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It had been two months since Tommy had been adopted by the Watson crime family and it had quickly become some of the weirdest yet best months of Tommy’s entire life. They never raised a hand to him, never threatened him, never “talked shop” as Wilbur said (which took a solid week for Tommy to understand that it meant no crime talk), they were nice to him. He still had nightmares, vivid terrors of his previous life with Mr. Malum. He remembers tears and screams, people begging for their lives, the smell of blood splattering the floor and the sound of drugs being packed away. He remembers how his small feet felt as they hit the pavement, running and running from the numerous amounts of close calls he’s had with the police. That one night that he refuses to talk about still lingers in his head. Every time he dreams of that night he wakes up with a scream lodged in his throat and tears scalding his face. He must scream on those nights, because one of the Watsons his family would rush into his room, looking for a physical thing that was causing their youngest harm. When they realised that it was only his thoughts fighting him, they softened instantly and gave him a warm hug. They never yelled or screamed or complained about him waking them up. They just hugged him and told him it would be alright. They’d wipe his tears and stay up with him if they were so bad that he couldn’t go back to sleep, or if he could, one of them would sleep in his bed with him. He would try and make himself feel some sense of embarrassment from these actions, but he was so scared when those night terrors hit and sleeping next to one of the Watson’s made him feel totally and utterly safe.
Despite all this, the nightmares were slowly becoming a less frequent occurrence.
They tended to happen biweekly instead of weekly, sometimes a fortnight could pass without issue, but they’d still come eventually. On those days he was usually pulled out of school for the day, his favourite breakfasts (pancakes) would be made, and he’d be given extra. Wilbur and Techno would set up a pillow fort in the living room while Phil went out to buy snacks. Then they would order takeout and sit cuddled together under the soft fairy lights and fleecy blankets. They’d always watch Tommy’s favourite movie too, Up, which he had discovered when he was mindless watching television during his first week of being with the family. Carl’s adventure book always made him so utterly happy, seeing as he got his wish in the very end. Sometimes, when Tommy is feeling especially grateful and sappy about where he is now, he likes to imagine that if he owned an Adventure Book like Carl’s, he’d just fill it with pictures of the four of them, because in the end, they were all that Tommy cared about. They were his life goal as far as he was concerned.
But there was another issue that had arisen since Tommy’s frequent binging of children’s TV. Tommy wasn’t like other kids, and he wasn’t saying that in a cringy “I’m not like other girls” kind of way. He doesn’t run or scream, doesn’t play fight with his friends not that he has any in the first place. He doesn’t argue with his brothers or Phil, doesn’t curse, doesn’t bring home random animals and trek filth into the house. He is extremely abnormal for a young 12-year-old boy. He supposes that to an outsider this was an obvious thing, he’s fairly sure the other three men have copped on to this as soon as they met him but to him, his lifestyle was normal. He didn’t have time to play chase or fight with friends, mostly because he was the youngest in the Malum crime family and everyone else would much rather ignore him then engage with him in any way. He was never allowed bring so much as a speck of dirt back with him when he went on his runs, if he did he’d be beaten black and blue, cursed out and warned that “anything, even something that small, could get us caught, sent to prison or killed” and Tommy did not want to die. He really didn’t. So instead of growing up with video games and laughter, friends and a warm family, he grew up with fear and paranoia, cold angry looks and harsh drugs. Some childhood he had.
Tommy was brought away from these thoughts and back to the dinner table by Phil clearing his throat. They were having dinner together, a regular occurrence, Phil said it made their bonds of family stronger if they spent mealtimes together. Tommy was always confused as to where he stood in their little family dynamic, but he still showed up, happy to see a warm meal always waiting on the table for him. Tommy must have been lost in thought for a while, his mind supplying him with memory after memory of the past few months, because the table was silent, and all three men were looking expectantly at him. Tommy looked down at their clear plates of food and then back at his, which was still piled high with pasta and meatballs. Instead of just shrugging or asking Phil to repeat the question, he did what any anxious person would do and proceeded to shovel food in his mouth to avoid the conversation. Wilbur choked out a laugh and Techno snorted lightly. He was glad he could make them happy.
“Toms you alright mate? You were gone for quite a bit there, need help?” Phil asked, ever the nurturing figure. Tommy had never expected him, of all people, to be one of the kindest persons he’d ever met. He was always so patient with him and was willing to wait days for Tommy to open up to him. It really helped Tommy to trust him and his family, and now he doesn’t really hesitate when he needs to open up some more. Well, about most things anyway, there’s one secret that he will take to the grave. Tommy swallowed his bite before turning to give Phil his full attention, the man did deserve it after all.
“I was just thinking I guess” Tommy said, moving the pasta around his plate until he finally found another meatball. His eyes light up as he stabbed it with his fork, nudging a few pieces of pasta alongside it and shoving it into his mouth. God Tommy loved Techno’s cooking, the man was a literally beast in the kitchen, which was not fair in the slightest in Tommy’s opinion because it seemed that there was nothing the man couldn’t do. “He can’t talk to people for shit” a voice that sounded suspiciously like Wilbur’s echoed in his head and Tommy smiled slightly. Yeah, that was true, but he wouldn’t say it Techno’s face, even if the man would agree with him. Wasn’t worth the ensuing teasing that would follow, the man would hang him out to dry and Tommy was quite comfortable not being teased thank you very much.
“About what?” Wilbur questioned, feigning a look of nonchalance but Tommy could tell he was nervous. Out of all of them, Wilbur was probably the worst at hiding his body language, which Tommy actually preferred. That way he always knew what Wilbur was thinking. Maybe that was why he found the man so approachable on his first day here? Who knows, Tommy just wants to eat his pasta.
“I was thinking that I’ve never really had a childhood y’know? Like other kids my age were allowed to like make friends and stuff, but I wasn’t so I just missed out on a lot I think? I mean I don’t care, it got me to where I am today, but I can’t help but feel like I missed out” Tommy explained, drinking out of the glass of water beside him before returning to his plate, he really didn’t want them to make a big deal out of this, he really didn’t care that much, it was just a thought he had. “Just weird to me because I see all those kids sometimes when we go out shopping and I wonder what it’s like to be them, how different is it, do they even see the world the same way as me? Probably not.” Tommy shrugged before hopping off his seat, his plate empty and his glass finished. Both Phil and Wilbur had spent ages trying to explain to Tommy that when he was done eating he could just get up and leave the table, he didn’t have to wait till one of them told him to leave. Tommy still waited at the table to be dismissed until a few days after Wilbur and Phil’s attempt at making him understand Techno finished his dinner before Tommy and just got up and left, bringing his plate to the dishwasher before turning and walking upstairs. That was what made it click for Tommy and he started doing it ever since. Wilbur was extremely bitter when Tommy learned through Techno’s methods and Techno took great satisfaction in teasing him for it. It made Tommy laugh, so the two kept it up, willing to do anything to see the boy smile.
“I’m gonna watch TV okay, there’s a movie on I wanna see, I’m guessing I’ll see you in a bit?” Tommy questioned, peeking back at the table as he loaded his dish in the dishwasher. Phil gave a faint nod while Techno just gave a thumbs up in response. Wilbur said nothing, eyes focused down on the empty plate in front of him. Tommy ignored the behaviour, Wilbur sometimes got like this, Techno and Phil could help him in ways that he couldn’t and after regarding them for a while he fled into the living room, leaving the men alone.
===
The three sat in silence for a while, still reeling due to Tommy’s last statement. Of course, he never had a childhood, of course he’d been forced to grow up to fast. He never got play outside with friends or stay up late playing video games. He never got to scream and fight his brothers. Tommy hadn’t had any semblance of normality since he got here. Wilbur tutted angrily, putting his head in his hands as his Father and brother began to quietly discuss what Tommy had just revealed to them. There had to be something they could do, some way that they could give Tommy those years back. But it was such a delicate issue. They could start doing some of the things that Tommy had listed, starting play fighting with him, start cursing more around the house, but there was no sure-fire way of proving that it wouldn’t send the traumatized boy into hysterics. Wilbur is fairly sure that if one of them went running at Tommy now, Tommy would still curl in on himself, expecting a hit. That ruled out any play fighting and fake screaming matches, at least for now. Maybe a few years down the line they could try it. That thought made Wilbur’s heart warm, sometimes it helped to remind himself that despite Tommy’s awful first few years of life, he was with them now. He was safe, he had people who were there to look after him, people who loved him. He wouldn’t have to be surrounded by people who hated him ever again and he could finally begin to grow into his own person. The thought settled the rage Wilbur often felt settled in his stomach when he remembered Tommy’s previous place of residence. Wilbur couldn’t wait till he got to see that man again. He was going to make him feel every pain imaginable.
