~Manipulation~

25 // Scrabble

After Techno came back down the stairs, the group joined Tommy on the sofas. Techno sat next to Tommy and was about to start conversation with him when Wilbur sat down on the other side of Tommy and protectively wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Phil and Tubbo sat down opposite them and smirked.

"Looks like someone's getting defensive," Phil chuckled. Wilbur simply laughed and played into their assumptions, tightening his grip around Tommy, which made the blonde shift uncomfortably under the sudden weight.

"What can I say? Just glad to have the family together." Techno furrowed his eyebrows at this, but said nothing. Wasn't Wilbur shouting at Tommy last lore stream? Then again, brothers argue... it was just strange that they were this close when Tommy would normally be firing a snarky remark at the brunette.

"Ranboo says he's ten minutes away," Tubbo said, breaking Techno's line of thought.

"I'll go get his room ready, then," Wilbur said as he stood up. Once his arm was retracted from around Tommy's shoulders, the blonde immediately shuffled closer to Techno; an action only noticed by the three sitting on the sofa. Techno narrowed his eyes, Tommy closed his and Wilbur stared at Tommy for a moment.

A long moment.

"Right, well," Phil said, breaking them out of their trance, "who wants to play scrabble?" Wilbur was gone by the time he finished the question.

"Me!" Techno sat up straighter as Tubbo yelled and raised his hand, frantically waving it around. "Me! Me! I do!"

Phil tried to hide a smile. Techno chucked slightly at the failed attempt.

"Can you even spell what you're yelling?" Tommy said from his slouched position on the sofa. The others were quiet for a moment.

"Rude," Tubbo quietly muttered.

"Let's maybe cool it on the joking," Phil said, easing the tension slightly, "we can save our insults for Wilbur's hairline." This earned a laugh from everyone - including Tommy. "I'll get the board." Phil stood up, stretched, and left the room.

"Right. Listen up. We fight to the death, winner gets to start." Techno said with a very serious face. "I know I have the obvious advantage here, so I'll even refrain from using my dominant hand."

Tubbo laughter slightly. "You're joking, right?" Techno simply raised an eyebrow. "... right?" Techno smiled slightly. "We wouldn't stand a chance!"

"Speak for yourself, Tubs, I'm a big man with big muscles and AH-" Tommy was cut short as Techno leapt at him with one hand behind his back, furiously ticking him.

"You were saying?" Techno teased.

"Don't worry king, I'll save you!" Tubbo declared as he charged at Techno. The boys collapsed into a pile of laughter and flying limbs.

A few minutes later Phil returned, board game in hand, to a triumphant Techno sitting upon a pile of Tommy and Tubbo.

"Good day, Phil," Phil looked at the pile, "oh don't mind them! It's just my thrown. Shall we begin? I think I've earned the right to go first!"

Phil chuckled and placed the game on the table.

"Alright, but I call dibs on green."

"No fair!" Tubbo cried as he wriggled out from under Techno. "I wanted green!"

"Snooze ya loose, big T. Dibs blue!" Tommy taunted. Techno silently took the pink piece (an unspoken rule it was his) and mercifully got off Tommy to let him get his piece.

Phil set up the board and once everyone had their letters, the chaos began.

Techno made the word 'pillow'.