Distance Till Home ~ SBI Adoption AU

C8: Nothings private anymore

It was a well-known fact Tommy had been sleeping better ever since he got over his illness and had grown more comfortable living with this family. And for the most part, he hasn't been having nightmares. For the most part.

Now. If you were to ask Tommy straight up, he would deny ever having nightmares. If you didn't know Tommy, you would assume he was telling the truth.

Well, Wilbur has asked an agonized amount of times. Tommy of course being Tommy, always denies having nightmares. In those agonized two times Wilbur has asked, Tommy has pushed his foster brother away.

Did Tommy feel bad? Yes. Will he ever admit to it though? Probably not. Maybe.

You see, pretending you don't have nightmares is fairly easy when you don't toss and turn or jolt awake crying or hyperventilating. That is until Tommy fell asleep and had a horrible nightmare while lying on Wilbur's chest.

Now you see, it wasn't that bad of one. In his defense, he has had worse. It was just a particularly bad memory of something not even related to abuse, it was just a really sad memory.

When Tommy had just gotten out of a really bad foster home, which just so happened to only be his second foster family, he had to be placed into an emergency group home until they could find him another long-term foster home.

Tommy being the clingy four-year-old he was, found an older teenage boy to cling onto. That was his first time getting along with someone. He only spent five months in that group home, every moment being spent with the teenager.

Only a few days before his fifth birthday, he was given the news of Puffy finding a new foster home, she said she 'thought this one is the one.' And Tommy couldn't have disagreed more.

Tommy didn't want to go, he wanted to stay with his friend. His Eret.

But, the group home was only for temporary housing. No kid stays there permanently. Therefore Tommy was pretty much dragged out of Eret's arms, screaming and crying, on his fifth birthday.

So, after reliving the memory in nightmare form, Tommy wakes up. Tommy sits up slightly, looking around the room in a slightly panicked gesture.

Nothing had changed since he fell asleep–mostly–except for the two snoring brothers and an unraveled-looking Phil passed out pretty much on top of Tommy. Well, Tommy was on top of Wilbur, but Techno and Phil were leaning onto Tommy, so it counts.

Clingy motherfuckers.

Tommy poorly attempts to silently sit up and get out of Wilbur's death grip so he can go back to the bedroom he was currently staying in, as he wants nothing more but to cry into a pillow and then pass back out.

By the slight brightness peering through the curtains, Tommy could tell it was probably after 6 am, and what the actual fuck was that nightmare. Tommy hadn't even thought about Eret in over a year, having blocked out the memory. But, of course, Tommy has bad luck and doesn't get what he wants.

A groan sounds from underneath Tommy. Mission failed.

"Where are you going?" Wilbur asks in a hushed raspy voice, his eyes still closed. "Back to the guest bedroom," Tommy whispers back, in an equally raspy voice.

"Your room." Wilbur corrects, a sudden smirk coming onto his face as he silently wraps his arms around Tommy's torso and carelessly brings him back down. "Let me go, man, I want to go to bed." Tommy groans, this isn't the first time he has been forced to cuddle with Wilbur and it certainly won't be the last. And Tommy can't exactly say he hates it.

"Nope, you're not alone to be alone for long periods, remember?" Wilbur reminds Tommy in a hushed voice. "Then come with me," Tommy grumbles, trying to sit up again only to be held tighter. "No, I don't feel like getting up."

"Lazy." Tommy retorts. "Tired." Wilbur corrects. "Just let me up, please?" Tommy asks in a whiny voice.

"Are you bleeding?" Wilbur suddenly asks in mock sympathy. "Well... no...?" Tommy's confused now. Where's he going with this? I'm scared.

"Are you dying?" Wilbur continues. "I will die if you don't let me up." Tommy mumbles. "Are you dying?" Wilbur repeats more sternly. "No." Tommy sighs, defeated. "Not yet."

"You don't have to use the bathroom?" Tommy can feel Wilbur's smug smirk. "No," Tommy grumbles. "Then you are capable of staying here with me, Techno, and Dad." Wilbur smiles, eyes still closed. I should've said I had to use the restroom. Tommy sighed. If only.

"But I don't want to." Tommy groans in exasperation. "I just want some alone time."

"What's wrong?" Wilbur asks, finally opening his eyes and looking straight into Tommy's.

"Nothin' I'm good." Tommy tries. "Nope." Wilbur sits up. "What's wrong?"

"I-" Why's it becoming so hard to lie to them? Besides, Would it hurt to tell the truth...? It's Wilbur. Wilbur's safe...right?

Tommy glances over at Phil and Techno, who both are still asleep, Techno's still snoring loudly. "I had a bad dream, that's all," Tommy admits, before glaring at Wilbur, who already has a sympathetic look on his face. "Don't you even dare start fussing over me, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Wilbur asks, still looking sympathetic. "I'm sure. It wasn't even a scary bad dream. It was just a little sad and it woke me up." Tommy explains shortly. "It's okay. I'm okay. Everything's okay." Tommy says earnestly.

Wilbur sighs but nods. "I believe you, but you know you aren't allowed to be alone for long periods. If you want to go back to your bedroom, then I'll come with you." I don't feel like crying anymore. Tommy thinks to himself as he yawns. I still want to go back to sleep though.

So, within a matter of seconds, Tommy shakes his head and leans back into Wilbur's chest. "Oh-" Wilbur sounds taken aback. "You just want to stay out here then?" He asks.

Tommy nods. "Yeah, I'm too tired to make the long journey upstairs." He draws out. "I'd rather just go back to sleep on you." Wilbur chuckles. "Alright then."

After a few minutes, they lay back down and cuddled up again. When Tommy is barely hanging onto his consciousness, he decides to leave Wilbur with one last treat before going back to sleep. "I hope I make you all sweaty so you'll have to shower when you wake up, bitch."

"Hey-" Tommy cuts Wilbur off. "It's inevitable. You know this, you'll let it happen because you'll feel bad if you make me move to get up."

"That's not true, I could move you off of me right now." Wilbur threatens. "But you won't," Tommy smirks, knowing he has stumped Wilbur. "I- Well-" Tommy giggles at Wilbur's struggle to form a sentence.

"I'll send your house into a pyromaniac combustion of flame." Wilbur threatens. "Please don't." This is the only answer he gets, not from Tommy but instead from Techno, who's still half-asleep with his eyes shut. "You'll burn my bookshelves in the process."

"Don't worry, Tech." Tommy starts, a grin growing on his face as he starts to fall asleep. "I'll throw his guitar into his fire." And with that, the room falls silent. "Please don't," Wilbur responds after a few minutes. Tommy yawns but doesn't respond, instead, he passes out on top of Wilbur.

Words: 1208

A/N: Heya! Sorry for such a short chapter, I have been so busy lately with school! But hey, guess who's taking early learning career path classes instead of Spanish? I'm taking healthcare explorations so I can become a registered nurse! :D

I won't be able to achieve this job anytime soon, as I still have three more years of high school left after this year and then four years of college for a bachelor's degree, but it'll be worth it! I'll be working in a pediatric office in 7 years! :D

I would like to also mention I procrastinated on editing this chapter for about a week winter during break and then the day before I planned on editing the last bit of it I got covid on my birthday. Fun times.

I'm 16 now! :D

I hope you enjoyed this short chapter, I am working on Chapter Nine and it will be out as soon as possible! Stay safe, drink some water, and have a good day/night! :P