Requested by Nonnie: Modern AU with Techno getting bullied at school and then some family hurt/comfort!

Trigger warning: discussions of ableism. Techno has ADHD in this.

They jumped him in the courtyard after school.

Technoblade hadn't been paying attention and really, that made it his own fault, didn't it? He should have been watching his back.

But the bullying hadn't escalated this far before. Usually it was just some kids jeering at him or muttering snide remarks and insults under their breath. A paper ball thrown at his head from the other side of the classroom that he easily shrugged off. People laughing at him when he zoned out and didn't notice he was being called on to answer a question.

It wasn't that big a deal.

Today had been particularly bad, the teacher had scolded him for bouncing his leg in class and Technoblade hadn't quite been able to put into words that it was an involuntary thing, that he couldn't stop or his body might combust from pure nervous energy. He had simply gone to clicking his pen on the inside of his palm repeatedly instead.

The other kids in his grade called him a weirdo and Technoblade didn't care because he didn't care about anything they said. It didn't matter.

Maybe that's what pissed them off the most. People always said his face was eerily impassive, unemotional expression making him hard to read. Tommy had called it scary once when they were younger, which came as a bit of a shock to Techno since it wasn't like he was doing it on purpose. That's just what his face looked like? So he had never reacted to the bullying – not outwardly at least – used to it by now, and it must have annoyed them even more.

Technoblade didn't remember much of it afterward. He had rounded the corner starting off on his way home, scrolling down his phone idly, and then he had been on the ground while his head was ringing. Through blurred vision, he pressed up on his elbows but a foot had connected with his stomach before he could get his bearings, knocking the air out of him. Making him curl in on himself and wince. Pulling his arms up to protect his head like they always told you to, he braced for what was surely to come.

It probably only lasted a few minutes and then they had run off, scared of being caught or for him to retaliate. Cowards. Techno had stayed there for a moment, trying to breathe through the pain without flinching. Blood was dripping from his nose and he wiped at it with a sleeve. His bag had fallen on the ground and spilled his books everywhere, loose papers at risk of being snatched by the breeze and carried away, so sitting on his knees Technoblade had calmly collected them. He shoved them back without caring if they got crumpled.

Then he got up and continued walking home.

It hurt and he got a few strange looks, but somehow Techno wasn't able to react. There was this gap inside of him, which felt almost like a physical aching in his chest and he didn't want to examine it or think about it. Only wanted to keep putting one foot in front of the other and get to the house.

When he finally got there, he opened the door slowly, immediately picking up on the familiar smell of bread in the oven (Phil always made bread on Fridays) and the sound of Tommy playing video games in the living room. Technoblade considered if it would be feasible for him to sneak upstairs and to his room without his family noticing. Avoid any interactions with them at all.

The thought had hardly come to him before it was ruined by Wilbur walking into the hallway on his way to the kitchen.

He took one look at Technoblade, still standing there leaning back against the door, and his face visibly paled. "What the- Techno, what happened?!"

"I-" was really all Technoblade managed to say, because his head hurt and he didn't know what to think and then Wilbur's arms were on his elbows, gentle yet firm. His surprised yelling had made Phil come over too, concerned about what was going on – the last thing Techno wanted.

They shouldn't have to worry about him.

They were saying things but he couldn't understand, couldn't hear over his own rushing thoughts. Until Phil reached out to touch his face, trying to get a better look at his bruised cheek, and Techno recoiled.

The dam broke and tears started building in his eyes and he tried so hard to keep them back by blinking fast but it wouldn't work. A sob burst in his chest, shaking his shoulders, and then Phil was herding him towards the living room. Tommy cursed and turned off the TV when he saw what was going on. Phil made Techno sit on the couch, giving Wilbur quick directions on what to do before crouching down in front of him.

"Techno," he started, voice unbearably tender. "Can you please tell me what happened?"

Glancing at Tommy who was still off to the side, eyes wide, Techno bit his lip. He didn't want them to know but it was already too late. It all came spilling out of him then.

