Requested by Francis! Once again this is a story that takes place in their childhood, so Tommy is a child and Techno and Wil are teenagers. Tommy and Wilbur are also hybrids in this.

"You'll look after each other, right?"

Technoblade didn't answer since he knew it was a rhetorical question, but Tommy sputtered in dismay. While he was loudly complaining about not needing anybody to look after him since he was 'basically an adult', Wilbur took the small pouch of gold their father handed them.

"Stick together, don't wander off too far. We'll meet again here in about an hour, you can tell the time by that church tower." Phil pointed at the old bricks of the tower he meant. Techno squinted up into the bright afternoon light, a flawless blue sky greeting him. It was still pretty early.

"Don't you want any help carrying supplies?" he asked.

Phil smiled to show he was grateful for the offer, shaking his head. "Nah, mate. I'll get it all sorted out, it's boring stuff. You three should look around and have fun, get yourself something nice." He glanced at Tommy. "But don't go spending all your pocket money on candy."

"You can't tell me what to do!" Tommy sprinted off, a menace released upon society.

Wilbur started following him, looking over his shoulder with a grin. "You coming, Tech?"

"Keep an eye on them," Phil laughed and gave him a small wave as he disappeared into the crowd.

They wandered across the market square for a bit. Or more accurately, Tommy kept running off whenever his attention was drawn to some new oddity he wanted to get a closer look at, while Wilbur and Techno trailed behind and chatted amongst themselves. There was a stall that sold nothing but instruments, Wilbur eagerly demanded they stop there so he could see if there was anything he might want to buy. Tommy made faces at his own reflection in the finely polished brass of the trumpets.

"Look how silly these make me look," he told Techno, sticking out his tongue to appreciate the warped image in the bent alloy.

"I see no difference from how you usually look, Tommy."

Tommy hit his shoulder while Techno chuckled. Wilbur rolled his eyes at their antics, though he ultimately decided not to get anything from the stand. Soon they moved onto one that sold books and Techno spent way too long deliberating on what to get, staring at hard-bound covers until he was dizzy with it. He wasn't very good at making decisions when there were too many options. Usually, he would just ask Phil for help, their father somehow always managed to pick a book Techno ended up liking.

"This one looks interesting," Wilbur said while munching on the cinnamon bun he predictably had gotten for himself at the nearby bakery. He picked up a smaller red book with golden embellishments on the front in the shape of a dragon.

"You just like the cover." Techno took it from him anyway, turning it over in his hand. It did seem like something he'd enjoy reading.

Wilbur shrugged. "Yeah so?"

Techno exchanged a few coins with the older woman behind the stand, tucking the book under one arm. "Where's Tommy?"

"He's probably somewhere around here." Wilbur peered into the crowd. "Or maybe he was kidnapped, in which case we can expect him back in a minute as soon as the people who took him get too annoyed by his chattering and dump him."

They spotted Tommy standing near a weapon dealer who sold daggers and pocket knives which their father would probably stab them with should they consider bringing those home. Wilbur grabbed his younger brother's shoulders playfully, making Tommy nearly jump out of his skin.

"I don't think these are for kids," Wilbur joked lightly.

"They're not," a deep voice to their left agreed before Tommy could respond in outrage at being called a kid. Techno glanced at the man who had spoken, noticing their dark clothing and the fact that they had their hood pulled up despite the warm weather. The bottom half of their face was visible, revealing a chin full of black stubble and a smirk of crooked teeth. "Definitely not for your kind either."

They gave a knowing smile. Wilbur pulled at his beanie automatically, tugging it further over his ears – the most obvious sign of his hybrid heritage.

Techno frowned. "Let's just go." He pulled at Tommy's sleeve. His brother nodded and started walking.

But they had barely made it a few feet before Techno glanced behind him and noticed the stranger was following them. Their head was slightly raised now, making eye contact with another person across the street, who was similarly dressed and started approaching them from the other side to block their escape.

