The Silence of a Somber Day

Calm Before the Storm

"Hey, boys!" Tommy yelled out as he met the three at the bus stop closest to his house. Wilbur was playing some game on his phone while leaning against the shoulder of his older brother who was reading a thick book. Philza was standing by the pillar that held up the roof of the bus stop. It was staring out at the sky where a few birds were swirling around in circles around each other. Tommy had been staring at them for a few seconds, trying to make sure that he calmed down enough to where he wouldn't snap at any of them in the anger that wasn't directed towards them. Tommy needed to separate his feelings from the moment. That was the first lesson he was taught by his mother.

"Tommy!" Wilbur called out as he jumped to his feet while still entangled with Techno. As Wilbur came over to Tommy, Techno was pulled to the ground, his knees hitting against the concrete. Wilbur looked at his brother for a single second before he darted forwards. Techno called out some curse in a different language as he scrambled to his feet. Wilbur didn't stop to hear what it was that his brother wanted to say as he grabbed onto Tommy's hand. The blonde was dragged along for the ride as the pink haired brother chased the brunette down the street. Tommy was running alongside Wilbur before his mind had caught up to what happened. Vaguely, he heard Philza yelling at them to stop and be careful, but Wilbur didn't follow his father's instructions, if he heard them. Wilbur kept running down the sidewalk with a firm grip around Tommy's hand. The same hand that Tommy had patched him in the early hours of the morning when he realized that an infected wound was definitely not something he wanted.

Tommy didn't say anything as he slammed his body to a halt, his heels digging into the sidewalk. At the sudden jerk, Wilbur's momentum sprung him backwards until he was falling onto the ground. With his hands now free, Tommy pushed against Wilbur shoulder blades to keep him from falling. Tommy lowered Wilbur to the ground as Technoblade caught up with them. His cheeks were flushed a scarlet red and he gave a minimal huff, but otherwise, it didn't look like Technoblade had run the same distance Wilbur and Tommy had. When Philza finally came next, he was more out of shape than all the boys combined. Techno grabbed the collar of Wilbur's jacket, effortlessly lifting the brunette to his feet. Wilbur sighed as he gave a glare at Tommy, "Traitor."

Tommy Innit did not flinch at those words. He didn't avert his eyes away while his fists grasped the hem of his hoodie. He didn't get reminded whose hoodie this was, that he should have burned it, least of all wear it. Tommy's hand did begin to ache with a pain that wasn't from what he did but why he punched that TV. Even though Tommy didn't do that, Philza gave him a sympathetic look while putting a hand on both of his boy's shoulders. "I think we're getting a little riled up. We haven't even gotten to the park yet."

Both boys raised an eyebrow at him before looking at Tommy. He stared dead at Philza with a fighting glare before sighing with a half hearted smile. "Come on, lads, let's go before Old Man Philza tells us twice. We wouldn't want him to send his velociraptor after us."

"I am not that old," Philza said as he led the way to the park that the firework show would be hosted at. Techno dropped Wilbur onto the ground before following closely behind Philza. Wilbur gave Tommy a pleasant smile that the blonde wanted to slap off Wilbur's face until he never wanted to smile again. Instead of getting violent, Tommy nodded his head, pushing past Wilbur to follow behind Techno, allowing the brunette to take up the rear. It was odd that Wilbur had made them run away from the location they needed to be at.

"You are old as shit," Tommy said despite having no idea how old Philza was. He probably was old considering Wilbur and Techno seemed to be in their twenties or late teenage years. Tommy supposed he could examine Philza to find a definite age, like what he did to potential suspects when he was a hero, but doing that would require effort that Tommy didn't have and would invite the voice of the man who taught Tommy all the tricks back into his head. Tommy had shut himself out from his feelings. It was a horrible idea to let them fester, and Tommy knew as much, but he didn't have a healthy outlet. He could keep punching televisions until he got over himself, but that wouldn't help anyone, least of all himself.