“I think that would be a good idea Tech, something small, definitely possible if we all worked together” Phil agreed, and Wilbur returned to the conversation. He had no idea what had transpired in the few seconds he was away with his thoughts, but his family members had seemed to come up with a plan without him. Techno looked positively delighted with himself, hearing that his idea was a fantastic one. Wilbur refused to let that slide, his brother had been receiving too many wins as of late in the “helping Tommy come out of his shell” department and while Wilbur was happy to see it happening, he at least wanted to be responsible for it in some way.
“What was the idea?” Wilbur questioned, trying to feign innocence as he schemed up a better plan, something that would put his brother’s to shame. Himself and Techno had always had this rivalry over stupidly mundane things and he hoped that this behaviour would carry over to his little brother. Techno eyed him suspiciously but said nothing, motioning for his father to speak for him. He was always the quieter of them and rarely spoke unless he needed to. Techno always enjoyed silence more than anyone else in the family, not even Tommy liked it as much as he did.
“Tech was thinking of having like a small party or something for Tommy, to celebrate him being here. We could like bake a cake or something and have it so that Tommy will get to experience a childhood birthday party. Sound good to you?” Phil explained, and Wilbur cursed internally. That was a great idea, it was something simple that they could do in their own home yet wouldn’t be too much that it would overwhelm the boy. Wilbur nodded in agreement, mulling the idea over in his head. There had to be some way they could combine Technoblade’s idea with one that would help Tommy learn that it was okay to do stupid things and act out and generally be a child. Tommy had missed so many important lessons in his early years of life with Mr. Malum, and any lessons he had learned were corrupted or taught so incorrectly that the wrong message had been given to the young boy. There had to be something they could do to reverse the damages caused to him. Suddenly it hit Wilbur, an idea that would go along perfectly with what Techno had already planned.
“What if we did something else as well, sort of like a build up to the party?” Wilbur asked and Techno arched an eyebrow at him, looking for him to continue. Phil too looked curious as his eldest son began to explain his plan. “Clearly Tommy hasn’t been given the greatest life advice from his time with that bastard of a man. He’s scared of making a mess, of making mistakes. He’s terrified of asking for the simplest things ‘because it’s been engraved into him that if he breaks any of those rules he’ll be punished. Maybe we could try reverse the damage that man caused, teach Tommy that it’s okay to do all those things.” He continued, looking to Phil and Techno to see if they agreed with his plan.
Phil agreed enthusiastically, like he always did when they suggested something that pertained to making Tommy feel more comfortable. Phil had made it his life goal to ensure that nothing bad would ever happen to his children, Tommy was no exception to this. Wilbur had no doubts that his father was already thinking of ways to help Tommy as they sat at the table together, it was just the kind of person he was. Wilbur looked over at Technoblade, finding that he was in much the same boat as their father. While his outward appearance didn’t appear to change much, Wilbur noted that behind his eyes Techno looked excited, like he already had a plan for this. That night, while Tommy sat in the other room completely oblivious to the goings on in the kitchen, the other members of the family began to strategize, planning ways to make Tommy more comfortable and help him grow into the child that he was meant to be.
===
Tommy woke up the next morning the thunder outside. He jumped out of bed, an excited smile on his face. He always had enjoyed the rain, watching it hit the windowpane and racing different droplets with each other as the danced across the glass was the only entertainment he had back when he was with Mr. Malum, it was the only thing that he wouldn’t get yelled at for doing, how could he? He would just sit in the corner, check pushed up against the cold pane as he created little stories for each little droplet, imaging that they were all on some massive quest that he’d never understand. He used to imagine that they were all trying to fight this big evil man, trying to escape from the strings he had attached to them. The story would always change, different events would happen every time he would revisit that windowpane, but the ending always stayed the same. The young boy, the wannabe hero, he would be found, saved by a man with big, huge wings, two other men flanking his sides as they held a hand out to him. They promised the sad and lonely boy a home, safety, a life away from the puppeteer. The boy always took that hand, always pulled himself into the hug. He always cried with relief, finally, he was safe. Tommy didn’t realise that his life would end up like that boy from his stories If only Phil had wings, he’s sure they’d make him feel extra safe. The man did wrap blankets around him, that was the same wasn’t it? Tommy felt like they did, anything Phil did was good, in his humble opinion.
The rain, however, wasn’t all great. While it was the reason for some of Tommy’s favourite days at Mr. Malum’s place, it was also the cause of most of his anxiety. With rain came puddles and with puddles came a mess. Tommy was always terrified that if he got too dirty while out on his runs, he would be killed when he got back to the club. Those days, the days after the rainfall, were the most stressful days of Tommy’s life. He remembers stepping around puddles carefully, analysing every step he took to ensure he didn’t get dirty, making the days go slower. When he was slower on his runs it kept customers waiting. If customers were kept waiting they began to get antsy. If customers got antsy they would begin to complain to Mr. Malum, calling him up and yelling about the delay down the phone. If customers complained to Mr. Malum, Tommy was beaten within an inch of his life. Some of the worst hits he’s ever received were caused by this post rainy day issue. It made Tommy terrified of stepping out in the rain, terrified of puddles. Who the fuck was terrified of puddles?! Tommy was apparently and he added that too the long mental list that explained why he was such a fuck up. Tommy continued to stare out the window, thoughts now clouded with that familiar fear, his stomach knotted with anxiety as he watched the water spit down into the large brown puddles below him. He silently prayed that he wouldn’t have to go outside tomorrow.
A knock on his door removed Tommy from his thoughts. He called the other person in and Wilbur pushed the door open, a tired smile on his face, he must have just woken up. His hair was still a bird’s nest and his eyes were still half lidded, signs of a good night’s sleep according to Phil. For some reason, every morning, without fail, Wilbur would arrive to his room, bleary eyed and with the vestiges of sleep still clinging to him, just to check if he was okay. Tommy was always confused by this, but everyone reassured him that it was just Wilbur showing that he cared about him. Wilbur held out his hands for his routine morning hug and Tommy raced from the window, hopping into the welcoming, warm arms. Wilbur pulled him closer and mumbled a groggy good morning, burying his face in Tommy’s blond hair. Tommy smiled, burying his face in Wilbur’s chest in return. God he loved hugs.
“What you up to, it’s rare to actually see you out of bed when I come in here?” Wilbur questioned, pulling Tommy back. Tommy smiled up at him lightly, shaking his head and trying not laugh at Will’s sleepy experience. “Watching the rain?” he questioned, and Tommy nodded and the two glanced out the window together.
“I always loved the rain but it’s kinda bittersweet” Tommy said, the two standing in silence, listen as the rain splashed off the window. Wilbur nudged him to continue and Tommy huffed. Always so impatient. “I was always so scared of the day that followed, I would be panicking about getting messy, Mr. Malum hated that. He’d get so mad, he’d hit me a lot. So, I liked watching the rain but the day after was like my worst nightmare” he explained, ignoring the way that Wilbur’s grip tightened on him protectively. Every time he revealed something somewhat distressing about his past, his family’s eyes would darken considerably. They’d scowl and hold him closer to them. It was a reminder of just who these men were, how powerful they were. They were part of a mafia family, the most notorious one in the world, and Tommy was under their protection. Tommy curled closer into Wilbur’s protective grip, enjoying that not there was people to fight for him, people who were in his corner no matter what happen. Tommy enjoyed it, he liked having a family, despite the fact that he didn’t share their last names. He was happy here. The two stood in silence, holding each other tightly before Wilbur pulled away again, smiling down at Tommy.
“I’ve got an idea, try not to get too freaked okay?” Wilbur explained, grabbing the boy lightly by the wrist lightly and began to drag him out of his room. Tommy followed, head cocked in confusion as he was led down the stairs and past the kitchen. He waved quickly to Phil who was sitting at the table, his phone in one hand and a coffee cup in the other. Phil nodded back in response, a light smile on his face as his two boys raced by still dressed in the sleep mused pyjamas. Once they passed the kitchen he sighed slightly, before sitting up and moving upstairs. If he knows Wilbur, and he is pretty sure he does, both him and Tommy are going to need some nice warm towels and fresh pyjamas when they come back. He might as well wake Techno up while he’s up here, he might enjoy watching this as much as Phil would.
