Chapter Text
Toomy expected a lot of things from his family, well, not exactly; he more expected them to do nothing, or just ignore him, or on the worst days make fun of him for something.
It's no secret that Wilbur and Techno have been gone for six years, and it's especially no secret that after they left Phil was more or less absent in Tommy's life. He wouldn't say he was neglectful, he still provided food (even though he never cooked), he put a roof over his head, he didn't ask that he pay for any bills, and he still got a weekly allowance. He knows the allowance was from when Tommy turned eleven, when Wilbur and Techno had just moved out and Phils schedule got busier. Phil entrusted Tommy to keep up with the chores while he was working and set up the allowance as an automatic withdrawal from Phils account into Tommys.
He bets that Phils will forget about it from now on. He originally never wanted to touch the money he was given, but he was essentially the maid and cook, so he took it out of spite. It became a necessity when Phil insisted Tommy take over the grocery shopping.
Most of the money went into a savings account, he knows Phil expected him to spend it all but he knew the tricks. The coupons, keeping track of the sales, buying the store brand stuff, never going out to eat and when he does he splits it with his partners. When he turned sixteen he redid his room, spending a couple hundred on new furniture and such, using the money Phil had been giving him every week.
Gone were the red walls, now a pale green. His twin bed was now a queen, a good size for when Ranboo and Tubbo spent the night. He got a shelf that was full of his hobby stuff, and the PC his partners had surprised him with was sitting proudly on his desk. There were tapestries and vines with wisteria on his ceiling and walls. His aroace flag hung proudly behind his monitor.
But yes, Tommy expected a lot from his family, what he did not expect though was to see an all too familiar car sitting in the driveway when he got home from school.
Phil wasn't supposed to be home this soon, and there was smoke coming out of the chimney meaning Phil had set up a fire in the living rooms fire place. He only ever did that when-
“Tommy!”
Oh no, please no.
He was not expecting his brother, the one he hasn't talked to in six years, sitting on the porch smoking a cigarette, looking the same as he did all those years ago.
Tommy eyes the ash falling from the end of the cigarette, trying to hide his surprise. Wilbur stopped smoking ages ago.
Wilbur met his line of sight.
“Oh, don’t worry, it's not tobacco.”
Weed? He almost asked.
As if reading his mind Wilbur said, “It's herbal, supposed to help with cravings or whatever.”
The teens eyebrows raised, not out of disbelief but out of the shock of seeing his brother; and here they were talking about this like it was the most normal topic in the world.
His brother stomped out the cigarette all while having that stupid smile on his face. He didn't want to talk, he really didn't, it had been a long day at school and Tommy was not in the mood for ‘chit-chat’.
He sighed and Wilbur took that as an invitation to keep talking.
“I can’t believe it, it's been what, six years? You look-” he eyes Tommy up and down, not able to hide the surprise on his face upon what he found, “-different.”
Tommy rolled his eyes. Sure he’d dyed his hair a stark blond, his natural brown hair nowhere to be found. It was longer, about to his shoulders, and was currently in a half-up half-down style. There was a long strand of hair sticking out of it, purple and green extensions braided into it. He had several piercings too, including a septum he hadn't had time to hide. He wore some other jewelry too, the main focus being two rings held on by a chain around his neck.
Despite Wilburs comment Tommy still didn't say anything.
“Quiet, huh? That's not like you.”
He bit back a snide remark and rolled his eyes before walking up to the door. Wilbur smiled again but Tommy ignored him in favor of going inside.
He was greeted by chatter coming from the living room, and the house was a lot warmer than it had been in a long time. Tommy walked past quickly, just wanting to go to his room, but of course it was never that simple.
“Tommy, good, you’re home.” Phil started, “Come sit, visit with your brothers.”
This was the first time Phil had talked to him in what, a week? Always so busy with work, and when he wasn't he was sleeping or in his office.
“Homework.” Is all he says, expecting to be dismissed.
“Tommy.” Phil chastised, his voice reminding him earily of Dreams. He tried not to shiver, he thought he was over that, he’d been doing so much work with Puffy but-
“Theseus.” Technos voice snapped him out of his spiral. He finally turned towards the living room, not able to hide his surprise upon seeing his brother. His once short brown hair was now pink and long, and in a similar style to Tommy's own hair actually. There were a couple piercings in his ears, and he wore lots of gold rings. Over the chair sat a jacket, one with lots of pins adorning it, and among them stood a familiar flag.
“Theseus,” He says again, only raising an eyebrow when he sees where Tommys gaze is. “How’ve you been?”
