Work Text:
Tommy could hear the thumping of Wilbur’s furious footsteps as the man made his way through the house. Up and down and up and down, into the kitchen and back into his bedroom, to the bathroom and the occasional visit to the garden. Wilbur was angry, that much was certain, Wilbur was upset and he needed to get it out somehow, and if that way was pacing around the whole house like staying still would kill him, Tommy was more than happy to sit to the side in their living room, the one place Wilbur had yet to fill with his temper and let the fire in his steps melt the wallpaper until it was peeling off to reveal the off-coloured paint underneath.
The blonde just quietly watched TV as his brother grumbled in the other rooms, fixing his eyes onto the screen as he half-listened to Sonic Boom.
Let it be known that Tommy wasn’t scared of Wilbur, no, Tommy doesn’t think he’d ever be truly scared of Wilbur. But the boy would rather not face the probable argument that’d ensue if he and Wilbur crossed paths.
The bright colours of the TV dulled down his thoughts and managed to muffle the noise in the house just a little bit, since Tommy had the show on low volume so he could hear when Wilbur calmed down.
Turns out, his tactic was obsolete.
Tommy whipped his head around to the door when his brother stomped in, looking frazzled as eye bags weighed down his piercing eyes. His shoulders were hunched tightly, Tommy almost told Wilbur to relax because the man’s collarbone was no doubt aching at this point, but he kept his mouth shut. Brunette curls stuck out messily as Wilbur grumbled to himself, before he snapped his head up to the TV when he noticed it was on. Then, Wilbur glanced up and saw Tommy’s still form sitting sheepishly on the couch.
All at once, the tension fuelling Wilbur’s every move was practically washed away, like a leaf by the shore. Inconsequential at best; easily removed by the water to make room for the lovely sand underneath that Tommy always liked to mess with.
“Tommy?” Wilbur questioned in a surprisingly soft voice, a stark contrast to the jagged edges his tone held just a few mere moments earlier, “You’re back?”
And despite it all, Tommy couldn’t help but let the waves guide away his own reservations, his own withering leaf.
Tommy nodded, shifting his position on the couch. He tried not to dwell on the sense of calmness that washed over him, “Yeah, I got back before you went off on a mission to bring this whole house down.” Tommy was brave enough to joke. Though, weirdly enough, he didn’t feel very brave at all.
Wilbur’s brows raised, not in irritation or annoyance, but in genuine surprise, “Oh,” then, he lifted a hand to pick at a loose thread on his shirt, “I didn’t realise. Sorry.”
Tommy shrugged, subtly moving over on the couch so a big space was next to him, “No problem.”
Without a word, Wilbur, with silent footsteps, walked over to the couch and sat on the vacant space next to Tommy. The couch dipped with his weight before warmth filled Tommy’s chest.
“Did I bother you?” Wilbur’s brows were furrowed. Worried. Guilty.
Tommy quickly shook his head, offering Wilbur a genuine smile as he shifted closer to the man, “Nah. Well, I mean, I couldn’t watch Sonic T. Hedgehog so you definitely ruined that.”
Wilbur snorted, “Sorry.” though he did not sound sorry at all.
“Apology not forgiven,” even so, Tommy reached out to pause the show, “so anyway, what’s got you all worked up?”
At this, Wilbur’s more light hearted demeanour fell and he slumped his shoulders. He let out a heavy sigh, “It’s fine, Toms, don’t worry.”
“Wilbur.” Tommy began, quirking up an eyebrow, “You probably made footprints in the floorboards with how much you were pacing.”
Wilbur winced, “Yeah, well, I was overreacting.”
“Your jaw clenched as you said that.”
Wilbur took in a breath, and for a moment Tommy was afraid he’d overstepped, but the brunette just turned to him with a half-exasperated, half-fond look, “Fine… I failed my maths test.”
“Oh.” Tommy frowned, slight irritation welling up in him. Not because of Wilbur, no, but because he wouldn’t have failed if his school actually cared about his grades.
Wilbur took it as Wilbur would, which is to say, badly. The man shrunk into himself a little more, excuses no doubt sitting on the tip of his tongue but Tommy was having none of that.
“It wasn’t your fault,” the boy immediately said, confident in every word. He reached a hand out to squeeze Wilbur’s shoulder, “You know your uni’ is dumb.”
Wilbur hummed, holding Tommy’s hand in his, “But-“
“Wil, if I have to hear you blame yourself again I think I’m gonna pop a blood vessel,” Tommy glared at his brother, faux anger leaking into his tone. He quickly changed paths though before Wilbur could get any ideas, “You studied every single night, man. You deserve to feel good about it.”
“I didn’t even pass-“
“Hard work equals reward in my books!” Tommy grinned, “So what’s to say we get some ice cream?”
Wilbur narrowed his eyes at the boy, “On you?”
Tommy blinked, narrowing his own eyes as he and Wilbur had a staring competition for a few moments, before relenting, “…On me.”
Wilbur brightened, swinging an arm around Tommy’s shoulders and lifting them both up, “Great! Now, you’re gonna have to give me your money so the staff don’t think I’m an awful caretaker-“
“Oh, no, you definitely are-“
Wilbur ruffled his hair at that comment, earning a squawk out of Tommy before the boy tried and failed to bat the older’s hands away.
Even with Wilbur’s stupid laughter ringing in his ears, and the slight strain to it, Tommy still felt at ease in his brother’s arms. And judging by the slight shine in Wilbur’s gaze, he thinks his brother felt the same way.