Written for another holiday gift exchange, this time over on twitter. I wanted to try unconventional hybrids, in this case fox hybrids for Tommy and Techno. And a little hurt/comfort as a treat.
Technoblade had learned to wait until it was dark out before he could go digging through this shop's trash bins.
After the owner caught him one time and called the cops on him, he became extra careful. Being arrested was not an option for Techno. He wouldn't be able to look after Tommy from prison.
It really sucked during the summer, when it would take hours for the sun to go down and provide him the cover of darkness. Patience was never really Techno's strong suit (and it definitely wasn't a quality Tommy possessed), plus being hungry didn't help matters either. But at least in summer, they could go pluck berries or something to keep themselves busy and fed. In winter, food was much harder to come by. So they had to rely on dumpster diving a lot more.
It was surprising how much stuff people just… threw out. Techno often found clothes for them to wear, or blankets to keep warm. Their singular most treasured possession, a threadbare sleeping bag that was barely big enough to fit two people, was also found by Techno in the trash. There wasn't even anything wrong with it! There was only a small little hole in the bottom that Techno had fixed by shoving some old socks down there.
When he deemed it safe enough, Techno crept over the parking lot and towards the dumpsters out back. He looked around to make sure the coast was clear before he pulled the crowbar out of his jacket and used it to lever up the lid. The store owner never locked them, since the people who came to empty them wouldn't be able to get in. But they often tried to weigh down the lid to keep animals out. Techno was smarter than a rat or raccoon.
His ear twitched as he peered into the dumpster, face all scrunched up at the scent.
Turning away, Techno gagged for a moment. The smell was bad, they must have dumped a lot of rotten food in the bin today. Some of it might still be salvageable though. If he looked hard enough, he had to find something. Techno wrapped an old shirt that didn't fit Tommy anymore around his arm and hand. One time, digging into the trash had ended badly because there were glass shards in there. Techno still had the scar. He started shifting through the garbage, pushing aside some soggy lettuce and a cardboard box torn to shreds. After a few minutes, he found sandwiches wrapped in plastic foil. Techno pulled them out and sniffed them.
Thanks to his superior nose, he was pretty confident in his ability to pick out any food that had gone bad.
Judging that the sandwiches were fine, Techno shoved them into the pocket of his hoodie. They'd be enough for dinner and they still had some leftover cereal for breakfast so he could technically head back. But Techno knew Tommy had been a bit bummed out lately. And he wanted to see if there was anything else he could find.
Several more minutes of digging paid off when Techno's claws scratched against something that crinkled beneath his touch. He stood on his tiptoes to reach into the bin more, making the metal slide and bump into the wall. A few cans on the ground next to it fell over. It made a lot of noise. Techno quickly swiped up the bag of candy. Then the big push door on the other side of the bin opened.
"What the- You again?!"
The man who rushed out was one Techno hated with a burning passion.
The feeling was probably mutual since Techno used to go inside the store and steal stuff straight off the shelves. He had since switched to dumpster diving - less risk with less reward - but the man hated him for that just as much. He didn't care about their circumstances. He threw away perfectly good food and then complained when somebody else took it to survive. Techno couldn't stand people like that.
Yet he wasn't surprised. He had learned quite well that all adults were inherently selfish and conceited. They thought the world should work the way they said it should even if it was stupid or didn't make sense.
Even if it would hurt others.
Techno stuck out his tongue at the man and spun around to take off with his price. He'd underestimated how fast the guy would be. He could feel a tight grip around his tail, finger digging into the bristly fur. Techno hissed out a pained growl. As a fox hybrid, his tail was a very sensitive body part and having somebody yank on it was not a good thing. Back at the group home, the caretakers would often punish Techno or Tommy by pulling them around by their tails.
Thankfully that also meant Techno knew how to deal with this.
He quickly turned, one fluid motion faster than the man could react to, then dug his small fangs into the store owner's hand. The man yelped, letting go immediately. Techno started to run.
