Work Text:
Tommy hates people.
He thinks it’s because they hate him, but it was much easier to show hostility and expect it back than have people cussing him out for no reason at all. At least that made sense.
“Why’d you say it like that?”
“Say it like what, dipshit?” Tommy asks. He absolutely hates Wilbur’s guts. He would come here every single day to buy a caramel frappuccino, and start criticizing Tommy’s every move.
“You were like, ‘Hello, how can I help you?’” Wilbur mocked.
Tommy paused. “How the fuck else did you want me to say it?”
“Oh my god, you’re so annoying. I don’t know, maybe it’s because you should have memorized my order by now?” Wilbur says, scowling.
“I said it before I fucking looked up, smartass,” Tommy says, carefully monitoring his voice level. “I didn’t know it was you when you walked in.”
“Yeah, well, you should have looked up,” Wilbur says. “Can you get started on my coffee already?”
Tommy does. “If you hate me so much, why do you keep coming here? It’s not like I’m begging you to stay.”
“Hell if I know,” Wilbur says. “Every time I walk in I regret it.”
“Then why do you keep coming?” Tommy demands.
Wilbur winces. “Why does your voice sound like that?”
Tommy has to physically stop his arm from throwing the cup on the counter. “Take your drink and get out.”
Wilbur snatches it. “Gladly.”
The worst thing about Wilbur, Tommy thought, was that if Wilbur didn’t hate him, he thinks they would be friends.
//\
“Hello, how may I help you?” Tommy asked.
“One black coffee, please,” the customer responded.
Tommy got right to it, grateful that at least this customer has the self-control to keep his negative thoughts about Tommy in. Tommy was a generally unlikable person, and no matter what he did to change himself, nothing worked.
The customer had long, pink hair and wide set shoulders. They looked like they worked at the gym every day, and could probably pack a good punch.
Tommy could only hope he wouldn’t be on the other side of that punch.
“What kind of person drinks coffee without sugar?” Tommy muttered under his breath. The customer must have had good hearing, because when he heard it, he did something that no one has done before.
He laughed.
At something Tommy said.
“My brother makes fun of me all the time for that,” he says. “I just think it’s too sweet otherwise.”
Tommy stared at him for a beat too long, desperately hoping that his cheeks weren’t coloring. He cleared his throat and went back to making the coffee. “Don’t listen to him,” Tommy says. “Your brother sounds like a bitch. You look cool drinking black coffee.”
“Thank you,” the stranger says, which, pause:
When has anyone ever said thank you to him before?
Tommy blinks at him. “What?”
“I mean, you’re right about my brother being a bitch. I’m gonna tell him that you called me cool. I’m honored, truely.”
The customer’s coffee finished. He takes the cup and subconsciously puts the lid on, his mind reeling. No one was ever that nice to Tommy of all people. He wasn’t meant for that. He never—
It just can’t happen.
“Can you give me my coffee?” The customer asks politely. Tommy blinks out of his haze and places it on the counter.
“Sorry,” Tommy apologizes. He hardly ever apologizes, but he felt like this stranger was too nice for him not too.
“It’s cool,” he says. “Thank you.”
He leaves a tip.
It does not turn out to be a one in a million thing.
The stranger comes back.
That afternoon, when Tommy sees him walk in, his entire body freezes. He reaches the counter, and politely nods at him.
Wait, Tommy forgot to say his line—
“Can I have one black coffee, please?” He asks.
Please, he says, and it’s a foreign word to Tommy. There was something so strange with hearing it, that Tommy forgets to respond correctly.
“Who the fuck are you?” Tommy asks incredulously.
“Techno?” He says. “Why?”
“Why aren’t you— are you sick?” Tommy asks.
“Why would I be sick?” Techno asks.
“Because,” Tommy sputters. “You’re, like, saying please and shit.”
“It’s basic manners?” Techno says, like it was obvious.
Right. Basic manners. He’s just doing a really good job of masking his dislike for Tommy.
“I’ll get right onto your drink,” Tommy says.
He does it quickly, and they don’t talk this time. Tommy’s confusion stims in silence as the coffee pours, and he glances up to Techno to see if the man was bored of waiting yet.
“Sorry it’s taking so long,” Tommy blurts out. Why does he feel such a need to be polite to Techno? Just because the man said two words good to him doesn’t mean that they were automatically best friends.
“It’s fine,” Techno says. “I can wait before my, uh, shift starts.”
