Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Phil was lonely. So fucking lonely. He needed someone, anyone, but did someone need him?

Phil sat down at his desk. Coffee in one hand, toast in the other. He placed down his mug on his coaster. It had a picture of his favourite day, the day him and Kristin got married. He held back tears. No, he wasn't going to cry, not right now. He looked down. He hadn't bothered doing the washing this week, so his dressing gown was covered in coffee stains. He turned on his PC and checked his emails. 3 new emails. 2 of them junk, but before he deleted the third he read it. His face lit up. 

Dear Phil Watson,

We understand that your application to become a foster carers was approved weeks ago, however, we believe we may of found a right match for your needs. 

Please find enclosed Techno Blade's file. Please contact Sam Dude (Techno's social worker) at 

[email protected] 

If you are interested in taking in this child. 

Please ensure that you have responded by the 25th of May to make sure that Techno will have a place in your home.

Thank you very much for becoming a foster carer and giving children a better life.

Yours sincerely,

Darryl Hall

(Social Worker)

Phil smiled. Not just that he had a chance to change this kids life, but also that Darryl introduced himself, He knew exactly who Darryl was, Phil had to send numerous amounts of emails back and forth between them, as he was Phil's social worker.

Now, onto this kid. Techno. Phil opened his file. He felt slightly guilty, as he was just reading Techno's life story without his permission. Nevertheless, he still needed to know who this kid was, so he read on. 

First Name: Techno

Middle Name(s): N/A

Last name: Blade

Age: 12

DOB: 1/6/2005

Sex: Male

Gender: Male

Height: 5'1

Weight: 64lbs

Biological parents: Unknown

Social Worker: Sam Dude

Reason for admission to the foster system : Techno was abandoned at birth. Not much is known.

Diagnosed disorders: OCD, GAD

Other statements: He has been selectively mute since his 7th placement, which was with Mr & Mrs Squid-Kid. 

Placements:

First Placement: Techno was a few days old when he arrived at his first-

Phil stopped reading. He knew enough. He looked at his calender, 14th of May. This kid was getting here sooner than the 25th, He would make sure of sure if it.

He looked at the picture attached to his file. A pale, thin boy was sitting in front of the camera. He had a smile on his face, but it looked so forced it was better if he didn't smile at all. He had big black bags under his eyes and he noticed a slight bruise under his neck. He was wearing a worn black hoodie with a pig that looked like a plushie on it. The print of the pig was peeling slightly at the edges. Techno had long neon pink hair, obviously dyed, but it had been done very badly. Streaks of blonde were uncovered in parts of his hair, and pink completely untouched his scalp. It was awfully braided, with hair coming out everywhere. It looked like he tried to hide most of his hair behind his hands, but it was still obvious that it needed some work.

Phil started writing his email to Sam, taking bites of his toast and sips of his coffee.

Dear Sam Dude,

I would be more than delighted to foster Techno, he seems like a very suitable child for for me.

I would prefer if he arrived before the 25th, as I would like more time for him to settle in. I will try my best to connect with Techno, and I will suit his every need.

I am available every day of the week, but it is ideal if Techno is placed with me tomorrow as I believe I would like more time to bond with him.

Please let me know when I can meet Techno.

I look forward to speaking to you again.

Yours sincerely,

Phil Watson

That was hard. Writing formal emails was never Phil's strong point. He could never get the words right, so he was quite proud of this email. And send. Now he just had to wait until Sam sees it. 

Phil had finished his coffee and toast so he went to the kitchen to add to the growing pile of dishes. Oh shit. If Techno was coming tomorrow, He had to clean up. He had to do the laundry. He had to tidy the whole house. He had to get his room ready. No more laziness!

---

Phil walked over to his computer and opened his emails. Phil had just spent the last 5 hours cleaning, tidying, and washing every thing, Phil was finally in normal clothes for the first time in 2 weeks.

