Chapter Text
'BREAKING NEWS: Our beloved number 3 hero, Phantom Chaos, was announced dead earlier today. Reports said that he died while on a top secret mission. We hope to have more information at a later date-', Tommy zoned out with a small smile, before quickly wiping it from his face. He's still in a public space. He quickly paid for his muffin before rushing out of the bakery to his apartment. Nobody needed to know.
3 Years Later
Tommy sighed as he kicked the wall behind his desk. Today was dragging on, and it was his half day! Tommy suddenly wished that he decided to work at a more exciting place...like.... a café? Do interesting things happen at cafés? Ranboo works at one and seems happy enough. Tubbo decided to go to college to get an electronic engineering degree. Tommy often asked Tubbo where he got the money to go to college, but every time he would give the same answer
'Don't worry about it :)'
After a year Tommy stopped asking, but still was very curious.
Tommy looked back at the clock and groaned after realizing that only 2 minutes had passed. It's another half hour till he can go home. his desk neighbor, Puffy, sniggered at his antics. He sent a betrayed look at her. Puffy was cool, if not a little odd. She's been working there for longer than Tommy has been alive, although nobody needs to know that. As far as they're aware he is 19 but he's actually 17.
Puffy just stuck out her tongue as she gathered her stuff. When she walked past she had a sickening grin on her face
'I'm off now. enjoy your last 25 minutes. I do suggest you get back to work though, I heard that the boss is coming to check this floor today' She actually let worry slip in at the end instead of her usual teasing tone.
It wasn't a secret that the boss disliked Tommy and has constantly been looking for a reason to write him up or fire him. Tommy groaned again before sitting up a bit straighter and looked at his computer screen.
He curses younger him as he starts making the spreadsheet of company expenses from the last month. He picked this job because he thought it would be easier to sit all day if he got injured while out on patrol, it would also help him save energy. Only downside is that his brain is mush by the end of every day.
15 minutes later, just as Puffy had warned him, the boss stepped out of the elevator. Tommy cursed quietly as he put in another figure. His boss started to walk over to him, Tommy tried to stay focused at the task on hand. The boss, who's name is Jared, stood behind Tommy to watch what he was doing.
'I asked you to have this finished for today, did I not?'
Tommy sunk into his chair a little
'yes sir' he mumbled.
'And why is it still not finished?'
Tommy thought back to the day before, remembering all the projects assigned to him to have done by the end of the day, and the fact that he forgot to put his laptop on charge so couldn't work on it at home. Jared didn't like excuses though, Tommy racked his brain for a reason that wouldn't sound like an excuse. Apparently he took too long as Jared tutted disappointingly and Tommy shrunk into his chair a little more.
'I'm going to have to write you up for that Toms. Next time I give you a deadline, I expect you to follow it.'
Tommy nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He wasn't scared of Jared per say, he just didn't want to do anything stupid that could lose him this job, like curse out the bitch of a boss he has. Jared, satisfied with how the conversation went, walked off to bug another worker about their spelling. Tommy sighed with relief and checked the clock, 5 minutes till he could go home, he looked back at his screen at the half finished spreadsheet.
'god dammit' he cursed under his breath before getting back to work. Jared wasn't actually all that unfair, just very strict with a team that is too small for the amount of work expected of them. That's the reason that Tommy is now feeling guilty about the fact that he didn't have the work finished. He made a mental note to finish the spreadsheet when he got home.
5 minutes later Tommy was walking out of the boring office complex, he was just in time for the lunch rush as the streets were filled with people on their lunch breaks. He avoided the crowds as he made his way towards the train station, the only way he could get to the outer districts where he lives with his two best friends. He met them a few months after he 'went on the run', he still felt bad about not telling them the full truth about his past, but he wasn't ready to tell them that he is the believed-dead number 3 hero Phantom Chaos or a phoenix hybrid.