Wilbur dragged Tommy to the front door before stopping and throwing on his shoes as quickly as possible. Tommy doesn’t think he’s ever seen the other man move so fast, except maybe that time he raced Techno to the kitchen to get the last slice of pizza from Takeout night. He shook his head and looked back towards Wilbur who was motioning to him to throw on his own shoes. Tommy again arched his eyebrow in confusion but did as he was told, slowly lacing up his new runners. When Tommy arrived here Phil had taken him shopping for new clothes and shoes. Tommy had never had so many possessions all at once and it was honestly extremely overwhelming. Wilbur had wanted Tommy to have a different pair of shoes to wear for everyday of the week, seeing as he missed out on so many pairs of new shoes in his life, but Tommy balked at the idea. He managed to talk the man down to two, but he still has yet to take the second pair out of their box. He doesn’t need them yet. Once he finished lacing up his shoes he turned to look up at Wilbur who was standing at the door, an expecting hand on the doorknob. He smiled at him before turning it and opening it to the harsh environment outside.
Rain instantly began splattering against the wooden floor of the hallway the cold air nipped at Tommy instantly. He shivered taking a step back away from the small droplets, curling in on himself slightly. “Wilbur what are you doing, it’s wet outside” Tommy explained like it was completely obvious to both of them. Wilbur smiled devilishly before racing outside and standing arms open in the rain. Tommy gasped, watching as he pyjamas quickly darkened as the rain collected in the fabric, soaking it nearly instantly. “Wilbur are you insane?!” he screeched, watching as Wilbur laughed throwing his head back and opening his mouth to collect as many water droplets as possible. Tommy moved closer, standing by the door as he watched Wilbur, jumping slightly when Wilbur suddenly whipped his head to face him.
“Come on Tommy, play with me in the rain!” Wilbur cheered, throwing his arms out towards the boy in hopes of enticing him out. Tommy almost ran to them, his instinct to run into Wilbur’s arms almost overpowering his fear of being hurt for doing something wrong. Almost being the key word. Tommy hesitated at the doorway, biting his lip and wringing his hands together anxiously. There was so many puddles outside, so many ways he could get messy and dirty. So many ways he could mess up Phil’s house, so many ways Phil would get mad at him. “Come on Tommy, it’s not that cold once you get used to it, it’s fun!” Wilbur encouraged, looking at him imploringly, almost begging Tommy to come out to join him.
“W-What if we get dirty? Won’t Phil get mad? I don’t want to get in trouble Wilby.” Tommy murmured, the nickname slipping from his lips before he could stop it. He only used the nickname when he was particularly stressed or anxious. He looked at the way Will was already soaked to the skin, his hair dripping continuously and looked down at his shoes which were almost grey when compared to the original white. He was completely drenched.
“Tommy, I promise you, you won’t get in trouble. I used to do this all the time, I was looking for an excuse to do it again honestly.” Wilbur explained calmly, noting Tommy’s raised anxieties. The last thing he wanted was for Tommy to have a panic attack. He watched Tommy anxiously side eye the muddle puddles that littered the driveway and a Cheshire grin stretched across his face. Ignore Tommy’s surprised cries, he charged towards them, jumping up and down excitedly as he caked his shoes in mud. Tommy watched wide eyed as Wilbur hopped from puddle to puddle, coating the bottom of his pyjamas in mud and water as he skipped around the driveway. He turned to Tommy again, holding his hands out pleadingly.
And Tommy ran to him.
He felt the water bounce off his skin and collect on his palms as he held them up to the sky, trying to see the water as it fell down onto the earth but only resulting in large droplets falling into his eyes. Wilbur cheered enthusiastically as Tommy let out a chocked laugh. The feeling as euphoric, he was drenched but he couldn’t stop smiling. He looked to his brother briefly before turning and charging towards a muddy puddle. He hesitated for a moment before jumping into it carelessly. Wilbur screeched his praise as Tommy whipped around to him, a huge smile on his face. He hasn’t felt this free in years. He turned to Wilbur and raced around him, the two chasing each other up and down the driveway, uncaring if they slipped and fell on the grass and got more destroyed than they already were. Tommy turned slightly and careened into Wilbur, sending the two of them into a heaped mess of tangled limps in one of the deeper puddles in the driveway. Wilbur threw his head back and laughed all while Tommy started at him in awe. Wilbur looked angelic, the way the water bounced off his face as he raised his voice up the sky. The man was like his own angel, his guardian angel and Tommy couldn’t believe he was so lucky to be able to see this side of the man.
The two sat up and continued to dance around in the rain. They started trivial contests to see who could collect the most rainwater in their hands and who could jump in the most puddles in under a minute. They wrestled each other on the muddy grass and splashed each other with as much water as they could possibly find. They watched as people ran from their cars and into the homes, watched as dogs came in from the outside, shaking their coat and soaking their owners. The sang and screamed until their voices were hoarse and twirled in the rain, only stopping when they began to shiver. The front door opened after some time and a voice called out to them.
“Boys, time to come in, I have hot chocolate and warm towels waiting for you!” Phil called from the doorway, smiling as he watched his sons cuddled up in the rain. This was good for Tommy, he needed to know that he could make a mess without getting in trouble for it. Wilbur smiled, moving to stand, pulling Tommy up with him. The two trudged up the house, soaked to the bone with big smiles on their faces. Phil greeted them with a soft smile ushering them in from the cold. Tommy hesitated at the doorway, watching Phil with uncertainty. Phil merely smiled, patting Tommy on the head good naturedly before hugging him, ignoring the way his shirt got soaked. His shirt didn’t matter in the long run, ensure Tommy that this behaviour was okay was more important right now. Tommy melted into the warm embrace, gripping onto Phil tightly before the two separated and they were led further into the house.
“Wilbur I’ve left your Hot Coco on the stove, if you wanna go hop into the shower first to get yourself warmed up that’d be great. There’s a pair of warm pyjamas and a warm towel there waiting for you.” Phil explained and Wilbur brightened up, nodding excitedly as he marched upstairs leaving a trail of water behind him. Phil looked at it with fond exasperation before turning towards the kitchen. “Techno do you mind cleaning up Will’s water trail, I’m going to make Tommy’s hot chocolate!” he called, and Techno came out of the kitchen grumbling slightly.
“This house would crumble without me” Techno moaned begrudgingly, though he too was smiling fondly. It was hard not to when he saw the remnants of pure emporia on Tommy’s face, the kid looked happier than he ever had been. He ruffled Tommy’s wet hair as he passed, soaking both himself and Phil in tiny droplets of water. Tommy beamed up at him and Techno felt his heart clench. He would 100% die for this kid. As Techno let, Phil ushered Tommy towards the kitchen where are warm mug of hot chocolate was resting on the table, warm mists of heat floating out of the mug. Tommy moved to sit in the wooden seat, curling his hands around the warm beverage. He took a big gulp and sighed contently as the warm liquid heated him up from the inside out. A warm towel was gently placed over his head and he looked up to see Phil smiling down at him.
“Put your mug down for a second there mate” Phil smiled lightly as he nodded towards the table. Tommy gently placed the mug down and Phil approached. He gently shook the towel on Tommy’s head, drying the young child’s hair. Tommy pushed into the contact, smiling has Phil rubbed his head. He was in heaven, he had never felt so safe and carefree in his life. “Did you have fun today Toms?” Phil asked as he dried the child’s hair. Tommy hummed happily, practically purring in the comfort he was was receiving. Phil smiled down at him, his heart filled with absolute love and adoration. This child was absolutely precious. Today was a huge success, Wilbur’s plan was clearly having a positive effect on the young boy. Things will hopefully continue to get better as their plans continue. Phil smiles, continuing to dry Tommy’s hair as he listens to Wilbur sing in the shower and Techno complain about it.
