Icing Those Hurts (NOT MY STORY. READ DISC)

Part 38

They do nothing all next morning- they order pancakes and bacon up to the room, which they're all packed into, and watch old Olympics clips on the television, marveling over all the other sports that just make no sense compared to their own.

Sapnap insists they watch curling, simply to tease Punz, who is at the Olympics for it, and Techno wants to watch Niki's old snowboarding highlights to see her half-pipe. Wilbur sits next to Tommy, who keeps poking whenever he wants another pancake, or some water or for one of them to try and find clips of Vikk-star's old skate routines. They're all hesitant to make Tommy watch figure skating when he's supposed to be resting, but when Tommy insists that Vikk is the reason Tommy wanted to be an Olympian, then they find that they just can't say no.

Especially when he has them pause and then explains why every move he makes was legendary- they have no idea what he's saying, but the excitement in his voice was enough for them to listen intently.

Lunch comes and goes, Schlatt gets them all sandwiches, and it's around then that they all start to feel antsy having done nothing all day. So Wilbur gets up, claps once and then proclaims that it's time for Tommy to finally try hot chocolate.

They're a loud bunch as they head down. The whole lot of them in a circle around Tommy, pretending that they aren't watching their surroundings carefully as they argue with one another. Tubbo and Ranboo are both already waiting for them and when they see Tommy, they perk up and Tubbo full on shoves Sapnap out of the way to hug him. Ranboo doesn't even bother apologizing for Tubbo, he just joins their hug, holding both of them.

They order their hot chocolates, and Wilbur sits at the table and watches Tommy's eyes widen at the piling of whipped cream.

"I'm supposed to eat this?" Tommy asks, awed and terrified.

"If you want," Wilbur hands him a spoon. "Try this. And remember, it's hot."

Tommy carefully spoons some of the drink, and blows the liquid. Then he carefully puts it into his mouth. He drinks and Wilbur waits. All of a sudden, his eyes widen and his face breaks out into a glorious smile.

"Woah!" He says to himself. "That was amazing."

"Yeah, you like it?"

"I love it." Tommy nods. Then he turns around in his seat and reaches out to touch Quackity's shoulder. "Quackity, I think I found my favorite drink."

Quackity smiles. "Great choice, Tommy- next battle on the agenda? Your favorite snack. That should stir up some nice debate around here."

Tommy tilts his head. "Why would that-"

"There you are."

Tommy's face pales.

Standing there, staring at Tommy, his arms crossed over his chest, is his coach. His eyes are narrow and his lips are turned upward into a sneer, and Wilbur is standing before he can say anything else, making himself as big as he can to slide in front of Tommy. He hates people like this. He hates being in the way of people like this. But he'll be damned if he let Tommy take the brunt of anymore shit that he spews.

The coach looks him up and down. "Excuse me, I'm looking to have a conversation with my lazy excuse for a skater. You're in my way."

The chair rattles, and suddenly Tommy is standing too, his hot chocolate forgotten and his head down. "Sorry, sir, I must have lost track of time-"

"Yeah, you lost track of time drinking desserts. What a waste. And with these guys again? Didn't I tell you about them? All they want to do is steer you wrong, sweetheart."

Wilbur opens his mouth, because he can feel one of his teammates shifting behind him, about to kick up a fuss, but then, Tommy's head lifts. His eyes find his coach's.

"No," he says quietly, tremblingly. But still- "no, you're wrong."

"Excuse me?"

"I said that you're wrong." Tommy says again, louder this time. "They're my friends. They're not- they only want what's best for me. All of them. They care about me. They- they love me."

The coach stares for a moment, and then scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Oh please. How could anyone love you? You think they aren't waiting to get something from you? I made you everything that you are and they're trying to take advantage of that." Tommy falters slightly and he takes the time to reach forward and grab Tommy's wrist. He probably would have pulled him away had Wilbur not held on.

"Get off of my skater before I have you kicked out," He hisses.

Wilbur swallows. "He isn't yours."

"Oh, is he yours then? Did you build him up from nothing?"

"No, Tommy is his own. He built himself up. And he'd succeed with or without you."

The coach bares his teeth and then lets go of Tommy's hand to jab forward like he's going to push Wilbur. Wilbur pulls Tommy behind him, ready to take whatever- it used to be his job, and he'll do it again- but then Technoblade steps in front, cocks his arm back and punches the man across the face so hard he drops.

He's down in one punch.

"Techno, you just-" Wilbur gapes, almost unable to process what he's looking at. Tommy, peeking around him, looks just as shocked as he is.

Techno turns, shaking out his fist. "He was annoying me. Now he isn't."

"Okay, so all that bullshit about not punching Olympic coaches," Schlatt says loudly, looking entirely too gleeful for the situation. "You were just hogging it for yourself."

"Oh, I'm sorry, you want me to shake him awake so you can get a hit in?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"This is lovely, but Techno, you did just punch a coach." George points out. "There goes our gold medal. And my chance to punch him."

"George, you would've killed him," Wilbur says.

"Okay. I'm not seeing the issue."

Wilbur concedes.

"What about your matches?" Tommy asks, brows furrowed. "I didn't mean for you to get into trouble. I should've just-"

Techno shakes his head. "Nope. No, Tommy. No gold medal is worth you suffering, alright? I'll deal with the consequences myself. As team captain, any blame falls onto me and Phil. Phil told me one day, and I waited as long as I could. The rest of you should be fine to play so long as I don't."

"Okay, well, tough, cause we aren't playing without you." Sapnap says. "All or nothing. We all might as well have punched him."

And that's when Phil walks in through the doors. He takes one look at the coach laying out cold on the tile flooring and all his players, Tommy, and Tubbo and Ranboo standing around him and sighs.

"Oh dear," he goes. Then he looks to Techno, knowing it was him without even asking. "You couldn't have waited just a few more hours?"

Techno's face, normally relaxed, twists. "He told Tommy that no one could love him. I took that personally."

Tommy flushes.

"Ah, well, that would do it." Phil looks down at him for another second, then sighs again. "Alright, call the trainer. There are- I don't know- what? Six or seven witnesses here? I mean, I don't know mate, I heard that he swung at Techno first."

"So did I," Wilbur says immediately.

"Same!" Quackity and Tubbo say at the same time.

George nods once, dialing Ponk's number.

"And it was a shitty swing too," Schlatt sighs. "He deserved to be laid out. Picking a fight with a hockey player. What an idiot."

Tommy looks over at Techno, then puts his hand into his, covering his newly red knuckles. It's not verbal- he's probably been as verbal as he could today- but it's loud as anything.