Work Text:
“Who is someone you are most grateful for?”
That was the question Tommy saw on the whiteboard when he walked into his year 7 English class.
It was written in big bold letters and even underlined for emphasis.
His teacher, an old lady by the name of Mrs. Fernsby, stood by the board, coffee-stained teeth showing as she beamed at the students who stared at the question with puzzlement painted on their faces.
Tommy was one of them, seated comfortably at the back corner of the class, he asked Tubbo who sat next to him if he knew why such a question was written on the board.
The latter only shrugged.
“Now everyone.” Mrs. Fernsby finally spoke. “Your assignment is to think of someone you are most grateful for. Then next Thursday I want you to do a presentation about that person. And I encourage you to be creative about it.”
Excited murmurs were prevalent amongst the students. Finally it wasn’t another essay.
She paused, and walked towards her desk to grab a coffee mug from its coaster and returned to the front of the room.
“Now this isn’t counted in your overall grade, but I think it would be a great opportunity to appreciate the people you look up to.”
She took a sip of the coffee. “Any questions?”
Tommy raised his hand. “Can it be about anyone?”
“As long as you’re thankful for them!”
The rest of the day, Tommy pondered about the question. Who was someone he was most grateful for?
Then finally, his mind was set. He wanted to choose a person that he’d think would be funny to do a presentation about, say Queen Elizabeth. That’s it, he’d do his beloved Lizzie for his presentation. He’d wear a white wig and dress and crown and everything!
That is, until Tommy was packing up for school dismissal and overheard one of his classmates talk about doing Queen Elizabeth too.
“Oi!” Tommy approached the other boy who was about to head out the door. “I heard you were doing Lizzie for your presentation.”
“Lizzie?”
Tommy scoffed, how dare they do a presentation about the one and only Lizzie and not even know who she is.
“Queen Elizabeth of course.” Tommy frowned. “You can’t do a presentation about her. Because I’m already planning to and there can’t possibly be two funny people in this class.”
The other boy laughed. “Oh really? Well I already told Mrs. Fernsby about my idea and she loved it. So suck it!"
And out the door he went.
And out the window went Tommy’s brilliant presentation idea.
He went to bed that night, mind still on about the question. Who are you grateful for?
“Perhaps…” He muttered to himself. “Maybe I can choose a person that I think would be both hilarious and heart-warming…” He grinned mischievously to the ceiling fan above.
And it starts with making PowerPoint slides with fancy transitions and stealing a woolen yellow sweater and red beanie.
---
The class applauded as the little Lizzie stealing thief finished his presentation. Tommy scowled, but clapped along nonetheless. He didn’t do her justice, and didn’t even put in the effort to dress up, unlike Tommy, who instead of his usual red and white shirt, wore a yellow sweater too big for him, and a red beanie that hid all his dirty blonde hair.
And for the cherry on top, a little ukulele that he got as a present last Christmas by the topic of his presentation himself.
“Who'd like to go next?”
Tommy’s hand immediately went up, he went to her desk to present to her the thumb drive for his PowerPoint in exchange for a little remote that was supposed to allow him to change slides whenever he wanted.
He walked up to the front of the room.
“Whenever you’re ready.” Mrs. Fernsby nodded.
“Okay!” Tommy grinned excitedly, rolling up the sleeves of the yellow sweater.
“The person who I’m grateful for is none other than…” He paused for dramatic effect, before beginning the presentation. “My older brother Wilbur!”
The first slide was simply a photo of Wilbur getting attacked by a raccoon that Tommy definitely didn’t let into the house. The yellow sweater Tommy was wearing was identical to the one Wilbur was wearing in the photo.
“Now you may be wondering why I am grateful for him, well…”
The next slide was revealed by a tacky curtain transition.
1)He’s funny and makes me laugh( but only sometimes though)
2)Protects me when I piss off Techno( the cooler brother, sorry Wil)
3)Helps me steal cookies from the kitchen( sorry Phil)
4)Very good liar( unless given the chance to snitch on me, asshole)
5)Gives me good fashion tips( sometimes)
“Tommy!” Mrs. Fernsby warns. “Language.”
