Chapter Text
Listen, there could be many things your average seventeen year old could be doing on a Saturday night.
They could be out partying, they could be studying. They could even be laying in their bed watching tiktok for eight hours straight because they don’t have friends.
Tommy is currently doing none of the above.
Tommy is working at a diner to help keep his apartment and bills paid that he shares with his friends. And if he gets one more smartass comment from his coworker he will lose his shit and his job.
The bell on top of the door lets out a ring, singing that someone has entered the diner,“Hello, sit anywhere that you’re able.” Looking up he sees the brunette going to sit in his section.
Motherfucker.
You know he’s really starting to wonder if that bridge is looking for an Olympic diver, he will be the perfect candidate right about now.
Ripping a paper towel off of the holder to dry his hands he makes his way to the silverware holder. Tommy looks up to see the man flipping through a file, paying no attention to his surroundings whatsoever.
“Just one?” Tommy goes ignored.
Fucking, Great.
Holding himself back from throwing the silverware at the man and telling him to stick it so far up his dick and twist it around in there for good measure, Tommy opts to just snatch a menu and make his way over.
Setting down the silverware next to the man and the menu in front of him Tommy was still paid no mind. This little shit.
“What would you like to drink?” Now he finally has the old bastard's attention. The brunette snaps his head up, clearly about to snap but immediately stops when he meets Tommy’s eyes.
The two stare at each other for a moment before Tommy starts getting uncomfortable.
“Sir?”
The man blinked, “Oh,” he cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. “My apologies, what did you say?”
“What would you like to drink?” Tommy held back the urge to roll his eyes, what, is this man also deaf?
“Coffee, no creamer or sugar.” The man was continuing to stare at Tommy.
Was he about to get human trafficked?
Actually he might call Ranboo to pick him up if this fucko kept staring at him.
That was one of the good things about Ranboo after all, he was the one with a car in this pseudo family.
Bringing the coffee to the man was nerve wracking, just because this man would not just stop staring at him. Did he need to text Ranboo? Yeah he might have to call his boss and say he’s not feeling too good and needs to go home.
That’s the smart thing to do.
But regardless, he still brings over the coffee.
Would you like anything to eat?” The brunette shakes his head while caring his throat, “No, no don't worry about that. I’m Wilbur.” Wilbur held out his hand expectantly. In all honesty Tommy wanted to slap his hand away from him, but he would enjoy having a job.
“I’m Tommy.”
___________________________
Wilbur has become somewhat of a frequent now. Honestly Tommy really thought this man was going to kidnap him and sell him to some creeps or some shit.
But he's actually really nice.
Wilbur comes by whenever it's slow in the shift, he sits in Tommy’s section and Tommy always gets him a coffee, no sugar, no cream. He used to be polite to Wilbur but after Wilbur called him out on his shit Tommy never held back at that point.
Like now.
Tommy shouted from across the diner, “Wrong seat Dumbass!” Wilbur turned around on his heel and scowled at him “What if I wanted someone different today then? Would you call me a dumbass then Tomathy?”
“No, I would call you a bitch because that's exactly what you are, a bitch.” WIlbur gasps “How dare you horrid child, I want to speak to your manager.” A voice called out “Not in right now, call me out there when you have an actual issue!”
Clara already knew of Wilbur and Tommys shenniagains, honestly she wasn't even phased by Tommy anymore. Wilbur put his palm over his heart in mock offense. “This is a horrible store, why don't I even know why I bother to come here anymore! All I get is bullied and harassed by the wait staff, and then the manager ignores me! What kind of establishment are you really running here?”
“Mememe I'm Wilbur! I'm a little bitch boy who bitches all the time and I only drink black coffee because I'm emo!” Wilbur perked up at the mere mention of his coffee. “Speaking of that coffee, go get me a cup of it.”
“Coming right up, dickhead.”
Tommy made his way to the other side of the diner to get the cup of coffee for Wilbur, being careful to not burn himself.
Wilbur was something completely different than anyone else that comes in. Wilbur was playful but also not too harsh. He kinda reminds Tommy of Ranboo and Tubbo.
It’s kinda weird that Wilbur always wears the trench coat but it’s his identifying feature, his quirk. It’s none of Tommy’s business anyways. cm
Tommy brings over the cup to the brunette, once it’s on the table Wilbur snatches it greedily. “So, tell me Toms, how’s life been going?”
“Oi! Watch it, dickhead, you're gonna burn yourself.” Tommy rolls his eyes “Nothing much, Micheal’s been doing good in school and Tubbo is now staying at home with him until we can figure out some way to work around all of our schedules.”