And he kept running until he couldn't hear the man's cursing anymore.
Leaning against a lamppost, Techno doubled over and tried to catch his breath. His lungs burned slightly from the effort. He used to be better at running, but lately, Techno felt like his stamina was decreasing. It probably had something to do with how little he ate, and how little he slept. He felt exhausted all the time.
There wasn't a lot of time to rest when he had Tommy to care for.
When he could inhale again without his chest feeling like it was being set on fire, Techno rubbed a hand over his face to clear his vision and started to walk towards the park. This late at night, nobody was around. Techno liked that. He preferred this peaceful atmosphere. Since autumn was gradually turning into winter, the park stayed deserted more often. People didn't want to come there when it was so chilly.
He stopped at the fountain near the playground. The flow had been cut, maybe also because winter was approaching. But Techno dipped his hands into the cold water of the basin and brought some of it up to his mouth. He hadn't realized how thirsty he was. Having the liquid slide down his throat felt heavenly.
The fountain did a lot for them. It was where Techno and Tommy washed themselves, where they cleaned their clothes sometimes, and where they filled their plastic drinking bottles. Techno could also fish out coins when people threw them in there. Once, he had managed to save up so he could buy Tommy a hotdog.
Speaking of, he probably shouldn't keep his brother waiting.
Techno hurried over to the playground, finding the little spot in the bushes that allowed him to crawl into them. They had made their own nook there, safe and hidden away. Techno didn't think anybody was looking for them specifically, but it was very important adults couldn't catch them. They might send them back to the group home.
"Techno?" Tommy's voice carried in a loud whisper. It wasn't very subtle.
"No, it's Santa Clause. Who else could it be?" Techno said sarcastically as he ducked beneath leaves and branches.
"Santa Clause doesn't exist," Tommy answered matter of factly. He puffed out his chest as if he was proud of this information. Maybe he was. The older kids at the group home would probably tease the younger kids for believing in fairy tales.
"Astute observation." Techno sat down at his brother's side on top of the blanket they had laid out to protect themselves from the freezing ground. Techno should probably go and find Tommy a sweater or jacket soon…
Tommy's tail swayed slightly from side to side. His keen sense of smell must have picked up on the food Techno brought. "Dinner time?"
"Dinner time," Techno agreed. He pulled out the sandwiches, keeping the candy hidden for now.
"What's on them?" Tommy asked.
Techno ripped away the plastic foil, studying the slices of bread. "I think it's ham and cheese? I just grabbed the first thing I could find. The store owner almost caught me."
Tommy frowned, taking one of the three sandwiches and eating it in two bites. Techno knew how hungry Tommy was all the time so he wasn't going to complain about bad manners.
"I wonder what his problem is?" Tommy said. "He doesn't need this stuff if he's throwing it out. Why would he care that we take some?"
"I don't know, Tommy." Techno picked up the second sandwich and handed it to him, watching Tommy scarf it down as eagerly as the first.
"He's just a jerk," Tommy said with his mouth full. Techno kind of cringed at that, which made Tommy laugh.
"Maybe he doesn't have any friends," he said. "And his wife left him because he's so grumpy."
Tommy nodded. "And every morning he stubs his toe against his coffee table."
Techno chuckled. He didn't want to say out loud what he actually thought. About how adults were untrustworthy and egotistical. For Tommy, all of this was one big adventure. Like sleeping without a roof over their head every night was fun and whimsical.
Some part of Techno didn't want to ruin that for Tommy.
"Aren't you going to eat your sandwich?" Tommy asked, eyeing the leftover food. His tail wagged more when he looked at it, automatically he licked his lips.
Techno smiled. "I already ate something while I was walking," he lied. "You can have it."
When Tommy was done eating, Techno rummaged through their backpack until he found the comb. It was one of the few items they had taken with them when they snuck out of the group home. The bristles were dense and harsh, but necessary to keep their fur clean. And since Techno had read in a book somewhere that being dirty could make you sick, he was very insistent on them grooming every night.
