Work Text:
People didn't like Tommy. For good reason, in fact. He was loud, abrasive, annoying, he stole things, he demanded things from people, he acted entitled. He was the type of person you wouldn't want to be around for too long or at all, ideally.
Dream was Tommy's handler. He didn't refer to him as a brother, because he wasn't. He didn't see him as a brother figure. He couldn't. But he was good at keeping Tommy in check.
He was good at giving him the discipline people thought he deserved. He was a trainer. Not a brother. But there was one place dream wasn't there to keep him in check, at school.
Ranboo seemed to attract the wrong type of people. While he was tall he was also quite skinny, he wasn't assertive, strong, or athletic. Simply put, he was easy.
Tommy noticed.
Every morning like clockwork Tommy would shove him to the floor and demand he give him his lunch money to which Ranboo would concede if only to prevent himself from getting hurt any more than he already had been. It'd gotten to the point where he had to start asking his mom for twice as much money so he wouldn't have to starve his way through lunch.
His friend Tubbo offered to step in but Ranboo always refused. He didn't need a bodyguard, he wasn't that pathetic. He could hold his own against him if he really wanted to, he just didn't think it'd be worth it. It's easier to cough up the 12 bucks then end up with a broken nose over it.
"But it'd get him to leave you alone!" Tubbo had said, though Ranboo really doubted that. People like him didn't just give up. If anything he'd get more violent to match him and he really didn't need that. He'd stick with his daily shove, thank you.
That had been the plan, get shoved once, give him the money, don't think about him until the next day. Life had other plans though.
History was the only class they shared together and as fate would have it, they got paired together for a project some random afternoon. Ranboo honestly expected him to be one of those people who let one person do all the work and take credit for it but to his surprise, he ended up coming up to him after class to ask "can we study at your house?"
He'd never seen Tommy so...docile before. It was weird, almost unnatural.
"Uh...I guess?"
"Kay, see you after school."
Tommy had walked away without discussing how exactly he'd be getting to his house. That lingering question was answered when the boy followed him into his mom's car who let him in assuming they were friends.
The car ride was tense. Neither of them spoke the entire way there. It was welcomed though. From what little he heard from Tommy, his voice was raspy, loud, sharp. It gave off a "don't mess with me" vibe that Ranboo was quite comfortable obeying.
The two of them left the car and sat in Ranboo's room, the still quite anxious boy taking out his history text book and setting it on the floor so they could both see it. Tommy didn't seem interested in working though, playing with the hem of his shirt while he seemed to wait for something.
"Is your mum staying?" He whispered, as if he was afraid to get too loud. Ranboo raised an eyebrow.
"yeah..? She lives here-"
"I know she lives here I'm not a fucking idiot!" Tommy shoved him once hard enough to knock him onto his back and Ranboo backed away from him instinctively. He really hadn't meant anything by it, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry-" he tried to backtrack. suddenly Tommy's hands were over his mouth, pressing down hard enough to keep him quiet as he said "Shut up. She'll hear you." He said that as if it would be bad for both of them if his mother was to hear. He guessed he'd appreciate that if there was any real danger, but there wasn't.
Still, Ranboo gave in as that was seemingly all he was good for, nodding quietly which got Tommy to finally let him go. He was still a bit shaken up but he decided to just move past it. He didn't want to push anything and upset him further. Then again it seemed just about everything pissed this kid off.
Briefly, he considered telling Tommy not to touch him but he could almost see the response he'd get; a harsh slap and a utterance of "dont tell me what to do shithead" followed by him probably ransacking his house and running off.
Tommy was such a gem.
He let out a huff as he pulled himself off the floor, muttering "Look let's just get this over with okay? Actually- why don't you just go home and I'll do it okay?" Usually he'd never suggest doing more work but he just wanted Tommy away from him at this point. Tommy scoffed "and let you take all the credit? Yeah right, give me that stupid book" in an instant, it was snatched from him.
Okay.
The project was to research the history of a holiday and present a five slide PowerPoint presentation about it. Ranboo wanted to do Christmas but Tommy shot that idea down, claiming everyone would be doing Christmas, and instead chose Halloween. Ranboo kept his mouth shut.
