The Lives We Save

Castle Life

T.W.: sudden screaming? Not quite a panic attack but C! Is scared

Techno was walking towards the training arena. He was itching to practice, specifically with a sword. He kept going through stances in his head. Techno had been hyperfixated on this one move for a week now and he hasn't been able to get it.

"Techno!"

The pinkette paused at the sound of his name. He turned to see his adoptive father walking toward him.

Phil laughed lightly, "hey mate, going to practice?"

Techno nodded, "still fixated on that one move."

"Ah, okay." Phil smiled softly, "at three Wilbur and I are going for a walk. Would you like to join us?"

Techno shrugged, "alright. Three right?"

"Yep!" Phil nodded, "that gives you a little less than three hours to practice."

Techno hummed, "that should be enough time."

"Alright. I'll see you at three Techno." Phil told him as he walked away.

Three, three, three, Techno repeated in his head. He should set an alarm just in case. So Techno pulled out his phone and set an alarm for three hours. He then put his phone in his pocket and continued on his way.

Time seemed to slip away once Techno reached the arena. In what felt like five minutes, his alarm was ringing. At first he thought he put it in wrong, but a quick glance- well, two glances- proved that it was the right time.

By the time Techno had put the weapons away, cleaned up slightly, and ran to the entrance of the castle, it was already three-ten.

"You okay mate?" Phil chuckled at the very out of breath Techno.

Techno nodded quickly, straightening up, "yeah, yeah I'm alright."

Wilbur bounced up to Techno, his eyes shining, "we're having a picnic Techno!"

"That's great Wilbur." Techno smiled at his little brother.

Phil smiled at his sons. Techno had been adopted when he was ten, after he had tried to join the royal guard. Then they found out that he shared a birthday with their biological son Wilbur. Though Wilbur all but ignored Techno until the pinkette offered for Wilbur to braid his hair. The two had been practically inseparable ever since.

"Can I carry the basket?" Wilbur asked.

Phil chuckled, handing the basket over, "sure mate."

Wilbur smiled brightly as he took the basket. He started running his nails over the woven wicker, strumming some sort of pattern as they walked. Soon Wilbur started humming along with his strumming. Phil recognized it as the lullaby he and Kristen sang to him when he was young.

So Phil started singing along, "The sky is dark and the hills are white as the storm-king speeds from the north to-night. And this is the song the storm-king sings as over the world his cloak he flings. Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep. He rustles his wings and gruffly sings. Sleep, little one, sleep."

"On yonder mountain-side a vine slings at the foot of a mother pine. The tree bends over the trembling thing and only the vine can hear her sing. Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep. What shall you fear when I am here? Sleep, little one, sleep." Techno joined in lowly.

"The king may sing in his bitter flight," Wilbur laughed lightly, "The pine may croon to the vine to-night. But the little snowflake at my breast liketh the song I sing the best. Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep. Weary thou art, anext my heart. Sleep, little one, sleep."

Wilbur burst into a fit of giggles as he finished the song. He bounced on his toes for a moment, having to run a few steps to catch up to his family.

"Feel better?" Phil chuckled.

Wilbur nodded, a large smile on his face. The brunette swing the basket lightly as they walked. Everything felt right today.

"Alright, we're here." Phil told his boys, stopping at the shore of a river.

"Yes!" Wilbur cheered, dropping down and starting to set up the picnic.

Phil just let him, sitting down on the blanket once it was layed out to Wilbur's taste. He watched with a small smile as his son meticulously set up everything exactly how it was every picnic. Honestly Phil thought he should help the kitchen set up for everything, but Wilbur could get frustrated if everything wasn't exactly right.

"Phil!" Techno called.

Both Wilbur and Phil looked up. Usually they stayed quiet until Wilbur was done. Something must be wrong.

"What's wrong?" Phil asked, running over to where Techno was kneeling by the shore.

Wilbur ran up net to him, his eyes going wide, "there's a boy!"

Techno nodded, lifting the soaked, unconscious blonde boy, "yep. And he's hurt."

"Okay, bring him over here." Phil instructed, "do you know what happened?"

"He probably got swept up in the current and drowned." Techno said, laying the boy down next to the blanket, "well, fell unconscious from lack of oxygen. It doesn't seem like he inhaled any water though."

Wilbur went back to setting up the last few things, only speaking once it was done, "when did you learn about that?"

Techno shrugged, "uh... A few weeks ago I think?"

"Well at least it came in handy." Phil smiled softly.

The boy stirred, coughing slightly as he woke up. He opened his eyes slowly. But his expression quickly morphed into fear as he backed away from the strangers.

"Woah, it's okay mate, we're not gonna hurt you." Phil gave the boy a comforting smile.

The boy screamed. Phil and Techno jerked back in surprise, being the closest to the boy. Meanwhile, Wilbur clamped his hands over his ears.

The boy continued to scream, flapping his arms close to his head. Almost as if he was trying to hide.

Phil immediately recognized what was happening. The boy was stimming. He was terrified and trying to cope.

Phil reached into his bag, pulling out a towel he brought for Wilbur. It was soft, something that wouldn't bother Wilbur texture wise, so Phil hoped it would work for the boy. He draped the towel over the boys head.

Almost immediately the screaming and stimming stopped. The boy slowly grabbed the towel, rubbing the soft fabric between his fingers. Phil let out a sigh of relief.

"Hey mate." Phil tried again.

The boy looked up, rubbing the towel a bit harder.

"You're safe now, it's okay." Phil told him, "what's your name?"

The boy didn't answer. His eyes flicked between Phil and Techno.

"Can you talk?" Phil asked, continuing when the boy shook his head, "alright. Do you have anyone to look after you?"

The boy nodded, pointing upstream.

"Can you take us to them?" Phil smiled softly.

The boy nodded, getting to his feet. He started walking off, but was stopped by Techno.

"We have to wait for Wilbur." Techno gestured to where his brother was still curled up with his hands over his ears.

They watched as Phil gently rubbed Wilbur's back, talking to him in a quiet voice. Wilbur unclamped his ears. His hands moved to rub against his jeans. Phil reached into his bag again, bringing out a blue sheep plush with sequins all over it. Wilbur took it and started flipping the sequins the other way, turning the sequins white.

Wilbur continued flipping the sequins as he and Phil approached the other two.

"Alright, we're okay now." Phil told them, "lead the way."

The boy nodded, starting up river. The small family followed the strange boy, who still had the soft towel on his head.