Chapter Text
Tommy's face was blank, holding no emotion as Toby rubbed a soothing circle over his back. Despite his dead gaze the older could tell he was feeling a world of hurt and anger. He always was, it seemed.
"Wanna talk about it?" Toby asked, warm eyes inviting and making Tommy almost smile. He only sighed, slumping down further to lean against his best friend.
"Same shit different day Tubs" he mumbled, bottom lip wobbling. He willed that familiar burn in his eyes away with everything in him. It was pathetic how good he had gotten at it really. "They tried setting me up with a girl" he eventually started. "The daughter of one of my mum's Book Club friends," he added with a small bitter grin.
"And what'd you go with?" He asked, holding the larger man's weight with practiced grace.
"I told them that she seemed nice but wasn't my type and of course that one doesn't work any more so I just told them I needed time to focus on applying to university" he explained, making Toby let out a sad hum. "They let me be about it but they just seemed so passive aggressive all day. I just turned 18 last month and they're acting like I have to give them grandkids or they'll just die tomorrow"
Tommy had been dealing with them acting like this since he was 15. And it wasn't as if he wasn't out. He told them he was gay when he was 14 and after convincing them it wasn't a phase they immediately began trying to set him up with any girl they could find. It was madness.
"You should just get a boyfriend already," Toby suggested gently. It was a suggestion he made pretty much daily. Tommy gave an annoyed huff, though amusement was slowly overtaking his features. Toby was very good at cheering him up.
"It would hurt them" he pointed out, feeling a lingering sense of guilt for even considering hurting them like that. The words frustrated the brunette a little, but he tried to keep his composure. Maybe he had lucked out by having such a loving family and just never had to think about these things but still. Tommy's parents were terrible and yet he constantly made excuses for them and tried to please them. It was maddening.
"Why does that matter?" He asked incredulously. Tommy looked back and forth between Toby and the floor, heart rate quickening immensely. He didn't even have an answer for the brunette. Was there a reason he shouldn't let the hurt the same way he did? Was taking control of his own life something they should find hurtful anyway?
"I can't break their hearts,'' he finally answered. It wasn't a proper answer. No rhyme or reason or logic provided and it didn't technically solve the riddle. It was just how he felt because how he felt was all he could think of now.
"They break your heart daily, Toms. Have they ever considered your feelings?" He asked. Tommy mumbled a small no. "Have they ever actually cared about your safety- not including the things they do to look like good parents to everyone else?" Another meek no. "Ever asked what you want? Asked how your day was? Seen if you needed help with homework? Checked on you when you ran off crying?" Tommy cut Toby's rant off with a strangled cry that he just couldn't hold back. The shorter man wasn't wrong and that's what hurt so badly.
"I get it Bo. They're absolute shit and I should hate them. I do fucking hate them. It's just, it's a hard thing to feel" he sighed. Toby gave an empathetic frown, leaning over to kiss the top of the blonds messed up hair. "I don't wanna give them more reasons to hate me. Why make ripples, you know?" He asked in an embarrassingly small voice. Toby sighed.
"Because the way you're living isn't right and needs to change. And the only way for things to change is to start a ripple" he pointed out. Tommy wanted to make a joke, compare him to a wise old man or a fortune cookie but he just couldn't find the words. Toby took his silence as a sign to continue. "So do something to break their hearts and date a guy" he said simply. "I'm not saying you have to fall in love but just do it to piss them off" there was suddenly a determined fire behind his words. Tommy wiped away his remaining tears, pulling away from Toby and sitting upright.
"If I'm doing it, I'm going all the way. I'm gonna pick someone that'll make them piss themselves" he explained, eyes shining. Toby smiled, feeling proud of himself and his best friend. It had only taken two whole years to wear him down and get him to agree.
"That's the spirit! We can pick someone they'll despise," he agreed, mind already running through the many possibilities. Tommy nodded.
"What kind of things do my parents hate more than anything?" He pondered out loud. Both men silently thought over the things his parents couldn't stand. And seeing as they were conservative Christians there were many. Tattoos, make up, cursing, piercings, smoking, drinking, criminal behav- they both stared at each other in a silent understanding before their gazes automatically redirected to the PC in Toby's living room. The PC where Toby's older brother was sat, brows furrowed in concentration as obscenities flew from his lips at the screen.
Neither could tear their gaze away as he rolled his eyes at whatever game he was playing and called someone a cunt through his head set. He was the picture perfect poster child for what people like the Simons hated. He was exactly what Tommy had been picturing in his head.
