Archive of Our Own ^beta

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ｎｏｗ ｌｏａｄｉｎｇ . . .

-

“DAD, WE NEED TO GO!” Wilbur yelled while running down the hall, Technoblade hot on his heels. 

He caught himself from running into the wall by grabbing onto the door frame, frowning once he saw his fathers stressed face.

 “What's up?” Wilbur slowed his pace while walking over to his fathers pc, sighing when he saw him looking for a babysitter.

 “I can't leave Tommy alone, he's too much of a little...” Phil leaned back and sighed, a small smile on his face when looking over to Tommy, who was sleeping soundly on a shelf, using a book as a pillow and a poster as a blanket. He looked so innocent, fluffy blonde hair falling over his eyes, big pink lips parted and cheek squished.

 You would never guess he's the reason that Wilbur had to get a cast while he was teething.  

“‘Still can't believe she stole my gold necklace. Tommy loved biting it, it was always nice to see the instant regret on his face.” Techno smirked thinking of the memory.

 “I think I've found a new one, but I don't know if they'll be good for tommy.”

 “you'll figure it out dad.” Wilbur smiled sweetly.

☆

It was rainy in Britain, the clouds and gray sky giving a lonely hollow feeling that only it could give. The green wearing man knocked on the wet door. 

“And who may you be?” the other man asked. 

“Dream.”

 “Hm- you look much… younger than 22.” Phil inspected, looking from his phone to the person in front of him.

 “Maybe that's because I am?” Dream smiled awkwardly, watching Phils body language at all times.

 “Not like I can make a last minute change…” the older muttered, inviting the supposed teen in. 

“Okay, emergency numbers on the fridge in case you don't remember. Then- TOMMY!- there's baby food in the fridge if he acts up, and make him use a sippy. We try to make him take naps, but it doesn't always work.” Phil looked for his keys.

“I had two younger brothers, sir. I get the gist.” Dream said neutrality. Phil eyed him. Had, theres a d where the ve should be-

“Okay,then. Call me at any time if Tommy gets too much, I'll use anything to get off work.” he grabbed his jacket and closed the door.

“uh , tommy! Where are ya, bud?” Dream looks around, then bends over and looks under the couch, knowing that's where most of the shy kids hide. 

Then he felt something child sized on his back, making him jump up quickly, knocking the child off his back. He looked down to see if the kid was fine.

 “I ams not bud. I ams big man.” Tommy grinned.

This kid is not shy.

☆

“Okay. Well, I’m dream.”

“Dream? Ew, disgusting. Sounds weird. Tech would hate. You are… gren boy. ” Big man dubbed him. Dream was still shocked from the brutal British truth on his name.

“I don't know, Tommy, I like my name.” dream attempted to reason.

“No. disgusting. Tech would hate. You are gren boy.” Tommy repeated, and dream wondered who tech was.

“Okay, how about you call me gren boy, but my name is dream?” he bargained.

“Hm. bad offer. Must think bout it, green boy.” Tommy answered, staring at him.

That went on for a few seconds before he quickly ran upstairs, yelling something about coloring.

☆

Once dream found him, he was already hard at work, using a pink crayon to color… something. Dream walked in, examining the walls and contents of the room.

“Found you.” 

“Wasn't hiding, grennie.”

“I think you mean greenie.”

“I big man. ‘Make no mistakes.” Tommy looked up and corrected dream. He scooched over, wordlessly inviting dream to sit with him. Dream smiled softly and sat next to him, now getting a good look at tommy’s picture.

 There was two people, one with pink hair and skin, sharp ears(?), tusks, and  also unreasonably tall. The other was freakishly short, brown short hair and long sleeved sweater. 

There was a guitar(?) floating on top of the second person, fluffy white wings behind him too. 

“Who are those people?” dream asked, making tommy screech.

 “NO PEEKEHING!” He grabbed it and held it close to his chest, hiding it.

 “No finish.” 

“Okay, i apologize tommy.” dream held in his giggle.

 “Big man.” tommy muttered. 

“I forgot.. can i know who those people were?” tommy ignored him, still mad at him for’peeking’. 

“I had a smaller brother who hated when i peaked too.” Dream smiled at the fond memory. Tommy didn't recognize the usage of past tense.

 “Would yell at me and everything. Then start crying and apoligizing. Such a idiot…” dream muttered at the end, but the talk of another child interested tommy, his grip on his paper loosening. 

“What his name?” tommy asked.

 “Tubbo.”

 “turbo? Ew, weird. Need better one.” dream laughed at the child's response.

 “It was a bit weird, yes. Then there was ranboo.”

 “Why named with boob?” tommy asked, cocking his head like a puppy, making dream wheeze. 

“DON'T  LAUGH BIG GREN HEAD!” Tommy yelled.

 It took dream a while, but he calmed down. 

“You're really funny, tommy.” dream ruffled the kids' hair, Tommy immediately trying to move his hand.

 “Ranboo was real quiet, but a very funny kid. He had a… horrible memory.” Dreams face went neutral, almost sad. Tommy didn't like it, adverting his eyes so he didn't have to look. 

While doing this, he caught a glimpse of something on his shoulder. Tommy gasped and gripped the cloth on his shoulder, making dream jump and look over to him. He pulled it up, very interested by the thing there. It was not just one thing, but two.

 One bee tattoo and one crown with red and green jewels. Tommy rubbed it, pressing his tiny finger on every jewel. Dream chuckled at the kids' antics.

 “Tubbo loved bees, even if he was deathly allergic to them. Pictures were all  over his walls, the living room, just… everywhere. Ranboo’s favorite thing he owned was a plastic crown I made him when he was five. Loved that thing. So, I got these tattoos when they, uhm…"

Tommy pulled his attention from the tattoos.

 “...when they died.”  

tommy’s face dropped. 

Dreams gaze averted, starting to scratch a dent in the table that looked similar to a bite mark. Why would he even tell a child that, put that in his thoughts? “B-but it's okay! I was able to spend so much time with them, and watch them grow up a bit.” dream said, mostly to himself than to tommy.

  In for four, our for five,  Dream reminded himself to keep the tears at bay, trying to think of anything to change the subject as quickly as possible.

 What dream did not suspect was Tommy giving him a hug, his tiny arms only able to reach around the others hips a bit. 

“Da says that crying’s okay, helps with hurt inside heart.” Tommy answered dreams silent confusion, his voice muffled from his shirt. Tommy tried intimidating what motions his father does on his back when he isn't feeling well, and dream thinks this is the sweetest thing he's ever witnessed. 

Dream returned the hug, pulling him into his lap more and squeezing him tight. “Your a sweet person, Big t.” Dream let go of him.

 “I’m also very big and man!”

 “Of course, tommy.”

“Big man.” Tommy corrected.

☆

“It finished!” Tommy gleamed, running over to dream, who was typing his phone almost aggressively. 

“What happening?” Tommy pulled the phone down, peeking over the white screen. Dream turned off his phone, smiling a bit at the disappointed look on Tommy's face.

 “Just talking to one of my friends, i forgot to tell them i had a babysitting gig.” Dream explained. 

“Oh wow Tommy, that's really good! You shaded it and everything!” Dream then noticed two extra figures, deciding to leave them unsaid. 

“Gren boy?”

 “Yes, big man?”

 “I is hunger.” 

“Your hungry?” 

“Yes, what said. Food please?” 

☆

“TOMMY WHERES THE TOP-”

“I AM BIG MAN!”

“NO TOMMY NO-”

☆

“I don't think you should have helped me with this.” It was a simple task, p b and j. 

But somehow the blender got involved and-and- 

There's smoothie on the wall. 

And tommy’s eating it happily.

“T- big man, that has bacteria.”

“That word sounds dumb.” Tommy scooped more banana from the wall.

“Okay, let's get you cleaned up a bit.” Dream picked him up from the kitchen chair, shirt rucking up a bit.

“I WANT SMOOTHIE-” Tommy cackled with evil intent.

“ DON'T YOU DARE-” Dream reached for the child.

The sound of a blender deafened their ears.

☆

Tommy munched on his sandwich silently, trying his best to make it seem like he wasn't interested in cocomelon. They had finally finished cleaning the walls, the scent of banana and strawberry still there.

 Once dream passed him, he brushed his hair with his hand a bit. “Big t, can i show you something cool?'' Tommy nodded.

☆

Phil half expected for the house to be burnt down, his child in front of the door. Using his key, he clicked open the door, listening carefully for sounds of literal hell. Opening the door, he eyed the kitchen for fire, but noticed it was cleaner than when he left. 

Instead, there was only two dishes in the sink, a cup and a plate. He walked in, making sure to close and lock the door. He could hear the faint sounds of childs music, perhaps cocomelon? He takes a few more steps before he can hear commotion, a conversation.

“...that?”

“...no…ouch! you gotta be careful with my ears, big man.” 

“Sorry grennie.”

Phil finally hits the living room, after ridding of his jacket, and the sight he sees isn't what he expected. Dream sat on the floor, hands in his lap with Tommy standing on a chair, stuffing a chunk of dreams' hair onto another one, until the piece under gave out and made an opening for the other strand. 

Tommy was focused on dreams hair, and seemed… calm?  

Since when was his child calm?

“That feel okay?” Tommy asked with concern.

 “It was fine, big t. Good job!” Phil drops his keys into a clear decorative bowl on the tv stand as quietly as possible, but getting noticed almost instantly, both heads moving to the sound. 

Tommy smiled with pure glee, rushing to jump down his child sized chair and running to his father to give him a hug. Dream gets up, smiling at the enthusiasm for his father. Dream doesn't remember being like that with his father.

 “Hey toms.”

 Phil went to pat tommys wild hair, but found it in a neat greek styled crown braid, a few strands left out on the front of his head.

 “Da, da! Me an’ gren make bees, and food, and- and-” phil shushed the excited toddler, to give him a minute to sort his thoughts. “I make braids!” Tommy yelled, pointing to dream for emphasis. 

Dream lifted the finished braid that tommy did sheepishly, and while it looked messy and would probably leave dreams hair tangled, phil smiled at it fondly. “It looks great.” Phil assured him. 

“OH, AND WE MADE PICTURE!” Tommy yelled while starting to run up the stairs, rushing to get it. While Tommy was doing that, Phil  fished out a twenty and a ten from his pocket and held it out to dream.

 “You did a really good job, Tommy really likes you.” Phil smiled at the teen. 

“It wasn't a problem, he's very sweet.”  Dream was putting it into his own pocket when his other one buzzed. 

“So will I be able to expect you tomorrow?” The older man asked, while dream got his phone from his pocket. 

“Ofcourse! Ill- oh shit-”  Dream went wide eyed at whatever was on his phone, silently hoping the older man didn't hear his curse. 

“I-i have to go, mr.minecraft, i hope you have a nice day-” dream gathered his bag and was out the door in a second, the door closing with a click. A second later, Tommy came running down, frowning when he looked to where dream was and seeing him gone.

 Nevertheless, he showed his father his daily picture. “So, that tech, and wil, and turbo and ranboob!”

 “I'm sorry, who are the last two?” Phil asked genuinely, holding in his laugh. “Turbo and ranboob! Big d’s brothers!”

 Tommy tapped on them, signaling him to look. “Oh- wow, you've really improved on your drawings, tommy!” 

“what?! Big man always draw good, don't need improvement.” phil laughed softly, the cruely drawn picture of two little boys drawn as ghosts still in his mind, trying to think of other excuses on why they could be drawn as that.

-

“MOM! WHERE-” Dream stopped once he saw his mother curled in a ball, sobbing with spilled pills on the floor next to her.

 She was facing a wall, the only wall that tubbo and ranboo were allowed to draw on, but that didn't stop them from drawing everywhere. 

The wallpaper they put up was ripped off.

“Oh, momma …” dream walked over and hugged her tight, her long fluffy white hair falling over his shoulders.

 “I want my boys back… i wanna be with my boys…” puffy sobbed, gripping the previously spilled bottle of painkillers.

 “I know, mom.” Dream frowned, one of the reasons because of how they were her boys , not two of her boys.

“I know.”

☆

╰┈➤ ❝ [𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐪𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.] ❞

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗/𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖇𝖞 𝖘𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙.] ࿐ྂ

• ┈••✦ ❤𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙢𝙥. ✦••┈•

Chapter Text

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

“Bye tommy!” Wilbur yelled across the house, hand already on the door.

 He could hear tiny feet pattering down the stairs, then a big blob of Wild blonde hair wrapped around his leg. 

“Bye-bye Wil!” Wilbur pat his head.

 “okay , now get off, you know techno waits for no one.” 

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

Tommy frowns, watching his father get ready for work while fiddling with his red sleeved shirt. Tommy doesn’t understand why da always had to leave him.

 It made his heart hurt, but da wasnt there to make it feel better. Tommy would feel… 

Heavy?

 Empty? 

Tommy, doesn't know, he just really, really, doesn't like it. A knock on the door interrupts phil’s routine, picking tommy off the ground suddenly, tommy having little protest.

 The walk down the stairs was too short for tommy, he didnt want another babysitter.

 He wants his da.

 He wants tech and Wil, even if he did break Wil’s arm. 

And the babysitters were always…yucky. He liked dream, why did he leave?

  Why does everyone leave? 

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

Phil laughs a bit at the distant look on tommy’s face, wiping the bit of drool escaping through his pink lips. He twisted the door knob open, green eyes meeting blue.

 “GRENNIE!” Tommy yelled, squirming in his fathers hold. 

“Hey big man! Hello, mr minecraft.” Dream waved to both of them.

 “Pease call me phil, dream.” Phil put tommy on the floor gently to avoid getting hit by him. 

Tommy buzzed with excitement as Phil asked how the younger was doing, searching for his key in the decorative bowl.

 “Im okay s- phil. How have you been?”

 “I’ve been okay, works still pretty boring, so make sure to call me around the middle of the day so i can blow off.” phil joked.

 Dream was already making his way to the living room before phil stoped him. “My son, around your age, doesn’t have his club after school today, so you should see him around 2:30.”  phil made sure dream was aware, saying a quick goodbye before he was out the door.

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

“I didn't know you had brothers tommy!” Dream exclaimed, a fake look of hurt on his face.

 “I show you already! Tech and Wil!” 

“ ‘Tech’ sounds familiar, but most definitely not Wil.”

Tommy glared at him with a pout, tiny feet quickly pattering up the stairs, and coming down just the same. 

“Tech, Wil.” Tommy shoved the piece of paper into dreams knee, reaching to pick it up before it fell to the ground. It was the picture that tommy drew yesterday. 

They really don't look related.

 One has pink… everything, the other having white wings, not even close to the color of ebony as mr.minecrafts, and while his are sleek, the other’s are fluffy. 

The pink one doesn't even have wings!

“See? Look just same. Now let color.” Tiny fingers wrapped around (scarred?) larger ones, pulling on the hand relentlessly.

“Oh, that reminds me tommy! I brought over a new activity.”

 “Big man.”

 “Yes, big man.”

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

After rolling up the rug and putting it somewhere far away from the living room, dream pulled a neatly folded tarp from his “fun bag”, laying it over the smooth hard floor. Tommy gasped when dream pulled out colors beyond colors, pastels and neons galore.

 Tommy busied himself while dream got ready with attempting to say each color name. Each of them had the “Rublev” word on them (a trademark, or brand name,dream told him). 

 “Are medium brown. Dont like, sounds weird.” Tommy sat criss cross, judging the colors loudly. 

Dream looked over with a glance, then saying, “Armenian Brown.” without stopping what he was doing. Dream suddenly went to the kitchen to go get cups and water from the sink, leaving tommy alone with the colors and paints.

 Dream saw tommy mischievous side view of his face, yelling for him to not open any of the paints.

 Tommy grumbled angrily , then continuing to search through the almost used up and dirty paints, the blond child then going wide eyed when a color caught his eye. A deep, ocean like blue that looked hardly used ended up in tommy’s tiny little fingers, attempting to read the words on it.

 “Wapis lazzyly.” Tommy tried his best to repeat. He continued to look at the sample color on the object. He really wanted to open up the color and look at the stunning blue, see the difference of sharp blue on his pale skin. 

