Archive of Our Own ^beta

Look, working as a cashier at a chain cookie shop wasn’t exactly fun, but it wasn’t the worst job in the world. Techno got flexible hours and not too many customers, so it was a relatively peaceful way to earn a bit of spending money. Phil said it was a good way to learn responsibility and time management, and Wilbur said it looked good on resumes (and Tommy said it meant free cookies), so Techno spent their weekend afternoons selling cookies. The opportunity to get a job had never really presented itself to Techno in the past, given their frequent change in foster homes. They never saw the point in applying for a job that they would have to quit in a couple months. This time was different, though. Techno had been placed with the Crafts two years ago, and despite their initial fears, it hadn’t all gone horribly. 

Techno had been nervous upon learning that there were other adopted kids in the placement, but Wilbur and Tommy had been enthused to have another kid in the house. In fact, Phil nearly had to pull Tommy away from begging Techno to play or read with him. Eventually, Techno got more settled in and Phil slowly stopped dragging Tommy away from hanging out with Techno. Asking to apply for a job had been scary, as it signaled to Techno that they intended to stay with the Crafts long term. It worked out, and now Techno was scrolling through their Instagram feed as they waited for the last hour of their shift to pass. 

As they were watching a video about a polar bear and her cubs, something popped up at the top of the screen. Clicking on the notification, Techno mindlessly accepted Phil's follow request and went back to scrolling. It wasn't until a couple minutes later when a notification stating that Phil had sent them a video that the gravity of the situation hit them.  

Techno had their pronouns listed in their bio.

Phil had to have seen them. 

Oh shit .

Tears immediately began to well in Techno's eyes. They put their phone down and started flapping their hands, pacing behind the counter as they thought. There was no way Phil didn't see– their pronouns were listed right next to their name. God, why were they so stupid? Why didn't they think to remove them before accepting the request? Their placement with the Crafts had been the best in a long time, and now, the past two years were all for nothing. Phil was going to look at them with disdain, Wilbur would think they're a freak, and Tommy-  well, Techno wasn't too sure what Tommy would think. He might be too young to fully grasp the situation. But Phil and Wilbur certainly wouldn't want them around the youngest.

They tried to take deep breaths and get a grasp on their spiraling thoughts. Bit by bit, they calmed down, at least enough to not have tears running down their face. Should they discuss it with Phil when they got home? Try to play it off as a joke or something?  Techno frowned. Phil was too smart for that. Phil knew that Techno was smarter than that, too. They sighed. For now, they won't say anything. Maybe Phil didn't see it. Maybe Phil won't bring it up.

Techno set restlessly for the rest of their shift. As soon as it hit five, they rushed to count their register and clock out. Wilbur was waiting in the parking lot, blasting one of his favorite bands out the car window. Techno couldn't help but smile. They'd miss this if they were kicked out, although they would never admit that to Wilbur. As they opened the door, Wil turned down the music and asked, “How was work?”

Techno shrugged. “It was a slow day,” they responded. “Didn't get yelled at, so that's nice.”

Wilbur laughed good-naturedly. “For sure. Getting yelled at is the worst.”

Techno only hummed in response.  The rest of the car ride was quiet– well, as quiet as it could get with Wilbur constantly switching between songs and tapping his fingers on the wheel. Techno tried scrolling on their phone as a distraction, but ended up staring out the window instead. They tried not to squirm. Wilbur wasn't saying anything. Maybe he didn't know? It took everything in Techno to keep their hands still. It felt like bugs were crawling under their skin, but if they shook their hands, then Wilbur would know something was wrong and would ask and that would lead to disaster. The ten minute drive felt like ten hours, and when Wilbur finally pulled into the driveway, Techno released that they didn't even realize they were holding. They had just begun walking up the steps when Wilbur called out to them.

“By the way,” Wilbur said. Oh god, here it comes. “We're having pasta for dinner.”