“Okay,” Tommy says, finishing up his drink.
Techno takes it, and waves his hand goodbye as he leaves the shop, leaving Tommy dumbstruck for the second day in a row.
The third time Techno comes in, Tommy decides to antagonize him on purpose.
“I don’t fucking like you,” he says right as he walks in.
Techno blinks. “Did I do something wrong?”
“You existed,” Tommy says, rolling his eyes.
Techno shakes his head. “That’s not a good enough reason to hate someone. Did my brother give you a hard time this morning?”
Tommy furrows his eyebrows, momentarily forgetting that he’s supposed to be annoying. “ Your brother?”
“Wilbur. Tall, brunet, kind of an asshole? He recommended this place to me.”
Tommy gaped at him. “ Wilbur’s your brother?” And he had recommended this place to Techno? Tommy thought Wilbur hated him.
Techno sighs. “Yeah, he is.”
“You’re so boring,” Tommy says. “And so is your brother.”
Techno stares at him. “Heh?”
“You think you're so funny, huh? I hate your stupid face.”
“Is this because Wilbur’s my brother?” Techno asked.
Why the fuck wasn’t Techno reacting?
“No, it’s about you as a person. Please change.” Tommy says simply.
Technos face cracks into a smile, the complete opposite of what Tommy wanted. “Sorry, I’m good as I am.”
“Fuck you, then.” Tommy yells, getting increasingly frustrated. “You’re the stupidest motherfucker I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting.”
“Okay,” Techno says calmly. “You're probably just having a bad day. Can you make my coffee, and then I’ll get out of your hair?”
“Fuck you,” Tommy repeats.
Techno puts his hands up in a surrendering gesture. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry, I’ll go now.”
The next day, when Techno comes in, Tommy actually does his job and makes him a coffee, but he does try to be extremely rude to him.
“What happened yesterday?”
“None of your fucking business, you stupid bitch.”
Techno stares at him. “Are you still in this mood?”
Tommy just glares at him.
Tommy antagonizes him for the entirety of next week before he can’t take Techno’s pacifist tendencies anymore. Wilbur was never this hard to rile up. Tommy would actually enjoy bickering with him, if it wasn’t for the knowledge that Wilbur actually means every insult he says.
“Why aren’t you mad?” Tommy explodes, trying to push back the frustrated tears.
“Why would I be mad?” Techno asks in that stupid tone of voice.
“Mad at me! Or annoyed or angry or irked or displeased or irritated or fed up. Just— why don’t you hate me?”
Techno looked scared for a moment for having to deal with emotions, before he melted his expression into something more open. “I have no reason to hate you.”
“Literally everyone does,” Tommy exclaims. “What’s wrong with you? Are you just hiding it?”
Techno shakes his head quickly. “Of course not. I genuinely like you and think you’re funny.”
“But I was so mean,” Tommy whines. He can feel his insides breaking. “And I’m unlikable and you aren’t supposed to like me.”
“By whose rules?” Techno asked.
“Everyone’s.” Tommy says. “Everyone decides they hate me the moment they see me. Just ask Wilbur.”
“I’m sorry that happened—“
“Stop being nice,” Tommy pleads.
“Why?” Techno asked again, and Tommy wants to kill that word.
“Because I don’t know what to do with nice. It doesn’t make any sense,” Tommy said. There are tears running down on his cheeks.
“Just listen to me,” Techno says comfortingly. “I’m sorry you feel like that, and I’m sorry you’ve been around people like that. I’ll have a talk with Wilbur. Just know that I like being around you.”
Tommy slaps his hand over his mouth. Techno awkwardly bends over the counter to pat him on the shoulder, and it makes the tears run down even faster.
“What do you want, Tommy?” Techno asks.
He wants everything.
“Space,” is what he says. “I need space.”
Techno draws back, and Tommy immediately misses the hand on his shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”
Tommy frantically nods and watches as Techno walks out the door, shooting him one last sympathetic smile.
Tommy has never gotten his loves and hates confused before. Maybe that’s because he’s never had loves, but the truth of the matter was, Techno was strange.
Techno was falling in Tommy’s category of loves and that has never ended well.
“Hey, Tommy,” Techno greets as he walks in. Tommy looks up, somehow a little scared. Wilbur had come by this morning (and had been as rude as possible), but he was here now with Techno.
