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Tommy couldn’t tell you what woke him up the first time. Maybe it was too hot, maybe it was too cold. Maybe his sheets and covers started to fall off of him and the discomfort got him up, or maybe it was just a malfunctioning internal clock thing. But Tommy was awake, for better or for worse. Mostly for worse though, he will admit. He was still tired, and he had school tomorrow, with no idea what time he had woken up.
He stared at the darkened ceiling in his room, wondering what he should do now that he was up. Probably go back to sleep. He couldn’t imagine that he had been asleep long before this, and he was still tired enough to fall asleep, but it was raining outside. He couldn’t remember it raining before he went to bed.
No one said anything about a storm this late at night. And what was worse was that it was really raining outside. Raining hard. Tommy remembered the last big storm- the one that knocked out all the power and blew the chair in his yard all the way into the road. He hoped it wasn’t that kind of storm, but the noise outside was loud.
It was kind of like a frozen in fear moment for that reason. Tommy couldn’t go to sleep again, but he also couldn’t get up. He knew logically there was no harm in doing either. If it was a really bad storm, he trusted his family to wake him up and drive him away from any danger, and if it wasn’t, it just wasn’t, and walking around the house wasn’t going to make anything worse.
But he couldn’t really move.
Now, Tommy was brave. Super insanely brave if you asked him. The bravest six year old in the whole history of six year olds, probably. He even climbed all the way to the top of the old tree in the lunch yard one time, his whole class cheering him on and watching him go. It was a really big tree. Not even Purpled would do that, though he said it was just because he knew he would’ve gotten in trouble like Tommy did.
His brothers told him that he was brave, and that was a really big thing, because according to Tubbo, brothers never said anything they didn’t really mean. Beyond the words of his friend, he trusted Techno and Wilbur. They were also really really brave. There was nothing the three of them couldn’t face.
So, with all that being said, he knew the storm shouldn’t have bothered him as much as it did. In fact, sometimes sleeping to the sound of rain could be really nice! But the more it poured down, the more anxious it made him. He didn’t really like storms. Not like the rest of his family did, and he didn’t know why they loved them so much. Wilbur would sometimes get a kick out of how much Tommy disliked them, though he would always give in and tell him it was going to be ok in the end.
Tommy squeezed his eyes shut as a sudden flash of lightning bled through his curtains, gasping and pulling his covers up to his chin, like they would protect him if anything were to happen. For a moment or two, or anything longer, Tommy held his breath, waiting for the clap of the thunder. In those moments he had told himself over and over and over that if he was prepared for it, it wasn’t as scary.
Unfortunately, he was dead wrong, and at it’s loud booming sound that shook at his bedroom window and echoed through the dark, dark room, Tommy yelped. He jumped out of his bed, throwing his covers to the side without any care for where they landed. Fear had taken the place of any rational thought and quickly Tommy ran out of his room before anything else could transpire.
Once he had opened the door, he was met with a hall much darker than his room, but he had lived here for years, and relied on muscle memory to bring him to an adjacent door. He didn’t think about it at all as he opened the door- Techno’s room was always the room he ran to when something went wrong. Surely, if he crawled into Techno's bed and slet there, he wouldn’t mind it, even if he wasn’t awake.
He did this occasionally. Run into Techno’s room without his knowledge, only to be found out the next morning. Techno wouldn’t say anything about it. Not unless he left the door open or knocked something over and woke him up, which Tommy wasn’t planning to do. But he supposes he may have shut the door of his brother’s room a little too loudly, because there was almost an immediate shuffle on the bed behind him.
“Hello?” Techno asked quietly. Tommy whipped around, letting his eyes adjust to the room. Techno’s window was right above his bed, and the covers were tied neatly around the frame. Whatever light was outside softly illuminated the body of the hunched over teenager, but his features were still shrouded in darkness.
