Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It’s quiet.

Tommy doesn’t like it when it’s quiet.

Well, truth be told, it wasn’t entirely silent. The car was running at a steady speed down the motorway and the social worker was humming some tune Tommy couldn’t decipher in the front seat. He didn’t even know her name. He was sure he had been told, at some point, but he hadn’t exactly retained that information. This was his third social worker in less than a year and probably not his last, so he didn’t have it in him to care about something as useless as a name connected to a face he might see twice more.

Moving his hand under the guise of finding something to fiddle with, the tension in his shoulders lessened as he felt the outline of his cellphone in the trash bag on the seat beside him. It was an old, crappy thing with a long crack across the screen, but it was all he had. It was the only way to keep in contact with his friends, too. His most important possession- he could only hope the next family didn’t insist on searching his bag when he arrived.

“We’re here.” The social worker said. Tommy blinked, glancing up- oh, there were in a neighborhood now. He had even realized they left the motorway. She sighed heavily and turned back in her seat to face him. “Try not to fuck this one up.”

Tommy grimaced but didn’t say anything.

“You’re 16, Thomas, and this is a good home. Phil’s had two fosters he’s adopted before you, and it might be your last chance. At least try and make a good impression.”

Rolling his eyes, Tommy pulled open the car door, grabbed the black trash bag, slung it over his shoulder and slammed the door behind him. The car rattled. The social worker gave him a look.

Look, he hadn’t even been told he was being relocated until yesterday evening, he had every right to be in a mood. Not that he wasn’t normally in a mood, but this one was particularly sour. Blasted social workers never bothered to communicate anything with him- he wasn’t some tiny child! He knew exactly what was going on. He would prefer a warning, not a temporary placement with no notice as to when he might be moved to another house.

The social worker rung the doorbell and Tommy, spying a pair of shoes within his reach, kicked them off the concrete porch and into the dirt. He looked at them- quality shoes, pricey, something he never would have dreamed of owning while in care because they would have disappeared within 24 hours- and scoffed. He hoped the family wasn’t too pretentious or snobby. They were usually the worst ones.

“Hello?” The door swung open. “Oh! Hello, sorry, I didn’t realize you guys would be here so early!”

Tommy watched the person through his fringe. Brown, curly hair, tall. Lanky, so maybe not a threat. He didn’t look like he could take a punch. He ushered the two in through the door and shut it behind them, turning to call up the stairs.

“Dad!” He yelled. “Phil! They’re here!” He turned back to them. “Sorry, he’s probably still sorting out your room. Bit of a last-minute placement.”

Your room. Huh. Tommy perked up minutely at that mention- that generally meant he didn’t have to share with anyone. Score! It made spending time on his phone and sneaking out a lot easier.

A set of heavy footsteps echoed down the stairs. Tommy eyed the gap where he knew the stairs connected with the hall, half focused on the incoming person and half on the brown-eyed older teen standing a few feet to his left. He was watching Tommy too, scanning the blonde with a curious look, but he didn’t say anything.

“Thanks Wil.” The man said. “Hi, come on in! Sorry for the chaos, we weren’t expecting another one for a few months at least. I only just put my name back in to take on another kid.”

Tommy remained back as the social worker and the teen- Wil? He questioned, was that his name?- followed the man. Stocky, cropped blonde hair falling at about shoulder length. Shorter than both Tommy and his… son? He had smile lines around his eyes. Tommy thought he looked… safe. Kind, he supposed, but not a threat if he turned violent. He really couldn’t trust first impressions anymore.

“Come on Thomas.” The social worker gestured, turning when she realized he wasn’t following her. “We need you in here.”

Reluctantly, Tommy trailed them.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Phil.” The man said. Tommy stared. At least he didn’t expect a handshake or anything. “What do you prefer to be called? Thomas, Tom, Tommy?”

“Tommy’s fine.” He murmured, pulling his bag closer to his stomach.

“Alright Tommy, I think we’ve just got some papers to go through. Wilbur, do you want to show him upstairs?”

Wilbur nodded, gesturing for Tommy to follow him as Phil and social worker began talking. Tommy followed, albeit reluctantly, making sure to stay at least six feet behind him.

“Your room’s pretty plain at the moment, we weren’t really expecting someone for a little while so Phil’s kind of just thrown together whatever we had in the house. Hope you don’t mind.” He turned back and Tommy froze- was he expecting an answer? After a couple of moments, he continued. “We’ll try and go shopping at some point, get you some of your own stuff.” He gestured at the garbage bag. “I’m guessing you don’t have much.”

He pointed a door on the left. “That’s my room.” Then one on the right. “That’s Techno’s. Phil’s is right at the end of the hall, bathroom is here,” he pushed a door open, “and this is your room. Smallest room, sorry, but at least you get the sun in the afternoon.”

Tommy stilled in the doorway as Wilbur moved to the other side of the room, pushing the window open. His heart jumped because- holy shit, it wasn’t a shithole! He’d been in a few shitty homes before, and a few amazing ones, but this one felt different. Plain? The fuck was he talking about!? The room was scattered with things. The comforter was red, a lamp on the bedside table. A shelf full of books, towels, a pile of mismatched clothes above the dresser. A tray of… sweets? A couple of packets of biscuits and crackers, toiletries, and various toys were neatly arranged in a basket on the end of the bed.

“Phil wasn’t sure how much you’d have with you, so we’ve given you some of mine and Tech’s old stuff. I don’t know how well it’ll fit, might be a bit big.”

Tommy nodded. He swallowed thickly. His heart beat fast in his chest. This was just so overwhelming, he’d never had a family that… he didn’t know how to explain it. Welcomed him like this before. Thought about him, given him things, even though Wilbur had said it was last minute.

“I’ll come get you in a minute when Phil and Alice are done, okay?”

Tommy nodded. Alice must be the social worker, he supposed. Wilbur pulled the door closed behind him as he left, but didn’t close it completely. Tommy watched the crack between the door and frame before gingerly pushing it shut with his toe. No one came back to open it, so he slowly relaxed- he still kept an eye on it though.

Dropping his bag on the floor he scanned the room again before his eyes fell on the basket. Stuff. Stuff for him? Basic hygiene stuff, sure, that was nice, but food too? And… he picked up a slip of paper- the Wi-Fi password? He stuffed it into his pocket as fast as he could, he’d rather not lose that one. Previously, school and stealing neighbors Wi-Fi was the only way he could contact his friends as he didn’t have a phone plan or phone number, thus no data.

Tommy gingerly sat down on the bed and looked away, eyes flickering from item to item. He checked the window- yes, it opened wide enough for him to get out of if he needed to. It was a decent jump, but doable. He sat back.

God, he really wasn’t sure about this place. Phil seemed nice enough, Wilbur was… a little intimidating but Tommy could probably just avoid him and… well, he supposed there must have been a third kid around somewhere as Alice had said Phil had adopted twice before, but maybe… Techno? Was that what Wilbur called him?... had moved out already? Hopefully. One less person to deal with.

Connecting to the Wi-Fi, Tommy leaned back on the bed and opened his messages with his friends. He didn’t have many, just two in fact, but he didn’t know where he’d be without him.

Tommy: am here

Tommy: place looks decent i guess

Tommy: got wifi at least

Ranboo: pog dude!

Ranboo: at least they wont try and take your phone?

Tommy: hopefully not

Tommy: they trust me somewhat if ive been given internet access

Tommy: oh and ive got a room to myself!

Tubbo: sweeeeeet!

Tubbo: privace!

Tommy chuckled to himself. He was glad he was able to talk to them whenever he wanted now, something he wasn’t often afforded in foster homes. He wasn’t supposed to have a cellphone, after all, but hopefully they wouldn’t mind too much. He’d keep it secret just in case.

Tommy: i dont know when theyre gonna call me

Tommy: but i dont think itll be too bad

Ranboo: let us know how it goes

Ranboo: im at the library but gtg soon so i wont be able to reply in like an hour

Tommy: gotcha

Tubbo: ill be here tho!

Tommy: youre always here Tubbo

Tubbo: its not like ive got anything better to do

He sighed. Ranboo had had the same issues at him for many years- a hidden cellphone and no internet access unless he was out at the café or the library. Unfortunately, you usually had to buy something at a café and you could only spend so much time at the library, so they could usually only contact each other for a few hours a day. At least they might be at the same school now?

“Tommy?” Someone knocked on the door. He startled. “Alice wants to talk to you before she goes. Can you come downstairs please?”

Tommy sighed but reluctantly dragged himself to the door and opened it. There was no one in the hall. He guessed they’d gone back downstairs. He thumped down the stairs one at a time, deliberately making as much noise as possible, hands in his pockets.

Phil and Alice were at the table and Wilbur was nowhere in sight. His social worker gestured to an open chair and he sat down with a huff, turning it away so he could face the window. He knew it was rude, but it was a defense. Phil spoke up.

“We’ve gone through all the paperwork and there isn’t anything for you to do, Alice just wanted to say goodbye and I wanted to go over some rules.”

Tommy groaned internally- fuck, the part he hated the most about new homes. Rules. They always changed and he sometimes forgot which rules had been at which houses, leading to him unintentionally (and sometimes intentionally) breaking them. Alice watched him carefully, sending him a stern look when he rocked back and forth on the hind legs of the chair.

“I’ll be doing a check-in in about a month Tommy,” Alice said, “I hope to see you here then.”

Tommy shrugged, indifferent. He might be here, he might not be. More often than not, he wasn’t. His record was two days, he thinks, the family had kicked him out after catching him with his old cellphone. They had broken the thing in front of him and booted him out, leaving him with exactly one outfit and no other personal belongings. He went to his next emergency placement with nothing.

Tommy and Phil sat in silence as Alice said her goodbyes, gathered her things and left. Tommy watched the other man out of the corner of his eyes, trying not to make it obvious he was observing him, eyes hidden by his fringe.

“Phew.” Phil laughed. “As much as I’m sure she’s good at her job, I really don’t like social workers.” He turned to Tommy with a friendly smile. “You hungry mate? I don’t know when you last would’ve had something to eat.”

Tommy shrugged again. Phil only nodded, the smile never once slipping.

“Help yourself to anything from the fridge or pantry whenever you want, and you’ve got stuff up in your room if you don’t want to come down here. I get it, it’s probably pretty overwhelming right now, so we won’t be doing anything for a little bit.” He sighed. “I just have to go over the rules. I don’t expect you to remember them or anything, I just need you to know some of the basics.”

Tommy hummed, just to acknowledge he had heard him.

“Some of the obvious stuff, don’t do drugs, don’t drink, don’t sneak out. If you’re going somewhere, I won’t stop you, just let me know where you’re going and when to expect you back. Food is not going to be limited at all. If you’re hungry, take something. I’m not going to expect you to join us for family dinner either, just eat when you want to.”

“Privacy is very important here. None of us are going to come into your room without you letting us, but that means we expect the same from you. Knock, ask, and if they say yes, then you can go in.”

“I’ve been through this twice before, so I like to think I know what I’m doing, but I know every kid comes with their own struggles. Tommy, if ever you need help, no matter what time, no matter how badly you think you’ve fucked up, just ask. I’m not going to be mad, I’m not going to yell. Okay? I know it’ll take some time and I know you don’t trust me right now, but we’re going to try and work through whatever comes up calmly.”

Phil stopped, thinking for a moment.

“I think I’ve got most things.” He said. “You got me? I trust you won’t be stupid, but know that we’ll respect you, so you respect us.”

Tommy hummed again. His head was swimming, but not in a good way. He’d had this talk before, several times before actually, and it never ended well. It was the first time he’d heard something about not yelling though.

“I’ll let you go back up to your room, yeah? Dinner’ll be ready at six but you can have it later if you want, and just holler if you need anything.”

Tommy nodded mutely. Yeah, sure, that worked. He just wanted to talk to his friends some more and maybe take a nap because frankly, he was exhausted. Hopefully they’d leave him be for a while.

He wasn’t sure what to think yet, but so far it seemed okay.

Chapter Text

Tommy didn’t know why he was so tired. He felt sluggish and exhausted, hardly able to lift his head from the pillow and look around when he blinked awake a few hours later. He felt like he had been hit by a truck. Blonde curls fell into his eyes as he dragged himself from his bed, stumbling over to the mirror on the dresser- would you look at that! He looked like he had been hit by a truck as well!

The first days were always the worst. Tommy already knew that, when his anxiety was bubbling high, and he was tiptoeing around the family to make sure he didn’t set anyone off. It wasn’t until he knew the boundaries that he began pushing them, and that was usually when he was told the placement wasn’t working out, they found another family who would be a ‘better fit’ or was straight up kicked out.

A knock sounded on the door, startling Tommy from his thoughts.

“Hey Tommy.” It was Wilbur. “Dinner’s ready, if you want to come down. If not, there’ll be a plate in the fridge you can come and grab later.”

Tommy didn’t reply. He stayed frozen until he heard footsteps heading down the hall, shoulders tense and heart beating fast.

He needed to relax. Picking up his phone, he scrolled through his discord until he came across his friend’s contacts. He called them, hoping at least Tubbo would pick up- Ranboo probably didn’t have internet access, so Tommy wasn’t expecting him to answer. He didn’t technically have a phone number- no mobile data either- so he and Ranboo had to have internet access to call.

“Hey Tommy!” Tubbo greeted around a mouthful of spaghetti. “What’s up? How’s the new place?”

Tommy shrugged. His friend frowned.

“Do you need a distraction? You look fucking exhausted man.”

He chuckled sadly, rubbing his tired eyes. “Yeah, please.” He murmured. “I just feel weird. I dunno what’s up with the place just yet.”

“I’ve got you.” Tubbo laughed. “Ooo, I’ve got some good stories! You missed so much at school yesterday, I can’t wait until you start here!”

“Mm, I hope so.” Tommy murmured. “I’ll have to make sure we get into the same classes, and some of Ranboo’s too.”

“Yes! Oo, I hope you get into my science class! My teacher’s super cool, and Ranboo’s there too!”

“Sounds good man.”

Tommy closed his eyes again and rested his head on his pillow, phone close to his ear. He listened to Tubbo ramble in silence, the anxiety lessening somewhat as the familiar chatter blocked out everything out around him. Tubbo knew what to do. He’d called his friend, crying and in pain more than once, in many different homes because of many situations. While he wasn’t upset now, he was uncertain and, though he wouldn’t admit it, scared.

Tommy was scared.

“Have a good sleep, Toms,” was the last thing Tommy heard before the clutches of unconsciousness took him.

~~~~

Tommy wasn’t sure how long he slept. His phone had died at some point during the night but given how high the sun was in the sky outside, he guessed it was nearing noon. His door was still closed, and he couldn’t hear any movement from downstairs- maybe no one was up yet? He hoped so. He was hungry.

Creeping down the hallway, Tommy kept close to the wall to avoid making the floor creak. There was still no movement. The lights were off downstairs and, much to his surprise, a plate covered in tinfoil was the first thing he saw when he opened the fridge. Was that his dinner?

It was. When he pulled back the foil, he was greeted with some greens, mashed potatoes, and chicken, covered in some sort of sauce. It looked nice. He turned to find the microwave, locating it on the bench beside the fridge, and was pleased to find he had used this model before. He wouldn’t have to ask for help.

He navigated through his morning routine with relative ease, searching through drawers for cutlery and making sure he sat at a seat that faced the door. When he checked the time, he was surprised to find it was 10:30- and no one was awake yet. His phone was charging upstairs. Maybe he could sneak out to meet Tubbo and Ranboo later? A plan was already forming in his mind.

This was a new home. Tommy already knew the drill; spend as much time as possible away, get himself out from under their feet. Pretend he didn’t exist, really. Learn their routines, their rules, their expectations from a distance and then push them- how far could he go before they snapped. Usually, it wasn’t far. Most of them didn’t know how to put up with a damaged, defensive teenager and didn’t understand why he didn’t fall at their feet at their miniscule displays of kindness; why would he? That only got him hurt.

Tommy dropped his plate in the sink without much care. Someone else could sort it out and put it in the dishwasher later- he wouldn’t be there to see the fallout if he had any say.

Back upstairs he checked his phone, grimacing at the displayed 33%. It wasn’t great, but he could deal with it. He quickly changed from the clothes he had on yesterday into a new set he dug from the trash bag.

His clothes were old, there was no denying it, and several items were either too small or much too large. His t-shirt pinched under his arms and his jeans stopped well above his ankles. But his shoes were two sizes too big, for him “to grow into” as he had been told so many times, and the only winter coat he owned had sleeves which reached his fingertips. He pulled them on anyway. He didn’t want to touch the stuff supposedly from him sitting on the dresser, hand-me-downs from Wilbur and… Techno?

What a weird name , Tommy thought. He hadn’t really computed the name of the man until then.

He flicked a quick text to Tubbo as he stuffed his feet into his shoes and his charger, headphones and phone into his pocket.

Tommy: omw to the library

Tommy: ranboos probably there already

He didn’t reply immediately, but Tommy was worried. If he knew anything about Tubbo it was that the man loved to sleep in and given it they were in the last days of winter break, he wouldn’t be up until after noon. He’d meet them later.

Tommy attempted to tiptoe back down the stairs, carefully watching behind him in case one of the doors belonging to the bedrooms or bathrooms opened.

What he wasn’t expecting, however, was for him to be met by someone coming in the front door the moment he touched the handle. He squeaked and jumped back, stumbling back six feet as the man in the doorway came to a complete standstill, halfway through peeling off his coat.

It was Phil.

“Oh!” He exclaimed. “Good morning Tommy, sorry for startling you.” He paused, then frowned. “Are you going out?”

Tommy scowled. He thought for a moment before deciding to admit it. He knew there wasn’t any way to talk himself out of the situation- he’d literally been caught red handed trying to leave the home.

“Yes.” He said sharply.

But to his surprise, Phil only nodded.

“Okay.” He said. A jolt of surprise ran through him. “What time can I expect you back? I’d like you to be back before dinner.”

“Not sure.” Tommy muttered. “I’ll try and be back by then.”

“Do you need a ride?”

Tommy shook his head. “I’ll walk.”

“Okay.”

Phil said that last part gently and, to Tommy’s further shock, stepped aside and gestured to the open door. He took the opportunity and practically bolted, heading down the drive before he could say anything more. As he left, he heard Phil call after him.

“Don’t get too cold please!”

Tommy didn’t know what to think about the interaction, so he simply didn’t. He didn’t have the brain power to calculate what Phil’s words meant for him, for his time in their home, he just wanted to go to the library and see his friends. He could think about it later.

~~~~

Ranboo greeted him with a hug so tight Tommy gasped, squirming his way out of the grasp of his friend.

“Alright, alright.” He grumbled, flopping down on the couch in the back corner of the library Ranboo had occupied. “I get it, you’re happy to see me.”

“I haven’t seen you in months , Tommy.” Ranboo laughed, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. “Man, it’s so good to see you. Have you gotten taller again?”

“Yes!” Tommy immediately announced, puffing out his chest. “I’m gonna be taller than you soon.”

Ranboo only grinned. The two were joking, of course, Ranboo and his lanky ass was a good 6 inches taller than Tommy was and was still growing- Tommy knew he would never catch up. He liked to insist he would though.

“How long have you been here?” Tommy asked.

“Couple of hours, came here basically as soon as I woke up. They’re yelling again.”

Tommy winced. Ranboo hadn’t had much luck with foster families since he left his last stable one- much like Tommy, he’d spent his adolescence being thrown around various foster homes. He, like Tommy, still had parents with some rights over their child and thus neither could be adopted, at least not until their rights were terminated. Tommy hadn’t seen his parents in about three years by then ‘cause his dad was in jail and his mom… well, she hadn’t done the things needed to begin supervised visitation. Hadn’t got clean. Yeah. He wouldn’t have been surprised if their rights were in the process of being terminated by the court.

“Eesh, not good.” Tommy said sympathetically. “Do you think they’ll move you again?”

Ranboo shrugged. “No telling. My social worker is coming tomorrow, so maybe. They might just kick me out when I get back tonight though, ‘cause they did tell me not to leave the house today.”

“Ranboo!” Tommy scolded. “If you’re gonna get hurt, don’t do it!”

Ranboo, instead of saying anything, pointedly looked him up and down.

“Mm, says you. Hypocrite.”

Tommy was just about to object when an excited squeal cut him off and he was ambushed by a mop of curly brown hair. Tubbo threw himself into the blonde man’s lap and hugged him tightly, even tighter than Ranboo had greeted him.

“Oof, Tubs- not so tight please!” He gasped but wiggled his arms out of the hold to give his friend a hug in return. “Good to see you too.”

“Hi Tommy.” Tubbo said ecstatically, finally pulling back.

The smaller boy hadn’t changed much since Tommy had last seen him in person. It had been a few months as he’d been moved to a foster home out of town and now to Phil’s place, with occasional stints at the group home in the area over the last few years. That was the only time he was able to see his friends- Tubbo lived with his parents in an adjacent neighborhood and Ranboo, although often in the same situation as Tommy in being placed in homes further away, would sometimes line up the timing to be in the group home or local foster homes when Tommy was.

“Hey Tubbo.” Tommy said happily, pressing his chin into the top of his head.

“How’s the new place?”

“It’s… alright, I suppose?” Tommy explained. “I don’t know how to explain it, really. Phil, the dad, caught me leaving this morning and he just… let me go? Didn’t even ask what I was up to, just told me to be back by dinner.”

Ranboo raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like he’s had experience.”

“He has.” Tommy huffed. “Two previous fosters. He’s adopted both. There’s Wilbur, he was there when I arrived, doesn’t seem too bad. And then there’s Techno, I… uh, I haven’t actually met him, I don’t even know if he lives there. He might have moved out, Phil said he’d only just put his name down to take on kids again.”

“They sound… nice?” Tubbo said gingerly. Tommy smiled- Tubbo wasn’t a foster kid. He’d always lived with his parents, an only child, so he had no idea of the red flags every kid looked out for when they first arrived at a new home.

“We’ll have to see. It’s early days.”

“Mhm.” Ranboo hummed, gesturing for the two to finally sit down. “Just message us whenever… or Tubbo whenever, I still don’t have Wi-Fi.”

“No neighbours to leach from?” Tommy said sympathetically. Ranboo shook his head.

“Unfortunately. Just the library and the café. And school, when that starts again.”

“Oh yeah, that’s in a couple of days.” Tubbo suddenly realised, eyes going wide. “Oh- oh, it’s Saturday! School starts in like two days!”

“How did you only just notice?!” Ranboo giggled. “You’re gonna have to start getting up early again.”

“Noooooo!” Tubbo whined, throwing himself dramatically across Tommy’s lap. “God, don’t remind me. Aw ewwww, I’m gonna have to get my uniform out of my wardrobe. Mum got my blazer dry-cleaned and everything.”

“Is your uniform even still going to fit, ‘boo?” Tommy asked, snickered a little.

“Bruh it’s been two weeks . I think I’ll be fine.”

“I mean, you never know, I’m sure you could’ve grown another two inches over winter break.” Tommy joked.

“This is about last summer, isn’t it?” Ranboo grumbled, flicking a balled-up piece of paper at the blonde.

“This is definitely about last summer.”

Last summer- the last time the group of three had been together. Tommy had been temporarily moved back to the group home until another placement could be found for him, and Ranboo and Tubbo had been coming to the end of their summer break. Tommy had been there when Ranboo had tried on his uniform for the first time in more than two months, only to discover that the sleeves of his blazer stopped halfway down his forearm, and his pants hung inches above his ankles. Tommy had teased him about it for months .

Tommy didn’t have a uniform, he realised. He’d have to ask about it.

But that was later; for now, he just wanted to spend time with his friends. He didn’t have to think about the inevitable conversations and difficulties of a new home with them. He could just be a teenager. Himself.

Chapter Text

Tommy wasn’t quite sure how he managed it, but he was able to sneak through the front door and get upstairs and to his room without having to interact with anyone. He caught a glimpse of Wilbur in the kitchen as he tiptoed up the stairs, but the man didn’t seem to notice him- he was standing at the kitchen bench with a plate in hand. He could hear Phil talking too.

Collapsing onto the bed, Tommy groaned at the ache in his limbs. The walk to the library wasn’t far, at least not by his standards, but after not having anything to eat since 10:30 that morning (neither he nor his friends had any money, so they weren’t able to buy lunch or a snack), he was frankly exhausted. The sun had long disappeared over the horizon, but then again it did set at four-fucking-pm, so Tommy wasn’t worried. Phil said be back by dinner, not at sunset.

There were several messages on his phone from Tubbo.

Tubbo: my parents want me to do stuff with them tomorow >:(

Tubbo: wont be able to hang out

Tubbo: but ill see you at school on Monday :D

He flicked a text back lamenting Tubbo’s parents for ruining their plans, but he quickly became distracted by the basket still sitting on the table across from the bed. It had food in it. Snacks- crackers, crisps, biscuits, and some sweets. It was mostly basic staples, nothing too out there, but Tommy’s mouth was already watering. He pulled a pack of crisps from the back and gingerly pulled it open, cringing at the crinkling paper. But… they had given him this basket of food; would they try and take it away?

Tommy couldn’t be sure. He knew what it was like to receive gifts with strings attached- one wrong move, and it could be taken back. Sometimes he didn’t even have to do anything. Sometimes they just decided they wanted it and he couldn’t do anything about it.

He tried not to think about it for now. Instead, he gobbled down the handful of crisps in the small bag as fast as he could, lest someone open his door and take it from him. He was hungry and he really didn’t want to have dinner with his new housemates.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear, Tommy supposed.

A rap on the door silenced his eating, his entire body stiffening in fear.

“You there Tommy?” Phil called gently. “I heard you come in earlier. Dinner’s ready if you want some.”

When Tommy didn’t reply, still frozen, he continued.

