Chapter Text
“Miss. Young lady! Excuse me. Girls! Hey, hey, little guy. Hey! Excuse me, girls. Girls! Hey, big fella! Excuse me. Ma'am, excuse me. Ma'am! Ma'am! Hey, son. Son! Big fella. Hey, hey hey, little guy, little guy! Hey, son! Big fella. Hey, little guy! Little guy!” The police officer sighed as nobody paid attention to him.
-----
Tommy was annoyed. He had wanted to watch a movie with the older kids but Uncle Skeppy had told him no and sent him one his way. He wanted to watch the movie too, I mean, it couldn’t be that bad. All the other kids could, but not him! Just because he was a foster kid and wasn’t going to stay here for very long didn’t mean they had to be mean.
Tommy had been in the system for a while, and this had been the longest he had ever stayed in one place. Long enough to make friends, go to school, and even have his own room. And sure, he wasn’t going to stay here forever, it didn't mean that it didn't feel nice when someone excluded him.
And so he went to complain to Phil.
He walked into his rooms as the man was talking on the phone to someone and was packing his stuff for the trip to Paris. He had on his atrocious bucket hat and a light green sweater alog with brown slacks. He reeked of old man.
“Phil, Skeppy won’t let me watch the movie, but the big kids can. Why can’t I?” The older man sighed and gave him a look.
“Tommy, I’m on the phone.” Phil reverts his attention back to his phone,”When do you come back? Not ‘till then?” Tommy just huffs.
“It’s not even rated R. He’s just being a jerk.” Phil turns his attention back to Tommy.
“Tommy, if Skeppy says no, then it must be really bad.” The older man once again turned his attention back to whoever he was talking to,”No, we put the dog in the kennel for that-” Tommy hops on the bed and picks up a random magazine to read. He was bored, so he might as well do something. Phil seems annoyed now.
“Hey hey hey, get off! Tommy out of the room.” Phil makes a gesture with his hand, signaling the boy to get out of the room. Tommy didn’t want to get out of the room. He was bored and as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he found comfort with his foster family. But he would be caught dead saying that outloud. So he decided that he was going to be an asshole.
“Hang up the phone and make me, why don’t ya?” He sasses back. It might be pushing his luck as Phil is obviously stressed, but hey, he wasn’t going to be here forever. He might as well.
“This kid.” Phil mutters as he continues to pack his suitcase. There was the sound of feet behind him. It was Kirsten! The woman had her dark hair in loose curls and sported a white button up shirt with a christmas themed vest and loose black pants.
“Phil, did you pick up a voltage adapter thing?” She asked. Phil looks up at the woman.
“No, I didn’t have time to do that.” He sighed.
“Then how are you going to shave in France?” She questioned.
“I’ll just grow a goatee.” Tommy was done with this boring conversation. He hopped up from the bed and walked over to Kirsten.
“Kirsten, nobody will let me do anything.” He complained. He was so bored and he couldn’t do anything! Surely she would understand.
“You don’t have anything to do? I have something for you to do. You can pick up those micromachines that are all over in there. Bad stepped on one and almost broke his neck.” Tommy didn’t really want to do that either. Cleaning up was so boring.
“He was in the garage again playing with the glue gun.” Phil told her. And Tommy made a face. How dare he tattle on him! That was a bit ago and now he had nothing to do, it wasn’t his fault. Kirsten gave him a soft look. He huffed and looked away. He didn’t need her lectures or pity.
“Didn’t we talk about that?” Her voice was firm but oh so soft. Why did she have to make him feel all mushy? But Tommy wouldn’t let her catch onto that.
“Did I burn down the joint? I don’t think so. I was making ornaments out of fish hooks.” He explained himself the best he could.
“My new fish hooks?” She asks. Tommy makes a face. Of course? What else did she think he was going to use for it?
“I can’t make them out of old ones, with dry worm guts stuck on them.” He stresses to her. That would be disgusting. Big man Tommy Innit only made the best ornaments with the best materials.
“Kirsten?”
“Come on Tommy. Out.” Kirsten picks Tommy up and walks toward the door. He was a bit startled, still not at all used to soft touches and kind tones of voice. He had been here for a bit and he was still not used to them. Not that they hugged him or anything. (Or that he wanted them to or anything). But still, his pint stands. Tommy looks up to see Bad entering the room.
“Kirsten, Phil, do you guys have a voltage adaptor?” The tall demon asked. Kirsten walked towards the taller and handed Tommy over to him.
“Here! Here's a voltage adapter!” She bellows playfully. The demon squeaks in surprise and gives a laugh in response.
