Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Hurry up Toby! We're gonna miss the fight!” Tommy says with a rushed tone, bouncing in place as he waits for his friend to tie his shoelaces, tail flicking behind him as very impatiently waits.

“Okay, okay! Impatient ass bitch!” Tubbo says back with a smirk, a distant “language!” being heard from Tubbo’s mom who is currently making lunch for when the two boys get back.

—

Tommy looks at the fight in front of him, a wide (and fanged) grin on his face as he watches the hero and villain brawl.

The hero is Dream, he’s new but has already flown in the hero ranks, he’s a good fighter! And he has the coolest power ever!

His power is called ‘Glitch’, he’s like a video game character sorta, he can have his whole body glitch out and it makes anything go through him, sometimes it’ll teleport him a few inches from his original spot but it doesn’t affect much of the fight.

But the hero is a close range fighter, fighting with knives and such, (Tommy has spent hours ranting to his family and friends about how cool he thinks the weapons are.

Tommy is absolutely engulfed in the fight, one hand on the metal railings in front of him (there to make sure no civilians get in the way), while his other hand is holding onto Tubbo’s tightly.

The fight is absolutely amazing in Tommy’s opinion, Tommy watches as Dream dodges the blasts thrown his way, retaliating by throwing knives to which the villain dodges as well for the most part.

At some point during the fight the villain ends up with his back facing the two boys, Dream pulls his arm back and throws the knife with scary accuracy.

Well.. that’s what Tommy would be saying if the villain hadn’t dodged the throw.

Tommy watches the knife fly towards him, closing his eyes, moving his head to the side, and covering his face as he hears someone that he can distantly recognize as a healer yell.

Tommy had braced himself for pain, but it never came.. So he opens his eyes, and he looks over to Tubbo.

Tommy stares widely at his best friend with a knife deep in his gut.

Tubbo is staring down at the knife with shock, tears starting to well in his eyes has his shaky hands hover over the handle.

After the sock passes Tubbo falls to the ground, and Tommy lets out a gasp as he falls to his knees, his hand finding its way under Tubbos head before it can hit the ground.

Tubbo is now looking at Tommy with tears streaming down his face like a river, gasping for air and crying out in pain.

Tommy doesn’t know what to do.. Tommy looks down at Tubbo with complete and utter dread.

Tommy shakily grabs Tubbos hand as he pulls his head to his chest.

“It’s… okay… you’ll be fine okay? Just don’t.. Don’t die on me okay Toby?” Tommy says, his voice shaky as he feels Tubbo grab his hand with a white knuckle grip, Tubbo’s cries only getting louder as the ringing in Tommy’s ears does as well.

Tommy looks at Tubbo for what seems like forever before looking back at the stupid fight.

Dream has the villain handcuffed and on the ground, completely knocked out.

Tommy looks at the sight, when suddenly he hears Tubbo yell, and there's a harsh tug as his best friend is taken out of his grasp.

Tommy snaps his head to the scene in front of him, Tubbo on the ground with a healer hovering over his body, Tommy watches in horror as the knife is taken out Tubbo’s gut, watching the blood start to pool out quickly.

Tommy hears Tubbo scream in agony as the healer presses his hands to the edges of the wound, and that’s when Tommy is snapped back.

“H–Hey! Your– Stop It–!!” Tommy is immediately up on his feet, running at the healer.

Tommy flinches as he feels a pair of large arms hook around his shoulders, pulling him backward, being practically pinned to someone's chest.

“YOU BASTARDS!!! STOP IT!! YOUR HURTING HIM–” Tommy screams, being cut off by a harsh sob, the man behind his sighing before speaking “kid–, stop it, your friend will be fine, stop squirming” The man says, and Tommy immediately recognizes it as Dream.

Tommy doesn't stop, he feels trapped as he’s forced to watch his best friend scream and writhe in pain as blood pools under him, watching as the yellow light from the healer isn’t working on the boy at all.

Tommy.. Tommy panics, he feels his powers serge through him, Tommy pulls himself forward in the harsh grip, he feels his eyes start to shine a bright red before–

Black..

All he can see is a black void.

It’s all he can see before he’s falling and then–

“Tommy!”

Tommy’s whole body jerks up in a hurry at the sound of his teacher’s loud voice.

“Tom you cannot keep sleeping in my class, you haven’t even put your name on the paper yet!” His teacher scolds as she walks away from the bored and to her computer.

Tommy frowns “I expect to see you in after school detention mr. Simons” His teacher states, and Tommy rolls his eyes at the words, resting his cheek on his palm, looking down at the desk.