He looked at the timetable to see how long till his train arrived, seeing that it wouldn't be for another 20 minutes. He bought some cheap snacks and made himself comfortable on one of the benches, pulling out his laptop and connecting to the free Wi-Fi to do more work on the spreadsheet. He silently mourned the fact that he forgot his earphones when he got the urge to listen to music as he works. Luckily the 20 minutes go by fast enough as he works , so he's on the train back home before he knows it.
As he steps off the train, he grabs a piece of paper out of his back pocket. It was his turn to go grocery shopping. He quickly scanned over the list
Spage SpagetSpaghetti- Milk
BraedBread- Instant Noodles
He frowned slightly at 'Spaghetti', while it was his turn to do the shopping it was Ranboos turn to cook. It seems that they will be making pasta again. You'd think that with the amount of times Ranboo has made spaghetti he would be able to cook it correctly, well you would be wrong. Last time they managed to burn the water and undercook the spaghetti, it was still crunchy in the middle. Ranboo apologized profoundly after that incident.
Tommy looked around as he made his way out of the station and towards the local grocery shop. He always bought from a local shop, for one it would be a bit cheaper but he also wanted to make sure that they could stay open and have enough to pay their employees.
On the walk Tommy passed many shrines, it has been 2 years since Callahan, a beloved Vigilante, was last seen. The people from the other districts were convinced that he died, while Tommy's district was sure that he retired. Callahan was probably the best Vigilante to walk the earth, nothing was known about him. He never spoke, communicating with only sign language. He was also in the game for longer than any other vigilante, being active for 15 years before stopping.
He was known to help new vigilantes, giving tips and tricks where he could, which is why he was branded with the title 'One of the originals'. There were three Originals: Callahan, Blood and Pearl. Blood was somehow caught and was made into the hero 'Blade' and Pearl went missing during patrol. Tommy got the honor of meeting Callahan, and Blood after he was caught. Callahan had warned him and the other vigilantes that he was retiring before he went off grid, but left them all an emergency contact just in case.
Tommy shook off the thought and sped up a bit. He nodded at the employee as he entered the shop. He grabbed a basket, deeming that it was probably safer to do so, especially after he pulled a muscle in his lower back after doing an awesome jump/flip off a roof to escape the hero's the night before. He doesn't regret doing it, it was an epic exciting move, he was upset that he pulled the muscle though.
Patrol was not going to be fun tonight. Maybe he should take the day off? Tommy thought about it as he gathered everything on the list, hesitating before putting in the spaghetti. He must have been more tired than he originally thought as he zoned out and went on auto-pilot, he only became aware of his actions again after he got home. Luckily the receipt confirmed the fact that he did buy his items and didn't just leave.
He looked towards the clock, 2:30. Tubbo would finish school in 2 hours, Ranboo won't be done till 6. He sat down at the table with his laptop to finish the spreadsheet as it was so close to being done, only to discover that he forgot to save and he had to basically start again. He deflated, staring at his screen in shock. That's the first time that has happened. He rubbed his face in frustration before standing up to make himself a coffee.
Yeah, nope.
Turns out that whoever was tasked with writing the shopping list last night forgot to add coffee. Tommy throws his head back in frustration and defeatingly adds coffee to the new list for after Ranboo gets paid on Friday, and grabs himself a glass of water instead.
A few hours later Tommy has the spreadsheet finished and sent to Jared and is currently having a peaceful nap, when Tubbo decides to ruin it by being as loud as possible after getting home....
'TOMMY! I HAVE FIXED ALL OUR PROBLEMS!' Tubbo yelled, banging open the front door.
Tommy, who was asleep, jumped so hard that he fell off the couch.
'Huh?' Tommy groggily acknowledged
'LOOK WHAT I FOUND ON THE WAY HOME!' Tubbo shoved a slightly crinkled and ripped piece of paper into Tommy's face.
SBI ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW ASSISTANT. INTERVIEWS ARE BEING HELD THIS FRIDAY (12th of January) AT THE HERO'S TOWER BETWEEN 10am AND 3pm.
Tommy, who was now a bit more awake, looked at a very excited Tubbo.
'Tubs, you know that I respect you...but this is probably your most stupid idea ever'