#so read with caution ashdgjsd

[reannotfound]

“Oh Tommy...What did they do to you?”

CW: symptoms of manipulation, panic attack

inspired by @tamatojam on twitter!

Techno had just finished farming some potatoes and was making his way home. The day had been fairly uneventful, but he was still looking foreward to going home and just relaxing. He also needed to go deposit the 2 totems of undying that he had collected yesterday from the little hunt Dream had sent him on. He had been idly carrying them in his inventory, but he figured he should put them in his ender chest, as soon as possible. 

He couldn’t help but sigh in relief as his home in the snowy biome came into view. It wasn’t anything crazy, definitely nothing compared to some of Phil’s builds, but Techno was proud to call it his own. It was modest, but that was okay. After all, He was in retirement.

As he entered the house, he could have swore that he heard a disc playing? Maybe Phil had left one on? It didn’t sound like one of the discs they owned, though. Plus, it seemed like it was coming from under the ground. That was...interesting. Techno knew they had a basement, but unless the cow down there had learned how to play music, there was someone else down there.

He felt his fight instincts, hardened from years of conflict, kick in. He started to mine down, as quietly as he could. He didn’t know who was in his base, but he had a guess. After all, if there were anyone on the server who would play music, it would be Tommy. He stopped mining for a second, trying to think. Why would Tommy be in his basement in the first place? As far as Techno was concerned, Tommy had wanted nothing to do with him. It was pretty obvious, considering the way he was acting when Techno had visited, all those weeks ago. So, pray tell, what was Tommy doing under his house, playing music?

Techno could feel himself get angry as he finally spotted the ladders going down. Who gave Tommy the right to what, hide under his house? The whole time Techno had been on the server, he had just been used, everyone wanting a bit of his fame or his items, and here was his little brother trying to use his resources again. That settles it. Techo would go down there and tell Tommy off, hard. He was done just being a resource to the other players.

He landed at the bottom of the ladder, and faced Tommy, and couldn’t hold back a little gasp. Tommy looked, well, he looked like shit. His hair had gotten longer, brushing against his shoulders now, and his shirt was even more torn. He was even missing a shoe, for Notch’s sake! Tommy had armour on, chipped armour that he had obviously tried to make himself, and his head was tilted towards the note block, eyes closed as he took in the music. Techno noticed that the floors were yellow, and there was a little room on the side with a log and a bell attached to it. 

“Tommy!” Techno yelled angrily, shaking Tommy out of his trance. Tommy looked at him frantically, eyes wide and shaking. He then stood up, and started taking off the armour, before Techno could say anything. All the angry words he had been thinking of died in his throat as Tommy looked back up at him, eye’s now cold and blank, a far cry from the energetic blue that they used to be.

“Here Techno. These are all the items i’ve gotten since i’ve been here,” Tommy started, voice hoarse and dry. “You can burn it now. I’m really sorry.” 

Techno took a good look at Tommy, really taking him in. Tommy stood with a hunch, as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders, which it did at one point, Techno thought. He just looked so tired. Techno felt a small, treacherous part of himself sympathize for Tommy, wanting to just wrap him in a hug and get Phil here to help whatever trauma Tommy had been through.

“What?” He replied stupidly, eyes still on Tommy.

“Well, you’re going to burn my items, right? It makes sense, considering i’m living under your house and basically using all your heating. You could even kill me if you’d like, but use a mob, since I’m on my last life.”

His voice was so monotone, rivalling Techno’s own drawl. Techno couldn’t believe it. What the hell had happened to his brother? His amazing, energetic, super annoying little brother. What happened to the small child that Phil had brought home one day, to his and Wilbur’s surprise. What happened to the kid who helped him dye his hair when he went through his identity phase, wanting to look different from his twin. What happened to....the kid who had to fight 2 wars, give up everything for his country, and was constantly shunned from the people he loved. 

“I’m not going to destroy the items, Tommy,” Techno started, trying to step closer to Tommy but stopping immediately when he saw Tommy flinch. “You’ve earned these items yourself. Even if you are living in my ‘basement’” He said with a smirk, using quotations. Tommy didn’t laugh at his joke though, just continued to stare at him blankly, his eyes seemingly in another realm.

“You’re….You’re not going to burn my stuff?” He asked tentatively, as if the thought were unimaginable. Techno could not believe this. Who was this husk of a person where his brother should be?

“I’m not burning it, Tommy. I swear.”

“100%?”

“100%.”

“Pinky promise?”

Techno gave him a small smile, which was hesitantly returned. He slowly made his way over to his brother, making his motions obvious, as to not scare Tommy. Techno wrapped his arms around his brother, choosing to ignore the sniffles coming from the kid in his arms. Tommy was taller then him, but in this moment he felt so small, his head tucked into Techno’s shoulder and gripping his brother like his life depended on it. He rubbed small circles onto Tommy’s back.

“C’mon Tommy, let’s go upstairs. Phil’s going to be home soon, and he’s been perfecting his hot chocolate recipe.” Techno heard a small chuckle, and counted it as a win. He led Tommy upstairs, and if he made plans for an extra bedroom, no one had to know.