take this compass, follow it home

popping the question

CW: ableism, self-sabotage, mentions of dead family, self worth issues, breaking boundaries, intentionally triggering someone, conflict, yelling, verbal fights

The next month starts off with a bang. Literally. Tommy's hopping down the stairs taking them two at a time, planning to grab a snack from the kitchen before returning to his room, maybe bugging Wilbur on his way back. He freezes in place when a large sound rings through the house.

From his spot on the stairs, he can see Techno slam his hands down at the table as he yells at Phil.

Phil stands across from him, hands at his side as he waits for Techno to finish.

When Techno's finished screaming, Phil speaks up.

Phil's voice is strong, but not loud. Unlike Techno he doesn't raise his voice, but it carries all the same.

"You're not allowed to leave the house by yourself for anything longer than two hours," Phil tells him, "You're not to open the mail. I'm going to be checking your phone daily. Do you understand?"

"Do I understand, do I fucking understand? No Phil, I don't understand. She literally sent me two letters and now I'm not allowed to leave the house?"

"You tried to take a bus-"

"I wasn't going to!"

"Was that before or after I called you that you made that decision?"

Techno seethes. Tommy stands stock still, heart beating at the confrontation and anger emanating from the room.

"If you want to discuss what I've set down, we can do that, but I'm not going to discuss this with you when you're coming from a place of anger and hurt," Phil adds.

Techno huffs and storms off down the hall his room is attached to, slamming the door shut behind him.

Tommy jumps at the bang it makes.

Phil sighs, rubbing a hand over his face as his shoulders fall.

Tommy turns to go back upstairs, but just as he starts to turn, Phil looks up, catching his gaze.

"Uhhh," Tommy stutters.

"Hey Tommy," Phil sighs. He looks absolutely dead on his feet.

"Hi?"

"Were you going to get a snack?"

Tommy nods.

"C'mon down," Phil encourages, "I can help find you something."

Tommy studies him for a moment, before hesitantly taking a step down the stairs, and then another.

He joins Phil in the kitchen and grabs some crackers while Phil cuts an apple for him. Tommy doesn't mention how the older's hands shake and his breath hisses slightly on the exhale. Neither of them mention Techno.

From there, things only get worse. Techno doesn't show up to dinner.

"Tech okay?" Wilbur asks as he frowns at the missing boy's seat.

"I don't think so," Phil says, "I'd give him a bit of space for now."

Wilbur nods, and pokes at his food, hands trembling lightly.

Phil breaks the frosty silence by asking about Tommy's day, and Tommy shares about how Tubbo and he have a master plan to get the teacher to take away the final test of the semester. Phil snorts at the story, Wilbur uncharacteristically quiet at his side.

"What about you Wil?" Phil asks, "How are college apps going?"

Phil's voice is gentle, caring. It took Tommy a little bit, but he's slowly come to realize how bad Wilbur's anxiety really is and how much of it has been focused on college apps. Tommy's seen his report cards, he has no doubt that Wilbur could get into any number of school's he wants. Tommy doesn't really understand his anxiety. But he's learning that even though he doesn't understand it, it's true to Wilbur and Tommy hates to see him hurt.