“Hello,” Tommy says carefully. “Can I get you anything?”
“Uh— just something for me, is fine,” Techno says. Beside him, Wilbur is staring at Tommy with a dumbfounded expression.
Tommy nods, and moves to make Techno’s coffee. Wilbur is being uncharacteristically quiet. “What’s up with you, bitch?”
Wilbur shakes out of his stupor. “What?”
“I said, what’s wrong with you?” Tommy asks none too kindly. “Did you hit your fucking head?”
Wilbur elbows Techno, and Techno only looks at him, confused. “Use words, Wilbur.”
“Why?” Wilbur says.
“Can you be more fucking vague?” Tommy demands.
Wilbur blinks. “You’re— You’re literally adorable.”
Whatever Tommy expected to come out of Wilbur’s mouth, it was not that. “The fuck?”
Wilbur presses his hand to his mouth to hide his smile. “Oh my god, Techno, Techno.”
Techno stares at Wilbur. “I thought you hated him.”
“I thought you hated me,” Tommy repeats. “Stop saying I’m fucking adorable, ‘cause I’m not. Bitch,” he tacks on.
“What the fuck— This feels so strange,” Wilbur says. He turns to Techno. “Do you feel lighter? I feel lighter. Oh, Tommy, can I give you a hug?”
Tommy stares at him. “No, you fucking can not. What has gotten into you?”
“I don’t know,” Wilbur admits, eyes still alight with something. “I don’t hate you, Tommy.”
“Yes, you do,” Tommy corrects. Techno’s coffee finished, but Tommy ignored it. “You hate my guts, and I hate yours. You’ve said before, to my face.”
“I don’t— I don’t mean it,” Wilbur pleads. “I actually enjoy your company.”
“Where the fuck is this coming from?” Tommy asks. “Is this all a joke?”
Wilbur shakes his head. “No– I consider you to be my friend. I’m sorry for being so mean.”
Tommy stares at him, and then looks at Techno. Techno looks between Wilbur and Tommy, before deciding on something.
“Okay,” Techno says. “Something is going on that should not be going on.”
“Obviously!” Tommy exclaims. “Wilbur’s acting fucking crazy.”
Techno turns to Wilbur. “Do you like Tommy?”
“Yes,” Wilbur says, without missing a beat, though even he looks confused.
“Did you like him when you went to see him yesterday?” Techno asks.
Wilbur pauses. “I mean— he was kind of annoying to be around, but not anymore.”
Techno opened his mouth to say something, but then shrugged. “I honestly have no idea. Wilbur’s going through something right now.”
“I am not,” Wilbur said. Techno’s coffee was starting to get cold. “Tommy is my best friend.”
Tommy stares at Wilbur. What did that fucker just say to him? No— he wasn’t allowed. He wasn’t allowed to like him, not when, not when—
When Tommy hasn’t ever heard that phrase before.
“You’re so fucking weird,” Tommy says. “I don’t— what’s wrong with you?”
“Why is everyone looking at me like I’m crazy?” Wilbur explodes.
“Because just this morning you told me you wished I were dead,” Tommy yells at him.
Wilbur pauses, a sad expression on his face. “I don’t mean that.”
“Then why’d you say it?” Tommy demands.
Wilbur was at a loss for words. He turns to Techno, but Techno is only looking at him worriedly. “Wilbur? I think we need to go talk.”
Wilbur glances from Techno to Tommy. “I’m sorry,” he says. “I’m really sorry.”
Tommy shakes his head. “I do not care.”
“We’re gonna go now,” Techno decides. “See you later, Tommy.”
Tommy waves goodbye, and he doesn’t think that he’s ever been more confused in his entire life.
The next day, Wilbur does not show up that morning, but he does show up with Techno later in the afternoon. The cafe was empty, as always, most people quickly learned to order to-go when Tommy was on the counter. He was slumped in one of the booths, idly scrolling on his phone, when the twins walked in.
When they spot him, Wilbur looks like he’s restraining himself from rushing at Tommy. Techno offers him a small smile, but Wilbur grins wide. It makes Tommy feel lost. What were they smiling at?
“Hello,” Techno greets. “How are you?”
Tommy watches Wilbur in his peripheral, but he doesn’t do anything. “I’m fine?”
Techno nods. “Does anyone else work here?”
Tommy shrugs. “I’m the only one in here right now. None of my coworkers wanted to share my shift and the manager usually tries to stay out of my way.”
