A Safe Place II SBI (on hiatus)

Chapter 32: We'll Take it Slow

Another hour and a half and everything was quiet yet again.

Wilbur and Tommy were peacefully sleeping, snuggled up against the oldest sibling quietly. All while the pinkette read his greek mythology book, silence clogging up the room.

Schlatt was just as distracted. He continuously was being blown up by his brother ever since he laid down some of the situation with him. At first, it was spam texts of "Is he okay??" and "I hope they're alright" and then it just stooped to "I swear, if you have done something, I will personly beat your ass". Heck, even after explaining that everything cooled down, it didn't end the oncoming spam to come home.

The rest of the spam was "Mom made dinner so get your ass home :b"

And to that, he definitely couldn't help the quiet breathy chuckle that escaped him, a smile wide on his face. He should probably go. Tubbo was worried enough, and come to think of it, he hasn't really eaten anything since he had arrived at the Watson's home...yet every other inch of his brain told him he shouldn't, at least not yet. After all, Leaving meant leaving Techno, someone who is already emotionally stressed enough, to two other emotionally stressed out kids alone for an hour until Phil would be home. He didn't want to leave his friends, almost family, to wait alone. If he was in the same predicament, he wouldn't want to be left alone to wait either.

Was it selfish to want to be able to protect them? These people were like a second family, so why did it feel like he was crossing a line when it came to that? He could only question that over and over as he sat on that bed, that is until his friend's ruff, low voice chimed in and his thoughts faltered and broke.

"Is Toby texting?" Schlatt didn't even know when Techno had started to even look his direction, his book now resting on his legs and eyes nonjudgmentally looking into his, patiently waiting for an answer.

"Uh- yeah, he wants me to come home soon. Our mom made dinner". That last part for some reason came out quietly, like a sentence that was treading water.

He sounded confused, almost questioning the words he spoke aloud. That didn't change Techno's answer though, the book in hand being brought back up to his face as he spoke. "Well, then you should probably go then. Didn't you give him the laydown of what happened a little bit ago? I bet Toby's worried. Tell'm hi for me," He spoke nonchalantly with no inch of annoyance or anger he strangely expected. Still...even without the anger that was nonexistent, he found it in himself to be angry for having to leave. For being a bad friend and just up and leaving Techno, Wilbur, and Tommy so defenseless and alone.

Shlatt's face scrunched up, a feeling of what he could only presume to be guilt writhing in his stomach. "Um- I-I..." He wanted to stay. He really did but how could he say it so it wouldn't sound so...strange?

Before he could answer though, the hesitance leaning in to tell his friend what he was truly feeling with the anguishing guilt of turning away, a stir came from right next to the pinkette, and in seconds, their attention was back on Tommy.

The boy rubbed against his eyes, blue pupils cracking open tiredly and the earbud he had on spewing soft guitar Wilbur had recorded a little while ago being nudged off slightly with his arm. He looked around with what looked to be confusion before his eyes locked on the pinkette's red ones.

"wha...Tech?" His voice ushered out quietly, barely a whisper. It wouldn't be a surprise if they had missed it yet the pinkette heard it all the same. Within seconds, the pinkette didn't hesitate to rake his hand through the kid's hair, a quiet shushing escaping him.

"Yea, it's me. We're all here. You should sleep a little more. I'll wake you up when Phil's home".

And within a few seconds, the boy fell back asleep soundly, no fight in him to even try to go against the command.