Duchenne (DSMP Superhero AU)

Chapter 23

"Hey tubs, I'm going out to train with Techno again!"

Tommy and Techno had been training for the last three months, in between game nights with Ranboo and Tubbo. Tommy had learned how to fight, the rules of being a vigilante, the routes in the city that were best to take, and who he could trust.

Tubbo leaned out of the bathroom, his hair sticking all over the place as he gave a thumbs up.

"Have fun!"

Ranboo popped out of his room, throwing an apple at Tommy. He spoke in his sonic the hedgehog voice as the apple hit Tommy in the head, the blonde fumbling and catching it before it touched the floor.

"Eat breakfast, loser."

Tommy snorted and flipped him off, leaving the building and pulling his visor down over his eyes. Theseus grabbed some strings in one of his hands, tugging and flying himself across the city. He whooped happily, his hair whipping in the wind. As gravity began to pull him down again, his hands tangled with a cluster of strings he had left in the sky and tugged again, flying towards Techno and Phil's house.

Techno saw a zooming black blur over his morning coffee and sighed, watching the tree in the backyard. The tree wobbled as the black blur collided with it, Theseus dropping down onto the ground.

Techno placed his mug on a nearby coaster, standing and making his way to the back door. He leaned against the doorframe, watching Theseus's chest rise and fall.

"That looked fun."

Theseus flipped him off, sitting up and flicking up his visor.

"It was, you should try it."

Techno saw the red strings flying towards him and ducked inside, trying to dodge their grasp. He ducked behind the counter, but the strings swerved down and gripped techno's ankle, dragging him out of the house.

"Theseus no. Theseus, put me down."

"Too late Techno!"

Techno was hoisted up, up up, high above the house. He floated there for a while, staring down at Tommy with dead, soulless eyes. It was too early for this.

Theseus chuckled at Techno's nothingness, bringing him down gently and dropping him in the tree. Techno rolled into a standing position as he landed, side-eying Theseus as he walked back to the house.

"Come oooooon, it was funny!"

Tommy took off his mask, sitting at the kitchen counter with a smirk. Techno chugged the rest of his coffee, exhaling in relief after he had caffeine in his system.

"Let me drink my coffee first next time."

"There won't be a next time."

Phil stood in the doorway, his arms crossed as he looked Tommy up and down.

"You could have gotten Techno seriously hurt, apologise."

Tommy's heart sank at the coldness of Phil's words, glancing down at the ground in shame. Techno looked up at Phil, his lip twitching into the smallest snarl.

"I'm sorry."

Techno scowled at Phil, putting his cup next to the sink and sliding on his arm guards. Phil glared back.

"Phil, he's strong enough to save me."

"You're too important to be risking your life being around him."

Techno scoffed, clipping his cape on, his gaze sliding off Phil so he could secure the clips to his top.

"He's been hanging out for months, why are you just now getting protective?"

"You're taking him out on the field, it's a hell of a lot harder for me to protect you when you're not here."

Techno scoffed, glancing up to glare at Phil.

"I've been a vigilante for years, I can handle myself Phil."

Phil snapped, slamming his hand down on the table, causing Tommy to jump.

"WHY WON'T YOU LET ME PROTECT YOU WILL?"

The room fell silent, Techno staring at Phil with cold, unblinking eyes. Tommy shook like a leaf, Wilbur's death playing over in his mind again. Phil took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he forced himself to calm down.

"Come on Theseus, let's go."

Techno grabbed his mask, his shoulder colliding with Phil's as he left. Tommy jumped off the counter, following Techno. As he walked past Phil he kept his eyes down, making sure not to make contact with the older man. He whispered a quiet apology to Phil, jogging a bit to catch up to Techno.

Phil sat down at the counter, burying his face in his hands.

----<>----

Clay wiped his eyes, holding Thomas's shirt close to his face. He whimpered, the green strings slung all over Thomas's room glowing brightly in the dimly lit space. Thomas was his. His. Nearly half a year ago Thomas was here, in this room, where Clay could protect him. Keep him under control. Keep eyes on him.

"Where did I go wrong..?"

The whimper slipped out as Clay sat, hunched over a shirt that had once belonged to his Thomas.

The ghost heard him. He sat up, floating up to where he could hear Clay.

"Dream?"

The ghost pressed his ear against the door, hearing muffled whimpers inside.

"I'm coming in."

He floated through the door, hovering down to Clay's level. His cold hand brushed against Clay's cheek, pushing some of his blonde hair out of his face. Clay flinched, looking up at the ghost.

"Oh, hey Ghostie."

Clay relaxed into the ghost's touch, closing his eyes. He pulled Clay into his arms, rubbing circles on his back. The two men relaxed in the company of each other, the green strings draped around the room fading back into invisibility.

"I'm here now. You can rely on me."

A few minutes later, Clay and the ghost sat at the table. Clay flicked away a fly, purposefully not looking at the ghost.

"Ghostbur."

Clay's head jerked up, making eye contact with the blue figure seated on the other side of the table. Ghostbur smiled softly at him, his empty white eyes filled with an emotion Clay couldn't quite place.

"Ghostbur? Is that... Is that your name?"

Ghostbur nodded, leaning his head on one of his hands. Clay nodded slowly, glancing back down at the table.

"You can call me Clay then."

They sat in silence, the humming of the microwave the only sound they could hear. Ghostbur examined Clay, drawing a little shape in the dust on the table.

"You're lonely, aren't you?"

Clay shrugged, turning around to watch the numbers counting down on the microwave. Ghostbur watched his face, his eyes flicking back down to the table.

"I saw the photos in your room. Arson and Spore, right?"

Clay shrugged, leaning on the table. Ghostbur drew another shape in the dust, biting the inside of his cheek. The microwave beeped, Clay standing and making his way over to it so he could get his half cold mashed potato. Ghostbur watched him, humming quietly to himself.

"Do you pretend I'm them?"

Ghostbur's fingers twitched, smudging the shape on the table. Clay nodded slowly, bringing the potato over to the table.Ghostbur grinned at Clay, both his elbows on the tabe as he nestled his head in his hands with an innocent grin.

"I think you should keep it that way."