"Do you think we can take two more?"

Chapter 9

Wilburs pov

I carry the boy to my car and help tommy and Ranboo to take tubbos stuff to the car. As I help take the last bag to the car I notice that the boys are quieter then usual.

"hey," I say softly to catch their attention, "are you okay?"

Tommy looks towards me and shrugs. Ranboo on the other hand, just looks straight down.

"whats wrong? Has something happened?" I prompt to the boys.

"im sorry," Ranboo mutters.

"sorry? Sorry for what? You haven't done anything wrong."

"I heard you arguing, and im the reason that you have Tubbo and that hes not coming with us."

"you are not the reason behind that. Okay? Hey... hey... look at me? You are not the reason why Tubbo is going home with me, okay? Mu-Kristen decided that one of you were more important than the other, that was no fault of yours." I look at him.

"are you sure? Cause she sai-"

"Im sure, and anyone else who makes you feel like that will have to deal with me, okay?"

"mhm"

"now," I turn to face tommy, "whats got you upset kid?"

"Tubbo..."

"Hmm? Tubbo? why has Tubbo got you upset?"

"well, I want Tubbo to be our friend still and I think that he wont want to because of what mum said and I don't want him to lose any friends, we know him best and I don't want anyone else to hurt him and I wish mum wasn't so mean and I wish we could take both of them and I wish...."

"hey... Tubbo will still want to be your friend. No matter what mum said, Tubbo will be your friend. As long as you don't agree with her, and Tubbo knows this, he'll still want to be your friend, he wont lose friends. I also wish mum was nicer about this, kid, and I wanted them to take Ranboo and Tubbo but that's just not possible at the moment. But," I look down, and them back up again, "tubbos going to be with me, hes not going to get hurt, hes with me. I will keep him safe, just like I keep you safe and just like I'll keep Ranboo safe, okay?"

"m'kay"

I poke my head in the car briefly to see Tubbo fast asleep in the seat. Once I close the car door again, I look up to see Phil and Kristen walk out of the house, both look as pissed off as the other.

"come on, kids, lets get in the car," dad says.

He looks towards me and smiles. I help the two boys get into the car with the promise that if they ever need me then all they have to do is message and I will drop everything to come and get them, no questions asked. Kristen also gets in the car but avoids my eye contact while doing so. Once ive finished with the boys, I walk to my car. Dad follows me.

"hey mate, you okay?" he looks at me with concern.

"me? Im always okay dad," he gives me a look, "im fine, really. Im annoyed with mum but other than that im fine, I have to take him in, dad. He has no one."

"okay, but you will ring me if you need anything, okay?"

I nod and he hugs me, I hug back and then get in my car. I watch dad drive off before I leave, and I check Tubbo. I drive off to my little flat wondering how the hell im going raise a teen when I barely qualify as an adult, let alone an adult with a 16-year-old child living with them.

"'know, don't hav do this," I hear from a small voice in the back of the car, "not da 'pecial.'

"hey kid, didn't realise you were awake," I say, mentally planning my next words, "you are special kid, just cause you cant see it, doesn't mean its not true. And I know, I know I don't have to, I want to, you deserve a loving home kid."

His phone buzzes on the seat next to him. He picks it up and reads the message out loud:

"e're 'ome, w'ere 're 'ou?"

"who is that from kid?"

"ma." He says, matter of factly.

"ah, are you going to reply?" I hope he doesn't but I feel like he needs to, I mean, legally speaking, they are still their guardians.

His phone buzzes again. And he just puts it down.

"you okay, kid?" he looks like he might cry.

"mhm," he nods, and I pull into a parking space.

"do you want to get out?"

He nods again and I open my door. By the time I've made my way round to where he's sat, he managed to undo his seatbelt. As I open the door, he puts his arm up, signalling for me to pick him up. I do, and I grab his phone, and then we go inside. I set him down on a seat and I go out to bring the rest of his stuff inside.

Once I bring the last bag in, I go to find Tubbo.

"oh, kid," I crouch down to the same level as the crying boy.

"she nev'r lov' me. I-" he breaks down more and crashed into my open arms.

I just sit there for a while with him in my arms and me stroking his hair. Nothing being said. Nothing needs to be at the moment. After 20 minutes he calms down enough to explain to me whats going on.

"she doesn't want me. She never loved me. Neither did my father," he looks at me with a sad look.

"can I see the messages? You don't have to show me, I just want to know what she said," I say and he hands me the phone.

*Mum*

Mum-were home, where are you?

Mum-just seen your note

Mum-stay with them

Mum-we don't care

Mum-I'll sign over my custody

Mum-just don't ask for anything from us ever

Mum-we never loved you

Mum-I never loved you

I put the phone down and look at the utterly broken boy.

"do-" I take a breath, "would you like me to take custody over you?"

"if you want. I don't have anywhere else to go now," he looks up at me, "but you don't have to if you don't want to."

"kid, id love to. I will have to contact your mother though."

"send her a letter?" he states, "then we don't have to see her, just send a letter with the paperwork and she can send it back?"

"that's a good idea, I'll go out tomorrow to get the papers and I'll post them to her."

"what- what should I call you?" he looks down.

"whatever you want to kid, I can just be will, if you want?"

"I dunno."

"are you hungry? I just realised, with everything that happened, dad never ordered food."