"Do you think we can take two more?"

Chapter 11

Wilburs pov
Once the officers leave, I pick the sleeping boy up off my lap and close the front door. I walk further into the flat. I wonder how Tubbo is feeling. I assume quite calm, he did fall asleep on me, but that phone call probably broke him into a million tiny pieces.
After about 20 minutes, the boy starts to stir on my lap.
"hey, kid, how are you doing?"
"mm tays," he replies. I cant quite tell if he's regressed, or whether he's just slightly incoherent because he's just woken up.
"did you have a nice nap? Im not sure you'll sleep well tonight though," I chuckle slightly.
"mhm, tireds."
"do you need anything, kiddo?"
Im pretty sure he's small but there is a small part of me that is stIll unsure.
"tan hug pwes?" he looks at me.
"you want a hug?" he nods, "okay."
I hug him.
"you know, you don't have to verbally talk to me if you don't feel like it," I say gently.
"bu 'ow comuncate?" he pulls away from the hug and looks up at me again.
"I can write common words and you can point; you could sign to m-" he cuts me off with a stim and his face lights up.
(a/n: writing in asterisks will be what Tubbo signs)
"you wanna sign?" I ask.
'*you know sign*,' he looks at the wall behind me.
"yeah, kid," I smile, "I learnt when I was in school, we had a new student join who was hard of hearing, so I learnt so that we could communicate easier."
He smiles, '*I learnt it for tom.*'
"aw, that's sweet," I say, "do you want to play, or do you want to go to bed? What do you want to do?"
He thinks for a while.
'*can I go to bed?*'
"of course you can," I get up, with him on my hip, "do you want me to carry you to the guest bedroom, or do you want to walk?"
He just clings onto me a little tighter. I walk to the guest room with him in my arms and open the door. I lay him down and ask him if he needs anything. He shakes his head and I turn off the light.
"lov' 'ou." I hear just before I close the door.
"love you too, kid."
I shut the door and release a breath I didn't know I was holding. I walk to the kitchen and sit on the floor.
"fuck," I say, not loud enough for the little to hear, but just enough that it releases a bit of stress.
I look at the time. Is it really only nine twenty? It feels later. My phone rings. I don't look at the caller before I answer.
"hell-"
"will?" the voice sounds panicked.
"yeah, hi, whats up?"
"ranboo's sleeping, mum and dad are arguing, panicking," tommy says.
"hey, hey, why are they fighting? Do you know?"
"no, I think its 'cause of the stuff earlier but I don't like it."
"do you need me to come get you?"
"I don't want to bother you and Tubbo..." he trails off.
"you'd never 'bother' us, do you need me to come get you?"
"please," is all I hear.
"just let me go tell Tubbo, stay on the phone."
"mhm," all I can hear after that is distant shouting noises.
I mute myself for a moment, "hey, Tubbo, im just going to get tommy, can I leave you here for a few minutes?"
"yea, 'an 'ou fone me on 'ay 'ome?"
"course I can kid, Ill be back in a bit, okay?"
"mhm."
I close his door again and unmute myself, "you stIll there?"
No response.
"tom?"
"yea, sorry, don't like it will."
"I know, im on my way tom."
"kay"
"im just going to message dad, okay? Can you get your important stuff together for when I get there?"
"okay, will."
I message dad on my walk to the car
*dad*
Wil-im coming to pick tommy up, I'll drop him back at yours tomorrow but he doesn't like the shouting so im taking him to mine tonight, that okay?
Dad-yeah, I forgot that tommy didn't like yelling, mum is at it again with the stuff about Tubbo, I'll explain to Ranboo where tommy is tomorrow morning, and I'll come get tommy for school.
Wil-okay