Techno glances at Wilbur, and it makes Tommy sit up straight. Did Tommy say something wrong?
“What? Did I fuck something up?”
“No,” Wilbur says quickly. “Can I sit here?”
Tommy shrugs again, scooching on the booth to make room for Wilbur. Techno sits opposite of them.
“I don’t know what you guys are doing here,” Tommy says awkwardly. “Like— do you want me to make you a drink?”
“No, you’re good,” Techno reassures.
“Then why—”
“We wanted to see you,” Wilbur says simply, like that isn’t a revolutionary thought to Tommy.
Tommy nods weakly. “You’re both assholes.”
To his surprise, where Wilbur would have bit back at him before, he only laughs. “Okay, child. You literally mixed up the sugar for salt one time.”
He says it in a joking way, but there was no way that wasn’t an insult. “Shut the fuck up. You’re losing hair before you’ve even grown a beard,” Tommy spits.
Wilbur presses a hand to his heart. “Damn.”
Techno snorts. “Good one, Tommy. You don’t happen to know where the bathroom is?”
Tommy nods, pointing across the cafe floor to the bathroom. Techno thanks him and gets up.
“You didn’t have to insult me that hard,” Wilbur says.
“Sorry,” Tommy says automatically. “I mean— fuck you, I do what I want.”
Wilbur starts to laugh, before the laughter is abruptly stopped. His eyebrows furrow at Tommy, and Tommy freezes, anticipating what he was about to say.
“Wilbur?” Tommy bites.
Wilbur just turns away from him.
Tommy opens his mouth to speak again, before he notices that Wilbur isn’t even paying attention. He’s looking at his phone, body turned away from Tommy.
Oh, Tommy says. He was actually enjoying insulting Wilbur, for once, but he should have known not to take things for granted. He shoves his hands in his hoodie pocket, and awkwardly looks around the restaurant.
“I’m back,” Techno announces. Wilbur freezes, shutting off his phone and turning to Tommy.
“What the actually fuck,” Wilbur says.
Tommy stares at him. “What? What did I do?”
“Techno, get the fuck out of here,” Wilbur says.
“Why?”
“ Just do it, ” Wilbur demands. Techno puts his hands up in a surrendering gesture and walks out of the cafe. Tommy can still see him through the glass doors.
“What?” Tommy asks again.
Wilbur frowns at him, and Tommy can’t help but think that he’s done something wrong again. Wilbur waves for Techno to come back inside, and when he does, Wilbur’s shoulders relax.
“What’s gotten into you?” Techno asks.
“It feels weird when you’re gone,” Wilbur says.
“Feels weird?” Techno asks. He turns to Tommy, who just shrugs.
“I don’t know,” Wilbur says. “I just started feeling annoyed at Tommy.”
Techno hesitates. “You feel… annoyed at Tommy when I’m gone.”
Wilbur nods.
Tommy looks between them. He doesn’t want them to get made at him for interrupting, but they were talking about him. “What?”
“Tommy,” Techno starts carefully. “I need you to answer honestly. Do you have a power?”
Tommy shakes his head. “Not that I know of.”
“Okay,” Techno says. “I have the power to nullify others’ power. Wilbur feels annoyed at you when I’m gone. Do you see where I’m going with this?”
Tommy thinks for a bit, before his mouth gaps open. “You— You’re the Blade?” He’s seen the Blade on television almost every time something important happens.
Techno blinks, and Wilbur snorts. “I— yes, I am, but that isn’t the point. I mean, your power is making people dislike you, but when I’m here to nullify it, it doesn’t work.”
Tommy tilts his head. “So you’re saying that you make me likable?”
Techno shakes his head. “No. I’m saying I make it so that everyone is able to form their own opinions of you.”
“Oh,” Tommy says. “So, you are saying that I have a power, and that power makes people hate me?”
“It’s a theory,” Techno says. “Do people generally dislike you?”
Tommy glances between the brothers. “I’ve never met a person that hasn’t.”
Wilbur makes a wounded noise. “So you know that I’m telling the truth.”
Tommy feels incredibly cornered. “I don’t even know if I should believe Techno.”
“I’ll bring a power tester tomorrow,” Techno says.
Damn— those were crazy expensive. But if he was telling the truth about him being the Blade, then he probably could afford it.
Tommy nods. “Okay. But until then, I’m not going to believe anything.”