“Uh-”
Wilbur busts through the front door suddenly.
“Sorry, sorry. Got distracted.” He said, waving a phone in the air. “Sally called and Fundy-”
“Who's Sally?” Tommy couldn't help but ask.
The three others stopped and stared at him for a minute. He shifted on his feet.
“What?” He couldn't help but ask.
Wilbur turned to Phil. “You didn't tell him?”
“ You didn't tell him?” Phil repeats.
“What didnt you tell me?”
Wilbur sighs, the condescending sort of sigh that will only ever have bad things following it.
“Sally is my- well they’re…”
Something clicked in his brain.
“Oh.” He says he assumes this Sally person is Wilburs partner. “Cool.”
Tommy awkwardly bounces on his feet and has to stop himself from shaking out his hands, he just can’t help it, this is so awkward.
“You-you’re cool with it?”
Tommy assumes he's talking about the fact that he has only used they/them pronouns for his partner. He glances at Phil. Out of anyone he’d think he’d be the one to be transphobic.
He decides to play dumb.
“Cool with you having a partner?”
Wilbur seems a little surprised at the gender neutral term, Techno however just smirks. Damn him and his ability to come to conclusions so fast.
“Why wouldn't I be?”
“I-I don’t know actually, it's stupid but some people-”
Tommy looks down. “I get it.”
“No, you don’t-”
Techno nudges him and does that weird communicating without really talking face that Tommy figures means ‘we’ll talk about it later.’
“Oh.”
It's silent for a minute, and Tommy starts to creep towards the staircase.
Wilbur suddenly claps his hands.
‘“Right, well Tommy what's new with you? Got a girlfriend? How's school?”
He sighs before sitting down.
“Nothing. No, and it's fine.”
Its quiet again, and Tommy realizes that he missed another social cue.
“Uh- whats new with you?”
Wilbur smiles.
“Well the band and I are going to be starting to record for our new album release. Fundy just turned two so Sally and I threw him a small birthday party-”
He just keeps talking, acting if Tommy knows what the hell hes talking about.
“-and the Techno and I will be staying in town for a while-”
“Wait, what? Since when?”
The twins look at him funny.
“Did dad not tell you?”
Tommy laughs. Phils silent.
“Tell me what? I didn't even know you two were coming back until I saw Wilbur on the porch.”
“Oh.”
Techno stares at Phil.
“That's…odd.”
“Well I don’t see him that often, you know how teenagers are-”
“I have a set school and work schedule that I write on the calendar every month, including the days I hang out with Ranboo and Tubbo.”
Phil makes a face.
“You work?” Wilbur asks, as if Tommy is not almost a legal adult.
“Yes.”
“Who are Ranboo and Tubbo?”
“Just my- what is this, an interrogation?”
Wilburs face hardens.
“I just want to get to know what my brother has been up to.”
“Do you though?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Tommy sighs, as if he's disappointed.
“Come on, man. Haven't talked to me in six years and you just come back out of the blue expecting everything to be the same?”
“Tommy-”
“No, really, you seem surprised that I’ve changed but I was eleven when you left, I’m almost an adult now, Wilbur.”
“To-”
“If you had actually cared you’d have asked for me when you called Phil, or when I got a cellphone you’d have asked for my number, hell you could have written to me!”
Phil slams his hand down on the coffee table. “Tommy that's enough!”
He flinches back, a second away from covering his head protectively with his arms, they only get halfway up before he realizes what he's doing.
Damn it.
The three of them look at him like he's a stranger, not having expected him to react like that.
“Toms?” Wilbur asks quietly. He just shakes his head. Techno on the other hand looks furious.
“Dad.” He says. Phil himself looks like he's just been struck.
“What?” He chokes out.
“Have you hit Tommy?”
Tommy chokes on his saliva.
“What! Of course I haven't!”
“Then why’d he react like you were about to hit him?”
Wilbur just stares at his little brother.
“I-I don’t know.”
“You don’t know why your own son reacted like that!”
Phil looks down.
“I don’t.”
“You didn't tell him we were coming. You don’t know his work or school schedule even though it's written on the calendar. You don’t know where he works. You don’t know who his friends are. He calls you Phil.” Techno counts off all of these on his fingers.
“I-”
Wilbur finally turns to look at his dad.
“Dad?”
Tommy stands up. “I’m leaving.”
“No.”
“What do you mean no?”
“I mean no, we’re going to talk about this like a family.”
He laughs. “We haven't been family in a long time.”
They all look heartbroken.
“I-I can’t believe you three.” And with that he books it up the stairs and into his room, making sure to lock the door.