===
The next part of their little plan didn’t come to fruition till a few days after Wilbur’s successful attempt at getting Tommy to feel more comfortable in their home. Since then, Tommy hadn’t been as anxious to play in the back garden, finding immense pleasure in tackling both Techno and Wilbur whenever either of them let their guard down. He had managed to pin Wilbur a few times, much to his utter delight but Techno was a considerably tougher foe. The man seemed to have eyes on the back of his head, always two steps ahead of Tommy and managing to grab him around the stomach playfully whenever Tommy charged at him. Phil was delighted at this change in behaviour. Sure, it resulted in grass stains and scuffed shoes but the smile on Tommy’s face as he came in from the garden, dirt cacked under his fingernails and clumps of grass in his hair (which Phil to this day does not know where it came from). So, Tommy became a messy terror, tracking dirt into the house faster than any animal ever could, not that the other members of the household could bring themselves to care. Tommy himself was ecstatic. This was the first time he’d ever run around by his own choice. This was the first time he’d ever felt safe getting messy and bringing said mess home with him. This was one of the first times he’d ever felt like the kids he’d seen on tv.
Sometimes however, Tommy wakes up feeling worse than other days. He’s reminded of the ghosts of his past as his eyes remain haunted no matter what his family try to do. On those days he looks for silence, looks for an escape to try and hide away from the world and battle his demons himself, or look for a distraction. But there are only so many distractions for the hours there are in a day and Tommy finds himself being unable to fill the entire day with a myriad of different activities to satiate his brain’s appetite for distractions. It doesn’t help that most of his hobbies are tainted, he can’t play outside anymore because his mind is constantly reminding him of what would happen if Mr. Malum would find out. He can’t watch TV because there he sees what he should’ve been, what he could’ve been if his life hadn’t been so fucked up. Reading can only do so much, so he mostly finds solace in listening to Wilbur play guitar, curling around the man as he listens to his voice reverberate through his chest and feels rather than sees his hands strumming away. Some days however, none of these things work. Wilbur’s music is too much, too loud in his head and the words on the page are too jumbled to make out. Those days were the absolute worst because nothing seemed to work, nothing seemed to be able to clear his head.
Today was one of those days. Tommy had woken up with a heavy feeling in his heart and his thoughts numb, and he knew that today was going to be a living hell. He heard footsteps outside his room and his stupid head supplied him with images of Mr. Malum, the man barging into his room to pull him out by his arm and yank him into a standing position so he could scream at the child. Sometimes the footsteps would be accompanied by a slap or a punch, a demand for him to get moving and do his part, move the drugs, listen to more yelling and shouting and the sounds of gunshots from some back rooms in the club. Tommy covered his ears, his thoughts too loud and replaying terror after terror far too early in the morning. The door opened and Tommy flinched as the light slipped into his room. He brought the covers up to his eyes, hiding behind them as he peeked over them just slightly to make out the figure at the door. It wasn’t Mr. Malum, his heart knew it wasn’t. His brain just needed the reminder. Technoblade stood in the doorway, arching an eyebrow at the boy cowering under the covers before carefully stepping into the room. He sat at the edge of Tommy’s bed, frowning when the boy hid more. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly before gently speaking to the younger.
“Dad and Will have gone out, it’s just gonna be us for a while, that okay?” Techno asked, concern coating each word as he tried not to spook Tommy further. With the mention of familiar names Tommy seemed to snap out of his stupor, looking up at Techno with familiarity before finally lowered the duvet from his covered face. He smiled slightly at Techno and reached forward for a hug. His older brother supplied it quickly, holding him tightly before ruffling his hair, sitting up and walking towards the door again. “I’ve started on breakfast so head down soon okay?” He questioned and Tommy nodded slowly. Techno remained in the doorway, scanning the young boy for a moment before nodding himself and heading downstairs. Tommy watched where he left for a few moments, almost waiting for Mr. Malum to round the corner with angry eyes and a scowl. He waited a few more minutes and when nobody else stood in his doorway, he made his way downstairs.
Techno knew today was going to be a messy day when he first stepped into Tommy’s room. The boy looked terrified, almost as bad as he had the first week he had arrived here, when he was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Techno wasn’t too sure what Tommy would want today, he had no Wilbur to listen to and Techno was definitely not a musician. He did have one idea, but he wasn’t sure if it was required just yet. He’d have to see just how bad Tommy was feeling. He gently pushed some extra bacon and eggs onto Tommy’s plate, he had a feeling the kid would appreciate it. A few moments later Tommy slinked into the kitchen moving towards his chair without so much as a word to Techno. He sat in his seat, humming appreciatively when Techno placed his food in front of him but otherwise said nothing else. Techno took his own seat, looking at Tommy with concern, only turning to his own plate when he sees Tommy take small bites out of his own breakfast. Tommy had still yet to finish his food when Techno had moved to place his empty dish in the dishwasher. He watched the kid play with his food for a few minutes before something in him snapped.
“Okay, that’s it” Techno sighed, and Tommy jumped at the sudden voice that shattered their joined silence. Techno moved till he was standing in front of Tommy. He kneeled down so his eyes met Tommy and watched as the kid instantly tried to look anywhere but Techno’s face. “Tommy, scale of 1 to 10?” he asked, using the system that Phil had introduced a few weeks after Tommy’s induction to the family. If any of them were having a bad day they could use the rating to describe just how bad it was with 1 being somewhat okay and 10 being god awful. Tommy had yet to have a solid 10 day, the last time he had one was a day filled with panic attacks and tears and was one that the family never wanted a repeat of. Tommy bit his lip in hesitation before holding up his fingers, they read the number 8. Techno nodded, Tommy being nonverbal probably should’ve been a clue towards what kind of day this was going to be. Techno reckons it’s time to bring out the big guns, something that he’s kept hidden away for a moment like this, when it was just himself and Tommy in the house. “Grab your shoes, I wanna show you something” Techno explained, heading to the backdoor to grab his own boots. Outside their back garden lay a heavily wooded area that few people ventured into, not because it was haunted or any stupid shit like, but because Techno had labelled it off limits. The community respected the man enough to not barge into his space and Techno was eternally grateful for that. Once Tommy was ready, he pulled open the door and began to trek into the wood, motioning for Tommy to keep up when needed.
Soon enough, with little to no conversation passing between the two, the arrived at Techno’s desired location. Years ago, when Techno had first moved in with Phil and Wilbur, he too had days where he just wanted to sit in silence and just try and cope with what he went through. Doing so in the house was sometimes impossible, with Wilbur being his clumsy self and Phil working from home to keep an eye on his kids, no matter how hard they tried, the noises were always too loud. So Phil did the next best thing, he walked into the woods that was behind their home with a toolbox and some wood panels and built Techno a fort. He stated that it would be a place where his son could retreat to without needing to ask, he just had to ensure that his phone was on when he arrived so that he could be contacted when dinner was ready. It was a humble little thing, made out of strong, wooden planks and a blue waterproof sheet to keep out the rain. Inside was many sealed chests containing everything from weighted blankets to comic books and journals. A small radio was buried in one of them, but Techno for the life of him couldn’t remember which one. When Phil had first presented it to him all those years ago, he had cried, thinking he wasn’t deserving of such a place. Phil just hugged him tightly, whipping the tears from his eyes and reassuring him that not only did he deserve it, but he needed it. So, whenever he found himself having those days where he just wanted to hide away from people and be with his thoughts, he’d escape out to the woods, listen to nature and remind himself that he wasn’t in that disgusting concrete room, that he didn’t have a blade in his hand and a hit list to go through. He had a Dad and a brother. He was safe.
As the years went on, he found himself relying on it less and less, his quick growth spurt making the fort uncomfortable to sit in at times. By the time he was 14 years of age he barely touched the thing, only going to it every fortnight to ensure that it was still standing and to tidy it up a bit, making sure no mould had grown on any of the blankets and that the wood wasn’t rotting. When Tommy had arrived at their home, terrified and shaking, Techno spent a good week ensuring the place was spick and span for its supposed new owner. He wasn’t sure if Tommy would find as much solace in it as he had, but he was sure that he’d appreciate the gesture. Little details of Tommy could be seen sprinkled throughout the small fort, the latest detail being added by Techno only a matter of days ago where he had matched Phil’s elegant carving to make the sign hanging outside say Techno and Tommy’s Fort instead of just Techno. He also threw in some of Tommy’s favourite books and comics, trying to fill the space with as much comfort as he could imagine for the boy. He turned to Tommy and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
“This used to be mine, Phil built it for me ages ago as a place for me to just be with my thoughts. I’ve kinda grown to big for it though, can’t really fit into it like I used to. It’s yours now, if you want it? I know it’s nothing huge but it’s something right.” Techno chuckled lightly, a little unnerved by Tommy’s ramrod posture and silence. He was staring at the fort in front of him with wide eyes, not making any movements or noises. Techno began to panic thinking he had made a mistake and quickly tried to fix it, raising his hands in a placating manner as he moved a little closer to Tommy. “Look kid, you don’t have to accept I just thought you’d-“ before he could finish his sentence, Tommy charged into him knocking him to the floor as he hugged him round the middle. He buried his face in Techno’s chest, a huge smile on his face.