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

Dream hummed while in search of a paint stained cup to put paint water in, but couldn't seem to find one. 

He decided on the clear plastic ones, getting two and filling them with clear sink water, picking up the paint brushes it took with in and putting them into the cups.

 “Okay big man, got the water!” He walked into the living room with ease, unexpecting to what the mess of a child had done.

 Tommys lapis lazuli splattered face turned to the sound of dreams voice, the person in questions eyes widening in surprise. It was all over his red shirt (that was luckily not white, thank god) in tiny dots, or medium sized splatters. It covered the child's hands and fingers, the small human looking at them in fascination.

 “Look! Pretty, is it?” tommy gleamed with happiness, and dream simply couldn't find it in him to be mad.

 Besides, even if they couldn't get the paint out( they probably wouldn't be able to), it would make a extremely pretty design.

 For some reason, the sight reminded him of a certain brown haired child with green eyes, making dream feel something he couldn't explain.

 Dream made a note to self to always bring washable paints, and to look up what it mean when you start feeling light all of a sudden, like all of your worries were gone.

“The colors amazing, tommy.” 

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

“Big man, what are you doing?”

“GET PAINTED!!”

“TOMMY ARE YOU SERIOUS-”

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

They seemed to be able to fulfill the motion of getting dirty everytime dream babysitted, and they (mostly dream, tommy was having the time of his life) hoped it wouldn't continue for long. 

While dream painted with actual brushes, tommy started “finger painting”(it was more like hand painting) with all of his shades of blue, and dream made sure to note that tommy’s favorite color was blue, no matter how much red he wore. 

With lapis lazuli, tommy painted with two other shades, uranian and egyptian blue.

 ‘Watching the stars’ by Øneheart played in the background from dreams phone, noticing the toddler smiling softly while painting lazily. While tommy was staining his hands blue, dream couldn't bring himself to tell him to stop.

 The child seemed calm and content, and who would dream be to ruin that? While tommy’s palette was just blues, dream had a variety to brown to green, purple to blue. He was trying to paint a field of grass with a small amount of tiny flowers, but you could also see deep in the dirt, the picture continuing down where you can see thick, strong roots.

 The song shifted to ‘snowfall’ , also by Øneheart, noticing tommy’s face changing  more and more, making dream smile under his mask. 

 “I think big man needs a nap.”  dream mentioned the word, and tommy grumbled softly, but already slowly dazing off.

 “Big man.. Don’ need tha..” tommy’s tongue felt unreasonably heavy, but hes never felt this way in the day time. He could feel dreams warm hands on him, picking him up from the floor, making tommy thing he was going upstairs. 

But dream sat on the couch and got into a position where tommy could lay down and be comfortable, keeping him in his lap at all times. A cover(where did it come from?) was laid over him and dream by the latter, and tommy finally excepted that he needed a nap, closing his eyes with paint over his hands, and some smudged on his cheek. 

He felt a hand in his hair, softly combing through, lulling the child into sleep as the song shifted again back to watching the stars by Øneheart.

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

Dream watched with a tiny smile  as the toddler finally closed his eyes, attempting to help by running his hand through his hair. Tommy may be energetic, and problematic, but he was still a child, easily dumbfounded by multiplication and slept to calming music. 

Dream decided to lay there for a few minutes to solidify the child's sleep before getting up and cleaning. Around two minuets in, he also started to feel tired.

 Dream then remembered how his sleep was sadly interrupted by a mishap, deciding not to deny himself of a basic human need. He would wake up in about 30 minutes to clean up. 

10:24 AM was on his phone clock, telling him that he should be up by 10:54 Am, or around that time. 

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

Spoiler alert, dream did not wake up at around 10:54 am, more like 1:30 pm. He had slept for   two to three hours , and so did tommy. 

Turns out only getting a hour of sleep can really effect you. Dream shifted to get up and off of the couch, his ears twitching and small tail waving back in forth to get its senses back. He groaned when feeling the pain  from tommy and himself sleeping on it.

 The nerves buzzed till they hurt in that arm, dream trying his best to ignore it while putting the caps back on the blues and browns he used. he’s felt way worse pain than this, he tried to remind himself to make sure he doesn't curl back up with tommy and drift off again.

 He walked over to the sink to pour out the black and blue waters from the cups, reminding himself to clean them later. Eventually, all of his paints were back into his bag, and tommy woke from the rustling sounds for the tarp.

 He stayed, unrealistically, quiet while dream cleaned, his tiny legs hanging off of the couch but not reaching the floor. 

Once he was done, tommy looked at him with a blank face and messy hair. 

“Are you hungry, tommy?”

“..Mhm.” the child rubbed at his eyes.

“Mac and cheese?”

The toddlers eyes lit up.

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

“Hand me the butter.” Dream commanded while standing over the heated pan.

“Butter.” Tommy repeated, holding out a stick of butter, watching the older cut off a piece and put it to the side.

“Flour.”

Tommy repeated the word, handing dream a small measured amount of flour in a tiny plastic bowl.

“Onion powder, please.”

Tommy wordlessly handed a bottle to dream, which made the older look at the bottle before sprinkling it in.

“Tommy this is rainbow sprinkles-”

“Onion is very bad for you-”

“Its a superfood-”

“ It is disgusting-”

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

“Its all done!”

“What is in.”

“You know  whats in it tommy. You were right there when i made it.”

“ What is in.” Tommy repeated.

“I refuse to answer you.”

“..I not eat.”

“Tommy i Will shove a IV in you and force you to eat-”

“No you wouldn't-”

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

The blonde haired child nibbled on his mac and cheese, down to his last bite while dream worked on his hair from behind, Cocomelon singing about eating your vegetables in the background. 

Dream was working on one braid going down in the middle, leaving out strands purposely. Tommy had finally accepted that the onion  was “”healthy”” for him, picking up a piece of macaroni only one at a time. 

Dream picked a rubber band from his bag and tied the end of tommy’s hair up, muttering a hum of approval  for tommy to move. 

“Is all done.” tommy held out his bowl to dream, who picked it from his hands and put it into the sink. 

“Now my turn?” Tommy asked, pointing to dream’s hair. 

The older nodded, sitting down in a position where tommy could easily access his hair.

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

“Tommy, your pulling so harshly -”

“Your hair wont nice! Tell hair be nice!”

“Tommy what- ”

The scene Wilbur was expecting, from what his father told him, was a sheep hybrid that able to calm down tommy? Not his baby brother biting a sheep hybrids hair, the latter telling tommy to calm himself, cocomelon doing sign language of please and thank you in the background. 

Wilbur was about to jump in and help get the teething child off the other before he left damage. 

“Tommy. Breathe. ”

“I ams big man-”

“I get that tommy, but calm down. Just because somethings not working out doesn't mean you  get so angry like this.its okay tommy, how about you try restarting the braid, from the top?”

“It wont do braid!”

“If its not braiding, maybe its because of how your braiding it?”

Tommy silenced after that, his mind clearly trying to process the information, before slowly taking the braid back down with care and patience. 

“Good job tommy, make sure that when you do the braid, you go slow, okay? Theres no rush.” The teen assured him, finally seeming to notice the avian.

 with mild confusion of when he got there, he took in the persons features. Brown hair, big fluffy white wings, are the two things that helped him realize it was one of tommy's brothers. “Ah, you're one of tommy's brothers, right? Nice to meet you!” Dream’s beady eyed mask stared back concerningly eerieish, Wilbur ignoring it for his sake.

 With tommy, the mention of his brothers made his look up instantly, already almost done with taking down the braid. Tommy gasp and smiled brightly, already yelling something about Wil. 

“Toms!” 

“Wil!” the child latched on to his leg like earlier, making Wil reach down to pick him up.  That was when he noticed tommy's hair braided in a neat cornrows braid, showing off his rather chubby features.

 “Nice to meet you too, dream. Im Wilbur.” 

“I thought your full name was Wil to be honest..” dream muttered, gaining a small laugh from Wilbur while he put down tommy, his wings shaking themselves lightly, drawing dreams attention to them.

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

Tommy got sick of cocomelon after a few more minutes, the bad guys intro playing softly from what you can hear in the kitchen. Dream was getting water for tommy when Wilbur followed him into the kitchen.

 “How do you- how do get him so calm?” Wilbur asked, breaking the hardly there science that dreams ears twitched too.  

“Huh?” 

“No babysitter can get him calm like that, and it takes me and tech a while before hes calm like this with us.” Wilbur explained as he pored tommy a cup. 

“Well, if you really engage with him, its pretty easy. It also might have been the nap-”

“He took a NAP?”

“Yeah? We painted and i tuned on some music and he was out like a light.”

“...Dream, hes never done that with anyone .”

“You must be overreacting.”

“I kinda wish i was.”

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

“Here you go big man.”

“Thank you.”

Tommy held the cup with two hand while taking a sip, then putting it down and laid on Wilbur.

“Wil?”

“Yes, tommy?”

“Would you rob banks with me and inflict fear?”

“uhh...Techno would?”

“... W H A T ?”

┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

╰┈➤ ❝ [𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐪𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.] ❞

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗/𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖇𝖞 𝖘𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙.] ࿐ྂ

• ┈••✦ ❤𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙢𝙥. ✦••┈•

Chapter Text

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

“Okay, definitely not-”

“Techno your not even considering it-”

“I don’t need one, dad. I don’t want one.” Techno sighed, hand on the door knob as his father bugged him relentlessly.

“Its a support animal, Techno, its trained to help you-” Phil tried to reason before he was cut off.

“I don't need help dad! Im doing fine, im fine! Im not the kid you found in the woods anymore!” Techno expressed in a hushed like yell, the goal to not wake up Tommy from his couch sleep. 

Dream had left about two hours ago, Phil had told Techno, who was interested in the person who could somehow put Tommy to sleep with a few songs. 

“Then tell me how i had to find out through wil that you had a panic attack? To the point where you fainted?” Techno growled, rubbing his face while his pink ears twitched wildly from annoyance. He should've known Wilbur was gonna snitch.

 “Its- thats not- ugh- ” the teen groaned, knowing he lost the somewhat civil argument. “Exactly. Now Techno,” Phil handed him a card.

 “Go pick a damn dog.”

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

When grennie came into the house, Tommy wasn't focused on the hand in his hair ruffling it this time, but the bag the teen held in his hand. Not only did the bag hold paints, but also bored games! 

He doesn't know why their called ‘bored’ because of how fun they were, but it didn't matter to Tommy. His small brain wondered what things it held this time, rushing to grennie to greet him.

He has manners, yaknow.

 ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

“Tommy! I've missed you!”

“So i! An’ bag!” Dream let out a wheeze, Tommy had taken a liking to the fun bag more than he expected he would. Fourtenly for Tommy, Dream got something a bit too messy, but extremely fun for the tiny child.

“So what’s happened while i've been gone? And did you eat?”

“Well, i made drawing!! And da got me new shirt! Oh, and tech had a…” Tommy pondered, trying to get the word correct.

“Tech had a what, Tommy?”

“..panc atic?” Dream froze alost instantly.

He shouldn't have been told that. 

“Oh… god,uh- Tommy, there are some things you shouldn't tell other people, or strangers like me. thats-”

“But you not stranger,You friend.” Tommy admitted with a annoyed look in his eyes, until his face got nervous and squirmy.

“...We is friends, right?” Tommy asked, not so sure of himself, but a bit angry for showing such vulnerability.

“No, no of course we are Tommy!” Dream rushed to assure the child. Since Wilbur only had his club two days of the week, he had been around much more to tell Dream about how Tommy usually acts with other babysitters, or with others in general.

 One of the recurring things the whole family saw was that Tommy hated to be seen as weak, or show any other emotion that could be seen as vulnerability. Since Phil had just found Tommy on the streets, he doesn't know what happened to Tommy during the three years he wasn't with them. 

A tiny tap on his hand made him remember that Tommy was right there, awaiting more reassurance.

 “..Thank you for telling me about that, Tommy. I’m glad you trust me that much.”

“Mhm. tell about how you been!” Tommy smiled brightly, while Dream stopped moving -stopped breathing- with wide eyes.

 He pulled down his long sleeve, his bruises and small cuts groaning from the unwanted friction.

“Uh…”

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

“I thank for telling me that. What’s in fun bag?” Tommy peered at the others shoulder, bring a snort from Dream. “Well, i've brought two  things this time. Do you think you could keep the mess to a minimum?”

 Dream asked, already knowing Tommy would shake his head enthusiastically. Tommys eyes shined with delight when Dream zipped open the bag and revealed two packs of modeling clay, and two clay kits.

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

Dream figured out quickly enough that Tommy was going to make a mess. They decided they would start with simple modeling clay, but there was already speckles all over the carpet, Tommy saying that it was ‘dyed snow.’

 Tommy had refused for Dream to call him Tommy after Dream told him to pick it up. “What are you gonna make, Tommy?” Dream asked, putting the tape and ruined cardboard of the clay kits into a Walmart plastic bag.

 “I make cake! It be… cookie monster!” Tommy smushed the first layer of cake by punching it aggressively and repeatedly. What influenced Tommy’s decision was most likely sesame street playing in the background. 

“I think ill make a macaroon cake. What flavors should it be?” Dream asked, setting everything from the clay kit aside as he gathered some clay in his hand, playing and mushing it a bit. 

“Do raspberry, blueberry, anddd, maybe lemon?” Tommy had somehow pronounce all of them with ease, onto mushing the next cake layer. Dream hummed in approval, reaching for a chunk of red clay, rubbing it on the hard floor in circular motions. 

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

Now, hear the two children out. They didnt mean for their clay making to go as far as opening a pretend bakery. It just happens sometimes. 

They called it the surprise bakery, where all of the cake names had the usage of the word surprise in it. They even had name tags and everything! They were all set on one corner on the porcelain countertop, and saying that Dream and Tommy were proud was a understatement. 

They liked making their bakery so much, that they went to a local supermarket to get more clay. 

Sadly, that backfired when Tommy tried biting one of Dreams classmates that  happened to be there also, niki, because of her pink hair. 

Then once security noticed and came up to them, Tommy did something Dream likes to call a ‘evil bristish growl’ and skilfully bit off his own fucking kid leash. 

Dream swears to himself that he will never bring Tommy outside again.

  Never.

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

“Calm down, your gonna mess up the braid.” Dream muttered, trying to salvage what was left of the braid. Tommy was jittery, but he couldn't find out why. Dream tried to ignore it, retrying the braid, but once he got to the end of it, it was messy and clumps of hair stuck out. Dream decided to braid up Tommy's hair before they started with the clay. 

“Tommy,” Dream ignored the ‘big man’ muttered from Tommy, taking down the braid and massaging the smallers scalp. 

“Whats wrong?” Dream asked with concern, petting the other blondes hair like he used to do to a certain heteromatic.

 “‘Thing fine.” Tommy shut him down, moving Dreams hands to continue the hair style.

 “You sure Tommy? Were friends , you can tell me anything.” Dream tried his best to assure, turning Tommy’s chair around so he could see his face.

 Tommys mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, clearly frustrating himself. “It nothing. You do my hair now?” Tommy reassured and tried to change the subject, failing to do it for Dream, though. He h̶a̶d̶  has( no he doesn't ) two troubled children as siblings already, he can see right through him.

 “Are you sure, Tommy ? ” the child averted his gaze. Dream gave up; it wasn't his place anyway. He twisted the chair back around, scraping up hair to make it as clean as possible. 

Dream was halfway done with the braid before Tommy blurted out something that didn't make much sense to Dream with out context.

“I miss my da.”

“What do you mean, Tommy? He should be home in… three hours at most.”

“No, i- nevermind.” Tommy grumbled.

“Tommy, just because someone doesn't understand you at first, doesn't mean you should give up. Explain it to me.” Dream spoke softly, parting a chunk of hair three ways.

“Hes always… busy. Always gone. I… i miss da. ” Tommy frowned, gripping some loose strands and handing them to Dream.

 Dream was close to wrapping his arms around Tommy and never letting go, but decided to refrain from that. 

“Have you tried talking to him about it?” Dream was sure that if Tommy asked him too, he would take a day off work, or at least just try to explain to Tommy why he cant be with him. 

