Hang out

Tommy woke with cold sweat running down his spine. Every time he dreamed the dream, it always felt so real. Every time he got to see just a bit further into it, further into the nightmare.

Tommy went to the bathroom to wash his face, he stared at his reflection blankly. It was terrifying when he saw it, how he would die- at least, that's what he thought his curse was.

He stared at a boy, beaten to death, blood poured down his forehead, his face was so deformed that Tommy couldn't recognize who he was staring at. He sympathized with who would find his body.

He put on the red bandanna. He would open his eyes occasionally, if he was bored or if he was brave enough. The bandanna had no purpose anymore, but he still liked to wear the gift from Phil, so he kept it.

His alarm to wake up for school suddenly buzzed loudly around the house. "Shit." He muttered under his breath.

He fumbled for the button before he woke anyone, but he wasn't quick enough.

"Tommy I swear to God if I have to turn that thing off myself I'm going to chop off an arm." Techno's threat rang through Tommy's room.

He finally found the off switch and flicked it, relieved when the Mexican "rap" turned off. It shouldn't even get that much credit. It was a guy speaking Spanish along with some music. God, what do people call music these days?

Tommy got ready for school. Showering, changing into the clothes Phil picked out for him, brushing his teeth, all that shit.

"You ready for school?"" Wilbur asked.

"Thrilled." Techno replied.

"I was talking to Tommy."

"So? It's polite for someone to answer a question." Techno commented.

"Not when the question isn't directed at you."

"You think I care."

"Anyways, Tommy, are you ready to go?" Wilbur sighed.

"Yup, but I think school started when you were arguing." Tommy responded casually.

"Haha, funny joke." Wilbur deadpanned.

"I'm serious, check the time." Tommy has learned to tell time from a very efficient way of learning: bugging Techno and asking him what time it was every hour.

"Yup, I think school started while you two were fighting." I responded.

"Haha, funny joke." Wilbur deadpanned.

"I'm serious, check the time." Tommy had learned to recognize what time it was. It was an efficient way to tell time, continuously asking Techno what time it was.

Wilbur quickly left the room, running back yelling "God!" While Tommy chuckled. "We're going to be late!"

"Let's go." Techno responded. "Being late doesn't give me a good first impression."

With that we left, Techno carrying Tommy against his own will.

It wasn't too long of a walk, considering how far they lived in the forest. The school was at the border of the trees and the plains. "You can put me down now." Tommy said, annoyed.

"Not so fast. One of us has to be chaperoning you at all times, Toms." Wilbur snickered.

"Then I choose Techno."

"What?! Techno over me?" Wilbur asked, outraged.

"Yup-" The school bell interrupted Tommy. "God, I thought I'd at least miss a minute of school." Tommy groaned.

"Let's get going." Techno interrupted. "You need to hurry unless you want to be trampled by all the tall guys."

"Excuse me, that's only going to be a problem for small people, like you." Tommy teased.

"Well I have more muscle than you ever will." Techno retorted.

"Why yo-"

"Okay, let's just go inside." Wilbur cut in.

"Techno started it." Tommy grumbled under his breath.

"And I finished it." Wilbur responded.

They walked inside, Techno briefly telling a person in the office why he won't be attending his own classes.

"Alright, let's get to your classes." Techno sighed.

"Fine by me." Tommy commented.

They waved Wilbur off and walked to Tommy's first class.

"So I'll just. . ." The teacher trailed off, noticing Tommy and Techno standing in the corner of the room. "Oh, hi! Your seat will be over there." Tommy gave the teacher a look, but Techno pulled Tommy to his chair.

Tommy heard voices murmuring about his mask, ignoring them all.

"As I was saying, my name is Mr. Sam. Sam isn't my last name, but it's definitely easier to pronounce. I'll start with a story about myself. Someone told me the best way to make school fun is to share stories, so that's why I'm doing that. Teaching wasn't my first choice for a job, it was a police officer. I did get the job, and am working part-time. . ."

By the time school was out, Tommy wanted to go back to it, Sam was his favorite, and most entertaining teacher. Techno led Tommy to where they were supposed to meet Wil, but someone called out Tommy's name.