“Thank you, I love it! Thank you so much” Tommy cried, fat tears of delight rolling down his face. Techno huffed, rolling his eyes fondly before hugging Tommy back just as tightly, burying his head in the boy’s hair. God, this child sure knew how to give him a heart attack. The two stayed in that position for way too long because eventually Techno felt his ass begin to get sore. He gently pushed Tommy off him and stood up, stretching his back as he smiled down at Tommy. The kid had a big smile on his face, a pleasant contrast to the terrified look he wore this morning. He looked up at Techno and grinned excitedly before grabbing his hand and tugging him towards the fort. “Come on, give me a tour big man!! I wanna see what this place has to offer.” Tommy exclaimed, dragging an exasperated Techno towards the fort that the older man was definitely too big for. Techno didn’t say a word though, he was more than happy to sit hunched over in the little fort if it provided Tommy with some semblance of comfort. The two sat in the fort, Tommy talking excitedly as opened box after box, chest after chest, pulling everything out from them, only to shove them into different ones. Techno winced at the lack of organization but otherwise said nothing, happy to watch Tommy gush about a chapter from the book he was reading. Eventually, he settled down, pulling out a book and handing it to Techno. He arched an eyebrow, reading the cover. Greek Mythology. “Read it to me?” Tommy questioned and Techno nodded, his heart swelling with fondness. He open the first page and began to read, Tommy curling up beside him, listening to the way his words reverberated in his chest.
Tommy has no clue how long they were sat like that, he’s fairly sure he must have dozed off at one point because the sun has moved from its position high in the sky to hanging lowly on the horizon. Techno was still reading dutifully, speaking about Greek gods and goddesses as if it was his life’s purpose. Tommy curled in closer to him only to be disturbed by footsteps outside their fort. Tommy stopped, looking up at Techno who had stopped reading. The man seemed to listen for a moment, his posture becoming more threatening before he calmed down and gently closed the book. A knock on the roof of the fort was all they were greeted with before Phil stuck his head in. Tommy relaxed completely at the sight of him.
“I should’ve guessed you’d be out here, you have a bad day Toms?” Phil asked, eyes filled with concern. Tommy shrugged moving away from Techno to crawl out of the fort. He hugged his father tightly, only pulling away when Techno scrambled out in front of him. It was hard to not laugh as one of the strongest men he’d ever met was bested by a small wooden fort. He smiled cheekily at Techno as the man scowled at him before turning into Phil’s side, looking for another hug. Phil smiled and rubbed his head, holding a hand out to help Techno up before turning to walk back through the forest. “Come on, we got Chinese Food and I left it with Wilbur, who knows how much of it is gone” He explained, and Tommy cried out, breaking out into a run towards the house. Phil belted out a laugh as he dutifully followed at a much slower pace. Techno smiled exasperatedly at the two of them. He turned and looked back at the fort fondly, glad that his little plan had helped Tommy out today. He headed back to the house, excited to eat and excited to explain to Wilbur that his plan was working. Tommy was slowly, very slowly, coming into his own.
===
It was one day away from Tommy’s surprise party and the kid still had no idea that it was even happening, not like any members of his family would let the surprise slip. Techno and Wilbur had done a good job organising thing for the little celebration, ordering cheap banners and balloons that they were sure Tommy would love. The two were going all out, buying everything and anything they thought Tommy would remotely like, which meant they ended up getting the entirety of the store at some points. Phil was delighted that they were getting so into, but he was sure that his present to Tommy would be the best, not that he was cocky or anything, he just knew that his was going to blow theirs out of the water. His present was technically a present from all of them but Phil signed off on it so he will claim it as his own and cherish the looks on his sons’ face when he proves that he has the best gift for their newest member of their family.
So yeah Phil is not cocky or competitive in the slightest.
Phil smiled down at the recipe book as he thought about the days to come. He doubted anything would go wrong, he was fairly sure that Tommy was going to enjoy the event. He was a little upset that the young boy had no friends to invite to the event, but they could work on that in the future, he’s quite sure one of Wilbur’s friends has a son around Tommy’s age, maybe he could set up a meeting with them? Who knows, Phil focus right now is deciding which cake he wants to bake for the boy. He wasn’t 100% sure what flavour Tommy preferred overall when it came to sweet things, he tended to just be grateful for what he got, not used to having to make decision for himself, especially in regard to what he prefers. He eyed the chocolate cake, contemplating whether or not it would be the best choice, it was a universally loved flavour and he knew that at least three members of the household liked it. Maybe he should just ask Tommy, it might ruin the surprise, but he wasn’t sure what else to do.
“What are you doing Phil?” Tommy questioned and Phil nearly jumped out of his skin. The boy was incredibly good at sneaking up on all of them. What’s worse is that Phil knew it was something the boy had to do in order to survive back where he had originally come from. With silence came being ignored and that was what Tommy desired most when he lived with Mr. Malum. With being ignored came relief and a lack of pain, which Phil still seethed at. The fact that anybody had dared raise their hand to this boy was enough to have Phil seeing red, but he knows that a lot worse has happened to the kid. “Phil?” Tommy questioned again when he didn’t gain a response from the older man. That was another thing that Tommy still had yet to break free from. He called them all by their names. On the rare occasion he might refer to Wilbur or Techno as his brothers out loud, he recognised them as such. Whenever Phil asked him to go wake up his brothers, Tommy would dash off to jump onto Wilbur’s bed and politely shake Techno awake. Dad however was off the table. Phil had yet to be called Dad, which was fine, he would be fine if Tommy never called him Dad. What hurt was that Tommy clearly did want to call him Dad, every time he went to speak to him or when he heard his brothers call him Dad his eyes held a longing look towards him. Phil didn’t know what was holding the child back from saying that word but he’s sure he’d find out someday.
“I’m baking a cake Toms” Phil explained calmly, crouching down so he was at Tommy’s eye level. The child cocked his head in curiosity and Phil couldn’t help the fond look he threw at the boy. Sometimes Tommy would just exhibit these traits which only helped remind Phil just how young he was. Wilbur found it adorable, and Phil had to agree. But they agreed to never say it to the Child’s face lest he stopped. Phil realised quickly that he was being presented with the perfect opportunity to slyly ask Tommy about his favourite flavour without him knowing the cake was for him. “It’s for one of the neighbours, her daughter is having a baby shower and they asked if I could make her daughter and partner something nice to go along with it.” Phil stated, showing Tommy the recipe book. Inside was all sorts of cakes ranging from the classics like Victorian Sponge and Chocolate Fudge all the way to cheesecake and swiss role. Tommy eyed the pages hungrily, stopping briefly on a few before finally handing the book back to Phil.
“What one were you planning on making?” Tommy asked, following Phil as he moved towards the countertop, laying the recipe book down and pondering over it. Phil glanced at the boy before sighing as if his world was ending. Phil really had to play this up if he wanted Tommy to give his genuine response, he only ever seemed to do so when one of his family members was struggling with forming their own, his desire to help them overwhelming his fear of speaking his mind. It’s only happened a handful of times before this. Wilbur was struggling over which song he wanted to play, and Tommy happened to be walking by at the time. He saw Wilbur strumming mindlessly and asked him what’s wrong. When Wilbur explained, Tommy was quick to tell him that he always loved when Wilbur played some of his own stuff, that was his favourite thing to listen to, especially when he was sad. Wilbur had simply beamed at him before playing his entire discography, much to Tommy’s delight. Techno had been in a slightly different predicament. His hair was losing some of its colour and he was stuck trying to figure out what to dye it, having no clue which colours would suit him. He turned to the only other person in the house at the time in his desperation, not being someone who liked to leave things half finished. Tommy had been the only person around. Techno had asked Tommy what colour he thought would suit him best and his plea must have been noticeable because Tommy gave his actual opinion. He told Techno that he always liked his pink hair, it remined him of home and safety. Techno had nearly cried at that (not that he would ever admit it) and dyed his hair pink, much to Tommy’ delight.