Tommy’s teacher raises her head from her computer and looks at him with a slightly surprised face “not feeling mouthy today huh? Good, it’ll only get you in more trouble” She states as he moves back to the front bored.

Tommy doesn’t reply in all honesty he’s still tired, having not gotten good sleep in a very long time since the incident.

Tommy stares at the womans back for a moment before speaking

“Can I go to the bathroom?” He asks and the woman scoffs

“No, you already missed half the lesson,” She states, and Tommy lets out a groan, staying in his seat for a moment, before saying ‘fuck it’, he stands up, grabs his backpack and leaves the room, ignoring the calls of his teacher behind him as he walks into the hallway.

——

Tommy roams around, eventually he makes his way to the rooftop, he walks over to an air conditioner unit, and he sits down in front of it, leaning his back against it before looking up at the sky.

Tommy is angry.

Tommy has been angry a lot in the past four years..

Tommy is also tired…

He’s so tired of the nightmares.. He’s so tired of everyone telling him what to do and where to go.

And he’s so tired of everyone telling him to get over it

Get over the worst day of his life

Get over his best friend's death..

Tommy can’t.

He’s angry with everything.. Tubbo was a happy kid, awkward, nerdy, logical, he had a bright future ahead of him.. But it was cut short thanks to non-other than the number one hero.

Fucking Dream.

He hates him.. He hates the fucker with every bone in his body.. He wishes that one of these days Blade will just kill him, he wishes that one day Angel of Death will just tear his lungs out of him, hell he looks forward to the day Dream is killed, no matter the consequence.

Tommy cuts back into reality when he hears the doors open and close, seeing a teen with vitiligo walk through them.

“Hey Ranboob” Tommy says casually, smirking when the teen jumps at his voice

“Oh! Umm, hey Tommy.. Why are you up..here?” Ranboo asks awkwardly,

Tommy raises an eyebrow “why? Tryna smoke or something? I aint no snitch”Tommy says with a wide grin, and Ranboo lets out a sigh before making their way over to Tommy and sitting down next to him, pressing their back against the brick wall beside the air conditioner unit.

“You caught me..” Ranboo mumbles as he pulls out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket.

Tommy lets out a chuckle at their words, “yeah, you would come up here to smoke” Tommy says with a grin

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ranboo questions, putting the cigarette up to their mouth and lighting the end of it with the lighter, putting it back in their pocket before gripping the cigarette between their fingers, breathing in before blowing the smoke out.

“It means you're a smoker, dumb bitch” Tommy states, moving to look at the sky again.

Ranboo lets out a sigh, but overall not responding to the younger teen, just sitting there and smoking while Tommy just stares at the sky with his thoughts clouding his mind.

They stay like this for a while before Ranboo is looking back at Tommy.

“Why are you up here?” Ranboo asks, taking their cigarette and handing it over to Tommy.

Tommy looks at the cigarette before hesitantly taking it, putting it to his lips and breathing in.

Tommy finds that Ranboo obviously has some sort of super power because jeez, cigarettes suck ass.

Tommy coughs out the smoke, handing the cigarette back to Ranboo who is chuckling at Tommy’s struggle

“Those things are fucking awful” Tommy says, blinking away the small tears in his eyes as he looks back at Ranboo.

Ranboo laughs, “yeah, I know” They say before taking another hit of the (very, very awful) cigarette, and blowing the smoke in Tommy’s face, to which he quickly moves his hand up to wave the smoke away from the pair.

“I’m gonna smell like shit now, thanks alot” Tommy says with a scowl, and Ranboo just rolls their eyes.

“Seriously though, why are you up here? I don’t see you up here often” Ranboo says, a frown painting their face.

Tommy’s scowl deepens a bit, “it’s none of your business,” Tommy states, looking down at the ground below him.

Ranboo sighs before speaking “you can talk to me, I know what it’s like to be stressed the hell out, you know that Tom—“

“Pffft—, don’t get cheesy with me bitch boy! I’m a big man, I can handle myself” Tommy says, now a grin plastering his face, one that Ranboo can only assume is fake.

“Yeah well, ‘big men’ can be stressed” Ranboo says, using air quotes when he says “big men”

“HA—, Well, I don’t know what big man you’re talking about, but it sure as hell ain’t me! I’m fuckin Tommy Innit! I’m the chillest guy ever!” Tommy says, his voice filled with a brash tone.