He had stocked Techno's new room with: children's books to fill the bookshelf; a chest full of plushies and some toys; a stationary kit on the desk; a few sets of clothes; and a white bed cover. He figured he would go shopping with Techno to get more clothes he likes, some decorations for his room and some school supplies. Techno wouldn't go back to school for the first week, but he did have to be prepared when he does eventually go back.

Phil opened his emails. 1 new message. From Sam.

Dear Phil Watson,

I am so glad you are interested in Techno! He is a wonderful child and I am sure you will have a great time together. 

I believe I am able to bring him round tomorrow at noon. I will also bring along any paper work you need to sign.

Techno and I thank you very much.

Yours sincerely,

Sam Dude

So that's it. Techno 's coming. Tomorrow. Phil knew there was something special about this kid, something that nobody else would get, nobody else would understand. He didn't expect Techno to trust him at first, but he would do anything to make sure he has a family, a person who loves him and cares. He would do anything for Techno to have someone who understands. A family. He would do anything for Techno to be able to think of Phil as a father. Techno was 12 for fucks sake. He's a kid. He needs someone. He needs a place to call home.

Phil walked around the house. He pumped the pilllows on the sofa and restocked the bathrooms. He made sure the house was perfect before he went to bed. He was gonna make it perfect. Phil didn't know much about OCD, but he hoped when Techno was able to open up to Phil, he would tell him. Phil just hoped he would eventually.

---

Techno wasn't surprised he was moving into a different placement. He was used to it. People only foster for the money. They only foster to have a slave, and they get paid. Techno learned to do as they say, at least to keep all of his limbs for another day. He sat on the side walk. He was wearing his favourite hoodie, it was 3 sizes too small, like all his other clothes, but this was a special hoodie. Sam gifted it to him when he was 7. It had been new and perfect. Until his next placement. They realised he had so much of an emotional attachment to this hoodie. So they tried to burn it. Techno realised in time. He grabbed the hoodie from the fire, escaping with 2 degree burns and a slightly burnt hood. His foster parents didn't like that. He was locked in his room. 2 days, completely alone, no food, no water, nothing. Just him and Mr Potato (the name of the pig on his hoodie).

A red car pulled up next to the house. It was Sam's. Techno almost ran to his car. He didn't want to spend a second more at his awful old placement. He just hoped his new foster parents weren't gunna be as bad as he had experienced before. That was a big wish. Nobody wants Techno. Nobody cares. Nobody is gunna be kind.

"How are you doing Techno?" Sam asked, as Techno shut the car door behind him.

"I'll let you guess," Techno replied, obviously just wanting to get on with the meeting of his new placement. He wasn't going to be good, He just wondered how long it'll take before they send him back too. Sam just smiled. It was warm and kind. It was something Techno deserved to see everyday. He hadn't had that yet.

He was about to.

Chapter Text

Techno stood in front of Phils house. It was too big. He must of fostered alot of kids. He probably was an expert on this. Techno wasn't looking forward to this placement.

Sam placed his hands on Techno's shoulders and led him to the front door. Techno dismissed Sam's offer for a hug. He wanted to come off as strong and determined, not small and weak. He itched to grab Sam and never let go. He couldn't. Sam had already pressed the doorbell. A man, probably in his mid-thirties answered the door.

"You must be Phil, this is Techno and I'm Sam, his social worker."
Phil's gaze immediately turned to Techno. A warm smile spread across his face.

"Well Techno, I'm Phil, your new foster dad. I know you're not going to talk to me, but I don't mind. I just want you to be settled and comfortable."

Great, lying now. What's he gonna do next, hit? Yell? Scream? Nothing Techno can't handle. Nothing he hasn't seen before. Nothing that'll affect him. Nothing that he'll care about. And yeah, he's right. Techno's not gonna talk to him. EVER. He doesn't deserve to listen to his amazing voice.