Tommy went on to tell a bunch of anecdotes like when Wilbur was younger, about 8 or 9, and how his biggest dream was to perform in front of a live audience. Though he had a bit of a stage fright, so in preparation, he would invite Tommy to his room and let the then 5 year old hear him play the guitar while singing whatever lyrics he had come up with.
Wilbur would ask him if it was okay, and although Tommy would nod, the latter would overthink and ask him repeatedly again and again about whether or not the rhythm was off, the lyrics were terrible or his voice was too shaky.
The tradition between the two has continued as whenever Wilbur has come up with a new song, Tommy would be the first to hear it.
The slide then changed and there was a photo of Tommy and Wilbur under a Christmas tree with several presents surrounding them. Tommy lifted his ukelele in the air and told the class that Wilbur had gifted it to him last Christmas.
“I’m not very good though...haven’t practiced in months.” Tommy scratched his neck sheepishly.
Tommy continued on with more little anecdotes from how the two simultaneously threw up on each other on a rollercoaster last summer to a selfie the two of them took in front of Techno’s face which was covered in sharpie marker ink.
You could imagine Wilbur’s charismatic and witty nature despite how many embarrassing stories Tommy had.
Finally the presentation ended with one last anecdote. About the time Tommy auditioned for the role of Tweedle Dee two years ago for their school’s Alice in Wonderland play.
“Hey! And I was Tweedle Dum!” Tubbo interrupted as the slide now showed a photo of Tommy and Tubbo in their costumes after their opening night.
“So I told Wilbur about it, thinking it’s really no big deal, I mean it wasn’t a huge role or anything.” Tommy sighed. “But I was wrong, because he really made sure I got my role down.” Tommy emphasised the really.
“I remember how after dinner he would have me stand in front of the TV and make me recite my lines with the accent and everything. And at first I found it rather annoying, like for fuck sake-”
“Tommy!”
“Sorry Mrs. Fernsby. Anyways I just wanted to watch some TV but nooOOooo, because apparently ‘my accent wasn’t right’ and ‘I didn’t emphasise the right words’” Tommy air quoted.
“This went on for weeks, until finally at the end of our opening night. I guess you could say Wil was my biggest fan because despite the audience cheering and clapping, I could still distinctly hear him chant my name repeatedly. He even gave me a bouquet after that. ” Tommy smiled. “And not only that, but he was the only one in my family who was willing to attend all five other shows, all of which by the end of, he would cheer the loudest and give me a bouquet.”
“So yeah! Honestly looking back, if it wasn’t for him insisting I learn my lines, I probably would not have even looked at my script.”
The final slide was simply titled “The End” in comic sans fonts, along with a grainy photo of Wilbur chasing a squirrel that again, Tommy definitely didn’t let into the house.
The class gave a round of applause as Tommy asked if there were any questions.
“Perhaps you could use a little less vulgarity in your presentation.” Mrs. Fernsby eyed the blonde.
Tommy nodded, taking that as a sign to add even more vulgarities next time.
---
Who is someone you look up to?
The following month, Mrs. Fernsby had given them the same task to do a presentation related to a question.
Tommy wondered who the person would be. He then remembered how the day after his presentation, he’d forgotten to put the sweater and beanie back in Wilbur’s closet, and when the latter found his clothes tossed carelessly on Tommy’s chair, he had said quote on quote.
“If you want to steal clothes, why not steal Techno’s.”
And that Tommy shall do.
---
“Now the person who I look up to the most is…”
Literally and figuratively.
The slide appeared and Tommy pointed at the picture with a toy sword.
“My older older brother, Technoblade!” Tommy grinned. His outfit was what he would normally wear except this time he wielded a plastic sword and there was a red cape tied around his neck that he’d stolen from Techno’s closet( it was technically Wilbur’s idea in Tommy’s defense). Along with that, he wore a long flowing pink wig which a yellow paper crown sat on top of.
The picture he pointed to was a photo of Techno standing in front with aluminum foil in his hair during another at home hair dye job.
“You may be wondering why I look up to him, so I have provided a list of reasons.” Tommy smiled sweetly at Mrs. Fernsby.
