"Techy"

…

"Techyyyy"

…

"Techyyyyyyy-"

"Tommy, if I'm not responding then I'm clearly busy. I'm doing my homework." Techno finally answers and Tommy's whine cuts off.

"But that's boring. Come play with me now." Tommy says as he tugs on his brother's sleeve.

"No, Tommy. I told you, I've got homework and I need to finish it." Techno huffed as he tried pulling his arm free.

"But why" Tommy breathes out with a pout.

"Because, if I don't then I'll get a bad grade."

"Why?"

"Because it was given to us and we need to do it."

"Why?"

"Because teachers use it to see how smart we're getting."

"Why?"

"..." Techno pauses and looks down at Tommy with a frown.

Tommy is standing beside him and looking up, eyes wide and curious. His baby brother shifts on his feet, swaying slightly as he waits for whatever answer Techno gave. But, Techno had work to do and Tommy was being a distraction.

"Tommy, where are our parents right now?" Techno asks without looking away from the younger.

Tommy pauses and thinks, brow furrowing as he crosses, or tries to cross, his arms. He looks around the room before his pout grows. Without another word to Techno Tommy goes off to find his answer. Techno lets out a breath as he rolls his eyes and goes back to his work.

Tommy doesn't get far, just to the doorway to the kitchen, before stopping. Wilbur had been on his way in and the two had walked into each other, Tommy almost falling onto his butt before Wil had grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Wilby!" Tommy cheered happily at the other.

"I'm not playing with you right now, Tommy." Wilbur stated plainly as he started to walk around his baby brother.

"But-"

"Not now."

Tommy let out a pouty noise as he watched Wil walk away from him. Tommy moved to follow close at his heel after only a few seconds. Wilbur could hear him no doubt, but was ignoring him as he walked to the fridge.

Tommy stopped just beside Wilbur as he opened said fridge and started to rummage through it. He was taking longer than usual but Tommy, for once, seemed content to stand and wait. Wilbur let out a sigh before finally closing the door with naught but a juice box in hand.

"What, Toms?" He asked flatly.

"Can I have that?" Tommy counter asked as he stared at the box of fruit juice.

"No?" Wilbur answered as he raised a brow at his brother.

"Why not?"

"Because I grabbed it for me."

"Why?"

"Because I'm thirsty?"

"Why?"

"...Stop being a pest, Tommy." Wilbur stated instead of answering further.

"Not a pest!" Tommy huffed as he crossed his arms at Wilbur with a frown.

"Yes you are. A pesty pest. Go be a brat somewhere else." Wilbur started to walk towards the table but was stopped when Tommy reached out to grab his shirt.

"Where's mom and dad?"

"I don't know."

"Why not?"

"Tommy" Wilbur said in a warning tone as he gave the younger a glare, "If you want to find them then go look. Stop bothering me."

Wilbur pulled Tommy's hands off his shirt and nudged him towards the doorway. Tommy let out a whine and stomped his foot a few times at the treatment. However, when Wilbur didn't pay him any further mind Tommy turned from the room and started to scamper down the hall, his footsteps echoing a bit as he ran.

"what a pain-" Wilbur started to complain as he slide a chair over to sit beside Techno while he worked.

X-X

Time passed and soon enough Techno and Wilbur found themselves sitting in front of the tv while it played some sort of cartoonish show. Techno wasn't paying it much mind as he colored away in his new coloring book. It was with characters from his favorite show and he was determined to get within the lines on them.

Wilbur was absorbed in the show though, laughing loudly every so often at something or other from it. He would kick Techno in the arm from his seat up on the couch so that he'd look up and pay attention, but generally Techno just wasn't interested.

As for Tommy, Techno wasn't sure where he was now. He'd been passed off between both of their parents a few times since Techno and Wilbur gotten home from school. Seeing as their father was currently working on the computer in the corner of the room Techno could only guess Tommy was with their mother. He didn't exactly care though. He needed to get the Fire Hero just right.

"Noooooooooo-" Tommy's familiar yell filled the air as he ran from the kitchen, feet thudding against the ground.

"Tommy! Shut up! I can't hear the show!" Wilbur called out with clear annoyance in his voice.

"Wil, don't tell your brother to shut up." Phil was quick to reprimand as he turned around to see where his youngest was going, "Tommy, stop shouting. That is not an indoor voice."

"I don't wanna!" Tommy shouted again, this time running towards his father.

"What 'don't you wanna', Toms? And indoor voice, please." The man tried again as he leaned down to pluck Tommy off the floor and onto his lap.

Tommy was happy enough to be picked up but he wad still very much frowning and upset.

"I don't wanna eat it!" Tommy replied, voice still raised but not as much as before.

"Shh, sh, okay. What don't you wanna eat?" At this point their father was looking at into the kitchen where their mother was still stationed.

She was laughing at this point and everyone could hear her.

"Lagznagnagna!" Tommy protested loudly which only made their mother laugh harder.

Their father let out a burst of a laugh as well which Tommy seemed to have taken offense to as he stared up at the man with a furrowed brow and mouth agape in insult. He even leaned closer so he could hit their father on the chest with a disgruntled whine. When their father continued to laugh Tommy let out a short screech of anger before trying to place his hands over the mans mouth.

"T-Tommy-" Their dad started before needing to pause a moment so he wouldn't have another fit, "Tommy, why don't you want any lasagna?"