Tommy whined slightly at the question, finding himself too afraid to say why he was in here in the first place. He didn’t know why the thunder had spooked him so badly. Maybe it was because he had already been up, making it less of a surprise and more like a ‘terror’ thing. But something in Tommy’s core was shaken. So bad he could only whine.
In the darkness, Techno seemed to pull forward. “Hey, hey,” he called softly, sounding just a bit more awake than he had moments ago. He opened his arms, and very quickly Tommy ran to the side of the bed, letting his brother reach over and lift him.
Closer now, it was easier to see how Techno’s brows furrowed into concern and the small, slight frown on his face, akin to one he would give Tommy if he was showing off a scrape or cut he had gotten from playing too roughly.
Techno tucked Tommy under his chin, letting Tommy fall limp on his chest and grip at his nightshirt, squeezing his eyes shut. He felt arms wrap around him, holding him close in a sturdy fashion, but not tightly. “It’s just a storm, bubs,” Techno said. His voice had never been raised above what it first was when Tommy walked into the room. In fact, it had gone a little quieter as he rocked Tommy softly from side to side. “It’s just raining.”
Tommy just whined again, burrowing closer. Maybe he was milking it a bit, but he always felt like he could in Techno’s arms. He felt the safest and most protected there. He loved his dad and he loved Wilbur, and while they certainly were protective and loving, there was something special about the protection that Techno promised.
Phil said it was because Techno spoiled him every which way. His brother phrased it somewhat differently, claiming Techno was hogging Tommy, holding him and treating him so much that there wasn't any room for Wilbur to do the same, but his dad said that really that was just another way of saying Techno spoiled him. Tommy didn’t believe either of them, really. At least, he didn’t believe that this was the only reason he ran to Techno- though he couldn’t really deny that he was spoiled to hell.
In his eyes, his brother just had lots of love to give, and lots of ways to show it. His arms were the safest, not because Tommy expected things from them, but because he knew Techno wanted them to be safe. He wanted to be the person Tommy ran to- he wanted to be his defense. And in his arms, against Techno’s chest, Tommy started to calm himself. Even if the rain was still pounding against the window, and the threat of thunder was still present. His heart slowed to Techno’s own.
Slowly, Tommy began to open his eyes. It was still just as dark, but he could tell that the two were still rocking softly, the very sparse light from the back window bouncing off Techno’s blankets. Tommy didn’t realize until just then that Techno had been holding the back of his head against his chest loosely, playing with his hair. The motion was so slow Tommy didn’t know how he had even managed to pick it up.
“It’s alright, it won’t hurt you,” Techno said after some time.
Tommy dug his fingers further into Techno’s shirt, gripping like he was about to be ripped away. “You don’t know,” he said with a whine.
Above him, Techno huffed softly. “No, we’re really safe. It’s just gonna rain and thunder a bit.”
He let the silence that followed drag on for a long moment. Distantly, there was a rumble, and despite not being scared of it, he closed his eyes like he was hiding from some monster. At once he realized it was the same thunder that sounded so close to him and so intimidating when he was alone. “What if the power goes out?” he argued softly.
“Then it goes out,” Techno said.
Tommy just barely opened his eyes. “What if something falls on the house?” he asked, already envisioning a hole through their roof.
“There’s nothing close to fall on the house.”
Tommy’s head pulled away from Techno’s chest quickly, and he looked into his brother’s eyes, finally finding himself adjusted to the night. “Powerlines!” he stated dramatically. “The poles for the powerlines, Techno!”
Though Techno wasn’t visibly smiling, Tommy could see the shine of amusement in his eyes, and the slight pull on either side of his lip, which meant Techno was trying very hard not to grin. “The roof will stop it,” he said calmly.
“What if it goes through the roof?” Tommy asked. Techno was just about to open his mouth when a crashing sound seeped into their conversation. It was only a little louder than the last rumble, but it startled Tommy into face-planting straight into Techno’s chest once again. This time, Techno did laugh.
