A Safe Place II SBI (on hiatus)

Chapter 30: Relying on Others is Hard

___

Before Techno called their father, there was a tense quiet. That's what Schlatt could distinctly think.

They quietly drove through the highway, Wilbur now in the middle seat with Tommy completely sleeping against him, a blanket Phil always left in the car for 'emergencies' wrapped around him, and one of Wilbur's earbuds in the blonde's ear as rain poured in front of the car. Wilbur was leaned into Techno slightly, sleeping soundly leaving the pinkette and Schlatt the only ones awake. One being obligated to be and the other feeling obligated to be.

Schlatt had been mostly ok. He was entirely sure that if they didn't get him out of the car, he would have had a panic attack of some sort. The whole situation froze him completely in his seat. It was like he couldn't move an inch.

Getting out of the tense area, he could distinctly just remember sitting on the side of the highway's curb and slowly taking deep breaths, calming whatever emotion and memory that was sent into overdrive in that car. Phil's breathing techniques saved him before he could fully break outside of the car. And 45 minutes just quickly passed by between that time. Way too fast for his liking.

All he could really remember is that after waiting, sitting next to the car, and just doing Phil's breathing exercises slowly, Techno stepped out. His shoulders were stiff and his hands slightly trembled. His monotoned, expressionless face was slightly scrunched up in what you could only call dejected, pent up with worry and guilt.

And now, after sitting in silence and Techno comforting Wilbur who was also at his brink, Shlatt was quietly driving, checking the rearview mirror more often than not, viewing the 3 siblings in the back. Wilbur would wake up just to be lolled by to sleep by Techno softly giving him reassurances. Every time Tommy stirred though, it took hands raking through his hair gingerly to make him fall back asleep, curling up further in Wilbur's embrace.

When the blonde did stir though, Shlatt couldn't help but feel his body stiffen. He felt like he couldn't keep his eyes off of the mirror until the blonde boy untensed and fell back asleep yet again with Techno's reassurances.

The only person awake in the back seat for the whole ride was Techno. His eyes didn't leave from the window as if he could stare out past the rain streaming down. He seemed in control of his emotions yet his shaky hands that were just barely in view through the mirror stated otherwise.

He was fighting with himself to not cry, to hold all of that pent-up fear and sadness in.

Schlatt has known this guy for years now. He could still remember every single time the pinkette would jump in when he heard a person, every time he invited Schlatt and his brother to stay the night after something would go down at his house and they had nowhere else to go. He was someone they could rely on. Him and his family were the people he could most rely on.

Techno has a bad habit of trying to be the calmest and most relyful person when it comes to situations like these. Every time something bad happens or something much too scary for any human being to handle does happen, he tends to always be the person to rely on, especially since he always acted like the oldest of the group even though Schlatt was.

Through thick and thin though, he always found a way to keep his panic in check, even though the pinkette has as much trauma as the three of them. You could only notice when you stare at his hands long enough and see the uncontrollable quivers he can't hide or when his eyes drift off pointedly and his posture is all stiff.

He was just as panicked and frightened as them, maybe even a little more.

"Techno?" The pinkette's eyes darted to the mirror, where his red pupils glared into Schlatt's. "Y-Yeah?" His friend shakily stuttered out as if though he was trying to hold a non-shaky voice.