Chapter Text
Tommy kicks his feet, staring out the window of the car as we drive
a seemingly endless ball of energy, he never sits still
"So, Tommy is it?"
Phil asks, making small talk
"yup!"
"Who lives there with you?"
Phils voice barely conceals his concern, clearly not happy with the thought of a fledgling living in such a rundown apartment, especially not one in that part of the city
"My roommates, Ranboo and Tubbo"
"and your parents?..."
Phil barely bites back a concerned warble
"oh uh... well they're on the lease"
Tommy mumbles, avoiding the issues
Finally going still for the first time since we got in the car
"right well... we're here"
Tommy mutters as Phil pulls the car to the curb of the small apartment
Phils expression seems to fall impossibly further
Tommy practically scrambles from the car, slamming the door shut and disappearing into the building
"This is where he lives!?"
Phil turns to me wide eyed, looking back to the building with a distressed chirp
"He's a fledgling! where are his parents!?"
Phils face scrunches up with pity like Tommy was a stray puppy
"Phil he may be young by avian standards but he's 18, he legally is old enough to take care of himself"
as much as it hurts me too, Tommy is old enough to make his own decision
"but-"
"no Phil you're not adopting another child"
Phil pouts at me, as if he's not like 3 times my age
"okay old man lets go home; I'll stay in the nest tonight if it'll make you feel better"
Phil perks up at that, wings ruffling in excitement
I can't help but roll my eyes at him, Phils avian instincts or 'birdbrain' as Techno call it always makes him clingy, and he'd probably try to adopt every street kid he came across if we didn't stop him
~~~
*Tommys pov*
I have to knocks a couple times before Tubbo finally opens the door to our apartment
I expect him to scold me but instead he looks worried, brown eyes wide and curly brown hair even messier than usual
"Tubs? what's wrong?"
"its uh... Ranboo, they're not doing great... I think the humidity and cold is really getting to them"
Tubbo mumbles dragging me inside
With their asthma Ranboo has always been susceptible to getting sick, and when they do it's pretty bad
The enderman hybrid in question is laying on the couch bundled up in all the blankets from our bed, still shiver despite all the layers
They blink up at me red and green eyes a little disoriented for a second before focusing on me
"h-hey Tommy-"
They rasp, before bursting into another round of wet sounding choughs
Ranboo winces and i can tell it hurts
"I think we have a little more honey... I'll go make you some tea"
I'm grateful for the excuse to duck out of the room for a second, still the curtain separating the kitchen and living room does nothing to muffle the sounds of Ranboo's coughs and shaky breathing
I stick a kettle of water on the stove, rummaging through the cabinets before managing to come up with a tea bag and the small jar of honey
Though it's almost empty I know it'll help sooth Ranboo's throat, I just wish we had some milk for the tea too...
I can hear Tubbo whispering soft reassurances to Ranboo, trying to comfort them
Pulling out the small bit of money I'd managed to pickpocket earlier it's nowhere near enough to buy whatever medicine Ranboo would need
Hell, i can't even remember the last time we'd been able to afford Ranboo an inhaler
Phil has probably never had to worry about money a day in his life, the rich bastard
He drove a fancy car, the kind I only saw government officials driving.
Though it makes me wonder why Wilbur lives in district 6, it's clear he's the only one living there, why doesn't he just live in whatever fancy tory house Phil lives in?
The sound of the kettle startles me, I pour the water in a cup with the teabag and stir in a spoonful of the honey
I cut up the apple i stole earlier while i wait for it to steep
Sticking a straw in the warm tea i carefully bring it and the plate over to Ranboo
Setting it down on the coffee table, Tubbo smiles thankfully at me
"Here Ran, careful"
He murmurs, helping Ranboo sit up slightly before picking up the cup
He doesn't let go as Ranboo drinks from the straw, not trusting them to not drop the cup with how badly their hand were shaking
Not wanting Ranboo to spill it and get burns from the water onto of being sick
Finally they push away the drink, grabbing an apple slice they chew it slowly as we sit in silence
"so-"
"you guys shouldn't have to worry about me..."
"Well i dont have anything better to do with my time"
Tubbo grins nudging Ranboo but they dont laugh
"listen uh... I think it's time i ask my dad to-"
"no! nu uh not happening"
Now it's Ranboo's turn to protest
I nod along, even though i don't know Tubbo's dad as well as Ranboo does i know Tubbo left for a good reason
"we'll be okay on our own! we've been fine so far so why not now!?"
I protest but Tubbo shakes his head
"This is different! Ranboo hasn't ever been this sick this is bad! they should see a doctor"
"Isn't Puffy a doctor? maby they could-"
"wrong kind of doctor"
I shake my head at Ranboo's suggestion
"Maby i can ask Wilbur? he might know someone?"
"Who's Wilbur?"
"Oh yeah he's that prick from the cafe"
I chuckle rolling my eyes
"oh! dude he's an avian!"
Both their eyes go wide
"whoa wait really?"
Ranboo asks incredulously
"yeah really! he chirped at me and shit- I guess that explains his dad, though not his brother? really what is up with that piglin?"
Tubbo just chuckles as i rant
"alright alright it's getting late! bedtime fuckers!"
Tubbo grins, shoving me off my seat on the arm of the couch, i yelp wings flaring to keep me from falling
"I'm not going anywhere while Ranboo hogs all the goddamn blankets!"
Ranboo reddens, curling in on themselves embarrassed
"shit- Ran i was just kidding!"
I sputter as Tubbo burst out into more loud laughter, Ranboo even lets out a little chuckle of their own