“Yeah, whatever, keep your secrets to yourself” Ranboo says with a chuckle before putting the burnt end of the cigarette on the floor, digging it into the floor before letting go of it and standing up.

“Well, I should get going, I told the teacher that I didn’t feel good and she gave me a nurse pass, so I have an excuse to be out of the class, you don’t” Ranboo says, grabbing a pink nurse pass out his pocket and flaunting it to Tommy.

Tommy rolls his eyes “yeah, yeah, whatever, I don’t need a nurse pass, I get in trouble allllll the time! I’ll be fine” Tommy states with a cocky attitude.

Ranboo lets out a huff before speaking “well then, good luck to you Mr.Innit” Raboo says with a dramatic bow, a smirk plastered on his face.

“OH fuck OFF” Tommy says with a harsh laugh, watching as Ranboo lets out a string of chuckles before walking off with a wave.

Tommy watches as the doors slam shut behind the teen, and he watches as time passes on in the day.

Eventually Tommy does get up, wiping the dirt off his pants before he makes his way back inside.

Tommy only gets halfway down the hall before the bell rings, and Tommy lets out an annoyed groan at the loud ringing.

Tommy walks faster as other teenagers start walking out the classrooms, he walks until he reaches the front of the school, walking out off campus and making his way back… home?

——

Tommy doesn’t have a home.

Not anymore..

Before the incident, Tommy was living with Tubbo, his own mother having abandoned him when he was young since she couldn’t support him and herself in the lower districts.

But… Tubbo’s mother kicked Tommy out the day after Tubbo’s funeral… understandable.. she blamed him for getting Tubbo killed, she blamed Tommy because if he hadn’t been a stupid fucking fanboy then Tubbo might not have died that day…

So she kicked him out, and he stayed on the streets for a week until someone found him and brought him to an orphanage in the lower districts.

And that’s how Tommy is in this situation

Cheek red from being bitch slapped by his foster mother, and in the bathroom on the floor, tears forming in his eyes (Tommy doesn’t know if it’s from the yelling or from the pain in his right eye, that is sure to bruise) as his foster father bangs on the door.

“YOU LITTLE SHIT!! WHAT?! YOU THINK YOUR TOUGH SHIT BECAUSE YOUR GOING AROUND SKIPPING CLASS AND SMOKING WITH YOUR NO GOOD FRIENDS?!”

Tommy grips his hair as he struggles to breathe, his throat drying as the tears start falling down his cheeks, his legs curled to his chest as Tommy feels every bang against the bathroom door against his back for what feels like hours.

After a while though the banging stops

“You're nothing but a goddamn pussy, you should be GRATEFUL we took you in boy” Tommy’s foster parent states harshly before stomping off towards the living room.

Tommy leans his head back against the door, letting out shaky and sharp breaths, struggling to get air in his lungs as he pulls on his hair harshly so he can ground himself, moving his legs to be laid flat against the tile so the cold of the floor can be felt.

Tommy stays in the bathroom for a while, maybe 15 minutes? Doesn’t matter, his panic attack subsides afterwards.

Tommy stays sat for a while before he looks up at the counter top, after a moment, standing up, his legs feel weak, like he could collapse at any moment.

But Tommy just opens the cupboard and grabs the first aid kit out of it, placing it down before closing the cupboard and looking in the mirror.

Tommy looks at his cheek that is now a more pink then red now, while his right eye has started bruising over, turning a magenta and starting to slightly swell.

Tommy sighs before opening the first aid kit and grabbing a small bottle of bruise cream, opening it and putting some on his middle finger.

Tommy puts the bottle down before leaning forward a bit, and bringing his finger up to his eye shakily, hissing slightly as he applies the cream to his eye.

Afterwards Tommy puts the cream back into the first aid kit and puts the kit back into the cupboard.

Tommy lets out a breath before looking at the bathroom door before very slowly and quietly opening the door, turning the light off before walking out the bathroom and closing the bathroom door quietly.

He makes his way to his bedroom, making sure to avoid making too much noise, and again quietly opening and closing his bedroom door before locking it behind him.

Tommy walks towards his desk, grabs his backpack and places it on his bed before grabbing some stuff he has laying around the room, including a necklace that Tubbo got him.

The necklace is a compass, with a small paper inside of it that says “your Tubbo” while Tubbo had one that said “your Tommy”

Tommy grabs that and puts it on before grabbing a red jacket and putting it on, pulling his hood up before he grabs his backpack and puts it on, then he opens up his window and he climbs out of it.

