Where The Fuck Is My Child?

16

T.W.: discussion of death

It had started raining during the night Wilbur died. Eret and her team left, leaving just the family and Tubbo and Ranboo. They told Tommy that Wilbur had gone to the store. The blonde was expecting his brother to be back at any moment.

"Tubbo!" Tommy yelled, jumping over to his friend, "look at my fuckin wings!"

"That's awesome bossman!" Tubbo smiled, "they look amazing!"

Ranboo nodded, "yeah, they're really cool. Are you going to learn to fly with them?"

"Of course!" Tommy said, "Phil said he'd teach me as soon as I'm fully healed!"

"Where is Phil?" Ranboo asked, his tail flicking.

Tommy shrugged, fluffing out his wings, "he's talking to Techno about some shit. I'm just excited about getting my wings!"

"What about what happened with Dream?" Tubbo asked.

Tommy's wings seized up. He got quiet, looking at the ground.

"Honestly I'm not sure what was a dream or not." Tommy said quietly, "Not Found got into my head and... I don't know how much of what I saw was real and what was fake- I mean, I saw Wilbur as Icarus! How ridiculous is that!?"

Ranboo laughed lightly, "uh, yeah."

"Anyway, what do you wanna do?" Tubbo jumped in, smiling at his friend, "I mean, you've been gone for two days, so your choice on what to do."

Tommy smiled, "let's watch Moana!"

"Alright!" Tubbo pulled his friend over to the couch, "Ranboo! Can you get the popcorn ready?"

"Sure." Ranboo nodded, making his way to the kitchen.

Tubbo and Tommy flopped down on the couch. Tommy grabbed the remote, scrolling through the movies they had. His wings rested over the back of the couch, draping over Tubbo's shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Tubbo asked quietly, leaning on Tommy's shoulder.

Tommy looked down at his friend, "what do you mean?"

"Dud you got fucking kidnapped." Tubbo said, "it's fucking messed up. You've gotta be shaken up about it."

Tommy shook his head, "I don't want to think about it right now."

Ranboo walked in, a large bowl of popcorn in his hands. He smiled as he sat down.

"You got the movie set up?" Ranboo asked.

"Uh, almost!" Tommy picked up the remote again.

Ranboo shifted the popcorn bowl over to Tommy. The opening credits to Moana started playing as the boys shuffled closer together. Tommy's wings draped over his friends like a blanket.

That's how Phil and Techno found the boys. They were asleep on the couch, a half empty bowl of popcorn between them and Moana playing on the TV. Phil smiled softly at them. Then it fell.

"When are we going to tell him?" Phil whispered.

Techno shook his head, "I don't know."

Phil sighed, "well, we'll have time to talk to him now that Protesilaus and Zephyrus are gone."

"It's gonna be strange not to be out anymore." Techno said.

Phil fluffed out his wings as he laughed, "yeah."

Phil walked over to the TV, turning it off. Tommy stirred, pulling his wings in. He blinked up at Phil.

"Dad..?" Tommy mumbled.

"Hey Tommy." Phil smiled, ruffling his son's hair, "how are you feeling?"

"My wings don't hurt too bad anymore." Tommy yawned.

"That's good." Phil said.

Tommy looked around, "where's Wilby?"

"Ah, um..." Phil glanced at Techno, "Tommy, Wilbur... He-"

The door opened. The family turned, shock growing on their faces. Hovering in the doorway was a transparent figure in a yellow sweater. He smiled at the family, giving them a wave.

"Hello! I'm home!" The ghost laughed.

Tommy's eyes went wide, "what..?"

"Tommy!" The ghost gasped, floating over to the boy, "you're home too!"

"Wilbur?" Phil asked quietly.

The ghost laughed lightly, "um, not quite. I'm a ghost! I'm Ghostbur!"

"What happened to Wilbur?" Tommy asked, "Phil what happened!?"

"He died." Ghostbur said, "and now I'm here!"

"How?" Phil asked.

Ghostbur shrugged, "I don't know. Wilbur died and then I showed up!"

"Wilbur died..?" Tommy whispered, "but he- I-... I just got back... How did he..? I saw him a few hours ago!"

"I'm sorry Tommy." Techno said quietly, "that wasn't Wilbur."

"What do you mean?" Tommy asked, tears forming in his eyes.

"I'm a shapeshifter Tommy." Techno said, "I turned into Wilbur. I'm sorry."

"No, but your powers- you- it's not possible!" Tommy yelled.

Tubbo and Ranboo woke up at the shouting. Their eyes widened as they saw the ghost.

"Tommy, you have to understand, we were trying to protect you-" Phil started.

"Stop!" Tommy shouted, standing up and flapping his wings, "stop trying to protect me! Just tell me the truth!"

Phil sighed, pulling his own wings in tightly, "We were the Sleepy Bois."

"You were what?" Tommy asked.

"I was Zephyrus, and Techno was Protesilaus." Phil told him, "and Wilbur was Icarus..."

Tommy took a step back, "Wilbur didn't go to the store, did he?"

Phil shook his head, "no. He didn't really make it home after we rescued you. Dream killed him."

Tommy fell to his knees with a sob, "so it was real... I watched him die! I watched Wilbur die!"

"I'm so sorry." Phil reached for his son.

Tommy flinched away, "stop. You lied to me for so long. What if you had gotten captured, or died!?"

"We were villains Tommy." Techno sighed, "we didn't want to drag you into it."

"But it happened anyway!" Tommy sobbed, "I got kidnapped and then Wilbur died!"

Ghostbur floated over to the boy, "I know I'm not Wilbur, but I know he loved you. He doesn't regret what he did as long as you're okay. All he wanted was for you to be okay."

Tears spilled over down Tommy's cheeks. He pulled the ghost into a tight hug. But it wasn't like the hugs he got from his brother. It was cold.

"No more secrets Tommy." Phil told him, "I promise."

Tubbo leaned over to Ranboo, "should we tell him about us, or should we wait?"

Ranboo sighed, "Tubbo..."