Home is not a house

Chapter 3

Tw for this chapter: past Abuse, vomit, talk of panic attack, razor blade and mention of self harm.

Techno pulled into the driveway. He turned off the car and turned around to look at Tommy. Tommy had cried himself out and Techno couldn't tell if he was asleep or just resting. In his arms was still the cow plush, covered in tears.

Techno sighed and unbuckled himself. He hopped out of the car and went to the back of it opening up the door as softly as he could.

"Tommy." Techno said softly in case he was asleep. When Tommy did not stir Techno concluded that he was asleep. Carefully Techno picked up Tommy and brought him inside the house, laying him on the couch, double checking that he still had the cow plush.

He then went back out to the car and grabbed the bags, bringing them upstairs and putting them on the staircase to be brought up next time someone went up.

Techno then did what he did best when stressed, he began to bake. He had learned to bake from his friend Niki long ago and Techno fell in love with it. It helped him calm down and get out of his head.

And right now his head was telling him to go back to the store and beat those people's asses.

The front door opening alerted him to the return of Wilbur and Phil. Techno poked his head out of the kitchen just to double check it was them and then went back to getting things out for cookies. Phil came into the kitchen while Wilbur went upstairs to get pjs on.

"How you doing Tech?" Phil asks softly as to not startle the sleeping boy in the next room over. Phil stares as Techno gets out flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and chocolate chips. "Ah cookie night." Phil says taking a seat at the breakfast bar. Techno slaps a measuring cup down on the counter, the plastic echoing around the room.

"How the fuck can people abuse a child then stalk them?" Techno snaps. Phil sighs and shrugs slightly. "Like can't they leave him alone? He's a kid." He continues as he starts to measure out flour.

"I know he is Tech. There's not much we can do but protect him and offer him a safe place to live." Phil reminds him and Techno nods. "I'm surprised you care for him so much, we just met him three hours ago."

"He reminds me of Liam. I don't want to fuck it up this time." Techno mumbles.

"Tech." Phil starts but Techno cuts him off.

"I know it wasn't my fault and I know there was nothing I could have done but I miss him. I miss him and I'm sad that he's gone. And who knows where he ended up, or how he's doing. And I don't want another kid to come and go and not know if they're safe or not." Techno rambles as he cracks eggs over the bowl. He hit it a bit too hard and half the shell falls into the bowl. "God damn it." He curses, starting to pick out pieces.

"Tech it'll be okay." Wilbur said from the doorway, having just come downstairs from changing his clothes.

"I know. I just worry." Techno admits to his brother and Wilbur nods.

"If you're anxiety is getting bad again do we want to talk to Dr. Simon about your meds again?" Phil asks but Techno shakes his head. "Alright. Just keep an eye on it okay? Promise you'll come to someone if it gets bad again." Techno nods his head as he stirs the bowl of cookie dough.

"So midnight cookies huh?" Wilbur smiles trying to lighten the mood, moving over to go sit next to Phil at the breakfast bar. Techno lets out a soft chuckle.

"Yes, chocolate chip cookies. And it's not midnight yet." Techno points out, pointing to the clock on the stove that showed it was only 10:48pm.

"Okay but account you finishing the dough, bake time, and cooling time. It will be midnight by the time I get a cookie in my mouth." Wilbur laughs. Phil can't help but laugh as well and moments later they all hear footsteps. They pause and Tommy stands in the doorway of the kitchen.