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So there Schlatt sat, watching as his son walked across the stage, getting his diploma. God was he proud of that kid, how hard he fought to get here, to be able to do this.
He knew Tubbo struggled in school but every step of the way Schlatt was there to push him, to help him the best he could.
He wanted the best for him, and he got that, his son can reach for the stars.
But sitting in this gym again, in the front row again, in a suit again, it reminded him of the last time he was here. His little brother, Travis’s, graduation.
He remembers cheering just as loud as he did for Tubbo, for Travis.
He remembers the grin Travis had on his face like it was yesterday yet it was now years ago.
Schlatt had helped Tubbo get ready for grad, of course! What kind of father would he be if he didn’t? “Dad I can’t- get it!” Tubbo says frustrated letting go of his forest green tie, he had been trying to tie it for 20 minutes now.
Schlatt chuckled softly,
“It’s alright big man, watch.” He said softly, standing in front of his son, doing the tie-up for him.
“-Schlatt I can’t get it! I need it to be right!” A much younger Travis said, anxiously, and 22-year-old Schlatt set his little infant into a baby bouncer, going up to the shorter brunette.
“Trav, breathe. Watch this?” He said with an easy smile on his face, slight nerves in his eyes.
Their parents weren’t… Wonderful, Schlatt had custody of Travis since Schlatt had been 18 and Travis had been 14, now Schlatt was 22 and Travis was 18. But Schlatt had to take on that fatherly role that Travis only ever had through him when they were growing up, doing the best he could.
He spent hours learning to tie a tie for Travis. Schlatt smiled as he finished tying it, “Thanks Schlatt!” Travis said with a wide grin as he looked in the mirror.
“Dad, can we get the yellow and blue flowers for the picnic tables?” Tubbo asked excitedly, they were shopping for his grad party.
“Yellow and blue? I mean we can but why kiddo?” Tubbo flaps his hands excitedly, looking up at his father. “They’re our colours!”
Schlatts heart was so full, he adored how kind-hearted and just sweet Tubbo was, he was an amazing kid. He reminded him a lot of-
“Travis, buddy c’mon we gotta pick out the flowers for your party, you’re graduating! It’s okay to go all out!” Schlatt said as they walked around the shop, Travis shifted nervously.
“Are- You sure? It’s not gonna be too expensive?” Travis asked softly, picking at his nails anxiously.
Schlatt stopped at that, turning around to look at him. With a serious expression, he looked the younger boy in the eye, “Trav, prices don’t matter, we- You shouldn’t have to worry about prices, just pick what you think you’ll like best.” He said gently. Travis nodded before leading Schlatt to some daisies,
“These ones,” Travis said, looking up at his older brother.
Tubbo was pacing nervously, it was two days before grad, they had almost everything, and everything was set. All that’s left is the day of set up.
Schlatt knocked on Tubbo’s bedroom door, “You coming for dinner?” Schlatt asked as he opened his son's bedroom door, raising an eyebrow as he sees him pacing.
“Oh- kid are you alright?” He asked, sitting at the desk chair that he normally sits at when they have important bedroom talks as they call it.
And soon Tubbo started ranting, about his fear of graduating, about how scared he is for the future. Schlatt had heard this before, he heard it all from, Travis.
“Schlatt you don’t get it, they- they all said I’m gonna do nothing! Never go anywhere!” Travis says distressed as he flaps his hands.
Every adult other than Schlatt in Travis’ life had been so hard on him, convinced he wasn’t gonna graduate, that even if he graduated it’d be a miracle that he became something all because of his dyslexia and autism.
“Trav, they don’t know you the way I do. I’ve watched you grow up. You’re a fucking amazing kid, and all those teachers and those fuckin’ assholes who share our blood who said that shit to you? They’re all pricks, we’re all cheering you on, me, Ted, Charlie, Connor, Noah, and Wilbur? We all cannot wait to see you and Cooper walk across that stage.”
Schlatt, Ted, and Wilbur were all hanging out on the last weekend before their kids, Tubbo, Ranboo, and Tommy walked across the stage. Schlatt was undoubtedly stressed, he’s done this before but it’s still scary.
