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“Coraline, yeah?” Wilbur asks and Tommy resists the urge to grimace.
“That was the general consensus.” Technoblade says dryly, probably because this is the third time Wilbur’s asked since they pulled out the DVD player. It’s been a long day as well- the meet up was so fucking pog, hugs all around, and then taking Techno all over Brighton and having him eat at their favorite restaurants, only to come back to Wil’s for what Tommy is pointedly not calling a sleepover, even though it might be- just a little bit. Of course, deciding on a movie took them about an hour, as they should have guessed it would, considering even during their online movie nights it took way too long to agree. That was only increased with them all being exhausted from the busy day, and still Tommy wasn’t too confident in the choice.
Not that he’d admit that, of course.
“Are we sure about this?” He asks again and this time he makes direct eye-contact with Tommy. Knowing. Fuck. Tommy shrinks back against the couch cushions and pointedly doesn’t speak.
Phil rolls his eyes, unaware. “It’s a one hour and forty minuite animated movie, Wil. What is there to be unsure about? It’s not a huge commitment.”
“What, like marriage? Come on now Phil.” Wilbur jokes when Tommy doesn't speak up, putting the disk in. He grins, the corners of his eyes crinkling, and looks over at Tommy, clearly expecting him to jump in. Tommy’s brain fumbles.
“Oh you and your bloody wife Philza Minecraft,” Tommy manages, “Always prattling on about her- it’s despicable, it is.”
Phil splutters out a high-pitched what do you mean - but Wilbur’s volleying back, proper excited now. “It’s very unbecoming of you to brag Phil, I’d thought you’d know that by now.”
“Very unbecoming,” Tommy nods, “You’d think- I mean you’re meant to be the mature one, not the- the unbecame one.”
Wilbur barks a laugh at unbecame and Techno does a quiet little happy huff before reaching for the remote. For a moment Tommy forgets what they’re doing, with Phil again rolling his eyes fondly and Wilbur’s shoulders shaking with joy and Technoblade’s - The Technoblade - warmth at his side. It’s just a chill night with the boys, Tommy’s boys, Tommy’s- dare he say it where chat can’t hear- family away from family. But then Techno mumbles as he fiddles with the buttons, making the screen flash and Wilbur scoots back from the DVD player to plop down on Techno’s other side and Phil kicks his socked feet up onto the coffee table.
Unruly, Tommy’s brain thinks through all his impending dread. Unbecoming.
The lights switch off and Tommy shrinks further down in his seat, refusing to tuck into Techno’s side like he wants to. Although it would be warm there, and he'd be safe in the knowledge that nothing could get him with the blade at his side- Tommy doesn't want to seem... well, he doesn't know. Wimp-ish. The movie hasn't even really started yet and he already has the urge to hide- how stupid. Everyone else is gearing up to have a good time and Tommy isn't going to be the one to ruin that for them. He'll sit and watch the same way that Wilbur does when Tommy makes him watch a Marvel movie. It'll be fine.
“I bet this movie isn’t even as scary as people say it is,” Phil notes.
“Reality hardly ever lives up to the hype.” Techno hums.
Tommy silently hopes that they're right.
…
Okay, so the movie absolutely lives up the hype, and by that, Tommy means he’s shaking in his fucking seat.
As in, full on trembling, and turning well away from the screen to burrow into the blankets he's nicked from Wilbur's closet. He tries to do it quietly, so no one notices, but he doesn't think he's entirely too successful because any time Tommy turns Techno shifts awkwardly like he wants to say or do something but doesn't know what. At one point there are buttons being sewn into people's fucking eye sockets and Tommy twists away, grimacing, a little embarrassed to be so afraid of an animated movie. This time, instead of awkwardly rocking, Technoblade clears his throat rather loudly and jerks like he's kicking something.
There's a pause, then Techno clears his throat again.
A half a second later, Wilbur goes, "that's not real ." It's all playful and steady, like the way it sounds on his streams. Even still, Tommy doesn't peek out, not wanting to look at Wil's expression for fear of catching sight of the screen again. "Buttons can't replace eyes. Isn't that right Phil?"
Phil makes a small questioning sound, confused.
"Isn't that right, Phil?" Wilbur asks again pointedly.
"Oh! Uh, yeah, right, yeah, um. God, so many medical inaccuracies. Buttons aren't- they don't go there. That's- um-"
"That's the result of a bad research team." Wilbur fills in. "They should've gotten me in there, I would've- I mean they could've put anything else on their face that would've been better."