"Tommy, right?" Tommy turned his head to acknowledge them. Their voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't pinpoint where he'd heard them.

"Yeah." Tommy mumbled.

"I'm Tubbo, I thought we could be friends or something. I'm new here and I only have one other friend here, so I was hoping. . ." Tubbo trailed off.

"Sure." Tommy responded.

"Yes! So, do you want to hang out today? At my house, it's not too far from here."

Tommy stared in the direction he thought Techno would be. "I don't care, just be home before dark."

"Haha, very funny." Tommy deadpanned.

"I'll tell you when it starts to get dark." Tubbo offered.

"Sure."

"Also, is it okay if my other friend comes over too?" He asked.

"I don't care."

"Okay, he'll be there a little later, he has to make sure with his brother or something."

"Okay. Bye Techno." Tommy waved goodbye.

"See ya."

Techno's footsteps were growing distant, then followed by Tubbo. "Do you need me to help guide you?"

"It's a plain field, I'll be fine. And I'm not crippled or anything, I just have a mask on." Tommy retorted.

"About that, why do you have the mask?" Tubbo wondered.

"Optophobia."

"I don't even know how to pronounce that." Tubbo sighed.

"I like your type of person." Tommy chuckled.

"I should hope so, I am your friend." Tubbo responded.

Tommy just chuckled again.

"My dad doesn't know you're coming." There was something close to nervousness in his tone.

"I can go home if you want." Tommy suggested.

"No, it's fine, he won't be home until later."

"Are you scared of him?" Tommy questioned.

"I- uhm-" Tubbo sighed. ". . . yeah, but he says fear will get me killed."

"Well he's right, but it's only if you act on fear." He corrected. Uncle Phil always warned him before he let Tommy out of the house to control his fear, he always said it would get him killed, but only when he acted on it.

"You're a smart man." Tubbo chuckled nervously.

Tommy nodded. Talking to people fueled him, but talking to Phil, Techno, and Wilbur was always boring. They'd always talk about things that weren't interesting.

"What's your family like?" Tubbo suddenly asked.

Tommy had to think for a moment before responding. "Wilbur's always playing his guitar. Always saying how he'll 'make a nation worthwhile'. Techno, the one who was going to walk me home, is always in books, but if you get in a fight with him, it's a certain loss for you. He's against the government and likes working alone, Phil being the only exception. Phil's the 'man of the house'. He's kind enough to let me stay with him, but if you harm someone staying in his house, you'll certainly pay for it." Tommy tried to sum it up.

"So Phil's your dad?" Tubbo asked.

"Uhm. . . Not exactly. Phil's my Uncle, but he's been my substitute dad for like. . . 12 years now." He responded nervously.

"Oh! I get it, my other friend's adopted too." Tubbo said.

"Pretty much, what about you?"

". . . Well it's only me and my father, and he's out most of the time, so I just invite friends over to block out how lonely I am. . . sorry." He laughed, Tommy deciding to laugh with him. "That really brought the mood down."

Tommy started to wheeze.

"Are you alright?" Tubbo asked, concern drowning his words, it only made Tommy wheeze harder.

"Should I call an ambulance or something?"

"No it's-" He took a deep breath. "It's fine." His wheezing started to pick up.

"Are you sure, big man?"

Tommy nodded, trying to calm down. It only made the noise sound like a dying bird, which made Tubbo laugh.

They kept laughing like that, but Tubbo forgot to remind Tommy of a root that was poking itself from the ground and he tripped.

"Damn" Tommy sighed as he tumbled to the ground. He heard birds squawking, the slur could have been heard over a mile away.

A couple seconds later they heard someone yell and angry "Language!"

He burst out laughing again. "Are we ever going to make it to my house?" Tubbo asked.

Once Tommy's laughter died down he asked, "How far is your house from here?"

"Not too far, but at this rate we'll be there in a day or two."

"Then stop making me laugh!"

"But that's just my thing."

They decided to walk in silence, Tommy occasionally yelling slurs as loud as he could to see if the other would answer with "language". He always would, which made both Tubbo and Tommy laugh.