The slide changed.
1)He fucking kicks ass
2)He knows how to fence, and will fence the shit out of you
3)Many people are very intimidated by him
4)Helps me with my homework( he’s also a fucking nerd)
5)He is very protective of me( so you do not want to mess with him)
“Tommy! Seriously!” His teacher warned again. “I thought I said no vulgarity.”
“Ah well.” Tommy shrugged. “Life’s unfair innit.”
The slide changed and there appeared a photo of Techno, who then was about 10 or 11, standing peacefully in front of a polar exhibit.
“Funny thing is, a couple minutes after Phil took this photo, we found him inside the exhibit petting this gigantic sleeping polar bear. Everyone was screaming, and I think Wil even fainted. No one was hurt though and the zoo keeper managed to get him out of there safely.”
Tommy chuckled at the class whose jaw dropped, even Mrs. Fernsby stopped her sip of coffee midway and stared at Tommy in shock.
“I remember when Phil was like ‘Are you out of yer mind Techno?! What’d you have to say for yourself?’ Techno only shrugged and said that he and Steve had hit it off well, because apparently he named one of the polar bears Steve.”
Tommy shared more anecdotes and photos such as one where Techno was standing on a stage in his fencing attire because he had slam poetry right after his fencing tournament. And another where he jump scared the little trick or treaters last Halloween.
Then there was another photo of Techno way back when he first started dying his hair pink. Phil was there to assist him, standing next to him covered in pink dye.
The poor sink too, the stain has never fully disappeared, even after all these years.
You could say that Techno had a rather unusual mix match of physical traits, interests and talents.
Like how he's currently 16 years old, 6ft tall and is a fencing champion, yet has long dusty pink hair that he would sometimes let Tommy braid and wears reading glasses because he's a nerd that likes poetry and classic literature. People find him quiet and therefore intimidating, but really the lad just has terrible social skills.
At last Tommy reached his final story. About the time Techno had helped Tommy with some kid who was messing with him.
"I think this was two years ago? And there was this kid from year eight who was a fucking jerk."
Mrs Fernsby only sighed.
"Like he'd shove me around the hallways, throw spitballs at me during class, and it wasn't just to me but to other kids too."
"Like me!" Tubbo interrupted.
Tommy nodded. "Yep and during dinner one day I was telling everyone about it and Techno suddenly said that he wanted to see the kid so he could have a little chat with him."
It wasn't a little chat.
"Anyways after school the next day Techno was standing by the school gate and I was hiding behind a bush nearby. I then pointed at the kid who was about to walk out of the gate. I don't really remember the details completely but I do remember Techno lifting the kid up by his shirt collar with ONE HAND might I add and said something along the lines of…"
Tommy proceeded with a poor impression of his brother.
"You better leave Tommy and everyone else alone, because I have an axe in my backpack and I'm not afraid to use it."
He could hear someone in the class mutter "holy shit!", and yeah holy fucking shit indeed.
"After that I'm pretty sure the kid pissed his pants and to this day I don't think he's even dared to look me in the eyes."
Tommy snickered and made direct eye contact with the boy who stole Lizzie from him last month. "So yeah just a heads up, you don't want to piss me off, unless you want an axe through your skull."
The presentation ended with a photo Tommy secretly took of an innocent looking Technoblade sitting on the living room couch reading Little Women. A rather large juxtaposition to the story he had just told.
“In conclusion I want to be just like Techno when I’m older, six feet and have the ability to easily beat the shit out of other people!” Tommy beamed. “Any questions?”
There was none though some students whispered to each other with their eyes wide. The round of applause given was also hinted with a bit of uncertainty. Even Mrs. Fernsby was too taken aback to chide at Tommy for the amount of swear words he used.
Another successful presentation might Tommy say.
---
Who is somebody you would consider your hero?
Another month passed, another question waiting to be answered.
And another chance for Tommy to steal yet another family member's clothes.
---
As Tommy walked up to the front of the class, with the hems of the green robe he wore(stole)dragging behind him, he wondered if the person he’d chosen was too basic. At least ten other people have done the same type of person, and Tommy was known to always stand out during class.
