Accidental Adoption

Things get serious, and so does Phil.

Author's note:  Sorry it's short, sorry it's late, sorry I missed a week.

Tw:  Phil invites Technoblade to his apartment.  Don't go to people's residences.  Phil is a trusted adult to Technoblade.  Also, Phil once again worries about coming off creepy.

Phil was driving to the library once again. He absentmindedly smiled as he remembered some recent developments with Techno. Techno was opening up, slowly, but opening up nonetheless! It hadn't been long, just over a week ago.

The library had been closing early for some reason, as it sometimes did. Phil and Techno had been locked in a riveting discussion over Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet. Phil had not had to think about Shakespeare since middle school, and Techno might've had a good grasp on it but he was only nine so it was tenuous at its best. It was hilarious to listen to Techno monotonically insult almost every character in the play.

Phil had been so interested in the discussion that he'd invited Techno over to his apartment to continue it. It would be a definite bonus to hear Techno mock some more people. After Phil had said it, he realized how odd it was to do so. He'd winced and told Techno that he wasn't trying to kidnap him or anything, he just genuinely wanted to hear what Techno would say next.

Somehow Techno knew exactly what his intentions were, and exactly how much Phil didn't want it to come out that way. Techno had looked Phil dead in the eye and told him in no uncertain terms, Phil, it's okay, you are like an open book. You're some weirdo who gets along with kids. Like an elementary school teacher.

Phil had given Techno his phone so he could call his parents to tell them he'd be at Phil's. Techno had informed Phil that they were his foster parents and that they could care less about where he went and who he went with. What kind of parents would let their kid stay out so late at the library anyway? A nagging feeling started to grow in Phil's chest at the last comment.

Phil insisted that Techno call his foster parents, at least so somebody knew where Techno had gone, even if it was just for Phil's peace of mind. Techno had walked off with Phil's phone unhappily and came back with a blank face.

"So they know, then?" Phil asked.

"Yeah. They're fine with it. I gave them the address if you're wondering," Techno said unenthusiastically.

Techno held a sullen silence for most of the car ride to Phil's apartment. Phil prompted him with a couple questions about Shakespeare though, and soon Techno was back off on a rant about being pursued by bears. Phil could only vaguely understand what he was talking about. Something something exit stage left, pursued by bear? There was a lot of humor in Shakespeare's plays that Phil felt was at least a little inappropriate for a child.

The two, Phil and Techno, get so engrossed in their vivisection of Old English plays that it was nearly eleven o'clock before Phil realized that he'd let the time get away from him. Phil hurried Techno along, citing that his parents must be beside themselves. Techno snorted but acquiesced with Phil's slightly frantic demands.

Phil felt the uneasiness grow in his chest. If he had a son who was out at somebody's house, especially a grown adult's house and wasn't back by nearly eleven o'clock he would be beside himself. He'd be close to calling the police. Actually, he probably would've called whoever his son was with. Maybe they didn't save his number?

Phil wanted to call them and soothe their worries about their son. However, he didn't know their number either. He asked Techno, but Techno said the best thing to do would just to focus on getting him home. Phil then realized he didn't know where Techno lived. Techno hesitated for a good half a minute before spouting off a street corner.

Phil drove all the way there on exactly the speed limit. Luckily, there wasn't any traffic, which was almost unheard of in L.a. When he dropped Techno off, Techno stood on the sidewalk for a while. Then he gestured to Phil to drive away. Phil felt torn up about letting a nine-year-old walk home on his own, but he just wanted to walk up the driveway and probably didn't want Phil knowing his exact address. Which seemed kind of odd, seeing as he'd willingly gone to Phil's apartment, but maybe there was some sort of difference.

Phil frowned a little in his car on the way to the library and shook himself out of his memories. Their library visits continued as normal afterward. However, Phil continued nursing a seed of suspicion. The night after Techno's impromptu visit, Phil applied for a foster license.

Phil didn't want to presume or overstep. He didn't want to scare Techno off or aggravate his foster parents. Just in case something bad happened, Phil wanted to be able to take care of Techno. Adopting or fostering was something plenty of people did. It had never really occurred to Phil to do it before, but he'd be willing to do so for Techno. Techno deserved everything life had to offer.

Phil hoped he would never have to use it, though.