itch (DreamSMP)

chapter 2

Tommy laid across the couch lazily, legs spread across the abnormally long couch clearly fitted to inhabit Ranboo's lanky exterior. Its after they all ate, and he seems lax, eyes dipping close and brushing the ends of his eyelashes against his cheeks. He's not really.

Tommy is hyper aware of the presences in the room, listening to the rhythm of their footsteps to gauge how many steps away they were. The room is fairly warm, the ceiling high and far away as he stares up at it. He's not bored, but he's maliciously tempted to claim he is.

Attention seeker. Something whispers in the back of his mind, and Tommy squashes the amusement previously rising up in him. Ranboo and Tubbo are talking aimlessly to one another, and despite the warmth of the room, Tommy begins to feel a sick cold feeling swell up in his gut.

The house is hilariously baby proofed, layered with soft materials and has absence of any sharp or quote on quote, dangerous objects (Tommy rolls his eyes.) Quietly, another soft thought is met to the other ones. They care a lot about Michael. it's a given, hes their damn son afterall. But. Tommy wonders how two people without parents were able to become such great ones.

The blond is snapped out of his train of thought by a tapping against his head, and he whips his head around to see the fucker who did it.

Michael grins at him, and from how close he is Tommy can see the stitching in the boys eyepatch. Tommy climbs up on his elbows, sitting up to look at the young zombie piglin and grunt in question.

Michael pads around the couch to come to his front, and Tommy watches silently as he slings his arms over the cushion and hauls himself up next to him.

Hes so incredibly small.

Tommy feels something squeeze in his chest, and before he can focus on it Michael is clambering into his lap. Tommy freezes, eyes wide as the boy plops down on his legs, leaning back onto his curled arm.

This small little animal was so trusting, and young, and god. A toddler he just met trying to sleep on you shouldnt be as emotional as it feels right now, but it is. Tommy manically looks over to the other two people in the room, who had gone mysteriously quiet, watching him and giggling softly.

The weight of Michael curled into him almost burns, the small toddler clings to his clothing and buries his snout in his arm. This kind of reminds him of when he used to hug Henry, except much tinier.

Tommy, in a misfit of confused emotions, shifts his legs, and tucks his arms around Michael's body. Michael sinks into him, and almost immediately, lulled to sleep.

"What the fuck." Tommy whispers softly. Hes gotten so fucking soft just for this dumb kid he met a couple hours ago.

Was this the power that made Ranboo and Tubbo adopt the fella? It had to be, because Tommy was supposed to hate Michael. He was supposed to hate Ranboo too, for stealing his best friend, for being stupid and annoying and all that sappy crap.

And as hard as he tried to, as much as he stewed in the pool of jealousy and resentment, tried to blame Ranboo for how distant him and Tubbo have gotten- He still let himself hold their child in his arms, anxiety wet on his fingers, and not allow himself to move for even a second while the young lad slept peacefully.

"What the fuck." Tommy repeated, and the warmth wading from the smallers body seeped into his bones. Tubbo laughed from the kitchen, Ranboo smiles at him.

"I think he likes you." Ranboo tells him, and Tommy knows his hands are annoyingly shaky. Tommy snorts. "Of course he does, everyone likes me- well, not everybody, but most- some people." He rambles, and Ranboo is staring at him so fondly he feels oddly overwhelmed.

"Well, Y'know, whatever." Tommy says, and he looks down at the toddler to avoid their gazes. Michael snuggles into him, and Tommy hates how much the pressure comforts him.

"Fuck you, Ranboo." He decides, and the tall prick sputters to defend himself.

"Alright, that's enough." Tubbo laughs, and Tommy holds back a grin at the wheezy sound. "Weren't you going to go see Foolish?"

Ranboo's eyes widened. "Oh shoot, I forgot about that. I better go check on him." Tubbo nods his head, reaches out to give his arm a squeeze while he grabs his furry coat from the hook.

Tommy observes silently from the couch, while Ranboo leans down to deliver a chaste kiss to Tubbo's forehead as he inches out of the door.

Tommy absently runs his fingers over the coarse hairs sprouting from Michael's little head.

Tubbo shuts the heavyweight door, sighing softly. The brunette turns and looks at him, blinking. "Tired, big man?" He questions, slow paced footsteps quiet as he nears.

"Of course not." He yawns, rolling his head against the back of the couch. Michael is so warm, and heavy, and the pressure he applies curled up against his stomach is making his eyes grow leaden.

A hand rests on his hair, Tommy is too tired to be embarrassed as he leans into the touch. "Go to sleep, Tommy. I'll keep you safe, yeah?" The blond lets his eyes close, humming as he twists into a more comfortable position with Michael's head against his chest. "I don't-" he yawns again, "-need your shitty protection anyway, Tubzo." Tommy shoves down the worry that rises about staying the night.

"Okay." Lithe fingers scratch his scalp, and Tommy forgets much else as he rubs his cheek into the soft leather couch.