"Come here." He started to pull Tommy closer, much to the child's chagrin. Techno rolled his eyes at Tommy's fidgeting. "Don't be difficult," he added.
"I don't wanna," Tommy complained, barking a whine when Techno grabbed him by the back of his shirt. It was a little too close to scruffing for it not to trigger Tommy's instincts.
"Then you're not getting any candy."
Tommy went motionless so fast it was hilarious. "You have candy?"
"I do." Techno positioned Tommy in front of him, starting to brush gently through his hair first. "But I might just eat it all myself if you're going to be annoying."
"You're such a bitch," Tommy said. He laughed, maybe because that kind of language would have earned him a punishment in the group home. Techno didn't care though.
He was very careful with Tommy's ears, which were a lot larger than Techno's own. He dragged the brush over the outsides so the small hairs were smoothed out properly. After that, Techno started on the more time-consuming task of brushing Tommy's tail. It was shorter than Techno's, but the sand-colored fur was coarse and sometimes Techno would catch on a knot. Tommy hissed when that happened, but the promise of candy kept him from biting and scratching like he had done occasionally in the past. Even in the group home, the caretakers had pawned the job of grooming Tommy off onto Techno most of the time.
That's how they grew close. Techno and Tommy weren't actually related, and they weren't even in the same dorm since Techno was almost six years older. But they were both fox hybrids - although different species. Techno was an Arctic fox hybrid and Tommy was a fennec fox hybrid. Not that their caretakers considered that much of a difference, they never bothered to figure out the nuances. They just thought it meant Techno could look after all of Tommy's more specific needs as a hybrid.
It was funny to think back on how much Techno had resisted at first. How he had growled at Tommy and chased the younger child away. Tommy was a toddler back then, Techno didn't want to have anything to do with him. No matter how much Tommy looked up to him, almost worshipping him as the only other fox hybrid Tommy had ever met. But Techno couldn't deny that over time, the kid had broken down his walls to a point where Techno genuinely saw Tommy as an annoying little brother.
And when the group home was going to separate them, Techno panicked.
Techno was going to be sent to a different place when he hit high school. It just didn't make sense to keep him around in the same facility where all the little ones were taken care of. Besides, somebody had expressed interest in adopting a boy of Tommy's age. Techno had heard some of the social workers discussing it in the hallway. So why would they keep Techno around anymore?
Techno had never expected the intense fear that gripped his heart at those words. It might have been enough to cloud his better judgment. Two nights later, he had collected all the stuff he could into a backpack, woken up Tommy, and the two had fled.
If he'd thought longer about it, maybe Techno wouldn't have done it. Their current situation was a mess and Techno had let his selfishness dictate his actions. He might have ruined Tommy's life without the child even knowing it, without Tommy ever holding it against him.
But at least they were together and that had to count for something.
"There, all done." Techno brushed through the very tip of Tommy's tail one more time before he was satisfied, watching the fur bristle up a bit.
"Can I have my candy now?" Tommy asked cheekily. Techno pulled the bag out of his pocket and threw it at him.
"Don't eat it all at once."
He started to brush his own tail, longer and more dense than Tommy's to be better suited for cold climates. He brushed his ears quickly but combed through the rest of his hair with his fingers. He usually kept it in a braid because it was so long. Techno didn't know how to cut it. When Tommy offered him some candy, Techno accepted it.
They never got any candy at the group home.
Tucked into the sleeping bag, Tommy pressed against him. As a fennec fox hybrid, Tommy got cold so easily. But thankfully Techno's body produced more heat than the average person's, so he could keep Tommy warm. Clutched between them was Henry, Tommy's cow plushie. It was missing an eye when Techno found it abandoned on the playground. But Tommy had used a pretty pebble he had and shoved it into the tear of the fabric.
One day, Techno would get him a proper stuffed animal. It was a promise he had made to himself.