“Oh god, you’re getting heavy!” Bad sets Tommy down onto the floor and pats his back. “Go pack your suitcase.” And the man walks away. But Tommy was frozen in place.
“Pack my suitcase?”
-----
“Do you know where the shampoo is, Shroud?” Fundy asked, his ear flicking in irritation. Shroud blinked his eyes and gave him a huff. He made a grand gesture with his arms.
“I don’t live here!”
“I don’t believe in a house in a house with this many people, there's no shampoo.” He walks away, to ask someone else if they’ve seen the shampoo. However, he was stopped by the police officer that had been standing there. He had sunkissed skin and wavy dirty blond hair.
“Pardon me, are your parents home?” He asked.
“Yeah, but they don’t live here.” He answered. Fundy walks up the stairs and sees Purpled.
“Purpled, did you order the pizza?” He asked. The blond looked at him and gave him a look.
“Techno did.” And he walks past him. The officer once again got the kids' attention.
“Excuse me, sir? Are your parents home?”
“My parents live in Paris, sorry.” He walks off, looking for someone to terrorize, passing by Connor.
“Hi!” The police officer says in a higher pitched tone.
“Hi!” The younger parrots.
“Are your parents home?” He asked.
“Yeah.”
“Do they live here?”
“No.” And he walks away. The officer gives a shake of his head.
“No. Why should they? All kids, no parents. Probably a fancy orphanage.”
-----
“I don’t know how to pack a suitcase. I’ve never done this once in my whole life.” Tommy wasn’t lying. Sure, he knew how to throw his old clothes into a trash bag and go to his next foster home, but pack an actual suitcase? He had never done that before and he didn’t want to mess it up.
“Tough.” Niki had told him. Tommy puffed out his cheeks.
“That's what Wilbur said.”
“What did I say?” Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Wilbur was quite tall. His brown curls stuffed into his ugly beanie and his atrocious yellow sweater and pants truly didn’t help his image. His foster brother was a musical prodigy. He would play the most wonderful tunes on his guitar and made his own. Even without the effect of his siren voice, he had quite the set of chords. His foster(?) cousin replied before he could.
“You told Tommy ‘tough’.” She replied.
“The dope was whining about a suitcase. What was I supposed to say? Shake his hand and say ‘Congratulations, you’re an idiot’?” Now, it had been obvious that Wilbur and Technoblade did not want him there. They made that clear from day one. Phil, being the kind soul that he is, welcomed him into his home with open arms and wings. Kirsten, who only comes by so often, (I mean, who marries the goddess of death, god, Phil was old.), also seems to tolerate his presence.
They had their moments, where they were kind and they would joke and laugh, but they were far and few in between. They would both whisper about him behind his back and tried to make him seem like a bad kid. (They weren’t wrong though). They stopped doing that and their insults have since died down, but still, they weren’t acting like one big happy family.
But Tommy was jealous. Just a bit! Maybe he would stare when Phil would gather the twins (they weren’t really twins. Born on the same day of the same year, not knowing who is older, an inside joke), and softly coo at them while Wilbut would trill in responde while Techno would let out soft chuffs. But they didn’t need to know that.
“I’m not an idiot you prick!”
“Oh, really? You’re completely helpless! Everyone has to do everything for you.”
“He’s right Toms.” Niki buts in with a playful smile.
“Excuse me puke-breath. I’m a lot smaller than you. I don’t know how to pack a suitcase.” Tommy pouts. Before he can continue, Jack walks in with a smirk on his face.
“I hope you didn’t pack just crap, Niki.”
“Shut up, Jack” Niki replies with her own smirk adorning her face. Tommy looks at the taller one, hoping he could answer his question.
“Do you know what I should pack?” Before Jack could answer, Niki did for him.
“Techno told you, cheek-face. Toilet paper and water.” And with that she walked away. Jack turns around to look at him.
“Listen, Tommy, what are you so worried about? You know Kirstens gonna pack your stuff, anyway. You're what the French call ‘les incompetents’.”
“What?” Tommy feels like that's an insult.
-----
“Bombs away!” Niki throws her bag and it lands next to the officer's feet and he looks up at her.
-----
“P.S., You have to sleep on the hide-a-bed with Shroud. If he has something to drink, he’s going to wet the bed.” And with that, Jack walks away. That’s it.
“This house is so full of people. It makes me sick! When I grow up and get married, I'm living alone! Did you hear me? I'm living alone! I'm living alone!” Tommy stomps as he makes his declaration. Below him, the dirty blond officer looks up with a grimace.
