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Not for the first time, and likely not the last, Tommy awoke to yelling. He couldn’t process the words his mother was spewing, only the tone, volume, and the grating sound of his name. He stopped truly listening ages ago, just hiding in the space between his bed and the wall and hoping she’d forget about him soon enough. Not today though.
His heart beat in time with her angry footsteps, he tucked his limbs closer to himself and pressed a hand to his chest, hoping she couldn’t hear the rhythm of it through the thin bedroom walls. Attempting to hold his breath as he braced for the banging against the wood that he knew was soon to come. It was funny how no matter how small he felt on days like these, he’d always find himself wishing he could shrink.
BANG
BANG
BANG
BANG
He shook with fear and the effort to try to not cry. She was always angrier when he’d cry, she believed his tears were weaponized just to guilt trip her, and after years of trying to say otherwise, he’d given up. Tommy hoped to be able to block out the noise, but things were never that simple.
She’d started screaming at that point, something about the laundry that’s piled up, but he couldn’t bring himself to care about the words when all he could focus on was when she would leave. All that was left to do was hold his stuffed cow, Henry, close and think of Wilbur. His friend wouldn’t want him to fall apart, he had to get to his 18th birthday, Tommy had to endure it.
Tommy didn’t know how long she’d been there, only able to feel relief as her footsteps finally faded down the corridor. He was still shaking horribly as he pulled out his phone to send a message to Wilbur.
Tommy: can i come over later
Wilbur: yeah, why?
Tommy: emergency. I’ll explain later i just need to get out
Wilbur: are you alright??
Tommy paused for a moment, he couldn’t tell the truth, not yet.
Tommy: i will be
And that was that.
Tommy waited two hours before leaving his room. The first to calm down and dry his eyes, and the second to be sure she wouldn’t come back. He made sure to be extra quiet heading downstairs, she’d likely be on the couch, and he had no way of knowing what mood she’d be in.
He could hear the TV blaring some true crime show as he crept through the living room. Sighing in relief at her sleeping form on the couch, he gently picked up the remote to turn the TV off before walking out, locking the front door behind him. He spends the night at Wilbur’s house often, his parents are aware, they just don’t quite care enough to know where that is.
He listened to songs Wilbur sent him on the walk over, in one blink he closed the door of his house, in the next he was on Wilbur’s porch. Tommy couldn’t remember any of the 15-minute walk, but he couldn’t bring himself to care as he rang the doorbell.
For one brief moment, he worried if his friend changed his mind and Tommy wasn’t welcome, but those thoughts vanished as soon as the door was swung open, revealing Wilbur’s terrified appearance. His curly brown hair a mess as if he’d been running his hands through it frantically, not unlike Tommy’s own. Tommy gave a small smile in an attempt to soothe the man’s worries until he was quickly enveloped into a hug.
He was shocked at first, but soon recovered and relaxed into his arms. It was nice.
“If you think I’m bad, wait until you get inside. My family’s been worried sick since you texted, they’re not going to leave you alone anytime soon.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t—”
“Tommy, don’t you dare apologize,” Wilbur scolded lightly, “We love you and we wouldn’t have it any other way. I think Phil made hot chocolate, come on.”
Tommy swallowed a lump forming in his throat at his friend’s words and nodded, following him into the house.
He could smell the hot chocolate wafting through the air from the Craft’s kitchen. In the living room, Tommy saw Wilbur’s brother, Techno, sitting in an armchair reading a book. A first aid kit was brought out and sitting on the ground next to the pink-haired man. He felt guilty at the sight, but Techno simply looked up from his book with a soft smile, “Hey, nerd.”
“Hey, blade,” Tommy said as he waved to him and continued following Wilbur to the kitchen where Phil and Kristin were chatting quietly.
The couple seemed so happy, and he could tell they really were in love. Tommy wasn’t sure if the same could be said about his own parents. When he first met Wilbur and began hanging out at his house, Tommy couldn’t believe actual couples acted like that, he thought that was only in the movies. The Craft family never ridiculed him when he expressed that, they just gave him a hug and assured him that it wasn’t just a thing of fiction.
The conversation fizzled out as Tommy and Wilbur entered the room and they were met with warm smiles. Kristin set down her mug and walked around the counter to give him a hug. Kristin’s hugs brought warmth and comfort, he always felt safe with her, a safety he could never quite replicate with his own mother.
“Hi, Tommy. We’re really glad you’re here.”
“I am too,” he whispered into her shoulder.
They broke away from the hug just as Phil placed a hand on top of his head to ruffle his hair.
“Hey, mate,” Phil said, fondness dripping from his voice.
“Hi, Phil,” Tommy feigned annoyance, though they could all see through his act.