"Thank you for the candy," Tommy said sleepily, barely able to force the words out through his yawning.
Thinking about the warm home Tommy could have had if he were adopted, with loving parents and freshly cooked meals every night, it only made guilt twist in his stomach.
Techno petted his hair, feeling Tommy's ear flick against his fingers, and closed his eyes. "Go to sleep, Tommy."
Tommy really enjoyed living in the park, because nobody could keep him from playing around all day.
Well, Techno sometimes did. He would tell Tommy when he needed to hide. Usually late at night when it wasn't safe. Tommy was kind of bored whenever he had to sit around waiting for Techno to come back with food and stuff, but he also knew he couldn't run as fast as Techno. And Tommy definitely didn't want them to get caught by the store owner again.
But when the sun was out, Tommy could use the playground.
In the summer, there were always other kids around to play with. Tommy had met a lot of friends. There were two boys named Tubbo and Ranboo. They were neighbors. Tommy liked playing with them the most. With the weather getting worse, they didn't come around anymore though. Tommy was a bit sad at first, until he realized his favorite person in the world (well, after Techno of course) did still come to the park even in the autumn and winter.
"Wilbur!"
The older teen looked up from where he was fiddling with his guitar to grin widely at Tommy's approach. "Oh, hey. You're out again in this cold?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Tommy challenged. Wilbur didn't know that Techno and Tommy were homeless. They just told Wilbur that they liked hanging out in the park a lot.
"No reason." Wilbur scooted to the side so Tommy had space to sit down on the bench. In front of them, Wilbur's guitar case stood open. Somebody had already dropped a bunch of coins and even a few bills inside. Tommy wasn't surprised, Wilbur was a very good guitar player.
In the summer, Wilbur performed his music in the park all the time. And now, even though there were fewer people around, he still came to practice. He sometimes said he could think more clearly when he was outside.
"So, did you learn anything fun in school today?" Wilbur asked, fingers moving deftly over the strings.
"Uh…" Tommy bit at the inside of his cheek. Techno also said Wilbur wasn't supposed to know they didn't go to school anymore, or it would get them in trouble. "Not really, it's boring."
"Yeah," Wilbur laughed. "I never much liked school either."
"You don't need to go to school if you become famous," Tommy pointed out. He was fully convinced Wilbur would become a rock star someday. That's what Tommy would do if he could play an instrument.
Wilbur made a funny face. "You should tell that to my dad. "
Tommy enjoyed hanging out with Wilbur because he told cool stories and had traveled the world. His dad took him on trips a lot. Wilbur also showed Tommy how to play a few chords.
And Wilbur said 'fuck' sometimes which was very funny. Techno was much too boring to say 'fuck'.
After a while Techno came by and joined them on the bench. Tommy couldn't ask him how the job hunting was going in front of Wilbur so he'd have to remember to do it later. They talked about other stuff for a while, like the new video game Wilbur had bought.
Techno hadn't trusted Wilbur at first. He said Wilbur would probably rat them out and then they'd be taken back to the group home. But eventually, he had relented - if Tommy promised to keep some secrets. Tommy didn't mind. He didn't want his big brother and his best friend to hate each other.
And Tommy knew that Techno secretly had started to like Wilbur a lot. They joked around often. Techno smiled and laughed way more when Wilbur was around. Which in turn also made Tommy happy.
"Damn, I should be heading back." Wilbur checked his phone to see the time. It was also getting dark already. "Do you want me to walk you guys home?"
Wilbur was just a few years older than Techno but sometimes he also acted like a big brother to them.
"We live on the other side of town," Techno said smoothly. Before Tommy could open his mouth.
"Really?" Maybe Wilbur sounded surprised because they were in the park so often despite living far away - at least if Techno was to be believed. But Techno quickly hopped off the bench before Wilbur could keep wondering.
"We can walk home together," he proposed.
That was clever. Wilbur wouldn't find out where they lived then!
