks but it never got easier for Phil.
Running into Techno’s room, he saw the young man already woken up, panting as he clutched his stuffed pig for dear life. “Hey mate”, Phil said, sitting down next to the young man, only to be engulfed in a hug. Phil kept his arms out, knowing Techno didn’t like to be touched but this was the first time they had ever hugged. “Can I hug you?”
He felt the young man’s face go up and down against his chest as he sobbed. Softly wrapping his arms around his kid, he softly played with Techno’s hair, shocked at how soft it is. The two sat like that for a couple minutes, letting Phil’s steady breathing calm Techno’s rapid heartbeat.
Slowly, Techno calmed down, removing himself from Phil’s arms as the two quietly sat. Looking at Techno, Phil could see his kid shaking, finger tracing the scar on his nose. “Come on”, he said, trying to interrupt Techno’s thoughts, “We got some ice cream in the freezer. I’ll make us some milkshakes.” Techno nodded, wrapping the maroon blanket around himself and holding the plushie close before they walked downstairs.
Phil started pouring the milk, ice cream and chocolate syrup into the blender before combining everything together. Pouring it into two cups, Phil passed one to Techno who just stared down at it. The two sat in silence, before Techno asked, “Can we talk about it?” Phil gave a warm, knowing smile as he led the young man over to the couch.
“You want to talk,” Phil stated, looking at his son with a sense of warmth but also surprise, “are you sure? I’m okay with it but I just want to make sure you are.”
A small nod came from Techno, looking at the stuffed animal and hummed. “I… I wasn’t in the best housing growing up. My dad was an ass, my mom was gone. Then…” Techno stopped, fingers running over the scars on his face. Phil immediately understood what he was talking about and it made his blood boil. Phil might not have had a good relationship with his parents, but at least they never laid a finger on him. “I was then sent around the foster home to foster home and here I am today.”
Phil nodded, a soft smile appeared on his face. “Thank you for telling me, Techno.” He nodded, resting his head on Phil’s shoulder. The man smiled, putting his arm around the child like a bird putting its wing around a chick. “Wanna watch a movie?” He felt the rustling of a head next to him. Picking up the remote, the two searched through the armada of movies and TV shows before deciding on Bambi.
A couple of minutes into the film, Phil heard the soft sound of snoring next to him. Looking at the kid next to him, his hair rested over his face and his eyes gently closed shut. His face was relaxed and it made Phil feel at peace. Putting a pillow in his lap and taking a blanket from the side of the couch, he let Techno properly rest as he softly played with his hair. “Good night, little prince.”
A couple weeks later, Techno was at his school library, examining the shelves with vigor. He had read through most of the mythology books along with a variety of fantasy novels since he had come to the school. The books slowly shifted from being thick books to soft and thin binding, more homemade and rustic.
Flipping through them, Techno saw how old some of them were, all written poorly, like these were kids’ first books. The name of the section gave Techno the answers he was looking for. On a custom wood sign carved to say ‘The Authors of L’Manburg Preparatory’s Past and Present’.
Techno smiled softly when he saw fliers for the schools clubs and sports, but something in this section set him off. A variety of published books were also in this section. Picking one up, Techno’s eyes widened at the author’s name and reading through the rest of them, they all shared the same name.
That afternoon, Phil sat in the car, waiting for his kid to come into the car. When he saw his kid marching out of the school, he thought for sure today was a bad day. He was surprised when Techno dropped a book in his lap before the teen crossed his arms. Phil picked it up before a wide smile grew on his face, “I thought you knew.”
At that comment, Techno threw his arms in the air before dryly saying, “how was I supposed to know you’re a writer Phil?! You never told me!”
Phil chuckled at the boy’s response, “Sorry.” Techno grumbled as he shrunk in his seat. Phil looked at his boy before turning his eyes to the road. “Look”, he started, “I’m going to be releasing my next book in two months. I will give it to you a week early to make up for it. Am I forgiven?” Techno nodded, a small smile on his face. He picked up the book from Phil’s lap and began reading.
Phil noticed something else in the boy’s lap. Slowly reaching over and, with Techno tilting so he could pick it up, he asked, “Are you interested in any clubs?”
“Umm, yeah.” Techno looked at his father figure as they pulled into the driveway, pulling on the skin on his hands before saying, “the writing club and the fencing team.”
Phil’s grin grew, looking at Techno as he pulled the keys out of the ignition, “that’s awesome, mate. They train you, right?”
Techno nodded, “It’s too late in the year for me to join but the coach is doing training over the summer. I’m still not sure if I’m going to do it though.” Phil looked at Techno, softly and slowly pressing his hand on Techno’s shoulder, his smile growing when the boy didn’t flinch. “I think you should. You would look fantastic in a fencing uniform, mate.”
Techno blushed at the praise as Phil handed him back the flier, “Go on upstairs. You got school work and I have to keep writing. We’ll watch a movie later?” Techno nodded, running up stairs to continue his homework. Phil slowly followed suit, going to his study.
A month flew by and Techno couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t due to night terrors like it usually was, just the fact the house was getting too hot with summer fast approaching. The weighted blanket he bought with Phil was just making him even hotter. The boy grumbled as he crawled out of his bed, wandering down the hall and stairs, heading towards the kitchen.