Hopefully now it would be Phil’s turn.
“Well…” Tommy began, moving to stand beside his father figure. He carefully reached up to grab at the book, watching Phil the entire time to ensure he was allowed to. Phil nodded happily and Tommy grinned, grasping the book and quickly thumbing through the pages. He finally landed on the page he was looking for and pointed a shaking figure at the picture. “I’ve always wanted to try this cake myself, I only ever see it on TV so I’m sure it must be good! Plus, it has chocolate in it, I love chocolate! I’m pretty sure everyone does.” Tommy trailed off towards the end, looking up at Phil for approval. The cake he was pointing at was a Black Forest Gateau and Phil had to agree it did look amazing. Phil beamed down at the boy and ruffled his hair. He deserved all the praise in the world for speaking his mind and voicing his true opinions.
“Excellent choice Tommy, I didn’t even see this one! This will be perfect I’m sure they’ll love it.” Phil smiled, before turning around to look at the ingredients list. He quickly moved around the kitchen, pulling the required equipment and utensils out of drawers and raiding the fridge for any foods they might need. He looked over his shoulder at Tommy, noticing the child had moved back to the kitchen doorway, watching him curiously. “Wanna help?” he questioned, and Tommy nodded cautiously, stepping into the room and back to Phil’s side. He wrung his wrists together before quietly looking back up at Phil, a million questions running through his mind.
“How do I bake a cake?” Tommy whispered and Phil’s heart ached. Now all he wanted to do was sit with the child and bake with him until they couldn’t find anywhere to put their baking products. The more rational part of Phil’s head knew that would only help to overwhelm Tommy, but his heart screamed for making the boy happy by any means necessary. His rationality won in the end and he simple carded his hand through Tommy’s hair gently, smiling wider when the child leaned into the touch.
“It’s not that hard, I’ll show you just follow my lead” Phil explained calmly before running Tommy through the motions. The two read the recipe book together, targeting things they needed to do first, such as heat up the oven and grease the tins. Phil tackled the oven while Tommy fixed up the tins, smiling up at Phil when his job was done successfully. Soon enough they turned to the actual baking part, with Tommy handing Phil the ingredients as the man measured them out. Things were going smoothly, the two talking about anything and everything as Tommy slowly started to relax. The hunch in his shoulders slipping away with every joke exchanged, every proud look Phil threw his way. It was a shame it wasn’t meant to last. Tommy was holding out an egg to Phil, looking down at the recipe book excitedly for what the next step might be. He, however, misjudge just how far Phil’s outstretched hand was from his own and dropped the egg, smashing it to the floor and all over Phil’s shoe. The room was thrown into silence as Tommy stared in horror at what he had just done. He fucked up. “Tommy-“ Phil went to speak but Tommy threw himself away from the man’s side, turning to the corner of the kitchen and shaking.
“I-I’m sorry! I d-didn’t mean to!” Tommy panicked, trying to make himself as small as possible in the big kitchen. He fucked up. He made a mistake. He was gonna get punished, that’s what always happened when he made a mistake. Not only had he dropped an egg, messing up the floor but he dropped it ON Phil’s shoe, dirtying them. God he was such an idiot, how could he let himself slip up so easily. “I-I’m so sorry about your shoe, I’ll c-clean it right away if you want, just please. Please don’t hurt me.” Tommy all but begged, eyes filling with unshed tears as he tried to gather what Phil was thinking. The man was simply looking at him in shock. Tommy didn’t know what that meant. Was he safe, was he not? Tommy didn’t know.
Phil started at the panicking boy, frozen in shock. In the back of his head his mind was screaming, tearing things down and banging on the walls. He was going to slaughter whoever hurt his kid, tear them limb from disgusting limb until there was nothing left of him anymore. The other half of his brain was scrambling with ways to make the young boy feel better, anything to stop the tears that had started to race down his face, turning him into a horrible display of panic and fear. There was no point trying to reassure the boy with words or touch, he was too far gone in his panic and would only perceive such actions as threats. Phil looked around desperately for anything that could help the child when he saw it. The bowl of measured flour. He shrugged, before grabbing the bowl and emptying the contents of it over his head. Tommy stopped apologising, staring at the man in shock. The two started at each other in silence before Tommy’s quivering voice spoke up.
“W-why did you do that?” Tommy asked, sniffling lightly as Phil moved closer. The boy didn’t shrink away so Phil continued advancing before finally sitting down in front of him. Phil smiled lightly at Tommy before reaching out slowly so Tommy could see his movements. Tommy followed the hand all the way to his face, before turning to Phil when the man cupped his face and stroked it lovingly. Much to Phil’s delight, he leaned into the touch.
“It was an accident Tommy, I didn’t care. Plus, when baking you always get somewhat messy, otherwise you’re not doing it right. It was just an egg Tommy, it’s okay, we have loads more.” Phil explained, rubbing the boy’s cheek tenderly, using his other hand to whipe away the boy’s tears. “It’s okay to make mistakes Tommy, it’s okay. Know that I will never hurt you or yell at you for something like this. It was a simple accident and if anyone ever does yell at you for making one let me know and I’ll sort them out” Phil smiled, ruffling the boy’s hair, laughing as he coughed at the flouring dusting that fell from it. Tommy smiled up at him, leaning into the man’s chest, his way of asking for a hug. Phil instantly held him, tugging him into a more comfortable position and holding his youngest son close.
“Now you got flour all over me” Tommy whined, and Phil laughed, holding Tommy away from him and smiling down at him.
“Oh yeah, what are you gonna do about that one mate?” Phil chuckled and Tommy smirked, a mischievous glint catching in his eyes. Phil knew that look all too well. That look meant that Wilbur should watch his ankles because Tommy was coming for them. That look meant that Techno should watch his back because Tommy was gonna jump him. That look meant that Phil was about to be covered in even more flour. Before Phil could react Tommy had jumped up and raced to the counter grabbing a fistful of flour and chucking it at the older man. Phil spluttered as it hit his face, whipping it out of his eyes, before turning to Tommy with a chaotic grin. “Ohhhh this means war Toms” he cried and charged forward, grabbing some flour for himself and dumping it on the boy’s head. Tommy squawked, shaking his head furiously before grabbing the full bag of flour and running with it.
“Can’t cover me in flour if you can’t get the bag old man!” Tommy jeered playfully and Phil feigned hurt, holding his hand over his heart before smirking and reaching into the cupboard, pulling out another bag of flour. Tommy’s face paled and Phil laughed, his body shaking with how hard he was laughing.
“Bold of you to assume that was the only bag of flour we had Toms” Phil smirked, before running at Tommy, opening the bag as he ran. Tommy let out a scream, laughing as Phil chased him around the kitchen. The sound of laughter and cheers echoed around the house as the father and son duo threw handfuls of flour across the room at each other. Every was covered in mountains of flour, some had even managed to get up on the ceiling. The two were almost out of breath when Wilbur rounded the corner with Technoblade. The two stopped and started at the two newcomers, both holding up fistfuls of flour. Techno just laughed shaking his head before turning to go upstairs, most likely to sleep. Wilbur smiled at the two of them before stepping into the room, holding his hands up in surrender.
“I’m not even going to ask, just wanted to remind you Dad that it’s Tech’s turn to do dinner tonight so maybe have whatever war that Tommy is clearly winning over before then?” Wilbur smirked, winking at Tommy before narrowly escaping a fistful of flour that Phil aimed at him. He laughed as he raced from the room, yelling out his reminder one last time before heading upstairs. Tommy turned to Phil and the man’s eyes light up, a smile gracing his face easily.
“Come on mate, let’s get this cleaned up and actually bake that cake” Phil smiled, ushering Tommy towards the sink. After a few hours the kitchen was spotless, and the undecorated cake was sitting on the countertop with a piping back of whipped cream beside it and some chocolate flakes. Tommy watched as Phil showed him how to ice the cake, his widening as the older man created perfect spirals on the top of the cake, adding cherries to the peaks of the cream. He taught Tommy how to delicately cover the cake in chocolate flakes and how to ensure the cream was perfectly applied. Tommy smiled up at Phil, excited at what they made together, and Phil couldn’t help but smile back. The two stepped away, marvelling at the cake they made together, it looked just like the photo. Tommy turned to Phil excitedly, hugging the man as he eyed the cake.
