Accidental Adoption

Friendship is in the cards, but Technoblade is socially awkward, still.

A/N:  This chapter is late and shorter than usual because I started school.

TW:  Phil worries that Technoblade thinks he's a creep. (p/*/d/o/p/h/i/l/e)

If that was the first step towards getting his questions answered, then there was a heck of a lot of steps. At first, it seemed as if he was getting through to Technoblade. When Phil was done with construction work he and Technoblade would talk. Phil had managed to squeeze an entire conversation out of Technoblade! It wasn't one-sided!

When construction ended, Phil still showed up at the library at the usual time. Technoblade was there too and was more chatty than normal. Phil had thought Technoblade was warming up to him even more. Then, mid-sentence, Technoblade closed up. The conversation dwindled to a standstill. Technoblade was back to giving one-word answers to most things, sometimes even grunts. He'd eye Phil suspiciously sometimes.

Phil wasn't heartbroken or devastated. It just hurt a little, watching Technoblade thaw out and then freeze himself up again. Phil also wondered just what had happened inside of Technoblade's mind to cause it. Phil didn't think he had done anything wrong, anything to make Technoblade stop actually talking to him.

Phil considered pushing Technoblade about it. Asking about his sudden shyness. Phil had only known Technoblade for so long, though, and what right did he have to pry into his life? There were plenty of reasons for Technoblade's silence. Maybe they were correct, and maybe they weren't.

Perhaps he had simply tired of Phil's company. Or possibly Technoblade only put up with Phil semi-politely because of the construction. It was plausible that Technoblade had only seen him as an annoying adult prying into his business, and ran out of patience with Phil. There were worse reasons...

Like if he thought Phil was a creep. The kind of creep who talked to 9-year-olds by themselves in the library. Phil severely hoped that Technoblade didn't think he was the kind of creep who talked to 9-year-olds by themselves in the library. Surely if he thought Phil was one he'd have told somebody? Maybe he did tell somebody. Good.

Phil shook himself out of that line of thinking. He was most likely jumping to conclusions again. There were plenty of reasons for him to have approached Technoblade. Such as the fact that Technoblade wouldn't stop staring at him. Maybe people in L.A. were just expected to put up with being stared at? It would've surprised Phil a bit, but not too much.

Technoblade was a mysterious creature. Phil didn't know what he could do to win back his favor. Technoblade was stingy enough with personal details that Phil had a rough grasp on his personality, but not much else. Technoblade made lots of jokes that Phil found hilarious. For a 9-year-old he was relatively good at sarcasm, dry humor, and scathing observations. Technoblade had a sharp wit and was pretty cynical.

Despite having been walled out by Technoblade, Phil kept returning to the library. If Technoblade wanted him to go away that badly, he'd have to ask Phil. With that determination filling his body, Phil turned into the parking lot. The library loomed overhead. It had been opened back up recently and thankfully the elevator didn't have a single breakdown or bug.

Phil headed straight for the table. He would at least ask Technoblade instead of taking his own worries as the absolute truth. Phil plopped down in the seat next to Technoblade. He caught a glimpse of Technoblade's chosen reading material, which he switched after finishing the dictionary. It was science homework. Phil took a deep breath.

"Hey, Technoblade... Why aren't you talking to me anymore?" Phil said softly. He slowly and gently placed a hand on Technoblade's shoulder. Technoblade took a breath through gritted teeth.

"Why are you still here?!" Technoblade snapped angrily.

"What?" Phil asked, hurt shining through his tone.

"Construction ended. You're still here. Why? Why haven't you just left like everybody else?!" Technoblade said, but now he just sounded impossibly sad and lonely.

"Because I like talking to you," Phil said. Technoblade shot him a disbelieving look. Phil held his hands out.

"No, really! It's as simple as that. Despite being only 9, you are really intelligent. You're... magnetic," Phil said, hoping Technoblade would believe him. The boy needed some reassurance.

"Nobody else thinks that. Not my 'parents'. Not the kids at school. Just you. And you'll leave eventually," Technoblade said. Determination swept through Phil again.

"You're wrong. I'm not going anywhere. As long as you'll put up with me I'll keep showing up here to talk to you," Phil said. He willed Technoblade to understand. Technoblade was hurt, was hurting, and Phil needed to be there for him.

"I- thank you. Help me with my science homework?" Technoblade said quickly. It was as close to an emotional conversation as Technobade could have, and Phil was immensely grateful for it. It was a peace offering telling him that they weren't fighting anymore. Phil smiled large and true.

"Sure. What's it about, Techno?" Phil said, scooting his chair closer to Techno's.