He told them everything – the skewed looks and the taunting and that time a kid from his class had snatched away a book Techno had been reading just for the hell of it, to mess with him. The fact that his entire class thought he was a freak for acting different from them, for talking to himself and being bad at sitting still. Wilbur came back with an ice pack and a wet cloth, the latter of which Phil used to wipe the blood and tears from Techno's face while he was still talking. He pressed the ice pack in Techno's hands, guiding his arm to push it against his swollen cheek, the bruise already turning a sickly purple in color.

By the end of his confession, Technoblade almost felt normal again. Almost felt like himself. Like a physical weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Wilbur blurted. Techno couldn't say what the expression on his face meant – either he was disappointed or concerned. Probably both.

"It wasn't important," he answered quickly, and then because he could see Wilbur's expression darken even further waved his hand dismissively. "Not important enough to bother you guys with, I mean."

That didn't seem to be as helpful as Techno thought it was, because Wilbur crossed his arms. Phil cut in before his eldest could respond. "We should get to be the judge of that."

Techno blinked. "What?"

"Whether something is important enough to bother us with. That should be up to us, not you." Phil got up from his crouching position, sitting down next to Techno on the couch instead. Wilbur followed suit on his other side, forcing Tommy to scoot over and nearly fall off. He flopped across his brother's legs instead, almost ending up in Techno's lap in the process.

"I much rather you tell us next time before it gets this bad," Phil continued. "Even if you don't think it matters. It matters to us."

"We care about you, man." Wilbur ruffled Techno's long hair, something he usually hated but would begrudgingly allow for the occasion. Mostly because he was still busy pressing the ice pack against his cheek. "Even if you want to be in denial about it."

"I'm not-" Techno tried but was cut off.

"More importantly!" Tommy rolled off them and onto the floor, landing on his back but getting onto his feet quickly. He was bunching up his sleeves, showing off his muscles. Or where his muscles would be if he wasn't a scrawny middle schooler. "Tell us who did this so I know who I have to go beat up."

"There will be no beating up of anybody," Phil said, grabbing Tommy by the collar of his shirt to keep him from speeding off on his revenge mission. "I'm calling the school first thing tomorrow and I'm taking care of this." Those last words were directed more at Techno than the others.

Tommy let out a groan. "C'mon, dad. I could totally go kick their asses!"

"Tommy, they would destroy you," Techno drawled and Wilbur laughed. He seemed relieved that Techno finally sounded more like himself again.

"That's like, a double standard or some shit-" Tommy whined. "If you did it then why can't I?"

Suddenly Techno was reminded of what had happened years ago, when Tommy was still in elementary school. He had come home bawling, scrapes along his knees from being pushed on the ground. Techno had been the only one home back then and had held his little brother as he cried, telling Techno about the older kids who had made fun of him for not having any 'real' parents. For being a foster kid in the system.

Techno had calmed Tommy down as best as he could – not one of his strong suits. Then he had grabbed his jacket and told Tommy he'd be going out for a bit. When he came back two hours later with bruises on his knuckles neither of them had mentioned it.

But Techno thought Tommy had forgotten all about that day.

"Because I wasn't there to stop him when that happened," Phil said testily. "So I guess you're just out of luck." He pulled Tommy closer, probably to make sure he wouldn't weasel off anyway but the younger had already resigned himself to his fate.

"That's so unfair."

"Life is never fair, Tom," Wilbur said with the gravity of somebody who had seen too many hardships over the years. Which meant it sounded utterly ridiculous coming from him. Tommy stuck out his tongue.

"Exactly, That's why I suggest you stay right here where I can keep an eye on you three and watch movies instead. Like sensible children." Not waiting for their input on the idea, Phil was already getting up to retrieve the blankets. Tommy jumped onto the couch again, taking advantage of the new abundance of space to stretch out.

He didn't waste any time leaning into Techno's side either, using him as a giant cushion to lie against. Wilbur was doing something similar, effectively locking him into place, unable to squeeze his way out of two semi-embraces. Techno sighed, but relaxed into the couch a moment later.

Maybe telling your family about your problems didn't have to be such a bad thing.