Chapter Text
Tommy's house is...
Well it's not exactly what he's expecting.
Given that his brothers are in the popular section of the high school he kind of expects the white picket fence you see in movies. The house that looks too expensive for the average person to afford.
Maybe a few cars in the driveway and a dog in the yard.
He's not expecting it to be tucked back away from the main road and with a falling apart fence that looks like every plant in the world is growing on it.
He's not expecting the open garage with an old truck up on a wench inside of it or the mom van out in front of that.
He's not expecting the wilting plants by the door or the broken window on the second floor, the grass is sloppily mowed, and there's a chipped chimney on the top.
It looks like no one has been taking care of it but it's very well loved.
"Off the road Ranboob." Tommy yells at him from halfway into the driveway and he steps off the asphalt carefully. Glancing to the mailbox that has painted handprints on it of varying sizes.
Like the Up movie.
"There you go, bit further. Don't want to be hit by a truck or something. They fly through here like assholes."
He bites back a retort over the way Tommy pronounces 'assholes'. He's been having to bite back a lot of sass lately around the ghost. He can't remember a time he was so sassy but Tommy just kind of brings it out of him.
He steps around a bike in the yard. Tommy's eyes lingering on it as he guides him up to the front door. It looks like its been there a while.
The grass is growing around it.
"Remember what I told you?" The blond asks right before he's about to ring the doorbell. "Who they all are?"
"As...as best I can remember." He hasn't really told Tommy about his memory problems and he hopes that he won't have to tell his family too.
He rings the doorbell and he hears the tune echo through the house. A bright happy almost bird sounding sound that makes him perk up.
Silence follows soon after and Tommy groans with how much time it is taking someone to answer. He puts his head through the door and Ranboo has to fight his laughter at the sight.
"Fuckers are just sitting there." He grumbled as he leaned back out, crossing his arms in a pout. "Start spamming it!"
"Wha-no! I'm not spamming the doorbell!"
"It's my house, I make the rules! Now spam it-"
"What do you want."
Ranboo jumps, looking over at the pink haired brother who pokes his head out of the garage. Practically glaring at him through his glasses. Brown eyes looking a little yellow in the lighting. He glanced at the papers in Ranboo's hands and scowls.
"We're not signing anything, get lost."
"Ain't he a cheerful bitch," Tommy muttered, jumping down from the porch and making his way over to his brother. Making faces at him he can't see and sticking his hands through his chest in an attempt to shove him.
Techno? He thinks this one is Technoblade...doesn't even shiver.
"Um...I...um..."
Ranboo stuttered, stumbles over his words. He can't help it, Technoblade is intimidating as can be. All buff and while shorter than Ranboo he's certain the guy could toss him about easily.
Break a few bones like you snap twigs.
"Spit it out." Technoblade snaps and Ranboo flinches.
Luckily Tommy is there. The blond teen groaning dramatically.
"Oi, don't be scared of him! He's all bark and no bite!" He flails about his hands. "Seriously he'll bitch about me hanging out with him but he also buys me equipment to play sports with him! Y'know he likes cute animals?! Got stuffed animals all over his room! Calls a big polar bear on his floor 'Steve' like a pussy."
Ranboo's lips quirk behind his mask. Taking a deep breath as he stumbles off the porch and limps his way towards the man. Trying to be brave.
Technoblade glares him down but doesn't do anything more than that. A rag in his hands that smells like oil close up.
"S-sorry sir...but um...I...is this...is this Tommy's house?"
He asks despite knowing better because it would be weird if the kid with memory problems knew exactly where Tommy lived. Techno's eyes narrow, a scowl on his lips but...his expression is also sad.
"...ah." He muttered, sighing heavily. "Yeah, you knew him?"
Ranboo nodded and Techno sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as he looked away. "Listen kid, I'm not good with this but uh-...about Tommy he's-"
"I k-know..."
"Oh good...well, not good but uh-"
Oh jeez, Techno was just as awkward as he was wasn't he? He thinks he remembers Tommy saying something about this. He nods again, not much else to do and then he holds out the papers.
"Um...Tommy was...was my partner in school for a project and...uh...we...he had to send me a a few letters and w-when I heard about...I-...I thought you might like them." He added the last part in a whisper and Techno's features softened almost immediately.
No glares, no anger, no frustration or awkwardness. He reached out gently and took those papers. Cringing as he left a smudge in the corner with his dirty fingers.
He looked over the first few lines and he cracked the softest of smiles.
"...I highly doubt your name is Ranboob."
"It's not, sir...um...it's Ranboo."
"No need to call me sir, I'm just a few years older." The man shook his head, sighing. "But yeah, sounds just like Tommy to call you that. Heh...did he give you trouble with your project?"
"N-not much. We passed."
"Must not involved math, he hat-...hated math."