Dream knows that Phil has a soft spot for all his kids.

“...I-I don't wan’.” Dream could hear the pout, and did his best to remember this was serious.

“It-its…”

“Embarrassing?” Dream guessed, and saw the braid move in a up and down motion.

“Tommy,” Dream huffed out a laugh, “missing someone, or just having feelings in general, isn’t embarrassing.” Dream picked a light blue ribbon he brought in his black bag, tying up the end of Tommy’s hair. 

“‘Is for me. I shouldn't be. I should be big man. W-wha’ if da listen and stay with me for life, and never go back?” Tommy confessed his childish worries.

Dream stayed quiet for a while, decided to focus on the second braid while he thought of how to answer. He was a quarter through the corn roll we he said,

 “You and ranboo were the same in this way.”

  Tommy tensed at the name. His da always told him about how hard it is for people who lose family members, which makes Tommy wonder why Dream is telling him about him. He wants to stop him right then and there, change the subject, but albeit, Tommy is just a curious little boy. 

Tommy made a sound of acknowledgment to tell Dream to go on.

“Ranboo was the quiet kid of our family, but extremely bright, and amazing at many things. But none of us are perfect, Tommy. We all have our flaws. Ran’s was communicating.” Dream stopped for a second to let Tommy take in and understand the information. 

If he heard a ‘it might have been what killed him’ from Dream, he didn't comment. 

 “There was a point where i would go to school everyday, as one does. One day i come home, and i just find ran sobbing.” Dream snorts, and Tommy doesn't find whats funny, but cracks a smile? 

“ Just bawling. Cutest thing ,but a sad thing. I dropped my school bag and rushed to comfort him quickly, so now hes even wetting my iconic hoodie.” Tommy giggles(?), and it warms Dreams heart, convincing him to continue, even with the heavy feeling in his heart (hes over it.).

 “So- so i wait until he down to sniffles, and i ask him whats wrong. Guess whats wrong Tommy.” Dreams  wheeze made Tommy smile uncharacteristically, his cheeks hurting and lightly buzzing. 

“Why?”

 “you have to guess, Tommy. Take all the context i given you.”

 “...because you leave?” he takes Dream silly sounding chortle as a yes. “Spot on. So im just staring at him, trying so hard you cant even imagine not to laugh. Once i calm myself, i asked why he let it get to the point where hes crying on the floor, why he didn't tell me sooner.” Dream gets another ribbon from his bag.

 “He says it because he didn't want to bother me. Said he didn't want me to give up my ‘extra curriculars for him.” 

“Who says extra curicikylers?”

“Him , Tommy, him! He did! He was stupid funny, with all his good language.” they were both laughing openly, reducing to small chuckles in a while.

“But, Tommy, besides grammar.” here it is. 

“He put his feelings way behind mine. And while thats a very sweet and amazing thing to do,” Dream rests his hand on Tommy’s shoulder, making Tommy turn to him.

“Your not obligated to do that, Tommy. You just a kid. It is so okay if you want your dad to stay with you longer than he mostly does. Hell, with a dad like that, i’d want him to, to.” Dream assured, looking at Tommy’s face for a sign of anything. Instead, Tommy turns around again,seemingly thinking while he grips his own shorts.

 “...Maybe you right.” Tommy thought out loud. 

“Of course i am. Want a hug?” Dream asked, craving to give comfort through touch. Tommy slips off his chair and slides onto his lap and wraps around him, cuddling into the soft fabric. 

“Your very sweet, Tommy.”

“uhm.” 

“yes? Oh, sorry, big man-”

 “y-you can call me… toms. if- if you wanna, though! ” 

Dream smiles harder than he should have, squeezing the child more.

“Id love that, toms. ”

-

(“The results came back.” Everyone in the room tensed, except for the sleeping child.

“Your child has…”)

-

“Now, Tommy.”

“I know.”

“No, Tommy. You don't. Because i left you alone with paint-”

“Very pretty paint-”

“Toms you know thats not the point-”

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

“GRENNIE DON'T BE BORING-”

“IM NOT BEING BORING IM BEING CLEAN AND TIDY LIKE JESUS SAYS-”

“JUST GIVE CLAY UP-”

“OH GOD TOMMY DONT TURN IT ON-”

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

Dream had to bring out the backup kid leash, hooking it onto Tommy and hooking Tommy onto a hole(?) on the dining table. The child struggled relentlessly while Dream set everything up again. Also, yeah, remember when Dream was wishing to end the cycle of mess? Well, that wasn't that day, and the clay speckles on the walls and Dream and Tommy's shirts agreed.

 From the clay packets, he got two simple chunks, one for each plastic pottery wheel. After inserting the batteries, Dream disconnected Tommy from the table, the gremlin acting kid running to one of the wheels. “Toms, dont.” Dream warned as he walked up from behind Tommy, going over to his.

 “ Tommy.” Dream saw the mischievous glint in the kids eyes. 

“Okay, see the piece of clay? Push down on it, just a little nudge.” Dream rolled up his (obnoxiously) neon green sleeves, and Tommy's eyes flicked over to the lines, and jagged discolored things (scars? maybe.) on his arms. Tommy adverted his gave otherwise, patting the ball of gray on his yellow and blue spinny thing. 

“Good job!” Dream praises. “Now, see that button? Yeah, press it, and its going to start spinning.” and Tommy's eyes sparkled, rushing to turn on the machine. 

“Did you press down on it en- FUCKING CHRIST-”

“...Fucking? Cool, big man approves.” Dream comes to the alarming realization that he taught a child a curse, while a glob of wettened clay was smack dab in the middle of his smiling hoodie.

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

Turns out that Dreams extra thirteen pounds he spent on his own clay wheel was in vain, Dream thought as he guided Tommy’s hand, the latter pouting while Dream moved him, the phrase “he didn't need help” had no purpose for Dream. 

There was already multiple Dream and Tommy creations, one of them green (Tommy had a breakdown about how absolutely ugly Dream was making the color for him)  with a horridly drawn smiley draw by Tommy(that did not make him tear up) and the other one of red and blue, a drawn evil smiley face with sharp teeth in a smiley face format from Dream.

 They were mugs, since they had moved to bigger things after making displays for their cakes. Now they were making one for  mr. minecraft, as Dream called him, one which would have a green striped bucket hat made by Tommy and black sleek wings courtesy of Dream. The door banging open was a sign of Wilbur, but it unfortunately made Dream jump like a raccoon caught digging in trash, creating a pretty big hole into the mug.

 “I’M HOME, RATS!” Wilbur yelled across the house. Wilbur had a thing he did where he acts extremely sweet in front of others he doesn't know well, then gets progressively more of a menace. 

“Wilbah.”

 “Gremlin.” 

the two glared at each other with heat, as Dream had already let the child out to run to his brother with dirty hands.

 “How dare take unicorn crayons-”

 “you hid my ukelele you should be glad i didn't tell dad to spank you- ”

 “say spank again and uke is gone.” Tommy scowled, and Wilbur pulled a face of impishness. 

“ Spank. ” Wilbur drew out, and Tommy was already heading upstairs and leaving clay in his trail, Wilbur right behind him.

 Dream was watching this all with confusion, but got some context. Dream was fixing the mug with he heard the sounds of struggle, and he did his best to stop his breath from quickening. Moments pass, and out of fucking knowwhere, a whole entire ironing board rolls down the stairs like it’s nothing, a ukulele right on to of it.

 “GRAB IT DREAM GRAB IT BEFORE HE GETS HERE-” Dream stops listening to them after he hears a knock on the door, two regular ones and then three quick ones. Dream doesnt realize that the screams of ‘nos’ and ‘don't do it’ were directed at him when he clicks the door open.

 And wow Dreams really tired of the Minecrafts looking dreadly different from one another. He notices its ‘tech’ from the moment he saw pink claws and what type of hybrid is tech anyway and why does he have a giant husky looking dog-

 “Hallo. ‘Gonna let me into my own house, now?” the tall (he has to be 6’6 at least, because hes taller than Wilbur- ) 

“depends on who you are.”

 “Technoblade, might know me as, tech .” the pink one spat, obviously hating the nickname and making Dream laugh, the latter moving to the side to let him in. Techno smirked when he saw the very obvious ironing board and uke on the floor, ear flicking and (now) very noticeable earrings clacking against each other. They were gold, just like the band on his wrist, and the clips on his cape? Prehasps shal, the weathers pretty rough lately.

 Dream examined him. Besides the blood red shal(?), he had a white button up and dark gray pants, pieces of gold here and there. This is one of the many things that helped Dream realize Techno was a piglin, a type of hybrid Dream had never met before. There was also a unreasonably big dog next to him, going all the way up to his knee. The dog has a sporn harness also, the leash a blood red. The person obviously liked red. Techno had went down to pick the instrument off the floor, the same time when Tommy and Wilbur came running down the stairs. The duo stopped dead in their tracks, staring at Techno with nothing but emptiness. 

“ Techno-”

  “GIVE BACK UKE NOW-” the brit rushed to Techno, and with past events that happened on that day, Dream was extremely quick to stop him. Grabbing the child's hips,  Dream pulled him closer  to his chest, the smaller still kicking  and grumbling.

 “Oh stop toms, I think you've had enough blood shed today-”

“Dream what does that mean-”

 “Tommy you've been inflicting fear without me?” Techno faked a look of hurt. Dream shifted the position Tommy was in his arms, moving him so his legs weren't out so much.

 “If you stop being so much of a brat , ill let you braid my hair.”  Dream sighs when Tommy stops all movement and glances up at him happily.

 Tommy wasn't the only one looking at him, Dream thinks as he feels another pair of (piglin) eyes on him. 

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

“I don't think i properly- or at all- said my name. Im Dream.” he gave a smile, but then realized Techno couldn't even see it. Tommy was in the nearest bathroom, washing clay off his hands while the hound, perhaps, roamed and got used to its home. 

Techno sat on the couch while Dream reached for one of Tommy’s chairs. “You already know mine. I feel like i know you from somewhere, what school do you go to?” Technos head tilts slightly. 

“Uh, smp high. Sound familiar?” tiny feet pattered while Dream spoke. “Yea’, i go there. So does Wilbur. I've seen you around i think, being nerdy ‘n all.” the pink one huffed a laugh.

 “I’m not nerdy. Just smarter than you’ll ever be. Your probably threatened by it and all.” Dream smiled while crossing his arms over his chest.

 “Whatever, nerd. ” Techno joked and got the last word, curtsy of Tommy coming back with a single brush. 

“Okay okay, sit. ” Tommy ordered, and Dream shifted on the floor a bit, Tommy getting onto the chair with a barely heard squeal. 

Tommy moved his head left and right until he put it smack dab in the middle, getting his comb and working it through the slightly tangled hair.

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

After two or three cruelty done braids, the four (Wilbur came down a few minutes in of Tommy braiding) inhabitants realized the actual life form roaming around their house. the foursome watched as the fluffy wanders, sniffing and pawing everything it could find.

 “...Techno where did he come from.” Wilbur asked, voice void of actual question. 

“Dad told me to get it. Because of you , infact.” Techno’s blood red eyes met brown, and Wilbur released what he was hinting.

 “What else was i supposed to do?”

 “i don't know, not tell him? God, my message was clear, don't say a word to dad. ” Techno scoffed, eyes following the gray and white mutt.

 “Uhh.. whats the breed? And how’d they find him?” Dream tried to fix the tense air. “Malamute. Alaskan Malamute. He’s two years old.’found him drowning in a ditch. One of the workers said hes one of the more powerful ones. I say hes one of the more dead ones.” Dream chuckled at the tallers remark, making a move off the couch to the animal. It was in front of the tv, sniffing a board game named “clue” Dream had brought over and forgot ( he was most likely attracted to the faint smell of hospital. ). 

 Dream sat on the floor a few feet away. Dream had also gained a follower, when he felt a tiny presence of british. The mal noticed them instantly; most lily due to its great sense of smell. He huffed and whined, paddling over to them in a few steps. Dream lifted up his hoodie a bit, baring his wrist. Tommy quickly did the same.

 The dog sniffed Dream frist, still weary of the blonde. Two quick sniffs and he licked Dream once, then shoved his muzzle into his wrist, tongue out as he panted happily. Dream reached up and scratched the back of his hed with caution, making sure to do it softly.

 Eventually, he moved over to Tommy, whos still had his wrist out. He smelt Dream on him and instantly nuzzled him, but in the forehead this time, knocking Tommy off his balance and sent him onto the floor, making the three teen laugh louder than they needed too.

 Tommy didn't mind, as he was laughing with them as the dog continued to nudge him with his nose down his stomach.

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

Wilbur had gone down and got acquaintanced with the hound now too, the trio leading him to Techno as he refused to get on the floor. (at least wait until it get into my regular clothes.) now Techno was actively stroking between his ears, despite the look of subtle detest. 

“Tech dog need name!” Tommy exclaimed, currently trying to climb the dog’s back with Dreams help. 

“You should name him Techno-Chan.” Wilbur joked, and the dog let out a bark.

 “Techno-chan!” Tommy called out happily, while Techno grimaced. 

“The chosen one has chosen. Technochan is the newest collection of the SBI.” Dream played along with the joke. 

“Whats sbi?” Wilbur asked. “sleepy boys inc, because of how many naps you and Tommy take.” Dream shrugged with a grin under his mask. 

“...i should just drown the dog again.”  Techno spoke to himself, grabbing the attention of the household. “Chat said yes, lets go Techno chan-”

“What the fuck-”

“OHOH I KNOW THAT WORD GRENNIE TOLD-”

“TOMMY NOT NOW YOUR BROTHERS TRYING TO COMMIT ANIMAL MURDER OR WHATEVER-”

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

The door unlocked with a click (and a key, of course) for Phil, making his way into the lightly dimmed house. The kitchen looked unused, but when he walked by the coat hangers, there was Wilburs dingy trench, Technos cared for blood red cape, and Dream extra jacket he brings with him from time to time. 

Phil walked through the house, and in a few steps, he found the ironing board that had been lost for five whole years. Phil’s eyebrows knit together when he wondered why it was laying at the bottom of the stairs. 

Now that he listened, he could hear a tune Dream had played before, ‘moons song in c’ by nowt, he thinks. Turning over to the living room, Phil smiled at the boys on the couch. They were cuddled up with a extremely big dog, and he guessed it was the one Techno chose. Speaking of him, Techno was the base, sprawled out yet desperately trying to stay on the couch while he did it. 

Wilbur curled up on his chest while Dream rested at between his legs, one of them in his grasp. The wolf was in the middle of the green wearing and brunette, with Tommy resting on top of him. He walked over, and put his hand in the dogs , wet? Fur, going back and forth softly.

 Phil took a couple of bills from his wallet, and a post it and one from the table. Speaking of the post its, there was one stuck to a obviously hand made mug with the words, 

“making pottery and toms had an idea to make everyone mugs. Hope you like it, wings were made by me and toms made the hat. -Dream, and Tommy.”

Setting it down, Phil took one more look at the huge lump, then noticing a darkened spot on Dreams back, but wrapping around the hip slightly.. Phil pushed up the green just a bit and noticed it didn't end there, so he pushed it up more.

 A very audible, and borderline horrified gasp ripped from Phils throat before he could stop it, pulling it down with as less force he could use, but as fast as he could.

 What laid on Dreams lower back was a huge gash diagonally hitting the pale skin, a fe shades darker than it. What scared Phil the most was that it look old, but then again new?

 Just somewhere in between a few months and a very short year. Phil looks at the boy and only wonders,

 “ who hurt you?”

˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ ❤

╰┈➤ ❝ [𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐪𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.] ❞

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗/𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖇𝖞 𝖘𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙.] ࿐ྂ

┈••✦ ❤𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙢𝙥. ✦••┈•

Chapter Text

𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. . .

⋘ 𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑖𝑡... ⋙

⋘ 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎... ⋙

ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ!

・❥・

In Phil’s eyes, Dream is the boy who babysits his child almost flawlessly. 

Though, due to recent events, ( A very audible, and borderline horrified gasp ripped from Phils throat before he could stop it, pulling it down with as less force he could use, but as fast as he could.