——-

“Have a nice night Tommy!” Puffy says with a smile as she walks out of the cafe.

“You too” Tommy mutters, staying behind the counter, boredom quickly settling in as he looks around the empty cafe.

After maybe a few minutes Tommy moves and turns the “open” sign to the “closing” side if it, before walking back behind the counter, and he starts to clean up the counter.

Tommy cleans up the shop like he normally does, he wipes down the counter, he mops the floors, and he puts all the coffee making shit away.

Tommy is tired, that’s blatant with the bags under his eyes, he’s too tired, too tired to deal with his shitty foster home, too tired to deal with shitty customers, too tired to deal with his shitty fucking life..

Tommy barely remembers cleaning the cafe, too lost in thought, just cleaning on instinct, like he has for the past two months.

Tommy is pulled out of his thoughts by two loud gunshots, two very clean and loud gunshots..

Tommy assumed this night would be the same as every night, he would work, close, clean, and go back home..

But Tommy was wrong

He always is..

Most would call the cops if they heard a gunshot outside their workplace, most would run and get the hell away, most wouldn’t stay and investigate.

But Tommy lives in district four, the one where all the poor people live, along with the drug addicts, it’s where all the criminals go to hide out and get away from the pro’s and police.

And plus, Tommy is a demon hybrid, most are scared of him to a degree, that or they treat him like scum on the bottom of their shoe..

But either way, Tommy can handle himself, Tommy’s a big fucking man, he can handle anything!

Mostly..

Tommy makes his way to the back, walking over to a door that goes out into the alley behind the cafe, it’s where all the trash goes at the end of the day, and it gets emptied by the end of the week.

Tommy looks around the alley, and almost immediately spots a familiar figure– or, figures, at the end of the alley.

The fucking blade and Angel!?

What the absolute fuck?!

And if that didn’t get his attention then the body on the ground next to them sure did…

Tommy looks at the pair stunned, standing there long enough to the point where Blade looks back at him…

Oh shit..

This is why Tommy should mind his own damn business like Puffy had told him to! This is why Tommy should start working day shifts! This is why he should’ve ran away from this shit hole a long time ago…

But, Tommy can’t change what he did now (as much as he wants to), so that leaves him with two super villains staring at him, while he stares back.

Tommy is absolutely fucked…

“You should run along kid, if you know what’s best for you” Angel states after a very tense moment

Tommy..

Tommy doesn’t process the words..

His body does, he knows that based on the shiver sent up his spin, and the way his tail stiffens as it wraps around his leg, his ears flicking back a bit as a distant ringing is heard in them.

While Tommy has seen his fair share of violence, he never thought he would see Manburg’s top super villains in the alley of the cafe he works at, with a dead body next to them.

It’s absolutely chilling to think deeper into why this has happened, it’s terrifying to assume what that man did to deserve to have bullets shot into his head and gut, by the leaders of the fucking syndicate..

Tommy doesn’t register his fear… he’s felt it too much, it’s a feeling he’s come to realize holds him close and slowly eats away at him the longer it’s with him, like a parasite he’s used to..

But after a moment Tommy realizes that Angel isn’t just threatening him, he realizes this is a sort of.. mercy…

Angel doesn’t kill kids..

Tommy's never been so grateful to be a minor

The Angel of all people is giving him a chance to live..

So as soon as Tommy makes that realization, his body moves, he turns around, walks back into the cafe, locks the door behind him, and decides to move along with his night like he didn’t witness the aftermath of a murder.

—

Tommy doesn’t sleep that night..

Tommy is plagued with anxiety

So for once in his god forsaken life, he distracts himself, he does his school work, he cleans out his room a bit, he just keeps himself busy

Tommy doesn’t want to remember that night…

The dead guy looked too much like a friend anyway…

Chapter Text

The next week Tommy is filled with anxiety.

Like, he’s had three panic attacks in a day bad

Tommy knows he should’ve minded his own business.. he knows that the syndicate doesn’t kill kids… that doesn’t make him any less terrified.. doesn’t make him any less vulnerable…

Tommy is a little shit, he’s known to cause trouble, he’s known to make people annoyed, he knows that he’s been in a shitty position his whole life…

He’s something of a jinx, he always gets the people he’s close to hurt, he always gets into shitty situations where he has to fight to get out of it.

But god, Tommy’s only been this anxious once..

He doesn’t miss it..

“Tommy, are you okay?” Ranboo asks

Tommy jumps at the hand on his shoulder, his tail flicking into a straight line as he looks up at the older teen.

