Chapter Text
Tommy was never the quiet type. He lived for laughs, hand claps and smiles, He was in high school drama and did stand up comedy on the side after school in his free time. He wasn't all too bright but he wasn't failing his classes either. He was basically living the dream but with every positive there was a negative. Tommy lived with his dad, Phil, who worked a small job at a bagel shop a couple blocks from where they lived, Tommy had an older brother, Techno, he was smart, funny, cute, and kind, everything good you could think of, but he was in the hospital right now and Tommy knew that everyone else knew he wasn't going to make it but no one had the heart to tell Tommy. Techno had stage four pancreatic cancer and it was getting hard for him to eat and do every day to day things, but every time Tommy came to visit he was always smiling. The bills were piling up and Phil's job wasn't making the cut, Tommy knew he could help so he started picking up shifts at a cafe, That's where he met Wilbur.
Tommy walked into the the cafe and clocked in walking ever so slightly slower to the counter trying to avoid the fact that he had an exam tomorrow,
“Good evening, Tommy.” Wilbur, his manager said patting him on the back with a concerned smile
“Good eve-” Tommy was cut off before getting whipped around by wilbur
“Your eyes…” He whispered staring into Tommy's eyes
Tommy hadn't been working with Wilbur for all too long, hell it's probably only been a month, but it seemed like He cared and Tommy really wanted to tell him what's going on, about his brother, him dropping out of drama and stopping going to the local theater for stand up comedy, but Wilbur was an adult he didn't know all too well and he probably had his own problems to deal with and didn't want him having to carry that burden too.
“...about them…?” Tommy whispered looking away nervously
“You look tired…” he said, moving his arm over Tommy's shoulder and walking him over to a two seater in the corner, “Sit down.”
Tommy felt guilty Wilbur hardly knew him and was acting like his dad taking care of him and noticing when things were wrong.
Wilbur walked away as Tommy sat and played with the sleeve of his sweatshirt.
Wilbur came back with two steaming cups a couple of minutes later and sat down across from Tommy sliding one drink over to him,
“Be careful it's hot…” He said staring into his cup
There were no customers at the moment. It was a slow day with the occasional person coming in to ask for the restroom, after all, the coffee shop wasn't that well known.
“You don't have to tell me but I know something's wrong.” he said, glancing out the window past Tommy's light blonde hair and watercolor blue eyes with bags underneath.
Tommy looked away down at his cup, “What’s this?”
“Hot cocoa…” he whispered
Tommy blew on it then quickly took a sip and looked at his reflection in it as soon as the liquid settled, Wilbur was right he did look tired his hair was messed up and he was feeling a little bit sickly.
“Tommy, you can talk to me…” He mumbled
Tommy started silently crying into his drink, “I’m fine.”
Wilbur sighed but comforted him, “Hey it’s okay, breath.” He moved down to the floor next to Tommy’s chair kneeling next to him putting a hand on his shoulder
“Hey it's okay…” he whispered gently rubbing his shoulder
“I- I…my brother…” he stuttered, rapidly wiping tears from his face
“Hey calm down, what about him?” he whispered moving Tommy’s hands so he could see his face and make it easier for him to breath
“My brother, he… he's in the hospital and…,” There was a long pause before Tommy started crying again, “I don't think he's going to make it…”
Wilbur hugged him with a pain in his eyes as if it were his brother in the hospital, “I’m so sorry Tom’s…”
"It's fine. I'm fine. Thank you.’’ he got up, “I’m sorry but can I get today's shift off? I need to go visit him before his next surgery…?”
“Oh yeah I got your shift don't worry.” Wilbur said throwing a hand over Tommy's shoulder
Tommy shrugged, “Thanks”
They stood in silence before Wilbur ran to the back and came back with a bag, “Here!” he said cheerfully but the grin on his face didn't meet his eyes
“What’s this…?” Tommy asked
“Muffins,” Wilbur said, pushing them into Tommy's open hand, “One for you, your dad and brother.”
A small smirk creeped upon Tommy's face, “T-thanks Will…”
There was another moment of awkward silence before Wilbur coughed and Tommy lunged for a hug. Wilbur's glasses nearly flew off his face, his brown eyes were wide with shock and his brown curly hair got pushed back from his eyes because of the force then he hugged him back
Wilbur laughed, “Be safe out there won't you?”