“I- hope I did it right,” Schlatt says, looking exhausted.
“You did amazing with him man, as good as you did with Travis,” Ted says patting Schlatt on the shoulder, because he did do a fucking awesome job.
He raised Tubbo into the greatest young person he could be, albeit a bit troublesome at times, Tubbo's still fantastic.
Schlatt was falling asleep as he stood, it was so late, he was decorating their little apartment for Travis and Cooper's shared grad party, and he had Noah, Cooper's brother helping him. Travis and Cooper were having a sleepover, in Noah’s apartment a couple of doors down so the two older boys decided to take this time to do whatever last-minute things they needed while the older two were busy plus Schlatt’s baby was asleep.
“Do- You think he’s gonna mind that I- Couldn’t do much?” Schlatt asks the light-haired brunette across the small living room from himself, a nerve in his voice he hasn’t shown much before; only for Trav.
“Course you did big guy, you did the best you-”
“Could you stop movin’ so much? We’re trying to get pictures here!” Schlatt huffs with light-hearted frustration as he, Ted, and Wilbur were taking pictures of their kids the morning before grad, they had traveled not far outside of their small city to some grassy hill to take some nice pictures.
All the kids, Tubbo, Ran, and Tommy, were tired; complaining about the early morning.
“Nope, shhhh, shut, close the yappers, and stand nice, we told you guys it was gonna be an early morning!” Ted says, energetic as always, while Wilbur stifled a laugh as the three grads groan at this, but stop complaining and do as he says; though, Ranboo strikes a very… Dramatic pose after that arms up, hit jot out.
At that Schlatt snickers and nudge Wilbur, “Like father like son, ay?”
“It is way too early for you to be this excited,” Cooper says as he stands still while Noah fixes his tie he took off while Travis was rocking on the heels of his shoes and flapping his hands excitedly.
The two were dressed up for grad, and they had to leave early in the morning out to a nice little grassy hill with an old tree, for pictures, it’s where Trav wanted to go, and none of the guys can say no to him.
“Mm well, his excitement is much more welcomed than your grumbling. Coop, bud, even Tubbos in a good mood.” Schlatt pokes fun at Cooper, pointing at the infant laying on a blanket in the grass. Cooper just groans again while Noah ushers him and Travis into position to take pictures, but Schlatt just watches on with a smile;
Seeing his little brother excited was all that mattered to him right now.
Schlatt stood and cheered along with the rest of their group of, well you can call it family, they are a family after a long time of ups and down.
Cheering loudly for their boys, but Schlatt cheered the loudest for Tubbo, whistling loud and taking a picture of Tubbo being handed his certificate.
But even as Schlatt cheers loudly, the next loudest cheer has to be from Tubbo's uncle, Travis.
The slight scratch left in his throat is worth the grin on Tubbo’s face as Schlatt yelled a specific phrase out.
Travis was nervous about walking across the stage, and Schlatt knew that so he did everything he could to make Travis comfortable. He gave the boy tiny, swimming earplugs for the loud noises that no one will notice, and he made sure he sat in the front row, even if it was a fight since apparently only parents can sit there, which is full of shit in Schlatt’s opinion because he basically WAS Travis’ dad. But when he heard Travis’ name get called, everything melted away.
Because he yelled a phrase that he meant and had said to Travis ever since he could remember.
“That’s my fuckin’ boy!”
Schlatt swears in his memory of Travis graduating and watching Tubbo graduate, it’s almost the same reaction.
Slight differences,
yet it’s the same school,
the same stage,
the same spot,
the same phrase.
But Schlatt meant it, they both were his boys, Tubbo was his son by blood, but Travis was his son by choice. And if you were to ask either of them, they’d both say that Schlatt’s one of the best dad’s ever.
“You did good, Schlatt.” And something in his heart, in his mind, in his gut, finally let those words sink in. He chuckles softly wrapping an arm around Travis while they wait for Tubbo to come find them outside the gym.
“I think you’re right about that, Trav; once again.”