“Can’t you ask one of your parents for support?” Wilbur took a sip from his cup, slightly flinching at how hot it was.
“You’re making a fucking mistake Tommy. All I’ve ever done to you was love you and protect you. Ranboo and Tubbo? They don’t care about you. No one does, I’m the only one who will ever love you.”
“Eh, no, not really.” Tommy shrugged his shoulders.
___________________________
The diner doors slam open “Tomathy!”. Tommy perks up, “William!” He yelled out across the Diner. Wilbur immediately made a face at the name “Please never call me that ever again.”
Tommy, now in a mood, chooses that violence is the way to go today. “What? Don’t like William, William?”
“Absolutely, I hate it. Get it out of your vocabulary if you want your tip.”
“You’re gonna give me a tip?”
“Oh you little shit.”
Tommy walks over to the coffee to get Wilburs drink. He honestly doesn’t know how Wilbur can stand his coffee to be completely black, just the thought of drinking it just makes Tommy cringe.
The Diner door opens again. Tommy called out without even looking up. “Hello, sit anywhere you’re able.”
It wasn’t odd to get people to come in before rush hours but usually around this time it would be just Wilbur and Tommy.
Tommy speed walks over to Wilbur to give him the cup. “Let me go take care of them and I’ll be back.” Wilbur just smiled and waved him off.
Turning around to make his way to the silverware, looking over to see that it’s a man in his early 30s with platinum blond hair and a green and white bucket hat. Which wouldn’t be odd, but he’s wearing a deep green suit, with a bucket hat.
Apparently Wilbur turned around to also see the man, the only thing that tells Tommy this is Wilbur slamming his face into his hands. Hopefully to stop himself from laughing. If Wilbur starts laughing then Tommy starts laughing, and then Tommy would lose a customer or lose his tip.
“Just you today?”
The man nodded as he folded his hands on the table. Tommy placed down the silverware and handed him a menu.
“Do you need a moment or do you already know what you want?”
The man placed down the menu with a smile. “I’ll just take a dark roast coffee mate, no sugar, no creamer.”
What’s with weirdly dressed people and coffee?
“Will that be all?”
“Yes.”
Tommy takes back the menu and goes to put on a pot of dark roast. Looking over to see that Wilbur was watching the whole thing.
Tommy flips the brunette off and Wilbur returns the act but sticking his tongue out for flavor.
But seriously though, who wears a bucket hat with a suit? Tommy means no judgement, but wholeheartedly that is extremely concerning. Taking a second glance at the man, he was completely dressed up with a powerful aura around him.
Tommy writes his ticket and prices it up for him. A cup of coffee was just two dollars so he didn’t need a calculator or anything.
This man could be terrifying if it weren’t for the bucket hat. The man was on his phone just scrolling. Tommy hopes he’s looking for a better wardrobe.
I mean, seriously, a suit and a bucket hat?
The pot started to drip, signifying that it was done. Tommy grabs the pot and places a cup under the drip so it wouldn’t make a mess and pours a cup of coffee for bucket hat over there.
Tommy brings over the cup and places down the priced ticket. “Can I get you anything else?”
The man puts his phone face down on the table. “That’ll be it,” the man pauses to look at Tommy’s name tag. “That'll be it, Tommy, that’s a very fitting name.”
Oh not this shit again.
“Thank you.” For some reason the man's smile made him feel more relaxed than whenever this would happen. This is a complete stranger but Tommy feels like he can trust this man.
Tommy doesn’t like that.
“You can call me Phil, you look young, are you old enough to work here?”
Tommy nods, holding back the urge to roll his eyes. “I'm seventeen, so yes I’m old enough to work.” Phil’s eyes seem to lighten up at his age. “Just making sure, there’s a lot of people around here who exploit teenagers, you know.”
“I'm doing this for you Tommy, why won’t you understand that? You owe me this, after all I’ve done, letting you leave at such an early age? You owe it to me to do this and more.”
“Oh, I'm fully aware, thanks for the concern though.”
Phil opens his mouth to say something else until his phone buzzes.
“Right, well I’ll leave you be then.” Phil waved off Tommy, now entranced with his phone.
Tommy turns around to make his way back to Wilbur to see him now on his phone. Wilbur notices Tommy making his way back over and places his phone face down.
Tommy picks up a menu to cover his face and whispers to Wilbur so the man can’t hear him. “A bucket hat? With a suit? I don’t think that man is mentally well.”