“I— yep, perfectly fine” Tommy says, moving Ranboo’s hand off of him as he speaks.

The two are on top of the rooftop again, Tommy’s been here a lot recently, he’s been skipping all his classes, really though school’s the only place he feels somewhat safe, for multiple reasons.

His foster parents can’t hurt him here.

The syndicate doesn’t, attack schools

Safest place on the planet for Tommy!

Tommy is still anxious though…

“You sure about that? You.. look kinda… stressed..” Ranboo says, crouching down, it’s the same spot they were at last week… and have been meeting up for the last week as well.

“Yes. Ranboo, I’m fine! No need to worry!” Tommy states, rolling his eyes, annoyed at Ranboo’s insistence, but still, he can’t fault Ranboo, it’s obvious that he’s not doing the best.

Ranboo sighs, looking at the younger teen for a moment, before taking their backpack off, placing it on the ground, and opening it.

Tommy looks at Ranboo, confused as the older rummages around in their backpack, after a few moments they pull a paper out of their bag.

“Here, there’s gonna be a party tonight, I wasn’t gonna go, but if you want then you can come with me” Ranboo says as they hand Tommy the paper.

The paper is a party flier.

Tommy thinks for a moment.

Tommy.. Well Tommy’s been to his fair share of parties, he’s drank alcohol, he’s smoked (though it wasn’t ever pleasant), Tommy likes to go and party, he likes the too loud music, he enjoys the crowd, he enjoys just drinking and having fun with his friends!

So why would he turn this down?

“Who’s hosting?” Tommy questions, looking back up at Ranboo, putting the paper down in his lap, loosely holding it still.

“Y’know Beau?” Ranboo questions, and Tommy nods “the chick that’s always saying something snarky to the teacher?” Tommy questions, and Ranboo nods with a huff.

“Yeah her, she’s hosting, her parents are outta town for the week apparently, so she’s hosting a party” Ranboo explains, and Tommy nods.

“We meeting up? Or will we just see each other at the party?” Tommy questions, and Ranboo thinks for a moment before speaking.

“I can pick you up, just send me your address and i’ll be there” Ranboo states, and Tommy nods, grabbing his phone out his pocket and then quickly sending Ranboo the address of his foster parents apartment.

“There, that’s where the apartments are, just text me and i’ll meet you outside” Tommy says.

“Okay”

Before the conversation can continue, the bell rings loudly, making Tommy jump slightly,

Ranboo closes up their backpack and stands up as he puts it back on “okay, i’ll see ya tonight then, 8pm, don’t forget” Ranboo states, and Tommy smirks “I won’t” the younger teen states, and Ranboo huffs, letting out a quiet “sure” as he walks off.

Leaving Tommy alone with his thoughts again.

——

Tommy throws his backpack onto his bed, followed by himself, letting out a tired sigh as he does, closing his eyes for a moment before turning himself over and looking up at the ceiling.

He lets out another sigh.

He just lays there for a while, listening to the hushed voices of his foster parents and two others.

It’s not particularly uncommon to have others over, normally they speak in low voices, and his foster parents give him a scowl if he goes down into the living room.

Tommy learned to just keep quiet, and stay away from the living room when people are over, Tommy has never bothered to actually learn what they talk about, the assumption is it’s a drug deal.

Tommy isn’t dumb, Tommy knows his foster parents are bastards, abusive and shitty… but he can’t say he doesn’t understand why they do drugs..

District four is… shitty… there’s technically five, the fifth through is.. not exactly livable..

District four is known as the poor district, the one where crime is a constant, and fighting rings are better hidden, murder common, along with robberies and such.

The city is.. well, nearly in shambles..

It’s why Tommy loves vigilantes now! They aren’t some pricks who fight just for the fame and money, unlike actual heros…

Tommy is quickly pulled out of his thoughts by his phone vibrating, Tommy’s head turns to the object before grabbing it.

Sitting up, Tommy reads the message sent to him by Ranboo

‘Get ready, i’m leaving in five minutes and i’ll call you when I get to the apartments’

Tommy replies with a simple ‘K’ before turning his phone off and hoping off his bed, locking his door, and then looking through his clothes

Tommy.. Tommy does have clothes, but he doesn’t have a lot sadly, but for the sake of appearances, Tommy’s old foster parents had bought him a turtleneck and a few pairs of jeans.