“It came out so well!!” Tommy cheered, smiling brightly at the cake. Phil hummed in agreement, hugging his child closer. He was so proud of the young man next to him. He was growing so much so quickly, he was really coming into his own. Phil was so incredibly proud of him.
“I hate to interrupt this heart-warming moment, but I need to cook so get out of my kitchen” Techno stated, startling the two out of their hug. They turned to face him, slightly embarrassed by how long it took them to make such a simple cake and Techno smiled at them. “Nice work Toms looks good” he complimented as he walked past, ruffling Tommy’s hair as he went “It actually looks like what it’s supposed to look like, can’t say the same for Wilbur’s first cake attempt. Looked like the leaning tower of Pisa” he chuckled, a faint yell from Wilbur echoing down from upstairs. Tommy smiled at him before turning to Phil quickly, excitement and pride in his eyes.
“I’m gonna tell Wilbur what we did!!” Tommy cheered, before running upstairs. A few moments passed before Techno and Phil heard Wilbur yelling as Tommy no doubt pounced on him. Phil smiled in the direction that Tommy ran, heart swelling as he heard his eldest praise his youngest. Techno chuckled lightly as he heard Wilbur and Tommy screaming at each other before turning back to the cake.
“So, everything’s ready then?” Techno asked, looking back at his father who nodded smiling at his second eldest. Techno hummed thoughtfully then turned to his father. “I hope he likes it” he murmured. Phil laughed and patted Techno on the back trying to ease the young man’s tension. Techno always got like this, he was always anxious before some big event, even if it was something to be celebrated. Phil tried to do what he could to ease the boys worries.
“He’s gonna love it and you know he will, we’ll be there for him anyway!” Phil explained and Techno nodded in agreement. “We’ll have to wait and see!”.
===
Tommy awoke to whispering outside his bedroom door. He groaned at the rude awakening and turned to check the small clock that was sitting on his bedside table. It was 9am, far too early for him to be awake, especially now that he doesn’t have to do any shipments like he did back with Mr. Malum. Phil always told him that he was allowed to sleep in here, that it was kinda expected of a growing child like him. Tommy scoffed at the child comment but agreed none the less, taking any moment of sleep he could. He finally fixed his awful sleep schedule because of it and actually was okay with going to bed nowadays because he knew he wouldn’t have to wake up an hour later to look at packets of drugs. So, this “early” wake up call was alarming and instantly had Tommy on edge. Was something wrong, did something go wrong? Was Mr. Malum here? We’re they going to give Tommy back to him?! Tommy curled into his duvet, hiding as best as he could from the people outside his door. He didn’t want to go back, he was happy here. The door was pushed open and Tommy gulped, hiding deeper underneath his covers.
“Tommy? You awake mate?” Phil asked gently, stepping into the room as quietly as he could. He was surprised Tommy hadn’t woken up with Techno and Will’s hushed arguing from outside mere moments before. The shuffling under the covers confirmed just what he thought, Tommy was awake. He mentally cursed his boys in his head, he had wanted to wake Tommy up as calmy as possible. The boy was probably spooked by Wilbur and Techno. He shooed the other two out of the room, silencing their protests with a firm glare, before sitting on the edge of Tommy’s bed. “Toms? You okay mate?” he questioned, reaching out slightly to pull the covers off the boy. “I’m just gonna move the covers okay?” Phil warned, before gently moving them out of the way. He smiled fondly at the trembling child underneath and slowly reached his hand up to ruffle his hair. “You okay?” he asked, and Tommy shook his head.
“You’re sending me back aren’t you?” Tommy murmured, unshed tears collecting behind his eyelids as he tried desperately not to look up at the older man. The last thing he needed to do was piss Phil off more than necessary. In the back of his head, he knew that Phil would never give him back (he’d have to fight Technoblade first, Techno promised he’d never be sent back without a fight) but waking up to hear the men he’s grown to consider his brothers arguing as the man he wishes was his father enters the room doesn’t do anything for his paranoid mind.
“Oh Tommy, come here” Phil cooed, lifting the boy until he was curled up on Phil’s lap. Tommy clung to him, burying his face in his shirt, trying to hide from the world around them. He was safe with Phil, there was safety in Phil’s arms, in Phil’s home. There was safety with Phil’s family. “I promise you, never, ever, will I or anyone else in this household even consider sending you back to that disgusting man. You’re safe here Toms, I won’t let anything happen to you anymore. It’s okay now. You can leave it behind now. You can be a kid again Toms, I’ll watch over you okay?” Phil murmured, pressing a light kiss on the top of the young boy’s head, rubbing his back in soothing circles. That was all Tommy needed to hear, he burst into hysterics, cuddling closer to Phil as he tried to calm his breathing. Phil sighed gently, rubbing the child’s back in an attempt to comfort him, whispering soft words of encouragement as Tommy sobbed his little heart out. He knew he needed it. Eventually Tommy pulled back, leaning into Phil’s hand as the older man gently wiped away his tears.
“Thank you” Tommy chocked out and Phil smiled at him, ruffling his hair again as he gestured for Tommy to get up. He did so, standing so Phil could join him. The man stretched briefly before turning to Tommy as gesturing for him to follow. Tommy had no reason not to. The two meandered their way downstairs, talking quietly, asking one another how they slept and Tommy questioning what the plan for the day was. Phil didn’t answer, instead distracting the boy with the sight of his brothers and a plate of freshly baked pancakes.
“Morning Toms” Wilbur chirped, weaving between Techno and the table to go hug his brother. “Sorry if Tech and I woke you up in a panic, he wanted to wake up first, but it was my turn since he did it last time” he explained in as childish a voice as he possibly could to lighten the mood. Tommy arched an eyebrow at him before spluttering out a laugh so grand that everyone in the kitchen stopped to smile fondly at it. Tommy had started to let out this roaring belly laughs more often nowadays, and the men had yet to stop smiling fondly at one another over it. It meant Tommy was recovering, slowly but surely.
“Ignore him kid, he just wants to pretend he’s three years old instead of his actual age” Techno grunted, still smiling as he set pancakes onto everyone’s plates, moving around each member’s seat before reaching Tommy’s chair. He carefully placed an extra pancake on Tommy’s plate before returning the pan to the stove, leaving it on the now turned off hob. He leaned against the counter and watched as his family stared at him. “What? Are you not going to eat, or will I show you how to?” he grumbled, not liking the attention. He knew he had an obvious soft spot for Tommy, everyone in their family knew that. They just didn’t have to tease him about it. He was sent a knowing smirk from Wilbur, which he hissed at, and a fond smile from his father, which he was largely indifferent towards. Tommy just smiled up at him good naturedly, muttering a quick thanks before clambering to his seat and stuffing his face, the rest of the family joining soon after.
After a brisk breakfast, Techno and Wilbur snuck off once again to start decorating the living room for the surprise party. They tried to be as discreet as possible, both leaving at the same time stating that the need to do something important. They couldn’t be more obvious about it in Phil’s opinion, but Tommy didn’t seem to notice or take suspicion, so he guessed it was fine. Phil chatted away to Tommy, asked him if he had done anything fun with his brothers while he was out working, asked if there was anything cool he saw on TV, anything to keep the boy talking so they could give Techno and Will time to set up. Tommy did so without hesitation, easily rambling on about his new favourite cartoons and the new game that him and Wilbur had made up where they tried to sneak up on Technoblade. They had both yet to win that one, though Tommy did come close one time, only because Techno had been dozing outside in the grass. He talked on and on about the new Greek Mythology books that Techno was reading to him, about Icarus and Daedalus, Theseus and the Minotaur, he loved every story the other boy told him. Phil smiled fondly as his youngest chattered on and on, only stopping when they were interrupted by a brief knock from against the frame of the kitchen door. The two looked up to find Wilbur smiling at them, he nodded to Phil who nodded back. It was ready.
