Thus Always to Tyrants

Will you greet the daylight looming (learn to love without consuming?)

"Wilbur!" Tommy pouts, crossing and uncrossing his arms with a whine. "Come on!" They were playing Monopoly, and Tommy had landed on Wilbur's property. Techno is lounging on the couch, reading The Art of War.

"You gotta pay Tommy, it's the rule." Wilbur snickers softly, a teasing, shit eating tone to his voice.

"But Wilby ! I was stabbed !" Techno and Wilbur inhale with a soft hiss. If they had just been better about being brothers, he wouldn't have been. "Plus, I almost died ! You wouldn't be mean to me! Your baby brother and also someone who's healing!"

"Tommy-" Wilbur looks to Techno for help, who shrugs helplessly. "I- okay- fine- you don't have to pay-"

Tommy cheers happily, and Techno smiles at his two brothers before heading over to his violin, kneeling and brushing off the dust with shaking, hesitant, calloused fingers.

What if he forgot how to play?

(He doesn't think he wants to forget that.)

Playing violin was one of the things that tied him together with Tommy, with Wilbur.

Music was one of the things that tied him together with his brothers.

So, hesitantly, carefully, he picks the instrument up, tucking it under his chin and drawing the bow across the strings as he takes a deep breath, closing his eyes.

His hands are shaking as he plays, but, eventually, he finds the rhythm. It was not that hard to remember.

His muscles remember, even if the mind forgets.

It's empty though, because Tommy isn't playing with him. It's alright though. He doesn't want to pressure his little brother into anything. He hopes that maybe one day, Tommy will join him in song.

If he doesn't, that will be okay too, because Techno has not done anything to deserve it.

They're quiet behind him, Wilbur and Tommy. As if his brothers have stopped their fighting to listen to his playing, as rusty as it is.

That's nice, he thinks. It's really, really nice, because his brothers are his family, and they are what he lives for and adores, and Techno loves them so, so much.

They're his whole world. His entire being, and he doesn't know what he'd do without them.

Tommy stands up from the board game, a mischievous smile on his face. He walks over and cracks his knuckles, sitting at the piano and running his hand over the dusty keys.

"Can we play your favorite, old man?" he asked, looking at his brother.

"Not that much older than you...but yeah. Set it up." he mumbled, feigning annoyance through his small grin.

They both begin to play the same duet that they played long ago. The melody is rusty. Tommy often hits the wrong keys, and Techno just sounds rusty and out of practice altogether.

But it's the melody of new beginnings.

Of second chances.

Wilbur sits at a table in Sally's diner, his hands folded over the table anxiously as he waits.

He hears her footsteps and his head shoots up. And there she is.

God, she's amazing.

"Wilbur? Back again so soon?" Her tone was playful, happy. She was happy to see him. And his stomach flips happily.

"Yeah- yeah actually I wanted to ask you something." He spoke nervously, before clearing his throat and smiling up at her, eyes so soft in adoration.

"Oh? And what might that be?" Her voice is knowing, as if she knows what Wilbur is going to ask but is forcing him to say it anyways. Because she's always been teasing like that.