Work Text:
Everything was going pretty well for the big man Innit himself, he would go to school at the right time and come "home" in time, if he tried really hard he could pretend his life was fine, that is, until he got called into the principal's office and had a rather difficult talk with the man
"So... Innit, intriguing last name for an avian, I've noticed that you seem to be... Well... Not very well taken care of... Do your parents preen your wings?" Jschlatt asked calmly
".... Uh... Yeah they do big man, why wouldn't they" Tommy lied through his teeth, after all, how could he tell the man that he was kicked out of the orphanage he lived in his entire life two weeks ago because he turned 18?
"Don't lie to me Innit" Jschlatt said suddenly sounding serious and righteous "I can see you haven't been preened in a while, is something going on in your home life?"
"Uh... Well... Technically no..." Tommy says "but I also kinda don't have a home so like... " He shrugs trying to seem nonchalant
"... Well... How is your dad able to keep the business going then?" Jschlatt asks sounding suddenly confused
"What dad?" Tommy asks calmly
"... Technoblade" Jschlatt answers
"Ohhh.... Ah... Hah yeah um about that big big guy um... He's not" Tommy says with a shrugs
"What? But then why did he so willingly come here and say you're his son?" The ram hybrid sounds confused
" Man's got his priorities" Tommy says with a laugh
" Do you have any family? " The ram asks
" No" Tommy answers truthfully, the usually energetic and playful boy was now quiet and serious
"... Does Technoblade know you're homeless and an orphan?" The ram asks
"I don't wanna burden him" Tommy says quietly
"... Tommy, how long have you been homeless for?" The man asks
".... Two weeks" Tommy answers
"I know I should call some kind of... Homeless shelter but, please, let me call Technoblade first, I need to discuss something with him" Jschlatt says and Tommy just nods, not knowing what else to say
★♥★♥★
"I simply don't want to abandon the kid in the hands of a homeless shelter when I know he could be treated better by someone he knows and trusts" Jschlatt explains after telling Technoblade about Tommy's situation
"... I've only known the kid for about a week" Techno says, expression hard to read
"He trusts you and talks constantly about you to his classmates" Jschlatt says
"I... I'll try" Techno mumbles and gets up, the chair he was in scraping against the floor making an uncomfortable sound which makes the piglin wince "... I'll talk to the kid"
As he leaves the principal's office, he spots Tommy sitting in a chair, looking smaller than ever, his wings folded in his back and his eyes downcast
"... Why didn't you tell me, kid?" Techno asks
"We're practically still strangers" Tommy shrugs still trying to keep the tough facade on
"I could've helped way sooner" Techno says, there's an awkward pause between them
"I don't need your pity" Tommy mumbles angrily
" I'm not feeling any pity" Techno says
".. I don't believe you" the avian says as he glares up at him
" Well, believing or not, I'm telling the truth" the piglin says
"You don't need to take me home cause you think I'd be worse off in a homeless shelter, I'm fine"
"Well... Clearly not, since that's the same shirt you wore the entire week and your wings are looking dirty and oily as hell, I may not be a bird but I know about bird care" Techno says
"Of course you do" Tommy grumbles
"C'mon, I'm taking you home" Techno says
"Whot?" Tommy says suddenly sounding baffled
"Yeah, let's go" Techno says
"You gotta promise you won't sell my organs to the black market" Tommy says, and just like that, it's as if a switch had been flipped and the boy had a big smile on his face
"I don't plan on that" Techno says
"... On which part?" Tommy asks jokingly "oh and you gotta promise that you're not a serial killer either"
"I can't make promises" Techno jokes without even cracking a smile which results in Tommy laughing loudly
When they both climb onto his motorcycle Techno is smiling softly under his helmet and honestly not too mad about having a new responsibility
★♥★♥★
It's honestly funny how quickly Techno's house becomes Techno's and Tommy's house, the couch now has two game themed throw pillows, the guest room is now filled with red things and has a cozy feel to it, the mug with Minecraft pigs printed on it, has a similar mug with Minecraft spiders printed instead, in the bathroom there are some wing care products, two towels and two face towels, a pink toothbrush and a yellow one, and Techno bought Tommy a bookshelf, in which the boy is filling slowly
" Huh... What's that?" Tommy asks on a random Monday after walking into Techno's room and spotting his piano
"... You've never seen a piano? " Techno asks
"... I mean... Not in person" Tommy shrugs
"Honestly I don't even play it, I just have it as decor, if you wanna try, go ahead" Techno shrugs as he goes back to his laptop, talking to a client about a big order for a wedding
Tommy walks silently to the piano and sits down, playing one of the keys then another and another, soon he's making up a song and humming along
"If you like it I can get you some classes" Techno says his expression giving nothing away as he types away
"Yeah... I'd like that" Tommy says, smiling widely, the boy who looked shabby and badly taken care of completely gone, his colorful wings well preened, his golden blond hair curly and puffy and no longer wearing the same clothes for days.