“It’s no worries if you don’t, it’ll be in the fridge again, okay?”

Tommy gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, silently pleading for the man to just leave . He didn’t want to talk to him. He certainly didn’t want to have dinner with the man and his… sons? The social worker said he had adopted both his fosters, but Tommy had no idea of their relationship- fuck, he’d only met one of the two and had yet to see any proper interactions between them.

“Hey, I know you probably don’t want to talk right now, but can you just let me know you’re in there?” Phil asked, voice still soft. “Wil said he saw you, but I just wanna confirm you’re there. Be the responsible adult.”

“I’m here.” Tommy said sullenly, hand still half in the bag of crisps.

“Okay… okay.” Phil responded, sounding like he was still hovering.

Tommy breathed out a heavy sigh of relief as footsteps were heard going down the hall, then down the stairs. If he strained hard enough, he thought he could hear some chattering from the kitchen- probably Phil and Wilbur. And… Techno? Tommy still wasn’t sure.

He didn’t like the uneasy feeling of not knowing if there was a third person in the home or not. He liked to keep track of the people there, knowing where they were so he could sneak around them, and the fact that he hadn’t even met one of the potential occupants in his… 24 hours in the home, loomed over him. He didn’t know anything about the man other than his name and that Phil had adopted him- was he older or younger than Wilbur? Could Techno be around Tommy’s age?

Tommy grimaced at the empty room, polishing off the bag of chips and quickly stuffing the rubbish under his mattress. He’d go down later- he still didn’t want to be anywhere near them.

~~~~

Tommy had spent the evening messaging Tubbo on and off, or simply watching videos. By the time he lifted his head again it was nearing midnight and the only reason he did was because his stomach growled so loudly he briefly thought there was a whale in the room. He groaned.

Forcing himself to his feet, Tommy gingerly pulled open his door and cautiously made his way downstairs and to the kitchen. The house was silent. The lights were off, and everything seemed still.

Well, it was still until Tommy was in the middle of opening the fridge. He had just picked up the plate, covered in foil and heavy with food, when a deep voice echoed behind him.

“That’s my plate. Yours is on the shelf above.”

The plate had slipped from between Tommy’s fingers before he could even blink. The shock at the sudden presence of another human made his entire body stiffen and he fumbled.

The sound of shattering china echoed through the otherwise silent house.

Tommy let out a choked gasp, immediately bracing for the inevitable blow directed at him. But nothing happened. When he dared peek over his shoulder he saw the man standing just as stock-still as him, somewhat… blank? But as Tommy looked, he blinked a few times, rolled his shoulders, and seemed to return to reality.

“Okay, okay.” The man said calmly, taking a step back to observe the situation. “Don’t move, I’m gonna go grab some shoes and some slides for you, there’s shards everywhere. Gimme a sec.”

Tommy inhaled sharply, watching with wide eyes as the man left the room, leaving him standing in bare feet, surrounded by the broken dish and spilt food. His hands were trembling. Tommy already knew the man was probably angry at him- that was his food apparently, which he hadn’t even realised. He hadn’t even seen the other plate, on a shelf just above his eye level.

Speaking of the man… he must be Techno? Tommy hadn’t really had time to compute the fact this was Phil’s other son, aside from the fact that he could apparently fucking teleport.

“Here.” Techno said, dropping a pair of plain black slides onto the floor in front of Tommy. He was now sporting a pair of sneakers him. “Put these on. I’d rather not have to clean up blood as well.”

Tommy complied silently. He was still waiting for the catch.

Techno looked around for a moment, nudging the fridge door shut. He then frowned.

“Can you grab the broom for me please?” He asked gruffly. “It should be just inside the front door.”

But Tommy was frozen. When Techno looked up at the boy, his posture softened slightly- he knew the posture the boy had adopted upon his reentrance to the room, his careful avoidance of eye contact. He knew why the younger held his arms half raised, almost like a dinosaur (he thought of that part somewhat fondly, given Wilbur had wandered around like that for most of their shared childhood), protecting his stomach and ready to shield his head at a moment’s notice.

“I’m not gonna hit you, mate.”

Tommy only scowled.

“I’m not angry either.” Techno continued, ignoring the hostility. “It happens, we’ve all been there. And if you’re worried about Phil and Wilbur, those two could sleep through a truck slamming into the house, they didn’t hear shit. It’s just me.”

But Tommy, still defensive and still waiting for the tide to turn, just stood frozen.

He took in a slow breath, watching the man standing across the kitchen from him. The first thing Tommy noticed was the man’s long pink hair. It was pulled into a braid down the back of his neck, nearly reaching his waist, tiny curls pooling behind his ears. He was almost as tall as Tommy too, but most certainly older- if Tommy had to guess, he would say the man was about 20. Maybe a year old than Wilbur, if that. Techno only looked confused, a little uncertain, now raising his own arms to match Tommy’s stance.

“I can clean it up.” Tommy mumbled, taking one step backwards towards the door.

“Nah.” Techno said easily. “I got it. Heat up your food and take it up to your room if you want, I can tell you don’t want to be here. Dad said we’ve got a long day tomorrow so you’re gonna want a full belly and some decent sleep.”

When Techno stepped past him to grab the broom- not without a violent flinch from Tommy- the blonde took the opportunity to snatch his plate from the fridge, still cold, and a fork before bolting. He’d eaten worse. Cold food wasn’t the end of the world.

Tommy caught one glimpse of Techno in the entryway before he was up the stairs. He mentally noted the tinsel still strung above the man’s head- oh yeah, it was the first Saturday of the new year. Christmas had only happened a week and a half earlier (though it hadn’t been a particularly pleasant holiday if Tommy had to comment).

He kicked his door shut with a groan, dropping his plate onto the desk. Fuck…. what a first interaction.

~~~~

It was a knock that woke Tommy up on his second morning in the home. He lifted his head from the pillow, eyes barely open and fuzz knocking around in his head.

“Mornin’ Tommy.” Phil called from the hallway. “I hate to wake you up, but we wanna be out of here fairly soon. We’re going shopping to get you some basics if that’s alright.”

Andddddd… there goes Tommy’s day. Fuck. Shopping . The bane of his existence. Tommy didn’t have any money, of course not, how can you hold a job when you’re being shoveled from town to town every few months? It was up to his foster parents to open their wallets and buy him new clothes whenever he grew out of the old ones which was, obviously, not very often. They weren’t paid enough for that.

He scowled to himself and briefly shoved his face back into the pillow, fighting the urge to scream. God, he didn’t know what was worse- going shopping with just Phil, or being accompanied by Wilbur and Techno as well.

But Tommy knew what he had to do. Reluctantly, he dragged himself from his bed and pulled on his singular clean and somewhat presentable outfit- another pair of too-short jeans, worn out sneakers and a red hoodie that definitely wasn’t one of Tubbo’s he had stolen. It was a little small but hey, it was good quality. And warm. It was about the only thing he cared about, given it was January.

The kitchen was crowded when he finally made it downstairs. Wilbur was sitting at the bench on a barstool, swinging his legs with a spoon sticking out of his mouth. A half-eaten bowl of cereal sat in front of him. Techno, looking grumpy and somewhat sleep deprived, stood in front of the toaster with a messy braid and a scowl. Phil was the only one at the table, midway through peeling a clementine.

Tommy’s eye caught something shiny in the living room, finally landing on a Christmas tree. He stared at it for a moment- it felt a little bit extravagant for three people.

“Toast or cereal, Tommy?” Wilbur asked around his spoon. Tommy hovered in the doorway, hesitating to go any closer. Wilbur repeated the question.

“Um… cer-cereal?” Tommy answered reluctantly, not moving from his place in the doorway.

“Cornflakes or museli?” Techno asked, half hidden by the pantry door. “Dad, we need to go to the supermarket, there’s literally nothing here.”

“Put it on the list please.”

And Tommy… Tommy just stood there. Look, he’d been there before, he’d been on the sidelines, in the room, as the family existed around him. It happened far too many times for him to count, especially in foster families with biological children- they would live their lives as if Tommy wasn’t there. He was furniture in the corner of the room.

Techno asked him about his cereal choice again and Tommy reluctantly responded, “cornflakes.”

He wasn’t particularly fond of either option, but it was food and after the cold dinner at midnight the night before, it was better than nothing. He made sure to seat himself at the table opposite Phil, with his back to the wall and eyes on the other two in the room.

A little while later, once his bowl was empty and Techno had also eaten, Phil discarded his clementine peel in the bin and spoke with a smile.

“Right, boys, let’s get out of here.”

Chapter Text

Listen, Tommy was trying really hard not to sulk. Really hard. But in the end, he couldn’t prevent the scowl from permanently etching itself onto his face as he was directed to the backseat of Phil’s car, far too close to Techno for comfort. He had to restrain himself from kicking the back of Wilbur’s seat.

“The mall isn’t usually too crazy at this time.” Phil informed him, glancing in the mirror at the blonde teen. “We’ll be in and out before you know it.”

Tommy sighed under his breath and leaned against the window, attempting to ignore them. He just… he knew this pattern. They’d play nice, they’d buy him things, treat him like a porcelain doll who could crack at any moment. They’d be gentle. But when Tommy acted up, broke their rules, ran away, the act would quickly drop. They’d take back the things they bought, forbid him from going anywhere, and eventually Tommy would be dropped off on the doorstep of another family to start the whole thing again.

So, sue him for wanting to be left alone. Get mad at him for only wanting to be with his friends and never at their home. Yell at him when he refused to even try. He’d done this all before, again and again and again- he wasn’t about to open up and let himself be hurt by one more lost chance.

The first store he was dragged to was a generic big-box everything store, where Techno and Wilbur immediately ran off to some obscure corner and left Tommy alone with Phil. Phil was humming to himself, scrolling absentmindedly on his phone.

“I think the first thing to start with would be clothes.” Phil mused when he finally looked up. “I know we’ve given you some of Wil and Tech’s old stuff, but I’m not sure how well they’ll fit, plus I know it’ll be nice to have some stuff of your own. You’re probably still growing after all.”

Tommy simply stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“Oh, and some winter stuff too. A coat, hat… fuck, I swear I wrote it down somewhere, hang on. Alice said you really didn’t have much.”

The swearing took him by surprise. His first impressions of Phil had led him to believe the man was one of those soft spoken, gentle people who wouldn’t swear when confronted with anything. You know, one of those people who you could push around. Don’t get him wrong, Tommy was no stranger to adults swearing around him, especially directing their foul words towards him, but to hear it so casually by an adult man around 16-year-old him, like it was just part of the sentence… surprised him, Tommy supposed.

“And then just some typical teenage gear. I dunno, Wilbur’s pretty particular about his clothes and Techno couldn’t give less of a fuck so you just pick out some stuff you like.”

The clothing section was… overwhelming . Tommy just wanted to be away from Phil so immediately wove his way between the high clothing racks and out of the man’s sight, taking a moment to simply be by himself and shake off his anxiety. He ran his hands up and down his jeans, grimacing at his sweaty palms.

Tommy wandered the isles for a while. He wasn’t considering the clothing, Tommy was mostly just flapping his hands and pacing up and down, turning on his heel and… well, running away whenever he caught a glimpse of Phil.

But of course, it was when he stopped for a brief moment to eye a hoodie that interested him when Phil caught up to him. The man had a pile of clothing resting in his arms.

“I’ve just had a guess at your size, but I’ve picked out a few random things you’ll probably need.” Phil explained, dropping them all into a nearby shopping cart. “A good winter coat, some basic tees and hoodies, that sort of thing. Oh, and some jeans too, I saw you wearing some earlier so figured you didn’t mind them. Tech won’t even touch denim.”

Tommy only shrugged.

“Found anything you like?”

Another shrug.

Phil didn’t seem put out. He didn’t even seem phased by Tommy’s non-answer, and he did have to remind himself for a moment that Phil had apparently done this twice before- if Wilbur and Techno had been around his age when Phil had taken them in, he had no doubt they would have been just as standoffish.

“Tell you what, you try some of these on to check if they’re the right size, and I’ll keep looking.” Phil said, nodding in the direction of the dressing room.

Tommy jumped at the suggestion- after all, it was another chance to be by himself and, as much as he hated to admit it, he needed properly fitting clothes. He was starting at a new school the next day and while Tubbo and Ranboo would be there, he didn’t need more reasons for older students to bully him. Ill-fitting clothes had been a major reason in his prior schools. If Phil was paying, he supposed he’d accept it.

After trying on some of the items, and all but a couple he outright rejected due to their fit or feel, he took an acceptable pile in the cart back to Phil. He’d been almost spot on with guessing Tommy’s size. Phil, once again, had a pile of items in his arms.

“You done?” Phil said approvingly. “Good, you’ve got a decent pile. Is there still a coat in there?”

Tommy nodded. Somewhere in the cart was a plain black fabric coat which actually fit him- while Tommy wouldn’t admit it, he hadn’t had a proper fitting winter jacket since he was, what, ten? Possibly younger. His lankiness had been apparent even back then and the fact he grew out of his clothes in less than six months meant he grew up with sleeves stopping above his wrist.

“Most of these should be your size then… mm, maybe try these on just to be safe.” Tommy was handed a pair of black jeans. “I’d also like you to pick out some other things, accessories, maybe a belt, socks, stuff like that. Anything else you need you can find in the clothes section, and then we can go get you some decent shoes. Oh, and school supplies. How old is your backpack? The poor thing looked like it was about to fall apart.”

“I dunno.” Tommy murmured. “Pretty old.”

“A new backpack would be good then too.”

Tommy was directed to other sections of the store, occasionally but still reluctantly picking up things and putting them in the cart. He cringed at the pile- it was going to cost so much. But Phil didn’t stop. By the end of their rounds he had acquired more than a whole new wardrobe, several pairs of shoes, accessories, school supplies including books, stationary and a backpack, and… headphones?

Tommy hadn’t questioned it at first when Phil dropped a decently expensive set of over-ear headphones into the cart, but his eyes kept drifting back to them. Phil saw him looking.

“You need a pair, yeah?”

“I-” Tommy stammered, trying to shake his head. “I don’t-”

“I know about your phone, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Phil said with an amused smile. “Both Tech and Wil had phones when they came to me, and I trust you. You keep in contact with your friends, you’ve got people to reach out to… oh, entertainment as well. I think it’s important for you to have one, so you might as well have headphones as well.”

“…Oh.” Tommy murmured.

They were weaving their way back through the clothing section, aiming for the checkouts, when Tommy hesitated a moment. Something caught his eye. Phil saw him, following his gaze, and he smiled a little.

“You want it?” He asked.

Tommy took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and nodded.

“You pick your size then.”

Tommy reached up and pulled down a shirt in the size large, a little oversized but comfortable. It was simple- a plain white shirt with red sleeves. Something he could see himself wearing a lot, honestly. He dropped it into the cart.

Then, Phil sighed. “Right, let’s try and find the other two and then we can go. God knows where they’ve gone.”

~~~~

Tommy hated early mornings. He hated early mornings. So when the knock came on his door at six in the fucking morning, Tommy briefly considered screaming into his pillow and rolling over and going back to sleep, but… it was his first day of school with Tubbo and Ranboo!

Look, Tommy didn’t like school. He was smart, but with all the time he’d spent out of school or learning the routine of a new hometown, he was behind his peers in subjects like English and maths. But he picked up things quickly. He was passionate about other things, like art and music, not grades and exams. Hey, he’d probably have Ranboo and Tubbo to keep him company in most classes- Ranboo, like himself, had spent months of class being moved from home to home and Tubbo had been held back from top sets due to his dyslexia, much to the displeasure of his parents.

“I’m taking you to school.” Wilbur said by way of greeting when Tommy entered the kitchen, yawning and only half dressed. “Phil’s just about to leave for work and Tech isn’t up yet.”

“Okay.” Tommy mumbled, searching the cabinets for bowls. Phil had been to the supermarket late the previous evening and had apparently bought some new cereals. He picked a box of sugary goodness, ignoring all potential health effects down the line, and sat himself at the same seat he had picked the morning before.

Phil briefly ducked in the kitchen when Tommy was midway through eating, giving Wilbur a side hug and a nod to Tommy.

“Bye boys, Tommy, bring a coat to school, it’s going to be cold today. Wilbur, don’t eat all the food in the house please, see you after work.”

Tommy waited until he heard the man’s car pull out of the driveway before continuing to eat. He could sense Wilbur’s eyes on him, a gentle gaze, simply watching him curiously while he ate. Tommy ignored him.

Tommy: where should i meet you?

It took a few minutes for Tubbo to reply; he wasn’t surprised. Again, Tubbo loved to sleep in and even on a school day he would push it as long as he could- even if it meant running out the door five minutes before the bell for first class rang with a thermos of coffee in hand, that man would sleep.

Tubbo: behind the gym

Tubbo: opposite the park ranboo and me took you that one time

Tommy: oki

“The house should be empty when you get back.” Wilbur said. Tommy looked up. “Techno has class this afternoon and I’m going out, so you’ll need this.”

Wilbur lobbed something over to the table, which skidded to a stop beside him. It was a key.

“For the front door. Phil won’t mind if you stay out, but just be back by dinner.”

Tommy only shrugged. If he was honest he probably was just going to stay out until the evening, likely in the library with his friends, simply because he hadn’t seen them in so long. Even if he had seen them, it was usually just one or the other and it wasn’t for very long. The perks of being a foster kid, he supposed.

Throwing together the last of his belongings for the day into his new backpack, Tommy reluctantly stood by the door to wait for Wilbur; god, if this was his only way to get to school every day then he just might die- he didn’t want to be alone with the man, in silence, for however long the drive took to get to the school. It wasn’t crazy far, he could probably walk it if he wanted. But Wilbur insisted, and he was kinda tired… he’d put up with it for one day.

Just one day.

“Let’s go!” Wilbur called, spinning his keys on his fingers as he stood at the bottom of the stairs. “You don’t want to be late on your first day!”

Tommy grunted, wrinkling his nose. He was late all the time, at every school he ever attended. What difference would this school make?

Chapter Text

He heard them before he saw them. Tommy got Wilbur to drop him around the side of the school, beside the park like Tubbo instructed, and for a moment he kind of just hovered while he tried to work out where his friend wanted him to go. He considered calling his friend as the anxiety rose in his chest, but just as he was raising his phone to his ear-

“ Ranboo !” Tubbo shrieked, appearing around the side of a nearby building, hot on the heels of the taller. “Give that back!”

When Tubbo caught up to their older friend, Ranboo, cackling a little, simply lifted the book above his head and waved it, taunting him.

“I’m taller! You can’t get it!”

Tommy rolled his eyes fondly. Look, so they may make fun of Tubbo and his short stature fairly often. They were friends, it was fair game, and Tubbo didn’t really mind- he’d tell them if they pushed the teasing too far.

“Hey.” Tommy said, wandering over to them.

“Tommy!” They both exclaimed, dropping the teasing act. “Hi!”

Tubbo quickly engulfed the blonde in a tight hug, laughing when Tommy fake choked and attempted to pull away.

“We were apart for one day, Tubs , no need to be so dramatic.”

“But we’re supposed to see each other everyday now!” Tubbo whined. “We never live so close!”

“Mm, gotta make the most of it.” Ranboo added. They all knew the underlying meaning to his sentence. They didn’t know how long Tommy would be there, or even how long Ranboo himself might be. Either could be moved away with just a few hours notice- hell, there’d been times when one or the other had returned to their foster home to find their social worker on the porch and five minutes to pack and leave. Those days hadn’t been fun.

“So… what do we do now?” Tommy said, dropping his backpack onto the ground next to Tubbo and Ranboo’s stuff.

“We should probably go to the office?” Ranboo suggested. “You need your schedule and stuff. Ooo, I hope you’re in our classes!”

Tommy silently hoped the same. He didn’t get lost easily and he wasn’t shy about asking people for directions if he got truly lost (he’d been the new student plenty of times before), but having his friends there really would help. It would make it easier.

“Let’s go then!” Tubbo said brightly, seizing Tommy’s hand.

Tommy, while smiling, sighed. “How are you so awake?” He asked his friend. “You’re never so bloody chipper this early.”

And Tubbo gave the one answer no one wanted to hear- “Coffee!”

“Tubbo no!”

~~~~

“Monday’s a bitch.” Tubbo groaned. His coffee energy had long since worn off.

Ranboo had his head down on the table. He hadn’t said anything since they’d arrived at the library, just dumped his stuff on the floor and grumbled to himself about awful teachers already talking about exams. They weren’t even until May or June! It was the second week of January ! Tommy understood his frustration.

The only thing he could be thankful for was that he was with either one or both of his friends in all but one of his classes- the only exception was his science class, which he was fine with. It was better than he could have hoped for, actually.

“Got any food?” Tommy asked his friend. He’d had lunch at the cafeteria with them, but it was nearing 5pm now and his stomach was growling. He certainly didn’t have any money.

“Uhhh, I’ve got an apple?” Tubbo said after a moment of digging through his bag. “It might be a little bruised, but it’s from this morning. It’s not like it’s been in there all break or something.”

“I’ll take it.” Tommy shrugged, biting into it. “Anything to avoid going back there.”

“Is it really that bad?”

“I mean… not really?” Tommy waved his hands. “They’re nice, I suppose, but it’s like they’re almost too nice. Like, Phil adopted Wilbur and Techno apparently, so I thought they would realise that the whole… being creepily nice thing is super off-putting. It’s weird.”

Ranboo wrinkled his nose. “Mm, I get that. It’s like they’ve got no boundaries, they wanna know what you’re up to all the time.”

“Well, it’s not really like that either…” Tommy trailed off. “They’ve got boundaries, Phil just wants to know where I am and shit. It’s not like he’s stopping me going out.”

“So he’s just… nice?” Tubbo questioned, wrinkling his nose. “It sounds like he just cares about you Toms.”

“It’s not like that.” Tommy said shortly. Ranboo quietly nodded his agreement. “If you trusted all the ones who were nice on the first few days, you’d only get hurt. They tend to drop the act pretty fast when you start breaking their rules.”

He didn’t blame Tubbo, he really didn’t. The kid had parents. He’d never been in the foster system, never been shuttled from home to home, school to school, with all these people he couldn’t trust. Tommy might even say he was naïve to the world outside of his little town... but even in this little town. There were some… not so nice foster parents there. Both Tommy and Ranboo had spent time with a few.

“Hopefully they’ll be bearable.” Ranboo finally said. “I mean, you’re almost seventeen. Only a year for you and less than a year for me until we can get outta here and find our own place.”

God, yeah, then there was that part. Tommy had long accepted that he would be aging out of the system and once he turned eighteen he would be out on his own. Ranboo knew the same- he had turned seventeen back in November, so he only had ten months left before he could go off on his own.

“Mm.” Tommy sighed. “It must be easier than… this.”

~~~~

Dinner was a silent affair. Well, it couldn’t be anything but silent- Tommy was eating alone again.

He’d returned to the house well after sunset, disappearing up the stairs when he realised the three other occupants were in the kitchen having dinner. He knew he could eat later- no one had commented on his late-night habit yet, so he’d continue it as long as possible. It meant time to himself and more avoiding them, after all.

He had crept down to the kitchen a few hours later, when he was sure they’d all gone to bed, and found his dinner waiting for him. It was macaroni and cheese tonight- whoever made the food was actually a good cook, and Tommy found he quite enjoyed it.

But, of course, Tommy was once again incorrect about the routines of the household. Halfway through his food, when he was looking down at his phone and absorbed in something, Techno wandering into the kitchen with his hood pulled up. Tommy startled so badly he dropped his fork on the floor.

“You’re jumpy.” Techno commented, digging through the fridge. “Maybe you should turn some of the lights on. It’s a bit weird eating in the dark.”

Tommy only scowled. The man was odd, constantly deadpan and monotone, never once showing a hint of emotion in his voice. Well, except for the lilt of concern when Tommy had dropped his plate two nights before. But other than that, his point still stood.

“Here.” Techno said, pushing a bowl across the table towards him. “I know you haven't had anything to eat since lunch, and you hardly had anything for breakfast. I’ve been there.”

And then the pink haired man turned and left, a box of snacks in hand, leaving Tommy in a stunned silence. When he pulled back the foil, he discovered a large slice of strawberry cheesecake on the plate, a small spoon tucked in beside it. Techno was… encouraging him to eat it? He’d been there.

He’d been there- Tommy knew what that meant only too well. He had no timeline for Techno’s adoption, but he assumed he’d been with the man for at least a few years given he looked about twenty now. But he had to have gone through foster home too and, from the sound of it, some pretty nasty ones. The ones that withheld food. The ones that let you go without meals, where you went to bed with your stomach grumbling and nausea from the hunger pangs. They were the bad ones- sometimes even worse than the places where people screamed and hit.

He'd been there. He was trying to make it easier for Tommy.

Tommy… Tommy was thankful. It wasn’t much, a simple act of handing a plate over that was probably already meant for him, but it was something. A flicker of trust. A spark. Wilbur and Techno had been there not so long ago… they knew how it worked. Perhaps that’s why Phil wasn’t pushing him to be around the family too.

So he ate. He ate and for the first time in a while, went to sleep with a full stomach and subdued anxiety rather than the full blown buzzing he was used to.

Tommy sighed, pulling the blankets up over his chin. He’d think it over properly in the morning.

~~~~

Tommy could tell something was wrong only a few minutes into class. They were in fifth period, last class before lunch, maths . Tommy had grumbled to himself upon realizing what class it was- he already disliked the teacher, and it was only day two.

But something was wrong. More accurately, something was wrong with Ranboo.

Ranboo had come into the classroom with his noise-cancelling headphones and had refused to take them off, even when the teacher started his lesson. The man tried once or twice to get him to remove them but when Ranboo only shook his head, he didn’t push- Tubbo explained later that Ranboo had something called an IEP, an individual education plan, which allowed him to do things like that.