"Hunters?" Wilbur hissed. His voice was laced with clear alarm and Techno knew why. While not strictly legal, hunting hybrids for slavery was the sort of crime humans would gladly look the other way for, pretending not to notice what was going on. Most hunters weren't ballsy enough to do it in plain daylight though, let alone inside a town as big as this one.

"Over there!" Tommy picked up the pace, heading towards the alleyway he was pointing at. Technoblade knew it was probably a trap, they were being deliberately herded into it. But it was either that or run straight into their arms. As soon as they broke free from the throng of people, they started running, hoping to put some distance between them and their pursuers before the hunters could get through the crowd.

It wasn't long before they hit a dead end. The alleyway ended abruptly where it met a brick wall, the other side of which would probably connect to some garden. Technoblade pushed both hands against the stones, his book falling onto the ground forgotten. Feeling the lack of convenient cracks in the mortar filled him with panic. Climbing up would be hard, slow.

"Fuck!" Wilbur turned around, eyes wide and searching. They could already see three people pushing their way towards them. "What do we do?!"

Technoblade made a quick decision. "Come on!" He grabbed the back of Tommy's shirt to pull him over, kneeling down and pressing his palms together to make a foothold. Tommy blinked at him only for a moment before he caught onto what he was doing. Bracing his hands on Techno's shoulders, Techno used all his strength to boost him up and over the wall. Tommy yelped as he was basically flung onto it, barely able to clutch the top so he could lower himself on the other side.

"Wilbur!" Techno called. Wilbur spun again, eyes frantic. He came over immediately but then hesitated.

"What about you?"

"I'll climb over," Techno answered.

Wilbur shook his head. "But if you can't-"

"I'll be fine, Wil. There's no time to argue." He couldn't allow his brother to second guess. Boosting him up took more effort since Wilbur was both taller and heavier than Tommy but Technoblade made it work. Wilbur managed to clamber onto the top of the wall, scooting down on the other side just as Techno started following him. His fingers were already curled into the crevices, hoping to pull himself up fast enough, when there was a sharp tug on his braid.

The guy who had grabbed him dragged him back by his hair, throwing Techno onto the ground. Techno hissed in pain when his hip and shoulder hit the cobblestone.

"Fuck, where did the other two go?" one of the men above him growled. It wasn't the same person who had spoken to them at the market but judging by his fancier clothes and the clearly expensive sword they were carrying he was the leader.

"Up and over," the stubbled man groaned, gesturing at the wall. "We're not getting them anytime soon thanks to this one."

Techno tried getting up but a harsh kick to his stomach left him coughing, the air knocked out of him in one fell swoop. Bile rose in his throat.

"What a nuisance. At least we can still sell the runt." The leader reached out for his elbow and Techno did the only thing he could think of doing, lashing out and sinking his teeth into their hand as hard as he could. His mouth was filled with the taste of blood and the man screamed in horror, trying to pry him off while cursing madly.

A fist slamming against his temple sent him sprawling again.

Techno's vision was spinning as they loomed over him. "You little shit!" Their arm reared back, Techno flinched in preparation for the blow. Instead, something else descended on them both.

When he blinked again the man was pinned to the ground beneath Phil, flailing widely under spread wings. They looked terrified, but Techno couldn't see the expression on his father's face that had caused such fear. The two other hunters were already running away, not used to the threat of an adult hybrid. Phil had grabbed the leader by his collar, pulling him up before smashing their head against the ground. Their noise cut off abruptly and Phil dropped them without a care, turning around.

"Tech, are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Phil was putting his hands on Techno's face, trying to inspect the blossoming bruise on his temple.

"I'm fine." It was only half a lie. His shoulder stung so badly he wasn't sure if he could lift his arm and the side of his head was pounding in tune with his heartbeat. But it could be worse too. "Where are Wil and Tommy?"

Phil grinned, fondly. "They're fine too, thanks to you. We're lucky they found me almost immediately, I came as fast as I could." He helped Techno to his feet.

Techno stared forlornly at his book still lying on the ground, pages open and filthy. Phil followed his gaze.

"We'll get you a new one, then we'll head home?"

And despite the situation, Techno couldn't help but smile slightly. "Yes please."