So Tommy grabs a turtleneck, and grabs a pair of tan cargo pants, a black belt, and a blue jacket, Tommy decides to not wear his red jacket because he doesn’t want it to reek of alcohol and weed, it’s his favorite jacket, it’s old, and torn, and has a few holes that he’s sewn patches on, different shades of red splotching on one side of his jacket at the bottom, with a few holes he hasn’t patched up yet on the bottom of the sleeves.

Tommy walks back over to his bed, and grabs his phone, and falls back down onto his bed, he’ll just play some video games until Ranboo arrives.

——

“Her house is bigger than I expected” Tommy states, looking at the house that apparently Beau lives in.

It’s a nice house, well.. nice for a house in the fourth district, but it’s basically on the border of the third district, so it’s not too shocking, it’s actually just a regular house, but it looks so much fancier than it should.

“Yeah I suppose it does” Ranboo says as they start walking into the house, walking past the multiple people in the lawn, small groups of four around the yard, while the porch has a group of three sitting on a porch swing.

Inside is loud, along with lights that fade from red, blue, green, and purple every few seconds, and there’s a hell of a lot of people, along with that it absolutely reeks of alcohol and weed, the smell preventing the house from smelling like a locker room.

Tommy looks around as he walks through the sea of people with Ranboo, eventually finding the kitchen where the alcohol is.

Tommy grins as he grabs a bottle of beer off the counter, it’s cheap, and it probably tastes like shit, but it’s something.

“You gonna get some or what?” Tommy asks, thankfully the kitchen doesn’t have as many people in it than the rest of the house, so he doesn't need to fucking scream for Ranboo to hear him.

Ranboo wordlessly reaches into his backpack and takes out a bag of week, along with a pack of cigarettes, holding it up long enough for Tommy to see before putting it back into his bag

“I got my own stuff” Ranboo states, and Tommy just chuckles before he looks back at his beer and opens it, throwing the cap on the counter mindlessly.

“So how much do you plan on drinking tonight?” Ranboo questions as they walk back into the living room with Tommy taking a sip of his beer, holding back a scowl at the taste.

“I don’t fuckin know, as much as I can?” Tommy says, moving to the couch that’s surprisingly empty.

“I— yeah, okay, I don’t know what I’d expect” Ranboo states, moving his backpack into his lap, and grabbing they’re weed pipe.

“Yeah, we’re getting absolutely fucking wasted tonight,”

——

“Tommy your barely fucking standing! You need to go back home!” Ranboo states, and Tommy rolls his eyes as he scoffs

“I’m finnnee Ranboob, no need to worry!” Tommy says, words slurred, and well… he can’t really walk straight, in fact Ranboo is literally right behind him as he basically stumbles over to the kitchen, grabbing another beer.

But before Tommy can open it Ranboo grabs it out his hand and places it back on the counter “look, I can take you back to your apartment, but I physically will not let you drink any more!” Ranboo states, and Tommy looks at him with an exaggerated pout.

“But Ranbooo! I’m like, a grown man” Tommy says, and Ranboo rolls their eyes “yes, 16, definitely an adult” Ranboo says sarcastically

“See! You get it!” Tommy says, a smirk plastered on his face now, as Ranboo gives him a deadpan stare.

With a sigh Ranboo pulls their arm around Tommy’s shoulders, “come on, let’s get back to your place” Ranboo says with a somewhat annoyed but concerned look on their face.

Tommy lets out a whine “Ranboooo! I’m fine seriou—”

Tommy is quickly cut off when he stumbles forward, having attempted to get away from Ranboo, in turn almost falling, before catching himself.

“Umm… yeah, sure” Ranboo mutters, adjusting Tommy, holding the teen up as we start walking out the house, getting a few stares from people they pass by, but most don’t bother them, it’s a pretty normal sight for Tommy.

Ranboo walks out the house with Tommy, the younger leaning against him a fair bit, as Ranboo walks with him.

——

Ranboo walks back to Tommy’s apartment complex, on the way multiple police cars pass with their lights on, Ranboo hadn’t thought much of it until… well now..

“Since whenn.. is my apartmenttt, red and bluue?” Tommy question, seemingly genuinely concerned, and well… Ranboo is absolutely devastated.

Ranboo’s face has definitely paled, “why the hell are cops here?!” Ranboo questions, and Tommy lets out a “ohhh” but Ranboo just tunes it out really.

“That’s what those are?” Tommy questions, and Ranboo just stares at the cops.

Unfortunately they stand there long enough for someone to notice them..

“Oh? Um, excuse me! You two!”