He read over more of the lines, Ranboo just kind of awkwardly standing there as Techno's eyes glistened with the hint of tears. Tommy reading over his shoulder like he didn't help write any of it.
Right, he was intruding. Best to leave.
He turned to do that and Technoblade cleared his throat. So he froze and looked back. The man tucking the letter under his arm and gesturing to the house. "Come inside and take a break kid, I'll get you something to drink."
"O-oh n-no that's f-"
But Techno was already gone in through the door in the garage, leaving it open for Ranboo to follow. He shot the ghost a look but Tommy was laughing and darting inside. Beckoning him with both hands to come too.
He sighed but nervously made his way into the house. Hesitating in the doorway and looking for a place to put his shoes because oh god was it rude to keep them on or off?!
Tommy was no help, the ghost ditched him the moment he went inside.
"Oh my god we're being robbed by the tallest teenager on the planet."
He jumped and looked up and there was the other brother, Wilbur. Somewhat leaning in the doorway to the living room and still dressed in those sweaters. How many did he have?
Ranboo realized a bit too late that he was being accused of robbery and tried to justify himself but Wilbur smiled. Soft and inviting despite his words.
"You must be the stray Techno was talking to outside."
"Y-yes sir...um...he told me to come in and-"
"Get a drink?" He nodded and Wilbur nodded as well. "Yeah he does that. Well, we all kind of do that. Come in! Don't worry about your shoes. We're all wearing slippers."
True they were. Techno had some fancy ones on and Wilbur's were shaped like salmon. The brother beckoned him into the kitchen and oh-this was much more nice on the inside than the outside.
The kitchen was as tall as the house was it seemed, the ceiling stretching so far up he didn't at all feel cramped and things hung down within reach around the table in the center. Light filtering in from the fish patterned curtains over the sink.
Everything was a pale green and white in color.
There was dishes in the sink that had seen better days and half-eaten food on the counters but otherwise it was clean and the fridge was covered in all sorts of photos and things.
Techno was getting a giant crystal pitcher out of the fridge and pouring some sort of brown drink into four cups. Three of the cups were solid colors and the last one was a paper cup. He didn't need to be an expert on their family to know who the last belonged to in this scenario.
The guest.
So when Techno handed him that, he thanked him and then Wilbur pulled out a chair that looked out of place and he was allowed to sit in that.
Oh it's tea. Sweet iced tea.
The pink haired brother handed Wilbur a blue cup and the papers.
"Check this out."
Wilbur took both, took a sip, and as he read over the first few lines a smile started to spread across his face.
"Tommy's writing!" He said cheerfully and in the back of Ranboo's mind he screamed hoping that no one would find out otherwise. "Oh this little shit-starting off a letter with 'you suck'. Of course he did."
He laughed and Techno laughed and that seemed to summon the last member of the household who trudged in.
Oh, this must be Tommy's dad.
He...he did not look good.
Ranboo didn't blame him of course, how else were you supposed to look after your son died but...oh.
Oh dear.
He had bags under his eyes and they were red and puffy like he had been crying just moments before entering the room. His hair looked greasy and unkempt, blond just like Tommy's and what should've been the same blue eyes were dull and gray.
His clothes looked like he had been wearing them for way too many days on end and he had slippers on too but they were the old dad kind of slippers you see everyone in old TV shows wear.
He smiles at Ranboo with this tired kind of smile as if he's used to finding random teenagers at his dining table drinking his tea and can't do anything about it.
Wilbur finishes reading and hands over the papers to their father without hesitation.
Who sets down his own tea and his eyes light up just as theirs had when they read the first few lines. Chuckling some.
Tommy takes the spot beside Ranboo at the table. Settling in in the chair that was left a little bit open and by the way he does it so naturally he can only assume that's Tommy's spot.
Halfway through the letter, when his dad is tearing up some, the man pauses and runs a hand over his face. Techno leaning on his shoulder in a comforting gesture and Wilbur is turned away. Hiding his own tears from them.
"What even is this?" The man asks, sounding amused at least, and Ranboo swallows down his drink a bit too fast to answer.
Coughing as he muttered out the same lie he had told Techno.
The man smiles, warmer and more welcoming than before. Wilbur reaching over to snatch the papers back out of his hands and he's giggling though the sound is a bit strained. "It's really him!"
"It is!"
"I can hear him as I read it, can't you?!" He asks his brother and father and they both nod eagerly.
"Oh boy, here it comes." Tommy whispers and Wilbur throws his arm out dramatically as he starts to read aloud.
The words sound so much different when he reads them. He reads them with Tommy's inflection and his mannerisms. Unlike how they sound in Ranboo's head like he's a robot printing out the words.
"Dear Ranboob, you suck!" He puts emphasis on the word 'suck' and his family laughs. "So does this assignment! Where does she get off?! Ms. Klark and her new age teaching bullshit. Making us be pen pals even though we're only two class periods apart! What the shit am I supposed to write you about?! How good the weather was 2 hours ago?!"