Tommy watched him closely out of the corner of his eye, biting down on the top of his pencil as his friend got visibly more and more uncomfortable. He was fidgeting, pulling on his headphones and hair, biting down on his knuckles. Eventually he placed his head on the desk and Tommy saw him close his eyes. He couldn’t ignore his shoulders trembling.

“Hey.” He leaned across the aisle and poked his friend. “You wanna get out of here?”

When Ranboo looked up, his lip wobbled.

“Come on, let’s go find somewhere quiet until Tubbo gets out of class.” Tommy said gently, slipping his bag onto his bag and taking his friend’s hand. Ranboo didn’t resist him, pliant and quiet as the two ignored their fellow classmates and disappeared from the room. The teacher didn’t question it- Tommy saw the sympathetic glance he gave them.

Ranboo walked with his shoulders hunched, one hand tight around the strap of his backpack and other clutching onto Tommy like a lifeline. Tommy had had some experience with Ranboo’s anxiety before, but certainly not as much as Tubbo had. Tommy had been… ugh, moved around quite a lot, whereas Ranboo had gone through a few local foster homes and attended the same school for a number of years. Ranboo and Tubbo had simply been around each other in person more.

“Come on, sit down.” Tommy murmured, guiding the taller. He’d found himself, mostly unintentionally, back behind the building they had been behind this morning- their little hangout spot. Private, away from the classrooms. “Do’ya want me to message Tubbo?”

Ranboo nodded silently. He was biting on his knuckles again.

Tommy slotted himself in between his friend and the wall of the building behind him, squeezing his hand, distracting him. But the shortness of Ranboo’s breath, his trembling fingers and gentle swaying told him the attack was far from over.

“What happened?” He asked, running a thumb along the back of Ranboo’s hand. Look, he wasn’t good at this- that was probably not the best thing he could have done.

“Just-” Ranboo gasped, leaning onto Tommy’s shoulder. “Just some… assholes in fourth period.”

He gasped again. Tommy cringed- it sounded like he was inhaling through a straw. He sent Tubbo another text:

Tommy: seriously hurry up pls hes panicking real bad

Tubbo rounded the corner only a moment later, dropping his backpack and immediately pulling Ranboo into his arms. He squeezed the taller tight, sending Tommy a glance over Ranboo’s shoulder.

“Is your place gonna be empty?” Tubbo asked pleadingly. “We need somewhere quiet, please.”

Tommy exhaled but, reluctantly, nodded. “Yeah. Phil and Wilbur are at work and Techno’ll be on campus until this evening. We can… yeah, we can go there.”

“Skipping school on your second day, huh?” Ranboo croaked, managing to look up.

“Hey.” Tommy smiled. “You’re more important.”

Chapter Text

Ranboo took a nap. Tommy took a nap too. Tubbo stayed up, half lying down but sitting up just enough to have a view of the driveway in case Phil or Techno or Wilbur came back before they were expecting it.

Tommy’s two friends had both taken a snack from the basket on the desk, with Tubbo promising to refill it- he understood that Tommy feared his food was limited. He’d probably grab some cookies or crackers from home and exchange them at school the next morning.

“How’re ya feeling?” Tommy asked groggily, gently poking Ranboo’s shoulder. The taller groaned mutely, finally shaking himself awake enough to reply without slurring his words.

“Better.” He mumbled. “I don’t wanna go back. It’s nice here.”

Tommy cringed. Ranboo had been with this new foster family for a few months now, and they weren’t… pleasant. They didn’t starve him or anything, didn’t prevent him from leaving the home and hanging out with his friends, but they weren’t exactly the nicest people. They yelled sometimes, once even hit him, and there was always one of them home. Ranboo mentioned once how he never got any privacy.

“I think we’ve got another couple of hours.” Tommy murmured, glancing out the window at the sun. It was about 4pm now, the earliest arrival shouldn’t be back before six.

Maybe he could nap a little longer…

~~~~

Knock, knock . Tommy bolted upright, nearly shoving poor Tubbo, who had been lying on him, off the bed. Knock, knock, knock .

“Tommy? Are you home?” Phil called gently. Tommy stared desperately at the doorhandle, just waiting for it to turn.

Ranboo and Tubbo were both frozen, still bleary with sleep. Ranboo seemingly hadn’t even computed how late it had gotten because he was so tired, but Tommy knew- the last rays of sunshine were barely filtering into the room, casting everyone in an orange glow.

“I- uh, I got a call from the school, is it okay if I come in?”

Nausea bubbled in his stomach. Shit . Shit, fuck, the school had called him!? Ranboo let out a barely audible groan of realization, pushing himself up onto his elbows. Tubbo remained tucked up in the corner against the wall, sending Tommy an apologetic glance. Tommy knew the brunette hadn’t meant to fall asleep.

“I’m gonna come in, okay? I-” Phil chuckled briefly. “I don’t even know if you’re home so I could be talking to myself right now.”

The door creaked slightly as it was pushed open. Tommy steeled himself.

Phil stuck his head around the door, paused, and then… smiled?

“Oh, you’ve got some friends around, okay. Just make sure they’re home by a reasonable time, please?” Phil instructed. “Dinner’s just gonna be takeaway, it’ll be here in about half an hour. I didn’t order enough for all of you unfortunately but if you’re hungry, feel free to take something from the cupboard.”

Tommy only scowled. Ranboo had inched closer to Tommy, attempting to hide himself from the intruder into their space.

“I’ll leave you boys to it.”

The door was pulled closed again and the tension in Tommy’s shoulders released somewhat, breathing out a deep sigh.

“Fuckkkkk.” Tubbo groaned. “I’m sorry Toms, I fell asleep, I didn’t realise he’d come home-”

“It’s alright Tubs.” Tommy smiled gently. “Wasn’t your fault. He… he didn’t react badly or anything, so… I dunno. It might be best if you guys head off now though.”

Ranboo nodded reluctantly, pressing his face into Tommy’s shoulder in an almost-hug.

“We’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked nervously.

Tommy nodded. “Damn right you will.” He reassured the taller. “I’ll be there.”

He reached out and hugged Tubbo too, taking both of their hands. They gathered their meagre things and Tommy led them downstairs and to the backdoor- he didn’t want to run into Phil again- where he gave them one final hug goodbye and confirmed again that he would see them tomorrow.

Ranboo hung back another moment, squeezing Tommy’s wrist.

“Be safe, okay?” He murmured.

“I will.” Tommy breathed. If something went wrong, Ranboo wouldn’t know until the morning… once he left the house, they had no way to contact each other. Ranboo had no access to Wi-Fi at his foster home. “I promise.”

The pair sent each other one final nod, and Tommy pulled the door closed with a click. He felt sick. He was waiting for the switch to flip, for Phil to start getting angry- it was only his second day and he was already skipping classes. Tommy knew he was bending- nay, breaking one of the very few rules he had been presented with.

Tommy tiptoed back through the house, desperate to avoid the inevitable confrontation. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

“Which one was Ranboo?” Phil asked from the doorway, his voice carefully gentle. “Your school said he was the reason you were out of class.”

“He didn’t do anything.” Tommy snapped, immediately on the defensive. “Leave him out of it.”

“I don’t believe he did Tommy, I’m just wondering which of your friends he was. He’s in the system too, isn’t he?”

Tommy scowled- whatever parenting classes Phil had done apparently allowed him to mindread now.

“Yeah.” He grumbled. “He is. And he’s the tall one.”

“Alright. If they come over again, just make sure you warn me in advance please?” Phil said. “I can have some food for them then.”

Phil turned to leave, heading back into the kitchen, when Tommy made an audible noise of confusion. He turned back, raising one eyebrow.

“Yes?”

“You’re not gonna-” Tommy gestured vaguely, trying to hint at the elephant in the room.

“The skipping thing?”

“ Yeah ?” Tommy said, exasperated.

“I don’t mind.” Phil shrugged. “You put your friend first and although I think you’re a little behind in school, he’s more important than a few hours of lessons. If your friend is anything like I think, god knows he needs it.”

Tommy cocked his head curiously.

“We’ve had a few fosters through the house before you, Tommy, that didn’t work out.” Phil informed him. “But I’ve had some experience with foster teens, and I know the shit the system puts you lot through. Your friend, uh… Ranboo?”

Tommy nodded.

“I’m sure he’s been through just as much as you, and just as much as those other kids. If I can support you support him then…” Phil gave him a soft smile. “I will.”

He then turned to leave again, and Tommy’s whispered ‘thank you’ simply echoed around the empty room. He was pretty sure Phil didn’t even hear him.

Tommy only sighed to himself. God, what a way to start at the new place.

~~~~

The rest of the week was oddly uneventful. School was… difficult, but there was no bullying, no particularly awful teachers, and he had his friends to keep him company. Ranboo seemed alright after his panic attack on the second day of the week, and while he did admittedly skip a few classes to keep his head above the water, Tommy understood.

It was the weekend again. Tommy slept in a few hours extra, knowing the plan wasn’t to meet with his friends until just before noon. Rather than the library, however, they planned to go hang out at the local park. It had been a favourite of theirs when they were young and, for the first time in years, they were going back. Tubbo was bringing snacks, and Ranboo and Tommy were bringing themselves.

Tubbo: tommyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Tommy frowned, the message being displayed on his screen having been sent barely three minutes earlier.

Tubbo: are u awake

Tubbo: you didnt reply

Tommy: i just woke up

Tommy: what

Tubbo: :O

Tubbo: tommy

Tubbo: im already here

Tubbo: ranboos proably nearly here

Tommy sat up suddenly, finally clocking the time. Shittttttt… it was half past eleven! He hadn’t even realised he’d slept in for so long, he’d kinda just assumed it was around nine. He sent Tubbo one more text.

Tommy: shit sorry ill be there in like 20

Tubbo: :D

Hauling himself out of bed, Tommy shrugged on some of his new clothing. A nice pair of sturdy boots, dark jeans, his white top with red sleeves (the one that had caught his eye in the shop), and a thick jacket. It was still January after all, and he planned to spend time in an outdoor space for at least several hours. Yeah, he’d need it.

Tommy dug through the basket of food on his desk and eventually came up with a couple of muesli bars sitting at the bottom- a decent breakfast, all things considered. It wasn’t like he was going hungry. He opened one and stuck the others in his backpack.

He wanted out of the house without bumping into anyone, but, of course, Tommy had no such luck. He was halfway through eating the first bar and halfway down the stairs when Phil stuck his head around the door.

“Wilb- oh, hi Tommy, mornin’. Sorry, thought you were Wil.” He waved his hand dismissively, laughing to himself. “Are you off?”

Tommy nodded silently. Phil wouldn’t stop him… right?

“Alright, but make sure you’re back by dinner please? We’re doing takeout and a movie.” Phil paused, looking the blonde teen up and down. “You don’t have to participate, but I’d appreciate you being there.”

Tommy didn’t really respond. He gave a sort of half nod, grimacing, because he didn’t think he’d be back by then. He didn’t think he’d be back until morning actually- the plan was to spend the night at the park, sleeping at the little hut deep into the nearby woods, just like they did when they were kids. Ranboo and Tubbo had kept it standing in the years he hadn’t been around, waiting for Tommy to return.

When Phil disappeared into the next room, Tommy took the opportunity to open the front door and practically sprint from the house. His bag bashed against his back.

He couldn’t wait to see his friends again.

~~~~

“…Tech?” Wilbur called hesitantly, knocking lightly on his brother’s door. He heard a grunt in reply, taking it as permission to open it.

“What…?” Techno murmured, dragging his eyes from his phone. Wilbur chuckled.

He knew the man had only just woken up, despite it being well past noon now. His blackout curtains were tightly closed and his pink hair, normally pulled back into a slick braid, was tangled and messy.

“So…” Wilbur began, flopping down onto the bed beside him. “What do you think?”

“…’bout the new kid?”

Wilbur rolled his eyes fondly. “Yes, ‘bout Tommy! What else would I be asking about?”

“He’s like you.” Techno deadpanned. “ Exactly like you.”

“That’s a compliment, right?”

“No Wil, that’s not a compliment.” Techno snickered. “It’s gonna be a pain in the ass and he’s gonna cause so much trouble and be standoffish for agesssss. You know, like you.”

“Thanks.” Wilbur grumbled. “I wasn’t that bad.”

“Uh huh, and you didn’t refuse to be in the same room as me and Phil for two months.”

Wilbur only rolled his eyes at that. Look, it was true, but Techno didn’t need to rub it in. He instead pressed himself closer to his still half-sleeping brother and jokingly placed his chin onto top of the shorter man’s head- it had become a half-joke, half comforting gesture since Wilbur had gained a couple of inches in height on Techno.

Techno had been taller when Phil had first fostered Wilbur, but with some proper nutrition and a stable home, he’d shot up from average height at fourteen, when he’d arrived, to about six foot five by sixteen- you know, almost a foot of growth in two years. It hadn’t been fun. Techno, on the other hand, had always been tall and lanky despite his time in the system and had hit his final height sometime between Phil fostering him and Wilbur being added to their little family. He’d been fourteen too, when Phil took him in, and Wilbur came along a year and a half later.

“I’m sure he’ll come around eventually.” Wilbur mumbled, fiddling with Techno’s hair. “I mean, we did.”

“We were fourteen.” Techno said quietly. “He’s almost seventeen, Wil. You know what Phil said about the other kids he fostered.”

Wilbur grimaced. They hadn’t heard much about the teens that came before him, who stayed for weeks to months in Phil’s home, but both knew they had been older, generally less than a year before they would age out of the system entirely. When Phil had first signed up to be a foster, his home had been one for temporary- emergency- placements. Not adoptions. None of them stayed. Techno had changed that. Then came Wilbur.

And now Tommy. They wanted Tommy to stay; the issue was, Tommy didn’t.

“Best to wait and see.” Techno reassured him. “It’s been a week. All we can do is try and make him feel comfortable… you know how bad it was when you first got here.”

“Yeah…” Wilbur sighed. “I mean… best we can hope is he isn’t as bad as me.”

The two shared a knowing look and a quick laugh.

“God, I don’t know how you put up with me.”

Techno smiled cheekily. “I knew you were my little brother the first time I laid eyes on you.” He scoffed. “Wasn’t gonna let you go that easy.”

Wilbur groaned. “You fucking sap.”

“What??” Techno chuckled. “Don’t deny you didn’t think the same thing the moment Tommy walked in the front door.”

Wilbur was silent. Techno knew he wasn’t wrong.

Chapter Text

The first thing Tommy became aware of was an elbow in his gut. He groaned, forcing the bony limb away from his stomach. Of course, the owner of said limb only shuffled closer; it was winter, and they were sleeping outside. If Tommy was more awake, he probably wouldn’t be blaming them.

“Ranboo…” Tommy groaned, rolling over. “Quit elbowing me.”

The man didn’t respond, he only shuffled closer and sighed sleepily. Tommy huffed. Tubbo, half-awake on his other side, giggled at the exchange.

“Mornin’ Tommy.” The brunette mumbled, shivering as a gust of wind ripped through their makeshift tent.

God, Tommy had forgotten the nights like this. Don’t get him wrong, it was better than some of the foster homes he had been through, but sleeping in the woods in a makeshift tent made of tarpaulin- which was water and windproof, if not exactly the warmest place to sleep- made his bones ache . It was January, i.e. still fucking freezing.

“Come ‘ere.” Tommy smiled fondly, wrestling his arm out from underneath Ranboo and opening it up to Tubbo. The man sighed happily.

“You’re warm.” He murmured, eyes fluttering closed.

Tommy only relaxed against his friend, closing his eyes again. Yeah. This was it. This was where he felt most at home. This was where his heart was.

~~~~

“We should probably go, ‘ay?” Tommy sighed, glancing around at their messy campground. Ranboo sighed but reluctantly nodded, gathering his meagre belongings.

“Hey.” Tubbo jokingly nudged the tallest. “We’ll see you tomorrow morning, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Ranboo said flatly. “…Tomorrow morning.”

“…If you need to, you can always come to mine.” Tubbo murmured, reaching out to squeeze Ranboo’s hand. “Well, if they’ve even noticed you’re gone.”

That seemed to cheer Ranboo up a little and he cracked a smile. “I… yeah, now that I think about it… they probably haven’t noticed that I’m gone, huh?”

“Oblivious fuckers.” Tommy added, trying to lighten the mood. Ranboo turned to him.

“What about you?”

Tommy sighed deeply. “I think I’ll be okay? Phil did ask me to be home last night, but he seems… alright. He’s done this a few times before so I doubt not coming home for one night is new to him.”

“He’s probably worried.” Tubbo said.

Tommy shrugged. “Be worried, then. I’m not his responsibility.”

“You quite literally are.”

“Shut.”

The three giggled a little, trying to ease the tension. Tommy guessed not everything was new- it had always been like that, every time the three said goodbye. Of course, they had no idea if, each time they said it, it would be the last time they saw each other. Neither Tommy or Ranboo knew if they’d wake up the next morning to find a social worker on the porch, telling them to pack and get a move on. They didn’t know the next time they would have access to WiFi. They didn’t know the next time they’d talk. Goodbyes seemed permanent, even if they believed they would see each other the very next day.

“Bye ‘boo.” Tommy said, as he turned down the road towards Phil’s. “Bye Tubs. Don’t… be safe, okay?”

Both boys, who had turned to face him with their backpacks full of gear from their camp hanging from their shoulders, smiled.

“Bye Toms.” They echoed. “We will.”

~~~~

The house was quiet when Tommy opened the front door. He wasn’t entirely surprised, it was Sunday morning after all, the perfect time to sleep in. Tommy’s stomach growled… they hadn’t bought any food for breakfast.

Sighing deeply, Tommy dragged his bag with him into the kitchen and sifted through the cereals to find something decently filling- but not too expensive- to eat. He eventually found some sort of bland, basic muesli, filled a bowl and sat himself at the table in the seat he, for some reason, had claimed as his. You know, the one where he had his back to the corner and could see both the kitchen and the door into the room without having to turn his head… yeah, maybe there was one specific reason he had chosen that seat.

Tommy pulled his phone and began messaging Tubbo, who had returned home safely. Tubbo’s parents were still sleeping- definitely a blessing for his friend. Tommy hadn’t been around them since the pair were preteens, when they forbade Tubbo from being friends with him, but even then he hadn’t liked them. They were… strict. Tubbo explained it felt like they were watching his every movie, expecting far too much and grounding him nearly constantly when he failed to meet those expectations. It was why he spent so much time outside the house with him and Ranboo, though Tubbo’s parents didn’t know he was there. They thought it was just Ranboo. They liked him, as much as they could like one of their sons’ friends.

Tubbo: probably assumed i slept at ranboos ahaha

Tubbo: they think hes still at his last foster home

Tommy: good

Tommy: keep it that way

Neither had heard anything from Ranboo, not that they expected to. Tommy was uneasy about his current home and foster parents, but they were more neglectful than anything else. He couldn’t only hope that they, as Tubbo’s parents, had not noticed him missing.

Tommy had a spoonful of cereal halfway to his mouth, eyes still glued to his phone.

“Oh thank fuck .”

And Tommy startled so badly he proceeded to drop said into said bowl of cereal. He groaned and pulled his dredged phone from the pool of milk, so preoccupied he forgot for a moment that there was another person in the room.

“Well, I guess you aren’t quite as bad as Wilbur was but you’ve got to give us some warning if you’re gonna disappear or something.”

Tommy raised an eyebrow at the pink haired man.

“Phil was about ready to call the police- okay maybe he wasn’t ‘cause he’s done this all before, but yeah. Just… you know, don’t do that?” Techno sighed, exasperated.

Tommy’s lips drew into a thin line, but he didn’t comment- he’d sat through enough lectures about his rule breaking before, but never by an older foster kid. Techno wasn’t that much older than him. He was 16, Techno was, what, 20? Certainly not in a position to lecture him on going out and not contacting them at any rate. And if Tommy knew anything about Wilbur from the few comments that had been made about him, that man wasn’t either. He’d been worse than himself, apparently.

“I hope you were safe at least?” Techno asked, still hovering in the doorway.

“I… yes?” Tommy said, bewildered. “I was just hanging with my mates.”

“…Outside?” Techno guessed, gesturing to the boy. “You’ve got sticks in your hair.”

Tommy grimaced, scowled, and quickly reached up to pull the twigs from his curls, dropping them onto the table. Techno chuckled.

“And take them back outside please. Or in the bin, that works too.”

“Sure thing, dad .” Tommy growled, suddenly struck by a wave of anger. He seized the sticks, forced open the window behind him and chucked them into the garden outside. “There’s no need to fucking interrogate me.”

Leaving his bowl on the table, Tommy took his phone and backpack and stormed upstairs to his room, fuming. Look, he knew he had a short fuse. He knew he pushed the rules. But there was no reason for someone barely older than him, someone of no authority, to tell him what to do. Techno was just another of Phil’s foster kids, and even Phil had no authority over him.

He was angry. He needed a shower, some food- which he would have had if he hadn’t been so rudely interrupted- and a decent sleep in a proper bed.

So Tommy locked himself in the bathroom and sat on the floor. He buried his head in his knees and screamed, muffled by his clothing, until he gained the strength to sit up, scrub his face dry and turn the shower on.

“Fuck…” He murmured to himself. “I’m a goddamn mess… not too long until I’m out of here, I guess.”

Not too long until he was out on his own. Until he could get his own place with Ranboo. Until he wouldn’t have to be bound to the foster system anymore, thrown around from home to home with no support system.

It was all that kept him going at that point.

The allure of freedom.

~~~~

Phil pulled a strand of pink hair into a loose braid, running a brush through with every movement. Techno’s head fell back against his knees, a low sigh leaving his lips.

“Guess we’re doing it all over again, huh?” Phil said gently, laughing as his son’s face twisted into a grimace.

“As long as he’s not as bad as Wilbur, I’ll think we’ll be fine.” Techno chuckled, glancing across the room at the half-asleep brunette. Wilbur, having been listening in on their conversation, simply raised his middle finger in response.

“Hey, I came around pretty quick.” He protested.

“Yeah, it only took you six months .” Techno sassed, nearly pulling his hair out of Phil’s grip in his animation. “Bruh. Came around ‘pretty quick’.”

“And you ran away basically every other week.” Phil added, grinning at Wilbur’s miffed expression. “Don’t even try, you, you were a god-awful teenager.”

Wilbur stopped protesting and went back to his phone. Techno pressed himself closer to his father, allowing him to continue brushing his hair.

There were a few more minutes of silence, aside from the swift movements of Phil’s hands, before he spoke up.

“Tommy’s parents had their rights terminated by the courts. The social worker called me this morning, before he got back.” Phil said quietly. Techno looked up at him from the ground, leaning back, frowning.

“They hadn’t been before?”

“No, but I was gonna take him on either way. He’s almost seventeen and fuck if he didn’t remind me of you two in the beginning. I wasn’t about to say no.” Phil smiled gently. “If he ever wants it… and if you want to, I can take him on permanently.”

Techno glanced over at Wilbur and raised a knowing eyebrow. He, as the older and first of Phil foster children to be adopted, had been where Wilbur was now- desperate for a little sibling. Desperate to help. Desperate to give them the stability they craved, no matter how much they resisted. Techno and Wilbur had been there… now it was Wilbur and Tommy’s turn.

The brothers both nodded.

“If he wants to stay.” Wilbur whispered.

“If he wants to stay.” Phil echoed.

Upstairs, Tommy, having finished his shower and flopped down angrily onto his bed, was decidedly still fuming and was definitely not willing to stay.

Chapter Text

Ranboo was quiet but happy the next morning at school- he’d gotten away with his overnight stay with his friends, and his foster parents hadn’t even noticed he was missing. His foster father had grunted in his direction when he went downstairs for breakfast, only directing him to clean up afterwards, but besides that, no one commented on his own disappearance.

He’d informed Tubbo and Tommy of that fact the next morning, a tight smile gracing his face. It was one of his few victories recently. Ranboo knew to watch out for his foster parents after they’d given him a black eye for coming home late from school.

“What classes do you have this morning?” Tommy asked curiously, peering over Tubbo’s shoulder at the schedule displayed on his phone. “Awww, I won’t see you until fourth period.”

“Hey, I’m with you in second and third.” Ranboo joked. “Don’t be too disappointed.”

Tommy only poked out his tongue. “Yeah but you can’t help me with my science homework.”

“…You mean the science homework that’s due in fifth period?” Tubbo inquired.

“Yup.”

“Tommy!” Tubbo said, exasperated. “Don’t tell me you haven’t done it either, Ranboo.”

Ranboo had the good sense to at least look sheepish.

“It’s not like we have parents to force us to do it.” Tommy chuckled, shoving the pages back into his bag. “Yours actually check you’ve done it and then I can copy off you.”

The three giggled. It had kind of always been that way- either Tubbo or Ranboo would do the work, usually, and on a rare occasion Tommy would, and the others would copy off the responsible one. Tubbo’s parents actually checked that he did his work, so it was most often him who had the completed work in his backpack the morning it was due.

“I’ll copy off you in fourth!” Tommy called over his shoulder as he ran towards his first class- the bell had already rung, and the three were running late. “Or lunch, if the teacher actually makes us do work!”