Ranboo’s head snaps over to the cop nervously, finding a man with blonde hair, and green eyes, walking closer to the pair of teens…

“Do you live here? If so, what's your room number?” The man asks, and Ranboo freezes up for a moment, not answering, but after processing the words they speak up.

“Oh.. um, I don’t live here, but my friend does.. his room number is 43” Ranboo explains, surprised that they didn’t stutter over their own words.

“And your friend.. is he… sober?” The cop questions as he looks down at Tommy, who gives him a glare once he realizes that the guy is a cop.

“Um… no.. we kinda.. just got back from a party..” Ranboo says, their eyes meeting the ground, a familiar feeling of anxiousness crawling up their throat.

“Okay.. i’m gonna need you both to come with me” the cop says with a sigh, and Ranboo’s face scrunches up, anxiety making their heart beat faster, even if Ranboo didn’t drink, he’s high as shit right now… and Tommy’s gonna kill him when he’s sober.

“Okay.. let’s go then..”
——

“I already told you, I came home, hid out in my room, then snuck out to go party” Tommy states, rolling his eyes as he leans his head back against the uncomfortable plastic chair he’s sat on.

The room is dimly lit with yellow lights, the room itself reminiscent of a school library, just without the books, the floor is that hard carpet that’s blue, with dots of red all over it, while the walls are red bricks, to Tommy’s left is a double sided window,

If Tommy wasn’t drunk off his ass then he’d probably have fought against this more, would’ve questioned more, would have tried running away… but.. stupid fucking Ranboo had to go and be a ‘good citizen’

Whatever the fuck that actually means

“Mr Simons, are you positive? You lived with Mr, and Mrs.Smith for 7 months, you’d have to seen something” The detective says, and Tommy just groans

“All I know is that their drug addicts, don’t know anything beyond that” Tommy states, and the detective sighs,

“Look—”

The door to the room opens, and in walks a man with sandy blonde hair walks into the room, the man looking to be about middle aged, he’s wearing a green turtleneck with a black coat over it, along with a normal pair of dark blue jeans, and some black shoes.

“Tom Simons?” The man says, his tone questioning, Tommy looks at the man with a blank expression before answering “what?” Tommy questions

“Okay.. Mr. Jones, you're free to leave now” The man states, and the detective sighs before standing up, grabbing his clipboard, and wordlessly leaving the room, closing the door behind him as the middle aged man takes the detective’s place where he had sat, across the table from Tommy.

“Okay, so my name is Phil Watson, I'm an investigator, but I’m here to explain to you what's happened to your parents and what’s gonna happen to your parents” the man who is apparently named Phil explains.

“They aren’t my parents” Tommy states, his eyes following the man’s movements, weary of the man.

“Well.. no I suppose they aren’t” Phil says, and Tommy scoffs,

“Okay, so Mr, and Mrs Smith are going to prison, and you’ll be moved to a new foster home—”

“Right, right, are you actually gonna put me into a—, i don’t know, a good home this time? Or do you wanna keep fucking me over?” Tommy questions, his voice filled with anger

The man sighs, “well… no, this is.. gonna be different this time” Phil says, moving his hands to be on the table in front of him, “you’ll be living with me from now on.” Phil states

Tommy stares blankly at the man for a moment before scoffing “what the hell?! Why?” Tommy questions, moving so he’s leaning his cheek against his hand, elbow on the table

“Well.. I’m a former foster parent, I have a son, and he was in.. a somewhat similar situation to yours… so after a lot of talking and such it was decided that you’d live with me for the time being” Phil explains

Tommy scoffs at the words “so.. what? Your fostering me because you, know how to deal with me or.. something” Tommy question, a grimace on his face as he speaks

“Better than being in a home that doesn’t” Phil says simply, and… Tommy supposes that’s true… but still, he doesn’t like it.. he isn’t something to examine and try and fix.

“Whatever” Tommy mutters, moving so his arm is laid out on the table, followed by his head laying down on his arm, as Phil continues speaking

“You’ll have to go back to your apartment to get your stuff, i’ll be going with you, but that’ll be tomorrow, tonight you’ll be going back to my house” Phil explains.

“When am I gonna get my backpack back?” Tommy questions, mainly because that’s where all his stuff is that he needs, mainly his phone, charger, and red jacket.

“Oh, you should get it back when we leave, they already looked through it, found nothin” Phil says, and Tommy grimaces at the words

He’s glad he’ll get his backpack back, but he doesn’t like the fact they looked through his shit, even if he doesn’t have anything in it that’s incriminating or something.