But it wasn’t as if he had any other person in mind, he knew there could only be one person in the world suitable for the question.
“Who is someone I would consider my hero?” Tommy asked aloud, adjusting the green and white striped bucket hat that flopped down his eyes. On his shoulder was a stuffed toy crow that he had taped to make it seem like it was perched there.
He exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear, “My father dearest, Philza!”
The slide showed a photo of Phil tossing bread crumbs from his hat to a flock of crows that had gathered out in their backyard. There was also a smaller photo below that of poor Phil being attacked by one of the crows.
As per usual Tommy went on to give a list of reasons.
1)He’s old like a lot of superheroes out there
2)Makes me peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches with the crust off for lunch
3)Protects me when I piss off Wilbur and Techno
4)Let’s me stay past my bedtime( only on the weekends)
5)Doesn’t make me do the dishes( because that’s Wil’s job suck it Wil!)
The slide changed and a blurry photo of what seems to be Santa Claus looking at the camera like a deer caught in the headlight.
“It took me a long time for me to realize that Santa wasn’t real, like Wil and Techno would constantly tell me that he doesn’t exist but I wouldn’t listen.” Tommy chuckled, “so it was Christmas Eve and I was like ‘you know what I’m gonna capture live footage of Santa to prove all of you wrong’. I proceeded to hide behind a couch, waiting all night for Santa and guess what? He appeared!... well kinda”
“You see what I didn’t know was that apparently Phil overheard my conversation and I guess he didn’t want me to feel disappointed. So he actually dressed up as Santa and because we don’t have a chimney or anything, he instead went into the house by the back door, hauling a bag full of presents.”
Tommy could remember how he jolted awake at the sound of the door opening and sprinted to turn the lights on with more speed than Techno making excuses to get away from any social gathering. His heart was practically beating out of its ribcage as he muttered a random string of curse words.
He then remembered that during breakfast the next day, he showed Wilbur and Techno the grainy photo and felt so god damn proud of himself after the two admitted that maybe they had been wrong.
“Turns out they knew about the whole idea, and Phil even paid them a good five dollars each to agree with what I say.” Tommy sighed exasperatedly.
It was heartbreaking when Phil broke the news to him the year after, but at least it wasn’t as heartbreaking if your own father straight up told you that Santa wasn’t real.
Tommy went on with more stories about Phil, showing the class his father’s kindness and willingness to do anything for his sons through stories like the time Techno had let Tommy watch some creepy documentary about killer clowns and how Tommy refused to sleep alone at night. This has led to Phil sacrificing a month’s worth of beauty sleep and a good spine as he slept on the floor next to Tommy’s bed.
“Heyyy,” Tubbo grumbled. “I remember you made me watch the documentary with you!”
“It wasn’t my fault, you were curious.” Tommy retorted.
The presentation ended with one final story.
“I remember when Phil volunteered to be a chaperone during the elementary school dance a couple years ago. And I can’t tell you how embarrassed I was back then, having my dad wear this tacky dark green suit while he made me follow him around as teachers approached him.” Tommy shuddered, he was glad Wilbur convinced Phil to get rid of that suit, though sometimes it still haunts Tommy in his sleep.
“Anyways the night felt so awkward and I thought to myself ‘how could this get any worse?’ Well somebody announced that there was going to be a dance competition and of course, Phil was just so enthusiastic to participate. And there I stood thinking to myself that this was it, my popularity streak would go straight down the drain after this night.”
Tommy chuckled, and the slide changed, revealing a collage of photos of Phil breaking out into various dance moves from the moonwalk, to the running man, to the worm, along with various other improv dance moves.
“Turns out people have poor taste in dance moves, because soon enough there was a huge crowd of students surrounding Phil, chanting his name. It’s not that I’m complaining though, I think my popularity went up by a couple points, and I have to admit, watching Phil dance like an absolute buffoon was definitely one of the biggest highlights of my entire elementary school year.”
The presentation ended with a photo of Phil with a face full of whipped cream. (They take April fools very seriously in their household, or at least Tommy did.)
Tommy soaked in the applause from his classmates, maybe he didn’t do his family complete justice, but hey, it’s the thought that counts right?