Even from that distance, he could feel Tubbo rolling his eyes. But then again, that was what friends were for.

~~~~

No one was there when Tommy arrived back from school in the early evening. He had been hanging with Tubbo and Ranboo in the library for several hours, not actually doing anything productive but rather just chatting, chilling, and making use of the free Wi-Fi. It was only when his stomach began grumbling and the three reluctantly admitted they hadn’t had anything to eat since lunch that they parted ways, heading to their separate residences with reassurances that they would see each other the following morning.

At… home? Tommy supposed it was, at least temporarily. Home had never had much meaning to him aside from a roof and a bed, and it usually wasn’t a pleasant place. It wasn’t ‘home’ in the way Tubbo would consider his home, with his parents, three square meals a day and a room he could call his own, full of his belongings and memories. For Tommy, home wasn’t a permanent residence with family, it was a place he lived temporarily before moving onto somewhere new.

Anyway, at home, Tommy immediately dug through the fridge and pantry in search of something to eat. He still had several items in the basket upstairs, gifted to him upon his arrival, but Tommy knew to save them for emergencies.

He didn’t find much. From the conversations he had overheard, Phil planned to go shopping the following morning. Apparently Monday’s, the day Phil didn’t begin his shifts until near noon, where the dedicated day for supermarket runs. There was no milk, so he couldn’t have cereal, but he did find a pack of tortillas. He didn’t have much experience with cooking, but he figured he could fry up some tortillas no problem, at least to tide over his hunger until dinner.

Well.

Twenty minutes later, several blackened lumps in a frypan and a smoke-filled kitchen later, Tommy was on the verge of tears. He’d only run upstairs to the bathroom! He’d been gone less than five minutes and by the time he came back down, he was choking on the burnt air. Tommy had never been taught not to leave the room when the stove was on, alright, he kind of just assumed it’d be fine.

“Jesus, what’s burning?” Techno exclaimed, wandering into the room waving his hand in front of his face. “Hang on, I'll open some windows.”

And Tommy… Tommy froze. He hadn’t heard Techno come home. He hadn’t realised there was someone else there. So, per his usual defense mechanism (aside from yelling), he froze. You know, because logically if you don’t move, the intruder wouldn’t see you. It wasn’t like Tommy was over six feet tall, standing in front of the smouldering pan, shaking like a leaf.

“What’d you burn?” Techno asked, coming closer to peer at the still-smoking mess.

It was only when Tommy gave a full-body flinch, inhaling so sharply he nearly choked, that Techno stepped back again. The pink haired man was immediately sent back to the first time he had met the boy, when he was taking food from the fridge and startled him so badly he had dropped the plate. And here the pair were again, in the same kitchen, in practically the same situation, and he was a little less sure what to do this time.

“Okay, okay, let’s not do that.” He murmured to himself, backing away from the frightened boy.

Techno observed him for a moment, trying to piece together how to resolve the situation. It was only really in that moment that it struck Techno how young Tommy was- the kid was sixteen, though a little older than him when he had come into Phil’s home, and was hurting. Techno knew he was hurting badly. He’d been there himself after all, defensive and scared, but it didn’t make situations like this any easier.

“It’s okay Tommy.” Techno began, doing his best to make himself sound reassuring. He wasn’t the best at displaying emotions through his voice. He had always been told he sounded monotone and emotionless. “You’re not in trouble. Just like when you dropped the plate, yeah? It happens, I promise.”

Tommy had adopted the posture Techno somewhat fondly, somewhat reluctantly, called the dinosaur pose. It was a defensive position, arms half raised to protest his stomach but ready to cover his face should a blow be directed at him. Wilbur had done it a lot when he had first arrived at the home- Techno had teased him at first, when he didn’t know why the younger did it, calling it cute. Despite the embarrassment and horror he had felt upon learning the truth, it was a treasured memory now, remembered as one of their first true moments of bonding.

“Do you trust me Tommy?” Techno asked.

Tommy shook his head.

“Okay, I get that.” Techno glanced over Tommy’s shoulder. “But I’m going to need you to, even just for a few minutes? Can you do that for me?”

Tommy’s gaze rested on him, his gaze steely.

Tommy stared at Techno, trying to understand what the man wanted. He seemed genuine. Tommy was alright at reading people, understanding their motivations, and Techno seemed… alright. Honest, at the very least. A few minutes… he could do that, right?

He nodded.

“Thank you Tommy.” Techno breathed. “What I need you to do is I need you to step away from the stove. The pan’s still smoking and I’m gonna chuck it in the sink, but it’s going to start spitting a lot. Okay?”

In one smooth motion, the pair swapped places and Techno went through with his assurance. Tommy flinched as the water spittled and cracked, running over the scalding metal, but once the smoking stopped and the room started to clear a little, Techno turned back to him.

“Are you alright?”

Tommy, somewhat reluctantly, nodded. Techno frowned.

“You sure? You haven’t got burnt or anything?”

“I’m fine.” Tommy whispered. “I didn’t even realise it was burning.”

Techno seemed relieved, relaxing a little and turning to observe the smoky kitchen. “Okay, good. That’s good. I’m glad you weren’t hurt.” He paused a moment. “Are you still hungry? I can make something if you’d like.”

“No, no… I- I’m fine.” Tommy stammered. He felt sick to his stomach, too sick to eat- he’d nearly burned the goddamn house down with his stupidity, and here Techno was asking if he was hungry? Tommy was just… confused. Scared maybe, but not angry. He couldn’t be angry with Techno, not while he was being so kind.

The pink haired man fiddled with the end of his braid, looking as anxious as Tommy felt.

“I- uh, I’m not very good at this.” He finally blurted. “Are you sure you’ll be alright ‘til dinner? Phil’s bringing back takeaways but it won’t be for a while because he’s working late.”

Tommy nodded faintly. He felt oddly fuzzy, like he wasn’t quite connected to his limbs. When he turned to leave, he stumbled as he tried to take a step and practically fell against the kitchen counter. Techno let out an alarmed yelp, jumping forward to grab the boy as his knees gave out beneath him.

“Shit- Tommy, jesus-” Techno swore, cradling the limp body of his foster brother in his arms. “Fuckin’ hell kid!”

Tommy was only out for a few moments, blinking himself back into reality just as Techno settled him on the kitchen floor. The pink haired man could feel his hands trembling with shock and fear- Wilbur had fainted on him once or twice, many years ago when he hadn’t been eating enough and was sprouting up like a weed, but you could usually tell it was coming. It hadn’t been like this- went Tommy went from his normal, somewhat rude, self, to the blood draining from his face and nearly faceplanting on the floor in ten seconds flat.

The first thing Techno thought of was to call his dad. Phil was probably on his way home already when he thought about it. But Tommy was stirring and despite Techno’s steadily rising panic, the blonde had to be his focus- his own fear could wait.

“Tommy?” He asked, lifting the boy’s head off the tiled floor. His heart jumped when Tommy leaned into him, groaning in pain. He squinted, struggling to open his eyes. “Hey. You okay?”

Tommy’s eyes finally focused on him, bright blue but still filled with fear. He attempted to push himself into a sitting position, but Techno stopped him when the red in his cheeks turned ghost white again and he very nearly passed out.

Techno, in an attempt to stop him from moving, crouched down and cradled the boy. Tommy let out a startled whine, though both knew he tried to disguise it.

And Tommy was, frankly, fucking terrified. He’d never passed out before. Sure, he’d come close to fainting on occasion, when he’d gone a few days without food or was stressed to the max, but he’d never full on collapsed- especially not in front of a foster brother he hardly knew. A foster brother who was now cradling him close to his chest, feeling his heart beat so fast that Tommy was surprised he wasn’t having a panic attack.

The pair remained there for a couple of minutes, and as the room finally stopped spinning and the sick feeling in his throat faded, Tommy relaxed a bit. Techno wasn’t angry. Techno was, in fact, scared . Scared for him. Tommy wasn’t really sure how to feel about that.

It was only when Tommy’s head fell against Techno’s chest that the elder spoke up.

“You okay now?” He questioned gently.

Tommy took stock of himself for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah.” He croaked. “I think so.”

Techno practically deflated. “Okay… okay. Good. I-” He hesitated, stiffening. “Um… I think you should have something to eat. That’s what… that’s what dad always did when Wilbur fainted, he made some food and a hot chocolate. Something about blood sugar an’ all that.”

Techno helped the blonde sit up against the kitchen counter, standing and shuffling around as he made food and drink.

Tommy leaned back and took a moment to think. He closed his eyes. He’d only been in the home for a little over a week, and already he was letting them into further than he had any other foster family. Techno had sat on the floor hugging him for fifteen goddamn minutes! And he’d seen the way Phil acted towards Wilbur and Techno. Phil was a father. A real, proper, genuine, kind father to his foster children. He saw them as his actual sons, no matter their lack of blood relations.

He didn’t trust them. He didn’t. But… this could be a safe home.

At least until he turned eighteen.

Chapter Text

Wilbur knew all about Techno and Tommy’s sudden and frightening encounter by the next morning. He couldn’t not know, of course, not after Techno appeared in his bedroom after everyone else had gone to bed, flopped down beside the taller, and recounted the entire afternoon from the moment he had arrived home.

“I was fucking terrified.” Techno explained. Wilbur could see his eyes blow wide, even in the darkness. “I wasn’t sure if he’d even let me touch him when he woke up but he literally just… cuddled into me ? And I just held him and then made him food and we sat with each other until dad got home.”

Wilbur smiled. “It’s an improvement.” He said quietly. “He trusts you, at least a little bit. Even if he doesn’t trust me or Phil.”

“Yet.” Techno added gently.

Wilbur sighed heavily, but eventually nodded his agreement. “I got there eventually.” He murmured. “I’m sure we can get Tommy to realise it’ll be okay. We just need some time.”

Time. It was time they weren’t sure they had.

~~~~

Tommy could see Ranboo waving enthusiastically at him, jumping up and down, from across the field. He could also see the redness on Tubbo’s face from that distance, surprisingly.

“Good morning to you too.” He greeted, when he came in earshot of the pair. “Who gave you coffee, Ranboo?”

“The culinary students.” Ranboo said happily, bouncing from his heels to his toes. “They were giving out coffee and hot chocolate out the window of the kitchens this morning ‘cause it’s so cold.”

Tommy nodded. It had happened the previous year, now that he thought about it, Tubbo had mentioned it in passing that the students who took cooking as a subject handed out hot drinks during winter to other students. Maybe if he came earlier the next morning, he could grab one himself.

“Who’s got what classes this morning?” Tommy asked, flopping down on the grass.

“We’ve all got science first thing.” Tubbo replied. “Double period.”

“Shit.”

Ranboo snickered. “It’s biology, your favourite.”

Tommy’s face contorted even more, a disgusted look crossing it. He hated biology. He forgot they’d even moved into the new unit. He was pretty behind in science in general, so he wouldn’t be surprised when he inevitably got a failing grade- or, possibly, a barely passing one if he tried hard enough.

“Hey, you passed the last unit, you can pass this one too!” Tubbo encouraged, giving him a friendly elbow.

“Yeah, with a C- !”

“Still a pass.” Ranboo said with a raised eyebrow. “I failed literally every single one of my classes my first year here. My highest grade was a C-.”

“And look at you now, Mr Teacher’s Pet. You pulled an A in English last term!”

That earned giggles from all three, because Ranboo was everything but a teacher’s pet. Well, he wasn’t an awful student, he definitely didn’t pull some of the shit the class clowns did, but he struggled nonetheless. He mostly just kept to himself and did his work diligently, asking for help when he needed it.

“Alright, alright, I’ve improved. Just means you can too.”

In lieu of a reply, Tommy simply raised a middle finger in his direction.

“Lovely.” Ranboo sassed.

“I know.” Tommy called back as he moved ahead of the others to their first class. “Now let’s go !”

~~~~

Ranboo didn’t turn up at lunch. Tubbo began to get concerned after only a few minutes, wiggling in his seat and constantly peering over Tommy’s shoulder as he waited for his friend. Tommy was a little more relaxed but when they got halfway through their lunch period with the lanky boy not appearing, nor replying to their messages, he also felt anxiety building in his gut.

“He didn’t go home, did he?”

“No way.” Tubbo said. “He would’ve at least messaged us first to let us know.”

“…Then where the fuck is he?”

“I don’t know !” Tubbo exclaimed impatiently. He was bouncing his leg anxiously, and that was when Tommy knew it was getting bad.

“Come on then, let’s go look for him.” Tommy said, pulling Tubbo to his feet. “He can't have gone too far. Do you know which class he had before lunch?”

Tubbo frowned, but then his face lit up. “Yeah, I do. Come on, I know where his classroom is.”

Tommy let Tubbo guide him across campus, following close behind him so he didn’t get lost. He quickly became distracted by a maze of classrooms, hallways, and doors, and would have undoubtedly become lost without Tubbo, who had been going to this school for three years and knew his way around pretty well.

“This is his classroom.” Tubbo said, slapping the doorway. When he wiggled the handle, it was locked. The two peered in through the thin slit of glass in the door but it was immediately evident that the room was empty, and the teacher had also gone for lunch. “Well fuck.”

“So where is he then?” Tommy said, perplexed.

Tubbo was about to reply when a noise down the hallway caught their attention; Tommy looked up urgently, then cried out in alarm.

“Ranboo!” Tommy yelped, bolting towards his friend. “Jesus fucking Christ!”

Tubbo followed close behind, the two grabbing their friend just as he fell against the locker with a pained groan. Cradling his head in his hands, Tommy didn’t get a good look at his injuries until he pulled away and looked up. Blood trickled over his lip.

“Fuckkk Ranboo!” Tubbo exclaimed, digging in his backpack for tissues. He pressed one to the boy’s bleeding nose. “Who jumped you?!”

Tommy was suddenly struck by a realization. “It was those assholes in your health class, wasn’t it? The ones that made you have a panic attack the other week?”

Ranboo nodded slowly, squinting as he tried to open his eye. It was swollen and Tommy could observe it turning purple in front of him- he was going to end up with a wicked bruise.

“Come on, we’re going to the nurse.” Tubbo insisted.

“No!” Ranboo hurriedly blurted, rapidly shaking his head. “No, no- they’ll- they’ll know and they’ll only try and get me again and the admin’ll call my foster parents- no, no nurse, I’m fine.”

“You’re clearly not fin-!”

“Leave it, Tubs.” Tommy said gently, giving him a pointed look. “Let’s just go to the bathroom and sort you out, yeah ‘boo?”

At this, Ranboo nodded slowly. He took the tissue from Tubbo and pressed it to his face himself, grimacing at the pressure.

“Do you think your nose is broken?” Tommy questioned, cringing at the visible injuries.

“I don’t think so.” Ranboo gurgled, spitting into the tissue. It was stained red with blood. “Just bleeding. I- uck, gross… I think it’s just bruises.”

“Right, bathroom.” Tommy said sternly. “Come on.”

Ranboo followed meekly, one hand clenched in Tubbo’s and the other still pressed to his face. In the bathroom, Tommy spent some time gingerly mopping the blood from the taller boy’s face, pulling back whenever Ranboo flinched, and occasionally directing Tubbo to help. The three spent almost an hour there, ignoring the bell for their fifth period class, mopping the blood that refused to stop flowing and tending to the bruises.

Ranboo’s right eye was swollen shut. His jaw was also significantly bruised, and nose bled for nearly forty-five minutes before stopping. By the time it stopped, anger was boiling in Tommy’s blood and he was itching to go and beat the shit out of the kids who hurt his friend. Look, he wasn’t strong, he was a pretty scrawny kid in fact, but goddamn if he didn’t know how to hold his own against bigger bullies he wouldn’t have survived foster care so far.

As Ranboo wiped his face with a paper towel at the sink, Tommy pulled Tubbo aside.

“You take him to the library, okay?” Tommy said sternly. “I’ll meet you there. I’ve got something to do first.”

Tubbo’s eyes widened in understanding but, thankfully, he didn’t stop the blonde.

“Be safe.” He murmured, squeezing Tommy’s hand.

Tommy nodded. Safe. Yeah.

~~~~

“Hey Tommy, how wassss- what the fuck happened to your face?!” Wilbur’s friendly greeting quickly turned into alarm when he looked up. His hair barely obscured the bruises. “Fucking hell. We’ve got ice packs in the freezer, come on.”

“I’m fine.” Tommy said gruffly, attempting to shoulder his way past the man to get upstairs. “I don’t ne-”

“Like hell you are, come here.”

Tommy considered arguing for a moment but finally sighed and relented, following the taller into the kitchen. He had to admit, his face kinda hurt. Some ice wouldn’t be a bad thing- it might lessen the damage, when he thought about it.

His attempted confrontation hadn't exactly gone to plan. There had been three of them, all older and bigger than Tommy, who had basically laughed in his face when he tried to defend Ranboo. Tommy had a sneaking suspicion for the reason behind their targeting of Ranboo, but he didn’t say it out loud. He’d managed to land a few solid punches, including square in the nose of one kid, before he got several hits in his gut and face. He wasn’t an idiot- he knew he wasn’t going to win. So, he landed one final, solid kick in the balls of the ringleader, turned, and disappeared into the crowds just exiting the lunchroom.

Tommy knew the damage had been bad and he really didn’t want to hear a lecture from Tubbo, so instead he flicked his friend a text saying he was going straight home and to make sure Ranboo was alright. Even in the messages, Tommy knew Tubbo was disappointed.

And now here he was, being confronted by someone else. He’d rather Tubbo’s lecture than this.

Wilbur pressed an icepack to his cheek, waiting for Tommy to take it from him.

“So.” The man said, gesturing at the chair beside him. Tommy sat. “What happened?”

“None of your business, frankly.” Tommy retorted.

“Yeah, uh huh, and I’m not gonna sit here and wonder why my foster brother showed up with bruises all over his face.” Wilbur said. “Are you hurt anywhere else? Nothing’s broken?”

“No, nothing’s broken.”

Wilbur gave him an apprehensive look but didn’t say anything more about it.

“Do you want to explain then?”

“…No.”

Wilbur only sighed. Tommy glowered at him from behind the icepack.

“I’m only gonna ask one thing, okay?” Wilbur finally said, catching Tommy’s attention again. “Are you safe at school?”

“Yes.” Tommy huffed. “It’s fine. I kinda started it, to be fair.”

“Why?” Wilbur asked, bewildered.

“…‘cause they beat up my friend first.”

“So you didn’t start it?” Wilbur sighed.

“No, I did, ‘cause I went after them after it all happened.” Tommy shrugged, pressing the ice more firmly to his face.

“Well considering I got in a fair few fights, I think I know how to sort this.” Wilbur chuckled. “Just keep the ice pack on it or a heat pack if you’d prefer, the bruise’ll go down after a few days. Take some pain meds if it gets too bad, but other than that there isn't much you can do.”

“I know.” Tommy shrugged. “I’ve had bruises before.”

If he had been looking in Wilbur’s direction, he would have seen the flash of concern and shock rush across his face, which quickly morphed into sadness.

Tommy took his things and disappeared upstairs not long after, leaving Wilbur sitting alone at the kitchen table with a tightness in his chest he wasn’t sure he had felt before. It took him a long time to name the feeling- it was protectiveness. Concern. Worry for this kid, who he could only hope wouldn’t get into the shit he had at Tommy’s age, and perhaps even warmth.

Yeah, Techno had been right. He had seen this kid as his little brother the moment he walked through the front door with a scowl on his face and a trash bag in hand, the same way Techno had known the moment he had seen Wilbur walk through that same door for the very first time.

They had agreed they were brothers a long time ago. Hopefully, one day, Tommy would view them as the same?

~~~~

“Well, you had a successful conversation.” Techno said around the straw of his smoothie, barely glancing in Wilbur’s direction as he entered the older man’s bedroom. “Step in the right direction, I ‘spose.”

“I… guess?”

“Hey, he’s still better than you.” Techno chuckled.

“Are you ever going to stop comparing literally every single foster kid Phil takes on to me?”

“No.”

“I hate you.” Wilbur whined.

“Stop. No you don’t.” Techno said, reaching over to whack his brother upside the head. “Shut.”

“You sound like dad.” Wilbur complained, poking his tongue out.

Techno only smiled, half hiding his grin behind a book he picked up. They both knew that was a compliment.

Chapter Text

The bruises were gone by the beginning of the third week of school, about two weeks after Tommy had received them. They had gone an ugly shade of yellow for a significant period, but they were less noticeable then. The only thing Tommy really noticed was that Phil didn’t comment on the injuries- he side eyed him, sure, but he never said anything to Tommy.

However, that also meant Tommy had been with Phil, Techno, and Wilbur for just over three weeks as well. If he was honest, not much had changed. He still didn’t eat with them- he went downstairs to heat up the bowl left in the fridge for him after the others had retreated to their rooms for the night. He had breakfast after Phil and Wilbur, who went to work and University early, and before Techno. He had lunch at school, or not at all on weekends when he was hanging out with Tubbo and Ranboo. The snacks in his basket were gone now.

Tommy… wasn’t really sure how to feel. The best word he could come up with was stable. They were a… family, if that made sense, and Tommy was kinda just there . Existing. Like an intruder. He was well used to the feeling of being an outsider in every home he was brought to, and he had mostly accepted this always being the case. The only place he truly felt at home was with Tubbo and Ranboo, no matter how brief their in-person experiences were.

But the beginning of the third week of school also bought soul crushing news.

When Tommy showed up to campus, admittedly a little later, neither Ranboo nor Tubbo were in their first period class. Tommy’s phone was dead, and he didn’t have his charger. Concern immediately bubbled in his gut- had those same kids jumped his friend again?

Fifteen minutes into the class, Tommy picked up his bag, ignored the questions from his teacher, and left.

He knew where to search- despite not having attended the school in several years, their hangout spot was still the same as their first year of high school. It was where they met every morning and, if Tommy knew anything, it was where they would be now.

His instincts were correct.

“Tubbo!” He called, the moment he spotted the pair. “Ranboo! I- uh… Ranboo?”

Tommy had broken into a run, but his footsteps faltered as he got closer.

Ranboo was in tears.

He dumped his bag and collapsed beside them, desperately trying to work out the situation. Tubbo had his arms tight around the taller and Ranboo, blonde curls unbrushed, had his head in Tubbo’s shoulder. His entire body was shaking with sobs.

The moment Ranboo realised Tommy was there, he launched himself out of Tubbo’s arms into the blonde’s, his sobs only increasing. Tommy, panicked and scared, was near tears himself.

“Tubbo?” He asked, finally getting a glimpse of the boy’s face. Tubbo’s face was red and splotchy with tears. He inhaled shakily, taking a moment to compose himself.

“His social worker called.”

And that was the moment Tommy’s world shattered.

Again.

Because they both knew what that meant.

“When?” Tommy whispered, horrified.

“We don’t know. The family wants him… out, so within the next couple of days. They made him pack this morning. New family isn’t here.” Tubbo informed him, the tears welling back up in his eyes.

Tommy squeezed Ranboo closer, holding him so tight that Ranboo nearly choked. But, rather than pulling away, Ranboo pushed himself closer and cried harder.

They all knew what the arrival of a foster worker entailed far too well. Their belongings would be packed into trash bags, sometimes with mere hours’ notice, and they would be trucked off to a new family, in a new city, with no way to communicate with their friends. Sometimes it would be days or even weeks before the one leaving could get access to Wi-Fi again and update their friends on their whereabouts.

And now Ranboo was leaving. Tommy’s chest ached with anxiety.

It took some time for Ranboo’s sobs to peter off into painful hiccups and quiet sniffles. When he finally looked up, his eyes were red-rimmed, and his lip trembled.

“Let’s go to the library.” Tommy whispered. “We can hang out all day, okay?”

Ranboo nodded. “Yeah.” He croaked. “Let’s go.”

Tommy pressed his nose into Ranboo’s hair for one final close hug before they stood up, pulling Tubbo into the embrace too. God, he hated saying goodbye. Usually, it was him moving to a different home, but this time it seemed worse- before, he had been okay knowing Tubbo and Ranboo had each other. They’d be attempting the same school and had each other should worse come to worse. But now it was Ranboo moving to a strange town and would be attending a new school.

His heart ached.

He didn’t want to lose his friend again.

~~~~

Tommy played with one of Ranboo’s curls, twirling it, watching carefully as the older slept. They were still in the library, despite it nearing 9pm and closing time, and Ranboo had fallen asleep for the second time that day, this time practically in Tommy’s lap. Tubbo was nearly falling asleep too, head slipping from his hand onto his chest.

“I think we should head home now.” Tommy said quietly, eyeing the remaining workers as they went through their closing duties. “You both need to sleep.”

Tubbo nodded silently, biting his lip.

“You’ll make sure he gets home safely?”

“Of course.” Tubbo murmured.

The two shared a moment in silence, staring at each other, then the friend they were about to lose.

“Be safe, okay?” Tubbo said as the three stood outside, coats pulled tightly around their frames. He had Ranboo’s hand in his, ready to talk him home. Tommy was going in the opposite direction.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Tommy said to Ranboo. The boy swallowed thickly, moving forward to give him one last hug.

“Maybe.” He breathed.

Neither of them thought it was likely.

~~~~

Tommy was angry . He was scared and upset and absolutely fucking furious. He’d gotten a mere three weeks with his friend before the foster system ripped them apart again, with no warning, and with no remorse.

He arrived back home at about 9:30, and he didn’t even try to be quiet. He ripped open the door, kicked his shoes off against the wall and thundered upstairs, ready to burst into tears at any moment. He hadn’t wanted his friends to see his tears because he knew it would upset them further, but now he didn’t have anything to stop him.

Before Tommy could stop himself, he let out an angry scream of frustration, fell onto his bed, and promptly burst into tears. His room was silent for a little bit, aside from his angry sobs. He aimed one solid kick at the wall, creating a sound which he knew echoed throughout the house, but he was too angry and frustrated to care.

Tommy cried. He cried until he was interrupted by a gentle knock on the door and a concerned voice.

“Tommy?” Phil called. “Hey. Are you okay?”

“Go away!” Tommy screamed, barely lifting his face from his pillow.

There was silence for a moment. Then;

“I know you probably don’t want to be around anyone right now, but can I come in?”

“No.” Tommy snarked, ignoring the fact his voice cracked. “Go away.”

“Okay just… I’ll be around if you need anything, alright?” Phil responded. Tommy knew he was hovering. “Your dinner’s waiting in the fridge.”

Tommy didn’t respond- he didn’t think he would sleep that night.