I get in the car and start driving to dads house.
"you still there tommy?"
"yea, theyre getting louder will."
"I know, kiddo, im on my way."
"'kay, will, how long?"
"I'll be with you in five minutes," I have to deal with mum when I get there.
"they stopped?" he says, confused, "mums coming towards the door."
He whispers the last bit.
"its okay, shes gone in the other room," he says, quietly still.
"okay," I whisper, "im pulling up now, come to the door."
"okay."
I get out at wait by the door. Dad opens it and greets me.
"hey will, hectic day, huh?"
"hi dad, yeah, it has been, it might be worth keeping the boys off tomorrow so that they can have a breather and just relax?"
"yeah, I might do that, mum has work so, if its okay with you, ill bring Ranboo round yours tomorrow so me and you can catch up and the boys can spend some more relaxed time together?"
"yeah, sure, just message me in the morning."
Tommy then appears at the door, "hey kid, you ready?"
He nods and starts to walk towards me.
"I love you, tommy."
He turns to face dad, "I love you too dad."
"See you tomorrow," I say and we start to walk towards the car.
"contact me if you need me, okay will?"
"yep-"
Dad cuts me off. I turn to face him.
"no, actually will. If you need anything, then you contact me okay? I don't want you taking too much, especially with this up-coming career of yours, so you ask for help when you need it," he looks at me, awaiting response.
"yes, dad, I will ask for help if and when I need it, love you, see you tomorrow."
"love you too, mate."
He closes the door, and me and tommy get into the car. I start driving, while wondering where tom is going to sleep.
I phone Tubbo, like I promised.
It goes to voicemail.
I phone again.
Voicemail.
I phone for a third and final time.
Voicemail.
"do you think hes okay, will?"
"im sure hes fine, bud, he probably just fell asleep," I hope.
"can I phone him?"
"if you want, kid, just remember, he might not respond."
Tommy gets his phone out of his pocket and rings Tubbo. he puts the phone to his ear.
Theres some noise on the other end of the phone.
"yeah, its tommy, no Wilbur cant hear you, do you want me to put it on loud?"
Theres some noise on the other end that sounds a lot like disagreement.
"okay, are you alright, tubs?" tommy sounds concerned.
Tubbo speaks, but all I can hear I faint rustling.
"we're on our way, I promise, just keep taking deep breaths. I promise, you are going to be alright."
Okay, now im concerned. I swing right, "tell him we'll be there in 5," I say.
"we'll be home in about five minutes, Tubbo."
Tubbo speaks.
"you could never annoy him, we love you."
The line sounds quiet for a while.
"you still there, tubs?"
I hear a faint agreement.
"can I put you on loud now?"
Another agreement.
"okay, will, can now hear you."
"m'kay." Tubbo says, he sounds like he's been crying.
"we're nearly home, just turning onto the street now, kid," I say, turning left onto my street.
"mhm."
"are you going to tell me whats wrong, when we get home, tubs?" tommy says.
"dunno."
I find somewhere to park and turn off the engine.
"we've just pulled up Tubbo, we'll be inside in a second, okay?"
"'kay"
"im going to end the call now tubs?"
"mhm"
Tommy ends the call and looks at me.
"do you think he's okay, will?"
"im sure he'll be alright, kid, come on, lets get inside."
I open the door, and we walk to the guest bedroom. I knock on the door. We hear some shuffling from inside the room and then the door opens. The dishevelled-looking boy is revealed from behind the wood.
"can we come in, kid?" I ask and he just moves to the side to allow us entry, I turn to tommy, "im going to have to blow up an air mattress for you, is that okay?"
"yea," he walks over to Tubbo.

They look at each other for a moment, and tommy opens his arms. The smaller boy slowly goes to hug him. Tommy nods. Tubbo steps closer. They continue to take small steps towards each other. Its as if Tubbo is scared of tommy. Eventually they get to a rulers length apart and tommy, still with his arms out, moves an inch closer to hug Tubbo. the smaller boy accepts, and they stand and hug for a while. Tommy looks at me, and I take that as a sign to leave the room for a minute, so I do. I take the blow-up mattress with me to blow-up for tommy.

I wonder what had Tubbo so upset. I put the mattress down and go to the kitchen to get the pump.

I spent five or so minutes pumping the bed up, and I decide to go check on the boys. I walk to the guest room and open the door. For a moment I don't see them. Then I look down to see the two of them just lying on the floor, asleep. They each have a pillow under their heads but they are just using their jackets as a blanket. I contemplate moving them, but they look so peaceful, so I decide against it. I just grab the duvet off the bed and cover the boys over with it. I quietly close the door and walk to my room. This day has felt too long.

I lie down on my bed and close my eyes.