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Something makes Tommy’s body awake, his senses come back from the sleepiness they were inducted into, for a few seconds he can’t pinpoint what exactly made him wake up. He blinks as he looks around in his dark room, the moon barely shining through the window, and suddenly he hears his phone vibrate against the wooden desk and Tommy snatches it to see who the fuck was calling so late at night.
It’s— Wilbur.
And he wonders if he’s dreaming because Wilbur doesn’t call him so late at night, if he did they would’ve stayed on a call before he went to bed; and not only that but the fact that Tommy has just spoken to the man in the late afternoon gave him no obvious reason to call. Not to mention the fact that it’s college night.
As more thoughts intruded his mind, Tommy clicked on the answer button and pressed his ear to the phone, quickly shutting his eyes and greeted Wilbur with a groggy voice, still very confused, “Wil?”
“Hey Tommy,” Wilbur said, probably smiling from what Tommy could hear which only made the latter brush off the sleep from his mind even more.
“You okay? I— it’s late,” he murmured to the phone, making Wilbur gasp on the other end.
“Oh my god, I’m sorr-y I guess I-” he begins to mumble back, letting out a shaky laugh that Tommy took as a sign of something going on, “I lost track. Of time, I mean. Go back to sleep sunshine, I'm really sorry.”
It was Tommy’s turn to gasp but not quite as loud as Wilbur, realization hitting him like a blizzard in the middle of summer, “no, don’t you dare hang up you dick,” he snapped back, trying to take in every word Wilbur had said and how he said them while also trying to keep his voice low, “are you drunk?”
“No no. TommyInnit I am not drunk. Tommy Innit at hotmail dot com dot uk I am not. Not drunk.”
“You expect me to believe that shit?”
“Well I- it’s not your job to take care of me or anything sunshine. I’m big!”
“Where are you Wil?”
“M’at home. In the basement.”
“Is David around? Or are you alone?”
“Oh no- I’m all by myself tonight, and listen I- I just wanted to call and say how much I love you and- before you even- say it, I am not, um- going to die or something like that. Just. Thought I’d call. Only thing is I didn’t look at the time. I’m sorry. I love you.”
Tommy sighed as he sat up on his twin bed, sheets scrambling against his bare legs, “I love you too Wil, a lot actually. But are you alright?”
“Yeah I'm fine I promise. Tommy we are like brothers, I’ve been thinking about it recently you know? We- you are my baby brother.”
“I’m not a baby Wil what the fuck?” he questioned, feeling a blush creep up his neck.
“No no, but you are my little brother. Y-you mean the world to me sunshine. I’ll cry though.”
Tommy found himself lost for words to speak next, but before Wilbur could question anything, the boy spoke softly, “Before we get all emotional, can you do me a favour and do a couple of things for me?”
He heard Wilbur move around before any answer came to the phone, “yeah, yeah what is it?”
Tommy smiled at Wilbur’s cooperation, feeling something burn in his chest, not even having added the goddamn nickname or the softness of his words, “alright big dubs go upstairs to your room, brush your teeth and get under the covers yeah?”
“Bu- I don’t want to go,” he could see the fucking pout Wilbur was making even though they weren’t on video call, and that only made Tommy smile wider.
“You don’t have to Wil, I’ll stay on the call while you do these things for me, put me on speaker so that you can hear me,” he suggested.
“Okay sunshine,” holy fucking shit where did that come from and why was it making Tommy feel all giddy?
The next few moments he could hear Wilbur move around what he supposed was the basement, while the man mumbled a few words that made absolutely no sense to Tommy, yet he answered to his occasional questions with a hum, quietly laughing at Wilbur’s random ideas. He then announced he was climbing up the stairs, followed by Tommy asking him to be careful and try to keep himself steady by leaning against the wall.
The journey all the way to the first floor was successful, and the man only had to take another set of stairs that took him to his bedroom.
“M’tired already,” he complained as Tommy waited for him to continue.
“Come on, just a few more and you can lay down,” Tommy encouraged through the phone, it was enough for Wilbur to continue climbing up till he reached his final destination.
“Lay on your stomach Wil.”
He heard an ‘oomf’ and what he assumed were sheets being tossed around until Wilbur once again exhaled tiredly, “you said to brush me teeth but I don’t want to,” he disclosed in a whisper, making Tommy laugh softly with his phone still pressed to his ear.
“It’s alright, just don’t blame me tomorrow for it.”
“I would never, Tommy Innit at hotmail dot com dot uk.”
“I’m glad.”
Both laid there in comfortable silence, Tommy taking in what just happened, while Wilbur was getting attacked by the ugly monster of sleep, analogy which he commented to Tommy.
“But wait. I wanted to say. I don’t think I say this enough but. You are amazing Tommy. Seeing you become you has probably been the biggest honour for me, and I mean it. I love being by your side and- having you by my side- tonight I couldn’t understand why I was feeling bothered by something but I didn't- I don’t want you to think this whole thing is a bit because it’s not and y-you probably already know that but I sometimes have a hard time. Um. You know, accepting this. I feel so proud of you and I love you so much bubs, wanted to tell you, I guess.”
“Wilbur, I—”
“I’ll remember. Tomorrow. And I’ll tell you when I’m completely sober. It’s not like I drank too much either. I was just having a shit day. And night. I’m sorry I woke you up on college night.”
“Don’t apologize, I- I also have a hard time differentiating between the bit and the real thing but, I know that you mean it Wil, so do I. I love you so fucking much. Your support has always been so- you’re an incredible person and an even more incredible big brother.”
“Sunshine, I will cry.”
“Really. Thank you for being here and allowing me to be part of your life Wil. It’s so fucking cool.”
Both brothers took a moment to smile widely and integrate everything into themselves, Tommy already felt like a long overdue melting puddle, Wilbur’s heart beat with pure love and adoration for Tommy, his Tommy.
“We should go to bed now, you’ve got college and need sleep.”
It was Tommy’s turn to comply, laying back on his bed, listening to the soft breathing of Wilbur on the other side of the line. He yawned, filled to the brim of exhaustion, feeling all of his senses get taken over sleep once more, pure bliss and contentment settled inside his heart. Full of love for his brother.
“I love you,” he uttered as a goodbye.
“I love you more.”
~ ~ ~
The next morning after Tommy’s first period, he saw a notification from Wilbur.
Ayup Tommy
I’ll be the one to pick you up when you’re done with college (motherinnit and fatherinnit agreed).
Yeah, he would definitely have a good fucking day.