~~~~

He didn’t sleep. By the time he tried to force himself out of bed to get ready for school, a message from Ranboo had been received and he didn’t think he had the strength to do it. Apparently, he had asked his foster worker to stop by the library to ‘drop off some books’ before he left- he used those few minutes to access the Wi-Fi and send a message to him and Tubbo.

Ranboo: social worker came this morning

Ranboo: omw to the new place rn

Ranboo: ill message you when i get wifi again

And that was it.

Tommy stumbled downstairs, tugging a hoodie on over his pajamas. Phil was the only one in the kitchen, sitting at the kitchen bench with a cup of coffee in his hands. He looked up when Tommy entered.

“Jesus kid.” Phil murmured, face morphing into a look of concern. “Come sit down, you look awful. Do you want something to drink?”

Tommy, normally hostile, only nodded. He was too tired to try and fight off the caring affection and, as much as he hated to admit it, he needed it right then. Blinking slowly, he collapsed at the dining table.

A water bottle and banana were pressed into his hands, which Tommy took a moment to process. He stared at them.

“Go on.” Phil encouraged gently. “They won’t bite.”

Phil sat opposite him, waiting, silent. Tommy put the banana aside but drank the whole bottle over the course of about 15 minutes, occasionally side-eyeing Phil for a reaction. The man simply… didn’t. He waited until Tommy put the bottle down and sat back in his seat before starting to talk.

“I think it might be best for you to take the day off school today, you look exhausted. Is that alright?”

Tommy nodded, staring intently at the table.

“…Do you think you could let me know what’s going on? I’m worried about you, Tommy.”

And that… that was what caused him to break. No one had ever been worried about him, except maybe Tubbo and Ranboo. Sure, his prior foster parents had been concerned about him from time to time, getting annoyed at his constant skipping and trouble making, but being worried came with an entirely different context. Tommy crumbled into the table and started bawling again, unable to hold it back anymore.

Phil looked alarmed. He held his arms out in a gesture towards Tommy, waiting for his permission, and when the sobbing boy nodded he scooped him into a tight hug. The pressure made Tommy gasp but he didn’t pull away, instead pushing himself closer to the man and sobbing harder.

“I’ve got ya.” He heard Phil murmur, barely catching it over the sound of his crying. “It’s okay. I’ve got ya.”

So there Tommy was. For the first time, he was truly allowing himself to be vulnerable with a member of his foster family. He was sobbing in Phil’s arms in the kitchen of a mostly unfamiliar home, begging the cruel world to spare him from yet another heartbreak as his friend was ripped away from him. Again.

When Tommy’s sobs tapered off into quiet sniffles and hiccups, Phil pulled back and gently wiped Tommy’s cheeks with the sleeve of his sweater.

“There we go.” The blonde man smiled.

It was in this moment that Tommy really got a proper look at Phil. If he was honest, Tommy hadn’t spent much time around the man; in the three weeks he had been in his home, the only extended period he had spent with Phil was the shopping trip. He worked odd shifts, and his time at home was spent either in his office or in the garden. Tommy hadn’t exactly spent much time in the home either, either at school, the library, or the park with his friends.

The man, close up, appeared older than Tommy had first realised. He had assumed the man was young, maybe early thirties, and was simply approved to foster teens because no one else would take them. However, the laughter lines told Tommy he was older than that, and clearly much more experienced than he gave the man credit for.

But there was something else now too. Phil had been nothing but kind to him for all these weeks, despite his distance and occasional anger directed towards him. Wilbur and Techno, foster children themselves, trusted Phil and allowed him into their lives. They had been adopted by the man. He could trust Phil… right?

“Ranboo’s been moved.” Tommy finally spluttered, barely able to hold back his tears. “His social worker came yesterday.”

“Oh Tommy…” Phil breathed. “I’m so sorry.”

“He was supposed to stay here!” Tommy wailed. “He turns 18 in less than a year, and we were supposed to finish school and then move in together, and now he’s gone!”

He was back to hysterics again, rocking back and forth as he attempted to calm himself. He didn’t even realise Phil had moved forward to hug him until his head slammed into the man’s shoulder. And, of course, that only caused him to panic more, because oh fuck he’d hurt Phil -

“Hey, hey, Tommy, look at me- it’s okay, you didn’t do anything. I’m gonna need you to take some deep breaths.” Phil stepped him through the process, demonstrating deep, exaggerated breaths until Tommy was settled again. The father managed a tight smile. “You could say I’m a bit of an expert at this.” He sighed. “Unfortunately.”

Tommy didn’t object when Phil kept one arm around him, he even leaned into the embrace.

“Can I tell you a story, Tommy?”

Tommy glanced up; his interest piqued.

“I’ve been in this exact situation before.” Phil chuckled sadly. “Because Wilbur was exactly like you.”

“…So I’ve heard.” Tommy mumbled.

“Ah, so you have heard the tales of Wilbur’s misadventures.”

“I guess.”

“He was thrown around the system too, I think he went through about five or six homes a year at one point. Temporary placements, a stint in a group home when they couldn’t find anywhere else. I’m sure you know what that’s like.” Phil explained, pulling Tommy closer.

Tommy nodded- he’d been there. He’d never been through that many homes at once, and the group home was the most disheartening part because it meant they had no one who wanted him.

“But he had a friend too, a fellow foster who was about a year older than Wil. That kid was trouble, drug dealing, constantly in trouble with the cops but… they were basically brothers. They kept each other going.” Phil chuckled sadly. “It was why Wil kept running away in the beginning, to meet up with this boy. I can’t say I was a fan of him, but I ended up sitting at this same table when Wil was the same age as you, not that long ago.”

“…He was arrested, wasn’t he?” Tommy whispered.

“He was.” Phil confirmed. “The drugs caught up to him in the end.”

Tommy had seen it before. The foster system was basically a pipeline to prison for many kids, without proper access to education or stable figures to look up to. He’d known of a fair few. Though he himself had never pushed the legal boundaries, the trouble he caused at school by skipping and getting into fights could have led him there either way.

“I know it’s not the same, I know Ranboo’s a good kid and it’s just the system being shitty and splitting kids, but I just wanted you to know that we’ve been here before. I can help, and so can the boys.” Phil reassured him. “You’ve just got to let us.”

“It’s not that easy.” Tommy murmured.

“I know.” Phil said. “It’s taken us years to get to this point. Techno’s been here seven years, Wilbur… nearly five now, if my math is right. There was never any expectation of a big, happy family, I knew that going into it. You’re all hurt. The system does nothing but hurt.”

Tommy couldn’t help but agree. It hurt them. It hurt all of them. It was hurting him now, a lot.

“When I said I’d support you support him, I wasn’t kidding.” Phil smiled. “But you need to take time for yourself too. You’re just as important.”

Tommy could help but scoff at that. It was quiet, but he knew Phil caught it when the man’s face fell. He didn’t feel as important- a lifetime in the foster system quashed any hope someone might have cared about him. That he had any importance in this huge world.

“We’ll get there one day.” Phil finally said. “I promise.”

It felt final.

Tommy still wasn’t sure if he believed him.

Chapter Text

Tubbo was subdued. Tommy felt the same way- it was like the life had been sucked from them now Ranboo was no longer there. Neither of them wanted to attend class, and the ones they did show their faces in, they both put their heads down on their desks and daydreamed. They hadn’t received any messages from Ranboo, even as Wednesday passed. Then Thursday.

Tommy spent his time hanging out with Tubbo at school and then at the library. Despite Phil’s kindness, he avoided home. He left as soon as he woke up, often arriving at the school before 7am, and stayed in the library until it closed at 9pm. For more than a week, Tommy followed this pattern and often ate only at the cafeteria during lunch.

But, on the following Monday, nearly a week after Ranboo left, the pair finally received the message they had been waiting for.

Ranboo: ive started at a new school

Ranboo: they dont have wifi

Tommy: holy shit thank god youre okay

Tommy: are the family alright?

School was almost over when Ranboo finally replied.

Ranboo: i dont know

Ranboo: its too early to tell

Ranboo: but so far it isnt great

Tommy wanted to scream. Both of them had picked up the ability to tell when someone wasn’t… quite right, and if Ranboo was getting that vibe so early… Tommy was worried. Very worried. He knew what those homes usually entailed, and it wasn’t pretty.

It had been a month since he had arrived in Phil’s home. He’d been sullen and standoffish all week, avoiding the others like the plague in the sparing moments he was home. No one talked to him about it, no one pushed him. Phil gave him reassuring looks when they did see each other, but Tommy always ignored him. He had allowed himself to be vulnerable around the man once, and now some part of him was waiting for Phil to use it against him.

“I’m scared for him.” Tubbo murmured.

They were in the library again, skipping school for the day. It was Tuesday now and, knowing Ranboo would also be in his new school, were hoping for a text from him soon. But neither of them could bring themselves to go to class.

“I know.” Tommy could only say. He did know, and he hated it.

Tubbo didn’t know. Tommy could only be glad that the boy had some stability in his life and didn’t know what the foster system was like, but it had taken him years to shove down the boiling jealousy of Tubbo’s perfect life. He had loving parents, a home he had grown up in, and food was always on the table. Even though Tubbo complained about their strictness, Tommy would have taken that over the system in a heartbeat.

But… Techno and Wilbur did know. Tommy frowned. That hadn’t even really occurred to him because they were a permanent fixture in Phil’s home- if no one had explained it to him, Tommy would have assumed they’d been there forever. But no. They had been young teenagers when Phil took them in.

And Phil- Phil must know, at least somewhat. His two sons must have explained some of what had happened along the way, if the story Phil had divulged to him last week was any indication.

But Tommy didn’t want to talk to Phil, nor Techno or Wilbur. He couldn’t talk to Tubbo, because Tubbo didn’t understand. He wanted to talk to Ranboo.

But Ranboo wasn’t there.

Both of their phones buzzed, and both boys inhaled sharply. Nervously, Tommy picked it up.

Is this how Tubbo and Ranboo had felt, Tommy briefly wondered before he read the message, when he was away from them? He shook the thoughts from his head- there was no time for that now.

Ranboo was what mattered.

~~~~

“Oof- sorry, sorry!” Techno quickly apologized when he rounded the corner to the stairs and ran straight into Tommy, nearly tipping the boy over. “Didn’t hear you.”

He gestured at his headphones, pulled snuggly over his ears. Tommy gave him a tight smile but quickly brushed past him and headed down the hallway to his room. Techno heard the door click shut tightly behind him.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, the man sighed.

He really was trying, okay? Tommy was even more standoffish and reluctant to trust than Wilbur was, and that was saying something. If he didn’t have to, Techno was sure Tommy would never say a word to the other members of the household, and because he did the only thing anyone got was a bare minimum.

At least there was some level of trust? Techno knew he was working with crumbs, realistically. He had the time Tommy dropped his plate out of surprise, and the time he had given the boy desert… but there was also the time he had lectured the boy for staying out overnight and caused him to storm off. Okay. Maybe they weren’t on the best terms.

In the kitchen, Techno made up two mugs of hot chocolate and took two cookies from the cupboard, nudging the cupboard closed with his hip.

Wilbur looked up when he opened his bedroom door. His face, which had been pinched, relaxed, and his hand fell from his face onto the table.

“You’re a godsend.” He murmured, taking the cup and snack from his brother’s outstretched hand.

“I ran into Tommy in the hallway.” Techno informed him.

“Oh?”

“He’s tired.”

Wilbur sighed. “I know. I mean, one of his closest friends has just been shipped off to god knows where. He only had three weeks with the kid. I’d be angry too.”

All Techno could say was; “I’m worried.”

Wilbur didn’t say anything, waiting for his brother to explain.

“The problem is he’s not angry.” Techno murmured. “You were angry. You were lashing out and refusing to go anywhere near us. You yelled. Tommy’s… not doing that. He’s quiet. Tired.”

Wilbur nodded slowly. “You think he might be…?”

“I’m not saying that.”

“It sounds like you are.” Wilbur muttered.

“I’m saying that we should watch out for him. Just… keep an eye on him. I don’t wanna push him or anything ‘cause that can only end badly, but…” Techno explained.

“Yeah, I get it.” Wilbur nodded. “Make sure he’s doing okay. Eating and taking care of himself.”

“And not skipping class all the time.”

Wilbur’s head shot up. “He’s been skipping?”

“Saw him in the library the other morning with his other friend, uh… forgot his name. The little brunette one.” Techno said. “Doesn’t matter. But yeah, I think he’s been skipping a lot, ‘specially since Ranboo left. I’m not sure he’s even attended half his classes since he started here.”

“…Guess we’ll keep an eye on that too.”

“He needs someone watching out for him.” Techno breathed. “God knows no one else is doing it.”

~~~~

Tubbo wasn’t in class on Wednesday. Or Thursday. He didn’t respond to messages, and he didn’t pick up any calls no matter how many times Tommy called him.

Tommy was… how should he put this… freaking the fuck out . Tubbo never did this. Tubbo had Wi-Fi at home, he’d always respond to Tommy’s messages. Maybe he’d been grounded? No, because he would have been at school! Tommy was running every possible scenario through his mind, and each was becoming more and more outlandish as the two nights of no sleep caught up to him.

All he could think about was losing another friend- he couldn’t do it. Not again.

In the end, he skipped all of his classes bar the first one once it became clear that Tubbo wasn’t going to attend. He knew no one would be at home, so he instead spent the day in his bedroom staring at his phone, silently pleading for Tubbo to reply.

Tubbo didn’t reply.

But when Tommy showed up to his first class on Friday morning, science, ew , he stopped short. Tubbo was there.

Tubbo was there , sitting in his regular seat with his back to Tommy, head nearly touching the desk. Tommy nearly jumped the boy in his excitement and worry, racing to his side and holding himself back from yelling at his friend for leaving him so scared.

He froze. Took a step back.

Tubbo turned towards the blonde, but there was only one eye looking at him. Tommy swallowed thickly. Tubbo’s right eye was swollen shut and Tommy could see a raised gash on his forehead, partly hidden by his hair, but not enough to obscure the dark stitching holding it closed. And, what made it all the worse, Tubbo’s right arm was enclosed in a bulky white plaster cast, covering his wrist all the way up to his shoulder.

Tommy gasped. “ Tubbo !” He exclaimed, immediately quieting when the boy flinched back. “Holy shit, what the fuck happened to you!?” Tommy hissed.

“I- um…” Tubbo visibly hesitated, carefully eyeing the teacher in the room. He was watching the pair closely, frowning at Tubbo’s injuries. “I got… I got hit by- by a car. Uh, yeah. On Tuesday night.”

But Tommy got this sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had known his friend for years, and he knew Tubbo was lying. There hadn’t been a car accident. Tommy couldn’t tell what had happened, but he had a sinking feeling he could take a guess and be right.

“…Why didn’t you reply to my messages then?” Tommy pushed gently.

Tubbo’s lips tightened into a scowl and he shook his head, turning his chair away from his friend.

“Don’t.” He said sharply. “Just leave it. I’m fine.”

Well, Tubbo was clearly not fine. Tommy knew he wasn’t. But… the two were in class, their lesson was about to start, surrounded by students and being watched by their teacher. This wasn’t the time, nor the place.

He’d ask during their break.

~~~~

Tubbo didn’t want to talk. He’d sealed his lips the moment Tommy began to question him on their break, out of sight of everyone in their usual spot behind the classrooms. He scarfed down his food and then put his headphones, pointedly keeping his head down and ignoring Tommy when he tried to talk.

“Tubbo.” Tommy grumbled, reaching out to poke his friend’s arm. “Just talk to me, please?”

It was only when the bell rang at the end of the break that Tubbo looked up. Tommy could see the tears gathering in his eyes and his lip trembling.

“…Do you wanna talk about it now?”

And that was what caused him to break.

The flood began and Tubbo started sobbing into his arms, blubbering about how much it had hurt. Tommy couldn’t pick up many words in the torrent, but he understood enough to know he had been correct- there had been no car accident.

It had been his parents that had hurt him.

Tommy shuffled closer and pulled his friend into a tight hug, letting Tubbo sob into his shoulder. He cringed when he felt Tubbo’s cast bump against his stomach but only held the boy tighter, at one point squeezing so tight he felt Tubbo gasp. He loosened his grip, but only slightly.

“Let’s get out of here.” Tommy murmured, a few minutes later once Tubbo’s sobs turned into quiet sniffles.

“Don’t wanna go to the library.” Tubbo said pitifully, attempting to scrub away his tears. “Too many people.”

“No.” Tommy agreed. “Let’s go to mine, I don’t think anyone’ll be home.”

“…Are you sure?”

Tommy hesitated, but eventually nodded. It was the safest place for them right now. “Yeah. Come on.”

~~~~

The first thing Tubbo did was take a nap. Tommy, too wound up to sleep, spent his time alternating between staring at his sleeping friend on the bed in front of him or scrolling mindlessly through social media, waiting for him to wake up.

As he had guessed, no one was home. The house was silent, and the pair didn’t have to be quiet as they headed upstairs towards Tommy’s room. They were quiet though- Tubbo hadn’t uttered a word since they had left school, simply hanging off the back of Tommy’s hoodie with tired eyes and slow blinks. Well, tired eye, given one was swollen shut.

After a couple of hours, Tubbo began to stir.

“You have a good nap?” Tommy inquired when Tubbo’s eyes focused on him. He nodded, wrinkling his nose, before shoving his face back into the blankets. Tommy giggled.

“Wha’s the ‘ime?” Tubbo slurred, kicking at the blankets.

“Um…” Tommy turned his phone over. “Just before one.”

“Oh. That’s good.”

Tommy already knew Tubbo would have to be home when school ended. His parents would undoubtedly be scrutinizing his every move, and if he wasn’t home on time… Tommy didn’t even want to consider what could happen.

“…Can you tell me what happened now?” Tommy asked gently. This was a better environment for questions. They were alone, quiet and comfortable, in a space that was, all things considered, relatively safe. Safer than anywhere else they had at the very least.

Tubbo stiffened. Tommy visibly saw his body tense; his hands began to tremble in his lap.

“They… found out you were back.” He said quietly. “And that I’d been lying to them about where I was… and that I’d been skipping class and stuff. They made me confess everything .”

Tommy was silent. He knew if he interrupted then Tubbo would stop speaking, and he wouldn’t know what had happened.

“They broke my phone and took away my computers so I couldn’t reply to any messages. I spent Tuesday night in the hospital.”

“How’d you…” Tommy gestured to his arm and face. “The injuries.”

“I- I think it was an accident…?” Tubbo sounded unsure. “I… um, I fell down the stairs.”

“…you were pushed, weren’t you?”

“No!” Tubbo exclaimed, quick to deny. “No, I wasn’t pushed! It was an accident-! He… um, well he might have bumped into me, but it wasn’t on purpose !”

“He pushed you, Tubbo.” Tommy insisted gently.

And Tubbo, rather than saying anything, just closed his eyes and nodded.

“I don’t know what to do .” Tubbo said desperately, back on the verge of tears. “I don’t want to go home, I can’t- I… Tommy, please !”

But Tommy didn’t know what to do- he didn’t think there was anything he could do. So he did the only thing he could and reached out to pull his friend into a tight hug, letting Tubbo nestle close to his chest like they had done so often during those nights spent in the park. Only now, there was someone missing- there was no one lying on his other side, with a boney elbow in his stomach or warm breath down his neck.

Tubbo’s hand clung tight to the front of his hoodie. They only had each other right now, and Tommy despised it because it shouldn’t have been that way.

Chapter Text

Phil didn’t wake the boys when he arrived home. He stood for a moment in the doorway, arms crossed and a heavy feeling in his chest, eyes drifting back to the cast on the older boy’s arm no matter how hard he tried to look away.

He hated it- he was the adult in the situation, but he knew there wasn’t much he could do if he couldn’t get Tommy to talk to him, let alone his friend. He hadn’t even officially met Tubbo yet, only poked his head around the bedroom door while the boy was there. Frankly, it fucking sucked. Phil could only stand there and guess what had gone on, but given the tears staining the cheeks of both sleeping children, it hadn’t been pretty.

Sighing deeply, Phil turned and pulled the door shut behind him. He would wake them soon, so Tubbo could get home at a time that made it appear he had been at school. Look, Phil had skipped class a lot in high school, he knew how to disguise it.

Wilbur was in the kitchen, preparing a snack after a long day of work. He had finished his shift at the same time as Phil, just like every Friday, so Phil picked his son up and drove him home. Techno would be on campus until early evening if they were lucky, but in all likelihood he would be home until after the library closed at 9pm.

“Ith he ‘wake?” Wilbur said around a mouthful of toast. Phil scowled.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full Wil, that’s gross.” He scolded. “And no, he’s not. His friend is over too, so please keep it down.”

“Time to get my speaker out.” Wilbur retorted, his nose wrinkling in delight.

“You wake them up and you’re out of the house.” Phil said, opening the pantry. When he turned back, Wilbur was standing behind him with his mouth open- Phil already knew he was just being dramatic. “You can stop pretending to be the shocked emoji too.”

“But Philllllll !”

Phil smiled to himself. His son- well, both of them actually- could be incredibly annoying at times, but he loved both of his idiots. They both alternated between calling him dad or Phil, though it had been dad more and more in recent years, and every time it made his heart beat just a little faster. Sometimes it surprised him that he was where he was after everything, with two adult sons, a home, and a career.

“Don’t even think about it you, don’t think I won’t.”

Wilbur only grinned.

~~~~

Tommy groaned when the light flicked on, a gentle voice rousing him from sleep. He felt Tubbo shift against him, fleeing from the light.

“Hey boys, time to wake up.” Phil called, coming into the room to open the curtains. “It’s just past three.”

Tommy turned his head slowly and blinked at the man, taking a few moments to process the words. “Wha’?” He so eloquently mumbled.

“It’s just past three.” Phil chuckled. “I can drive Tubbo home if you’d like.”

Tubbo, who had finally pulled himself out from under the blankets, yawned and thought over it for a moment. He and Tommy shared a look but, after some consideration, the boy ultimately nodded.

“Yes please.” He murmured. “Thanks.”

“Alright, just come downstairs whenever you’re ready.” Phil smiled. “I’ll take you home.”

The moment Phil pulled the door shut and the pair were alone again, Tubbo turned to his friend. “…So what do you actually think of him?”

Tommy groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, and he sighed. “He’s… nice.” He reluctantly admitted. “I don’t know Tubs, I guess I’ve never really seen him as a long-term option. I’ve already got my plan, once I turn 18 I’m outta here.”

Tubbo glanced down at his casted arm and gave Tommy a very pointed look.

“Just… consider it, okay? I just wanna see you safe.”

“I know.” Tommy smiled sadly. He reached out and brushed Tubbo’s cheek, just below his swollen eye. “I want the same for you.”

He wanted the same for all of them, for him, for Tubbo, and for Ranboo, but god only knew if that wish was ever going to come true.

~~~~

They… didn’t really talk about it. The bulky white cast was a constant whenever they were together, but after that first day, Tommy just never brought it up again. Tubbo seemed appreciative of that fact, at least.

As the bruises faded and the only remaining visible reminder of that awful days was the cast, which had now been replaced by a black fiberglass monstrosity which Tubbo loved to complain about due to the itchiness, Tommy tended to forget about it. He knew he shouldn’t. But the thing was… this was normal to him. Well, not to have his friend pushed down the stairs, but the bruises. The occasional broken bone. The strictness, the constant monitoring, everything Tubbo described to him.

In hindsight, he should have said something. Reported it, told someone, anyone . But it didn’t even occur to Tommy because this was just, well, life. Part of the regular course.

It didn’t even occur to him that it was out of the ordinary until Wilbur asked.

“How’s your friend, uh- Tubbo?” The man said, catching Tommy’s attention. He looked up from his bowl of cereal.

“Fine.” Tommy responded. He frowned. “…Why?”

“He looked pretty bad when he was here last. Broken arm and all that?” Wilbur gestured vaguely, clearly struggling to find the right words.

“He’s fine.” Tommy shrugged.

“…Sure…” Wilbur said uneasily, frowning. Confusion bubbled in Tommy’s stomach.

“…Why?”

“I don’t wanna… um, how do I put this, uh… pry , but Tubbo’s home life…” Wilbur asked gently.

“Oh, yeah, his parents are dicks. That’s been established.”

“…They broke his arm ?”

“Accidently.”

“Tommy that- you don’t break your kid’s arm on accident .” Wilbur insisted. He moved from his position in the doorway to sit down at the dining table beside the boy. Tommy scowled, pulling his food closer to his chest.

“Why do you care anyway?” Tommy scowled.

“…‘cause your friend is being hurt, Tommy.”

And Tommy… Tommy shrugged. What could he do? He sure as fuck wasn’t about to call CPS and get his friend removed from an otherwise stable home- stable in the sense he had a roof over his head, food on the table, and security in knowing he had someone to fallback on. You didn’t get the foster system. Tommy, despite hardly remembering his parents, honestly felt he would have preferred to stay with them despite their abuse, because god knows it was better than being shunted around the country because no one wanted him. He knew his parents hadn’t wanted him- foster care was proof no one wanted him, and he’d never make Tubbo go through that. Tubbo knew that- he knew it was better for him to stay with them, as much as he hated it.

“And? The fuck am I supposed to do?” Tommy scoffed. “My social worker never listened to me before.”

Wilbur faltered at that, biting down on his lip. While he didn’t say it out loud, Tommy knew the man was thinking about his own time in the system.

“I’m not… I’m not very good at this, but I think you should at least try and talk to Phil.” He finally said. He was bouncing his leg, and Tommy could feel the vibrations through the table. “It’s not… that’s not normal. It’s not safe for him to be there.”