Bonus Scene:
“I vowed to myself three years ago that never again would I step into the filthy halls of year seven.” Wilbur sighed. ‘Yet here I am.”
“Phil, why do you hate us so much?” Techno complained alongside as the family squeezed through the crowded school halls.
It was parent-teacher night, which was a more casual version of a parent-teacher conference, and Phil decided to bring the two older siblings along with him and Tommy to quote on quote “relive the old times”.
The family had made it to Mrs. Fernsby classroom, where more students and parents gathered, conversing with one another.
Techno stood awkwardly by Phil, trying to mind his own business while feeling the eyes of 12 year olds staring at him, when suddenly two of Tommy’s classmates had come up to him and asked for his signature.
“Heh?” Techno raised an eyebrow as he looked down at the scrawny kids.
“Is it true you petted a live polar bear?!” One gasped, while the other admired his flowing pink hair.
“Uh yeah…” Techno furrowed his eyebrows, wondering where these kids heard that from. Nonetheless he took the pen from them and signed his name on each of their notebooks because there is never a better chance to self promote yourself.
Before he could have his question answered, the kids scurried off, pestering their parents and pointed to Techno. Oh how concerned the look was in their eyes.
Wilbur chuckled, “So I guess you’ve become a local celebrity.”
Techno scratched his head. “It appears I have.”
Their attention was soon turned when Mrs. Fernsby approached.
“Oh hi there Tommy! Nice to see you!” She looked at the three people next to him and if even possible, her smile grew wider. “You must be Tommy’s family! Oh Tommy has told me, and the class so much about you!’
“Oh really?” Phil looked down at Tommy, who’s face grew pink.
Mrs. Fernsby nodded, “Oh yes! Tommy has done a couple class presentations about you guys.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Really? Well I believe I have the files saved on my computer if you all would like to take a look.” She suggested.
Tommy’s eyes widened.
“Oh you don’t have to really uh-”
Though he was ignored as Wil, Techno and Phil moved away from him to crowd around Mrs. Fernsby’s computer.
Tommy squeezed through Wilbur and Phil, and low and behold, there was his presentation about Wilbur being the person he was most grateful for.
“Awww Tommy, I’m the person you’re most thankful for?” Wilbur cooed.
“Well apparently I’m still the cooler brother.” Techno smirked.
The slide progressed as more unflattering photos of Wil were displayed on the screen, earning a glare from the latter.
“A picture tells a thousand words Wil.” Tommy defended himself. “I had a perfectly heartwarming story to tell with each photo.”
Mrs. Fernsby then proceeded with the next PowerPoint slide, the one about Tommy looking up to Techno.
“Tommy’s a rather pleasant kid.” His teacher continued. “But if there’s one comment I must make, it’s that he swears a lot in class...and I rather have him not.”
“I can see that.” Phil chuckled as he glanced at the slide before looking at Tommy whose face was fully bright red at the moment.
“Can’t believe I’ve been called a nerd by a child.” Techno mumbled.
“Well technically all of you are still children.” Phil pointed out, before being pshhh’ed by Techno.
“I believe you, Techno, have made a rather impressive impression on the class.” Mrs. Fernsby noted. “ Tommy has told us about how you escaped into a polar bear exhibit and threatened a kid with an axe.”
“Ah.” Techno simply responded. “Yes.”
Then , it was Phil’s moment to shine as he laughed at the random collage of photos displayed.
“I went to my doctor, and I’m pretty sure I had scoliosis after that month of painful sleep.” Phil shook his head, smiling nonetheless.
Tommy was relieved after they finished going through his PowerPoint slides, and by the end of it he was sweating as if he had just ran a marathon.
“Finally!” He muttered.
“Actually, did you know Tommy even made the effort to dress up as you guys during his presentation?”
“Ohhh.” The other three realised.
“So that’s why Tommy’s been stealing our clothes.” Wilbur laughed.
Mrs. Fernsby smiled, ignoring the pained expression on Tommy’s face.
"I have photos if you’d like to see.”
Maybe he should've stuck with Queen Elizabeth.