They Rely On Hope. What Do I Rely On? - Tommyinnit Adoption AU

Chapter 12

Finally, Tommy looked up, not because he trusted the voice. Not because he felt safe. Not because he wanted to see who it was, but because he wanted to gage the level of danger he was in. That time, Tommy couldn't help but scream as his eyes met the man with the scarred eyes.

"I'm sorry!" Tommy panicked, knowing he couldn't scream, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I swear I didn't mean- I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!"

"Tommy, I'm not going to hurt you. I know I look like this but I won't hurt you," The man pleaded, but Tommy was frozen in fear, shaking and staring at Techno. The man sighed and pulled out his phone, typing something quickly before putting it away.

"I'm sorry," The man whispered, getting up and moving away, his eyes filled with guilt and pain and- tears? He stood, a few meters away, watching Tommy, who was still frozen in fear, shaking in the little crevice Techno had found him in.

A minute passed and then Wilbur was in front of Tommy, reaching out his hand and Tommy pulled his own up to cover his face protectively. He couldn't get hit in the face. That was hard to hide. He didn't have any make up to hide it with yet.

"Tommy, it's ok, I'm not going to hurt you," Wilbur whispered, quietly reaching out and gently pulling Tommy's hands away. He flinched, trying to pull away, to run, to escape, but he had backed himself into a corner here. He was trapped. Wilbur could do his worst and Tommy had no escape. Wilbur hummed gently, trying to calm him and Tommy's fear tripled. He wasn't supposed to ask questions. He wasn't supposed to ask questions. He wasn't supposed to ask questions. He- he needed to know- he couldn't ask. He couldn't ask, he couldn't!

"What's wrong Tommy?" Wilbur asked gently between hums, giving Tommy a reassuring look.

He couldn't ask. He couldn't ask. He couldn't ask.

He shook his head. He would not ask.

Wilbur continued to hum, waiting for a real response, but he let go of Tommy's hands gently, and instantly Tommy was pulling them up to his ears covering them, wanting the song to stop. Wanting it and Wilbur and those cruel fucking memories to go away.

"What's wrong?" Wilbur asked, startled by Tommy's reaction. Tommy stayed still, unmoving and terrified.

"Tommy?"

Nothing. Tommy just squeezed his eyes closed and tightened the hold over his ears.

"Techno, go get Ranboo," Wilbur called over his shoulder before turning back to Tommy, "Hey Tommy, it's ok."

But it wasn't ok. It wasn't. That was Tubbo's song. Wilbur had no right to hum it. That was Tubbo's and Tubbo's alone. So why had Wilbur hummed it!?

"Don't do that!" Tommy snapped, before frantically covering his mouth now. Why had he said that!? He couldn't say that! He didn't get to tell people not to do things! Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!

"Do what?" Wilbur asked, gently, reassuring, not mad? Why wasn't he mad? Tommy had yelled at him. He should be mad! That's what happened. Why wasn't he mad? Was he hiding it? Did he want Tommy to tell him so he could use it against him? Or was he actually asking? Tommy didn't know, he didn't know, he didn't know. He didn't trust Wilbur, that at least he knew.

Wilbur gave him a concerned look, confused as to what was going on, and seemingly absentmindedly, he began to hum the song again. Once more Tommy's hand shot back to his ears and Wilbur stopped as quickly as Tommy had moved.

"It's it me humming?" Wilbur asked, "Is that it?"

Tommy didn't know what to say. Didn't know what to do, but he did slowly let his hands away from his ears. That made Wilbur smile. Tommy didn't trust that. He knew what would happen now. He'd fucking use it against Tommy. That's what they all did when they found out about Tommy's weakness. It was why Ranboo had brought a note like that. It was always that. He let his weakness show and they used it against him. This wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair, but it was life. It was everything Tommy knew. It was all Tommy had. It was pain and cruelty and suffering. It was his fucking life.

Tommy was a mess. He didn't show it though. He just stared at Wilbur, and then Ranboo when the other boy joined them. He just stared absently. He didn't let himself think of what was to come.

Words: 1500

IMPORTANT  A/N: if I ever mention a character called Bruno, that is Ranboo. I'm writing an actual novel to get published, which was originally a fanfic, so I changed Ranboo's name to Bruno in that, and sometimes I accidentally put the wrong name down in this story as well, for which I am very sorry. So, please if you see that, comment on it and I'll fix it for others, I know I've had the wrong name twice already, and have now fixed it, but now you know, there is no mystery character called Bruno. Sorry for any confusion!