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Tommy hums softly, pulling back a section of Kristin’s long, black hair and pinning it to the side of her head with a silver flower clip. He smooths down her hair a little more before removing his hands from her head and placing them gently on her shoulders.
“Okay,” Tommy says, “you can look now, mum.”
Kristin opens her eyes and holds up the little hand mirror, turning her head slightly to see Tommy’s work better. He had pulled her hair back into a low semi-messy bun tied with a loose plait braid, strategically leaving some hairs hanging loose and free. The braid was lined with little daisies he and Tubbo had spent all of last night knitting and he had died a few streaks of her hair a shimmering silver color.
He bites his lip nervously as she inspects her hair, running her fingers gently through the braid and stroking her streaks. Kristin notices the daisies and smiles softly, “oh, Tommy. It’s absolutely beautiful.”
He bites back a grin, boasting proudly, “why thank, I am pretty amazing if I do say so myself.”
She laughs lightly, putting the mirror back down and rising from her chair. Kristin walks over to the closet and pulls out a black bag on a hanger, unzipping it and pulling out her wedding dress.
The dress isn’t beautiful, no. It’s absolutely breathtaking. It’s a deep blue color with a skirt that has a million flowy, billowing layers at least. The top is sleeveless with a sweetheart neck and little silver lace designs decorate and dot the fabric. Tommy has seen Kristin in it once before, when they picked it out together, and he remembers the way she spun, laughing as the skirt twirled fabulously. He had never seen his mum so happy.
Now though, she looks even more thrilled, holding the dress up to her chest and sighing wistfully. “Okay, time to go. I’ve got to get this on, and you’ve got to entertain all the party people out there!” she jokes, shooing him out of their hotel room gently.
Tommy smiles, closing the door behind him. He smooths his suit and straightens his tie as he strides down the hall and to the elevator. Pushing the down button he sways slightly as he waits, fidgeting with his collar. Soon enough the elevator dings and the doors slide open. Tommy sucks in a sharp breath as he sees who’s inside. There, standing in the elevator and tapping away at something on his phone, is Technoblade, the eldest of his mum’s fiance’s two kids.
It’s not that Tommy doesn’t like Techno, he just doesn’t know him that well. Or at all. When Phil and Kristin first started dating both Phil’s kids were away at college, so Tommy didn’t really get to meet them for a while. Even after they’d been acquainted he didn’t spend any time with either of the boys when Phil or Kristin weren’t around. At first it was just because he didn’t know them and was shy, but then he began to worry about what might happen if they didn’t like him. His mum and Phil had been going strong and Tommy didn’t want to ruin anything for them, especially after Kristin told him they were engaged.
So Tommy started avoiding them, only participating in small talk and never offering anything deeper. That seemed fine with Wilbur and Techno, since they were both gone most of the year to school, and even Phil never mentioned it. But recently Tommy had been dreading the wedding. He knew both Phil’s sons would be there, and that he would probably have to talk to them. Even if he was somehow able to avoid them during the ceremony, what about when he and Kristin move in with them? After the summer Wilbur and Techno will be home from college for good, what will he do then?
So when he steps into the elevator and Techno looks up from his phone to ask, “you going down?” all Tommy can manage to do is nod meekly. Technoblade presses the button labeled ‘ Lobby’ and Tommy’s stomach churns as the elevator starts its slow descent.
Luckily after that the older man returns to his phone and neither of them attempt any more small talk during the ride down. When they reach the lobby Techno lets him get off first, slipping his phone in his pocket as he steps off himself. The other immediately heads out of the hotel to the venue outside, but Tommy stays behind when he hears when one of the uniformed workers at the hotel’s front desk calls his name.
“Tommy!” the man he now recognizes as Quackity exclaims when he walks over. “Big day, huh. You excited, man?”
He nods, blowing a rogue strand of hair out of his face, “hell yeah, Q. Pretty nervous too, though. Have you been really busy this weekend?”
“Definitely. More so yesterday when everyone was getting checked in, but today too,” he explains, glancing around before slyly slipping Tommy one of the pillow mints from behind the desk. Tommy pops it in his mouth and chews it before replying.
“Well I hope it calms down after this weekend.”
“Nah,” Quackity says, shaking his head, “I like all the excitement. You have fun Tommy!”
Tommy shoots him a grin and a big wave as he rushes out the hotel’s double doors, rejuvenated by the conversation. He hops down the hotel patio’s steps and gasps, taking in the venue.
He’s seen most of it before, a lot of it he even helped Kristin and Phil set up, but seeing it in the context of the wedding, with people mingling all about it, it’s just..different. More special.