On the way, he saw Phil, asleep on the couch with a laptop on his lap. His blond hair was thrown over the side of the couch, head dangling on the arm rest in what had to be an uncomfortable position.
Techno stopped, changing his directory for the blond. Grabbing and shutting the laptop, he set it off to the side. He grabbed Phil’s feet and moved him a bit to make him more comfortable.
Running to the closet and grabbing pillows and blankets, he tucked the sleeping man in, even setting up a spot for himself on the other end of the sectional. Taking Phil’s cup of coffee, the boy ran to the kitchen, draining and putting it in the dishwasher.
Grabbing a cup of water for himself, Techno turned off the lights and walked over to the couch. Stopping at his father figure, Techno softly kissed his head, “night, dad.”
He nearly slapped himself at the remark, his cheeks turning a bright red. He bit his tongue but sat down on the other end, drinking the cold water to calm himself until the glass was empty. Those thoughts distracted him until the boy fell asleep.
Two months have passed since Techno made its promise with Phil. So, one Saturday, when the sky was crying harder and the waves from the ocean were crashing louder than ever, Phil and Techno were sitting in the house.
Phil looked at his kid from the cracked door, wondering if he wanted to give him the book. His fingers clenched over the book’s spine and cover but he bit his tongue. “Hey, Techno?”
The boy looked up, seeing Phil holding the book, eyes widening at the realization. “The official signing and release of my book is next week so you finally get your book.” Phil moved to sit at the edge of the bed, handing the boy his book.
Techno looked over the cover in awe. A boy, probably in his late teens stood on the cover, flowing pink hair behind him that was tied back. A red cape was strapped across his shoulders as the boy looked out over the twisted forest. At the bottom, it said ‘The Blade, First Book in the Adopted series; Written by Philza Watson.’ When he opened it, he saw a little message written, “To the boy who has changed my life.”
Techno looked back up at Phil, pulling him into a hug, “Thank you.” Phil looked surprised, wrapping his arms around the boy and tears rolling across both of their faces, “No problem, kiddo.”
A week later and Techno was almost done with the book, only a couple chapters left. Over that time, Techno learned the main character, who’s name is Byron Rapier, had lots of similar aspects to Techno, including keeping his face covered by a scarf, the love of reading, and the wanting to learn about swords. Techno absolutely loved the book and he didn’t want it to end.
Phil was sitting in the living room, his boy sitting next to him as he slipped on his socks. Phil’s typical clothes of either t-shirts or yukata were now replaced with a green sweater that was tucked into black pants.
Phil looked over to his kid, reading the book he had given him, noting the last few pages, “Are you sure you don’t want to come to the book signing?”
Techno nodded, glancing up from the compelling pages of the book to see Phil looking awkward, causing a small smile to spread across his face. “Yeah, have fun.”
Phil sighed, eyes staring at his kid’s look before looking down at his outfit. “I think I look pretty good,” he said, looking down at his kid and putting a hand on Techno’s long, brown hair, “love you, mate.”
“Love you too,” Techno said, eyes turning his head back to the novel in his hands and letting himself be completely engrossed in the novel once again.
Techno spent the next hour or so reading, the ending causing him to shed a few more tears at the ending the protagonist was given; a large castle on the edge of the water, much like their own house had. The man lived alone, finally able to relax in this fantasy world after his dangerous quest to dismantle the broken government.
When he was about to put the book down, he managed to see an envelope superglued to the interior cover, a wax stamp shown. Techno carefully removed the stamp, taking out several papers that he recognized. Tears fell from the boy's eyes as he set them down, shaking hands wrapped around himself.
Phil returned home not long later and Techno was standing in the doorway, eyes red and puffy from tears. “Do you mean it”, Techno whispered as Phil walked up the driveway.
Opal eyes looked at his kid with a confused look before seeing the book in Techno’s left hand and papers in his right, causing his brain to connect the dots and his eyes to soften. “Mate, I wanted to be here when you read it.”
“Did you mean it”, Techno’s voice echoed against the stone walls, cinnamon colored eyes looking at Phil as tears once again rolled down his face, “did you mean this?! Are you really going to adopt me?
“Yes, yes I do.” Techno instinctually jumped from the stairs and to the front yard. Arms wrapping his arms around his father tightly, making Phil begin crying as well. “So, can I adopt you?”
He felt Techno nod against his chest and the two sat on the grass, the two sobbing in each other's embrace, “Yes, yes! I love you, dad.”
“I love you too, Techno.”
It was almost the end of summer and everything was perfect. Techno started his fencing lessons, enjoying them to no end and being quite talented. The adoption went swimmingly, the two slowly becoming used to calling each other father and son.
The two were now sitting down on their beach in the middle of August, eating a baked potato dinner in the sunset. Techno took a sip of his milkshake with his eyes transfixed on the waves, as Phil said, “Hey, Techno?” The boy nodded. “I was wondering, if you were alright with us fostering another kid?” Before another word could come out, Techno nodded. “Are you sure?”
Again, another nod as Techno looked at Phil, his reddish brown eyes meeting Phil’s pastel blue ones. “Yeah, I don’t mind. Kids should be as lucky as I am.”
Tears filled Phil’s eyes as he pulled his kid in for a hug, placing a soft kiss on his head as cheeks spilled down his cheeks and onto Techno’s hair.
“Thank you.”