"Yeah, I wanna see your house," Tommy said excitedly.
Wilbur shrugged, putting his guitar back in its case. "Sure, not that there's anything interesting about it."
Tommy skipped a few steps ahead of the two others as they made their way to Wilbur's place. It wasn't fully dark when they got there but the sun had set, so Tommy was kind of shivering in his t-shirt. He got cold easily. Wilbur walked up to the door and turned the key in the lock. A blond man came into the hallway at hearing the door open.
"There you are, Wil. I was starting to get worried."
Wilbur sighed and rolled his eyes, but it only made the man laugh fondly. Tommy had a feeling Wilbur rolled his eyes a lot at his father. He knew he would do the same. What else were parents for?
"I'm fine, dad. I was just hanging out with my friends." Wilbur gestured at them as he toed his shoes off. "Techno, Tommy, this is my totally lame dad. Dad, these are my friends."
"I can see that, you little shit." The man walked forward to where they were still standing in the doorway. He stuck out his hand and Tommy shook it eagerly.
"Your house is huge!" he said.
Techno tapped the back of his head in warning. "What he means is 'it's nice to meet you', sir."
"Phil is fine." He held his hand out to Techno as well but Techno didn't take it.
"Do you guys have a pool? And a bar? And a pool bar?" Tommy asked. He read some old magazines in the group home about celebrity houses. Wilbur wasn't a celebrity, but he was kind of famous, right? People sometimes came to the park to hear him play. So that probably counted.
"Sadly we have none of those things," Phil said solemnly. "I do have popcorn. Freshly made."
Tommy's eyes widened in excitement, he never had popcorn before. But Techno grabbed his wrist, pulling him closer. "We should be getting home."
Phil nodded his understanding. "Maybe next time. Do you boys need a lift, I could drive you."
"No, it's fine. We can walk." Techno's grip on Tommy's wrist didn't let go. His voice wavered, though it was subtle enough nobody else would catch it. Nobody except Tommy.
"Yeah!" Tommy smiled wider. "It's fun to walk at night, sometimes we see bats and stuff."
It was only half a lie. Tommy saw bats in the park all the time.
"Did you ever see a raccoon?" Wilbur asked.
Tommy frowned at him. "No?"
"You should try looking in the mirror."
Tommy stuck out his tongue at Wilbur. He could have totally beaten Wilbur up for being an unfunny jerk, but Tommy was too nice to do that. Yup, definitely. Way too nice.
"At least borrow one of Wilbur's jackets," Phil said suddenly, eyes landing on Tommy's bare arms. There were goosebumps rising on them. "It's cold out."
"As long as you give it back to me tomorrow," Wilbur threatened playfully. Tommy stuck his tongue out at him a second time for good measure. But he did accept the jacket Phil handed him.
Techno tugged on his arm softly, though Tommy ignored it in favor of waving them goodbye.
"How did the job hunting go?" Tommy asked as they were walking back to the park.
"Eh…" Techno shrugged. He didn't seem like he wanted to talk about it.
Tommy didn't say anything. Techno wanted to find a job so he could earn them money. Then they'd rent an apartment, or a house. Maybe even one with a pool. Tommy would be able to go to school again. It would be very boring, but also nice cause he'd be able to make friends and learn stuff. He'd probably study money-making. Or something equally useful. And when he was rich, he would pay Techno a lot of money for taking care of him. And he'd buy Techno some candy too.
Tommy pulled the jacket closer around himself. The inside was nice and fluffy.
"Phil is cool," he said.
Techno looked at him, then away again. "I guess."
"Wilbur complains a lot about him. But having Phil as a dad would be pretty nice." Tommy didn't know why he said it. Maybe because he couldn't remember his actual dad. Sometimes it was fun to imagine what having one was like. But it made Techno pull his hand away and shove them in his pocket.
"If you say so."
Tommy shoved his own hands in his pockets too. They walked the rest of the way in silence.