When Techno and Wilbur come in next, not the day after, but the day after that , Tommy is in the middle of serving a customer. The customer, who had just been about to count her change for the billionth time, decides that Tommy finally gave her the right amount and leaves.
“We’re here,” Techno announces.
“I can see that,” Tommy says. His eyes stray to the machine in Techno’s hands. “How does that work?”
“It needs a bit of your blood,” Techno says. “Are you okay with that?”
Tommy nods slowly. “Okay.”
The machine looked like a large cube. It had a screen on the top face, and there were all kinds of different buttons on the sides. Techno presses one, and what looks like the drive tray for a CD, but much smaller, slides out of one of the sides. Techno takes out a small piece of plexiglass and turns to Tommy.
“Give me your hand,” he says.
Tommy nervously gives his hand over. Techno pulls a small pin out of his pocket and positions it over his finger. The man looks up at him for a second’s confirmation, and Tommy nods.
It doesn’t hurt. Techno pricks him, and a drop of blood falls on the square of plexiglass. He turns back to the machine and slides it in, pressing a couple of buttons after the machine lights.
“It needs a couple minutes,” Techno informs him.
Tommy turns to Wilbur, who smiles at him. It’s still so incredibly jarring to see a smile on Wilbur’s face that Tommy turns away instantly, opting to stare at the floor. He misses Wilbur’s disappointed look.
“What are you thinking?” Techno asks.
“I—” Tommy honestly doesn’t know. Does he want Techno and Wilbur to be right? That would mean that everyone hating him wasn’t his fault, at least not consciously. But if they were wrong, then it really was Tommy. The latter was a much simpler conclusion, because it was one he had achieved a long time ago. It was the conclusion Tommy was more comfortable with.
“I don’t know,” he settles on.
They wait in silence for the next five minutes. It’s broken by the machine’s quiet beeping. Techno moves to look at the screen and presses a couple more buttons.
“What is it?” Tommy asks, holding in his breath.
“You do have power,” Techno says. “You increase the production of cortisol in everyone’s brains within your proximity.”
“Cortisol?” Tommy asks.
“The stress hormone,” Wilbur fills in. “Your power is literally making other people annoyed.”
Tommy’s whole world freezes for a second. It wasn’t him. It wasn’t him. It was—
Tommy laughs. He laughs loudly, and keeps laughing so much it must sound deranged. Wilbur steps into his blurred vision, hands outstretched to Tommy. Tommy refocuses his hearing so Wilbur’s voice is no longer muffled.
“Tommy? Are you okay?”
Something wet dripped down his cheek, and suddenly he realizes that he’s crying. Why was he crying?
“Tommy,” he hears Wilbur say. “Can I give you a hug?”
Wilbur’s hand briefly graces his shoulder, and Tommy can’t stop himself from leaning in. He can’t see very well with his blurred vision, but Wilbur manages to guide him so that he is in between his arms. He’s never—
No one has ever tolerated him enough to hug him.
It was so warm. So different from the cold he was used to. Tommy whines and presses closer to Wilbur, who only hugs him tighter. A small part of his brain was reminding him that this was Wilbur and Wilbur hated him, but the much larger part did not want to escape his hug.
“You’re okay,” Wilbur whispers. “Come on, let’s sit down.”
Wilbur shuffles them over to sit back in the booth. Tommy is practically a burden in Wilbur’s arms. He let Wilbur move him, but never let the brunet move too far away from Tommy. Techno comes in to slide on the other side of Tommy, so that he was squeezed between two warmths.
Wilbur kept murmuring words at him, but Tommy tunes them all out.
“So,” he says after he’s calmed down.
“Yeah?” Techno answers immediately.
“So no one can like me?” Tommy asked. “Like— there won’t be a person?”
For the longest time, Tommy had a fantasy that there would be one person that wouldn’t find him annoying. Because it was statistically impossible that everyone hated him. But now— now this means that he’s not looking for the perfect person to click with. Tommy’s the problem.
“No, of course not,” Wilbur reassures. “Techno can nullify powers, and when I’m near him, I don’t feel your effects.”
“But why are you still here?” Tommy asks. Why are Wilbur’s arms still strong around him, why does it matter that Techno can nullify powers?
“Because,” Wilbur says. “Now that the effects of your powers are cleared, it made me realize how much I care about you.”
The admission makes Tommy’s breath stop. To his dismay, Techno picks up where Wilbur left off.