★♥★♥★
" I mean... C'mon, you'd have to be crazy to think my dad isn't like... The coolest guy out there" Tommy rambles, walking along with Tubbo and Ranboo
"Well... My dad's the principal so like..." Tubbo jokes and shrugs
"I don't have a dad" Ranboo says out of the blue
"That's a weird way of saying you have two moms" Tommy snickers as he looks at Ranboo
"True thing boss man" Tubbo agrees and Ranboo just hums and shrugs
"Either way, my dad is still the coolest" Tommy says
"Says the orphan, the weirdo with two moms and the one that not even his mom wants" they hear a voice behind them say loudly and turn towards them, Jack, of course, relentless bully, old school style where he'd pick on people with words
" At least my dad chose me, your parents on the other hand" Tommy said, he knew it was childish and he should just ignore the wolf hybrid but he decided to engage just once "and don't talk about my friends"
" Tsk, what do you know, weirdo" Jack says as he crosses his arms "and I'll tlk about them whenever I please, pussy"
"Go howl at the moon or something dude" Tommy says with an eye roll, he doesn't predict the punch in the face, but he does remember Techno telling him to always let others swing first so they'd be guilty
And that's how he ends up in the nurse's office with a black eye and smirking widely
"I beat that punk up dude!" He says happily to Tubbo and Ranboo
"We were there boss man" Tubbo says as he watches him intently
"Still pretty shocked you know how to defend yourself" Ranboo adds
"Techno taught me" Tommy smiles widely "cause he's the coolest dad ever to be ever alive"
"My dad will definitely be mad I was just watching instead of separating the fight" Tubbo mumbles "You were pretty cool though"
"Thanks big man!" Tommy smiles and finally the nurse hands him some painkillers and tells him he's good to go
"Maybe you just have insane luck" Ranboo says
"Hey! That was all on me" Tommy shrieks playfully
Soon the trio walk over to the bench they met in fourth grade and sit down, staring at the cars passing by silently
"Is your dad going to be mad?" Tubbo asks
"Probably not" Tommy says, stretching out his wings to accommodate the enderghast hybrid and the beeram hybrid "he'll scold me though" he says as he grabs his phone and texts Techno
TomTom 🪽
«heard the news yet?»
10:34
Dadnoblade 🐽
«I did»
10:34
TomTom 🪽
«sorry big man :(»
10:35
Dadnoblade 🐽
«I'm sure you had reasons kid»
10:35
«don't worry too much, it'll make your feathers fall»
10:36
Tommy chuckles and shows his phone to his friends
" Can that happen? " Ranboo asks calmly and Tommy shrugs
" Not that I know" he says, turning his phone off and leaning back "Since we're dismissed why don't we just talk until my dad comes to solve this eh?"
Tubbo shrugs "sounds good" he mumbles
"You know, I got into quite a few new hobbies now that dad helps me" Tommy says
"Like?" Tubbo and Ranboo inquire at the same time
"Sewing, gardening, playing the piano" Tommy mumbles as he leans back, honestly he hadn't thought too hard about how he had gotten so easily used to calling Techno dad, but it was a nice change of his usual lingo
"Make us friendship clothes then" Tubbo jokes lightly
"Pay me" Tommy shoots back jokingly
"You wish" Tubbo says, humming softly
Tommy focuses on his phone and scrolls through a few apps looking for inspiration "I'm gonna make something for dad's birthday" he says
"How about an apron, he could use one in his flower shop to deal with the dirt" Ranboo suggests
"... That's actually a good idea" Tommy smiles pleasantly and hums lightly" it could have a Minecraft pig since he loves those so much, and some flowers and his logo" Tommy rambles already imagining it in his head, he opens his notes app and types it all down before he hears a motorcycle stop nearby and gets up, running to Techno as the man waits patiently
" So wanna tell me the full story? " Techno asks and Tommy laughs heartily
"So, we were walking back to our classroom and I was talking about you and this ugly annoying bitch was like " oh you're an orphan" and I was like " at least my dad chose me" and the count punched me! And then he was like " what are you gonna do about that huh? " So I punched him cause he also talked about Ranboo and Tubbo and I was not having it, so then we punched and kicked and the principal stopped us, he had his face all puffy and I only got this see" Tommy rambles as he points to his eye
"And a missing feather" Techno says as he brushes a gloved hand against a spot where a feather of Tommy's wing is missing
"Oh yeah, that too" Tommy says
"C'mon, let's talk to Jschlatt" Techno says as he walks by Tommy's side
"Anyway, I actually just punched him back cause he said Tubbo's mom abandoned him and that Ranboo's moms are freaks" Tommy says calmly
Techno hums and nods silently, with him and Tommy arriving soon at the principal's office
" I hope this is fast" Technoblade says before sitting down in a chair in front of the principal along with a relatively small cat hybrid woman, his ear twitches, with it the sound of the many golden piercings can be heard clicking against each other softly