Raising Tubbo

Best Friends at First Sight

It's been a while since Tubbo was first taken in by the trio, he loved it here, really, but he often found himself sitting in front of the window, staring at little kids that would pass his house. He was lonely.

It wasn't that he didn't like being the only child, no, he absolutely loved all the attention he got because he was the only one to give it to. He just... He wanted a friend or two.

The three adults noticed the boy sulking at the window, watching a group of little kids laugh and play across the street. George frowned, "He's been at the window for half an hour..."

"I know... I think he wants someone to play with..." Dream watched as the boy set his chin in his arms, gazing longingly out the window as children across the street squealed and laughed.

"Maybe we should bring him to the park? Let him socialize and make friends?" Sapnap suggested. For a moment they thought of a normal three-year-old, one that wasn't shy around strangers, one that wasn't afraid of his own shadow.

But this was Tubbo, the boy broke down just a few days ago because his blanket dropped in between the couch cushions. They weren't sure how Tubbo would react to other kids, even if he wanted a friend.

"We... We can try." George agreed with Sap. Sapnap smiled, grabbing the older's hand, I'm sure he'll be fine, Gogy." George smiled slightly, still nervous.

Dream stood, "Hey Tubs, can you come with me to get dressed?" Tubbo was currently in his creeper onesie, he usually wore it around the house. Tubbo looked back at Dream, tilting his head, "Why?"

Tubbo seemed to question stuff a lot more, either genuinely curious about stuff or he was just bored. "We're going out somewhere." Dream hummed, holding out his hand for the toddler.

Tubbo walked over, taking the other's hand, "Why?" He asked again. "It's a surprise, Tubs." Dream hummed, walking into Tubbo's room. He opened Tubbo's draws, taking out some clothes. Tubbo was silent for a bit.

"Why?"

Dream sighed, curse children and their curiosity.

~

All four family members were sat in the car, Dream driving, Sapnap in the front seat, and George in the back with Tubbo. The little boy was dressed in a pastel blue shirt and dark blue overalls, his hair combed and fell over his eyes.

He clicked his white shoes together, looking out the window at the fast-moving buildings and other cars. When they stopped at a stoplight Tubbo could see a few birds pecking at food on the sidewalk, the toddler smiled, lifting a hand to the window and saying a soft "birb" before the car began to move again.

After a bit, they arrived at the park. "Here we are!" Dream smiled, silently grateful that Tubbo didn't question where they were going much. Tubbo looked up at Dream before looking past him through the windshield. His eyes immediately lit up.

There in front of where they parked was a playground, full of swings and slides and seesaws. Tubbo struggled at unbuckling himself, George chuckling before unbuckling it for him. The little boy climbed out of his seat, lifting his arms up at Dream who had opened the back door.

"Eager, are we?" Dream spoke, picking up the child nonetheless. Tubbo didn't pay much attention to him, wiggling when they got to the playground's gate, signaling he wanted to be put down.

Once his feet hit the ground he took off running for the slide. George smiled warmly at the sight, Tubbo, who was usually so quiet and meek in social settings, laughing and filled with excitement.

There was another family there, a boy with blond hair, roughly the same age as Tubbo, with what seemed to be his dad, who also had blond hair, and what they assumed was his brothers, one with curly brown hair and one with dyed pink hair.

Tubbo paid no mind to them, and besides, the boy was too busy bothering his brothers to notice Tubbo. But that only lasted maybe a few minutes.

Tubbo went to climb the ladder to the slide for the fourth time before the energetic blond child ran up to him, "Hello!!" The child nearly screamed.

Tubbo quickly blocked his ears, moving a hand to his lips and hushed out a "shhh!", something he picked up from George when the others were being too loud.

Speaking of George, he went to get up, to save Tubbo from the dread of social interaction when Sapnap stopped him, watching the two children closely.

The loud child seemed to calm down at that, mimicking the movement Tubbo made before standing straight, "Hello!" He spoke, less loud this time, "I'm Tommy!"

Tubbo smiled at the tone, waving at Tommy, not speaking just yet. "Your name?" Tommy asked, pointing at Tubbo.

"Mmm... Tubbo..." He mumbled quietly, pretty shy in the setting. Tommy laughed slightly, "Mmm, Tubbo!! Hi Mmm Tubbo!"

Tubbo giggled, "Jus' Tubbo." He informed the other, Tommy frowned, "Bu' I like Mmm.... Mmmm... Mmm! Like bee!!" Tubbo lit up at the mention of the insect.

"I like bees." Tubbo admitted, Tommy jumped up, "Yay! I call you Bee, hi Bee!!" Tubbo laughed, waving at Tommy after the statement.

The trio sitting on a nearby bench was shocked, Tubbo barely talked that much at home, but he looked like he knew this kid for months, already making friends so quickly.

"Wow," Sapnap whistled, "At least he's not alone anymore." He spoke, the two next to him dumbly nodded, watching as Tommy pulled Tubbo along to the seesaw.

The two played together for what seemed like hours, babbling in a mix of English and their own language only they seemed to understand.

Dream stood, sighing slightly, Tubbo's not gonna like this, "Hey Tubs, I think it's time we headed home." He spoke carefully, but the look the toddler gave him made his heart ache.

Tubbo looked up at Dream, tears pricking the corner of his eyes, "Wh-Wha'?" His lip quivered, Tommy scrambling to hold him, his cheek smushing against Tubbo's, "No!! Bee my friend!!"

Dream heard a sigh, the other blond adult stood, a green cap on his head, "Tommy, Tubbo's gotta go home." Tommy's eyebrows furrowed, shaking his head as he held Tubbo tightly, Tubbo doing the same.

"Nuh-uh, Bee stay wit' me." The toddler didn't seem shaken, going as far as sitting in the dirt with Tubbo, the two just holding each other as their parents tried to get them to separate.

After about seven minutes there was no progress, Tommy and Tubbo were still stuck at the hip. Tommy's father, who is now known as Phil, sighed, "I'm very sorry about him, he's usually not this hellbent on keeping something."

Phil had sat with Dream, George, and Sapnap, the two older teens, Wilbur and Techno, were still trying to unlatch the toddlers from each other. George nodded, "I get it, Tubbo's pretty lonely but I didn't expect him to hold on like that."

Phil furrowed his eyebrows in thought before smiling, "I got an idea. Can I have your numbers?" The trio looked at each other before reluctantly giving Phil their numbers, Phil checking it was them before telling the trio his plan.

Phil walked over to the stubborn toddlers, who were still holding each other. "Alright Tommy, if Tubbo's parents and I make an agreement that you can see Tubbo again tomorrow, will you let him leave?"

Tommy thought about this, he looked at Tubbo, Tubbo looking back at him before he looked at his father, "To'orow?" He asked, Phil nodded, "Yep, tomorrow, but you gotta let him go home."

"Yeah Toms," Wilbur pipped in, "If you don't, he can't get ready and then you won't be able to play with him."

Tommy hummed, exaggeratingly so (he picked it up from Techno, the rascal), before nodding, letting Tubbo go, "G'bye Bee." Tubbo whined slightly, "Noo, Tommy..." He gave Tommy one last squeeze, waving him goodbye as the loud boy scurried up to follow his family.

George immediately picked up Tubbo once he let go, the boy whining again that he had to leave his friend, but at the same time, he was very, very tired.

In fact, the boy fell asleep once his head hit the soft cushions of his car seat. George chuckled as he buckled him in, climbing back beside it. Dream and Sapnap got in as well, laughing slightly, "Welp," Sapnap started, "That was eventful."