Wilbur snorts and cups his mouth so his laughter doesn’t come out. “I’m serious! Don’t laugh at me!”
Wilbur started to snicker at Tommy’s antics, which made Tommy want to laugh. Soon the two started to giggle at the others attempts of keeping quiet.
The sound of the diner door opened and then shut, the man had walked out. “Let me go wipe down the table so Clara doesn’t have my head.” Tommy walks away from Wilbur to go over to clean the table where the weirdly dressed man had sat.
Two dollars was on top of the ticket Tommy had written for the coffee, picking up the mug laid a hundred dollar bill.
“ Holy shit! ” Wilbur jumped out of his seat in alarm. “What? What happened?” Tommy raised up the bill. “I just got a fucking hundred dollar tip!”
Wilbur looked at Tommy in surprise “Holy shit?”.
Tommy started to hop in place “Dude, this is the whole water bill and some of the light bill, are you kidding me?” Wilbur smiled at the boy, amused with his excitement. “That’s good Toms, I’m glad.”
Wilbur got up from his seat, “Well I just got a message from my brother saying that dinner is ready so I have to leave myself.”
Tommy, still high on excitement over the tip that was left by the man in the bucket hat, just waved Wilbur off.
And if Wilbur left a seventy-five dollar tip, that stayed between him and Tommy.
___________________________
Tommy had done over two hundred dollars in tips tonight, ignoring the fact that most of it came from that weirdly dressed man and Wilbur. Tommy had to pat himself on the back, he did good tonight. He will be able to help contribute to groceries this month.
“Alright Clara, I’m off!”
Clara waved at Tommy, “stay safe Toms! Good job tonight.”
Tommy just waved back and left the diner to make his way home. Ranboo was the only one in this family to have a car due to his job being in another city, so Tommy didn’t mind walking. Even if he complained constantly, he really didn’t give a shit.
Tommy would take the bus but his money shouldn’t be going to fucking public transport. He has two perfectly good feet.
And Tommy really didn’t mind walking.
A shiver runs up his spine.
He feels eyes on him.
Tommy stops in his tracks to look around. People were still out by this hour and passing him, but he couldn’t see anyone directly watching or looking at him.
But he still felt eyes.
And look, call him paranoid or whatever, but his gut never lied whenever he was being watched before. So he had absolute confidence that it wasn’t lying.
Looking around Tommy sees a convenience store on the corner.
Bingo.
Tommy hurried up to get inside the store, the bright Fluorescent lights harsh on his eyes, the store smelt of hotdog water and the cashier didn’t even greet him yet. But it was safe.
Me: Hey can u pick me up I’m at the convenience store on third and Beacon
Boob boy: yeah why
Boob boy: is everything okay?
Me: yeah I just felt weird and I don’t wanna walk all the way home now
Boob boy: K otw
“Hey, you can’t be in here if you don’t buy something.” The cashier looked uneasy.
Fuck, Tommy should’ve taken the bus tonight.
Looking down the isles Tommy saw peanut M&Ms and snatched them, they were Micheal’s favorite. He also grabs a coke.
Tommy makes his way to the counter “Sorry king, I’m just waiting for someone to pick me up.”
The cashier rolled her eyes, “I don’t give a shit, my boss would have my head if I just let you stay in here without buying anything.” She puts Tommy’s stuff in a bag and sets it on the counter and gets back on her phone.
Tommy’s phone buzzes
Boob boy: eta 3 minutes Sent with Siri
“Yeah I get that, don’t gotta be a right prick about it.” Tommy grabbed the bag and stood by the icecream cooler.
Soon enough their beat up 2004 Black Toyota Camry pulls up in the parking lot. The headlights flicker twice.
It was Ranboo. Thank fuck.
Not even saying goodbye to the rude ass cashier, Tommy rushes to get inside the car. As soon as he sets down Tommy feels a sense of safety wash over him.
“You don’t know how happy I am to see you.” Ranboo puts the car in reverse and drives out of the parking lot.
“I would imagine, you never text me like that unless it’s serious, what happened?”
Tommy placed the bag on the floorboard rubbing his face. “I just felt like someone was following me.” Ranboo gave him a hum, encouraging Tommy to keep talking while still focusing on the road.
“I didn’t know if he wanted something again and wanted to follow me and I really didn’t want to find out.”
Something black swinging from the rear view mirror caught Tommy's attention. “Hey what’s that?”
Ranboo looked at the Mirror. “Oh that’s just black tourmaline, I thought it would fit Enderchest,”
Tommy nodded and sunk into the seat.
He was too tired to think about it.