It was something soft and sweet, and his hand went right to the back of Tommy’s head as he did. “That’s a big one,” he commented. Tommy didn’t respond, only pushing himself further into Techno. Seconds passed before minutes. Techno had a hand around Tommy’s back, but was no longer rocking him. Instead, he just held, occasionally playing with his hair or rubbing circles onto his spine.
Eventually, he planted a soft kiss on the top of Tommy’s head. “Tommy, it’s ok,” he murmured into his hair. Tommy didn’t respond, letting a few more seconds pass by. At some point, Techno had moved his hand from Tommy’s head, supporting his shoulders, and gathered him into his arms, slowly but abruptly uncrossing his legs from where he sat and twisting them around the edge of the bed.
As Techno started to stand, holding Tommy close to him, Tommy looked around at the sudden movement. At first, he didn’t say anything, but when Techno started to walk slowly to the door, Tommy moved back to watch his expression. “Where are we going?” he asked curiously, already wrapping his arms around Techno’s neck.
Techno just looked at him as he reached to open the door. “Do you want something to drink?” he asked as they stepped into the hall. Tommy shook his head softly, and Techno responded by leaning forward to give it a kiss. Afterward, Tommy had laid his head down on his brother’s shoulder.
He waited patiently as Techno walked to the living room, seeming to disregard the darkness. He picked up one of Tommy’s small blankets from the couch- the one he had used only hours previous to snuggle into when he was watching movies with Wilbur. He watched as his brother struggled with only one hand to drape the blanket over Tommy’s shoulders, helping him by wrapping it around his neck and tucking it underneath his arms.
No words were said as Techno made sure the blanket was secure before walking towards the hall again. For a moment, Tommy thought they had only been coming for the blanket, but once he entered the hall, Techno started walking the way opposite of his room. He passed both his father’s and his other brother’s before Tommy looked at him again. “Where are we going?”
Techno looked at him again. “To the porch,” he said calmly while he readjusted his brother on his hip.
Tommy didn’t know if Techno could see his widening eyes with the light of the hall, but he sure hoped he could feel his body tense. All at once, his heart started skipping beats again, and his stomach started to do flips. But Techno didn’t look the least bit concerned, instead walking to the back like it were any normal day. “Techno, no,” Tommy said. “No, no, no!”
It didn’t take long for his words to grab Techno’s attention, and he looked down with a hint of something that looked like worry. “Do you trust me?” he asked. Tommy immediately shut his mouth.
Of course he did. He just didn’t understand why Techno would want to take him outside at this time of night- in this kind of storm as well! Wilbur once jokingly said that he was going to leave Tommy outside for the winds to pick him up, but Phil stopped that one before it could get any further. Tommy doubted Techno would make the same threat. Even jokingly. So why were they going outside?
“Tommy, nothing’s going to hurt you,” Techno said when there was no response. A low whine came from Tommy’s throat, but he didn’t argue it, instead laying back down. Techno’s arm came up to his neck, holding the blanket close. “We have a big porch, and a roof over our heads, and if it gets too scary, we can come inside. But I think you’re going to like it, ok?”
Again, Tommy didn’t say anything, watching the hall become distant. Techno took a turn, right to where their little outdoor area was.
They had a small garden that Phil maintained, and oftentimes he would bring the boys outside to help him. The porch overlooked it, complete with an outdoor table that had been left by the previous owners, screwed into the pavement, and a big, wooden chair. He heard Techno open the back door, letting out a small exclamation as he did.
Immediately, the wind hit his back, racing to his cheeks, and the sounds of the rain became infinitely louder. But Techno quickly leaned his head against Tommy’s, sharing his own warmth. “Shhh,” he cooed. Tommy leaned back into him.
He stepped onto the porch, letting the door fall shut behind him. Tommy watched it as it did, but eventually Techno turned that Tommy could see out into the yard. “It’s alright, it’s ok,” he called as the sight made Tommy pull himself closer.