"You wouldn't mind would you?" Tommy asked, voice coming out in a low whisper now despite the subject of their conversation having on a large pair of headphones. Toby raised a brow as he looked over his brother, trying to mentally assess if that was something he could handle. Really he couldn't deny that it was the best bet. Wilbur was the reason Tommy almost wasn't allowed over to his house for so long. He was already hated in the Simons' household.
"I mean.. It would work" he stated dumbly, eyes still trained on his disgusting brother. He already had stupid tattoos he would regret and while he had just had a hair cut he hadn't shaved in a bit so he retained that grungy dirty look. His ears were pierced and his nose had been too in the 10th grade. He smoked habitually and had on more than a few occasions been brought home by annoyed pedestrians for publicly and stupidly underage drinking. And he had been arrested for shoplifting at 16. Really he was perfect. Infact, two years prior the Simons family held a block party and reluctantly invited the older Soot boy only to have him almost set a fire and get caught making out with a guy in their pool shed.
"I guess it's fine because I literally couldn't picture anyone better," he admitted.
"And he is kinda hot," Tommy added. It was something he had always kind of thought in passing but never really voiced because he figured it would be weird. Toby frowned, finally looking back at his best friend.
"Dude shut up" he snorted, shoving the blond playfully. Tommy only rolled his eyes, leaning back into his best friend.
"Think he'd even agree?" He wondered. Toby threw an arm around him.
"A chance to piss your parents off? I think he'd pay for that opportunity. Hell I think my mum and dad would also pay for that" he chuckled. It was no secret how much the entire household loathed his parents. Between the countless nights Tommy had showed up sobbing on their doorsteps to the few times they had to interact at block parties and parent teacher days? It was honestly surprising that they hadn't just adopted the blonde already.
"Alright, you have a point. But that feels like an awkward thing to ask of him" he pointed out, making Toby sigh. Tommy was always good at finding ways out of things like this.
"That's fine. I can just ask him for you" he stated, standing up off the sofa and startling the younger man. He watched with a sense of horror as Toby marched across the room and towards his older brother, not even hesitating to pull the headphones off of him. Wilbur jerked in surprise, quickly turning to face his younger brother.
"What?" He asked, the word slightly drawn out in annoyance. Toby smirked, setting his brothers head phones on the desk and putting a hand on his hip.
"Brother dearest, I come to you to ask a favor" over dramatic as ever. Wilbur rolled his eyes, grabbing his head phones and mumbling a quick excuse into the mic before fully turning to pay attention. And of course match his dramatic energy.
"Well how could I ever refuse such a noble and specific request? What do you want?" He questioned, rubbing the back of his neck. Toby smiled.
"We just wanna piss off Tommy's parents" just as Toby promised Wilbur's eyes lit up with immediate interest. He was 90% sure that they were the ones who called noise complaints on him all the time despite him not being overly loud. Well, not all the time at least.
"Ooh. Well, I was expecting you to ask for money but I could get into that. Sounds like a fun time" he answered with a small shrug. "You got a plan?" He asked, seeming to be almost excited in a weird way. "Egg the house? Steal their car?" Toby rolled his eyes and Tommy couldn't help laughing at the man's childish enthusiasm.
"Nothing illegal Mr. Revolution. I was just gonna say take Tommy on a fake date to screw with them or something" he explained casually, acting as if it was something he thought of off the top of his head and wasn't his intention from the beginning. Wilbur looked thoughtful, stealing a glance or two at the blond across the room on their sofa. He didn't absolutely hate the idea.
"I mean.. That would piss them off beyond rational thought" his voice was quieter than before and he still looked like he was thinking about it further. "You up to that Big Man?" He asked, now looking directly at Tommy. Tommy blinked slowly, finally being addressed in the conversation and a bit caught off guard.
"I.. Um. Sure" he all but squeaked, not sure why he was mentally debating when it was his and Toby's idea. "Tomorrow work for you?" He asked. Wilbur smiled, nodding his head.
"I'll pick you up at 7. Make sure your parent's answer the door," he laughed. Tommy grinned and agreed with ease. And like that Wilbur went back to his gaming and the younger men looked to each other uneasily.
"Sure you're ready?" Toby asked. Tommy chuckled, looking down at his lap.
"Oh not at all. I might cry" he admitted easily, leaning back against the sofa.
"At least you're honest"