two weeks

The Blade

"Ey Blade." Tommy muttered idly, sitting upside-down on the couch. Techno smiled, "Yes Tommy?"

"You're a.. uh.. English minor right?" Techno laughed kindly, "Close enough. Yes, I am. What about it? Need help with homework?" Tommy let out a sad sigh, he pointed to his brother's room, where Wilbur was working from home. "No. Wil does." Techno tilted his head in confusion. "Wilbur does? What's wrong with Wilbur?" Tommy looked Techno in the eyes,

"Go ask him."

Techno walked in to Wilbur sitting in the middle of a pile of papers, his head in his hands. A single sticky note hung over his desk, Do better. Techno faltered for a moment, not wanting to interrupt Wilbur's... work? "Uh... Mr Soot? Sorry to bother your-" Wilbur turned and gave him a weak smile, "Please call me Wilbur, you're making me feel 50." he joked. Techno felt awful for how tired he looked. "Right. Noted. Do you.." Techno hesitated, "...do you need any help with your writing?" Wilbur sighed, "Tommy sent you in, didn't he? He's been worried about me." Techno sighed, ignoring the question. "Miss Nihachu has been calling all day. She wants to talk to you Wilbur." Wilbur thought of the deadline looming over him. The 2 weeks between success and homelessness. Niki could wait. Tommy could wait. Techno can fucking- "Get out." He demanded. Techno stammered for a moment, "I can help y-" Wilbur snapped.

"Get the fuck out." Techno grimaced, and left the room to a hopeful Tommy. "Any luck?" Tommy asked. Techno just frowned and watched as Tommy's hopeful expression crumbled into that of melancholy. He got up and ran into his room, slamming the door behind him. Techno checked his watch, 10 more minutes of work. He looked to Tommy's room, knowing he wouldn't want to talk right now. He sat on the couch and sighed, deciding to write a note for Wilbur to read later.

Wilbur came out of his office at 10PM. 4 hours later than he should have. He saw a neatly written note placed on the coffee table.

𝒟𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓈𝒽𝓊𝓉 𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊.

Wilbur stared at the note for a moment. And picked up his phone.

"Wil! Are you okay?"

"Hi Niki, I'm okay. Just fucking tired as shit." He smiled as he heard Niki sigh in relief.

"Thank goodness. I thought I would have to drive down myself to speak to you. Why didn't you call me?"

"Because I just- FiNnnnished working." Wilbur yawned mid sentence.

"Wilbur. It's fucking 10 o'clock. Get your ass to bed." Wilbur laughed dryly and saluted no-one in particular.

"YES MA'AM." Niki laughed quietly.

"Very funny, Soot. Now go to bed before I get the chloroform."

Wilbur hung up and smiled, feeling more awake than he did 10 minutes prior. He had no intention of sleeping, but he was glad he called Niki. Just as he started walking to the kitchen to make toast, he heard a quiet sob coming from Tommy's room. "Toms? You okay?" He heard a pillow being thrown at the door, "FUCK OFF." Tommy screamed between sobs. "Ookay then." Wilbur replied in confusion. "Call me if you wanna talk." He heard Tommy sigh. Wilbur worried every minute of his day about Tommy. He just wished he could do more. No normal 24 year old should have to deal with this. He cursed Phil for leaving Wilbur when he was still such a mental health trainwreck. He cursed himself for being like this. Just as he was in a good mood he had to get himself caught up in his own mind. Maybe sleeping wasn't such a bad idea.