"Like what?" Techno asks, and Tommy hears Wilbur turn the movie down so he can answer. That gives Tommy the courage to peek out from his blanket pile to squint over at Wilbur, who immediately looks away, pretending he wasn’t looking at Tommy. But he was, and Tommy did see Wilbur's brief look before he looked away, all searching and worried.
Oh. Fuck. Hopefully that's just Wilbur being Wilbur and not them noticing Tommy being a little bitch.
“Like, uh, anything really- flowers or diamonds or little tiny men like the gay ones in that museum movie.”
“From Night at the Museum?” Phil blinks. “Wait, they were gay?”
“I’m sorry, I thought the whole point of this was to be more medically accurate-” Techno says dryly. “How are flowers and diamonds any different than buttons?”
“Aesthetic.” Wilbur answers surely. “And also, yes Phil. Please start watching movies with your glasses on, you old man.”
“You little shit,” Phil snips with a laugh, “I’m sorry that I didn’t watch the movie invested in the romantic subplot of the two side characters! I was concerned with the actual plot. Have you - do you even remember what happened in that movie other than those two characters?”
“Sure, I do-” Wilbur starts. There’s a pause. Wilbur’s brows furrow. “Uh, he’s- he’s at the museum? He’s- uh- it’s like Toy Story for older people.”
“There’s an ancient curse in the movie Wilbur.” Phil says, completely deadpan and Techno barks a laugh. Tommy giggles as well, and something about that seems to loosen everyone else up. Phil makes a grabby hand for the remote and pauses the movie completely as Wilbur looks at the Night at the Museum IMDB to check his knowledge of the Night at the Museum lore.
“There are three movies?” Wilbur exclaims. “No fucking way.”
“This is just like when we found out there are five Ice Age movies.” Technoblade says.
“Wait,” Tommy sits up the rest of the way, properly interested now. “There are five of those movies?”
“Ice Age, the meltdown, the dinosaur one, the pirate one, then the space movie.” Techno answers instantly, counting on his fingers. Which is like- why does he have that knowledge on hand, and why doesn't Tommy know this? This is fucking brilliant- what's that thing that Dream always says? Big if true? Yeah, Tommy thinks, five ice age movies- big if true.
“You’re making this shit up,” Tommy splutters. “There- there’s no fucking way they made a space Ice Age movie.”
“No he’s right Toms,” Phil passes Tommy his phone and Tommy takes it, blinking at the wikipedia for Ice Age: Collision Course the movie in disbelief.
“Wow,” Tommy squints at the movie poster. “That looks like shit.”
“How did they make three movies about museums?” Wilbur wails, from over on his spot. “I just don’t understand!”
“Well maybe,” Technoblade leans over and pries the remote from Phil, “we should find out. What’s the first one called? Just Night At The Museum ?”
“Wait,” Tommy blurts against his better judgment. “I thought- I thought you guys wanted to watch Coraline ?”
“Not if everyone isn’t enjoying it, mate.” Phil says gently and Tommy hesitates. So they did notice his dismay. Oh. “And that’s totally okay, you know, we’re all trying to have fun- no one can really enjoy themselves if someone they love isn’t having a good time.”
“Oh.” Tommy says.
“And besides,” Wilbur perks up, “Phil needs to experience the homoerotic tension between this cowboy and this roman soldier. If- if that’s okay with you Toms. We can always watch something else too. If you wanted.”
Tommy bites back a grin, warm, happy to be considered. “No, I’m okay. Night at the Museum sounds pog. Better than button-eyes the movie.”
“Okay.” Wilbur laughs and then shifts forward to take Coraline out of the DVD player. “Unless you wanted to watch the ice age space movie instead, because I mean, that sounds like a masterclass of filmmaking.”
“I think I’d rather die.” Tommy answers, Wilbur and Phil snort and Technoblade rolls his eyes, lifting his arm and beckoning Tommy over. Tommy immediately slides in, tucking himself under safely. Technoblade hums, then tightens his arm around him- it's like a warm, heavy blanket- even better than the blankets he actually has. When Wilbur has the movie set up, he comes over, plopping himself on Tommy’s other side, pretending to complain when Tommy pulls his legs up and swivels so his toes are shoved under Wilbur’s thigh. But he's just doing it for show, because seconds later he's laying his arms over Tommy's calves, keeping him there.
“You good mate?” Phil asks genuinely, and Tommy nods, snuggling in between Techno and Wil- his- his internet brothers. Maybe it's a joke, but it was the truth beforehand. It's crazy how safe he feels with them- these people that he didn't even know four years ago. Now he simply couldn't imagine his life without them.
“I’m good.” He says, and he truly means it.