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The Saturday was slowly ending, afternoon slipping into early evening, the day gradually coming to a close. Wilbur was spending time with his friends, and Phil had to work late at the office, leaving just Techno and Tommy alone in the house.
“Hey Techno?” Tommy asked, quietly creeping into the living room where Techno was resting on the couch.
“Hm?” He responded, looking up from his book.
“Could you- Wait this sounds dumb. Could I do your hair? Like, could you teach me how?”
Techno set down the book, readjusting the blanket he was curled up under, and patting the couch beside him.
“Why the sudden interest in hair?” He asked.
Tommy takes the seat, setting down an armful of hair supplies on the coffee table.
“Well, I have this friend who really hates his hair, but his parents won’t allow him to cut it off. He’s stuck with hair longer than yours, but unlike you, it’s not his choice and he doesn’t like it. So I want to know how to pull it up so that I can help him learn how to hide his hair when he wants to at school.”
Techno’s eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.
“Why won’t they let him cut his hair if he doesn’t like it?”
Tommy rocked on his heels and scratched the back of his neck.
“Um, he, wasn’t born a he and his family isn’t really the most accepting of that kind of stuff.”
Techno hummed in understanding and gave a quick nod, placing a bookmark in his book.
“Okay.”
“Okay? You’re not like… bothered by it?”
“No, should I be?”
“Well, no, but I just worried you.. I don't know, you wouldn’t be alright with it.” Tommy gave a meek shrug, sliding closer to his brother.
Techno ruffled the younger’s blond hair and slipped from the couch to the floor.
“Well I’m fine with it. Do you have a brush?”
Tommy grinned and grabbed the hairbrush from the pile of supplies he had brought down from Techno’s bathroom.
“Now what?” He asked.
Techno tipped his head back to look at Tommy, a small smile on his face.
“Are you trying to tell me you don’t know how to brush hair?
Tommy smiled and rolled his eyes, “shut up, I know how to brush hair. Tilt your head back up, nerd.”
“Start at the bottom. There shouldn’t be too many knots, I brushed my hair last night, but it’s still best to start at the bottom.” Techno looked forward as Tommy started carefully running the brush through Techno’s pink locks.
“What’re you reading? The Art of War or something?” Tommy asked, working on slowly weaving Techno’s hair into a French braid as the older softly hummed a song they had heard Wilbur writing on his guitar earlier that day.
“Nope, I’m rereading The Chronicles of Narnia.” He held the cover up to show Tommy. “I read more than one book, you know. ‘He who reads many books gains the knowledge of many worlds.’ That’s a quote from Sun Tzu.” Techno tapped his temple with a grin as Tommy spluttered.
“That-That’s not a real quote. Why does it sound like a real quote.”
Techno’s grin turned into a sly smile as he gave a little hum, looking back to his book.
“That’s not a real quote. You’re lying to me.”
He gave a shrug, “I guess you don’t know either way for sure.”
Tommy swatted Techno’s shoulder and resumed braiding Techno’s hair.
“You know, your friend is more than welcome to come over sometime. I’d be happy to help you two come up with hair styles that he would like. There’s all sorts of things you could do.”
“Oh! I’ll let him know. I’m not sure if he’ll take you up on the offer, but I’ll tell him anyway. Am I still doing this right?”
Techno reached up to pat the top of his head, feeling the way the strands of hair had been woven together.
“It’s a little bumpy right along here, but not bad for your first try! Not bad at all. This kind of braid is really good at keeping all your hair back and out of the way. If your friend doesn’t like the way his hair flows and falls in his face, this will be a good one.”
Tommy grinned, flapping his hands in excitement over learning ways to help his friend.
“I can teach you how to do a simple bun, too. That way if he just wants it off his neck, you can pull it off his neck.”
Tommy’s grin got wider. “Okay!” He exclaimed, fingers working quickly to unweave the braid he had spent so long working on.
The evening continued on, gentle conversation drifting around the room, often surrounded by silence, or instructions as Tommy tried his best to figure out what he was doing. At some point, music had been turned on, and the two were sitting listening to The Beatles when the front door opened and shut.
“Hello?” Wilbur’s voice called out.
“In the living room!” Tommy responded, smiling as Wilbur’s footsteps came closer.
“Oh! Are we doing hair?” Wilbur asked, surprised. “Techno’s letting you play with his hair?”
“I am.”
“He is! It’s quite nice.”
Techno and Wilbur shared a small smile as Tommy happily ran his fingers through the pink hair.
“I’ll go put my shoes away and then come sit with you two! Maybe Toms will let me braid little tiny braids in his hair. I think this is a good idea.”
“I think it’s a terrible one and you should not do that.” Tommy replied, quickly scooping the pile of hair ties and brushes and combs closer to him and away from Wilbur.
“Boooo you’re no fun,” Wilbur fake pouted as he left the room, voice getting louder the farther he walked. “I think you should let me!”
“Nope!”
Techno sighed fondly at the bickering as he used his phone to inspect Tommy’s handiwork.
“Not bad! You’re already getting better!” Techno said, watching Tommy’s face light up at the praise.
“Thanks, Tech!” He grinned, patting the top of Techno’s head.
“Wilbur!” Techno called, “Tommy decided to pat my head! Come tackle him for me!”
“Happy to!” Came Wilbur’s response as Tommy gasped in betrayal.
“Techno how could you?” He asked with a dramatic fall backwards into the couch cushions, the moaning and sighing quickly replaced with squeals as Wilbur’s footsteps could be heard running closer.
And that’s how Phil found them when he walked inside. Tired from his day at work, and ready to take a seat on the couch, he was greeted with a picture that he honestly should have expected after letting all three of them be home unsupervised. Techno was laughing, perched on the back of the couch, with Tommy thrashing on the floor and Wilbur laying on top of him.
Instead of asking the boys to calm down, Phil decided to drape himself over Wilbur, causing Techno to laugh louder, nearly falling off the couch, and causing Tommy to shriek about being crushed.
Needless to say, the Saturday was far from peaceful, but it was perfect.
It was home.
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