Just us- SBI adoption story (Just me and him book 2)

Chapter 71: adoption

I started crying. "It's alright mate."

"NO!"

"Puz-z-z-zle?" Tubbo asked. I just nodded and bit the sleeve of my jumper.

"I'm going to take it away Tommy, okay?"

I cried out, kicking and squirming. "Hey, do you want to go on the trampoline?" He asked.

I got up from the sofa and ran to the back door. Phil let me out and Kristin sat on the patio with a cup of tea to watch me. After bouncing on the trampoline for a while, I did feel a lot better but tired and I had the funny, bubbling feeling in my stomach again.

Kristin took me back to Tubbo's room. I spun round a little, looking out the front window. "Tommy?"

I turned my head so that Phil knew I was listening; Techno said things like that were important. "Tubbo said that he would still like to get adopted this afternoon. Would you still like that too?" I nodded.

"G-g-g-good."

"Alright then boys, is there anything from the keep pile that either of you really want?" I thought about that polo shirt. Tubbo picked out a picture frame. I hadn't really looked at it before, but it was one Tubbo had made. There was stickers on it and it was all messy. I tiptoed over and tapped the polo shirt nervously.

"Y-ou-ou can ha-h--have th-at-t-t-t."

I smiled and held the polo shirt close.

"Let's have some lunch and then ready to go then. Tommy, do you want to have a quick hug?" I hugged him and because I wouldn't let go, he ended up carrying me all the way to the dining table. We had noodles with chicken and vegetables and teriyaki sauce.

Techno's POV:

Wilbur sat on my bed, trying desperately to do his tie and getting out of breath. He still wasn't his normal self and it was making things difficult for him. "Hold still," I said, being a proper older brother and grabbing both ends of the tie. Within seconds, it was all tied up and I helped to sort out the back of his collar.

Tommy appeared at our door, dressed in his school trousers with a bright red shirt on. Dad had helped him roll up the sleeves earlier and he looked quite cool in it. He was now holding on to a red and blue polo shirt very tightly.

Mum talked to us about what Dad was doing with Tubbo and Tommy this morning and so when I saw the shirt I realised it must have been his dad's. Wilbur was still in shock.

"What would you like me to do with the shirt Tommy?" I asked, knowing that Tommy wouldn't find my question upsetting. He held up close to himself. "Would you like to wear it?" He nodded, biting his lip. "Why don't we go and ask Phil?" I said, holding his hand and taking him downstairs to where I knew Dad was.

"Hey mate, what's up?"

"He wants to wear the polo shirt."

"Oh okay." I could see Dad's brain trying to work out what to say. "Tommy, are you sure you want to wear this to the adoption?" Tommy nodded. "Okay, Tubbo is that okay?"

I saw Tubbo start typing. He must have not been in a talking mood today. I didn't blame him. He was probably in a lot of pain and he hadn't had much sleep. The message came through on the family group chat. 'The shirt doesn't mean anything to me but it must to Tommy. If he wants to wear it, he can wear it.'

I thought about how nice that was. To be able to acknowledge that his younger brother had found a way to remember good memories of their dad without it feeling like it was invalidating the bad times. I don't know, maybe I'm explaining it wrong but it just felt warm and fuzzy.

Dad got me to help Tommy into the polo shirt because it was a little big and Dad was trying to work out ways to make it fit better. "Maybe I could sew it or-"

"If you sew it now, he can't wear it when he's grown up a bit. Just leave it Dad. He probably likes it big like he liked that oversized jumper."

"Okay then, Tommy you happy with that?" My little brother squealed in reply and grabbed one of his dinosaur toys from the floor before running to the bathroom and jumping to see the shirt in the mirror. It was way too big on him, but having tucked it in, it now looked semi-wearable. All that mattered was he was happy.

Time skip:

I sat nervously in the court room. It didn't look like a court room as much as my one did when I got adopted but I think that helped Tubbo and Tommy feel less nervous. There was a lot of important people discussing stuff and Mum and Dad were busy talking to Grian, so I had been tasked with keeping Tommy occupied and Wilbur was talking with Tubbo. (It was going to be James' job but he was ill and hadn't been able to come.) It didn't feel like a job because I loved spending time with Tommy but after he asked to play a game on my phone for the 20th time, I gave in. Then it started feeling a little more like a job. Because Tommy playing games on your phone is a game within itself. But still, he was quiet and he was calm and that was all that needed to happen.

From Tommy's perspective, the whole process was pretty boring and unlike my own adoption, this time I agreed with him. We fidgeted together, sharing fidget toys and when we got a little loud, I got a chew toy out of his backpack for him.

And then, 30 minutes later, we were done. We went out for celebratory ice cream at the same place we'd gone with Kelly and afterwards the park. Wilbur and Tubbo sat on the swings, talking and doing what all teenagers do when they do to a park. Meanwhile, Tommy and I ran around, climbing over everything and going down the slides every possible way. I was scuffing up my school shoes a lot but when Dad realised he just said that he'd help me polish them again tonight. Then I was back off, chasing after Tommy again. That blue and red polo shirt dashing about the park in all directions. A smile on the face of the young boy wearing it. A smile on my little brother's face.

A/n Hey! They're now adopted woo! A bit more on Tubbo's injury in the next chapter but this felt like a more important story to tell right now. Thanks for being here and for reading it!