 What laid on Dreams lower back was a huge gash diagonally hitting the pale skin, a few shades darker than it. What scared Phil the most was that it look old, but then again new?

 Just somewhere in between a few months and a very short year. Phil looks at the boy and only wonders -)

 Phil sees Dream as the boy that has a thing or two in his life that haunts him. Phil will admit, its a big assumption for someone who he hardly knows. But as a retired psychologist and current foster parent, its one that was made with consideration. 

It was saturday, Phil didn't have work. Tommy was exceptionally happy to be with his father again, despite his likings to Dream. Abby Hatcher’s playing in the background while Phil makes Tommy something to eat, telling himself that Dream had parents.

 That Dream wasn't his responsibility.

(N̶o̶t̶ ̶y̶e̶t̶,̶ ̶a̶t̶l̶e̶a̶s̶t̶.̶)

・❥・

Phil finds out Dreams not religious when he shows up at his door, his black duffel bag on his shoulder and holding a big Amazon package. Dream holds it out for Phil to take, and once he does, Dream seems to finally breathe.

 “It was just sitting there when i came.” Dream told, just in case the adult was wondering. 

“Thanks.” Phil holds it from the button and begins opening from the top.

 “Wilbur and Techno are here, along with… Techno-chan.” Dream brings a hand up to his mouth to cover a smile at the older’s confusion, and coughs into his hand so it doesn't look suspicious. 

Phil notes that Dream was laughing, and the fingerless gloves Dream was wearing, the start of tiny jagged lines peeking out.

  Curious.

 “Are you…” Phil starts, making Dream tilt his head a bit.

 “You been okay?” Phil asks, reaching for his jacket, causing Dream to moving into the house more. A look of discomfort? and perhaps annoyance contorts on Dream 

“ ‘course. Why do you ask?”

 “ no reason, really. Just used to seeing you, and since i didn't yesterday, might as well ask. See you at five.” and the door clicks shut again. 

Like every other day.

・❥・

Their was… varied responses to him walking into the living room.

“Hey, Dream!”

“GRENNIE-”

“Yo, it’s nipple boy.”

Courtesy of Tommy, Dream had a smiley face on his bright green hood, one to match his mask. The beady eyes happened to be close to where his nipples should be.

 “That’s going to get old very quick. Maybe i should start calling you bacon.” Dream retorts when Tommy runs into one of his legs.

 “It would be funny if you did.” Techno shrugs while Dream picks up Tommy. The child grips Dreams cheeks from under his mask, then slapping them lightly. Its something Tommy has developed, his take on maui from moana. 

Dream huffs a laugh and pets down Tommy’s wild hair. “Wheres Techno-chan?” the piglin smiles at the mention, and now Dreams scared to be around him. 

But one second after, the hound runs in from the back, dripping wet. Techno gives a look of frustration to the dog jumping into his lap and rolling in it, Wilbur rubbing its belly while scrolling on his phone. He hears the theme song of a show Tommy and Dream found, something along the lines of abby. 

Dream sets down Tommy once he begins to squirm in his hold. “How been?” Tommy asks with pure intent while Dream sits down on a bean bag. “I've been good Tommy! How about you?” “been good. Cant go outside because ‘thing.” Tommy shrugs carelessly, but both Techno and Wilbur perk at the mention.

 “, it wasn't just a thing, Tommy.” Wilbur notes, voice serious.

 “It was you challenging a raccoon to a fight-”

 “A damn awesome fight to be honest-”

 “and you somehow won- ”

 “ Wow this family tires me-”

・❥・

For the first time Dream has babysitted Tommy, hes calm. He didn't have to play music, or tire him out. Just gave him a ruled notebook and hes curled up between Dream and Techno, the tiny book resting on his folded thighs and legs like a easel.

 Dream gets that its a person early on from the cruelty drawn head and tiny body. The plot of abby hatcher is extremely interesting to Dream, he realizes.

 His phone dings, and Dream fishes it out.

10:33am

gogy<3                                                                                          

One second ago

U okay? I know tha… open to see more

sap

One day ago

dre ur ignoring us a…open to see more

5 more

pun(z)

One day ago

pls answer u… open to see more

2 more

bad

Three days ago

Dream, you can keep ign… open to see more

We just want to help.

The gc for smart ppl

Is Dream gud? I hav…. Open to see more

Tbh ive seen it too… open to see more

9+ more

Nothing important, Dream thinks with a hint of guilt, slipping the phone back in his pocket. Dream knows he’s mean for ignoring the texts, but he just wants to be alone.

  He doesn't want hugs and cuddle sessions, he wants quiet.

 (does he really?)

 Because theres nothing wrong. No ones sick, he doesnt have siblings, and they did not die a week or so from this day. 

They didn't.

 Because Dream doesn't care. (are you sure?)

 He’s over it. (I don't think so.) 

・❥・

It almost startles Dream when Tommy sighs loudly like he just finished moving a building. His shoulders slump excessively and his legs drop down.

 He has a mocking look of exhaustion, and its funny to watch it roll out. Tommy flops his head onto Dream, muttering out a “bored.”

 Dream did only bring paints and markers, but hes sure Tommys had enough of that. Dream looks around and his eyes set on the box. It could fit Tommy.  

“I was planning on painting,” Tommy groans way louder than he needed to, waking Wilbur from his sleeping daze. “But i think we could do a thing or two that the box.” Dream smirks at Tommys peering gaze to the brown cardboard.

“Okay up up! Go get the box and bring it here!” Dream rushed the child by saying it louder, inevitably making Tommy run to get it. Dream pulls the strap of his bag over his head and pulls back the zipper, revealing countless markers and construction paper.

 “Yall got glue?” Dream turns to Wilbur and Techno, the former lazily nods and the latter gets up. Tommys back with the box before he can finnish emptying his bag or ‘treats’ as Tommy would call it.

 Theres a tiny squeal that makes Wilbur snort in the background from Tommy, and with a look of approval from Dream, his tinny hands are engulfed in black and colors. Tommys giddy smile gives Dream a smile. 

Instead of a bottle of glue, Techno comes back with a box that was smaller than the amazon one but bigger than Tommys head. It makes the toddlers eyes go wide and he quickly runs to it. 

Techno doesn't bother lifting up out of Tommys reach since he couldn't even get it with a chair.

 It makes Tommy very mad, you can tell from his frown with his teeth bared. Wilbur grabs the child before he can take a snag at Technos leg. “14th time..” mutters Techno whale he sets down the box. 

Tommys let go once he snaps his teeth at Wilbur's wrist, involuntarily waking Wilbur up. He let go and Tommy does his ‘ebl’, short for evil british laugh. It alarms Dream that Tommy’s coming over and he makes room for him in the middle of the teens.

 The little boy is thrilled to see the craft box, knowing it only comes out when something fun happens. Tommy likes fun.

 “What’dya think big man? Car or rocket ship?” Dream asks Tommy specifically, but Techno buts in. 

“‘think we should make it a murder van?” Techno deflects Dreams question while he gapes at the bluntness in front of a toddler.

 “Wus that?”

 “I’ll tell you later, when the snowflake isn't here.” the pink one jokes and whispers the snowflake part in Tommy's little ear, the tusks tickling them just a bit.

・❥・

The first thing Dream comprehends after the completion is that theres glitter on Wilbur. Theres glitter on the walls. Theres glitter on Techno, theres glitter on Tommy. 

Theres glitter on Dream.  

While the two teens were messy with the tiny particles, the car was beautifully laced with it, staying still in all its glory. Tommy chose a car and rocket after careful consideration, deciding it once Techno said the murder van had to be black or white, and Tommy wanted it blue.

 it had headlights and a blanket roof, but also boosters colored red yellow and orange. “Whos first?”

 “ME ME ME MEMEMEMEMEMEME-” Dream rolls his eyes as Tommy continues, only stopping when Techno places him into the box. 

Tommy squirms and squeals with happiness and touches the red button inside of it. Suddenly theres noise made from Dream and hes going up the stairs, seeing the pink hands holding the rocket. Technos also in the background, making unenthusiastic rocket sounds, causing Dream hit him in the lower arm. 

Techno scoffs and does them louder.

 Tommys squealing and making raspberries with his lips, his arms flapping like a bird almost. They run past the rooms and run back down the stairs again, the steps making him bounce. Soon their back in the living room and Technos setting down the child, much to his protest. 

Dream shoos the piglin over and he moves, Dream taking control of the box. He grabs the back and Tommy's gliding on the floor quickly, the suddenness making him yelp. Dream does the sounds of beeping while Tommy laughs. 

Using his tiny finger, he clicks the small pedal at the bottom of the box while smiling harshly, hurting his own cheeks. The amazon box stops rather abruptly. 

Dream does a honking sound to show Tommy theres someone behind him. This makes Tommy purse his lips and reach for the counter top, the tip of something already on the edge.

 Sadly, it turned out to be a knife. 

“QUIET I SAY, QUIET I TAKE MY TIME-”

“Tommy,- NOT THE KNIFE-”

“HOW ELSE WILL I INFLICT FEAR-”

“You go Tommy, drain the blood of your enemies.”

“MY GOD TECHNO-”

・❥・

Theres a frown on Tommy when Dream drops him onto Technos lap and goes to the kitchen, the toddler immediately crawling out. 

“Hunger.”

 “thats why im going to the kitchen.” 

“can go too?” the shorter tugs on Dreams hoodie while he walks, making sure to keep something of Dreams pace. 

“I don't see why not.” now they've entered the kitchen where Tommy almost escalated to stabbing Dream, and the man in green realized how much more trauma hes gained from this family.

 “Spaghetti?” Tommy nods eagerly.

 Dream sits Tommy on the countertop with a grunt, looking through the pots and pans Tommy's repeatedly changing spaghetti now while Dream put the filled pot on top of the heat. 

“What now?” 

“we wait for it to boil.” and Tommy's very obviously confused by the word boil. Dream chuckles and picks him up, but Dream miscalculated.

 Its a gas stove. 

And Tommy loves blue.

 It happens to fast for Dream to stop it. 

Tommy makes a ‘ooo’ sound, so Dream moves Tommy a bit so he could see too, only giving Tommy more leverage to touch the literal fire . Tommy makes his move while Dreams scanning the kitchen for salt.

 And now theres screaming that makes Dream jump. 

He quickly comes to the conclusion that hes let Tommy get hurt.

  Tommy’s hurt.

  Dream instinctively pulls him away from the fire until his lower back hits the countertop with force . Dream sees pink at the entrance, but he cant focus on that. 

“Oh prime toms!-” Dream puts him down and rushes over to the sink to make the water lukewarm. 

He can hear Techno shushing Tommy while looking for whats wrong, noticing how its stressing Dream way too much.

 “T-Techno- the- the water- ” Dream hears screaming,   a man screaming, there’s glass breaking, and Dreams 12 again?-  

“ Dream, breathe. His thumb got burned, its fine. ” Technos forcing Tommys scorched thumb under the water while the toddler struggles against him with teary eyes. Wilbur enters and is definitely confused by the scene; Technos holding Tommy against the sink with his hand under water, while it looks like Dream hunching into himself as much as he can without falling to the floor, while he looks like his legs are going to give out. 

“ Thank fuck- Wilbur, Tommy.” wilbur hurries to Tommy while Techno goes over to Dream more. 

His heads in his hands and his body’s shaking- “Dream, Dream , can i touch you?” but Dream seems to be to out of it, gasping for air that just doesn't seem to be there for him. 

Techno rests his hand on his on Dreams shoulder and he flinches hard, his ears flopping everywhere, so he decides touch is a no. 

“Dream, its was a accident. No ones mad. I swear no ones mad. ” his ears feel like their filled with water, but the voice doesn't sound like-  

Wilbur’s has been able to reduce Tommy to sniffs when Wilbur buts in. “the hell happened? I heard Tommy screaming and then Dream looked like he was on the verge of a panic attack-”  

“thats because hes having one, dumbass- Dream, please, listen to me.” Techno pleads, and Dreams legs get shakier.

 “ You fucking ungreatful bitch-”  

“ Please Dream, look at me. ”

 “I c’nt bl’ve you… brat. W’sh you died ‘stead of r’nboo-”

  Theres someone pulling at his wrists now and Dream struggles the best he can against the claws(?) grasping him.

 “Please no, please, ‘m sorry, ‘m so sorry-” Despite his best tries, theres a mutter and his hands are ripped off his mask, and hes blinded with light, making him gasp.

 Now he sees pink. Lots of pink, and brown, and blue- where is he again?  

His head gets tilted upwards and now theres very blurry red, red for the blood that they shedded- 

But theres not enough, just two dots of it. Its not blood. Theres big white things, more pink, and floppy ears?-

Technoblade.

 Memories of the present come back rushing to him, and his vision starts to clear. Theres Wilbur holding Tommy over the sink, and god the waters loud. 

Technos close to him, looking at him with curiosity. He can hear his own breaths, slowly calming down. Techno seemed to notice this too.

 “...you good?’ his voice is hardly above a whisper, almost cautious as he speaks.

 “...y-yeah.” the airs tense, the twins trying their best to see if Dreams truly calm. 

“You, uh, you need anything?” Technos obviously uncomfortable, and Dream doesn't want to add on. 

“Water. The- the water, its boiling. Uhm- w-wheres the salt?”

・❥・

Tommys giggling to abby hatcher, and it makes Dream feel like everythings good again. Something that does the opposite is the eyes peering into the back of his head. 

Dream wants to say something, he does, but he doesn't know how. He wished he did.

 The toddler has a bandaid wrapped around his thumb and it floods Dream with guilt everytime he sees it. 

Its minnie mouse themed just like tubb-

He cant think about that. Not here, not now.

Right now, Dream just has to get through the unbearable stares.

・❥・

There comes a time like everytime where Dream has to leave, and Tommys whining and Phils just trying to pay him while holding back Tommy from biting Dream. 

But this time, the two twins are looking at him, staring him down. It makes him nervous. 

-

Phil must have missed something, because Dreams picking at the skin around his nails like hes a child and its a bandaid, and Techno and Wilbur have something to say, definitely.

 The door clicks and Techno lets out a hum while taking Tommy out his arms, threatening to feed him to Techno-chan if he didnt shut up. It makes phil wonder why the dog was rubbing up against him and he was wet, once again. 

Wilbur looks like he has something to say still, but cant get it out. Its when Phils making dinner when they say something. Wilbur's first to speak up.

 “Tommy got burned.” hes barely heard over boiling water, but Phil can make it out. 

“Thats why he has the bandaid?” Phil can almost feel the nod. 

Theres a sigh and now Technos speaking.

 “Dream had a panic attack.” Phil turns and somehow doesn't drop his spoon.

 “... what?”

   “It was bad, dad. He was begging for me- or something- to stop- and- i think he thought i was going to… hurt him. ”

 Sometimes, Phil hates his dad instincts.

・❥・

╰┈➤ ❝ [𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐪𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.] ❞

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗/𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖇𝖞 𝖘𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙.] ࿐ྂ

• ┈••✦ ❤𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙢𝙥. ✦••┈•

<3

Chapter Text

❤❤❤

The Watson family is nice. Wilbur’s beyond sweet, and while he's intimidating with his size, Techno’s cool with a sense of humor. 

Tommy’s just an angel, even though he's tried taking a bite or two at his leg. And Phil- he's a god-send (Techno would despise the amount of religious terms). 

And whenever he’s with any of them, it feels nice. Like his two brothers aren't gone, like his dad isn't-

 He’s beside the point.

 Dream feels good with them, like he likes them and they like him. He's not the quiet kid, he's not the potentially sick kid, he's not the ab- he’s fine.

 He's a person with them. It's exactly why it hurts so much that he can't let them into his life. If they get closer, the more they’re bound to find out.

 The more they find out, the higher chance there is that they know, they know theyknowtheyknowtheyknow- 

And they can't know.

They can’t.

(He won't let another family get into his drama.)

❤❤❤

Phil’s confused.
 His child’s babysitter, Dream, was around the age of his kids. That’s why Phil didn’t understand how Dream was able to babysit Tommy in the mornings. 

Phil’s worried. He found his child babysitter, Dream, sleeping with his back exposed, showing him a huge gash across the child’s skin.