The venue is set up on the hotel’s sprawling front lawn with canopies of trees off to the sides and a beautiful pine forest behind it. The main area consists of rows upon rows of wooden fold up chairs with a white tablecloth turned carpet running in between. At the end of the rows is a birchwood arch with ivy curling and twisting around it. In front of the arch is a stand with a book on it. There are twinkling string lights wrapping around all the trees and hammocks set up in some. Off to the side there is a giant buffet table with an equally large cake and smaller tables for eating on the patio. Also on the patio is a grand piano which Kristin promised to let him play at some point during the night, despite them agreeing to just use spotify for most of the wedding’s soundtrack. There are flower vases with daisies and violets and all other assortments of flowers set up along the aisle and in other areas of the venue.
Tommy grins widely at the sight of it all. When he, Kristin and Phil had first started planning this wedding they knew they were on a budget. Just renting out all the hotel rooms was probably half of said budget, but Tommy really wanted his mum to have the wedding of her dreams, and he had a feeling this would definitely be it.
Apparently there is no rose without thorns, though. Almost immediately after heading towards one of the hammocks, Tommy bumps right into someone’s back, spilling the person’s drink all over both of them. They turn around and fuck Tommy’s luck because it’s Wilbur. Of all people, it’s Wilbur.
“Shit,” Wilburs says, staring down at his wet tuxedo. Tommy grimaces, luckily the man was only drinking water so it won’t leave a stain and they both have enough time for it to dry before the wedding, but still.
“I am so sorry,” Tommy stresses trying to figure out how to make up for it.
Wilbur looks up and just shakes his head, giving Tommy a strained smile. “Nah, don’t worry about it. It’ll dry.”
He sighs in relief, looks like he won’t have to make up for anything. There’s a moment of silence between the two where they both just kind of awkwardly stand there, trying to think of what to say.
“Hey,” Wilbur breaks the silence, making Tommy jump, “I think I saw you out here playing the piano yesterday. You were good, man.”
Tommy’s cheeks color instantly. He didn’t think anyone had heard him, especially not his soon to be stepbrother. “Um, thanks,” he replies, “Phil told me you played, um…something?” he grins sheepishly, not able to remember exactly what the man had told him.
“Yeah, the guitar. I’m actually in a band with some people I met at college,” Wilbur says, offering a more genuine smile this time.
“Oh that’s sick!” Tommy exclaims, and then, because he can’t seem to stop himself, he says, “maybe I can hear you play sometime, you know when we live together?”
Wilbur pauses and Tommy stills entirely. The older tilts his head, giving him an inquisitive look, “yeah, maybe you can.”
Tommy nods very quickly, pushing past Wilbur without another word and feeling his ears turn completely red. Why would he ask that? He’s meant to be avoiding Phil’s kids at all cost, not casually mingling with them! He reaches the hammock he was originally headed for and instead of getting in, he goes behind the tree and slumps against it. Tommy brings his knees up to his chest, resting his face in his hands and letting out a groan of frustration. He decides the best idea would be to hide out here for a little while.
˗ˋˏ ˎˊ-
Wilbur stands next to his brother and the other groomsmen around the hotel’s side, waiting for the groom and best man to walk down the aisle before them. He finds his mind wandering to the somewhat strange conversation he had had with Tommy and the way the kid had run away, flushed face and embarrassed. He ponders the question Tommy had asked him. It shouldn’t be surprising, of course the kid wants to hear him play. It’s just that Tommy had never really seemed interested in knowing Wilbur, or even Techno, much less actually forming a relationship with them. He only talked to the two when one of their parents was around and didn’t really say anything beyond basic small talk. He almost completely iced them out. This disappointed Wilbur, to some degree, because when Phil had called him and told him the girlfriend he had a steady relationship with had a kid younger than him he had been, well, ecstatic.
When he was a little kid Wilbur always wanted a little brother, seeing as he was the younger between him and Techno, but, frustratingly, Phil did not deliver on that wish. He knew that he and Tommy might not be the best of friends at first, especially since he was gone most of the year, but he had hoped the boy would at least give him a chance.
He hadn’t, then, but now it seems like he might. I'm not going to waste that chance, he promises himself, quieting his thoughts as he sees Phil emerge from the hotel’s double doors and walk down the patio and towards the aisle, a huge smile on his face. Following him is Grian, one of his oldest friends and the best man, who wears a similar if not toned down smile.
And then Wilbur is walking, following behind his brother Techno, around to the front of the hotel’s lawn and then down the aisle. He puts on a polite smile, and tries not to laugh/cry at the same time when Phil gives him and Tech a tiny wave from in front of the arch. Dork.
Once the best man and all of the groomsmen are stationed to Phil’s right, then comes the bridesmaids. The only ones he recognizes are Niki and Puffy, who give him a wink and a smile respectively. Traditionally, the maid of honor, Tommy technically, would be next, but he doesn’t walk out of the double doors. Instead comes Michael and Shroud, tossing flower petals and giggling as they go, along with Fundy, who carries two silver rings on a velvet purple cushion. Wilbur’s heart swells with pride as he sees his son walk down the aisle with a determined expression set on his little face.
