I'm Sorry, Kid ~ Dadschlatt AU

{7}

There was around three days until Phil and Techno were meant to be due home for Tubbo's birthday - his 16th birthday, his first "big" one, most important...supposedly.

The question was, did Tubbo actually want them to come home..? After what was learnt, he wasn't so sure. It wouldn't be the same anyway, not without his brothers, his best friends - Tommy especially.

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Schlatt supposed he should invest in a little something for his son. He never had, considering he dumped his kid before he reached his first birthday. The only thing he'd ever given was a bee plushie and a seemingly endless load of hardships. How many times had he kept Tubbo around for his schemes, during fights and drunken shit? Far too many - too many for him to count.

But one thing stood in his way; what the fuck do you get your 16-year-old who you dumped on an old friend and haven't even thought about since? "Jesus, you really did fail the kid." Schlatt mumbled to himself as he stood in his office, looking out at the wintry country. "You didn't even think to check on him once? Fucking hell. Why'd you even bother comin' back, you knew he'd be here the second you heard about Wilbur and Tommy. You've made a mess again, buddy. Nice going."

He spent the next day or so asking around, trying to find out what exactly the kid even liked, what he showed interest in. From what he gathered and what he could remember, Tubbo hadn't changed. Bees was the most common answer. And so the challenge of finding the perfect gift began.

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When Tubbo went downstairs on the morning of December 23rd, his birthday, he wasn't expecting a fully empty house. Of course he knew not everybody would be there - Will and Tommy would, quite literally, be killed if they were spotted around the newly renamed Manburg, even if only to see Tubbo on his birthday. But surely Philza and Techboblade would remember, would come home, even if only for a day. They barely seemed to care anymore...

He decided that he'd just spend the day as if it were any other, doing whatever usual shit. Including working alongside Schlatt. Which Tubbo, quite frankly, wasn't sure he wanted to do at that moment. Afterall, they hadn't spoken in the few days since the "big reveal" of the whole father-son situation. Tubbo hadn't shown up to work at any point, instead spending every day sneaking to and from Niki's house. But right now, anything beat being home alone on his 16th.

Tubbo opened the front door, the chilly winter air sending a shiver through him. Beside one of the garden bushes was a little box, with for tubbo. happy birthday kid ♡ scribbled carelessly on it. Only one person calls me kid. He removed the lid of said box, revealing the gift from the president - a green sweater, with black sleeves and a bee hand-embroidered on the front. Tubbo smiled slightly, pulling the sweater over his shirt.

"C'mon kid, it's alright." Schlatt takes the crying child into his arms, stroking his hair softly. "I'm so sorry. You're okay now." The child stops eventually, the comfort of his father bringing peace to his mind. The father takes his son to the kitchen to feed him. Has he done that already...? He doesn't remember. Schlatt prepares the food, baby Tubbo on the counter, a large coin in his mouth; "No no no you can't have that-" the man says, rushing over to take the metal from the child, who (in response to having it taken) begins to cry again. "Oh c'mon, it's a coin! It's nothing to cry over-" Of course he doesn't stop, the crying continuing on. "Fuckin hell, okay!" Schlatt caves, giving it back, to which the child babbles cutely and chews again.

The ram-human father stops the food from heating up any more and heads to the back room, where many storage boxes stacked up and up. He pulls one out after another, rummaging through each one. Eventually he found a plushie in one - a bee. He grins, carelessly shoving boxes back before returning to the kitchen, where the child still sat. "Here, gimme the coin." he sort of demands, taking it once again. Before the child can show upset again he places the bee in his lap. Tubbo's face seems to light up, and he laughs, instantly loving it and playing with it. The same feeling of joy and warmth rises in Schlatt. Never would he have thought he'd be stood here, a child of his on the counter laughing and babbling happily as he plays with a bee plushie, and yet here he was. If only things could remain this way forever more...but all good things must come to an end.