Phil’s even more worried. His child’s babysitter, Dream, had a fucking panic attack in the same kitchen he cooks in.

(“My…god, wow. Uh- how-how was it triggered?” Phil asks with concern clear in his voice.

 “Me and Wilbur think it was Tommy getting burned. I don't- we don't get why it triggered him. It's so- so worrisome.” Techno expresses coldly. 

“But… it was such a small burn? Accidents happen all the time, why would he be worried?” Wilbur traces the table before he speaks his thoughts.

 “Maybe he… what if he meant to, uhm- what if he meant to hurt Tommy? Then when Tommy freaked out, he did too, just way more.” Wilbur's voice was even laced with disbelief himself, as the other faces were.

 “But he's so sweet to Tommy. The other babysitters I got who were teens were so… disconnected from him, but Dream’s thoughtful when it came to him. It's not- that couldn't be possible?” Phil questions himself, a voice in the back of his head whispering he might be getting too trusting of Dream.)

Phil has had questions for a while, and he needs an answer.

❤❤❤

Phil is throwing on his jacket while Tommy bites his sippy cup aggressively with tears building up in his eyes when there's a knock at the door. The older opens it faster than he can think about what he's doing, letting in Dream, but Phil notices something that he doesn't voice. 

 Dream didn't say hello. 

it's not much of a difference, and it's not like it's a necessity for him too. It was just something Phil noticed in his subconscious.  Dream doesn’t get far before Tommy jumps on him, screaming nonsense.

 But something that interests Phil is he doesn't hear Dream saying anything back. 

Sure, he wasn't in the room, watching the interaction in the living room from the kitchen, so maybe he was nodding along, or maybe even speaking exceptionally quietly. All Phil knows is that Dreams not responding to his knowledge. 

The quietness to him and Tommy hints at guilt in Phil’s opinion, which throws off Wilbur's guess. Phil slips his phone into his pocket while he watches rather fondly while Tommy expresses loudly… whatever he's talking about.

 Phil has about 30 minutes before he has to leave, because of a mixup at his job, giving him time to ask Dream questions about what happened the last time he was here. He didn't know who to be worried about more, the safety of his child, or the mental health of his child's babysitter. 

Phil doesn't know what questions to ask first, ‘Did you deliberately try to hurt my kid’ or ‘Are you okay at home or school and should I call the damn police’. 

All Phil knows about this kid is that he wears green a lot, and he's good with Tommy. He hardly has any knowledge that will help him with this entire thing, and fuck, does that worry Phil more.

❤❤❤

It’s been about five minutes since Phil has let in Dream, and two of those were spent staring at the two life forms in his room interacting while he thought about how he was going to walk up to the teen.

 How can he do this without sounding insensitive, or just plain rude? He’s never had to think of these because usually, Phil had more context of what was happening. 

Tommy exclaims loudly and jumps with happiness after it seems that Dream nodded, the tiny child running up the stairs of his home with his hair flying free. 

Phil makes his move, walking as naturally as he can at this moment. It was obvious at this point that there was something up with Dream now. Phil feels moved to help or at least figure it out. 

❤❤❤

God, Dream really did think that the stares were over for a moment, but it seems like it runs in the family. he could feel Phil's eyes on his back while he did his best to communicate with Tommy without talking.

 The child didn't notice his quietness, but by the older’s actions, Phil probably took note. Tommy breaks the teen out of his trance with a shout that sounds like a question, so Dream smiles and nods, making Tommy's eyes glint as he runs up the stairs, leaving Dream to fiddle with his picked-raw fingers.

 (And he may have been looking down, but he could almost sense the adult-sized footsteps coming close to him.)

❤❤❤

Phil's worked out a plan on how to talk to him, and it's pretty simple. he makes a mental note to not freak out about stuff like this. He is walking up to Dream when he notices stiffness in his shoulders, Phil does his best to ignore. 

Phil forgets that he is dealing with a possibly traumatized child and sets his hand on Dream’s shoulder, almost immediately regretting his decision. Dream flinches hard, making Phil pull his hand back like he’s burned.

 “Prime, kid- sorry, should've asked if touch was okay…” Phil trails off a bit at the last part, while Dream straightens up and tries to act like he didn't just jump like someone was trying to hurt him. 

Like Phil was trying to hurt him. 

Dream nods in understanding, but Phil cocks a brow.

 why isn't he talking? 

"You okay Dream? As far as I've seen, you haven't said a word since you got here. not that you have to, it's just unusual." pointing this out to the teen doesn't release his tension, in fact adds more. it seems like even just Phil's presence is a problem.

 "s-so-rry." the voice is cracked and broken, and it shocks Phil because he knows it belongs to Dream. "Mate, you sound terrible. are you sick? can I get you some water?" Phil badgers with worry, his view of the kid worries him more and more. 

"I'm f-fin-ne-" Dream coughs hard, doubling over a bit. it takes most of Phil's willpower to not hug him or comfort him with any type of physical touch. he decides to distract his urges by going to the kitchen to get water.

 Dream’s clearing his throat by the time Phil has a glass with water in it, handing it to the teen silently. Dream accepts it, but doesn't drink it automatically, while Phil sits next to Dream on the couch. 

Dream holds for a bit more then takes a small sip, putting it back down and letting it rest on his lap again, Phil taking this time to observe the teen. he can't say anything about his face, the body part covered by a white mask. 

the second thing that caught Phil's eye was the turtleneck jacket, zipped up all the way to his neck. Phil wonders why he still has it on, given that the heaters are on and he's been in the house long enough to be warmer again.

 "what's with the jacket?" Phil asks, eyes scanning over the clothing. 

"cold." Dream gives a short one-word answer, running circles in the cup's glass while thinking of what he can do to break Phil's focus off him.

 "it's not so cold that you have to wear two pieces of clothing, I can see your hoodie." Dreams hands stop trailing along the cup, Phil notes, and he wonders if he made a mistake in any way. 

"I'm not saying that you have to take it off, I'm just wondering why you have it on." Dream visibly relaxes and breathes at the add-on, putting down his cup when he hears small padding footsteps. 

“LOOK GRENIE LOOK- MADE MORE PICTURE!” Tommy screams and Phil smiles with clarity. The bandaid is long gone, in replacement a tiny red mark on his thumb that’ll be gone in two days or so. 

But Dream can't seem to look away from it, his mask turned more to Tommy's thumb than to his face. A second hint of guilt, Phil notices, and starts to slowly stop believing what Wilbur said. Phil can see some pink and green on the paper and a sun in the corner. He doesn't know what it is, but thanks the heavens when he sees Dream crack the slightest smile from it.

 It points out Dream's cracked lips to Phil. “H-how pre-tt-tty.” Dreams voice jumpsscares both of the two other people in the living room. Tommy gets over the voice way faster than Phil, just giving Dream some type of shocked look for a second, but quickly fades. 

“Thanks you.” Tommy’s more calm,  now inspecting more of Dream's mask and his clothes. Phil suddenly feels blended into the background, when Dream’s mask locks right onto Tommy’s figure and just Tommy’s, and Phil can't even see his face but can just feel the stare he’s giving his child.

 It doesn't hit Phil at the time that his child barely has any sense of personal space when he grabs the jacket with his tiny hands and pulls it down with a blank look.

 “TOMMY-” Phil's scolding breaks off itself when his eyes go wide at the sight of purple covering his neck when he knows it shouldn't. 

“Bloody hell mate, that's a mark- are you- are you okay? I- let me go get some stuff to clean that-”

❤❤❤

Phil jumps up from his seat, so quickly that he doesn't realize that Dream's breathing has sped up and he’s obviously trying to calm himself. Tommy’s eyes are locked on the purple, not recognizing that it's a bruise and captivated by the pretty shade.

 Tommy keeps it pulled down, his head tilted just a bit to the side. Phil comes back extremely quick, first aid in hand. it’s then that he notices Dream's breathing patterns. 

“Oh- hey, hey Dream? Dream it's okay. Dream look- look at me-” Dream mask darts over to Phil, so he takes this opportunity to grab Dream's hand. The one in green flinches hard, and tries pulling his hand out of Phil’s two times until he relaxes just a bit, letting Phil drag his hand to his heart.

 At this point, Tommy let go of the collar. Phil lets his hand rest on his chest for a second before speaking up. “You feel that Dream? Do you feel the rhythm of my heart? It's not too fast, but not too slow either, isn't it?” it takes Dream a second, be he nods.

 Phil lets go of his wrist, but the hand still remains, feeling his heartbeat. The teen resists the urge to get closer to the feeling of thumps, to hold his ear to his chest and not only feel it against his ear but hear it, the steady beat repeating over and over. 

Again and again.

 Before Dream realized it, his own heart started matching Phil’s, a slow but fast rhythm repeating over and over, again and again.

 “Can you feel my chest rising, Dream? Slow, up and down?” and now that the elder pointed it out, he could feel that also. Up and down, up and down. A simple rhythm, something that Dream could follow easily. 

the teen lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Dream’s hand slips down a bit before he removes it completely, grabbing it and his own wrist, rubbing it. “Oh, did I hurt you Dream? Did I grab it too tight? I'm sorry if I did, do you want me to bandage it?” Dream shakes his head. 

“Di-didn't-t hu-u-rt-” Dream coughs into his arm, reminding Phil of his injury. After seeing it, Phil has a lot more questions. But Phil knows that Dream doesn't have the vocal cords to even answer. 

He sighs, opening up the first aid kits with ease, not realizing how this choice throws him farther down a hole he didn't wanna be in again. 

❤❤❤

“Okay…all done!” Tommys giggling from a show in the background called Trollhunters? If Dreams correct. It's pretty entertaining.  The teen pulls back when he registers that Phil voiced he was done, rubbing over his neck a bit. 

There are so many bandages that he can't even feel himself touching his neck. But his neck feels way better, it doesn't feel like his da- 

“Dream? There you are. I have to go to work soon but I have a few questions I'd like to ask. Is that okay?” The masked teen nods, also feeling himself tense.

 Phil hands him a notepad and pencil, and Dream can see on the first page there's written yes and no. Dream cocks his head to the side until he remembers how fucked his throat is. “It's just three, maybe four questions, and I'll be on my way.” Dream nods again.

 “Okay. did- did someone else do this to you Dream?” the teen does his best to not appear scarred, moving the pencil to circle around yes.

 He looks up at Phil’s face, and he has an expression of sadness, maybe a hint of anger?

 “I guessed. Uhm okay. So this question is just a question okay? It's not- just answer it truthfully.” Dream awaits his question.

 “Did you burn Tommy… on purpose?”

 Dreams shocked that he would ever ask that. He loves the little boy, truly, which is why there's bloody scabs in the shape of thin lines brushing up against the fabric of his hoodie now-

 Dream uses the pencil to quickly make a dark circle around no, then writes an exclamation mark. Once Dream answers like this, Phil sighs heavily. Even though if Dream did burn Tommy on purpose he probably would've said the exact same thing, but it gives Phil extreme comfort, just that answer.

 “Thank you for answering Dream. One more question because I must go soon.” Dream stays still.

 “Did someone do this to you, at home?” home.

Home was when he could come back from school and hug both his parents and not smell weed or drugs or alcohol on either of them. 

Home was when he could come home from school and take a nap without hearing screaming.

Home was when he could do his homework without the interruptions of his mother's cries.

Home was when his brothers were still there.

Dream circles no.

❤❤❤

Phil eyes the child, then the bandages on his neck. He can't tell if he's lying because he can't see his face. Dream notes that Phil’s looking and forces a smile, trying his best to not grip the notepad till it hurts. 

The only thing Dream could process in his mind at the moment was that he lied, he lied, someone who was nice enough to check up on him, someone who maybe, just maybe, could've helped him, he lied to. 

He feels so guilty, he feels so wrong. He’s a liar. He tries to reason with himself, he has his reasons for lying. 

If he didn't lie, he would've known, and he still remembers what happened last time someone knew, the yelling, the screams, the sobs, the death, the blood- 

The gunshot-

 “Did you hear me Dream?” he snaps out of it with a visible jump, trying to play it off with a laugh. Now that there's not much pain left, he is able to get out a small chuckle. Phil stands and rests the first aid on the table.

 “I gotta get to work now, or I'll be late. Thank you for answering my questions Dream. I’m really proud of you for telling the truth.” Dream’s heart flutters almost immediately after hearing “proud”.

 He doesn't know why, but being told that simple sentence made tears form in his eyes. His smile relaxes into a natural and real one as he tries to get his voice together. 

“Any-Any-t-ime, Phil.”

 “Can I give you a hug?” Phil asks, standing still. Dream mutters  ‘mhm’ and stands up. It doesn't scare him when arms wrap around him, softly and sweetly, but he does tense up way more. 

It surprises him, how gentle it is. The hugs his mom gives are firm, more of a ‘this might be the last time I ever see you” hug. 

But this? This is an “everything gonna be okay”, and that's the type of hug Dream’s needed for a while. He stands on his tiptoes to rest his head on Phil's shoulder and wraps his arms around Phil too. 

Dream untenses at a slowish rate, but still untenses. Dream feels so safe in his arms, he feels safe in the arms of a man he's known for a few days. 

That says a lot about him and the people in his life. Phil pulls away, and Dream catches himself before he mumbles out no. he pulls away too, and Phil is out the door.

 And Dream?

 Dream’s confused when he finds he misses him.

❤❤❤

Tommy is pouting, his Dad left again. But he has Dream! Tommy leaves in front of the TV and over to Dream, sitting next to him.

 Tommy wished his Dad hadn't covered up the purple, it was so pretty and Dream probably worked really hard to paint it. Dream notices Tommy's presence instantly, giving a smile. Dreams about to start talking, but it seems he forgot about his predicament.

 He points to his bag. Tommy lights up, and it somehow makes Dream’s day so much better. The little one jumps off the couch running over to the black bag. He fiddles with the zipper, not being able to open his from his excitement. Dream puts a hand on his shoulder as a way to ground him, to remind him he's still on planet Earth and he needs to take his time.

 Tommy doesn't get all of that from a simple touch but gets the overall point. 

Tommy slows down and when he has the zipper halfway down, he looks over to Dream for praise and approval. Dream smiles big putting his fist up. It takes Tommy a slow second, but puts his up too. Dream’s scarred fingers bump against his, then using the little bit of voice he has to make a "boosh" sound while slowly pulling his fist back.

 Tommy laughs, thinking it's one of the funniest things ever. Dream notes it. He points to the bag, reminding the child to finish. He pulls it back all the way and gasps. 

Spider-Man is the first one he sees, he sees tiny Spider-Man. He does a childish squeal when he sees Iron man, and basically all the Avengers. 

Dream doesn't jump when Hulk is pushed into his lap, but he is confused. He holds it up and shakes it, almost asking, what?

 "You geen, he geen!" Dream nods in understanding, knowing for a fact he would be on the floor dead from laughing if his throat would let him.

 "Play, we must play!" Tommy grabs Dream's free hand.

❤︎❤︎❤︎

The white wooden table in front of the couch was perfect to act as a frosty hill, where they fight the Hulk, who's the wife of some random other doll Tommy had named Samantha. Dream doesn't know where he got it, but since she was missing a leg and half of her hair gone, she might have been stolen. 

Hulk was, apparently, Samantha's “Pookie”, and she hired the Avengers to carry him back home bridal style in exact order. It had to be done exactly like that.

 Tommy calls in probably the highest voice he can muster, "Pookie! Come back now >:(." Yes, Tommy said mad face just to show him that Samantha didn't enjoy this.

 Tommy looked at Dream, signaling that it was his turn. "O-oh- n-o, I want freedom-dom-"  Dream clears his throat at the end. Dream moves the toy to show he's the one talking, then moves the legs of the doll to run away and jump off the table. 

Samantha gasps, And instead of Tommy making her walk over the table, Tommy climbs over it.

 “TO-MMY, WHA-T-T IN T-HE WORLD-”

 “POOKIE STAY WITH ME-”

❤︎❤︎❤︎

Hulk no longer has a leg.

Samantha no longer has a face.

❤︎❤︎❤︎

“Dreuam.”

“.”

“Dreuam.”

“.”