Tommy snapped. “Yeah, it’s never been safe for me anywhere and they never cared then. It’s fine , just leave shit alone.”

“Tommy-”

“ Don’t .” Tommy’s voice was dangerously level. Wilbur shrank in on himself- god, he couldn’t believe a 16-year-old was making him tiptoe around the conversation.

Dumping his bowl into the sink, still half full, Tommy stalked upstairs with a scowl. Entering his bedroom, he made sure to lock the door behind him. Why couldn’t these assholes just mind their own business? Tommy didn’t think he’d be there long anyway, and Tubbo had less than a year before he turned 18 and could get the fuck out. It was just one incident. Well, one big incident- there had been some smaller instances over the years, but again, only a year left.

He’d had one discussion with Tubbo after the whole thing went down, explaining exactly what would happen. Tubbo wasn’t naive, he just had no first hand experience. Tommy had laid it out plain and simple- if he went into the foster system, the two would probably never see each other again. He’d be shuffled from home to home, school to school, until he turned 18, at which point he’d be on his own. There was no support, no stability, and probably some abuse. In short, his home was a better option.

Tommy left a single message for Ranboo but he knew the boy wouldn’t see it until school the next day.

Tommy: i miss you </3

He then began to message Tubbo, who responded in less than a minute. Tommy smiled to himself. He could always rely on Tubbo to cheer him up.

Tommy: wilburs a nosey bitch

Tubbo: kick him

Tommy: bruh

Tommy: i think hed kick me back

Tommy: i would beat him in a fight though

Tommy: noodle bitch boy

Tubbo: tommy youre a noddle bitch boy

Tommy: wowwwwwww

Tommy: thought you were my friend

Tommy: im heartbroken

Tubbo: i cant be friends with a noodle

Tubbo: espically a noodle that would lose a fight

Tommy: :O

Tubbo: :D

A genuine smile resting on his face, Tommy pulled his phone to his chest and rolled onto his bed. The bed was comfortable- if he had to rate it, he’d certainly place it in the top three of all the foster homes he’d been in. He tugged the duvet up over his head.

A nap would be nice, Tommy thought to himself. Despite having done nothing that day (it was Sunday after all), he was physically and emotionally exhausted.

Well, he was just about to drift off when a gentle knock sounded on the door. His head shot up and he looked around blearily, confused and annoyed.

“Tommy?” Phil called.

Fuck. He really didn’t want to talk to the man right now. He wanted to sleep.

“Can I come in mate? Wilbur just talked to me.”

Tommy audibly groaned and turned away from the door, burying his head in the blankets. He heard Phil chuckle.

“Were you sleeping? Sorry to interrupt, but I really think it’d be good to talk.”

“Fine.” Tommy groaned. Internally, he thought make it quick . He fought his way out of bed and flipped the lock. Phil waited until Tommy was sitting on his bed again before entering.

Phil’s hair was unbrushed and knotted in several places. It looked like he had only just woken up, which Tommy thought was probably the case when he realised he hadn’t seen the man all day. He also looked worried. Before he could speak, Tommy began;

“So, what’d Wilbur try and tell you?” Tommy sighed, flopping back onto his bed.

“…He’s worried about you kid.” Phil smiled softly. “And so am I, frankly. I didn’t want to bring it up earlier because it’s your business, but when Wilbur gets concerned, I know it’s got to be bad.” Tommy’s nose wrinkled in confusion, but he didn’t say anything. Phil gestured to Tommy’s desk chair. “Can I sit?”

“Mm, whatever.” Tommy shrugged. “Be my guest.”

Phil sat in silence for a moment. Tommy, carefully avoiding looking at the man, could tell he was being watched.

“You know, you remind me of Kristin a lot.”

Tommy knew his first question should be who the fuck is Kristin ? But… that wasn’t the first thing to come to his mind. The first thing that hit Tommy was how soft Phil sounded.

Slowly, Tommy peeked over his blanket at the man. Phil was no longer looking at him, instead staring out the window with a soft smile on his face; in his fingers, he flipped a pen back and forth. Tommy blinked. When the silence stretched out into uncomfortable territory, Phil chuckled.

“You can ask, you know. I can tell you want to.”

“Can- I can?” Tommy stammered.

Phil smiled. “Course you can, Tommy. Ask, always. If you ever have a question, just ask.”

Finally, Tommy mumbled out;

“Who’s Kristin?”

“She was my wife.” Phil said softly.

Tommy immediately picked up on the tone. “…Was?” He shifted uncomfortably, concern curling in his gut at the implication.

“Was.” Phil confirmed. “I don’t blame her. We were young and just grew into completely different people. We just wanted different things in life.” The pen was tapping on the table. “After all, I got my kids from it, and she got her career and an amazing life.” He then turned to Tommy, smiling more genuinely. “She always wanted to help others. She was kind and compassionate and honest… like you.”

Tommy squeezed his duvet in his fist. “I’m not like that.” He murmured.

“You are.” Phil said softly. “You just haven’t seen it yet. Whenever I look at you, I see that little bit of her.”

Tommy took another glance over at Phil, who had returned to looking out the window.

“She would have loved you.” He murmured.

And Tommy didn’t know her, but, somehow, he already knew he would have loved her too.

Chapter Text

It’s quiet. Tommy doesn’t like it when it’s quiet.

The place had been silent all day and Tommy could feel the tension rolling off the other members of the household. Phil had been hovering around the common areas, flitting between the kitchen and living room rather than hiding in his office, seemingly waiting for something. Techno was… withdrawn. Not that he could be more of a recluse than he already was, but in the one time Tommy saw him all day, the man was obviously dishevelled and agitated. Wilbur was… well, Wilbur was angry .

Tommy had heard the door to Wilbur's bedroom slam sometime during the morning, before he left for school. When he got home, Wilbur was sullen and grumpy, sitting in the kitchen with one eye on the living room and a scowl plastered on his face. He didn’t talk to Tommy. Tommy, not wanting to set him off, didn’t talk to him.

No one told him what was going on. No one really talked to him, actually. Tommy found it bothered him more than it should- he was never told anything in his previous homes, why did he care now? There had always been tension. Fighting too, a lot of the time. But this home had never been like that and to suddenly be thrown back into that environment… Tommy wouldn’t admit it out loud, but it fucking terrified him. This was the first taste of calm he had had in years. He didn’t want to lose it now.

Unfortunately, he just had to go and fuck that all up. You know, exactly the opposite of what his social worker had told him to do.

It was day two of bubbling tension now, and it had the fat luck of being a Saturday. Everyone was home. Techno didn’t have class, Phil wasn’t working, and Wilbur wasn’t doing… well, Tommy wasn’t 100% sure what the man did other than working part-time, but he didn’t appear to have shifts on a Saturday either. Tommy normally would’ve hung out with Tubbo at the library, but he was still grounded. Tubbo had his computer back, at least.

It was so tense, in fact, that Tommy had skipped both breakfast and lunch to avoid being around anyone. But now his stomach was grumbling, the snack basket on his desk was empty, and Tommy really wanted something to eat.

Downstairs, Phil was standing at the stove, cooking… potatoes? Tommy couldn’t quite tell, but it smelled like fried potatoes. Probably leftovers from the night before.

“Evenin’ Tommy.” Phil murmured. The man sounded exhausted. “We’re just doing leftovers. There’s bread here if you want to make a sandwich or something.” He gestured to the bench beside him.

Tommy only nodded. He just wanted something quick, something to be in and out of the kitchen in two minutes flat.

He dug some ham and cheese from the fridge, then lettuce, tomato, and mayo. He was in the middle of assembling two masterpieces when he heard footsteps behind him and turned to find Wilbur, bags under his eyes and practically buried in an oversized sweater, hovering beside the bench. He was carefully avoiding eye contact with Phil.

Tommy hurriedly stepped aside. The man appeared to be trying to get something from the cabinet he had been standing in front of, but Wilbur only shook his head.

“You’re fine, Tommy, finish up first.” He said tiredly.

“Wilb-” Phil startled, apparently having only just noticed the presence of the brunette.

“Don’t, please.” Wilbur sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m tired and hungry. This isn’t the time.”

“We need to talk at some point-”

“Yes, not now .” Wilbur firmly insisted, sending his father what Tommy could only describe as a death glare.

“Wilbur.” Phil said sternly.

“Phil.” Wilbur mocked.

Poor Tommy was stuck in the middle.

After a moment, Phil sighed and seemed to back down. “Alright.” He said reluctantly. “But don’t think you’re getting out of this.”

Wilbur, being Wilbur, rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”

And that was what set Phil off. “Wilbur.” His voice was rising. “You can’t keep avoiding this! Don’t you- hey, I’m talking to you, come back here!”

Wilbur had turned to leave with a scoff, but had barely made it to the doorway when Tommy tried to step away from Phil.

Away from Phil, and right into the hot stove.

The pan full of fried potatoes went clattering to the floor with a crash, with potatoes all over and the pan smashing into one of the cabinets. Panic swelled into Tommy’s chest when he realised the falling metal had actually cracked one of the tiles.

“Oh for fuck’s sake-” Phil murmured under his breath, turning his attention to the frozen blonde. Tommy could feel the anger (of course, he didn’t know said anger was directed at Wilbur, not him. The accident was just another frustration in a long list of frustrations, and Phil didn’t really mean it. But he didn’t know that). “Tommy!”

Tommy didn’t see the frustration. The impatience, the annoyance. Tommy only saw anger. Tommy only saw the consequences that followed his name being yelled- the bruises, the cuts, the hurt . It didn’t matter that it was coming from Phil, a man who had only been kind to him. It didn’t matter that it was only an accident- he was yelling , and that could only mean one thing.

“Tommy!” The anger echoed. “ Tommy ! Oh for- Jesus Christ!”

Tommy pushed past the man, then past Wilbur, ignoring when he stood on a burning hot potato just to get away from them.

God, Tommy had really fucked up, hadn’t he? Techno had been forgiving of accidents, but Phil apparently was not.

Tears blurred his eyes as he fled up the stairs, ignoring Phil’s calls for him to come back- he didn’t trust that he wouldn’t hit him now. He had said he wouldn’t yell. He had said he’d stay calm, try to talk things through rationally when Tommy had arrived. Tommy knew he was right not to trust that.

Slamming his door and locking it behind him, he threw himself onto his bed and sobbed brokenly. His chest heaved. He had lost his one chance he might have had at stability until he turned eighteen- there’s no way they’d want him to stay now. It was only a matter of time before someone came up to his room… the room and told him to start packing his things. And a social worker would be there with a disappointed look on their face and an emergency placement until another home opened up.

He heaved, nearly throwing up from the sobs. That was it. It was all over. Phil’s anger told him enough. He pushed the man past his limit- with all his rule breaking and disappearing and avoiding them all forever.

Tommy sobbed until there was nothing left in him. No more tears to cry. Tommy simply felt… exhausted. He felt worn down and broken, more broken than he had ever felt before. He ached , a bone-deep ache that was subsided by the numbness that slowly overtook him. He had gotten attached and, just like he remembered, it had only ended in heartbreak. He’d gotten attached to the idea of stability, a place near his friends, and food on the table until he was legally old enough to live on his own. He shouldn’t have trusted them.

Between broken cries and heaving, choking sobs, Tommy heard his phone buzz. He turned his head to the side and eyed it wearily for a moment. It was probably just Tubbo. He didn’t have the energy to reply to him right now.

But something, he didn’t know what, compelled him to reach over and seize his phone from the bedside table and turn it over. There were two messages on his lock screen, both from Ranboo. He stared at them. They were from Ranboo’s actual mobile number- who had topped up his account? He took a moment, rereading the words over and over again until they sunk into his brain:

Ranboo: help

Ranboo: hurt

Tommy’s heart sunk into his stomach. Oh fuck . He tried to call his friend- he declined on the second ring. Another text.

Ranboo: cant call

Ranboo: at park

Ranboo: tommy please

Ranboo: really hurts

Tommy glanced towards his door. Fuck, he really needed to sort this out with Phil, he couldn’t run away- if there was any chance of him staying, however slim it was, he had to take the opportunity now. But… Ranboo.

In a single moment Tommy made a decision he knew he should have made a long time ago. It didn’t matter. It didn’t matter if this ruined any chance of him having stability, his friends came first. His real family. He stuffed his phone into his pocket, pulled a hoodie over his head and pushed the window open in one swift movement. Tommy knew he needed to go, now, lest someone unlock his door and stop him.

Swinging his legs out of the window, Tommy leaned forwards over the sill, closed his eyes and

let

him s e l f

f a l l…

Tommy muffled his cry of pain in his sleeve, gasping for breath as he stumbled. Fuck, jumping from a second story window really wasn’t a good idea. The shock ran through his knees and up his hips, leaving an aching pain that made him flinch when he tried to walk.

He shook it off as fast as he could, took one last glance back at the house and said a silent prayer before running off into the night.

~~~~

“Ranboo?” Tommy called, pushing away bushes in his path. He whistled once, a short, sharp note he hoped to earn a reply from. There was only silence, and a rush of wind. “Ranboo!?”

He cursed under his breath and wound his way through the brush in the pitch black, unable to see far with just the light from his phone. He knew this path well, but that was only during the day- his navigation skills dropped to zero once he had no sense of direction. If he could just find the stream- there!

Tommy let out a triumphant noise and hopped the trickling water, feeling out blindly for the knot in the tree he knew was close by. His hand found it.

“Ranboo?” He called again. “Are you here man?”

“Tommy?” A hoarse voice whispered. Tommy whirled around- he had heard the voice of his friend somewhere nearby, somewhere low-

“Ranboo? Keep talking man, I can’t find you, it’s too dark.”

“Down here.” He murmured.

Tommy’s eyes and flashlight found his friend at the same time. In the white light, the blood on Ranboo’s skin stood out like a beacon and for the third time that night, Tommy’s heart sank into his stomach. Fuck, he cursed internally.

“Fuck!” He cursed out loud. “Shit, Ranboo, fuck! Where are you hurt! This looks bad, fuck!”

“Head.” The boy murmured. “Head’s… head’s bleeding. Dizzy.”

“Shit, not good, not good .”

Ranboo didn’t seem to hear him. His eyes were glazed, like he was in some far-off place. He didn’t respond the next time Tommy shook his shoulder.

A drop of blood trickled down his cheek.

~~~~

Wilbur rapped on the door with his knuckles. Phil was still downstairs, head in his hands at the kitchen table. It was the first time Wilbur had seen his dad truly broken- the last day had snapped something inside him. Phil had just wanted to be a good father, just like he had been trying to do for him and Techno for years, but now Wilbur had gone and pushed all the right buttons. Tommy just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It was the first time Wilbur had heard his dad scream. Phil had always been level- stern, but level. He’d never yelled, and Wilbur knew it was all his fault.

“Tommy?” He murmured. “You okay? I know… I know it was bad. Phil shouldn’t have yelled and I know it was ‘cause of me and I’m sorry. Can you open the door for me?”

There was no reply.

Wilbur wasn’t worried at first, Tommy was probably just listening and hoping he would go away, so he simply knocked again. And knocked again five minutes later.

“Toms?” He breathed. “Please Toms, open your door? It’s gonna be okay.”

There was silence. Not a single sound, no movement. Wilbur strained, desperate to hear even something as quiet as breathing. But… there was nothing.

Wilbur felt his heart leap into his stomach- fuck, was Tommy even in his room? He rushed into Phil’s room, frantically rummaging through the top draw in search of something he knew was there. They hadn’t told Tommy about it, in case it made him feel less secure, but they could unlock his door from the outside in case of emergencies, and to Wilbur, this constituted an emergency.

“Tommy please.” Wilbur pleaded. “Please be okay!”

Wilbur froze. The room was empty. The curtains fluttered.

Wilbur backed away, back down the hall.

“Phil!” He screamed, desperation cracking his voice. “ Phil ! Tommy’s gone !”

~~~~

A whistle. Tommy sighed in relief, whistling in reply. Tubbo crashed through the brush with no mind for himself, rushing closer and closer.

“Tommy!” He called. “Fuck, are you okay!”

“I’m fine.” Tommy sighed, as Tubbo found him. In the dim light, Tommy knew it looked bad. “I’m fine. I’m okay. Ranboo’s… he’s not okay. I- I don’t know what to do Tubbo, I can’t wake him up anymore, he was bleeding really badly- I, shit, I fucked up Tubbo, I don’t know what to do anymore!”

Tubbo crouched down, hugging him tight over their unconscious friend. Something solid bumped against Tommy’s back.

“It’ll be okay man.” He murmured. “We’ll work it out, you just need to calm down. We can’t do anything if you’re panicking. You need to take some deep breaths.”

Tubbo’s hand scoured the makeshift bandages made from the bottom of Tommy’s shirt, grimacing as dried blood peeled away from Ranboo’s skin. Ranboo didn’t even stir. His eyes had slipped closed halfway through Tommy’s attempts to stop the bleeding and he hadn’t woken up since, increasing Tommy’s panic tenfold. He didn’t even know if Ranboo was injured elsewhere because he could ask, and Ranboo couldn’t answer.

“I don’t… I don’t think it’s too bad.” He finally said, sitting back on the damp ground. “I know head wounds bleed a lot and he might just be exhausted but I can’t be sure. It might… it might be best to take him to the hospital Tommy, I think he needs help.”

“Can’t.” Tommy said shortly. “We don’t have ID, and I don’t have any money to pay for treatment. And if we go to the hospital, then the social workers’ll get involved again and he’ll be sent off to another home. I can’t see him go through that again Tubbo, I can’t. I can’t go back to Phil’s either, I- shit Tubbo, I fucked up, Phil was angry at Wilbur and then I fucked up and he screamed and me… I can’t go back there.”

“Shit, Tommy.” Tubbo breathed. In the single beam of the flashlight, Tommy could see the hand resting on Ranboo’s chest trembling. “But where are you gonna go?”

“Don’t know yet.” Tommy’s voice trembled. “But somewhere far away from here. We can’t stay here anymore. Once Ranboo’s awake, we’ll leave tomorrow morning.”

In the dim light, Tommy saw Tubbo’s face change.

“What about me?” He asked, quietly.

Tommy frowned. “What about you?”

“You’re just going to leave me here?” He snapped. “With them ?!”

“Tubbo I- you know we can’t stay! There’s nothing for us here!” Tommy insisted, frantically trying to curb his friend’s anger.

“So I’m nothing?” Tubbo hissed. “Because that’s what it sounds like.”

“ No Tubbo!” Tommy yelped, aghast. “Of course not! You’re not nothing! Tubbo, you’ve got a family, you’ve got your school and so many opportunities! You’ve got a chance, Tubbo! Ranboo and I? We’ve got nothing.”

“ I’ve got a chance?” Tubbo scoffed. “ I’ve got a fucking chance!? Tommy, is being beaten within an inch of my life a fucking chance!? Is my arm being broken because I was friends with you a fucking opportunity !?”

Tubbo seized the flashlight and pointed it to himself, pulling up his sleeves enough for Tommy to see. His arm was covered in bruises. There wasn’t an inch of skin that wasn’t yellow, purple or green. These were new bruises, Tommy suddenly realised, bruises that hadn’t been there the afternoon before when they were at school together. Bruises attained in less than 24 hours. Tubbo allowed him to look for a moment before pulling his sleeves back down, glaring the whole time.

“That’s my fucking chance? Really?”

“Tubbo!” Tommy cried. “I didn’t mean it like that, you know I didn’t-”

“How did you mean it then?” Tubbo snapped.

Tommy was silent.

“I get it.” He snarled. “You’re choosing Ranboo over me.”

“Tubbo no !” Tommy cried desperately. “I’m not, I’m not !”

“You are, Tommy.” Tubbo sniffed, pushing himself to his feet. “You might not think you are, but you are. You could’ve been safe here, but I see how it is. Good luck.”

Tubbo walked away, picking his way between the branches, before disappearing from Tommy’s sight. He couldn’t even cry out for his friend, beg him to come back, beg him for forgiveness. Soon, all Tommy heard was the wind and Ranboo’s laboured breathing.

He’d fucked up again, hadn’t he? He thought as he leaned back against the trunk of a tree, too exhausted to stop the tears from slipping down his cheeks. Tubbo hadn’t been safe in his own home, and Tommy had hardly even noticed.

God, he couldn’t do anything right.

~~~~

Tubbo fled from the woods, sobbing so hard he couldn’t see. He hadn’t wanted Tommy to see him cry and so waited until he was sure he was out of earshot before allowing the dam to break, gasping for breath and collapsing to his knees on the sidewalk. He leaned back, stared up at the open sky, and screamed .

He screamed for Tommy, hostile and scared, too defensive to ever allow himself to be taken care of.

He screamed for Ranboo, injured, broken and his luck with some of the worst foster homes out there.

He screamed for himself, alone and completely defenseless, nursing a broken arm and countless other injuries, unable to leave his family. He understood that Tommy wanted him to stay because it gave him the best chance, but Tubbo knew he’d rather risk the system than stay there any longer. They were getting worse.

He knew why Tommy wanted to leave, but he was so angry that he would be left behind. Tommy could have had a family here if only he let Phil and Wil and Techno take care of him, Ranboo could have found a home somewhere, he could have left his own home. All three could have escaped the abuse.

But Tommy was too stubborn to see that.

Tubbo struggled to his feet, still sobbing, still weak, but determined. He had to help his friends- Ranboo needed medical attention, but none of them had the ability to get him to the hospital or pay for it. He knew what he had to do.

He found his bearings, put one foot in the front of the other and stumbled in the direction of a place he knew was his last hope. He could only hope he wouldn’t be wrong to trust them.

Chapter Text

Tubbo collapsed on the front porch, unable to muster the energy to reach up and knock on the door. He leaned forwards, coughing and heaving. The heavy wooden door swung open and Tubbo very nearly faceplanted on the deck, unable to support himself. 

Techno cried out. “I- shit, fuck, Tubbo! What are you doing here!”

He pulled the shivering boy inside, tugging him down the hall and into the living room where two others, stunned into silence, sat.

“Fuck, Tubbo, kid, you’re freezing!” Phil jumped to his feet, wrapping Tubbo’s hands in his own. “Wil, run upstairs and grab some blankets and a beanie or something, Tech, hot water bottle and a warm drink. Fuck kid, you’ve gone through the wringer tonight.”

Tubbo’s head nodded as the others rushed around him, pulling his damp coat off him and wrapping him in warmth. Had it been raining? He didn’t know, he hadn’t been paying much attention. A mug of hot chocolate was pushed into his shaking hands.

“We’ve gotcha kid, it’s okay.” Phil murmured, gently rubbing his shoulders.

Once his shaking had lessened and he didn’t feel like he was about to pass out any second, Tubbo spoke up-

“Tommy’s leaving.”

Wilbur’s head snapped up. “What, where?!”

“With Ranboo.” Tubbo breathed. “He’s… he’s hurt real bad, he was bleeding and unconscious and Tommy was freaking out, saying he can’t stay here anymore.” He inhaled sharply. “I can’t fucking believe you. I trusted you to take care of him!”

The other three sat in silence before Wilbur gingerly interjected. “He ran away. Jumped out the window, we’ve been looking for him and calling him for hours. We couldn’t find him anywhere.”

“…he thinks you don’t want him back.”

“No!” Phil cried. “Of course we want him back! I fucked up Tubbo, I fucked up bad, I yelled and I shouldn’t have… I promised him I’d never yell, and I broke that promise, but of course we want him back! I was just frustrated at Wilbur and couldn’t keep my temper under control-”

Wilbur had the good sense to look sheepish. “He didn’t mean it.” The brunette corroborated.

Tubbo leaned back into the sofa, allowing the steam from the warm mug in front of him to caress his face. It was reassuring him that he was safe.

“Where can we find him?” Techno asked the boy, voice carefully level. “How bad is it?”

“At our hideout in the woods.” Tubbo breathed. “It’s… I don’t know how bad it was, Ranboo was either asleep or unconscious when I was there, there was… there was a lot of blood.” He whispered the last part, voice trailing off.

Phil looked horrified. “Fuck, what happened?!”

“I- I don’t know.” Tubbo stammered. “Tommy had bandaged him up but there was dried blood everywhere, I don’t know if it was because it was a head wound or- or… I just don’t know .”

He trailed off with a muffled whimper, cringing just thinking about it. Ranboo was hurt. Ranboo was hurt , and Tommy was refusing help.

Techno, pink hair pulled into a loose braid, crouched down in front of the boy, gently squeezing his knee.

“Kid, I’m gonna need you to take us to them, alright?” He said gently, smiling when Tubbo finally made eye contact. “We need to get Ranboo help but we don’t know how to get there.”

“Okay.” Tubbo murmured.

Techno reached out his hand and, when Tubbo took it, helped the boy to his feet.

