Sleepy Bois Inc. Angst Oneshots

Don't Tell Dad

TW: addiction, vaping and cigarettes, anger and hostility between siblings, mentions of being thrown out, scratching, panic attack, zoning out, strict parent, panic
AN: unofficial part two to "Your City Gave Me Asthma"
another draft post from February lol
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Tommy sat on his bed and scratched at his arms. He needed a hit, but if he did it in the house, Phil would find out. He shuddered to think what Phil would do to him. His eyes trailed to the drawer he hid his vape in. He looked away, scratching harder at his arms.

Finally, with raw and red arms, he got up, walked over to the drawer, and pulled his vape out. He took a hit and savored the warm feeling in his lungs. He took another hit. It tasted like strawberry and felt like heaven.

"What the fuck?" Tommy turned to see Wilbur standing in his doorway. He dropped the vape quickly, but it was too late. "Thomas. Are you fucking vaping?"

"Don't tell Dad, please!" Tommy whined. He picked up his vape and turned it off. He threw it back into the drawer. Wilbur walked over and slammed the drawer shut. "Please don't tell Dad. Wilby-"

"Fine, but I want you to stop vaping. Haven't you paid attention at all to those school seminars? It's terrible for you, dumbass." Wilbur glared at him. Neither one said it, but Tommy knew Wilbur was thinking about his own struggle with cigarettes.

"Tub-" Tommy cut himself off. No need for them both to get in trouble. He only started vaping because of Tubbo, but he didn't want to drag the younger boy into this. He could face Wilbur's wrath; Tubbo couldn't. "I'm sorry. I'll stop. I promise," Tommy lied through his teeth. Wilbur stared at him for a moment and nodded, content that Tommy was telling the truth. He wasn't.

Wilbur left the room. Tommy's eyes lingered on the spot Wilbur stood for another minute. Then, he took a deep breath in and sat back down on his bed. He pulled his phone out and started scrolling.

Soon enough, the urge to vape hit him again. With a sick feeling in his stomach, he went to the drawer he had left his vape in.

It wasn't there.

Panicking, he tore through the drawer and all of the other drawers in his dresser. He scoured the room on his hands and knees before running down to the living room. He had sworn he left it in the drawer, but maybe he had forgotten it downstairs. Maybe. Hopefully.

"Where is it?" Tommy hissed, scratching at his arms. Phil stopped and watched him look. He made a noise of protest when Tommy started pulling the seat cushions off the couch. Tommy jumped and twirled around. His breath caught in his throat when he saw Phil standing in the kitchen.

"Where's what, Tommy?" Tommy froze and shrugged. He had been caught, but Phil didn't know what he was looking for. He could still get out of this. He tried to fight the urge to itch his arms.

"My, uh, phone. I can't find my phone. I'll go check my room. Be right back!" Tommy sprinted out of the living room and out of Philza's watchful gaze. He breathed a sigh of relief before remembering his vape was still missing.

What if Philza found it?

Almost as if on cue, Tommy heard Philza calling for him and his brothers. He scratched at his arms and worried until Phil called for him again.

"Coming!" he yelled back before pulling a sweatshirt on to hide his arms. His heart raced as he stepped down the stairs. He made his way into the kitchen and found everyone staring at him.

"What is this?" Phil held up a small silver rectangle, Tommy's vape. Tommy stiffened, and Wilbur looked at him. Tommy's breathing quickened. His face went warm. He leaned against the table.

This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't-

He scratched at his arms until he felt someone's cold hands wrap around his wrists. He tried to pull his wrists away, but the person held on. He blinked and looked into his father's eyes.

He felt the cloth of his sweatshirt scratch against the tender skin on his arms as Phil pulled the sleeves up. Philza gasped softly, and Tommy squirmed.

"Tommy?" Phil asked quietly. Tommy blinked again. The vape was discarded on the table, and his brothers were gone. Phil was staring at him with concern in his eyes. He didn't deserve it. He did this to himself, and he deserved every bit of pain.

Tommy wanted Philza to yell at him. He wanted Phil to slap him upside the head and call him a dumbass, like Wilbur had done. He didn't want Philza to feel pity for him. He sure as hell didn't want this.

Philza took him by the wrists and gently led him to the bathroom. He bandaged up his arms while Tommy sat there quietly, blankly. He was still trying to process what was happening.

Philza Minecraft found out that he vaped, and he... he wasn't mad? He hadn't thrown Tommy out yet, like Tommy had thought he would.

"Tommy, why are you doing this to yourself? You saw where the cigarettes got Wilbur... Why did you think vaping would be any better?" Phil fretted and pulled at his own long blond hair. Tommy flinched, remembering the paralyzing fear that he was going to lose his brother to his addiction. He wasn't like Wilbur, right? He could stop any time.

He went to scratch his arm as he pondered on how similar his and Wilbur's situations were. He stopped his hand just above the bandage and winced. Philza was right; this was an addiction. He needed to stop.

"I'll quit," Tommy said, doubt evident in his voice. He knew he wasn't strong enough, something proven just a few hours ago. Even if he could quit, how long would it last? A day? A week? The thought of quitting made him feel so hopeless.

"Talk to Wilbur; he'll help you." Tommy nodded once and slid off the table, checking his bandages one last time.

He walked up the stairs quietly with his head down and knocked on Wil's door one, two, three times. Wilbur opened the door, and as soon as he saw Tommy, he pulled him into a hug.

"I know Dad talked to you, but I just need you to understand that vaping isn't going to get you anywhere. It's bad for you, and if you're anything like I was, you're going to amplify that by vaping as many times a day as you dare. I'm not going to force you to-" Wilbur began to ramble as he dragged Tommy to his bed and sat him down.

"Wilbur, how do I quit?" Wil breathed a sigh of relief and began explaining to his brother every single step he learned in rehab. Tommy sighed. Quitting was such a daunting task, but he needed to do it. Wil noticed his sigh and gave him another hug.

"We'll get through this together, Tommy. You're not alone; I promise."
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(1158 words)
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AN: this started as a vent piece because my school friends all vape :/

anyways, thanks for 29k; that's very pogchamp! thanks for reading, commenting, and voting! I love you all lots <3

writer's block go brrrrrrrr