The sky was dark, full of muted grays and midnight blues. Two street lamps produced a soft orange glow above a voided asphalt. With the rain surrounding the light, he could almost imagine the glow of it was a perfect circle- some sort of aura. The wind blew the leaves on whatever trees he could spot next to his neighbor’s houses. The bushes danced and dipped under both the weight of the water hitting it and the weight of the wind.
Everything looked like it could go on for miles, no one else in sight. Amazingly, for how scared he had been, the image looked ripped straight from a dream. It was calm, even as the storm moved around them and the clouds rolled above. “Storms aren’t too scary,” Techno said after a moment of letting it all catch up to Tommy.
He was bouncing him up and down in his arms ever so slightly. It reminded Tommy of when he was really really little, and Phil would try anything to get him to stop crying. Eventually, the subtle movements and the quiet murmuring Phil paired with it seemed to do the trick, and he would fall right asleep.
There was no consistent murmuring this time. No songs, no shushing or cooing, and no promises that everything was going to be ok, but the rain worked well enough. “They’re some of my favorite things,” Techno continued after a bit. “Did you know I love storms?”
Tommy hummed, keeping his eyes out on the road, watching the rain fall and bounce back up again, making the pavement reflect the lighting above. “Why?” he asked quietly.
“They calm me down,” Techno answered. Tommy took that for a moment. It was odd how his view on even the thunder changed so quickly. Techno said it was calming. So calming it was. “Do you feel that wind?” he asked softly. While Tommy understood it as rhetorical, he nodded the best he could against Techno’s shoulder anyway.
His eyes remained straight forward as Techno softly spun the two while they stood in place, one tiny fist around Techno’s neck, gripping an edge of the blanket on the other side, and one gripping Techno’s collar, laying right underneath it.
For a moment, the world was filled with only this. Hands full of fabric and his own small, steady breaths, echoing in his ear. The rhythmic beating of Techno’s heart and the scattered claps and taps of the rain around them. The heat radiating off his shoulder, and the warmth of the blanket, and the chill of the wind.
“It’s nice,” Techno said. “When Wilbur and I were really little, dad would take us out like this, you know?” he continued, bringing in Tommy’s interest, if only to tell him a story before he went to sleep. Tommy didn’t realize how sleepy he could become in a matter of seconds. “We haven’t had a good storm in a while,” Techno declared.
Tommy yawned. “Like the one when the power went out?”
“Wasn’t that fun?” Techno said in a decidedly softer voice. “We all played board games with candles around the room, and dad pulled us into his room to sleep,” he went on. Tommy remembered it well. It was Wilbur who tried to mask the sound of the wind with the sound of his guitar, and Phil who told them all the story of his childhood dogs to get them to sleep. “Who did you snuggle up next to?” Techno asked.
“You,” Tommy replied, blinking just a little bit slower.
“Mmhm,” Techno replied, holding him a bit tighter. “My favorite storm was one when I was a little older than you.” Tommy blinked again, but couldn’t find it in himself to open his eyes again. They were far too heavy. He’d have to settle for listening to the rain instead. “Wilbur and I played in the rain before it got bad. We used to play in the rain a lot. And dad got our fuzziest towels and he made tea for us,” he went on. There was a fondness in his voice Tommy could only pick out when Techno was talking about his childhood.
It made him wonder what he’d talk about when he was older.
“And we watched the rain start to fall faster, and we counted the thunder claps,” he said, leaning his head onto Tommy’s again. It was light. Warm. “Wilbur was scared of storms when he was your age. I’d have to hold his hand and say something funny whenever the thunder and lightning struck so he wouldn’t be scared anymore.”
Tommy found it hard to imagine that Wilbur was scared of storms. Tommy found it hard to imagine that either of his brothers were scared of anything, really. But he didn’t doubt Techno one bit either. Instead, he just tried to imagine the jokes they would tell each other. He tried to come up with the punchlines himself.
He tried and tried and tried, but all he could hear was the rain around them, and all he could feel was the warmth beneath him as he let himself drift into something quiet. Something soft and comfortable.
“It’s not so bad, right?”