Oh. Well, that's not what Techno expected. Nonetheless, it’s a pleasant surprise as Techno loved pasta. They would eat it everyday if they could. Phil disagreed, saying things about “a balanced diet” and “needing protein and nutrients.” Whatever. Techno nodded as they realized they had never answered Wilbur, but he didn’t seem to mind. As Techno walked inside, they were greeted by the familiar sounds of video game engines whirring. They took off their shoes and headed to the living room. Tommy was on the couch playing Mario Kart, and he scooted over to let Techno sit next to him, never taking his eyes off the screen. 

“Hi, Techno,” Tommy said, and then immediately pouted as a red shell hit his character. Techno watched Tommy’s cart cross the line in fifth, ending the round. Tommy flopped sideways into Techno’s lap, hands covering his face. 

“Techno, you cursed me!” the eight year old lamented. Despite Tommy’s complaining, Techno smirked lightly.

“Oh yeah? How’d I do that?”

“The game sensed your presence and made me lose.”

Techno opened their mouth to retort, but was interrupted by the door to Phil’s study opening.

“Techno, Wil, you’re back!” Phil smiled. Techno waved from where they were on the couch, Tommy’s head still in their lap. Wilbur ignored Phil, texting away furiously on his phone at the kitchen table. Phil rolled his eyes good-naturedly, almost as if to say ‘teenagers.’

“Oh, Techno,” Phil stated. “Can I talk to you in my office?”

Oh. Oh no.

Dread pooled in Techno’s gut. So Phil knew, then. Phil knew, and he was going to kick Techno out. Tommy’s head shot out of their lap, a devious smile growing on his face.

“Ooo, sounds like Techno’s in trouble,” he crooned, and Techno could only stare at him in panic. Sure, Tommy was just saying that to say it, but he wasn’t far from the truth. Phil sighed, and Techno’s attention snapped back to him. 

“No, Tommy, Techno’s not in trouble. I just want to talk to them about something important,” Phil explained. Wilbur’s head popped up from where he had previously been engrossed in his phone, and he stared at Phil with a look of recognition. Techno’s nerves skyrocketed right there– so Wilbur did know and was just playing it off. Why did this have to happen on pasta night of all nights?

Phil beckoned Techno into the office. Techno stood stiffly and followed him, Phil closing the door as Techno sunk into a bean bag. Phil was about to take his seat when two soft thuds came from the other side of the door, followed by shushing noises. Rolling his eyes, he opened the door to see Tommy and Wilbur kneeling next to each other, faces turned as if they had their ears pressed to the door. They both blinked slowly as Phil shook his head. 

“Scram, you two,” he said, not unkindly. “This conversation is private for a reason.”

Wilbur and Tommy both sulked at getting caught. 

“Fine, we’ll go,” Wilbur grumbled, pulling himself to his feet. 

“Wilbur, come play a round with me!” Tommy began tugging on his brother’s arm, almost tripping Wilbur in the process.

“No, I don’t want–”

“Wilbur,” Phil cut in. “Go play a round with Tommy. Just until Techno and I are done talking.”

Wilbur huffed, but let himself be dragged over to the couch. Phil sighed  and closed the office door. As his gaze fell back on Techno, Techno couldn’t help but flinch. They’d be fine. Phil was going to kick him out, sure, but he wasn’t going to hit them or anything. Maybe just ignore them until the social worker came to pick them up. 

“First things first,” Phil said. “I’m not mad or disappointed. You’re not in trouble.”

Yeah, right. They all said that. Techno chewed on their nail as they waited for Phil to continue. 

“I’m going to say what the big situation is, and then I’ll explain, okay?” Phil asked. Phil was considerate like that, warning Techno in advance to ease their anxiety. Techno would miss Phil’s kindness. They shrugged in response. Didn’t matter how Phil said it, they were still getting kicked out at the end of the day. Better to get it over and done with.

“I’d like to adopt you.”

Techno froze in shock, gaze slowly drifting to meet Phil’s. Well then. That was unexpected. The man had a warm smile on his face, and excitement danced in his eyes. 