“DREUAM DREUAM DREUAM DREUAM DREUAM DREUAM DREUAM DREUAM DREUAM-”

“AHHHH STOP IT I’M WARMING- UP YOUR-R HOT DOGS STUPID CHILD-”

“SHUT UP F-FAG-”

“HOLY- WHAT?-”

❤︎❤︎❤︎

“Tommy, quit it.” 

Tommy continuously stabs Dream's chin with a plastic diamond Minecraft sword while he's focusing on braiding. He hears Abby Hatcher in the background, he has seen this episode before, and the family must be replaying it for Tommy.

 Tommy's first French braid is finished when he hears a yawn from the toddler, putting a soft smile on Dream's covered face. 

“Is someone tired?” The second he heard the sound come out of Dream's mouth, he started spitting out “BLASHMEPY” and more profanities.

 Because of this, Dream wasn't able to pick up on the sound of the door opening, until it was slammed shut.  

“Who here?” Too early for Phil, and too late for Wilbur (who was at his guitar gig). But also too early for Techno. And yet, his signature long pink braid and big, bulkyish form pass the doorway into the living room quickly and somewhat steadily. 

“What's up pinky-” There's a slam and a not-so-quiet “fuck”, gaining Tommy’s attention. Dream’s slightly shaky, he sounds mad. He can deal with upset kids, even upset violent kids, but not teens, not adults.

 “Stay right here baby. Okay?” Tommy is confused at the new name but nods, sitting in his chair. 

“Techno? You okay?” he hears him in the kitchen and sees his black bag on the chair that goes with the table.

 He inches slowly into the room, more and more, until he can finally fully see Techno. Dreams naturally shaky hands were nothing in comparison to Techno's body at the moment, violently trembling. The loose strands of hair from his braid went over his face, which was pointed down towards the table, along with his skating arms on both sides of it. 

“Techno?” his head shoots up, showing his tear-tracked face and frustrated facial structure.
Dream has never seen Technobalde like this.

 Not at school, not at home. He is chill, cool, calm, and collected. Even in fights, he's calculating, understanding, and always observing. He seems untouchable. 

Who did this? 

 “Prime, don't fucking look at me like this-” Techno moves his hands off the table, turning around and wiping at his own face while his chest puff air in and out, a bit too quick for Dreams liking. 

He sees his hand push back the loose hair, probably uncomfortable on his sweating forehead. They shake heavily and Dream doesn't know from which emotion. Techno mumbles something else and his fists ball up in his hair in a way that seems uncomfortable, pulling the hair out of the braid. 

 He growls,(Dream didn't even know he had enough brute in him in order to do so) and punches the counter again, cursing again a bit louder. He should check on Tommy. He peeks back and sees Tommy’s moved out of his chair, searching Dream's black bag again, squealing, and giggling. Like he's used to this. 

Dream needs to make sure this doesn't escalate. Just like he said, he doesn't know how much brutes in him. He doesn't know his mentality. He needs to shut this down as quickly as possible. 

“Techno, tell me what's wrong.”

 “NOTHINGS FUCKING WRONG DREAM, LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!” Dream takes a few steps back, looking at Techno's face as he turns around. 

His cheeks are red and his pupils blown, he's shaky yet firmly situated on his feet. He doesn't understand what’s wrong. He peeks again and sees Tommy looking over now, eyes a bit fearful. Now Dreams mad.

 “Techno-”

 “FUCK- LEAVE ME ALONE LEAVE ME ALONE LEAVE ME ALONE LEAVE ME ALONE LEAVE ME ALONE LEAVE ME ALONE-” His own nails drive into his palms, quickly dripping blood. 

Dream quickly reaches out to them, mind not caring if he gets hurt or not. He doesn't want him to hurt. He grabs his palm and pulls at his fingers, which have now turned to semi-claws?- 

Techno reacts quickly, pushing him back and backing up himself. Dream doesn't have enough time to balance himself out before his back hits the countertop, once again, twice in a row.  He winces, pulling himself back up, focused on Techno.

 He doesn't even know what's wrong, he doesn't even think there's anything he can do. It seems like he's manic, but Techno doesn't have mania or any mental illnesses that could cause such a thing. Or does he? He didn't- he doesn't know him like that.

 He stabs himself when he sees a blond. Blond bushy hair and oh prime it's little Tommy isn't it- 

Now that's all Dreams focused on. Keep Tommy safe, and unharmed. But Technos on him like that, grabbing at his wrists and pushing him right back up against the counter, his grip bruising. Dream doesn't think he noticed the little four-year-old watching with wide eyes.

 “TECHNO. FUCK- BACK OFF ME- TOMMY GO-”

 “Wait- t-Tommy?”

 Techno's head snaps over to where Dream looks and downwards, setting his eyes on the little boy staring right back up at him with tearful eyes. His shoulders weren't tense, eyes softened, grip relaxed, stance shifting back to normal. 

“Oh baby, I'm so sorry-” his apologies don't reach Tommy's ears before he releases a tight sob, lip trembling as he does.

 “Tech, p-please don't- hurt-hurt him-”  Tommy was hysterical, and Techno was quick to bend down and take him into his arms, wrapping himself around Tommy's protectively. 

Dream rushes over too once he somewhat recovers, sitting in front of Techno and shushing the tiny little boy, pulling his boy forward on Tommy and also Techno. 

He gives a small kiss to the little one's undone hair, telling him things such as “everything is okay toms,” You're safe, I got you. Me and Techno got you.”, “Don't cry I promise it's okay.” he looks up at Techno, but he doesn't get a look back. 

These poor little boys.

❤︎❤︎❤︎

Techno pets the child's back before sighing and relaxing against the counter with a sleeping Tommy resting on top of him. He didn't warn Dream so he quietly yelps, catching himself before he falls completely onto him, now uncomfortably laid up against Techno's closed arms.

 He looks up to him and sees his large tusks covering most of his face, but he can see the smug look. He feels his large arms slip out from the cage Dream put them in and he falls more onto Tommy this time, fully putting Tommy into a protective cocoon.

 He looks a Techno's arms and sees how awkward they look, he can see the urge to wrap them around someone.

Him?

Since Dream is a bit(a lot) shorter than Techno, he can't see his face, his eyes stuck on his twitching arms. Finally, he sees them actually move and then feels their presence on his back. He flinches, even though he knows what is happening, and Techno pulls back a bit. 

“N-no. you can, j-ust sud-den.” Techno doesn't reply, just puts his arms back onto him softly and carefully. Dream scoots closer to him, to the point his head rests on the other's chest. There’s a minute or two of comfortable silence, and Dream hasn't been able to say that in a while.

 He hears Techno's heartbeat, thumping against his chest, and feels him breathing up and down again and again. Then one of them speaks up. 

“Im…I’m sorry.” Dream looks up from the deeper voice, and sees his face. But Technos not looking back, he is looking to the side.

 Or more to Dreams wrist. 

“Techno. Look at me.” His cheeks look red, a deep red because of his skin tone, but meets Dream’s gaze. 

“I promise it's okay. Bruises heal. I'll heal. And Tommy-” 

“Fuck, Tommy- I’m sorry Dream. I don't know what happened. I think- I think I forgot my meds.” Dream cocks his head a bit, looking at him through his mask. 

“Meds for what, Techno?” he sighs heavily.

 “I- prime this is embarrassing. I'm schizophrenic. When I was telling you to- to leave me alone-” Dream was surprised he even remembered, 

“I was- I have these voices. I was talking to them. This wasn't exactly an episode, but not taking my meds can put me at higher risks for things like…what just happened. But this doesnt make an excuse for hurting you Dream, and I'm deeply sorry. It was my fault, I should've taken them.”  Dream listens, watches, and sees his fangs peek out every once in a while, and by the end he just cant contain his laughter.

 He feels Tommy startle a bit and Techno's playful annoyed gaze, but it takes a bit for him to stop laughing.

 “Sorry-sorry. Tech, I, literally had a panic attack in your kitchen like, what, two days ago? It happens man, it does. No blame to you at all. You're forgiven, is that what I should say?” 

“Not if you don't mean it.”

 “well i do Tech, i do.” 

(The older picks up on the nickname usage this time around, and he smiles. Not one of his more creepy smiles, or stupid smiles, his happy smile. Dream thinks it looks amazing on the boy.)

 “I forgive you.” Dream moves his hand to touch his, and grips it just a bit before moving it. 

There's a brief quiet once again, and Dream’s eyes feel heavy before a thought hits him. 

“You planned this, didn't you dimwit.” there's a grin on his lips to hint he was joking, but that doesn't mean Techno isn't going to laugh at the stupidity of his sentence. 

“Yeah, I just painfully pulled out like, a chunk of my hair to prank you. Get pranked, son.” Dream wheezes before saying “Don't ever use that term again Techno, never.”

 “or what?” the smaller smirks. 

“I'll mix ur playdough colors.”

 “... you're so fucking lame, Dream.” they laugh together like the last past 40 minutes didn't even happen, like they don't even exist, cuddled up with one another with a mere child to separate them. 

It's quiet again, much more comfortable than at first. Techno speaks up, once again. 

“Thank you, Dream.” 

“nothing to thank me for, Techno. Oh, one thing.” Techno hums. 

“Call me Clay. My name is Clay.”

❤︎❤︎❤︎

The key giggles in the lock, making a noise anyone could hear if they were in the kitchen or living room. The door opens, and Wilbur sighs, putting down the heavy weight of his guitar and backpack. 

 “TOMMY!” Phil elbows his son, a smile on his lips. 

“What if he's sleeping, Wil?” 

“Right. Like the gremlin even does so.” he walks to the kitchen to find any form of snack, quickly stopping at the door of the kitchen. 

“..Uh, Dad? I found Tommy. I think. I can't see him-”

 “Where's Dream, and shouldn't your brother be here by now?”

 “ Just come here, Dad.”  Phil walks over to his son after putting his coat up and keys down on the table.

They both find Tommy sleeping in the middle of two other sleeping bodies, Dream and Techno. Tommy and Dream were more laying on Techno as a pillow or bed, and while it didn't seem exactly the definition of comfortable, they seemed fine.

 Phil hears Wilbur's camera snap a photo before snickering, saying something about how Techno will never live this down. But Phil just looks at his three kids, all sleeping soundly. 

They look safe, and that's all Phil wants for them.

 Forever and always.

╰┈➤ ❝ [𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐪𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.] ❞
. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗/𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖇𝖞 𝖘𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙.] ࿐ྂ
•┈••✦ ❤𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙢𝙥. ✦••┈•

Chapter Text

❤🕷❤

The blond teen automatically finds that he’s waking up to sore, painful bones and pure screaming. Along with barking. He’s still at Tommy’s place.  It's obvious Techno’s in the same boat, pulling Dream closer to his body, seemingly as a way to keep him safe from any danger. 

Interesting.

“Let go of me.” Techno’s still a bit tired, making a sound of confusion before pulling him closer, cuddling the sheep hybrid. 

“T’ch-” his face is shoved into Techno's chest, hearing soft sounds of tranquility rising in his chest. “I-I know. Just gimme a second I'm still tired.” Dream makes a mental note to look up how many hours brutes sleep.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

“Techno.”

“Leave me the fuck alone Dream.”

“You're the one cuddling my body!”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

Am.Not.”

“Are too.”

“Shut up you fucking brat.

“Make me faggot.” 

Techno's grip gets tighter and his hand slides upwards before there's another loud bang from the kitchen they were sleeping in, successfully waking them both up.  But it was just Tommy in the possession of two pots, the baby's body flying in the air with Wilbur's two arms stabling him there. 

“I HATE YOU WILBUR. THAT WAS THE BEST SLEEP I'VE GOTTEN IN A WHILE AND YOU'VE RUINED IT-”

“WHATCHA GONNA DO ABOUT IT, PINKY?”

“ RUIN YOUR FUCKING BONES, HOW ABOUT THAT-”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

Dream’s never been the best sleeper, but when he finds he slept six whole hours, he's shocked. It's either three hours or none, so this is some improvement. Maybe he should buy a body pillow or something. Then, he's worried. Cold sweat forms when the realization comes to his foggy brain.

His mom .

He's always back at 5:30 pm, and Phil’s back at five. And it's-

“ 11:00?!” Clay vocalizes, making Techno jump, and some of the noise quiets down from the living room. 

Techno groans, rubbing at his eyes. Dream can tell by something that he's in discomfort, shoving himself back on him and making his skin touch his as much as possible, his ear on his heart. It's beating fast, most likely from jumping out his skin from the loud noise Dream made so suddenly, but his heart isn't beating as fast as Clay’s. Is his mom awake, alert, and mind thinking of the worst scenario? Or is she asleep, unaware her child is six hours late?

Dream’s delusional if he tries to go with the second. He should be jumping up, gathering all his things, and out the door and under a minute, forgetting even to say bye, but yet…

He's cuddling up on a piglin.

And he can't seem to move.

It’s not like Techno was holding him down or grabbing at him and now he’s forced to stay, it just that-

His breathing hasn't evened out yet.

He's not fully back to sleep.

Dream needs to put him back to sleep.

So he sits, mind racing and wondering how worried his mother is.

He's blinking back sleep when he realizes Techno's breathing is right back to normal, his whole body limp.

Finally.

He’s shifting, very slightly, when there’s an extremely frantic knock on the door. 

The dog, Techno-chan, barks at it as loud as possible, hearing Techno groan.

“I GOT IT!’ He can hear Wilbur yell, and wincing because of his sensitive ears and Techno.

 He hears the doorknob twist and opens the door, and before Wilbur can get a word out, there's a familiar voice. “Where’s clay?”

Dream should’ve known. Now he's rushing to his feet, but a pair of arms stop him. 

“No.”

“Techno, literally what the fuck. I need to go.”

“Nuh-uh.” Techno pulls him back down and closer to him, techno making this inhuman sound that he can only call a “brute thing.

And somehow, even with everything happening, he relaxes? The deep sound Techno makes in his chest is almost like chamomile, like melatonin, and he relaxes further into his lap. But then he hears Phil talking and knows he needs to get up, he can’t just go to sleep in techno’s lap while his mother is a few feet away, panicking because her child didn't come home.

 “Tech, my mom’s here I gotta go-” 

“Didn't know u had a mom..” 

“Yeah, well I do, so.” and Technos back asleep.

Fuck.

“MA, IM HERE! I OKAY.” now Technos fully awake, his grip undone and Dream’s able to get free. He steps out of the kitchen in a few steps, peeking his head out into the living room, ears flicking nervously.

 “Six hours. Six whole fucking hours-”

  “I know, I know. .” Puffy’s heels echo through the house she invited herself into, grabbing her child in a tight hug.

 “Oh, my baby… you worried me so much!”

 “I'm sorry. I fell asleep.” she pulls back in the hug just enough to see his face and for him to see hers too, a look of “oh really now” clear on her face, but she takes in her child's features.

 Puffy eyes and cheeks, ones he only had when he just woke up. She sighs and gives him a small smile. “I can't yell at you for that, can I.” the question is rhetorical, and it makes Clay laugh. 

“You're the mom.” Dream has a tiny smile on his face, it makes Puffy tear up. “Just tell me next time. Now we need to go home, we need to talk about something else.” Dream’s face goes neutral in a matter of seconds, nodding and taking a deep breath.

 “Bye guys, sorry for sleeping over like that. I don't know why I was so tired.”

 “It's cool dude, me and Phil know Tommy can be a lot.” and so can these nightmares, Dream thinks but doesnt express.

 He can hear Techno's footsteps before he's even fully out of the kitchen, turning around to face him.

“I didn't know your mom was here. Sorry.”

“Shut up.”

“...well fuck you too then, I take it back.”

“Loser.”

-

 The keys collapse on the table in the small living room, the mother immediately sitting down in the room. Clay does his best to go as fast as he subtly can before his mother says anything, failing his mission in a matter of seconds.

 “Clay.”

 “I'm sorry mom, you know that.” 

“No, just… don't do that again, my love. My heart is too weak baby. Also, there’s-” 

“I know Mom. I'm tired. I'm gonna lay down. Is that okay?”