Tommy let go of the hug, “Yeah, Yeah I will.”
As Tommy was leaving he heard someone call out behind him
“If Techno wants anything from the cafe let him know I'll make it for him!”
“I will!” Tommy shouted back
Tommy flew down the block muffins in hand
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Tommy walked into the front lobby,
“Hello Tommy!”
He heard someone call from the front desk but it was also all so familiar,
“NIKI!” he said running to the front desk
“Hi Tommy, are you here to visit Techno again?” she said leaning over the counter. Ignoring the people she was already helping
Tommy smiled and nodded his head vigorously, “ You know the drill big man!”
She sighed, “One I’m not a man,” she scoffed, “And two, he got moved to room 423, okay?”
Tommy started walking towards the elevator, “You got it, Big man!”
“TOMMY YOU LITTLE SHI-!”
He chuckled to himself when the doors closed.
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Tommy knocked on the door then let himself in. He set down his stuff,
“Ayup Techno!”
A loud groan came from the bed as the blankets began to shift and Tommy chuckled,
“I was trying to sleep…” he deadpanned
“I brought muffins.”
He instantly sat up and Tommy laughed as he sat on the end of the bed and handed one to Techno. He looked in all honesty: awful. His hair was messy and there were deep shadows under his eyes and he looked thinner and paler.
“How’s drama going? what's your next play?” Techno asked muffin crumbs falling from the corner of his mouth,
Tommy quit drama when Techno got sick. He had to help with bills and drama was cutting into his work time. It was a sorrowful goodbye but he would do anything for Techno, but Tommy couldn't tell him he quit, hell, Techno would force him to quit his job and live like any other teenager. So he lied.
“Good. We’re working on uh- Hamilton!” he exclaimed tensing when Techno sat up further
“Hamilton?”
“Yup!”
“...okay, what's your role…?” he asked in a far too skeptical tone.
“Uhh,” Tommy thought, thinking of random characters and who he could most resemble, “Phillip!”
Techno chuckled then leaned closer to ruffle Tommy’s hair, “Uh-huh, of course you're the child.”
“Piss off!” Tommy yelled, shoving Techno’s hand away which only made the man laugh harder.
But it relieved Tommy to hear the suspicion in his voice fade.
“Can I have another muffin?”
“No! That’s me and dad’s!” Tommy scolded, pulling the bag closer to his chest.
Techno just groaned and laid back down so Tommy started to get up,
“I’ll see you ‘round big man, get some rest.”
Techno waved him off from behind the covers and Tommy fondly smiled.
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When Tommy turned the corner he saw Phil sitting on the curb with boxes next to him. He was on the phone, he looked like he had been crying and he was using his free hand to rub at his temples. His eyebrows were furrowed in thought but moved back when Tommy came into view,
“Tommy!” Phil said hopping up from his spot and reaching his arms out for a hug
“What’s going on?” Tommy pulled back, but Phil just moved closer and wrapped his arms around Tommy, and from over Phil’s shoulder Tommy could see all the boxes labeled things like;
Kitchen, Living Room and… Oh. Donate? Tommy tore away from Phil’s grasp and ran towards the sea of boxes. He tore open the donation box and… Techno’s stuff. His many books, his polar bear plushie, his minecraft pig sleeping mask, everything Tommy knew the man loved left to be given away. He heard Phil's shoes behind him.
“Is he gonna die, Phil…?”he heard the footsteps behind him falter, “are you already preparing so when he does, it’s easier on you? Did you even check with him? With me?”
“Tommy, He asked me to…” Phil whispered.
“Why…?” his voice cracked
Phil took a step forward and Tommy turned to look at him. The man simply shook his head with a hurt expression.
“Please keep it, I want something to have when he’s gone…” He whispered, he pleaded, he begged.
Phil kneeled and outstretched his arms and Tommy threw himself into the man to feel some sort of comfort, some sort of hope, some sort of something, anything, he wanted nothing more than for his father to be okay, he wanted to keep the house he loved and knew, He wanted Techno.