“I know that I’ve only known you for a week,” Techno said. “But I wasn’t lying. I do like you.”
Tommy feels like crying again. Instead, he just buries his head back into Wilbur’s sweater. Wilbur’s hand comes to rest on his back, and Tommy feels his brain deteriorate, but his heart was also stitching itself back together.
//\
“Come over for dinner,” Techno says the very next day.
“But I have work,” Tommy argues.
“After work,” Techno compromises. “Tell me when you finish and I’ll be there to pick you up. I don’t have patrol today.”
Tommy stands besides Techno in the elevator of a very fancy building. Techno and Wilbur were obviously very well off. He’s a bit nervous, but as long as Techno stands beside him, everyone will like Tommy, right?
“We’re here,” Techno calls out as the elevator doors open into a very large living room.
Tommy hears a crash, and then Wilbur is running at them. He comes to an abrupt stop and scowls at Techno, before he turns to Tommy and the scowl turns into a soft smile.
It almost makes him feel nauseous.
“Hello, Tommy,” Wilbur greets. “Phil’s still making dinner— that’s our dad.”
“ Phil’s making dinner?” Techno asks, wide-eyed.
Wilbur’s face gets serious. “Get there fast.”
Techno pushes past Wilbur and runs into what Tommy assumes is the kitchen. Wilbur takes Tommy's arm and starts walking in the same direction, albeit much slower.
“Just say hi to Phil, and then we can hang out until dinner’s ready,” Wilbur says. Tommy nods mutely.
When they walk into the kitchen, Tommy stops for a minute to take in the disaster. There were pots and pans stacked high in the sink and it smelled like something was burning. Half chopped onions sat on the countertop, and a short blond man with black wings was staring intently at the front glass of the oven, trying to see inside.
“Turn the light on, Phil, so you could see,” Techno pleads. “You know what— just stop doing whatever you're doing. We’re cleaning up and starting over.”
Wilbur clears his throat, and they both look up. The man, who Tommy assumes is Phil, straightens up when he sees Tommy, smiling politely.
“Hello, it’s nice to meet you,” he greets.
Why did Tommy suddenly feel shy? “Uh– thank you— no, sorry. It’s nice to meet you too.”
Phil, thank god, did not laugh at him. “I tried to cook, seeing as Tech and Wil don’t usually make friends, but, uh, well—”
“It’s a disaster,” Techno finishes.
“I have friends,” Wilbur cut in. “What about Quackity?”
“Techno hates Quackity,” Phil says.
“Dream?” Techno suggests.
Phil pauses. “You literally also hate Dream. Enough of this. Tommy, you can go make yourself comfortable while Techno and I cook.”
“You mean while I cook,” Techno corrects. “And you watch.”
“Yeah,” Phil says, but when he turns to Tommy, he shakes his head. Tommy smiles.
“Let’s go,” Wilbur says, pulling Tommy away from the kitchen. They sit down on the living room couch, Wilbur much more comfortably than Tommy’s stiff posture.
Wilbur’s looking at Tommy again weirdly. Tommy tries not to squirm as Wilbur stares at him, and thankfully, Wilbur speaks, having finally made up his mind.
“Can I give you a hug?” Wilbur asks. Tommy feels like that’s the only question Wilbur has asked since Techno walked into his life.
“But you gave me a hug yesterday,” Tommy points out.
“I did,” Wilbur confirms. “But that was yesterday.”
“Aren’t you—” Tommy starts, before cutting himself off. “Why do you want to hug me?”
In truth, Tommy is dying for another hug. After Wilbur and Techno had left, his mind was still stuck on it. He fell asleep thinking about its warmth, imagining what a hug from Techno would feel like.
“You just look like that,” Wilbur says vaguely. “I don’t know, you look very huggable. Every time I see you I just want to hug you and not let you go.”
Wilbur really wasn’t helping Tommy’s self control. “Doesn’t it get annoying?”
Wilbur shakes his head. “I’d tell you if I was annoyed by something. And I wouldn’t ask if I was.”
“Okay,” Tommy agrees. He stares at Wilbur as the brunet opens up his arms, and Wilbur nods encouragingly.
Tommy shuffles on the couch so that he is sitting right beside Wilbur, and his arms fall around him. It’s a different type of hug, less desperate and more relaxed, but no less meaningful. Tommy melts into Wilbur’s side, and he chuckles.