-----
Tap Tap Tap
“Who’s gonna feed your spider while we’re gone?” The two toned endermen hybrid asked. Techno huff as he answers.
“He just ate a load of mice guts. He should be good for a couple of weeks. Is it true French babes don't shave their pits?” He turns around and asks the younger. After all, he needed to settle this petty fight with his brother. And no way in hell was he going to ask his dad. Ranboo stares at him.
“Some don’t.” He muttered out.
“But they got nude beaches.”
“Not in the winter.” He shakes his head. Tommy pokes his head in and slowly walks towards Technoblade. He was tall, and much larger than him. His long pink hair was pulled back into a small braid and he wore that stupid poets shirt and some smiple jeans. Tommy swallows his pride (and fear), and steps forward.
“Techno?” He stuttered out. The piglin hybrid looks down at him.
“Don't you know how to knock, phlegm-wad?” He hissed. Tommy gulps.
“Can I sleep in your room? I don't want to sleep in the hide-a-bed with Shroud. If he has something to drink, he'll wet the bed.” He murmurs, hoping to appease his foster brother. Instead, he glares down at him.
“I wouldn't let you sleep in my room if you were growing on my ass.” He snarled. Tommy flinched and gaped up at him. But it seems that something caught Techno’s attention as he began to walk to his window. “Check it out. Old man Sam.”
Tommy and Ranboo looked at eachother and followed Techno. When looking out the window, Tommy saw a tall man. He seemed to be a creeper hybrid of sorts, but it was hard to tell. He wore a thick trench coat and was getting salt out of the trash can he dragged around, salting the sidewalks.
“Who’s he?” Ranboo asked as he was hunched over, trying to get a better look at the guy.
“You ever heard of the South Bend Shovel Slayer?” Techno asked the younger two. No, Tommy had never heard of him. A stupid name too, if you asked him.
“No.”
“That's him. Back in '58, he murdered his whole family and half the people on his block... with a snow shovel. Been hiding out in this neighborhood ever since.” Tommy shivered at the explanation. There was no way that guy did that, right?
“If he's the shovel slayer, how come the cops don't arrest him?” Ranboo had a point. If this Foolish guy really did kill that many people, how come he wasn’t rotting away in a jail cell. A bit suspicious if you asked him.
“Not enough evidence to convict. They never found the bodies. But everyone around here knows he did it. It'll just be a matter of time, before he does it again.”
“What’s he doing now?”
“He walks up and down the street every night, salting the sidewalks.”
“Maybe he’s just trying to be nice.” You could practically hear Ranboo gulp as he spoke. The crack in his voice gave away his nervousness. Techno shook his head.
“No way. You see that garbage can full of salt? That's where he keeps his victims. The salt turns the bodies into mummies.”
“Wow.”
“Mummies!” Tommy whispered to himself. Is that really how it happened? Is that how Sam got away with it? Tommy was snapped out of his thoughts as the man looked up at their window, as though he could hear them.
“Look out!” The three of them hastily pull the curtains closed, hoping to evade the man's stare.
-----
There was the shriek of s car stopping, and the sound of metal hitting the pavement. The cat hybrid let out a string of curses and his dark tipped ear flicked. He hurriedly got out of the cat and put the statue back where it was. Hopefully the owners didn’t realize anything was out of place. He grabbed the stack of pizzas and headed to the door.
-----
Shroud and his cousin Yogurt, gaped up at the police officer, ‘Dream’, his name tag read.
“How you kids doing, huh? Good? Lot of action around here today, huh? Going on vacation? Where you going? You hear me, or what? Going on a trip? Where you going, kid?” Dream was getting nowhere with these kids. There was a knock at the door so he made a noise and slightly jumped at the two unresponsive kids before opening the door. A pizza guy came in with a large stack of pizzas.
“Okay, that's $122.50.”
“Not for me, kid. I don’t live here.” He answered the pizza boy.
“Oh, you just around for the holidays?” He asked politely. Just under his jack, you could see his name tag, Antfront, or something similar to it.
“I guess you could say that.” Dream put his hands on his hips and sighed.
A man with tan skin and specks of diamonds on his face walked into the room with a grin.
“Pizzas here!” He shouted. And a hoard of kids began to run to the kitchen with shouts and grins.
“There you go. That's $122.50.” Skeppy grimaced at the number as he took the pizzas.
“It's my brother's house. He'll take care of it.” And with that he scampered away with the pizzas and went to the kitchen.
“Hey, listen…” A woman walked into the room and looked at the officer.