“Okay, so I have some paperwork I need to pick up from my office, after I get that we’ll be leaving, and we can get your bag.” Phil states, before standing up.

It takes Tommy a moment to process the situation before he is standing up as well, he’s sobered up slightly in the hour he’s been

Not much, he’s still slurring his words, and everything is a bit hazy, but he can walk better now, though he still stumbles a bit every now and then.

This is an amazing first impression…

——
A few hours later
——

“So, are we not worried about the kid?” Techno questions, sat on the couch with Phil on the other end of it.

“No..” Phil says simply, and well.. Techno can’t say he’s very pleased with that.. the kid literally saw them over a dead body, even if they were in their uniforms.

“He’s trouble though… but I doubt he’ll put a wrench in our plans” Phil states, looking up from from the shirt he’s sewing back up, to look at Techno, who was already looking at Phil, his phone laid in his hand, the screen darkening as Techno doesn’t touch the screen.

“So what? Are you actually gonna keep him around?” Techno questions, and phil’s soft smile fades a bit

Phil’s always had a soft spot for kids in general, he’s a villain though.. so… he can’t keep another child.. he can’t do that again..

“He’ll stay until he finds a new home..” Phil states, and Techno’s eyes narrow slightly, before he sighs, “I’ll make some hot chocolate..” Techno says, and before Phil can protest Techno is already off the couch, phone left on the cushions, as the piglin heads into the kitchen.

“Just… don’t get attached to him..” Techno states, and Phil nods “I know Techno, I know” Phil says, moving to go back to sewing up the hole in his shirt again.

The shirt itself is from the fight the other week, Punz had been a… difficult target.. he was a mercenary, so it makes sense.. but while he wasn’t hard to kill, the mercenary had shot at him, and left a gash in his side, the bullet had torn his shirt (obviously) so here he is, sewing it up while Techno starts to make hot chocolate for the two of them.

“Anyway, how’s Niki been? I hear she got into a fight with 404” Phil questions, hearing Techno moves around pots and pans, before hearing one being placed on the stove.

“She’s doing better, has a concussion, but Jack is taking care of her just fine” Techno says, as he opens the fridge and grabs the milk, before placing it on the middle island in the kitchen.

“That’s good.. what about 404? Is he okay?” Phil questions, and Techno scoffs a bit “why? You worried about him or something?” Techno questions, even with his deadpan voice Phil can tell he’s being sarcastic

“Answer the question Tech” Phil says with a chuckle, amused by Techno’s response to his question.

“She apparently had almost choked him out, he won’t be out of commission for long though” Techno says, grabbing some coco powder out the pantry, and measuring it out before putting it in the milk, that is now slightly bubbling

Phil responds with a small hum, “well that’s troublesome” Phil says simply, leaning back into the back of the couch, moving his shirt with him

“Yea it is.. Jester says he has an idea, apparently he has a new employee who’s good at keeping his identity a secret,” Techno says

This catches Phil’s attention, looking up at Technoblade, who is looking at the stove, back turned to Phil

“Who is this new employee?” Phil questions, raising an eyebrow at his son, his feathers more ruffled now.

“Apparently his name is Nuke” Techno says, being met with another hum from Phil.

“Nuke huh? Can’t say the name isn’t interesting” Phil says, and Techno chuckles, looking back at Phil with a hand on his hip

“Yeah, apparently the guy used to live with Schlatt” Techno says.

And that… that catches Phils attention

“We should meet with him at some point… though for now, let’s keep ourselves on the down low, makes us less suspicious now that Tommy is here” Phil says, and Techno clicks his tongue in annoyance.

After a moment of silence Techno nods “okay.. whatever” Techno says

Phil smiles, “now can you make a mug for Tommy? I want you to make a good first impression” Phil says, though while some would say he sounds like he’s giving Techno an opinion, he’s really not

Though.. Techno wouldn’t fight in anyway… he doesn’t want to.

Chapter Text

So, I kinda completely forgot ab this fic, and I recently started getting back into writing and dsmp fandom sooo here I am ig? I just wanted to let everyone who wants new chapters from this fic that I've discontinued this fic, BUT I have started writing a new fic.

I'm discontinuing this fic mainly bc it's extremely rushed and at the time I couldn't keep up with it like I can now, SO I'm writing a new fic, where I'm actually going to take my time with it, currently the first and second chapter is out but I'll be posting multiple chapters at a time, the goal is 3 at a time, though I might just make it 2 tbh depending on how long it takes to write the chapters.

So I just wanted to let anyone who cared rlly to know! Have a good day/night!!