“Look, Techno, you've been staying with us for a little over two years now, and I've really loved having you. Tommy and Wilbur also enjoy being around you. In fact, they've both told me they see you as another sibling. For myself, I see you like them, as one of my own kids. I talked with them, and they both agreed that if you're okay with it, we'd like to officially be family.” 

That was not what Techno was expecting. The anxiety slowly trickled back in, thoughts rushing to fill the silence Phil's voice left behind. Phil wanted to adopt them? Techno knew it was a possibility, seeing as Wilbur and Tommy had both previously been fostered and adopted, but… Techno never thought they'd actually get the chance. Techno would love to stay with the Crafts. All they could think about, though, was the other issue. Why would Phil suggest adoption if he was going to kick Techno out? To make it hurt worse? Phil wouldn’t do that, would he?

“I understand that this is probably a lot right now,”  Phil said, breaking through the torrent in Techno's head. Techno dully realized he had probably been waiting for a response. “Take the time you need to think, okay?  Just know you always have a home with us.”

Techno nodded, too choked up to speak. Tears pricked in their eyes as the feeling of being overwhelmed grew. They needed to get out of the office, now .

“That's all I wanted to say,”  Phil stated, and as soon as Techno heard those words, they were popping out of their bean bag and running out of the office, taking the stairs two at a time on the way to their room. Techno thinks they might have heard shouts from Wilbur and Tommy, but they couldn't tell. Collapsing on their bed, Techno immediately grabbed Steve, their polar bear plushie, and hid their face in it, uncaring of how tears seeped into its fur.

Why did everything have to be so confusing? Phil had to have seen their pronouns, there wasn't any doubt about it. Despite that, Phil hadn't mentioned it. Wilbur hadn’t either. Instead, Phil wanted to adopt Techno. As much as Techno's mind wanted to tell them it was all an elaborate setup,  Techno knew Phil wasn't cruel like that. He barely ever yelled, preferring to sit down and talk if disagreements arose. He had always been so flexible with Techno's needs and sensory issues, which is not something Techno can say about many previous foster homes. They really trusted Phil.

However, they couldn't be fully sure that Phil had seen their pronouns and would bring it up. Techno didn't know how to go about it either. ‘Hey, by the way, I'm non-binary and use they/them pronouns. Sorry for lying for the past two years!’ Yeah, absolutely not.  Techno rolled over, staring at the glow stars on the ceiling. The stars were one of the first things Techno added to the room, bought by Phil after he realized that the two of them had a mutual interest in space. Maybe Phil won't mention it. Techno won't either, and it'll be like nothing happened. Things will be okay. 

A knock at the door started Techno from their thoughts. 

“Dinner’s ready!” came Tommy’s muffled yell through the door, followed by the soft thudding of feet going downstairs. Squeezing their plush one last time, Techno set it down and headed to the kitchen. They were immediately greeted by the warm smell of pasta, and couldn't help the excited flap of their hands.

 Wilbur was setting plates and utensils on the table as Tommy poured juice under Phil's watch. Techno decided to set the napkins out, carefully folding and setting them under the forks.  Techno slid into their usual seat as Phil put the pasta on the table, waiting for everyone else to sit before serving. Techno humped happily and kicked their feet under the table, enjoying the warm pasta. They tuned back into the conversation after a couple bites to hear Tommy complaining about his Mario Kart round. 

“-and then Techno sat down, and I lost!” Tommy exclaimed, crossing his arms. He had a bit of sauce around his mouth. 

“Tommy, wipe your mouth,” Phil instructed. “It’s impolite to talk with food in your mouth.”

Tommy quickly grabbed his napkin and wiped his face, setting it down before adding, “I think Techno’s cursed.” 

Wilbur snorted, and Techno watched Phil fight back a grin. 

“They’re not cursed,” Phil stated. “They’re really good at the game, and you know that.”

Techno blushed under the praise, even though it really wasn’t anything surprising. They were older and had had more practice, of course they were better. Then the realization struck.

“They’re not cursed. They’re really good at the game.”

“They.”

