SBI family AU

Part #22-The Job Offer

These next few parts mark the end of this arc, and the begining of another one, the New York one. Hope youve been enjoying these.

-Creeper001

Techno fiddled with the mouse, staring at the screen. He'd gotten a reply on his job application and they accepted. The downside was that it was in New York, the complete opposite of California. He heard a knock on his door and quickly closed the page.

"Dinners ready, Dad and Tommy are setting the table, if you want to come and help for once," Wil joked, before noticing Technos downtrodden face, "What's wrong? Got rejected by an e-girl?"

"I'll tell you at dinner," he said as the pair headed downstairs.

Tommy ran to the pair, rambling about how he was going to start stabbing if someone did something. Techno zoned out and only caught, "So I grabbed my knife gun and shot a seagull-"

"Tommy that's all well and exciting, but I think Technos got an announcement."

Techno looked at Wil before looking at the rest of his family, "Well, uh, one of the jobs I applied to accepted," he waited for their cheering to die down before he continued, "The only downside is that it's in New York."

The silence that followed was broken by Tommy, "So you're not taking it, right?"

"It's unfair to your brother to not let him take it. I think you should take it," Phil smiled, although Techno knew he was hurting.

"I agree with Tommy. It's too far away, is it even worth it?"

"Yeah, and besides, it's not like a super good job, right Techno?"

Techno looked down, "I accepted it."

The silence that followed this time was soul-crushing. There was the sound of a chair scooting backward and a pair of feet storming upstairs.

"Tommy-" Phil said as he followed the boy upstairs.

Wil waited for the pair to be out of earshot before he turned his attention to Techno, "You can't be serious. You're really going to leave? That's so hypocritical of you! You're always telling me not to leave, yet here you are about to go off!"

"I'm taking the job to help support you guys. You know how stressed Dad can get with work, and Tommy's going to college pretty soon. You want to leave for your enjoyment, I'm leaving to take care of the family. Do not compare my situation to yours."

"Oh fuck off!" Wil stormed upstairs after his brother and Dad.

Techno sat at the dining table thinking until Phil came back down, "Tommys in his room if you want to talk to him."

Techno just nodded and headed to the youngest's room.

"Tommy?" He knocked twice before entering.

"Get out! I don't want to talk to you!"

"Tommy, please, just listen to me, ok?"

"No! You're abandoning us! You're turning into Wil! You promised me that you wouldn't leave!" Tommy yelled at him with tears streaming down his face, "You're just a liar!"

"Tommy, I have to go. You're still young so you don't get it-"

"Stop treating me like a child! I'm not stupid!"

"I don't think you're stupid Tommy, there are just some things that come with age. You're going to be going off to college soon, I want you to have a good experience with it. I don't want you to feel pressured by financials."

Tommy started throwing his pillows at him, "You're lying! You're leaving cause you hate us!"

"Tommy that's not true, I love you guys and it's gonna suck to have to leave."

"Then stay," Tommy pleaded, his anger replaced with sadness, "I don't want to lose you too..."

Techno walked over and hugged the boy, "You're not gonna lose me. I'll always be there for you."

Techno stayed there for an hour, letting Tommy cry himself to sleep in his arms. After a bit, he gently lowered the boy into his bed and tucked him in. His next obstacle was Dad. He found the man in the backyard, being yelled at by Wil. Great.

"Make him stay! You're making me stay, so keep Techno here too! It's unfair! This is blatant favoritism!"

"This is his choice. He's got a good, secure job there. We have to support him."

"He's leaving us!"

Techno finally stepped outside, "Wil, I just put Tommy to sleep, can you keep it down."

Techno stumbled back as Wil's fist collided with his cheek, "You don't get to tell me what to do! God, I wish I could just beat the sense into you sometimes-"

Phil cut the boy off by pulling him away from Techno, "Wilbur!"

"I'm not sorry! Techno preaches sooo much about 'Growing minds need a support system' or 'Think about Tommy' yet here he is leaving us, all of us, for some stupid job!" Wilbur yelled, tears flooding to his eyes.

"I can turn down the offer if you'd rather."

Wil stopped for a second, before sighing, "No... I'd feel bad if you missed your shot. Just, promise to keep in touch? I want daily calls and constant texts."

Techno chuckled, "I didn't realize you were so clingy."

"Oh shut up. It's for Tommy, not me," Wil looked away, his face slightly red.

"Are we allowed to continue dinner now? I'm starving."