“I love you, Tommy,” Wilburs says.
Tommy tenses. “No you don’t.”
“I do,” Wilbur promises. “I love you. I love you so much, and I’ll make sure you’d know it.”
Tears sprung up in his eyes. Tommy thought that he was done crying. “Oh,” he says again.
Wilbur pulls away from Tommy enough to cup his cheeks. Wilbur wipes away the fresh tears and leads Tommy’s face into his chest, enveloping him whole. Tommy is not whole enough to say it back, but Wilbur doesn’t expect him to.
Wilbur’s hand gravitates to his hair, and he starts to gently thread his fingers through it. Tommy shivers at the unfamiliar touch, but leans into it.
He ends up drifting off to sleep until Wilbur shakes him awake for dinner.
Try to be nice, Tommy reminds himself. They actually like you.
“So, Tommy,” Phil starts. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” Tommy says. Shit— be polite. “Sir,” he tacks on.
Phil immediately shakes his head. “No need for that, you can call me Phil.”
Tommy nods stiffly. “Okay, Phil.”
Phil nods approvingly and takes a bite. Tommy feels incredibly awkward. “Do you have a power?”
It’s just a common question to break the ice. “Yeah, uh, I recently figured it out. I make people annoyed with me just by being near them.”
Phil frowns. “That can’t be a nice power. How come—”
“I’m nullifying it,” Techno says, and Phil’s face splits into realization.
Tommy takes a bite of his dinner. It’s very good.
“How old are you?” Phil asks.
“Sixteen, S– Phil.”
“Do you have parents or—”
Tommy shakes his head quickly. He really didn’t want to talk about this. “The dinner is very good.”
“Thank you,” Techno says.
“I helped too,” Phil says.
Wilbur, who had only been watching the conversation, nudges Tommy’s shoulder. “They have this argument every day.”
“We do not!” Phil exclaims.
“Yes we do,” Techno says. “Don’t lie.”
Tommy smiles politely as they argue. He doesn’t really know where he fits into this. They seem like such a coherent family, that Tommy feels like an outsider.
“I think Tommy has a better opinion than both of you,” Wilbur says.
Tommy jolts. “What?”
A flicker of worry crosses Wilbur’s face, but it’s quickly gone. “Tell Phil how wrong he is.”
“Uh– Phil, you’re wrong,” Tommy says awkwardly.
Wilbur looks frustrated for some reason. “Hey, Tommy?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re a stupid bitch,” Wilbur says.
Without missing a beat, Tommy responds, “And you’re an asshole whose blood is made of sugar.”
Phil chuckles, and Tommy realizes what he said. “Wait— I didn’t—”
“You’re good, Tommy,” Wilbur reassures.
“Insult Wilbur however much you want,” Techno adds.
“Don’t you dare—”
“I would gladly insult Wilbur,” Tommy says loudly.
The rest of dinner goes smoothly.
“Thank you again for driving me home,” Tommy says.
Techno hums from the driver’s seat. “You’re one of us now.”
“One of—”
“Wilbur already loves you,” Techno elaborates. “I think you’re alright, which is the most I’ve said to anyone, even Phil and Wilbur. And Phil’s already starting to like you.”
“That fast?” Tommy asks.
“You’re a very lovable person,” Techno says.
Tommy doesn’t say anything after that. If you asked anyone else, they would say that they hated Tommy, but Techno— Techno says that he’s likable.
He knows who he wants to believe.
They arrive at Tommy’s apartment, and after he’s clicked his seatbelt off, Techno stops him from opening the door.
“How about you come over for dinner again tomorrow?”
Tommy stares at him. “Like, actually?”
Techno nods. “I wouldn’t invite you if I didn’t want you there.”
Tommy smiles, before turning hesitant. “Can I, uh—”
Techno’s face stays open.
“Can I hug you?” Tommy blurts out. “It’s fine if you don’t want to, but— oh.”
Techno’s sturdier than Wilbur, and he’s also much warmer. Tommy tentatively hugs him back.
“Thank you,” Tommy whispers.
“For what?” Techno asks.
“Being here. Helping me. I don’t know, just— thank you.”
Techno’s hand cups the back of his neck protectively. “Of course.”
Tommy has gone to Phil’s house a lot more in the past month, so much so that he was spending more time there than his own house. He’s even started to use their guest room. In fact, he was there now, tossing and turning in the bed.