 “...of course.” Dream goes down the dark dimly lit hall without another word, looking for his door.  He opens his door, goes through it, and lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding when he closes the door completely. 

He's by himself, and that's all he wants now. He slips off his bulky-ish jacket, throwing it on the floor. He sighs and walks to the bathroom, grabbing his towel on the way. He stops at the mirror, taking in his mask. 

There were small cracks from over the years, but the stupid drawn smile is still there. He looks like a fucking weirdo and snorts at his thought. he runs his shaking fingers on the back of his messy hair until he finds the tie, unclasping it as soon as he finds it with one hand skillfully. 

His eyes go to the mirror and quickly back down, shame, hate, and embarrassment hot in his cheeks. he catches the pure white on his neck, seeing how the long bandaid is already falling off. When he runs his hand on it, his hand gets somewhat sticky. Maybe the bandaid has medicine on it, put on by Phil himself. 

He keeps his hand on his throat, sliding it more and more into the position as if he were getting choked. Closing his eyes, he remembers the event that just happened a day ago. It happened in an instant. He didn't think he’d get mad. But he always knew that they were a sore subject, never fully healed from it. 

How could you when every day you live in a place that reminds you of what the grief did to you, how it got to your head? Clay's mind tracks back to how it felt, how he literally couldn’t get oxygen to his lungs.

 The screaming, the jiggling of multiple keys, the squeaking shoes, the pure anger. Clay takes a deep breath. That’s not the focus. The focus is to take a shower, get dressed, and go to bed. 

Speaking of going to bed, he doesn’t even think he’ll be able to after getting all that sleep with… Techno. He doesn’t exactly know how to feel about him.

 When Clay was still attending school, everyone saw him as this big… monster. Techno didn’t seem to mind, it seemed as if he thought it was funny even. All Dream saw was someone quick with their hands, and he hadn’t met someone new like that in a while. 

He would love to have a friendly brawl with him one of these days. He hasn’t boxed in a while, but he couldn’t be  that rusty. He doesn’t have a whole understood view of Techno, but he seems nice. and clay? He finds himself smiling while he thinks of him.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

Clay's eyes feel drowsy when he looks to the top left of his phone; 4:08 am. His mother has been fast asleep for five to four hours by now, adrenaline finally wearing off. But Clay can’t sleep. He’s tired, yes, but there isn’t a position comfortable enough, or the room isn’t cold enough, the pillows too hard- somethings always wrong, but this time it’s the first. So he spends his time scrolling online, watching short 30-second videos while wrapped in a blanket. He feels overly unproductive, and his room is a bit messy. After scanning his room with just his eyes for a minute and sees he can easily clean up his room, without many loud noises. He sighs when he makes a swift move to sit up, the blanket falling off his body. He quickly stands up and runs his hand through his hair, bending down to pick up the first thing he sees. It’s the jacket he wore yesterday, or a few hours ago? He doesn’t know. When he’s standing back up though, a piece of paper falls out, a small ripped piece of paper. He doesn’t remember putting this in his pocket. Picking it up and flipping it around, he notices a series of numbers, just enough to be a phone number. Then, right at the end, it’s a scribble of pink. Just baby pink, obviously made by a crayon. He realizes almost instantly it’s techno, rushing over to his phone he left on his bed to put it in. He puts in the last zero and enters his name at the top, before sending a simple message.

+440-873-3974

meow.

Techno

Woah, somebody pick up their fresky cat!

+440-873-3974

greetings, little piglin boy😈

Techno

How did you almost know my name?!

nippies 4 eyes

ur so cool for that

WAIT

THERES LITERALLY NOTHING LITTLE ABOUT YOU.

Techno

absolutely nothing? 

nippies 4 eyes

NOTHING.

Techno

How could you know for sure?

nippies 4 eyes

I LITERALLT SEE YOU EVERYDAY DUMBASS

wait.

.

.

.

read, 4:23 am

UR DIRTY.

GO SEEK JESUS.

Techno

You’re amusing.

I’m glad I snuck that piece of paper in ur pocket.

No but seriously, there’s literally nothing small about me, it’s scary.

Full blooded piglins can be up to eight feet tall on average.

Half blooded pglins can be up to seven feet

Now piglin Brutes are where it gets scary

nippies 4 eyes

Idk if I really wanna know this Techno…

Techno

Piglin BRUTES thay are half blooded(aka me) can get up to nine to ten feet tall

And

Full blooded piglin brutes can get up to eleven to twelve

But a brute named ⊑⍜⍀⌇⟒⊬ ⏁⍙⟟⋏☍⌰⟒ ⏁⍜⟒⌇was proven to be fifteen

So

That’s pretty cool

nippies 4 eyes

Techno

im telling you right

Now

That if you get thay tall

We won’t be friends

Andymore 

Techno

Anymore?

Who ever said we were friends?

Read, 4;25am

4:30am

Awe Don’t be like that Dream 

can’t take a joke?

Read 4:31

m sorry clay

That wasn’t nice of me

I sincerely apologize 

good

You better be

Stinky little pig

I forgot how sensitive sheep and lamb species can be

WE ARENT SNSTIVE PEOPLE

 I FUCKING HATE HOW E V E R Y O N E SAYS THAT.

you guys are like, super short to

The shortest full grown male sheep was like, 3 foot? 

And female was 2’11

Real cute

How tall r u?

Five foot 7

Much taller thay midgets

LITERALL midgets

im six foot 11….

em-barssing 🤓  

zTHSYS CUZ UR A PIG

ARENT YOU SHORT FOR A PIHLIN.

somewhat but I’m seventeen and we don’t stop growing until 23

By next year I should be seven foot five

we literally stop growing at seventeen…

I’m sixteen 

awe

ur a bby sheep

lil sheep

OH SHUT UP

HOW DARE YO

ILL IILL YOU

SHUT UP

say baa lil sheep

like this

baaa

IM NIT BAAING FOR YOU

read,4:34am

4:37am

what’s ur Venmo 

Or PayPal or wtv my dad pays you on

ur father pays me cash fag

why

I’ll pay you twenty

if u baa

for my amusement 

is 5is a fetish

da you like tiny people baaing for you

or is it just the sheep thing

this is beastsality 

I don’t support

u want ur twenty or no?

…

*voice message*

I never said voice message

but that’s literally even better

Techno screen recorded!

Techno

I don’t think you realize

that I’ll kill you if any1 sees that shit

casually sends to sapnap and George 

(Wilbur)

STOPSTOSPOPSTOPSITSOOTPS 

HE JUST STARTED TO LIKE ME LIKE ACTUALLY

UR SO MEAN

UR BLOCKED

THATS THE FINAL STRAW

PAUSE,

HOW DO U KNOW SAP AND GEO

school?

witerally

how dumb are you

THEY DONT FW U

we’re more acquaintances than anything

WHAT,EVER.

clay

wht 

why are you up?

ninya 

nunya what

nunya bussy 😈

WHAT.

BUSIES

BUSSINESS

IM SORRY

ID DIMWNA 

UR WILD

view one attachment

-

stinky willy 

WHO IS THAY

LIL SHEEP??

clay

you deleted a chat

It’s Dreams 

why do you terrioze ur

yk what

nvm

how much did u even even pay him for that

-

nippies 4 eyes

why he cuthis self off

what was he say 

 just because we’re twens 

doesn’t mean

 I KNOW WAHT HESTHINKING

twin telelpahty 

go to bed

right now

Farts(I actually had to fart rn)

u never did answer my question

What

Why are you up?

Seriously

Can’t sleep

Insomnia

Bro

Why wernt we friends sooner 

We’re literally the same

We are jot the same person

DANNY?

FUCK YEAH

NO ONE GETS THAT REFRENCE

HOOOOOOLY SHIT

WE ARE SO COOL

LOTERALLY

yesyesy 

but

go to bed

You have school tmr

and you don’t?

yeah actually

I always wondered how you could take care of tommy so early

Why don’t you go to school?

Do you do the online program?

I swear we’ve seen each other in person though

It was kinda a suspension

Oh

I got myself a bad boy over her 😈

Here*

Not rly

It’s because around this time

A rly turmatic event happened that can trigger my manic depression

So they don’t rly want me around

And yes I have it under control

I won’t hurt tommy

They’re just taking extra precautions 

You can ask them

Oh

Well they might not tell u but ykwim

Yeah I understand

Sry I’m not good wit

Being sympathetic abt this type of stuff

I’m not either

Trust me

Just go to bed

We can talk tmr

And I’ll get my twenty full dallor

Yesyes

Goodnight

Gn

Read, 3:27am.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

(Clay isn’t safe.

It’s pitch black, and it is spacious. 

It’s cold and dark, and wet.

It’s too big.

This isn’t a place of comfort.

This is a place of despair.

Clay isn’t very safe here.

Clay can’t talk.

Clay can’t walk.

Clay can’t breathe either.

It feels as if,

Hands are wrapped around his throat.

No,

Not his throat.

It’s directly on his windpipe.

Clay can’t breathe here.

It’s white, grey and loud.

There’s buzzing.

And the sounds of police sirens right outside the door.

Clay was never safe around him.)

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

Clay wakes up once again and automatically realizes he’s had a nightmare. His cheeks feel hot with shame as he walks, his cold pants a reminder of why he shouldn’t drink too much water before bed. He takes off the sheets and throws them into the full hamper, knowing he’ll have to wash soon.

He leaves his room to see an empty living room and a closed master bedroom door.

(She mourns her dead children instead of nourishing the last one she has alive.)

Clay doesn’t have school but isn’t sure if he has babysitting or not. Clay skips breakfast, his limbs feeling too sore for cooking. He throws on a grey sweater, covering most of his scars. His throat feels much better, and wonders what type of medicine was on those bandages.

 Speaking of them, Clay goes to the bathroom to take them off and find his mask. He shuts the bathroom quietly, breathing a deep sigh. He walks up to the sink, trying not to look at his face as much as possible. He quickly snaps his mask across his face, letting out a breath he didn’t remember holding.

 He lifts his chin to see his neck more, trying to pick at the tape holding it together. It finally peels and it all starts to unravel, with the help of his pulling hands. He was already basically done in a few seconds, almost a minute, eyeing his neck. 

It looked good as new, with a few blotches here and there. He huffs a laugh, ironically of course;

His father was always shitty with his hands.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

“DWREAM!”

“TOMS!”

“I MISSED YOU!”

“Yes yes, Tommy knows. Now Tommy bored. Tommy very bored.” Tommy says, emphasized with a single bark from Techno-Chan. 

He's sat with his tail wagging, it's so obvious the only thing he wants to do is jump on Dream. He tells Tommy to back up a bit and Dream opens his arms, seeing the dog's demeanor change.

Tommy’s shoulders go down an exaggerated amount; a full pout on his face.

Clay quickly “awes” him and opens his arms for an embrace, feeling Tommy run into his arms.

“I brought something special today.” Clay whispers in Tommy’s ear, making the baby squeal and nod his head. He picks him off his feet before feeling something faintly hit the top of his head, scratching his ears just a bit and making them shake.

 “Woah little sheep, those ears are jumpy.” 

“DON'T CALL ME LITTLE SHEEP!”

“So much anger for such a little body.”

“I will consume you and your height.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever. See you after school, and make sure you look down.”

The door clicks silently, but Clay hears a little “wait up!” That sounds distinctly like Techno.

He looks down at his feet and there lays a neatly folded twenty, one perfectly lined crease in the middle of the twenty. 

Clay finds himself fondly smiling at the bill, squatting down with a grunt to pick it up.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

“I’m BORED. BORED, BORED, BORED, BORED BORED.”

“I AM LITERALLY LETTING YOU BRAIED MT HAIR RIGHT NOW.”

“BRAIDING YOUR HAIR IS BOR-ING.”

“...wow. That hurts my feelings.”

“Oh no. Tommy so sorry.”

“No. Tommy isn’t sorry.”

“TOMMY IS SORRY DONT DARE LIE ON TOMMY!-“

“YOUR NEIGHBORS CAN AND WILL A FILE A NOISE COMPLIANT AND TAKE YOU TO JAIL TOMMY-“

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

“So…” Tommy drags the o, his chubby hands, and arms in the middle of his legs.

“There’s nothing in the fun bag for Tommy right now.”

“Right now? Does that mean that it will magically appear soon?”

“We can say that.”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

“Tommy. You knotted my hair.”

“No. Tommy made it amazing, delectable, beautiful-“

“YOU DOUBLE KNOTTED IT.”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

Clay screams at the top of his lungs, as the wild child chases him for the black bag in both his arms. He does a three-time loop around the counter and jumps over the table, but it isn’t any use. The child catches up to him easily, too easily. 

But he hears the opening of the door and runs to it, not caring who it is.

“WRAP HIM IN A NET I’M SCARED SAVE ME-“ he hides behind whoever came through the door, hoping their body was big enough to be covered.

“What happened to ‘hi’? Hello?” 

Clay knows that voice.

He jumps away as quickly as possible as if he is toxic. Techno laughs, but subconsciously yearns for the bit of touch Clay gave him with his fingers on his back. 

“Hi, Tech-no.” Clay overpronounces his name.

“Hallo, little sheep.” Techno says, in a weird accent he can’t seem to place.

“WOULD YOU DROP THAT ALREADY-“

“I HEAR YOUUUUUUUUUU-“

“Why does Tommy sound like that? CLAY WHAT DID YOU DO.”

“THE SUPER SECRET SUPRISE BAG 3000 WAS TOO POWERFUL-“

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

“Fine! I give up. Take the treasure, Captain Tommy.” He hears an evil giggle before his tiny body scoops up the… rather light bag.

 “OPEN TECH.” the piglin takes his claw to delicately open the zipper, that indescribable sound echoing in the house. 

“ITS- bag. Two bags. In a bag. we were… deceive.”

“You mean deceived.”

“Are you guys still doing the pirate role-play? I wanna play with the water balloons.” 

 Tommy drops the bag, looking at Wilbur with a surprised and confused face.

 “WHAT?”

“YEAH, THE BAGS IN THE BAG ARE BALLONS.”

“...why are they so... small.”

“You have to fill them up stink.”

“Ah, Yes. Tommy knew that. GO FILL UP NOWNOWNOW!”

“WERE GOING JESUS-“

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

Wilbur runs after Tommy as to get a hold of him, the little one he was running after having now red bottoms on and he takes a huge leap to hit the grass, Wilbur, Who’s now in black trousers takes a deep sigh and leans against the back door. 

“Hey, Tommy! I love that red, do you remember what shade it is?” Tommy pulls at the bottom of the leg on his shirt just enough for him to see and answers “... Venetia?”

 “YES! Great job Tommy!” Tommy giggles, feeling his cheeks heat up with embarrassment. 

Techno sees the interaction and feels his face pull into the smallest little smile.

He understands why Phil kept him as Tommy’s babysitter now.

“You like him?” Wilbur's breathing is even again, looking at Techno with a small smirk.

 “Depends on what you mean.”

“You know exactly what I mean. ”

“...I think I'm starting to.” 

“Knew it. TECHNO AS A CRUSH, TECHNO HAS A CRUSH-”

“I FUCKING TOLD YOU I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT YOU MEANT-”

“Hey! You guys coming?” Clay doesnt see either of them just yet, but he does hear them. They turn the corner, becoming visible in only a few seconds, Clay darting his eyes between the twins quickly and looking away. 

Wilbur talks to Tommy about something and they run off a few feet away, Techno quietly coming up to Clay’s side to see what he’s doing. 

“Never thought you’d look like one of us fellow peasants.” Techno “pfts”, his ears twitching and the gold jewelry he chose to leave in jiggles.

 “ Yeah. you though, you don't look dressed for getting hit about, what, twenty times with cups of water?” Dream huffs and shrugs.

 “ this hoodie needed to be washed anyway. And since it's around five, your dad should come home soon and so will I. Now, what’s with the white tee?” Clay didn’t mean to look, but he still saw Techno's fist ball up lightly.

 “I don't want the water straight on my skin. “it's the quickest Techno has ever answered him, and that's what confirmed to Clay it was a lie. 

“Sure.” Clay squats, grunting when he attempts to twist on the balloons. It only takes a few seconds for Clay to be abnormally frustrated, gripping the hose attachment much harder than needed, his hand a fist.