“Tommy, your brothers and I have prepared a little something for you, think of it as a small celebration of you being with us and doing so well recovering and becoming your own person” Phil explained and Tommy’s entire being lit up. Not only had Phil referred to Wilbur and Techno as his brothers, but they also all got together to do something special for him. Tommy smiled gleefully up at Phil and Wilbur, jumping out of his seat. He grabbed Phil and Wilbur’s wrist dragging them out of the kitchen and into the decorated living room. It was incredible. Tommy gawked at all the colours, all the banners and streams that lay on every possible surface of the room. A ‘Welcome Home Tommy’ banner was hung above the TV where Techno stood, smiling at the youngest member of their little family. The Black Forest Gateau cake that him and Phil had made was sitting on the coffee table as well as three wrapped presents of varying neatness. Tommy’s eyes filled with tears, which he quickly scrubbed away. What was with this family making him cry.
“I thought you said the cake was for a neighbour?” Tommy said, his voice containing a faint tremor which thankfully nobody commented on. Phil smiled fondly at him.
“Well, I couldn’t tell you to bake a cake for yourself, that would ruin the surprise mate” Phil chuckled as he ushered Wilbur and Tommy to sit on the sofa. Tommy smiled giddily, looking at each of them excitedly as they took their place, sitting on the coffee table in front of him, being mindful of the cake. Each one had a present in their hands. “We thought we’d each get you a little something to celebrate you being here, nothing major but stuff we thought you’d enjoy” Phil explained, motioning to each present as he said so. “Will wanted to go first, so I’ll let him explain his to you.” Phil smiled, as Tommy was handed his gift by Will.
“This was something Phil bought for me when I first moved here years ago, I don’t use it much, but I couldn’t bare to through it away, so I thought you’d enjoy it! Not that I’m giving you my trash or anything!! I just think you’d really like it” Wilbur said hastily while Tommy laughed at him, showing no mercy to the boy’s slight anxieties. Tommy tore open the oceanic themed wrapping paper and gawked at what was inside. A soft, plush shark. “Dad bought it for me to help with my nightmares, it kept me safe many a night, it was someone I could tell my secrets to, god that is so cringe” Wilbur whispered under his breath as Tommy gently moved the teddy, so it was out of the wrapping. It had definitely seen some years, its bright blue colours faded with age and the fin slightly drooped from how many times it had been squeezed tightly. “Their name is Lonesome, but you can change it if you want. I thought it would be nice to have something to hold at night, I know it helped me out a lot” Will explained, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Before he could say anything else, Tommy pounced on him, almost sending the two tumbling back on to the cake. Phil steadied them as Tommy smiled into Will’s chest.
“I love it, thanks so much!! I really love it Wilby” Tommy cried, clutching the plush closer to his chest as he moved deeper into Will’s arms. The man above him chuckled, muttering a quite ‘you’re welcome’ as he hugged him back tightly. After a moment the two separated, Tommy not so subtly trying to dry his eyes as he returned to his seat, holding Lonesome close to his chest. He looked over at Technoblade, who smiled gently at him.
“I hope this will match up to Wilbur’s, I don’t really have anything that I appreciate as much as he does that you can hug at night, that stuff never really worked out for me” Techno chuckled lowly, before moving to hand Tommy his present. This one was a lot heavier than Wilbur’s had been, needing two hands to hold otherwise it would slip from his grasp. He moved it to sit on his lap, marvelling at the intricate designs on the wrapping paper. “This meant a lot to me, it was the first thing Dad ever bought for me and I’ve cherished it ever since. I know it would still be in good hands with you so I’m passing it along I guess, I hope you like it” he explained, watching as Tommy slowly unwrapped the present, heading Techno’s unsaid words of caution. Inside was the most beautiful hardback Tommy had ever seen. It was almost like the book was covered in gold, with small engravings of ancient Greek symbols adorning the sides and the corners of it. It was an ancient Greek mythology hardback, a limited edition one too. This thing must have meant the world to his older brother. He quickly opened it up, marvelling at the detailed descriptions that lay inside and the vivid drawings of certain gods and goddesses that adorned the page. There was also the faint scratchings of another person’s writing, Techno’s writings, where he had discussed theories and ideas for how he believed each god was connected. It was brilliant. “I knew you were getting more into Greek mythology, so I thought that maybe you’d appreciate the book that got me so hyped up about it in the first place, it’s a great read. I hope you like it, I know it’s nothing like Wilbur’s but-“ again, just like his brother, Techno was interrupted by being body slammed into. Unlike his brother however, Techno held his own, instantly wrapping the younger in a tight hug.
“Thanks Techno, I love it, I’ll keep it so safe and I’ll make sure nothing ever happens to it, I promise” Tommy whispered, he was completely awestruck at the generosity of these people. What had he done to deserve such kind gifts, he loved them more than they would ever begin to realise, he owed everything to them and here they were continuing to give to him, long after they rescued him from the hands of Mr. Malum. Tommy sniffled into Techno’s shirt, trying to dry his tears as sneakily as possible. Unbeknownst to him, the other men were just looking at him fondly as the child tried and failed to hide his thankfulness and joy. Once Tommy had calmed down a bit he moved away from Techno, not before getting a generous hair ruffle before going, and returned to his seat. He looked over at Phil expectantly who smiled at him.
“Gonna just come out and say it now Toms, my gift is definitely the best” Phil smirked, ignoring the shouts from Wilbur and the feigned noise of hurt from Techno. He handed Tommy his lightest present yet, an envelope. Tommy arched an eyebrow at him, before gently tearing off the seal. He peaked inside th envelope only to find a thing piece of paper. He looked up at Phil again in confusion. “Open it mate, trust me” Phil smiled, and Tommy shrugged, pulling out the paper inside with ease. He looked down at the blank sheet, before turning it around. When he read what it said, he practically burst into tears. On the top of the page, in golden shimmering letters, were the words ‘Certificate of Adoption’. “I thought you might appreciate an official welcome to the family instead of an unofficial one. I want you to know that no matter what, you are official a Watson now, so no more of this “sending you back” talk, it’s not going to happen.” Phil explained lightly, Tommy nodding along as he sobbed away to himself. Wilbur crooned gently, moving to sit beside his brother and hold him close. Tommy burrowed into the man’s side, looking over to Techno with a whine. Instantly his other brother was by his side rubbing the boys head softly as he smiled down at the overwhelmed child. Phil moved to sit in front of him, wiping away his tears to the best of his ability. “So, what do you say Toms, would you like to become Tommy Watson?” Phil asked, and Tommy nodded so fast he nearly got a headache.
“Yes, please yes. I love you all so much, you have no idea how much you’ve saved me. You saved me. Thank you so much for letting me stay.” Tommy sobbed, reaching out to be in his father’s arms. Phil instantly scooped him up, holding him close and whispering promises to his child that they both knew he would never break. Soon enough, Wilbur and Techno joined in on their little huddle, the small family curling around their newest and youngest members as he cried ‘Thank You’s as fast as his little heart could.
Eventually, Tommy had calmed down, still refusing to let go of any of his family members, resulting in a massive cuddle pile on the sofa as they watched countless movies and TV shows. They sliced the cake, which had tasted incredible.
“All thanks to Tommy” Phil and cheered and the other two boys rose their glasses of soda in a cheering response. Tommy flushed from all the praise but joined in on their cheers, nonetheless. The family continued to gorge until late into the night, eating away to their hearts content as they laughed and joked as loudly as they possibly could. Eventually, the days events caught up to Tommy, and he began to slump down onto Wilbur’s shoulder. “I think someone needs to go to bed, Will you want to take him up to his room?” Phil asked as he began to clean up, Techno sitting up slightly and stretching, his back popping as he did so. Wilbur nodded and gently picked up the younger.
Wilbur carried Tommy upstairs, ignoring the youngers protest about how he wasn’t that tired. He gently moved him to his rooms, pulling back the blankets and laying him down, tucking him in tightly. He smiled as Tommy curled tighter around Lonesome, smiling into the plush’s fabric. He leaned down and gently placed a light kiss to the top of his head.
“Night Toms sleep well” Wilbur smiled, trying not to laugh as the younger mumbled out something unintelligible. He moved himself downstairs to help the rest of his family clean up. Today had gone better than any of them had possibly imagined. Tommy was safe and now he officially was part of their family. Phil had been right, his gift was definitely the best. He had another little brother to take care of and he couldn’t be happier. Wilbur smiled back at Tommy’s room fondly before finally moving downstairs.