Next, Wilbur knows, should be Kristin and, accompanying her, her father. However when Kristin strides out the hotel doors, all confident smile and gorgeous dress, the man holding onto her arm and walking her down the aisle is Tommy. The boy smiles slightly, and whispers something in his mother’s ear, eliciting a bright laugh from the woman. When they reach the arch, Tommy takes his place next to Niki in the bridesmaids line and Kristin stands opposite Phil.
The vows are a blur, and before Wilbur knows it he’s wiping tears from his eyes and punching Techno when he calls him a wimp and then someone switches on a playlist and everyone’s on the lawn and dancing. The sun has just set casting the sky dark and the scene is lovely. String lights illuminate the venue, old love songs play from a speaker on the patio and, in the middle of it all, Phil twirls a laughing Kristin in a circle and kisses her on the cheek.
“They look nice like that,” Techno says from next to him, tilting a cup of apple cider back and downing it.
Wilbur beams, drinking it all in. “They do,” he says, “they really do.” Then, he grabs Techno by the hand, receiving a cry of protest and drags him to the dance floor.
Even after everyone’s had a piece of cake, more than enough to eat, and, the adults, one glass too much of champagne, the dancing doesn’t stop. Everyone’s still spinning and laughing. By this time Wilbur has already danced with Techno and his dad a few times, and Kristin and Niki once. Suddenly he has an idea and starts pushing through the crowd of dancing wedding guests to find the one he’s looking for. After searching the whole dance floor and buffet line, Wilbur remembers something and heads off towards one of the trees with hammocks in it.
Just like he suspects, Tommy is there, behind the tree curled in on himself and, less true to Wilbur’s suspicions, crying. He approaches slowly, sitting down next to the boy and making him jump slightly. Tommy hurries to wipe his cheeks and moves his legs to a criss-cross position like Wilbur’s.
“Hi,” Wilbur says softly, “are you alright?”
He nods stiffly, “yes.” There is a long pause in which the two sit in silence, Tommy staring at the moon and Wilbur staring at Tommy. Then, “listen, I..I really need us to get along, okay?”
Wilbur is completely thrown. What does that even mean? Does Tommy not want to have to have a relationship with Wilbur but feels like he has to for the sake of his mum’s marriage? Does he just not like Wilbur? Before he can get his thoughts together enough to ask a solid question Tommy is talking again, “I know I’m, like, a lot younger than you, and you probably never in a million years wanted an annoying kid brother, but I promise I can stay out of your way or do your chores and I won’t call Phil dad, but please. I really, really want this to work for Kris. She deserves it.”
And suddenly it all made sense. Why Tommy avoided him and Technoblade like the plague, why he had ran away after just one solo conversation with Wilbur, why he never made any move to form a relationship beyond the one they had to have. He thought Wilbur and Techno wouldn’t like him. The realization came crashing down on Wilbur like a tidal wave. Tommy, sweet, funny, Tommy who loves his mum more than anything thought Techno and Wilbur wouldn’t like him. Not only that, but he thought Wilbur and Techno would dislike him enough to actually ruin their parent’s marriage. God, Wilbur wants to punch whoever hurt this kid.
“I don’t–” Wilbur tries, but has to stop himself and start again, thinking of what would be the right thing to say. “Tommy,” his heart squeezes as the kid braces himself for Wilbur’s next words, “I want to have a relationship with you, Techno does too. We…wanna be your brothers.”
He can hear the younger suck in a sharp breath, holding it as the words sink in. Then, he hears him exhale with a tentative and quiet, “..really?”
“Yes, Tommy, god–yes,” Wilbur laughs.
“Oh,” he whispers, then, louder and with a smile, “oh. Good.”
“Very good,” Wilbur hums in agreement. They sit for a moment, Wilbur fidgeting absentmindedly with his hands. He notices Tommy keeps stealing little glances at him, like he thinks Wilbur might suddenly take all his gentle words back and instead yell and shout at him. Wilbur thinks the boy needs a distraction. “Hey,” he says. Tommy looks up at him expectantly and Wilbur continues, “do you wanna, um, dance?”
Tommy looks surprised, but only for a moment before his face breaks into a giant grin. Wilbur rises and holds out a hand, the kid barely hesitates before taking the older man’s hand and letting him pull him off of the ground.
When they reach the main lawn Tommy insists on getting another piece of cake and Wilbur obliges easily. To Wilbur’s surprise, the next song that comes on is one he thinks might be from Animal Crossing. Tommy seems excited though, throwing his head back for a loud, long laugh and then practically pulling Wilbur onto the dance floor. Wilbur lets himself be dragged, noticing that as they dance Tommy is much more relaxed and his shoulders aren’t hiked up as high as they were before.
People are still dancing despite the weird music choice, and the blond next to him dances with far more energy than everyone else. Wilbur thinks, as he watches the kid spin and laugh, that he’ll like Tommy, once he gets to know him.