“Hey.” Kirsten greets them.
“Hi. Are you Mrs. McCallister?” He asked her.
“Yeah.”
“The Mrs. McCallister who lives here?” He pushed.
“Yes.”
“Good, because somebody owes me $122.50.” Antfrost butted in.
“I'd like a word with you, ma’am.”
“Am I under arrest or something?” She asked with an awkward smile.
“No, no, no, no. It's Christmas time. There's always a lot of burglaries around the holidays. So we're just checking the neighborhood to see if everyone's taking the proper precautions; that's all.” Dream quelled the woman's worries.
“Oh, yeah. Well we have automatic timers for our lights, locks for our doors. That's about as well as anybody can do these days, right? Did you get some eggnog or something like that?” Before Dream could respond, Technoblade walked in and swung his arm around Kirstens neck.
“Come on, Mom. Let’s eat.” And he dragged her away to the kitchen.
“Eggnog?” Dream muttered to himself. “Listen, are you going to be leaving…?”
Tommy runs down the stairs with a large grin.
“Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!”
-----
“Grab yourself a napkin, and you're going to have to pour your own drinks.” Bad told everyone.
“Mom, does Santa Claus have to go through customs?” Yogurt asked.
“What time do we have to go to bed?” Shroud questioned and he ate his food.
“Early. We're leaving the house at 8 a.m. On the button.” Skeppy had answers with a mouthful of pizza.
Tommy kept looking around the room. There had to be some. There just had to! There’s no way that there was not a single box of plain cheese pizza.
“I hope you're all drinking milk. I want to get rid of it.” Phil called out to the room full of people. Tommy would drink milk, but he really needed to find his pizza!
“Honey, the pizza boy needs $122.50, plus tip.” Kisten called out to Phil. The winged man scoffed.
“For pizza?”
“Ten pizzas times twelve bucks.”
“Skeppy, you’ve got the money! Come one…” Bad told Skeppy. Phil just gave him a smile.
“Traveler’s checks.” Was the only thing Skeppy had said in response.
“Forget it, Skeppy. We have cash.” Phil shook his head with a smile. Tommy just huffed as he heard their boring conversations. He just wanted a plain cheese pizza! That’s it!
“Did anyone order me a plain cheese?”
“Oh, yeah, we did. But if you want any, somebody's gonna have to barf it up, because it's gone.” Techno gave him a smirk while Wilbur cackled behind him. But before Tommy could explode, something else caught his attention.
“Shroud! Go easy on the pepsi.” Bad scolded the small spider hybrid. Said boy looked up at Tommy and gave him a wide smirk and raised his eyebrows. Tommy gave him a scowl.
“Toms! Toms, get a plate.” Wilbur called out to him. The twins began to giggle and fake barf, hunching over and holding their stomachs. Tommy had enough. He was tired, hungry, and his back hurt. He gave a shout and rammed into Wilbur, who in turn, crashed into Technoblade. The two of them hit the counter and the soda had tipped over and spilt everywhere.
And the room erupted into chaos.
“Passports!” Kirsten shoted and grabbed all of the now soggy passports and a handful of napkins.
“Watch it!” Skeppy growled and stood from his seat, pushing his chair back and trapped Shroud as he also got up and tried to squeeze behind him. Everyone in the room started to get napkins and tried to clean.
“No, no. Get these passports out of here.” Kirsten throws a pile of napkins into the trash, not noticing she threw a passport in as well. Bad hurriedly makes his way to Shroud and picks him up. His son, Sapnap, helped move the large clump of chairs.
“Are you okay, honey? Come here. Are you all right?” Bad said, trying to calm down the boy. Phil walked over to Tommy, looking more mad than the boy had ever seen him.
“What is the matter with you?” Tommy winced, but quickly recovered.
“He started it! He ate my pizza on purpose. He knows I hate sausage and olives…”
“Look what you did, you little jerk!” Skeppy growled as he wiped his pants down. Tommy looked around the room to find everyone staring at him. They all gave him glares of anger and disappointment. It made him flush with all the attention on him. And not in a good way. Why did he have to mess everything up? Why did he have to be so horrible?
“Tommy, get upstairs right now.”
“Why?” Tommy really shouldn’t be challenging Phil right now. He had already pissed him off, he didn't need to push his luck. But he didn’t want to cry and whimper like some baby. He wasn’t a baby. He was a big man! He ignored the burning feeling behind his eyes.
“Tommy, you’re such a disease.” Niki had her arms crossed as she glared at him.