“Let’s go.”

~~~~

In the dark, Tubbo found it difficult to navigate back to the park. He’d never been driven there before and was used to the narrow alleys and shortcuts he took that weren’t possible like this. Phil drove and Wilbur was in the front passenger seat, but Techno sat beside him, running his thumb across the back of his hand when nerves made his limbs shake.

Tubbo wasn’t sure how Tommy would react. He’d confessed to not seeing the family as a long-term option but Tubbo, on the contrary, thought they’d be perfect for him. Techno was calm and level, able to see through any situation. Wilbur was his equal in humour and taste and, from what Tommy had said, a little better for emotional conversations. Phil was, well, Phil was like a dad. A proper dad. Setting boundaries, encouraging responsible behaviour and all that.

When the car pulled into the nearest car park and Phil idled the engine, Techno gave Tubbo a look .

“I don’t think you two should come.” The pink haired man said. Wilbur immediately looked scandalized.

“What? What do you mean, of course I’m coming!?” He cried, turning around in his seat to face his brother.

Tubbo silently agreed with Techno’s suggestion.

“No.” Techno said sternly, glaring at the man. “Phil, you definitely shouldn’t come, but Wil, look, I don’t want to seem like an ass but you were the one pushing Phil’s buttons. Tommy knows that. He probably isn’t going to want to see you right now.”

Wilbur opened his mouth to object, but Tubbo quietly spoke up.

“He’s right.” He mumbled, shrinking in his seat with three pairs of eyes turned on him. “Tommy, he- well, I’m gonna be honest, he doesn’t trust any of you. The only one of you he’s said he even likes is Techno and after tonight… yeah.”

“Thank you Tubbo.” Techno nodded. “Lead the way kid.”

As Tubbo stepped out of the car, he pretended not to notice Phil’s sadness and Wilbur’s… he couldn’t quite describe it. Anger? Frustration? Most of all he looked disappointed, in himself or in Tommy, Tubbo didn’t know.

Techno switched on the light on his phone and gestured to the dark expanse of trees in front of him. Tubbo took in a deep breath and, a little bit reluctantly, took a familiar path into the woods, unsure of what was waiting for him. Techno didn’t speak. He simply pointed his light in the direction of Tubbo’s steps, head twisting from side to side as he strained for any sign of life. Tubbo didn’t think he would find any. Tommy would either be asleep or… gone.

A short, sharp whistle left his lips as they came across familiar clearing, startling Techno so badly he jumped. Tubbo cast him an apologetic look that he couldn’t be sure was seen in the dark. But there was no returning tune.

When the pair finally approached the place Tubbo had last seen his friends, he panicked for a second when the light found nothing except a splattering of blood across the leaf strewn ground. However, when the light tracked up, it found a pair of legs, then a second. Techno let out an audible sigh of relief.

“Tommy?” Tubbo breathed. “Tommy?”

The second call of his name startled the boy from his sleep and he jolted upright, blinded by the flashlight. Ranboo, much to Tubbo’s relief, also stirred and his eyes opened, though they were half-lidded with exhaustion. The pair made eye contact though, and Tubbo knew Ranboo would be okay. Well, provided he could get medical attention.

“Tubbo?” The blonde slurred, slumping back down in his disorientation. “Wha- wha’ are you doin’ here?”

“Ranboo needs help, Tommy.” Tubbo whispered, crouching down beside his friend. The leaves crunched with his every movement. “Proper help.”

The pair looked over at Ranboo, tucked into Tommy’s side, whose head was nodding again. His blonde curls fell into his face and he looked like he was about to fall asleep at any moment, but he was conscious and at least a little focused.

“I’m fine.” Ranboo slurred, lifting his hand to his head. “I’m jus’… jus’ tired.”

“You don’t look fine mate.” A monotone voice interrupted. “I think it’d be best if we can get you to the hospital, just to be sure.”

And that was when Tommy’s eyes drifted past Tubbo to the man holding the flashlight. His pink hair stood out like a beacon, even in the dark. Tommy’s eyes narrowed.

Tubbo was expecting anger, an explosion, questions about why Tubbo had bought him here. But instead, Tommy’s eyes slid over to Ranboo. Their friend had slid down Tommy’s side, curled up beside him in a way that Tubbo would have found endearing in literally any other situation, except for the messily tied bandages, stark white in the dim torchlight. A trickle of blood had dried on Ranboo’s cheek. He looked peaceful, but Tubbo knew the situation was anything but.

Tommy, all at once, just slumped. His whole body relaxed and a sob shook his body, as the reality of the situation hit him like a truck. Tubbo didn’t hesitate to wrap his friend in a hug, squeezing him so tight he gasped, but Tommy didn’t fight it. On the contrary, he leaned into the touch and cried harder. Techno hovered, unsure what to do.

When Tommy’s sobs settled a bit, Techno spoke up.

“I think we need to go.”

Tubbo jumped. Techno had moved to Ranboo’s side and had pulled back the bandage, cringing at the wound on the boy’s head. When he shook Ranboo’s shoulder his eyes flickered but never focused.

“You help Tommy get to the car.” Techno instructed. “I can carry him, I think. You’re going to have to lead.”

Tubbo hovered as Techno hoisted Ranboo into his arms, stumbling a moment as he adjusted to the weight. Though Ranboo was skinny, he was still six foot six and Techno wasn’t exactly built either. Techno huffed, straining for a moment, but eventually steadied and gave Tubbo a look- Tubbo took off without question, one hand on Tommy’s wrist and the other now holding Techno’s phone and its accompanying light in front of the group.

Tubbo could see his breath in front of him. It curled up around his face and warmed him in the freezing air. It was silent aside from their footsteps on the leafy ground and Techno’s occasional grunts as he adjusted his hold on Ranboo, who remained eerily quiet. When Tubbo looked back he could see Ranboo’s eyes were still open, but he looked sickly .

Tommy, a little way behind him, hesitated as the woods gave out to flat land and the lights of the car came into view. He shuffled, refusing to move forwards.

“They’re not mad.” Tubbo said gently. “Promise.”

Techno, from behind the pair, gave an affirming hum. “We aren’t.” He confirmed. “Just worried about you, kid. Phil didn’t mean it, I promise, he was just angry and frustrated at Wil.”

Tommy side-eyed the pink haired man. “…What’d Wilbur do?” He asked reluctantly.

Techno hesitated. “I think you best ask him, it’s… it’s between them two. I’m sure Wilbur will tell you, but…”

“But it’s his business.” Tommy quickly filled in.

“Yeah.”

In the lights of the car, Tubbo could make out the two figures in the front seats. He knew they were watching them, waiting for them to return. He knew they would help now, but there was still this anxious tightness in his chest because he knew his actions were a betrayal, no matter how much it was needed. Once this was all over, once Ranboo had gotten help, Tubbo knew there would be a talk. There had to be.

Ranboo. Tubbo’s light fell on his friend, still in Techno’s arms. Tommy’s eyes followed the light and he grimaced, but a look of determination overran his features.

“Let’s go.” The blonde mumbled, squeezing Tubbo’s hand. He took a step in the direction of the car. “We gotta- we gotta go.”

Techno nodded approvingly, sending Tommy a gentle smile.

The four finally made to move to the car. Tommy knew that, while this would all have to be sorted out later, Ranboo was the most important thing right then. He needed help, and Phil and Wilbur and Techno could help get that help.

He inhaled deeply as the car door opened. Tubbo squeezed his hand back.

It’s okay . His friend mouthed. And Tommy, for once, believed him.

Chapter Text

No one said anything. Phil visibly paled when he saw Ranboo’s condition and Wilbur seemed to choke up, not speaking a word, but there was an immediate understanding that they needed to go to the hospital. Now. Well, yesterday would have been preferable, but now worked too.

The four- Tommy, Tubbo, Techno, and Ranboo- all managed to squeeze into the backseat, though Tubbo ended up practically sitting in Tommy’s lap in order to make room for the other two. Ranboo lay tucked in the middle with his head on Techno’s shoulder, eyes drifting shut every so often, only to be shaken awake by the pink haired man.

“No sleeping yet.” Techno said urgently when Ranboo drifted off again. Ranboo groaned but reluctantly pried his eyes back open, fiddling with his hands to keep himself awake.

The local hospital wasn’t far away, maybe fifteen minutes, and Phil managed to cut it to ten with his reckless, but warranted, driving. Tommy could barely hold himself back from either bursting into tears or, alternatively, screaming, because he certainly felt like doing that too. Every sharp corner the car took made him tense. Tubbo tried to comfort him, pressing his cold nose against Tommy’s cheek to let him know he was there, but with the anxiety bubbling in his stomach, there was little his friend could do.

The car halted. When he looked outside the window, Tommy's vision was lit by the glowing ‘A&E’ sign. 

Phil left his seat and walked around the car, opening Techno’s door. Wilbur remained frozen in the front seat. Ranboo shuffled, seemingly a bit confused, but his eyes eventually found Phil with his arm out for him to take.

“Do you think you can stand mate?” The blonde man asked gently, moving aside momentarily to let Techno out of the car. “It’s not too far.”

Tommy knew he should have been paying attention to the exchange. He could hear Phil helping Ranboo from the car, saw the man grip tightly to his friend’s waist in case he tipped over, cringed as Ranboo’s legs shook and his knees nearly gave out beneath him. But no- all he could focus on was Tubbo, leaning against him, stiff and tense, breathing in short, sharp bursts.

“Tubbo?” Tommy murmured, poking him in the back. Tubbo swivelled to look up at him. His face was pinched and pale.

“Tommy?” The boy echoed.

“We should…” He trailed off, gesturing to the door.

“Yeah, I- yeah.”

The two did an awkward shuffle to get out of the car, nearly elbowing each other in the stomach in the process. Tommy couldn’t help himself when he reached out and grabbed the back of Tubbo's sweater, hanging off the hem like a child, letting himself be guided.

The pair fell in behind Phil, who was supporting Ranboo, and Techno, who was awkwardly standing about a foot apart from them, ready to reach out if Ranboo fell. Wilbur… well, Wilbur didn’t make any effort to move. Some part of Tommy appreciated it because he really didn’t feel like a confrontation right then. The talk could wait.

So, there they were, standing in the middle of a hospital car park, in the middle of the night. Tommy shivered as a cold breeze rushed past them- his simple hoodie really wasn’t made for this weather.

“Come on guys.” Techno turned to them when he realised Tommy and Tubbo were lagging behind. He hesitated a second, but then held his hand out to Tubbo, who was closest. “Don’t want you to get lost.”

Tubbo glanced back at Tommy, pressing himself close to his friend. It was actually Tommy who stepped forward and took the offered hand, squeezing it tight, letting Tubbo grab his other. Techno smiled, a little awkwardly, but he had visibly softened at the pair now following him like little kids. Up ahead, Phil and Ranboo stopped at the entrance of the hospital, waiting for them to catch up.

Tommy had never felt so… vulnerable . It was like the eyes of everyone were suddenly staring at him like they knew all his deepest, darkest secrets but Tubbo was there, and Techno was on his other side, holding his hand. Phil was supporting Ranboo, letting the boy lean on him when he stumbled. He realised very suddenly that, for perhaps the first time, he was letting himself be vulnerable. God knows that even just a week ago he wouldn’t have allowed Techno to touch him, let alone do this. He was scared and felt so completely alone in his feelings, despite the people around him.

“Let’s go.” Techno murmured, squeezing Tommy’s hand. Tommy couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw Techno quickly glance back towards the car, where Wilbur still sat, stony-faced and silent. Tommy hesitated a moment.

“What about… Wilbur?” He asked, peering back at the car over his shoulder.

If it was possible, Techno softened even further, his shoulders curling forward. “He’ll come ‘round.” He said gently. “I think he just needs a bit by himself to process. It’s been… a long few days.”

Tommy tore his gaze away from the brunette, who had been cast in shadow, and looked back to Ranboo and Phil. Phil looked… well, he looked like a father. He was talking to Ranboo, just out of earshot so Tommy couldn’t tell what he was saying, but it must have been something reassuring. He was making sure Ranboo remained on his feet, moving slowly, explaining everything as he went. Ranboo appeared to be replying on occasion, somewhat sluggishly, but he was responding.

Some of the tenseness in Tommy’s mind loosened at the sight- maybe Techno had been right. Maybe it had just been a misplaced burst of anger on Phil’s part, because he had immediately fallen back into the role of a kind and genuine caregiver Tommy had been seeing since… since day one. Since Phil had let him buy that shirt while they shopped. Since he let Tommy go out, no questions asked. Since he hadn’t forced Tommy to attend meals with the family.

“Okay.” He breathed, allowing Techno to lead him and Tubbo into the hospital.

But in his mind, he was still questioning the underlying situation- what the fuck had happened between Phil and Wilbur? Would he even ever be told? He knew Techno said it wasn’t his business to say, but…

He shook his head, trying to shake the thoughts away. Tubbo gave him a concerned look and Tommy pleaded with his eyes, silently begging him to not say anything. Tubbo, thankfully, didn’t. He just squeezed Tommy’s hand tighter and let himself focus on Ranboo, still waiting for the trio with Phil. Ranboo seemed a little more awake, thankfully, now he was on his feet. He still seemed very disorientated, one hand held against his head, where the bandage covered the wound, but he was standing and walking. In Tommy’s eyes, that was an improvement.

Phil smiled at Tommy and Tubbo, who were still trailing Techno. He then addressed the tallest. “Alright, Ranboo, let’s go see the doctor. We’ll talk about what to do after.” Ranboo nodded tiredly. Phil turned to the others. “Okay?”

Tommy nodded. He didn’t see Tubbo nod, but Phil acknowledged it.

Help first. Sorting everything out came later.

~~~~

Practically the moment Ranboo was cleared by the nurse, the boy pulled a blanket up over his head and passed out. He was snoring quietly. His head had been rebandaged, professionally this time, hiding the row of stitches in his hair and along his forehead. They were dissolvable, apparently, so would simply fall out as the wound healed.

Tommy was sitting next to his friend’s hospital bed in one of those shitty plastic chairs, Tubbo on the other side, both on the verge of falling asleep. Tubbo had his feet up on the chair, leaning on the bed, eyes half lidded. Look, it had been a long night. Tommy didn’t even try to stop it as his eyes slid shut and his chin nodded onto his chest- it was far from comfortable, but he didn’t care.

He heard Techno chuckle from where the man had been hovering. He had been in and out of the little curtained room fairly often over the last two hours. Tommy thought he might have been pacing. Phil had been sorting things out with the doctors and, when they arrived, the police, making it clear that Ranboo would not be going back to his foster parents. They never asked about where Tubbo was supposed to be, and, knowing it would only raise more issues, no one mentioned it.

There were another set of footsteps and shortly after Phil’s quiet snort of amusement could be heard.

“When is he being discharged?” Techno murmured, clearly talking to his father.

“Soon, as soon as the police confirm an emergency custody order. I’ve got his antibiotics and pain medication.” Phil whispered in return. There was more shuffling as the curtain was pulled closed behind them. “Do you want to help these two out to the car? It shouldn’t be more than half an hour.”

Techno must have nodded because a moment later, a hand gently shook Tommy’s shoulder. The blonde startled, letting out a disorientated grunt, but quickly realised it was just Techno. I mean, who else had shoulder length, neon pink hair? Though, now that Tommy considered it, he could see streaks of brown growing in at the roots.

“We’re heading back to the car now Tommy.” Techno explained. “Ranboo should be discharged soon.”

“Noooo I’m comfy .” Tommy whined, scrubbing his face with one fist.

Techno smiled. “I can give you a piggyback ride?” The man offered.

Tommy didn’t even have to think about it before he was reaching his arms out, making grabby hands at Techno. If he was more awake and aware he probably would have been embarrassed at his childish behaviour, but he was stressed, exhausted, and just wanted someone to hug. Techno would certainly do.

Techno chuckled, playfully squeezing one of the outstretched hands. “You’ve got to stand up mate, I can’t carry you.”

Tommy spent another long moment pouting before pulling himself to his feet. He cringed as the plastic chair scraped across the linoleum floor, making this high pitched eek that echoed throughout the room. Tubbo blinked over at him, startled awake by the sudden noise. Ranboo didn’t even stir.

Techno turned and allowed Tommy to clamber onto his back, jumping once, then twice to make sure he was sitting properly. Once Tommy was secure the man turned to Tubbo, who was glancing between him and Phil.

“I’m not piggybacking you.” Phil said to the now awake boy, chuckling.

“No, your old man bones couldn’t handle it.” Techno retorted, adjusting his hold on Tommy. Tommy tightened his arms around Techno’s neck and buried his face in the man’s back, giggling at the thought. Phil wasn’t that old.

“Didn’t want you to.” Tubbo said, a little stiffly, but he still managed to smile. “Is- Ranboo…?”

“I’ll bring him down to the car when the police and doctors clear him.” Phil reassured them. “We shouldn’t be long.”

When Tubbo glanced over at Tommy, Tommy nodded. He was pretty sure Phil could be trusted. After months of slow building trust which he hadn’t even realised was there, one incident hadn’t shattered it like he thought. People had their bad days, he knew that- he had his own bad days. Logically, in his exhausted mind, these people were safe. They would look after him and his friends.

The rhythm of Techno’s steps as they walked down the winding halls of the hospital lulled Tommy into daze, and the feeling of Tubbo’s hand on the back of his hoodie was reassuring- he was snoring before they even made it to the elevator.

Chapter Text

There was an elbow in his stomach. Tommy groaned, shoving the limb away, mumbling something about minding personal space before he shot up in bed- he wasn’t in the forest. He wasn’t asleep under the tarpaulin, surrounded by trees, because he was, in fact, lying in bed with Tubbo tucked right up against his back, clinging to him like a monkey. Ranboo was in front of him, curled up in a tight ball, with one elbow squarely set in Tommy’s stomach.

“Tommyyyy.” Tubbo whined, pulling the blonde back down. “Don’t move. You’re my pillow.”

“Why am I a pillow?” Tommy grumbled, but he had no problem relenting to his friend’s clinginess.

Tubbo, instead of replying, wormed his way so he was lying over Tommy, effectively pinning him to the bed. Tommy let out a guttural groan but didn’t try to fight it- if Tubbo had set his mind to sleeping in, then everyone was going down with him. Tommy already knew he’d be stuck with the pair for at least another few hours.

Turning his head to the window, Tommy could see the sun halfway in the sky through a crack in the curtains. It was at least midmorning, bathing the room in a white glow and lighting the trio still lying in bed. Tubbo was sprawled out over Tommy, taking up basically as much space as he physically could, still wearing the same clothes from the night before- a white t-shirt and blue jeans. His hoodie and shoes had been discarded somewhere. Tommy couldn’t comment- he was still wearing his clothes from yesterday too.

Ranboo’s hair was fanned out around his head like a halo, a golden blonde in the rays, sleeping peacefully. The picture-perfect moment was only ruined by the bandage but, if Tommy squinted, he could pretend it was part of the sheet covering his friend’s head.

