Chapter Text
"Tommy, get in the car."
"No"
"now Tommy, I don't have time for this."
"NO"
"You know what?"
The five year old boy let out a loud wail as his older brother picked him up and plopped him into his car seat, buckling him in while he fought and kicked. His brother got into the driver's seat and slammed the door shut, muttering about being late. Tommy kicked at his seat making his brother slam on the brakes.
"Fucking damn it you little shit! I was supposed to be a hero by now! Then suddenly I'm left with the brat that Dad left behind when he died! YOU'RE FUCKING SELFISH YOU BRAT! Now shut the fuck up before I hand you over to the gods damned city to take care of! Do you want to be taken away?! I'll send you away myself."
"But-"
"Shut up and let me get you to school."
\---/
Tommy might have gotten older, twelve years old, but the fear of that threat lingered whenever he got angry with his brother. He loved him, he hated him, it was all kinds of fucked up. It felt irrational. he was sure that Clay didn't mean it... but did he maybe?
He shook his head, getting rid of the thought as his teacher called for their attention. The class of twenty-three looked up at Ms Puffy, holding a thick packet despite it being only two weeks into the new school year. She explained it as she passed it out.
"This packet is a grade. It is due at the end of the year. This means something, okay? it is the biggest test grade you will get."
Everyone groaned.
"Don't worry, it's easy if you try. This assignment is a study of your own philosophy. What do you believe life means? What is important? And would these ideals make you a villain, or a hero in your own opinion."
The last one to get the packet was Tommy. She made direct eye contact with him. She gave him a smile and set it down on his desk before returning to the front.
"Write what you think it means to be a hero, and then write what you think it means to be a villain. Think about our world. Would you learn magic from your parents? Would you use your powers for good? Question every aspect of your views. You might just surprise yourself."
She told them before everyone left at the bell ringing, ready to go to their next classes. Tommy took his time, doing it to annoy Tubbo who was waiting for him impatiently.
"Also, talk with your peers. In this world on paper and ink, their ideals are important too."
Everyone ignored her except for Tommy and Tubbo who shared glances with confused looks before leaving the class. They went to their separate classes and regrouped after school, a stray following Tubbo out.
"Why is he here?"
"They're new, and we both know you could use another friend Tommy."
"What?"
He scoffed at the audacity.
"I am a big man Big T, I have many friends. Many women friends too! Lots of women! I practically trip over them!"
He exaggerated. Tommy refused to be the weird kid at school. It better suited weirdos and he was not a weirdo. He is Thomas Bartholomew Innes, he got all the bitches. Not that he was sexist, he meant bad bitches. He would never call a woman a bitch. He's a feminist.
"Tom, this is Randal Boo-"
"The fuck? why's your name Randal? Who names their kid Randal?"
"uh... I actually prefer Ran."
"...We're ditching Ranboo"
"It's just Ran, and I can still hear you-"
"Tommy, we are not leaving Ran!"
"I'm not taking home a stray! What is he has rabies!"
"I- I don't have rabies... and I use he/they..."
"They could be disease riddled Tubbo!"
Ran sighed as he was mostly ignored. Tommy made every point he could to avoid letting Tubbo take Ran into his house. where his famous brother was. He hated letting people into his home. He even harassed his brother into letting him change his last name, couldn't shake the middle name though. Eventually Tubbo went silent and crossed his arms with a glare.
"Oh don't do that!"
"Tommy"
"Tubbo, you're being a child!"
"I will not talk to you until you let Ran come with us."
"Tubbo no, Tubbo... Tubbo!... FUCK! FINE!"
"You're going to love it Ran! Tommy has a pool and gaming consoles, and his brother recently bought him a new game for the switch!"
Tommy grimaced at Tubbo's bragging. Clay brought in lots of revenue, and as a way to keep Tommy out of his hair, he bought him things. He probably hasn't talked to his brother face to face in over a week.
He recently went on a mission for a few days, had a hospital stay for another day, and then stayed with his boyfriend. Tommy didn't even know if his brother was home yet.
They walked back to his place, Ran almost over shooting the front gate to the gated community as Tommy scanned his eye to let them all in. The gate opened without a sound and Tommy led them in. His basic baseball-tee and khaki cargo shorts with dirty sneakers felt out of place among the clean and fancy houses. Ran's shocked look only made him pissed as he practically stomped his way into the house, putting in a code so Ran and Tubbo wouldn't trip the alarms.
'Who's with you'
Fuck, he forgot about the sensors. Tommy pressed the response button.
"Friends"
He supplied shortly.
'Take off your shoes'
Tommy only flipped off the nearest camera and continued walking while Tubbo and Ran paused to take off their shoes. They quickly followed him through the mansion to his room, passing the large eccentric pool Tubbo had mentioned earlier. Tommy chucked off his shoes and threw them on a pile of clothes he needed to have washed by the maid. He didn't know how to work half the appliances in the house anymore since it had been many years since they escaped poverty.
"What game was it this time?"
"I don't fuckin' know. Check the damn desk."
"Calm down Big T, just asking- oh damn, it's that new Mario game."
"Don't care"
Tommy grumbled, feeling tired from school but knowing he would regret sleeping early. Ran lingered around a few areas, hands shoved in their pockets. Good, Tom didn't want a stranger touching his shit.
"Can we play?"
"Don't care"
"Come on Ran"
Tubbo pulled out two controllers and popped in the game. Tommy ignored them messing with his shit as he sat on a cushy bench in his room and pulled out the project. Puffy somehow caught his interest with it.
'What does being a hero mean?'
'It's to be a bitchy brother'
he paused and crossed it out.
'What does being a hero mean?'
'I̶t̶'s̶ t̶o̶ b̶e̶ a̶ b̶i̶t̶c̶h̶y̶ b̶r̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ It means helping people, even if you can't help yourself or your loved ones.'
'What does being a villain mean?'
'Hurting people, and your loved ones especially.'
"Come play Tommy"
"No thanks Big Man"
"Mad at your brother still?"
"Always"
"you know he didn't mean it."
Tommy didn't respond and kept filling out questions on the sheet. One asked what he was going to be.
'The greatest, biggest hero SMP has ever seen.'