“Shut up!” (Tommy would never admit that what she said had hurt his feelings. Or that when Techno and Wilbur nodded in agreement, that it almost made him break down. He could practically hear them sneering about how he wasn’t meant to be here and that he would leave sooner or later. I mean, they’ve said it before.)
“Tommy, upstairs!”
“Say goodnight, Tommy.” Phil told him with a stern look.
“‘Goodnight Tommy’.” He sassed. It was the only thing he knew, to put up his walls and be a little prick. Phil adjusted his grip to his arms and pulled him out of the room.
“Why do I always get treated like scum?” Tommy was ignored as Phil gave the pizza guy an apologetic look.
“Oh, I'm sorry. This house is just crazy. We've got all these extra kids running around and my brother-in-law drove in from Ohio today. It's just nuts.” He explained as he searched through his wallet and handed the pizza guy his money. Tommy glared at him.
“How come you didn't bring more cheese pizzas?” Phil held his arm and he tried to jerk it from his grip. The cat hybrid give his foster dad a smile
“Nice tip. Thanks alot.” And with that, he walks out the door.
“Thanks.” Dream walks over to Phil.
“Having a reunion or something?”
“Oh no. My Wife's brother transferred to Paris last summer and both of his kids are still going to school here, and I guess he missed the whole family.” Dream looked down at Tommy while Phil was talking to him and flashed him a smile. Tommy made a face when he caught sight of the bright gold tooth in his mouth and Dream looked back up at Phil.
“He's giving us all this trip to Paris for the holidays, so we can be together.” Phil flashed a smile of his own. Dream nodded.
“You taking a trip to Paris?” He asked, seemingly intrigued.
“Yes. We hope to leave tomorrow morning.” Phil kept a smile on his face even as Tommy tried to wriggle out of his iron grip.
“Excellent. Excellent.” He nodded.
“If you'll excuse me, this one's a little out of sorts. I'll be right back.” And Phil began to drag him up the stairs.
“Don't worry about me. I spoke to your Wife already. And don't worry about your home. It's in good hands.” Dream gave him a small smile as Phil nodded and continued to drag Tommy. As he did, he began to lecture him.
“There are 15 people in this house and you're the only one who has to make trouble.” He rambled.
“I’m the only one getting dumped on.”
“You’re the only one acting up. Now get upstairs.” At least they stopped walking.
“I am upstairs, dummy!” Phil stepped to the side and opened the door leading to the third floor. Tommy gaped up at him.
“Third floor?” Tommy didn’t want to go to the third floor. The ceiling was too low and it made his chest get all fluttery. It seemed that Phil wasn’t having any of it.
“Go.”
“It’s scary up there.”
“Don’t be silly. Shroud will be up in a little while.”
“I don't want to sleep with Shroud. You know about him: he wets the bed. He'll pee all over me. I know it.” Phil hums, and seems to think about it.
“Fine, we'll put him somewhere else.” Tommy really didn’t want to go up to the third floor. It made him queasy and his palms sweaty. He wants to sleep in (his) bed. He’s hungry, tired, and his back really fucking hurts. He swallows his pride and finally relents.
“I’m sorry.” Phil gave him a tight smile.
“It’s too late. Get upstairs.” Tommy glares and begins to walk up the stairs, but stops halfway and turns around.
“Everyone in this family hates me.”
“Then maybe you should ask Santa for a new family.”
Oh.
Oh.
That hurt.
“I don't want a new family. I don't want any family. Families suck!”
“Just stay up there! I don't want to see you again for the rest of the night.” He reiterates.
“I don't want to see you again for the rest of my whole life. And I don't want to see anybody else either.” Tommy didn’t really mean that. He knew that he would sob and wail the day he had to leave the house.
“I hope you don't mean that. You'd feel pretty sad if you woke up tomorrow morning and you didn't have a family.”
“No, I wouldn’t.” He muttered.
“Then say it again. Maybe it'll happen.” His chest ached. His eyes burned. His back was on fire.
“I hope I never see any of you jerks again.” And he continued to walk up the stairs. He could faintly hear Phil close the door as he threw himself on the bed, trying to ignore how the walls seemed to close in on him.
‘I wish it would just all disappear.’
Now that he was alone, he finally let the burning in his eyes free and he silently sobbed. He smushed his face into the pillow to try to quiet himself. No one heard his silent screams as his flesh torn blood pooled in the bed. No one heard the small desperate chirps that fell from his lips, or as they silently stopped. No one heard the branch of a tree snap or the electric shock that followed. The night was silent, as no one heard.