When he focused a little more, Tommy soon realised just how much his body hurt. His legs ached, and his muscles were just straight up sore. Everything hurt. He knew he couldn’t stretch with Tubbo lying on top of him, so he gave in to the creeping exhaustion and, once again, let sleep take over.

~~~~

A knock startled Tommy awake again, however many hours later. A voice called into the room.

“Morning boys.” Phil said, pushing the door open. “Well, afternoon. You awake?”

Tommy squinted at the intruder, blearily attempting to wave him away. Phil only chuckled and crossed the room to open the curtains, bathing all three in the afternoon sunlight. Tubbo immediately groaned like he had been shot, squirming like he could flee the light if he tried hard enough. Ranboo only pulled a pillow over his face.

“We’ve got a late lunch on the table if you’re hungry.” Phil explained, laughing at their dramatics. “It’s nearly 3pm. How’re you feeling Ranboo? You’ll need to have your medication too.”

“I’m alrigh’.” Ranboo mumbled, gingerly touching the bandage on his head. “Tired, I guess.”

Phil nodded sagely and then left. Tommy heard his footsteps going downstairs.

“Do we get up?” Tubbo grumbled, finally poking his head out from up the blankets. His hair was mused, standing up due to static. If Tommy reached out and touched it, he knew it would be fluffy- maybe even like cotton candy?

“Mm, we probably should.” Ranboo sighed, scrubbing his face.

Tommy’s stomach asked for him, growling loudly. The other two both giggled.

“Can I borrow some of your clothes?” Ranboo asked, pulling at his shirt with a grimace. There was a streak of dried blood down the front.

“Course.”

“Me too.” Tubbo piped up, already digging through Tommy’s wardrobe. Though it was far from full, there were enough items for the three of them.

“It’ll be a bit big on you, Tubs.” Tommy murmured, watching his friend pull garments off their hangers.

“It’s fine, I’ll just roll the sleeves up.”

The trio were dressed and mostly awake within about fifteen minutes. Tubbo had indeed rolled up the sleeves of a borrowed hoodie, as well as the pant legs of a pair of sweatpants, swamped by the clothing far too big for him. The only place it even slightly fit was over the cast on his arm, where the fabric was oddly stretched. Ranboo had just shrugged on whatever was handed to him with no complaint, yawning as he did so.

Downstairs, the kitchen was… not tense. Surprisingly. Wilbur was sitting on a barstool at the bench, a sandwich in hand and headphones on. Tommy could hear him humming. Phil was standing at the stove, frying something, and though it made Tommy’s heart jump for a second, he quickly quashed the reaction. He was fine . It had been a one-time thing. Techno was… lying on the floor?

“Why are you on the floor?” Tommy said, kicking at the man’s leg. He looked up at Tommy over his book.

“…‘cause it’s comfy?” Techno half-explained, pulling his braid behind his head so it couldn’t be stood on.

“It doesn’t look comfy.”

Techno only shrugged. Walking around him, three plates were quickly pushed towards them by Phil, loaded with fries, some sort of salad, and a towering sandwich.

“Eat what you want boys, leave what you don’t.” Phil said, smiling at them. “There’s condiments and stuff in the fridge. Waters in the jug on the bench, glasses are in the cupboard above it.”

Tommy was confused momentarily, before remembering his friends didn’t actually know the location of things in the house. They’d only been upstairs to his room.

The food was about the best thing Tommy had ever eaten. The fact he hadn’t eaten in damn near 48 hours didn’t help the situation, but he devoured the whole plate like he had never seen food before. Phil briefly looked concerned.

“If you’re still hungry Toms, the pantry’s always open. Just grab what you want.”

Tommy nodded. He didn’t even notice the nickname.

Ranboo and Tubbo were a little more picky, going slow and eventually pushing their plates still half full. Phil took them over to the sink, no question. That was when the tension began to rise. Wilbur took his headphones out and kept glancing, not at all subtly, between Tommy and his dad. Techno sat up, carefully putting a slip of paper in his book to mark his page.

Phil, once the dishes were done and he couldn’t do anything but hover in the kitchen, finally sighed. “I guess we should finally talk about this, huh?”

Tommy only hummed. He knew it had to happen, despite the boiling anxiety in his blood and the rising feeling to just leave.

“First things first, I guess.” Phil murmured. “Tommy, you’re not in trouble. I can’t blame you for doing what you did to help Ranboo, and I’m- we’re very grateful you did. God knows how badly that could have gone if you didn’t go to help him.” He then turned to Tubbo, who quickly turned red. “You too, Tubbo. You were just helping your friend.” He sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Tommy wanted nothing more than to leave the room when Phil came closer to him. He kept his distance, but it was obvious that the next words would be for him and him alone. Techno sent him a reassuring smile.

“I’m sorry Tommy. I know it won’t rebuild the trust lost because of my actions, and I know it won’t help to try and make excuses. I’m sorry for yelling, and I’m sorry for breaking that promise to you that I wouldn’t.”

Phil sounded nothing but genuine. Tommy knew he was genuine. But… he still couldn’t forgive the man. What he could do, was accept the apology.

Tommy looked up at the man and nodded, sending him a quick smile. Phil smiled right back, inclining his head in return.

When the room lapsed into silence, Tommy took the opportunity to ask;

“Can I… can I ask what happened?” He whispered, like he was speaking forbidden words.

Phil looked to Wilbur to answer. The man, who had swung around in his seat to face the blonde, gave a tense grimace. He was playing with something, fidgeting, swinging it back and forth.

“I can tell you but… can it- just…” Wilbur trailed off, sending a look to his dad. Phil seemed to know what he needed because he addressed Techno this time.

“Tech, can you take Ranboo and Tubbo upstairs to Tommy’s room? I think this one should just be us.”

Ranboo and Tubbo didn’t seem surprised by this move. They stood and left with the pink haired man without any questions, though Tubbo squeezed Tommy’s shoulder as he passed, seemingly as some reassurance. That left Tommy with Phil, who was hovering next to his son, and Wilbur, who looked both guilty, scared, and sick at the same time. The brunette was refusing to make eye contact, swinging the chair back and forth.

“You tell him what you want, Wil.” Phil said gently.

Wilbur inhaled deeply, visibly steeling himself, before opening his mouth and began to explain.

“The last few weeks have been… difficult.” He began, still fiddling. “I’m not sure when it happened but I guess my mental health just took a nosedive. I stopped taking my meds.”

And suddenly, Tommy understood. Though he hadn’t been in the house, he had noticed Wilbur withdrawing more than normal. Rather than just hiding in his room, he hadn’t been in the house at all. Wilbur continued.

“I did some stupid things. I went out and got drunk, worried the hell out of dad because I didn’t reply to any of his messages and then I just… refused to talk about it. That’s what he was on about on Saturday night. Techno knows what I’m like when I’m like that so he was just avoiding everything and dad was just… being dad, I guess. Getting more stressed because I was being an ass about it and… yeah.”

Phil leaned back against the bench, letting out a long sigh. Wilbur scuffed his feet against the bench.

“It wasn’t your fault.” Wilbur mumbled. “I was the one pushing buttons. I was acting up, being an idiot. I… fuck, I really fucking regret it Tommy. I’m sorry.”

Tommy, from his seat at the dining table, reached his hand out to Wilbur. Wilbur startled at first, eyes flitting between the hand and Tommy’s face like he wasn’t quite sure what to do, but, when he focused, he finally reached out and took it.

“Thank you.” Tommy whispered, genuinely. He squeezed Wilbur’s hand.

Wilbur gave him a wobbly smile in return. Tommy could see the tears welling in the corners of his eyes but he fiercely wiped them away, shaking his head to get rid of the oncoming emotions.

“I am not going to start bawling at the kitchen table at three in the afternoon.” Wilbur grumbled, sniffling.

“Do it.” Techno drawled from the doorway. All three heads snapped up, turning to the newcomer.

“Techno!” Phil admonished, quickly smacking the man. Techno only laughed.

“We’ve… well, we’ve obviously still got a lot to sort out.” Phil said, once it was calm again. “What’s happening with Ranboo and Tubbo and such, but for now… are we alright?”

They were all looking at Tommy now, who suddenly realised exactly how Wilbur had been feeling. He began fidgeting with his fingers, running them up and down the placemat in front of him.

“Yeah.” Tommy murmured. “We’re alright.”

Chapter Text

Rest was the only thing Phil insisted on over the next day. Due to Ranboo’s concussion, the only thing he was allowed to do was lie in bed and listen to the chatter of the others- no reading, and certainly no technology. Something about ‘straining his eyes’ and ‘doctors orders’. Tommy didn’t question it- it just meant he got to spend time with Ranboo and Tubbo, talking and laughing together.

It was evening again. After the conversation with Wilbur and Phil the day before, not much had occurred. Everyone spent their time sleeping, eating, or simply… existing, Tommy supposed. He’d seen Techno and Wilbur watching some movie in the living room when he went downstairs to grab lunch a few hours beforehand and though Techno smiled in his direction when he saw the blonde, no one spoke. It wasn’t a tense silence though.

Tommy knew the conversation had to happen eventually. It had been there since everything had settled, a wiggling ball of anxiety in the pit of his stomach, waiting to leap out at him. Tubbo didn’t seem to feel the same, at least until the three were watching the sun set from Tommy’s bedroom window and Ranboo fell asleep against him.

Tubbo shifted carefully, moving a pillow beneath their friend’s head. Ranboo didn’t stir, even when he was laid back on the bed. He just continued to snore quietly.

“Should we…?” Tubbo gestured a little wildly, trying to shrug off his anxiety.

Tommy sighed deeply, leaning against his friend. “I guess we should.”

“I know I shouldn’t have brought him there.” Tubbo began, rushing to get the words out before he choked. “That’s our place, and I shouldn’t have let Techno come with me and I feel so fucking awful about it-”

“ Tubbo .” Tommy cut his friend off. “Oh my god, Tubbo, I don’t care about that . What- what made you think I was angry about that?”

“It’s… well, it’s our spot .” Tubbo tried to explain, gesturing again. “We said we’d never bring anyone there, ‘cause that ruined it, and I- I brought him there.”

“Not like you didn’t have a good reason.” Tommy shrugged easily, shooting his friend a smile.

“It doesn’t-”

“It does, I promise. You helped me and Ran, Tubbo. I was being a selfish, stubborn dick like always and I- fuck, I hate to think about what… what would have happened if you hadn’t gone to them.” Tommy reached out and took one of Tubbo’s hands, which he was running up and down his thigh nervously. Tubbo looked between Tommy and their now intertwined hands, gaping, trying to find something to say.

“…Are you sure?” He finally whispered, voice so small Tommy could barely hear it in the silent room.

“I’m sure.” Tommy smiled. “Besides, you showed me, well…” This time it was him gesturing, waving at the room like it summarized it all. Tubbo knew what he meant- he was not only gesturing at him and Ranboo, but also the house and the occupant’s downstairs. The family. The relationships. The support.

“All of this?”

“All of this.”

Tubbo cracked a smile, a real one this time. “You’ve decided to stay?”

Tommy let out a raspberry and flopped back on the bed. He ran his hands through wild blonde curls. “I think so, I don’t… well, at least until I’m 18. They’re… nice enough.”

“They want you to stay.” Tubbo stated, lying down beside his friend. Ranboo, on Tommy’s other side, didn’t stir.

“I know they do.” Tommy sighed. “I just… I don’t want what they want. As much as I like, appreciate them showing basic human kindness and shit and being supportive, I don’t want a family. They want a little brother and son. I don’t… I’m not that .”

“Well you kinda are.” Tubbo said, giving him a raised eyebrow. “You’re like a little brother to me.”

“ Tubbo !” Tommy shrieked. Tubbo immediately shushed him. “Sorry- sorry, yeah- fucking Tubbo! ” He hissed. “I’m literally not even six months younger than you, how dare you. I’m not little .”

“Yes you are!” Tubbo grinned, delighted. “You’re just a little babyyyyy and-”

Rather than continuing, Tommy slapped his hand over Tubbo’s mouth and cut him off, all the while whining about he wasn’t little and how dare you even think that.

“Tubboooooo! I’m not little!”

“Yes you are, you’re a little tiny baby man!” Tubbo crowed, giggling at the look of disgust plastered on Tommy’s face. “Baby Tommy!”

Both froze when Ranboo groaned and shifted, burrowing further into the blankets. They shared a look of relief when he settled again and it seemed to end the playful argument, though Tubbo was still giggling and whispering little baby man to himself.

“So, you are staying then?” Tubbo pressed, bringing it back to the earlier topic.

Tommy looked over at Ranboo, then to Tubbo, then around the room. It was… cozy. Tommy hadn’t quite realised it, but it felt like his room. It was full of his stuff- his clothes, his shoes, his school books and bag. The duvet cover was one he picked out himself. There was dirty laundry all over the floor.

And he finally gave a proper answer;

“Yes.” He murmured. “I’ll stay.”

Tubbo let out a whoop and immediately silenced himself, staring at Ranboo like he was waiting for him to wake up. “Shit- whoops, oh- fuck yes Tommy! It was about damn time!”

“How long have you been waiting for me to decide that?” Tommy asked incredulously.

“Basically since you arrived.” Tubbo shrugged. “Since Phil first saw us in your bedroom and never questioned it.” He thought for a moment. “Since you didn’t actually complain about them. You always had something to complain about in the old foster homes, and this time you were kinda just… confused the whole time.”

“I still have to tell them that.” Tommy added. Then he grimaced. “And my social worker. She should be coming for a home visit soon, I think.”

“Mm, enjoy that.”

Tommy stuck his tongue out. “Only have to put up with her for a year now.” He said, before realizing exactly what that meant. “Hang on, what’s the date Tubbo?”

Tubbo shrugged. “I dunno, I turned my phone off. I don’t want to talk to my parents right now.”

Ah yes. That was a thing too, that they were going to have to deal with sometime soon. Tommy cringed just thinking about it.

Shuffling around in the bed, he grabbed around until he found his phone and opened it. It was nearly dead, but it still showed the date just fine- March 30 th .

“Well, guess it is just a year then, huh?” Tommy chuckled. “I turn seventeen in a week and a half.”

“We have to do something fun for your birthday.” Tubbo said excitedly. “Just the three of us.”

Tommy nodded. “Yeah.” He echoed. “We can try. If you’re not, like, grounded.”

Tubbo scowled and, in his apparent frustration, picked a pillow up off the bed and chucked it into the floor. “I’m considering just not going back.” He grumbled. “I mean, there isn’t much they can really do about it what with the reports from the school and all that-”

“What?” Tommy interrupted, alarmed.

“Teachers are manda-mand-” He paused, gathering himself. “Mandatory reporters. Yeah, that. I know they’ve been in contact with child protective services like, four times now, and the broken arm thing was the latest one. We had a social worker come like two days after I came back to school after that.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Tommy begged, grabbing Tubbo’s shoulders and holding back the need to shake him.

“You were dealing with all this.”

“You should have told me!” Tommy was growing louder again.

“Tommy.” Tubbo said sternly. Tommy shut up. “Look, I know I should have but you were dealing with all this, and then Ranboo was being moved and I just… I didn’t want to pile more shit on top of the shit pile. It’s not gonna change anything, I’m staying with my parents. They’ve been trying to clean up their act, I think.”

“Tubbo they pushed you down the stairs! ” Tommy exclaimed.

“I know.” Tubbo said quietly, suddenly melancholy. Tommy startled at the sudden change of emotion. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I think I’m staying with them until I’m 18 at least. I know they’re going to let me go to school, and I doubt they’d try and hurt me again. It’s only nine months. I’ll be alright, Toms.”

“Tubbo…” Tommy mumbled, trying in vain to think up some solution.

“There’s nothing you can do, Toms.” He breathed. “Worst case scenario, I’ll be moved out to my grandparents and wouldn’t be able to see you. If I stay here, I can see you and go to school.”

“Phil could take you!” Tommy immediately insisted. He deflated like a balloon when Tubbo shook his head.

“You know that’s not gonna happen.”

“But- he… he would take you on…” Tommy trailed off.

“But he can’t.”

“Oh.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s working to take Ranboo in Toms, there’s no room for me. Not enough bedrooms and all that, and there’s no way in hell they’d let him have five kids at once, even if two are over eighteen. Just you and Ranboo would be pushing it.” Tubbo explained, squeezing Tommy’s hand when he continued to look defeated. “I’ll be alright, promise.”

And Tommy couldn’t do anything but agree, because he knew Tubbo was right, and he fucking hated it. Social services wouldn’t remove Tubbo from his home unless there was serious neglect or a long history of documented cases of abuse. The documented part was lacking. And, worst of all, Tubbo was right about his family being the first to take custody of him. He wouldn’t be in foster care, and Phil wouldn’t be able to take him- no, his grandparents, or his aunts and uncles, or even further relations would be asked first. Then he’d be gone and Tommy wouldn’t see him until he was 18.

“…Oh.” Tommy said quietly. “I thought… I thought we could…”

“Sorry Toms.” Tubbo murmured. “I don’t think my situation is gonna get any better. At least not ‘til I’m 18.”

And then:

“Why’re we yellin’?” Ranboo slurred, groaning as he peeked over the blankets. When he focused on Tommy’s devastated look, he frowned. “Wha- what’s goin’ on?”

“We were talking ‘bout what’s going to happen.” Tubbo informed him, shuffling up the bed to be closer to him. He ran his hand through the sleepy boy’s hair, a smile flickering onto his face before quickly fading, when Ranboo sighed contentedly and moved into the touch. “…’bout where you and I are going to stay.”

Ranboo’s face pinched. “I- I don’t have to…”

“No.” Tommy jumped in, quickly disputing the mere thought. “God no, you’re not going back there. Phil’s-” He looked to Tubbo to help, because he knew more than Tommy did, apparently.

“Phil’s trying to get custody.” Tubbo confirmed. “I’m… I’m not sure how it works, but I heard him talking about it on the phone this morning when I went downstairs. I think he was talking to a social worker.”

Ranboo nodded, worrying his lip. Tommy would have loved to reassure him, tell him that it would all be alright and he’d be allowed to stay, but he knew from experience that he couldn’t guarantee that. He looked up at Tubbo, who seemed just as conflicted.

“We’ll be alright.” Tommy finally settled on. “It’s not that long ‘til we’re 18 and then we can get out of here and put all of this shit behind us.”

“Yeah.” Tubbo chuckled.

Ranboo hummed his agreement. He was blinking slowly again and yawned widely.

Tommy laughed. “Go back to sleep Ran, we’re not going anywhere.”

“No, you’re not.”

Tommy was momentarily confused but quickly realised what he meant when Ranboo reached out and dragged him by his shirt until he was lying beside the taller. Tommy groaned.

“Ranboo noooo I am not becoming your personal pillow agai-” He whined, but was cut off when Ranboo pulled him into a tight hug. With his other free hand, Ranboo gestured for Tubbo to join the two.

“Nap time.” He mumbled, giggling as Tommy squirmed.

“I hate you.” He grumbled. When Tubbo snorted, he added- “I hate you both, actually.”

“You love me.” Tubbo giggled, cuddling closer. Tommy saw Ranboo smile at the jabs under the pile of blankets.

“Mm, I do.” Tommy agreed.

Of course he did. There wasn’t exactly any other answer.

Chapter Text

It didn’t take long before Ranboo’s situation was finalized. Apparently the social workers and police had all but begged Phil to take custody of the boy when they realised they had no other open homes, at least not any for longer term placements. The fact that Phil already had an open bedroom and a trusted foster sibling was just a bonus, apparently.

The three boys were told of this arrangement the next morning. Tommy had all but screamed in excitement before stopping himself, giggling between his hands. Ranboo smiled tiredly, almost dopily, leaning heavily on Tubbo. He seemed relieved more than anything and sent Phil a grateful look when he managed to catch the man’s eye.

Phil ruffled his hair as he walked past. “We’re glad to have you with us kid.”

If Tommy had been in Ranboo’s position, he probably would have probably scowled and pulled away, but Ranboo only grinned at the affection. But instead, his attention was turned to Tubbo, who was worrying his lip. He pulled his friend into his side and hugged him, letting Tubbo press himself closer.

It was actually Wilbur who spotted the movement. The man had appeared from the living room not a moment before, coming up behind the pair during the exchange between Ranboo and Phil.

“You okay?” The brunette asked, furrowing his brow.

“…‘m alright.” Tubbo murmured, moving, if possible, even closer to Tommy. “Just… I- uh.”

Wilbur immediately clicked. “Home?” He asked.

Tubbo nodded. “Mm. Yeah.”

Tommy heard Phil let out a low sigh behind them. He tensed because he was pretty sure he knew what was coming, but… Phil didn’t say it. Instead, he said;

“I know you don’t want to go back, Tubbo.” He began. “But… just know that you’ve always got a space here. There’s always going to be an open bed for you, food on the table and an ear to listen if you need it. If anything, anything happens while you’re in their house, you can come here. I can’t… I can’t do much about your custody, I would if I could, but…”

“I know.” Tubbo smiled gently. He nudged Tommy. “But thank you. I… I think I’ll be ‘round here a lot, but I also don’t think they’ll try anything now, I don’t know. They’ll probably go back to ignoring me.”

Phil huffed. “That’s about the best it’s going to get, I suppose.”

Tubbo hummed his agreement. “Yeah.” He said quietly. “It is.”

~~~~

Tommy awoke to soft giggling. He didn’t pay much attention at first, vaguely assuming in his half-asleep state that Tubbo had come over early to hang out with Ranboo, who had always seemed to be awake earlier than the blonde since arriving at Phil’s. It was only when someone poked him, then poked him again, that he groaned. Pulling a pillow up over his face, he attempted to roll away from the prying.

“Wha’ do you wan’?” He grumbled. There was silence.

And then he was shrieking, because the sheets were being wrenched away from him and someone else was dragging him from the bed with just a little too much force. He was dumped unceremoniously onto the floor and, still giggling, his two friends then practically jumped on him.

“Happy birthday!” They yelled, finally allowing Tommy to breathe for a moment.

“…What a way to wake a man.” Tommy eventually groaned, scrubbing his face with his fists. Tubbo poked him insistently. “Thanks guys.”

“It’s already ten Toms, we even let you sleep in.” Ranboo chuckled, reaching his hand out to help Tommy to his feet. “Come on, get dressed quick! We’ve got so much stuff to do.”

Tommy sighed heavily but when he looked up and saw the passion and excitement on their faces, he relaxed, smiled, and fondly shook his head. “Alright, alright.” He relented, yawning and stretching. “I’m up, I’ll be downstairs in a minute.”

Tubbo tugged Ranboo from the room with more giggles and while Tommy was momentarily concerned about all the shit they could have planned, he quickly shook the thoughts away. They were just excited, he supposed, excited about his first birthday with all three of them together and the ability to plan whatever they wanted, with Phil’s permission of course. It would be fine.

Tommy tugged on the familiar red and white shirt, which had been a (the) staple of his wardrobe since that shopping trip with Phil and, upon a glance out the window, decided a hoodie would be needed too. Though it was spring and the days were warming, there were still cold snaps- it was England, of course there were- and several layers were required.

The house was, surprisingly, silent when Tommy poked his head out of the door. Techno and Wilbur’s doors were both open, indicating they were both awake and probably downstairs, but there was little noise.

“Good mo-” Tommy’s eyes widened as he jumped off the bottom stair and entered the kitchen. “-morningg… whatttt is going on?”

Ranboo, who was sitting on the kitchen bench for some reason, only grinned into his hands.

The room looked like a glitter bomb had gone off. That was the only way Tommy could think to describe it, because not only was there glitter everywhere , including in Phil’s hair, there were balloons bumping the ceiling and streamers and ribbons decorating all the walls. Tommy stood stunned in the doorway, mouth agape.

Phil, leaning against the kitchen bench with his arms folded, smiled at Tommy’s stunned silence. “Hope you like it mate, because I had to suffer for this.”

“…Does your suffering have anything to do with the green glitter?” Tommy asked gingerly.

“My suffering has everything to do with the green glitter.” Phil confirmed, shaking his head. Tommy observed the wave of glitter that landed on his shoulders, the bench, and floor following that movement. “And the bastard that put it there.”

“It wasn’t my fault!” Wilbur called from the living room, finally appearing in Tommy’s line of sight with an armful of presents. Techno trailed behind, and Tommy burst into laughter.

If he had thought the glitter in Phil’s hair was bad, Techno had become glitter. His usually pink hair was silver, green, and gold, shimmering with every movement, and leaving a trail of sparkles behind him.

“Why is there so much glitter?!” Tommy threw his arms out, bewildered. In answer, Tubbo gestured to Wilbur and his armful of boxes. The realization hit him- “Oh no .”

“Oh yes .” Wilbur smirked.

“I told him not to.” Phil said, clearly amused. “Couldn’t talk him out of it though.”

“One of these boxes contains like, six bottles of glitter, and you- ” Wilbur explained, dropping the boxes on the kitchen table, “-get to open them!”

“I’d love to tell you which one,” Techno drawled, “but I need a shower.”

“And Wilbur needs to vacuum.”

Wilbur didn’t even try to argue the last point, only grinning at his apparent success.

“You’ll get used to it.” Phil sighed. “He does this every birthday.”

Techno and Wilbur quickly left, though Tommy could hear them racing each other up the stairs, yelling the whole time.

Tommy turned to his two friends, who had been sitting on the kitchen bench together, giggling into their hands. “When I get that glitter, I’m throwing it at you.” He deadpanned.

That got another round of giggling from all three boys.

“I’m going to have a shower too.” Phil interrupted, though he was laughing himself. “Get this bloody glitter off me. Help yourself to breakfast, boys.”

Tommy’s stomach agreed with the sentiment and followed the sentence with a loud growl, which only sent them all off into more peels of laughter. The atmosphere was light, and Tommy couldn’t help but bask in it because, well, it felt like family. The house was warm, and it was a day of celebration- celebrating him. His birthday.

As Phil walked passed, he gave Tommy’s shoulder a quick squeeze and a gentle smile. “Happy 17 th mate.”

Fuck man, Tommy could really get used to this.

~~~~

There was a spare bed. A whole spare room, in fact, that was supposed to be Ranboo’s. But no- ever since Ranboo had been allowed to stay, that bed and room had remained cold and empty downstairs, shut like it had always been, because Tommy insisted on his friend staying in his room. Ranboo had no complaints.

His clothes- his clothes, clothes that belonged to him- littered the floor, often indistinguishable from Tommy’s belongings. Clothes and books and shoes, all things he could call his own. There were fairy lights draped above the window, trailing along the headboard of the bed, and posters up on the walls now too- the room belonged to both of them. It felt like their room now.

There was often a third boy in that room too. Though he couldn’t stay all the time, it felt like it sometimes when the door was pushed open and there were three bodies tangled together on the double bed, sleeping soundly. Phil never disturbed them unless it was time to get up for school. He had to be the responsible parent, after all, and that meant getting his boys a good education. His boys. That still made him smile every time he thought about it, because they truly felt like his boys now, just as much as Techno and Wilbur did. He wouldn’t go as far as to say his sons, because he knew they didn’t fully see him as a father. He was a parental figure and guide should they ever need him, and that was close enough.

Things between Tommy and Techno and Wilbur were better. Techno was as he usually was, calm and level-headed, a voice of reason in whatever mess Tommy had worked his way into. He got on well with Ranboo too. With Wilbur, it got easier. Time certainly helped their relationship, and the more Tommy spent around the brunette, the more they got on. Wilbur played his guitar sometimes, in the evening when everything was quiet, and Tommy liked to sit and listen on the back porch.

Wilbur and Techno first introduced Tommy as their brother a few months after everything. It was to their friends, who Tommy had never met before, but they seemed nice. Dream was a little forward, and his nickname was weird , but they were a kind group. He had grinned like an idiot in the moment, when Wilbur had loudly introduced him as “ Tommy, our little brother ,” and Techno had nudged him forward, and then gushed about it to Tubbo and Ranboo when they got home. Ranboo had only smiled, but Tubbo smirked and happily announced- “ I told you so !”

Tubbo’s home life was, well, Tommy would hesitate to say better, but it was stable enough. His friend had been right when he declared his parents would go back to ignoring him, because that was exactly what happened. All three preferred it that way- he wasn’t being hurt, and they weren’t limiting Tubbo’s time at Tommy’s house.

Oh yeah, that was another thing. Tommy called it his house. He even memorized the address, a milestone for him because he couldn’t remember ever memorizing the address to one of his foster homes before. It certainly felt like his house. If he was honest, it was mostly because he had some of his crap in every room, leaving his mark in every corner- there was even stuff in Wilbur and Techno’s rooms. His hoodie had been stuffed in the gap between Techno’s desk and the wall and hadn’t been moved yet, and two of his drawings had been pinned to Wilbur’s corkboard. They were stupid little doodles, of Techno as a pig and Wilbur with his guitar, but the brunette had decided he liked them so much as to immortalize them on the board.

It was mostly quiet. Predictable. Tommy found himself liking that word, that routine, that way of life. He supposed he had never really had it like that before, but the longer he did, the more months that passed, the more he found himself clinging to the stability.

September came. Then October, then it was November. Ranboo turned 18 and… nothing. Nothing changed. There was a celebration, sure, a birthday party and cake and presents (and another of Wilbur’s awful glitter bombs), but there wasn’t a single mention of him moving out. When Tommy asked, Ranboo just smiled and said, “ I’ll stay as long as they’ll have me .” And that was that.

Then December. Then Tubbo turned 18, and at 6am on December 23 rd Phil, Wilbur, and Techno were at his parent’s house to help him pack his belongings, and he was moved into the Watson household too. There was no glitter that day, just a celebration of a new arrival. The room downstairs remained empty, though. There was a third person living in Tommy’s room now and though it felt crowded at times, the three wouldn’t have had it any other way. Phil had suggested bunk beds once, or even just separate beds, but the three adamantly refused- they hadn’t spent too long apart to not to be as close as possible now.

They were like that now. The new year had been and gone, and Tommy had quietly celebrated one year since he had arrived in Phil’s home. No one actually mentioned it, but when Wilbur hugged him from behind, Techno pressed a biscuit into his hand and Phil stood in the doorway with a fond smile on his face, he knew they all recognised what day it was.

Then Tommy was squashed between his two friends, fast asleep on their bed. He would’ve complained but for some reason, he didn’t. He just let his friends rest, half asleep as some movie played on the television mounted on the wall- a Christmas present for all three of them from the other household members.

It had been on his mind for a little while. His 18 th birthday was in a few months, but none of them had bought up the plan they had always had, to move out and find their own place together, and Tommy didn’t know what to think anymore.

He nudged Tubbo a little, who had been lying behind him. Tubbo grunted, looked up and hummed in acknowledgement, but otherwise didn’t move. Instead, he shuffled closer.

“Mm, wha’s up?” He slurred, yawning.

When Tommy struggled to respond, Tubbo leaned over to look Tommy in the eye and Ranboo, who he hadn’t even realised was awake, turned over.

“Jesus- shit, Ranboo, sorry, I didn’t know you were awake.” Tommy yelped. When the boys both continued staring at him, waiting for an answer, he giggled a little. “It’s not that serious, promise. I was just… thinking.”

“Oooo, Tommy, thinking ?” Tubbo teased. “That’s dangerous.”

“You’re a dick.” Tommy said, giving his friend a friendly dig.

Ranboo snickered, but then asked, “so what’cha thinking about?”

“Mm, lots of stuff.” Tommy sighed. “I don’t know, I just… the future, I guess. What happens next.”

“Well, what do you want to happen next?” Ranboo inquired, shuffling closer so he could pull Tommy into a tight hug. Tommy couldn’t help but laugh as Ranboo’s breath tickled his forehead and Tubbo, still behind him, wrapped his arms around Tommy’s stomach.

“…I don’t know.” Tommy murmured.

And Tubbo sighed happily. “That’s the best part, Toms. We don’t need to know anymore.”

Ranboo nodded.

Tommy leaned into his friends and exhaled heavily, closing his eyes momentarily. Look, he hadn’t spent much time reflecting on what the new situation, what with all the chaos of the last… well, over a year now, but now his 18 th was creeping closer, it was playing on his mind more and more. Because Tubbo was right- they didn’t need to know anymore.

He hadn’t had much of a childhood, Tommy knew that. It had been house after house, family after family, never stable, never quiet. It wasn’t like that now.

“We’ve got time, Tommy.” Ranboo breathed, smiling when Tommy looked his way. “All the time in the world.”

All the time in the world. That sentence echoed a bit. All the time in the world .

And then there was an elbow in his stomach. Tommy looked down at the bony limb, belonging to Ranboo, and smiled . Because fuck it, this was his life now- an elbow in his stomach didn’t mean a night camping out in the forest just to spend some time together and to escape their residences, it meant he was comfortable with his friends, his brothers , at his… well, at his forever home.

Forever was a strange word, not something Tommy ever really considered for him. Nothing had been forever- this was. Phil and Wilbur and Techno, and this home, and stability . It wasn’t much, but for Tommy, it was everything.

“I guess we do.” Tommy murmured.

“We’ll just take it one day at a time.” Ranboo reassured him, pulling both him and Tubbo closer.

Tommy hummed in agreement, settling between the two. He swallowed thickly, shuffling nervously, before finally blurting, “I love you guys.”

“Aw!” Tubbo chirped. “I love you too Tommy.”

“Love you too man,” he said softly, chuckling.

Tommy inhaled. “We’re home.”

“Yeah.” The other two echoed. “Home.”

Exhale.

Home .