"Its gross!" Tommy squealed out with frustration.

"You've never even had it before, what do you mean 'its gross'?" Their father questioned as he ruffled Tommy's hair.

"It's gross cus the things in it that make it gross." Tommy explained as if it made everything so perfectly clear.

"Its noodles, cheese and sauce backed together. You like all those things, Tommy. There's nothing 'gross' in it."

"Its GrOOoooooooss!" Tommy whined louder, his pitch rising in his frustration.

"What if you don't have it for dinner then?" Their mother asked, a laugh still in her voice as came to stand in the doorway.

"Kristin-" Their father started, but she just shook her head at him and looked at Tommy specifically.

Tommy was looking back at her and looking like he might burst into tears.

"You don't need to have it for dinner, but you need to try it. So, instead I'll just make yours into a big snack instead. Deal?" She asked with a knowing smile on her face.

Tommy seemed to think it over for a moment before nodding his head. Taking a breath and wiping away not yet fully formed nor fallen tears he offered a satisfied smile.

"Okay. I like snacks." Tommy replied as he slipped himself off of his father's lap.

The man let out a laugh but didn't comment, giving their mother a highly amused smile of his own. She grinned back before offering her hand out to Tommy, who ran up to grab it.

"Do you want to help me put it together?"

"Yes!"

X-xXx-X

Dinner that night was less than enjoyable as Tommy seemed to feel the relentless urge to question everything still. From why he had a high seat when his brothers didn't to why his had to use a fork to eat with.

"Tommy, please focus on eating. Its going to get cold." Their father directed as he nodded to his sons food.

"I am eating it!" Tommy protested as he stabbed into it with his fork.

"No shouting, Toms." The man warned as he bit into his own dinner.

Tommy huffed and wiggled in his seat, stirring the saucy, noodley food until it was less square shaped and more like a sloppish mound in his bowl.

"And no playing with your food."

"Why?"

"Tommy-" Their mother's voice started before being abruptly cut off.

"Shut up Tommy. You can't just ask 'why' to everything!" Wilbur snapped as he slammed his fork down on his own plate.

"Wilbur-"

"Why?" Tommy asked, eyes on Wilbur instead of their father who had his scolding tone rising between them.

"Because it's annoying!" Wilbur replied with a huff.

"Why?"

"Because no one wants to listen to that! Stop being a pest!"

"Enough, the both of you!" Their father finally managed to break in between them with a bit of a snap in his voice, "Wilbur, no yelling and Tommy, no yelling. Tommy focus on your dinner."

Techno sat and looked between his siblings and his parents as he slowly chewed. It wasn't the first time his siblings had gotten into trouble at the table for fighting or something. Honestly, since Tommy learned to talk its been fairly common. It was, however, one of the few times their father actually raised his voice to reel them back in.

Tommy had his head down with a pout as he poked at his food again while Wilbur was scowling at his own plate. The family mostly went back to eating for a few minutes before Tommy started up again with his questions. Wilbur is huffing in his seat but trying not to say anything.

"-and if you don't finish your food then no desert later." Their father was finishing his answer to the small blond.

Tommy hadn't eaten much yet and the man was really trying his best to change that.

"But, why?" Tommy pouted.

"Cus you need to eat real food before deserts. That's how meals work." Their father answered, sounding just as tired of the questions as Wilbur was despite entertaining them still.

"You're father is right, Tommy. Eat your food please." Their mother chimed in, somehow sounding unbothered by it all.

Tommy's eyes were on her and Techno could see Wilbur sharpening his glare already.

"Why?"

"why? why? why?" Wilbur mocked in a high pitched voice as he pulled a face.

"Wilbur, don't tease your brother." Their mother scolded lightly, though with a smile on her face as opposed to the frown on their father's, "He's just curious. This is how he learns."

"But, its so annoying." Wilbur complained as he sunk into his seat.

"I know, but its how learning works. I promise it wont last." She assured before looking back to Tommy who had been staring at Wilbur with an angry frown.

"Tommy, eat your food please."

Tommy's gaze landed on her once more.

"Why?" He asked louder than before, as if specifically to bother Wilbur this time.

"Because I asked you to." Their mother answered simply.

"Why?"

"Because its what I want you to do."

Tommy opened his mouth only to promptly close it again. His brow furrowed for a moment before he looked down at his food and started to actually eat.

Wilbur's mouth fell open at that with an indignant gasp. Their father seemed just as surprised and Techno bit his lip to keep from laughing aloud since there was still food in his mouth.

"how long did you know that would work?" Their father asked with a hushed voice as if Tommy wouldn't be able to hear him that way.

Their mother shrugged but looked ever so proud of herself.

"It usually does the trick after a few questions."

"why didn't you do it sooner?" Their father asked sounding almost betrayed.

"But you two were having such a nice conversation~" Their mother offered chipperly causing their father to let out a defeated groan as he leaned forwards on the table.

"i am going to lose my actual mind" Their father muttered to himself.

Wilbur had his face in his hands at this point and looked just about as distressed as their father was. Techno looked over to their mother and they both shared an amused smile before going back to their food. Tommy was humming to himself as he ate.

X-x-x-X

Hey, sorry for the single upload. There is another chapter coming for this particular story for this weeks posting day. However, due to not feeling so well the second one isn't entirely finished. I promise to have it out as soon as I can get it done. I thank you for your patience on this.