Lessons

Stop playing it isn't fun anymore (it was never fun)

TW PTSD, abuse, intentional starvation, scars
Please let me know if I missed any

When Wilbur said shopping, Techno didn't think it was for him and was absolutely floored.

"Techno, where do you want to go first?" Phil asked, stepping out of the car.

"Pardon?"

"What do you need?"

"I don't- understand?" The younger said tentively.

Wilbur chuckled, "We're getting some stuff for you, you know toiletries, clothes, things for your room."

Techno tossed Wilbur a confused glance, before turning to Phil, stringing his words carefully. "We're here- to get stuff. . . For me?"

"It sounds like all your words wade through a swamp before you say them." Tommy said brightly.

The pink haired boy tipped his head down, "Sorry." It was directed at Phil, who looked at him sadly.

Wilbur gently grabbed one of his hands, from behind his back. The brunette was really nice, and as much as Techno hated it. He liked him.

Which meant that it would hurt even more when he stabbed him in the back.

"Come on! Let's pick out some clothes first."

He could hear Phil laughing as Wilbur led him away to a store.

"I have clothes, Wilbur!" He protested.

The brunette scoffed. "Two shirts and two pairs of pants are not clothes."

"I still don't understand why you guys are doing this."

They are playing the really long game.

Wilbur turned to face him. "Technoblade, you are part of our family, and my brother. You need clothes and shoes and toiletries and room decor."

Techno only stared at the ground.

Lesson 12: the only things you need to live are food, shelter, and water, be grateful for them.

He was lying on the floor, he didn't have the energy to get up. When was the last time the woman came to drop off food and water? The boy didn't know.

At least his hair was longer again. He hated when his hair was short. But now it's all knotted, and matted from him lying on the floor.

He couldn't leave to get food, or water, he could go get it from the bathroom, but he didn't want to, he was too tired.

The first time he left, he was yelled at for an hour. The second time, he snuck out to get food. The people did something to the door to know if it was opened, and he was beat with a belt.

The third time, he was thrown in the basement, deprive of food, water, and light.

He tried the door.

Locked

He scrabbled at it until his nail beds and knuckles were bloody.

He shrieked until his throat burned.

No one let him out.

On the third day, someone gave him a cup of water.

He tucked himself into a corner, and waited for someone to let him out. It was a mistake, he'd never do it again.

Later on, someone came to get him. They looked at his bloodied knuckles, and tsked, throwing him back into his room.

He didn't leave this time.

It's been weeks, no one has given him food. He had no energy to get water.

● ● ●

He doesn't understand why Phil would go through all of this for him, or why they were so nice, they would drop the facade eventually, and punish him for all the broken rules.

Puffy said to trust them, but Techno couldn't bring himself to be taken advantage of again. His scars ran deep, and his fears ran deeper.

No one ever does things with good intentions, besides Puffy, she's the exception.

"What do you think Techno?" Wilbur held up a shirt. It was a light blue, with embroidery on the collar, more feminine than most people would suggest.

"What made you think this one?" Techno asked.

"I mean, you seem to like blouses, and puffy sleeves, and you haven't picked anything out yet."

Wilbur handed Techno the hanger, and smiled as he grabbed it gingerly.

The brunette was rather unbothered by the other's skittish outlook on life. He'd gone through the same thing, the world beating him down like ruthless waves on the sand.

Even though he wasn't adopted, or abandoned, he still had the scars of his guardians fighting when he was young. Even though Phil and Kristen were his biological parents, they were young, and for a few years he was raised by his grandparents so the new couple could get on their feet.

But no one would know that looking at the brunette now, he held his head high, because he deserved to. He may not have visible scars like Techno, but that should never belittle the scars over his heart, and the dark parts of his mind.

Techno tentively reached out to feel another shirt. It was surprisingly soft, and he turned towards Wilbur.

"Get it." Wilbur said with a smile.

They came out of the store with five new shirts, a few more pairs of pants, and some new night clothes.

Wilbur insisted on the night clothes, because, as he explained it, the bed shouldn't be contaminated with outside clothes.

Techno thought they were done, he put his bag in the trunk, but Wilbur laughed and handed him off to Phil and Kristen. Apparently they were going shoe shopping, much to Techno's disliking.

Kristen and Phil seemed adamant that he needed more than one pair of shoes, which made no sense to him. Some families withheld his shoe privileges.

Maybe adoption was different. Maybe they had better background checks.

They will gaslight you

Be careful and wary, don't be stupid, follow the lessons that were taught.

He got some boots, and new shoes, and a toothbrush, toothpaste, a red towel, and shampoo and conditioner.

They were done now, right?

Wrong, then the whole family dragged him to a big store and told him he had to pick out room decor.

There was so much.

He opted for white curtains, a marbled black and white bed set, pink decorative pillows, a red blanket with a fluffy white underside, and a little desk organizer.

Wilbur surprised him with a stuffed pig wearing a crown when they got home. It was sitting on his bed with a note that said from your brother Wilbur in the most terrible handwriting ever.

_____________________

Techno's past: they are going to beat the shit out of you.

Techno: but they're nice :(

Did you guys like the little bit of Wilbur backstory?

Have a great day/ night my friends!

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