Tommy had never felt the amount of love this family gives him his entire life.
It was in every one of Wilbur’s hugs and Phil’s proud smiles. Every time Techno silently came to sit by him whenever they were doing individual tasks. Tommy gets basked with the warmth they were giving away like candy.
Right now, though, he couldn’t get his mind off of how Wilbur had admitted that he loved him. Tommy— Tommy knew Wilbur for a long time. He had started to enjoy his company, even though he could tell Wilbur despised him. But now— now Tommy knew that the feeling was reciprocated, and he needed Wilbur to know.
Kicking off his blankets, Tommy slides off the bed and quietly pads out of the guest room. Wilbur’s room is right next to his, so he only has to open the door quietly and slip inside before shutting it behind him.
Wilbur is fast asleep, but Tommy doesn’t care. He walks over and starts to shake his shoulder. Wilbur makes a noise of protest, squinting his eyes open.
“Wilbur,” Tommy whispers.
“Tommaye?” Wilbur mumbles.
“Wilbur, I have to tell you something,” Tommy says.
Wilbur wakes up a little more. “Hmm?”
“I–” Tommy takes a deep breath. “It’s not that big of a deal. But I just wanted you to know that— that I love you,” Tommy says, almost mumbling the last part.
Wilbur grins. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that last part.”
Tommy can feel his face go red. “I love you.”
Wilbur’s grin becomes a softer smile. He scoots on the bed and pats the side for Tommy. Tommy sits down, before Wilbur is pulling his arm down so that Tommy is laying next to him.
“I love you too, do you know that?” Wilbur asked.
Tommy brings the blanket above his shoulder. “Yeah.”
“Say it,” Wilbur encourages. “Say that I love you.”
“Why?” Tommy asks, looking up at Wilbur’s shadowed features.
“I want to make sure you know. Tell me that I love you.”
“Uh— you love me?” Tommy tries.
Wilbur was inches away from him, yet he insists that he has not heard it. “I’m sorry?”
“You love me,” Tommy says louder, ducking his head. He feels Wilbur’s arm come around him and push him closer into Wilbur’s chest.
“I do,” Wilbur says, and Tommy swears that he’s smiling. “How did you know?”
“Fuck you,” Tommy says.
Wilbur presses a kiss on Tommy’s forehead and— he’s never done that before. It makes his thought process stop, and all he can do is press closer to Wilbur.
“But I thought you said you loved me?” Wilbur whines. "Because I adore you."
Tommy’s brain is still malfunctioning, so all he can do is let out a whine. Wilbur’s hand comes up to card through his hair, and Tommy feels overwhelmed.
“Can you— Can you stop?” Tommy manages to say.
“Stop what?” Wilbur says softly.
“This,” Tommy emphasizes. “With you being warm and kissing my forehead and—”
Wilbur kisses him on the forehead again, effectively silencing him.
“And what, love?”
Tommy buries himself into Wilbur, trying to ignore how the brunet chuckles and how he can feel the sound reverberate through his chest.
“I’m sorry, Tommy,” Wilbur says, voice light with laughter. “I can’t help it.”
“I can’t handle it,” Tommy grumbles.
“So you don’t want me to do it anymore?” Wilbur asks innocently.
Tommy doesn’t answer for a moment, and Wilbur takes the opportunity to kiss him again.
“I miss when you actually hated me,” Tommy lies.
“Shh,” Wilbur says, tucking Tommy under his chin. “Enough arguing. Just go to sleep.”
Fuck Wilbur for making him feel all the soft emotions, and fuck him for making Tommy sleep the easiest he ever has.
//\
Fuck all of them, actually.
Phil, because Wilbur and Techno are too busy having fun, figures out that if he spent enough time with Tommy, the effects of his powers would wear off. He gets more comfortable spending time with them without Techno near, though it’s still weird.
It becomes the new normal, especially after he moves in with them and discovers all of their superhero identities. Techno says that he was thinking of letting Tommy join the hero-in-training program, but Wilbur argues that it could end very badly.
For more or less, he becomes part of their family. He will not admit that he slipped and called Phil ‘Dad’ more times than one, and he cried when Phil called him his son. He will not admit that he loves it when Wilbur is clingy or when Techno tells him random facts and Greek stories because he has to tell someone. He will not.
Most of all, he starts to be okay with himself.
Tommy thinks he’s finally okay with himself.