Parasocial Family

A look into the mind of a Phil.

Author's note:  Sorry I'm late :/

Tw:  none

Phil's personality was well suited for making friends. It wasn't magnetic, didn't pull people in, or command utter respect. However, he meshed well with most types of personalities, and there were truly very few types of personalities that clashed with his. Phil tried his best to be respectful and polite to the people who disliked him, but then generally seemed to have the opposite of the desired effect.

Generally, Phil cared without being overbearing, was kind, and always tried to help people. This garnered him a rather extensive circle of acquaintances who would be willing to help him out if he ever got into a problem too big for him to solve on his own.

Phil had several particularly strong friendships in the past. He was popular in the way that he was well-liked instead of being revered or having his every step worshipped and his every word treated like gospel. Sometimes, friendships fall apart though. The test of time wears them down to nothing. For Phil, his friendships fell to distance and difference. Whereas nearly all his friends went off to college, Phil moved to L.A. to become an elevator technician.

Phil's abrupt move and chosen profession managed to surprise several of his friends, despite the fact that he had been telling them he would do exactly that for years. Phil had set everything up. He was a model student, who excelled in all his classes. He did have to sacrifice a lot of his free time for hours of studying, but it all paid off.

Phil left, and his friendships deteriorated rather quickly after that.

Phil and Techno's relationship had a bit of a rocky start. Neither of them really knew where they stood, or ever where the other stood. Once they both settled into their roles, they just clicked. Phil wouldn't ever pretend to understand the madness that was Techno's mind, though. And adopting him? That had felt right.

Phil had heard of Tommy before meeting him. Phil's first impression of Tommy was awfully poor, as he had the habit of asking rather personal questions. Phil had been on edge, trying to protect Techno from getting hurt. Phil had seen Techno grow fonder of Tommy as time went on. Tommy wasn't one to hide his feelings, but he managed to fool even Phil. He made others underestimate him.

It had taken time, and some unfortunate circumstances, but Tommy had eventually opened up to Phil. Phil had felt an instant and fierce protectiveness over Tommy in that moment, and Tommy fit into their puzzle perfectly. Phil adopted Tommy as well. Phil had never expected to meet someone who he would click again, let alone someone who would click with all three.

Then Phil met Wilbur.

The man had interested Phil from the beginning. It started with a faint curiosity at the way Wilbur seemed to think Phil would murder him the first night. Phil also had a genuine want to know the person he'd be rooming with. It would be pretty terrible to be roomed with someone who disliked him, or who he disliked. If Phil put in the effort to get to know Wilbur now, they could be good friends, and rooming would be enjoyable.

So Phil is nice, and friendly, and just generally Phil. He sometimes calls Wilbur 'Wil', engages in debates, shares chores, and establishes a family dinner. Phil'd managed to get a bit more than slightly ahead of himself. He hadn't known Wilbur for that long, and Wilbur was already so close to him, nearly family.

Phil probably just missed his family. He was across an entire ocean from them, after all.

Phil felt the click though. He and Wilbur got along so well though. It had been a while since he last invited someone into his family. He'd have to get Tommy to agree to it. He'd have to get Techno to agree to it.

Phil would have to get Wilbur to agree to it.

Not that Wilbur had many qualms about it. He'd teased Phil but had wholeheartedly accepted their newfound closeness. When Phil forgot about personal space and held loud phone calls in their dorm Wilbur never complained. He even seemed to listen attentively, if absent-mindedly. Which would have been creepy, if not for the fact that Phil was having his calls in a public area, where Wilbur couldn't help but accidentally listen.

Phil had been, not struggling per se, but the work in college was certainly not easy. He was working on a beast of an essay when Tommy called for help with math. Though Tommy would never admit he was panicking slightly, Phil could tell no matter how much Tommy tried to hide it. Phil felt he had to do something, so he passed Tommy and Tubbo off to Wilbur, calling him a 'friend' and not mentioning his roommate status. The three seemed to get along well, considering Wilbur didn't complain about being saddled with two teenagers while he was trying to do college work.

Then Tommy called again but in the middle of the night. He'd likely forgotten the time difference between L.A. and London, again. Wilbur had picked up the call accidentally in a tired state, Phil should make him sleep more, and he'd made Tommy apologize. Tommy was stubborn. Either Wilbur was more stubborn, or Tommy had finally shown a modicum of respect. Nevertheless, they'd gotten along.

It made Phil's heart feel light, and he hoped that Wilbur and Technoblade would get along as well, so his family could be together. After all, that was what Wilbur was.

Family.

Phil hadn't told his brothers about his roommate. They were protective of him, to say the least. Whenever Phil made a new friend, they always investigated them. Tried to subtly probe Phil for information. Phil never let on that he knew what they were doing, of course, but he wanted Wilbur to stick around, and being interrogated by Phil's family had scared off a few of his friends. He wanted Wilbur to like him.

Phil'd reached the point where he couldn't really hide Wilbur anymore. Not if he wanted Wilbur to interact and grow close with his brothers. Yes, Techno and Tommy would be angry. Even if Phil played dumb, they'd still be angry that he'd never mention Wilbur. Phil couldn't change the past, but he could manipulate the future.

Tommy told Phil he missed him. Techno silently assented to it. Phil himself missed them almost more than he could bear, sometimes. So Phil, lacking tact and grace, inquired about them coming to visit. Wilbur agreed easily seemingly almost without knowing. When Phil had told them, they were ecstatic.

Techno had cut off the call rather abruptly after Phil had mentioned Wilbur and Tommy's escapade. He had clearly gone to grill Tommy for information on Phil's mysterious roommate. Phil had grown restless as the date of their arrival grew ever closer. Wilbur seemed nervous as well, often looking vaguely ill.

The rest of Phil's family finally got there! When they met Wilbur, Phil could feel them silently assessing him. Phil could hear their biased disapproval. Desperate for them to get along, Phil tried to tell them how much Wilbur meant to him. As soon as Phil said it, however, he could see exactly how much he messed up saying it.

"He's like a little brother to me."