Phil and Techno take their seats like Ranboo isn't intruding at all. Laughing at some points and sniffling at others. Phil wiping at his face even though he's barely crying.
Like all of his tears have dried up.
"She put topics on the whiteboard and shit like that's supposed to help. Oh-" He puts on a flowery voice, eyes sparkling as he makes hand gestures that look exactly like Tommy mimicking his foster mother. "Ask your pen pal about their lunch period!" He cackles as he reads the next line. "So ayup boob-boy how was the French cuisine known as the tater tot special!"
"God those tater tots are the worst." Techno muttered and Phil wheezed a laugh. "Tommy hated those the most. Used to always come home and complain about how I could make a better potato dish."
"Yet he hated your casserole."
"He gave me a yelp review, Phil! A yelp review!" And Techno gestures wildly to the fridge where a paper is tacked to it with a little raccoon shaped magnet.
Ranboo can't read it from here but he can only assume it's the review.
Phil cackles at that, head in his hands like he's got a headache but he's smiling all the while.
Wilbur continues on with his dramatic reading. Pacing in a manner similar to how Tommy does in Ranboo's room. Lighting up at all the moments that Tommy would and spazzing about like Tommy would.
It's a brilliant display of family. Of just how much Wilbur paid attention to his younger brother.
It clearly fills a void they were all missing in the moment.
There isn't much in this first letter. They wanted to make it believable. Tommy wouldn't dump all of his baggage on Ranboo in one letter of course so this was just the gateway. The first step towards eventually getting the messages through.
Still, it's something and judging by how much Tommy is smiling at his family these reactions mean a lot.
"A-are...are there more?" Phil asks when Wilbur's done and Tommy lights up immediately beside Ranboo. Practically drumming his fingers against the table though they make no noise.
Ranboo nods and lies again. "Uh...I have to find t-the others. T-they're e-everywhere..."
"I would love to see them if you're willing to share." And then Tommy's dad finally offers his hand to Ranboo to shake. "I'm Phil by the way, I'm sure he's mentioned me but...well, I've been just sitting on my arse crying here instead of saying hello."
"I'm R-ranboo, not Ranboob like the paper says." And he thinks that's his cue to leave now that it has been read, now that everyone has listened to it.
Wilbur still clutching the letter like it holds the secrets of the universe as he reads it over and over again.
He stands up, stumbling some and catches himself on the table. Nearly tripping over his own feet to get away.
They don't laugh at him or anything and Phil stands to presumably see him out, handing him the paper.
"Oh-um...you can keep that." He tells the man and Phil smiles again. "I-It's a copy." Which isn't a lie.
"I'll see you out," Techno says and takes the initiative instead of Phil. Leaving Phil to comfort a now crying Wilbur. Their hushed voices following them out. They take the actual front door this time and Techno steps out with him.
One hand by his back to catch him if he stumbles this time. He makes it down the few steps without incident and turns to thank Techno for his hospitality.
Just to see the man shut the door and look at him with this...kind of scary serious expression.
"Ranboo."
Uh-oh...did he get caught in his lie? Is he mad? Is he going to beat Ranboo up and-
A hand clasps his shoulder gently.
"I can't begin to thank you for what you just did."
Oh.
That's the exact opposite of what he was expecting.
"My father...he hasn't smiled in weeks. Not...a real actual smile."
He can imagine.
Phil barely looked stable on his feet.
"If you do find more, we'd love to see them but there's no pressure if you can't. That one letter, that was...that was a lot." He nods in understanding and Techno relaxes some from his stiff posture. "...you were his friend?"
"K-kind of...Tommy just kind of...pushed himself into my life."
"Heh, yeah he does that." The brother smiled, genuine. "...did that." He added as an afterthought and sighed. "I owe you one, Ranboo."
"W-what? No!"
"Name it, anything. I owe you." Techno says again like this isn't the most ridiculous thing he's heard. "You'll probably never understand what you doing this meant to our family. Even if it wasn't addressed to us, that letter was-it was like hearing Tommy again...however brief."
He took off his glasses, wiped them on his shirt like a nervous tic. His expression pained but almost...content.
"...the house is so quiet now." He muttered, and maybe Ranboo wasn't meant to hear that but he did. Then Techno lifts his head up, steels his expression. He's hiding all of his pain behind a mask and Ranboo knows that so well.
"Do you need a lift home?"
"I can walk..."
"Let me rephrase that, do you want a lift home? I don't know how far away you live but that walk can't have been easy and this road is-it's not the safest."
"JUST TAKE THE LIFT, BOOB-BOY!" Tommy shouts from the doorway and Ranboo jumps at his voice but Techno either doesn't mind or notice. "He'll keep asking until you do!"
"I-um...sure, I would...I would like a lift."
"Cool kid, this doesn't count as my favor though. Got it? I still owe you one."