“No, Techno’s gotta be cursed because I always lose when I play with them!” Tommy defended. Wilbur shot him a deadpan look before rolling his eyes.

“Them.” Their family knew.

“Just a skill issue,” Wilbur muttered.

“They?”

Silence quickly settled over the table as everyone turned to look at Techno, who in turn slapped their hands over their mouth. They didn’t mean to say that. Tommy’s blubbering petered off as Wilbur and Phil looked at Techno. Oh god. They were all staring. 

“Sorry, I didn’t– I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Techno stuttered. “I just– I didn’t expect to hear that. Um.”

Phil offered a soft smile, and reached out to touch Techno’s hand. Techno tensed slightly, but didn’t pull away.

“I saw your pronouns on your profile,” Phil explained. “You do use they/them, right?”

Techno nodded mutely. They all knew. Phil, Wilbur, and Tommy knew, and nothing bad had come of it, which meant Techno wasn’t getting kicked out. Their family was already using the right pronouns, and Techno hadn’t even needed to ask. It had been that simple all along.

Techno burst into tears. Phil rubbed his thumb on Techno’s hand, and Tommy immediately jumped up from his seat. 

“I’m going to go get Steve,” he announced, and ran upstairs. Wilbur looked at Techno with concern written on his face. He reached out a hand as well and rested it on Techno’s shoulder. It felt grounding. 

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought–” Techno began thickly, “I thought you guys were gonna hate me. That you were gonna think I was a freak and make me leave.”
Something soft made its way into Techno’s lap. It was his plushie. Techno looked at Tommy, who bit his lip before jumping forward to give Techno a hug.

“We don’t want you to leave,” Tommy mumbled from where his face was pressed into Techno’s shirt. “We want you to stay.”
Phil and Wilbur nodded, Phil squeezing their hand before he spoke.

“Techno, I’m sorry that you felt this way. I understand why you may have been hesitant to tell us, and I’m glad we know now, but I apologize for not approaching you about it earlier.”

“We didn’t know how to tell you when we did find out,” Wilbur admitted. “We didn’t want to make a huge deal out of it, so we thought maybe we could just make the switch without a fuss.”

Techno laughed wetly, tears already subsiding. They pressed Steve to their chest, the pressure feeling calming. They took a deep breath. 

“Well,” they said. “I think you failed on that front. This kinda seems like a big fuss.”

Wilbur laughed. “We tried. Sorry we caused you stress.”

Techno smiled, attempting to look their family in the eyes. “Thank you. It really means a lot to me.” They were feeling really fuzzy right now as joy bubbled inside them. Surrounded by family, the thought that Techno never wanted to leave these three settled in their mind. They had already been given the invitation, they just needed to accept. They can do this. They can say this. 

Techno cleared their throat. “Um, Phil?” Phil hummed in response, still rubbing Techno’s hand with his thumb. Techno flushed pink. They can do this. The next words rushed out of Techno’s mouth.

“I want to be adopted!”

Tommy whooped in joy, stepping back from Techno as he jumped around. Huge smiles broke out on Phil and Wilbur’s faces, and Techno squirmed at the sudden change in energy.

“That’s great!” Phil exclaimed. “I’m so glad. We can even start working on the papers tomorrow if you’d like.”

Techno nodded furiously, putting Steve in their lap to flap their hands. They were going to be adopted. By a family that respected their identity and pronouns, nonetheless. Maybe Techno could go to a pride parade for once. That thought ignited a burst of hope in their chest. They could finally get a flag and pins to display! 

“Wait,” Tommy asked. “So, like, do you dye your hair pink because of the blue hair and pronouns meme, or what?”

Both Wilbur and Techno burst out laughing while Phil let out a scandalized “Tommy!” Tommy just shrugged, not quite sure what Wilbur and Techno were laughing about, but smiled all the same. As Phil began questioning Tommy on where he had heard that joke, Techno took a moment to squeeze Steve again, just to let out some excess energy. The room seemed brighter with the cheerful chatter around the table. Feeling full of love and joy, surrounded by three amazing people, Techno knew that they had made the right choice.