SBI + Tubbo Adoption AU

Part 17 💤Boundaries💤

"How would the government even let that happen?!"

The room had been afflicted by a bitter silence after Eret had broken the news.

"I-I don't know." I admitted. Who could know things so grave as this? I don't understand either. I'm his legal fucking father and I don't know what to do.

"Do we sue? Do we keep this private? Do we investigate it more? What do we do?" Wilbur asks.

We were all gathered in the living room. Me, Wilbur, Techno, Eret, Dream, and Bad (who had both come back an hour ago). We sent Quackity, Schlatt, and Sapnap to hang out with the boys.

"I don't think this is our choice." Dream says. He's biting on his nail, which already looks so worn down.

"What!? He-" Wilbur starts, but Techno interrupts him.

"Tommy and Tubbo get to choose what to do here."

The room goes silent once more. The humming of the air conditioner and the I loud noises of the crickets outside are the only thing that make this room alive.

"We can't force them to make a choice here. They barely know us. Instead, we should show them undeniable amounts of love and support." I say.

The room goes quiet again. I can hear faint sounds of the boys in the other room yelling and playing around.

"I agree with Phil. They need to trust us first." Bad says.

"I do too." Eret says, nodding. The concern on his face is overwhelming.

"Why won't we do anything?" Wilbur asks. He sounds like he's holding back rage.

"Because we can't. This is more serious than anything we've dealt with before, Wil. These kids have been abused and beaten and have gone through hell. We can't make them revisit that until they're ready." I say. I can hear the involuntary guilt coming out of my voice. I want to do something too, I want to burn that house down, I just can't.

"No! We should fight this while we have the chance! They deserve security!" He yells.

"Wilbur! They deserve happiness!" Eret yells in response.

"We should do what we can, while we can!"Someone yells, trying to be heard.

Fighting erupts throughout the room. I try to calm everyone down, but my words are like whispers among the screaming.

Techno looks at me, an expression of unsureness forming on his face. I simply give a supportive nod to him, as the fighting gets louder and more intense.

I look around the room, seeing a small figure in the frame of the hallway door.

I cut across the room, swiftly avoiding the fighting. Tubbo is there, standing completely still, eyes wide, and tears streaming down his face.

I kneel down in front of him, his eyes lock onto mine.

"Hey, hey, hey Tubbo, it's okay, it'll be okay." I say, rubbing his back. I'm not sure if I should hug him, to respect his boundaries.

"W-w-why is there always fighting?" He cries out.

I don't know how to respond to this, so I just keep telling him it'll be okay. I look back at Techno, trying to tell him to do something about the fighting.

Techno walks into the middle of the fight, putting his hands up. "Stop."

The talking ceases, and they all turn to me and Tubbo, since they can hear my calming words.

I can't see, but I can feel the horror behind me.

—/-

I rush outside, Schlatt failing at stoping me.  I run down the long hall, stopping, seeing Tubbo standing still in front of Phil.

I practically leap up to him, wrapping Tubbo up in a hug. I lean into his neck, hugging him tightly from the side. The room is silent.

Tubbo stands still, shaking a little bit. He's always been sensitive to fighting, ever since one foster him we were in... The night that we were told the truth, that we caused our parents deaths.

Tubbo eventually musters up the strength into reciprocate the hug, nearly falling down and knocking us both to the ground as he sobs. I turn him away from the room, hiding him behind me.

I look behind me, still focused on comforting my brother. Phil is still kneeled on the ground, and Techno is in the middle of the room, bouncing on the soles of his feet. Techno has his hand over Wilbur's chest, in a way that would have signaled for him to stop. Dream, Bad, Eret, and Wilbur look terrified.

It takes awhile to calm Tubbo down, but he falls asleep in my lap. He does this often we he cries, so I softly pick him up and tuck him into bed.

I sit on the edge of the bed, unsure of what to do. I could stay here, but I doubt I'd sleep. My body aches from carrying Tubbo in my current state, my injuries still fresh. But something is nagging at me, telling me to go out there.

I silently leave the room, hearing low chattering outside. I can't decipher the voices from this distance, but it sounds like scolding.

I slowly walk down the hall, my footsteps completely silent.

When I reach the end, I stop. Should I just go back while I can? No one has seen me yet.

I push myself another step forward. Now everyone is in the living room, including Schlatt, Big Q, and Sapnap.

They all turn, looking at me. I stare at them, my face unmoving in a grimace.

"Tommy, I'm sorry." Wilbur says, his face in his hand.

I shake my head. "I'm not the one you should be apologizing too."

I my head back, gulping in air. I can feel a surge of anger flow throughout my body through my veins. The entire time I have been here, it has been one catastrophic event after another. More and more tears shed. And yet, I have some attachment to this family. It's probably because they have a connection to my parents.

I can hear shuffling throughout the room, and I tilt my head down, letting out a shaky sigh.

"What the fuck?" I weakly ask. "Why were you fighting?"

The last word comes out a bit stronger than the rest, my voice rising.

Everyone in the room turns to look at Phil. He opens his mouth, but I stop him.

"No. Phil, I'm sorry for how I acted before I passed out." I say. He looks surprised. "This is one of the kindest yet most dysfunctional families I have met. But you crossed a line. Do not EVER make Tubbo cry."

I feel energy wash over the room at words, Eret and Bad sitting up.

"I can and will shed every tear he will in his place, so take whatever rage you have put on me. If you fight, bring it outside. Do not mention our parents unless me or Tubbo brings it up first. And for God's sake, don't be stupid." I say.

I slump a bit, the sudden surge of anger leaving me and replacing itself with anxiety.

Did I really just do that? I can't do that! I have to be respectful, or else bad things will happen! I lower my head.

"Please don't hurt me." I whimper out. It comes out involuntarily.

I feel a pair of arms wrap around me. It's Techno.

"No one will hurt you."

(Hello. Did you know that music releases the same chemical in our brains as sggs? Fun. I'm posting the Sapnap cosplay with the next chapter, but i'm keeping my face covered. I'd rather keep my identity secret in case anyone I know irl reads this. Update in authors life- My back started hurting. A lot, like whenever I walk or bend it and stuff. It's annoying. It's been like 4, 5 days, so I'll have to go to the doctor. 50% chance my doctor is a pedo but whatever. Anyway have fun with this early update)