They're doing Halloween now, he supposed.
Ranboo did the bulk of the research while Tommy formatted it and put it on the slides. Ranboo wanted to make suggestions or maybe take on some more work. He didn't. It wasn't worth it.
Eventually though, his mother had entered the room to give them snacks. Ranboo didn't think anything of this as she did this quite frequently, but Tommy was acting like she had a gun pointed to his head. He immediately went stiff once he saw her, staring up with wide, cautious eyes as if trying to calculate whatever move she'd be making next.
"Would you boys like some cookies?" Tommy flinched as she leaned down to present the cookies to them. He didn't even take one until Ranboo took one first as if to make sure that was a real offer.
Once they both took one, his mom smiled and set the plate down next to them, giving Ranboo a kiss on the cheek before leaving the room.
"Sorry" he whispered once she was gone. He wasn't sure what exactly he was sorry for, he just saw how scared the blonde got and figured he should say sorry.
Tommy wasn't listening though and when Ranboo looked over at him he saw he was scarfing down the cookies like he hasn't eaten in days. Where the hell had his lunch money been going if Tommy was going to end up this hungry anyway...
Ranboo let him eat as many as he wanted though, knowing that there was more cookies down stairs as his mom tended to make large batches. His other mom had a pretty big appetite, especially when it came to his moms cookies.
"If you stop taking my lunch money I'll have my mom bake more cookies for you," he tried to negotiate, seeing an opportunity to get to eat again. Tommy didn't think about it for even a second before saying "can't." Ranboo recoiled in disgust as he spoke with his mouth open "I need it. Rent."
"You pay rent?"
The younger boy nodded, gagging as he reached for another cookie to shove down his throat. Slowly, Ranboo slid the plate away from him. He'd probably had enough.
"So..you haven't been eating lunch either, huh" he muttered. Tommy shook his head. "How long has it been since you last ate?" Tommy had to think for a moment, then said "well I'm still alive aren't I?"
Ranboo furrowed his brows "huh?"
"People gotta eat or they'll die. I'm still alive so I probably ate at some point"
Well, that'd certainly explain why he'd been such a prick. People don't tend to be all sunshine and rainbows after being starved.
Tommy gagged again and Ranboo quickly guided him to the bathroom. It probably wasn't the best idea to have the first thing you eat after who knows how long be a dozen cookies, and Tommy's body seemed to agree with him. Fifteen minutes later, Tommy left the bathroom and wiped his mouth off with his sleeve.
"Do...you want a snickers?" Ranboo asked hesitantly, a poor attempt at a joke. The glare he got in return was deadly "Oh haha because I'm not me when I'm hungry- I'll fucking kill you!" Ranboo jolted and took a step back "Okay! Okay- yeah I see where I went wrong there I just- I was trying to lighten the mood and- I'm sorry...I'll have my mom make some sandwiches or something, okay?"
Tommy tensed up again at the mention of his mother.
"My mom's really nice!" He tried to reassure him. A part of himself told him he shouldn't be so nice to someone who routinely robbed him but he thought that maybe, just maybe, if he was kind enough Tommy would leave him alone. Or at least ask for money in a less violent way.
"she won't mind I promise...if you want to just stay in my room that's fine too? I just really want you to eat actual food.."
Tommy stared at him for a bit, shrugged, then turned and walked back into Ranboo's bedroom. He didn't say what kind of sandwich he'd want before he left so Ranboo made him just a normal bologna sandwich.
Tommy ate that one just as quickly as he ate those cookies (which was probably why he got sick the first time now that he was thinking about it), chugging down the glass of water he was provided after.
"You...drink water, right?" Maybe it was a bit of a dumb question but if Tommy didn't have access to food he had to wonder what else he didn't have access to.
Tommy laughed at that question "I'd die without water" he said, as if he wouldn't die without food too "water is great for when you can't eat. A glass a day keeps the hunger away...or, several glasses do I guess."
This experience was really helping Ranboo appreciate how fortunate he was to be able to eat every day. He'd never even thought about something like that before.
