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It doesn’t happen often, but it happens enough that Technoblade is no stranger to nights like these. Loud voices being thrown back and forth, with barbed words set up with the intent to sting and catch on hidden insecurities. They sound muffled, he guesses they’re downstairs this time, the ceiling thick enough to warp the noise and render the words unintelligible. It’s enough to light a small flame of annoyance in his chest, frustration curling around his half asleep mind.
He lays there for a good few minutes, in the darkness of his room, mentally debating whether he needed to break them up before anyone could be truly hurt or things that couldn’t be taken back were thrown in heated rage. A soft groan worms it’s way out of his throat. He knows he has to stop them. He doesn’t want them to wake his youngest sibling with their shouts, the boy was too young to be faced with this level of intense emotion.
The thought of Tommy spurs the Piglin into action, and he throws his covers off of himself, pulling himself up and to the side of his bed- his muscles twinged as he stands. Shrugging on the cape he left over the end of his bed to keep the nights chill at bay, he made his way towards the ruckus with the air of a man too numb to this kind of thing. As the door opens, the voices immediately become clearer, and words start to form in the biting anger.
“- such a clingy brat! I don’t have time -“
“When do you ever have time for anyone but yourself you stuck up- “
“You boys are old enough now-.. needs to stop acting so childish-“
“-He is a Child you piece of-“
A sense of foreboding settled deep in his chest, as he made his way down, hearing a few thuds that sounded like a fist meeting a table, or a wall.
He hurried his pace.
Stepping into their darkened living room, he could see the faint light from the kitchen, silhouettes of Wilbur and Phil dancing back and forth as they fought.
“- Kid is barely average, I can’t waste time -“
“-you dare call him shit like that, he tries his god-damned best! -“
A small movement near the door caught his eye, he focused sharply, bringing the image of his youngest brother cowering in the dark, tears pouring down his face and hands tightly pressed over his ears. His heart twisted painfully at the sight, and a rage he had never truly felt before boiled in his gut. Crossing the room almost like a shadow, He kneels before the boy, his own calloused hands coming to rest on Tommy’s own smaller, softer hands, with a rare gentleness. The blond boy was startled at the touch, bright blue eyes snapping to the Piglins face.
“- I never even wanted the kid, Wilbur! “
“-the best thing that ever happened to this family Phil, how dare- “
He pulled the boy to his chest, feeling him shake with tremors that only came from deep within, Tommy’s smaller arms latching as far around Techno as they could. Pressing his face into the boys mop of hair, he spent a second murmuring soft reassurance, arms coming around to completely swamp the boy, cape being pulled along to bundle him close. His shirt was getting damp with tears, and after a couple more violent thuds from the Kitchen, he pulled the boy into his arms as he stood.
Anger burned.
He found himself stomping his way into the kitchen, door banging as he kicked it open, effectively silencing both sides of the pointless spat. He must look as angry as he feels because the rooms occupants both seem to shrink away, eyes averting in an effort not to catch attention,
It doesn’t work.
Philza, his often absent father was a couple feet from Wilbur, still dressed as though he had just walked in from his months long adventure to Ender knows where, shame colouring his expression as he catches sight of the child bundled in Technos arms. Wilbur is in a similar state, but the shame is laced with concern- his twin quickly ignoring his fear of Technoblades anger to crowd closer to the youngest, brows pinched in worry as he cups the boy's face and wipes the tears away with his thumbs.
“Oh Tommy..”
The words are filled with pain at the knowledge his brother has heard the awful things being said, and Tommy can do nothing but respond with panicked, choked sobs. Techno is loathe to leave the boy as upset as he is but he doesn’t want the boy to be in the middle of this any longer, so he relinquishes the boy to his Twin, and Grunts an order to get the boy in his room and stay with him. His eyes follow them as they leave, Wilbur pressing Tommy close like a precious treasure, the youngest face buried into the mustard yellow sweater as he sobs.
—
Phil had left after Techno had laid out his anger, spoken in low growling tones, the words sharpened and hurtful. Technoblade was usually more considerate of his words; but he was well versed in crafting verbal weapons made to dig in and twist at a person before they could do so to him. After taking a minute to simmer himself down, he makes his way to where his Brothers are waiting for him.
The room is quiet as he pushes the door to, the room bathed in the light of a dying candle on the window sill. Wilbur was curled up at the top of Tommy’s bed, cradling the youngest to his chest, a hand running through the untamed mess of blond. Tommy looked wrecked, tears will staining his red cheeks, expression pinched as he slept, hands latched onto his brothers sweater with an iron grip.
Wilbur met Technos eyes as the Piglin drifted closer, climbing onto the bed to settle next to his twin, pressing his weight into his side in a way that made the other relax, letting his head tilt to lay against his brothers. They sat for a while in silence, listening to the raspy breath of their youngest brother and the spitting of the candle as it burned down.
“I’m Sorry..He was never meant to hear us..- I thought if he woke up, he would have gone to you, or we would have heard it”
The words were uttered with regret, and Techno huffs at them, knocking his brothers head gently with his own.
“I know it wasn’t your fault, Wil. Philza probably set you off..He knows how to push your buttons”
A hollow chuckle. “I only asked if he would be staying for Tommy’s birthday… Gremlin has been asking for weeks if Philza Minecraft would be at his party” a noise of disgust and Wilbur was shaking his head. “Stupid man started making excuses and throwing insults, and I couldn’t just let that stand”
An affirmative sound rumbled in his chest, and Techno could understand how Wilbur had been quick to take offence- Tommy was precious to them both, but Wilbur was attached at the hip to the boy. He would have taken the insults personally, and his temper would have sparked quickly after.
“I understand.. I would have probably done the same. He can’t insult what he doesn’t know”
He can’t help the bitterness that colors his words, Philza was gone more often that not, and the distance had soured their once close bonds. Philza was a Stranger to Tommy, who looked up to him with nothing but respect and adoration. It hurt to see his brother put so much faith into a man who does nothing but prove how undeserving he is of it.
A soft snore kicked him from his thoughts, Wilbur having finally passed out against him as the adrenaline rush faded, Tommy still clutched protectively in his arms. A soft smile pulled at his cheeks, and he shuffled to settle better against the headboard, pulling his scarlet cape across to cover all three of them. The candle finally fizzles out with a soft hiss, plunging the room into darkness as Technoblade finally joins his brothers in sleep, a warm feeling of Home settling the embers of rage in his chest as he pulled them closer.