“Here, why don’t we go sit in the living room and we can talk there?” Kristin said with a smile as she gently pushed Tommy’s mug of hot chocolate into his hands.
“Alright,” he said quietly.
A spike of anxiety flooded through him as he followed them all to the living room, he trusted the Craft’s, he really did, but he’s trusted a lot of people before, and it’s always ended in him getting hurt. He taps the side of his mug without realizing, though it doesn’t escape Techno’s notice as the man subtly passes him a fidget cube. Tommy nods his head in his direction, mouthing a quick ‘thank you’, and sitting down on the couch next to Wilbur.
Phil and Kristin took the small couch to the right of the one Tommy was sitting on.
Phil cleared his throat, “So, we uh— we wanted to make sure you’re alright after that text you sent Wilbur.”
“Did they hurt you at all, hit you or anything?" Techno jumped in, studying Tommy’s expression calmly with an undercurrent of worry.
“No, that’s— no, the last time she hit me I was 9, I don’t think that’ll change anytime soon. I’m not hurt,” he rushed out quickly.
Techno nodded as Wilbur gave Tommy’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Tommy squeezed back and took a sip of his hot chocolate.
“Are you comfortable telling us what happened?” Phil asked.
Tommy could cry at the care he heard in the older man’s voice. It felt so real.
“I woke up and my mom— she was yelling, and she was mad, and then she got closer, so I hid in my room,” he paused to take a deep breath, “She got right outside my door and just started pounding on it with her hands and screaming and I didn’t know what to do so I just stayed hidden and quiet.
“She went away after a while, I’m not sure how long it was, but after that is when I texted Wil. I stayed in my room two more hours after to make sure she wouldn’t come back. She was asleep when I left,” he stared into his mug as he spoke.
Kristin leaned forward to squeeze his hand, “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“S’ alright, I’m used to it,” he could feel the lie coating his tongue but all he cared about was comforting Kristin.
“Where was your dad during all this?” Wilbur asked.
“He was at work, but it wouldn’t have made a difference really— he just turns the TV volume up when she gets like this.”
“Bastard,” Wilbur muttered angrily under his breath.
“Do you know why she was mad?” Kristin asked him carefully.
Tommy took a sip of his hot chocolate again. This was it, the moment he’d lose all their sympathy, the moment they’d realized he deserved it after all. He knew this part would hurt, he just hoped they weren’t too angry with him for wasting their time.
“I forgot to do my laundry for awhile and,” his voice broke, “the clothes piled up and my dad doesn’t like that, so she was mad,” Tommy admitted shamefully.
Phil and Kristin exchanged unreadable glances, they seemed to be having a silent conversation. This was it.
“I’m sorry I—” he began and was quickly cut off by Techno.
“I’ll kill them.”
Tommy whipped his head around in surprise at the statement.
“Techno, we’ve talked about this—” Phil started.
“No, I mean it, I’m getting the axe,” He deadpanned.
“I’ve got the shovel,” Wilbur announced.
“That’s really not necessary, guys,” Tommy said.
“We’re not murdering anyone,” Kristin stated firmly.
“Thank you,” Phil sighed.
“That’s too quick, we’re making their lives hell. Techno, I trust you can slash their tires?” she continued.
“On it,” Techno confirmed gruffly.
“Good, we’ll plan the rest later, we have more important things to worry about now. Tommy,” she turned to the boy quickly, “When do you turn 18 again?”
“About 3 months now,” he answered quickly.
“Perfect! That gives us plenty of time to plan and pack your things,” she responded.
“I don’t get it,” he said confusedly.
“Tommy,” Wilbur began, “We want you to move in with us when you turn 18,”
Tommy’s mouth went dry, “But, why?”
“You’re part of the family, Toms. We want you safe. We want you here, with us,” Phil replied easily, as if he didn’t even have to think about it.
“But I’m—” he cut himself off.
“You’re what?” Wilbur asked softly.
Messy, a slob, a disappointment, not worth your time.
“I’m me,” he responded quietly instead.
“We wouldn’t have it any other way,” Kristin said simply.
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh, now what do you think about it?” Wilbur teased.
Tommy looked at the faces of the ones he loved, the ones he trusted. They were his family, and he was theirs. He knew that now.
“I’d like that, I think,” he said with a smile.
Wilbur tackled him in a hug, almost spilling his hot chocolate in the process.
“So, what color do you want to paint your room? We can go to the paint shop tomorrow—Oh, are you alright?” Wilbur said as he broke quickly from the hug.
Tommy touched a hand to his cheek, shocked when it came away wet. He wiped his tears and smiled brightly at his brother.
“I will be.”