"Do you..like...need help?" He asked hesitantly. Immediately whatever docile state Tommy had slid into went away and he shouted at him "No!" He shoved him for what felt like the hundredth time and stood up, saying "you mind your fucking business alright?! Dream he- he's a good guy, leave him alone!"
Ranboo had no idea who Dream was or why the idea of Tommy getting help would be an attack on him but he left it be. It wasn't worth it.
At the end of the day, just before dinner time, some guy had come to pick Tommy up. Ranboo vaguely recognized him as that guy that did professional tag on TV. He didn't even know you could be a professional tag player before he randomly flipped to the channel one day.
The second Tommy was in his presence it was like all the fight was drained out of him and all that was left was a toothless, obedient, dog.
"Hey Dream" it was uncanny seeing him like this. From the outside it'd seem like he was naturally a quiet and shy person but the past two hours with him had done everything to disprove that. It was weird how he could make something so obviously foreign to him seem natural.
The man grinned at the boy, briefly thanking them for having Tommy over before he grabbed his wrist and tugged him out of the house. "You're pressing on a bruise" Tommy whimpered, barely audible but still there. "Please stop."
Tommy's quiet whimpering progressed to a wince as the man seemed to hold on tighter. Ranboo was horrified.
"I'm sorry he must've been such a handful- Tommy!" Dream tugged him closer as he tried to pull away, laughing softly after a second
"I just recently became his legal guardian, I haven't gotten a good handle on him yet." Ranboo nodded slowly. He was trying to be polite but his eyes couldn't leave the hand holding Tommy's wrist. His knuckles were white. Surely he didn't need that much force.
"Dream let me go!" Tommy demanded. It was in more of a normal speaking tone than the loud threatening one he used with Ranboo.
"If I let you go you'll run to God knows where!"
"No I won't I promise just please you're hurting-"
the older man shushed him and Tommy immediately went quiet like a well trained dog.
"Haven't gotten a good handle on him." Yeah right.
"R..right um- well...I have to go eat so..." He closed the door slowly and the man gave him that weird TV smile.
"oh of course, thanks for taking him off my hands for a bit!"
"Yeah no problem"
Then the door was shut. He didn't like the way he constantly spoke of Tommy like he was an inconvenience. He probably should've said something about it but he couldn't think of anything to say.
Slowly, he made his way towards the window and opened the blinds just enough to see the two of them walking home. Tommy was still trying to free himself from the man's iron grip on him and eventually managed to pull his arm away but then...
Ranboo's eyes widened.
The man had hit him. It was hard enough for Tommy to end up on the floor and the blonde almost immediately began to back away from him, tears sliding down his face. He quickly closed the blinds and took a breath. He just couldn't watch anymore. He didn't know what to do. Was he supposed to call someone? Who??
Needless to say he didn't have much of an appetite by dinnertime. After a few minutes of his staring down into his rice, his mother gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay hon?" Her voice was light and comforting. Ranboo sighed. He didn't know if he was, honestly. Not after witnessing that. Suddenly things made a lot more sense.
"Yeah it's just...Tommy." He said quietly. Recognition flashed in his mother's eyes and her comforting tone changed to one of concern "Oh that wasn't Tommy Innes was it? I've heard some awful things about that boy," she said. "Kristen says he causes her boys trouble all the time. Apparently there was almost a fight!" She sighed and shook her head in apparent disappointment "I'm surprised he hasn't gotten expelled yet...but when have schools done anything about bullies."
Ranboo didn't know how to feel about her saying those things anymore. If he hadn't seen that it probably would've made him feel safe, seen, maybe even prompt him to open up about the way he'd been treated...But it didn't.
The mental image of the boy being thrown to the floor with nothing but a single punch replayed endlessly in his mind. He pushed his plate away and stood up slowly.
"I think...I'm just going to go to bed early. I have violin recitals and stuff, gotta be well rested. Or something." He said, stepping further away from the table with each word.
"You have to be well fed too" his mother had said in return, which gave Ranboo an idea.
"Could you put that in a lunchbox for me please? I'll have it for lunch tomorrow" he promised.
He was lying though, he wouldn't be having it for lunch. Tommy would.