 Clay jumps when he feels rough, jagged hands run over his, in a back-and-forth motion. People always say that the softer the hands are, the more calming and relaxing it is to be touched by them. Clay finds he doesnt agree. 

The different abnormal textures located everywhere give his brain much to concentrate on, rather than focusing on the balloons. 

“Breathe, clay. Take it slow.” Techno takes his thumb, smooth but hard skin, and runs it in circles over Dream’s connection to his thumb to the palm.

 “I’m fine. Get off, dumbass.” Techno ignores the boy, moving his fingers to place them right over Dreams, slightly gripping them. Clay flushes to the point he's glad Technos over him rather than next to him, as he couldn't handle the utter embarrassment of being seen like this over a  few touches. 

Rather… romantical touches, if you will. 

Before Clay knew it, his hands moved with Technos almost gracefully, twisting it off to retwist it, correctly.

 “All you have to do next time, understand? Calm down.” 

“don't tell me what to do assface.” Techno ignores him again and slaps him on the shoulder, something that reminds Clay that they’re bros, best buds, not gay. Ew. well, not ew but- you know.

 Clay twists the water on, watching as the balloons fill up rather quickly and ohnotheyreliterallyabouttoburstopen- clay quickly turns the water off and they fall off by gravity and psychics or whatever, right into the bucket. 

“Uh… all finished?” Clay yells in a somewhat confused tone, feeling like it was too easy. He hears Tommy’s squeal and huffs a laugh, putting a hand on his knee to get up. The gremlin randomly appears in his vision, reaching into the basket and grabbing one to squish, making the little one giggle. 

“Okay! Tommy, wanna be on my team?” Tommy looks up and his eyes sparkle, looking away and clearing his throat. “Tommy…suppose.” 

“yay! What's our team name, toms?” Tommy looks around for something random and sees his black bag. There's something else in it, something he remembers seeing a lot. 

He leans his whole body to try to see it a bit better, finally finding the perfect angle to see. 

“...disc?” 

“disc… DISC DUO!”

 “Wha-” “Okay! We have our team name, Techno and Wil!” 

“yes.” “WE HAVE OURS TOO!” 

“NO WE DON'T WIL, I HAVE NEVER AGREED TO ‘TWINS DUO’-” 

Interrupting Techno, he feels water dripping onto his scalp, but sees Tommy’s devious little smile. 

“I will end you, toms.” 

The toddler giggles.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

Everything.

Everything is wet.

It is all wet.

The walls.

The grass.

The people.

Speaking of the people, it was all just yells. Yells, screams, slipping, but most importantly,

Laughing.

  It’s a toddler and three immature teens, what can you expect, right? But the pain that they’ve all been through, the everyday problems, the stress. This amount of pure happiness wasnt gonna happen every day. 

They felt like… immature teens. Stupid, unreasonable, brainless little kids. 

That's what they all yearned for, for years.  

They knew it wouldn't last forever. 

But this is good enough.

“T-TOMMY,” Dream wheezed, “TO YOUR RIGHT??” Tommy looked left, the older forgetting that a seven-year-old has no REAL SENSE OF LEFT AND LITERAL RIGHTS-

 Tommy’s hair gets soaked when it hits him in the head, looking to where it came from and finds Techno, with hands full of balloons. Everything about him is soaked in cold water, getting colder by the second as the sun goes down. 

As he betrays his team member and throws one at Wilbur,  he has a clearer view of his shirt now. He put on a white one, but this one was incredibly  thin, so it clung to his body as much as possible, Dream being able to make out every defined line on his stomach.

The defined scars.

There was one huge one that was the most visible, running diagonally on his whole torso leading to his… area. Dream tried to guess what type of blade was used to cut through it, but he couldn't come up with anything. 

The shirt was thin, yeah, but not thin enough. But he could see other cuts, big and small. He could see circular healed wounds, but not big enough as a gunshot. No.

 those were cigarette burns. 

Dream was staring for just too long because Techno caught his eye. Dream's first instinct was to advert his gaze, but that wouldn't do anything. 

“I'm cold. I'm going back inside.” Techno always had the same expression, as he does now, but something was different. 

Fuck.  

“me too.” Dream announces, and grabs a towel he set up outside. There were only a few balloons left, so Tommy and Wilbur would be done soon.  Wilbur looks between the two of them with a look of “What did you do”, and Dream shakes his head, walking behind Techno at a distance.

 The pink-haired boy is letting down his hair actually, his towel in hand. His ears twitch when he starts at the top of his head, rubbing it aggressively. Its obvious Techno knows he's there, but he doesn’t acknowledge him. Dream doesnt know what to say, because he knows he didn't do anything wrong. He noticed something and wanted to examine it further.

 So Clay starts drying himself too. Techno is in the middle of his hair when he speaks, “Why did you…look.” there wasn't a questioning tone, but it wasn't rhetorical.

 “I wanted to know what blade the cut came from. The shirt was too thick to see honestly.” Dream answers honestly, he truly has nothing to hide in this case.

 “What does my scar, ” Techno turns around, his towel-covered hand still scrunching at his hair, “have anything to do with your gaze.” Techno's tone isn't dark, or cruel. It's protective. 

Techno is in protective mode.

 Techno doesnt like that scar. But if anything, Dream should have that tone. No normal person has that type of scar, so what or who did he fuck around with that he got it? Dream should be scared, should be protective of his safety. Clay forms a noticeable glare, picking up his towel from his legs.

 “I never said it did. I was just-”

 “You didn't have to say. It's obvious you think you have business looking at me.” 

“so, what? You're this, this untouchable king or something that if someone looks at, they're sentenced to death?” Techno's eyes widen through his glasses, ears flopping just a bit more. 

“Dude- I never said that.”

 “you didn't have to say. It's obvious. ” Techno rolls his eyes, teeth bared. 

“You- you looked at me. I hate that. ” 

“then maybe don't go outside? I don't know what to tell you, dude.”

 “no-no. You looked at me. Im not my face, my hair, or my skin. I’m my memories, the things I say, the things I do. I’m my… scars.” Dream’s gaze softens. He's attempting to understand.  

“That’s why you wore a shirt.”

 “no one needs to see me, especially you. No one should see me.”

“...You haven't made peace with them.”

“Pardon?”

“It's fine, I haven't either.” dream is visibly processing. Then laughs. Genuinely laughs. At Techno? His fist balls up. No. not at Techno. At himself.

 “Can I show you something?” you can't see his face, but you can sense a smile. Techno nods. Dream pulls his shirt off and Techno looks to the side while he does, hearing how wet it is. 

“Look.” it's one word, and Techno listens. Dream turns around, his back to Techno's face. “Oh fuck. That had to hurt,” Techno winces as he sees the also diagonal slash across his back, quickly identifying the knife as a skinning knife.

 “No one ever seen me either, Techno. At least in the sense you're talking about.”

 “takes a lot of balls to do that then. Like, fourteen of them.” 

“yeah, I have like, fifteen. I'm sure you have more though.” Dream’s beady-eyed mask stares at him, and Techno knows he doesnt have anything better to do than throw him a long-sleeved shirt. 

“Put that on.” 

“show me.”

 they said at the same time, only one of them stopping dead in their tracks. “Look, no one forced you to show me… you.”

 “no, I forced myself. So you can be comfortable enough to accept what happened. I'm not even asking how that happened to you, I'm just asking you to show me you.”  

“You're a stranger, clay. You're overstepping.”

  “overstepping literally is my middle name.”

 “that's literally not what literally means.” 

“shut up.” 

“Why do you even need to see it? Do you wanna… laugh at it in a better light? Prime, you're confusing me.” Techno keeps his back to Dream while he lifts off his wet shirt.

 “...There aren't many people with scars like ours. I think I'm just getting carried away since I found someone like… me. ”

 “ 'm not anything like you Dream, and you should be glad about that.”

 “Let me finish.” Techno stays silent. 

“I also think,” Clay takes a deep breath, 

“Your scar is… pretty.”

“....So how mentally deranged are you?”

“Very. doesnt change the fact though.”

“Are you gonna give up if I say no again?”

“...Yeah, probably.” 

Techno grabs his clean and dry shirt off the table.

And turns, without the shirt on his body.

Instead of brown, like Dreams, it's a deep pink, borderline red. It's a thick cut, and it can only come from one weapon. 

“.Who the fuck hit you with an axe? ”

“You implied no questions asked.”

Dream rolls his eyes.

“Techno.”

“What.”

“Can I, like-”

“Don't say some stupid weirdo shit.”

“-Touch it?”

Techno stares at him blankly, putting his glasses on.

Techno realizes they're dirty and cleans them off with his new shirt he hasn’t put on yet, taking a few seconds to do so.

” you comin’ to me or?” Dream sounds an “oh” before walking up to him in a few steps, taking off his fingerless gloves, revealing unhealthy amounts of little cuts. Techno diverts his eyes. His fingers untense and reach out, but return as if it could burn him. 

But his hand goes back in, inch by inch, while Techno watches with careful eyes. His cold fingers touch right under his pec, feeling Techno’s soft jump. Clay mutters a soft “sorry” before moving his fingers down the jagged line. 

“It's so.. Smooth.” Clay spoke in an undertone. “Black and White cream would do that. Used to be… hard and ragged.” Like the axe that pierced through his lung, wishing for death- Techno feels a soft and weak poke near his happy trail.

 “You tryna get in my pants or something, Westaken?”

  “Actually, yes. Where does it end, right there, or lower?” Clay looks and him and tilts his head to the left, looking at Techno's eyes more than anything. 

It takes him a second or two, but he processes what he just said. 

“Uh- sorry, I didn’t- mean it like that.” He shakes his ears and head lightly, backing off and pulling his hand off Techno's torso. 

He grabs it almost immediately, putting it back on his skin.

“ No-” he clears his throat. “It's fine.” Techno adverts his eyes again. “How many- uhm- years do you think it is?”

“Hm.” Clay does a quick run-over on the whole thing, tracing the scar with his fingertips.

 “I'd give it five.” but where would a twelve-year-old get such a scar? No questions asked runs in his mind over and over again.

 “It's pretty, Techno.” the pink-haired hair boy raises an eyebrow.

 “and how so?”

 “You don't see it?” Clay sounds confused, genuinely confused.

 “...no?”

“You already have this pink for skin, making the scar and beautiful red. The thickness usually takes over the look of the whole torso, but for you, it gives you a pop. the shape is ragged but still controlled and healed. And most importantly, it has a story. A story you aren't willing to tell, but it's still a story.” Clay ends by dropping his hand to his side, then grabbing Techno's new shirt off the living room table. 

“You're crazy.” Techno slides it on and pulls it down, but not without the shirt catching on his tusks. 

 “I know.” Clay smiles under his mask. 

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

“AND THEN TOMMY, HE LIKE, LITERALLY JUMPED ME-”

“Tommy did do this-”

“AND COMSUMED A PATCH OF MY HAIR.”

Tommy looks to Wilbur, then Techno, then Clay. “Yes... Tommy may have done this.” Techno-chan paddles up to Tommy, nipping at his leg and panting.

 “That’s awesome. I wish I had seen it Toms. How about you do it again for me?-”

 “OH FUCK NO-”

 “Tommy wouldn't mind such things-”

 “Guys wait I left my phone on the counter-”

-

After calming Tommy down with a sippy, Wilbur asks a question he’s had for a bit. “What happened?” 

Techno and Dream look at him, Techno's hand skillfully untying the hair knot in Dream's head. “Earlier? You guys just walked back inside, but there was an obvious problem..” Techno's eyes draw away from Wilbur and back to Clay's head of hair, looking through his low glasses.

 “I forgot to pay Dream his twenty.” there isn't a pause, or a stutter: hell, he didn't even have to think about it. But that wasn't the case . Techno lied. And he did it so perfectly, so flawlessly that it fooled his twin. You don't just learn to lie like that in a normal home. But then again, Techno looks far from normal. 

“Yeah.” Dream adds, a bit less convincing. But Wilbur isn't focused on him anymore. “ Dream, look-” Wilbur speaks in a whisper, but Techno picks up on it. Dream looks down to his lap to see Tommy unmoving but still breathing, eyes closed, still stubly sucking on his sippie like a pacifier. 

He’s asleep.

 “He hasn't just randomly fell asleep in ages. ”

 “I wonder why.” Techno says with no real query in his voice, nor sarcasm. 

“My little brother used to love background noise. If my family were in the living room and I had him, he'd just fall asleep, his little head rolled over. It was the sweetest thing.” Dream laughs at the memory quietly, looking at Tommy fondly.

 “... you have a brother?” Wilbur cocks his head. “I suppose it makes sense, You're great with Tommy.” Techno assumes.

 “Yeah. I have two, actually.”

 “why didn't you ever tell us?”

 “never really came up.” Techno raises an eyebrow and gives a look to Wilbur, looking over his glasses. 

“The only reason you come over here is to babysit our little brother , and it's never come up?” Techno rhetorically asks. 

“You're a bad liar, Dream. ” Clay laughs. 

How ironic.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

“Clay!!” Ranboo jumps in happiness by the door, giggling when Clay picks him up and blows raspberries on his neck.

“I missed you!” 

“I missed you too ran! How's mom?” Clay keeps Ranboo on his hip, walking through the place and to his mom's room. “Oh, mommy said not to go in there, that she was napping .” Ranboo answers with this sweet innocence, one clay can't bring himself to even ruin, no matter what. 

But Clay knew what it meant. 

Clay knew what she implied.

 “Clay? Is mommy okay? Do the police have to come back again? It's so loud when they’re here.” they walk past their father, passed out drunk on the couch. 

“No! Of course not Ranboo! Mommy said she wanted to sleep she's just going to sleep.” 

“You're a bad liar, clay.”

-

“Says the one in a hospital bed.” Clay, Dream looks with soft eyes, but a small smile from the memory, hearing his little brother's soft, dying heart.

If only he told him sooner, you know?

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷❤༊*·˚⋆·˚ ༘

“You could lay him in the crib, the basinet, uh, the other crib-”

“The basinet should do, right?”

“Yeah! Lay him down and you should be free.”

“Got it!”

“Okay, also, my dad apologizes for the hold-up, said his boss just needed him for another hour or two. He should be back in a few minutes.” 

“Yeah! Yeah okay!” Wilbur shuts the door quietly, and Dream looks down at the baby in his arms.

Soft pale skin, long black eyelashes, dirty blonde wild hair, and small chubby cheeks. 

He almost looks like Tubbo, if you changed the eye color and the hair. (and the cheeks, they were much more sunken in from  when Dream last saw him).

 yes, Dream can lie. He can say he's over it.

(“Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.” the doctor speaks with a controlled tone, but there's this minuscule shake.

  He hasn't gotten used to it . 

“For short, ALL. It's stage two, luckily. This means the cancer has grown and is present, but it hasn't spread yet. But it's getting to the size where it's about to. We have a few options to treat it before it gets out of hand. There's-”

“Why not surgery?” the doctor looks to the freshly thirteen-year-old, sitting uncomfortably, or as comfortable as he can as a long-limbed boy.

 “...too risky for a child this age. We can try, but it is not recommended.”

 “We know. I did research.” Mrs puffy says almost proudly, and the doctor does his best not to roll his eyes. 

“So, I will give you guys a chance to think about it.” there are two papers in his hands now, hand one to both of the parents present. “There you can see all the options you all have.”

 “wheres my paper?” clay asks with genuine question, and the doctor laughs. But the parents look at the doctor too, Jschaltt with a bit more threat.

 “Do you think our son is too dumb to give his vote? He asked for this child, Doctor Jones. He's a part of this child's life. ” 

“Yes, I see. Apologies. I'm sure I have another copy.” but Clay isn't focused on that anymore. He’s looking at his brother. 

Tubbo. 

Soft pale skin, long black eyelashes, brown wild hair, and small chubby cheeks. 

“He’s… so young. ” too young .

 “Exacctly, that why we are going to do everything we can to help him.” once the doctor said that, clay had hope .

 Clay felt better.)

But do you ever really get over a little sibling's death?

As a matter of fact,

Two?

2:34 am.

(dont ask.)