---

"And Techno this is your room, I stocked it with some things, but I don't know what you like, I thought you could tell me and we could either go shopping or I could order some stuff online, whatever is easiest for you!"

Wow, this room was stuffed full of stuff. Techno couldn't fill it with anything else without it being filled to the brim, and unable to use it anymore. He couldn't believe that Phil thought that he needed more things. He didn't even need a room. He could sleep outside. A family made him do that once. He had spilt some water over the dog. They hated Techno. They told him to stand outside (in the middle of autumn without a coat) and then they locked the door. He remembered his screams. He begged and begged, but they never opened the door. He went and slept in the greenhouse. It was slightly warmer than the garden. He felt the solid concrete floor next to his head. He curled up in a ball and slept. When he woke, the door was still locked. He just sat by the door and waited.

Techno just nodded. He wasn't going to deny or accept anything. He didn't trust this guy. There was something off about him. Not good, not bad, just different.

---

The next thing Techno knew, Phil was signing paperwork and Sam was saying goodbye. He didn't know what happened in that small period of time that he was in his room (he couldn't really say his, it all was owned by Phil. If he wanted to come in he could, there's no-one stopping him) and in the living room, watching in dismay as Sam waved and the door closed behind him. Techno held back his trembling hands. Was Phil gonna start now, or make him trust him first? He wasn't ever going to talk. He wasn't ever going to open up. Phil was like everyone else, he just wanted Techno for the money, for a slave.

"Are you hungry? I have some fruit, or biscuits, or some chocolate," Phil asked Techno, getting up and walking to the kitchen. Techno shook his head, but he never stopped staring at him, eyeing his every move.

"Ok, do you want a drink, I have some squash, juice or water,"

Techno shook his head again. He really just wanted to barricade himself in his room and rearrange it. He needed to wash his hands. They felt so dirty. He didn't want to go upstairs yet. He didn't know how Phil would react. He needed his permission. So he just sat there. For a solid 5 minutes before Phil told him that he could go upstairs if he wanted. Techno waited a minute incase Phil changed his mind. Then he sprinted. He sprinted up the stairs, tripping over almost every step. Phil watched him and frowned. Someone hurt this kid. He was so paranoid, so scared. He couldn't even walk up stairs without shaking. Well, he was gonna help. It would be hard, but Techno deserved it.

---

Techno ran to the bathroom. He turned on the tap and placed his hands under the running water. He made sure his hands were soaking wet, before he smothered his hands in soap. He rubbed all his hands in soap until they were red. He then rinsed all the soap off and dried his hands carefully on the towel. He made sure not to drip and water or soap on the floor and he made sure the towels were straight and spotless.

Techno sat on the floor of his bedroom. He looked at the masses of books on the bookshelf. He picked one up. A series of unfortunate events. A bad beginning. It couldn't be worse than his life. He had a bad beginning, bad middle and bad end. He had been living a hell ever since he was born. He opened the book. The blurb said stuff like these 3 kids were perfect blah blah but now there orphans. Oh. He remembered when he was a kid. He used to make fun of kids who were orphans. Then he realised, he was an orphan. He didn't have parents. He didn't have anyone who loved him. He wasn't going to ever have someone. He was alone. Everyone hated him. He didn't deserve to live. He didn't deserve what he was given. He deserved the abusive people. The people who state the truth. The people who tell him he's the worst thing that ever happened to the world. It's not like they lied. It's not like there saying it to destroy Techno (well that's what he thought). Techno needed to hear the truth.

He stared at the front cover of the book. There was a man. He had a big nose and he was the second ugliest person he ever met (apart from himself). He read the first sentence. Then the next. Then the next. Then the next. He didn't put down the book. It was actually quite a shitty book, but he was hooked. The characters were spoiled brats. They were perfect brats. He vowed, to be the weost thing to ever happen to an orphan. They deserved it. Especially when they were like this. They should be used to disappointment. They should be used to the world hating them. At least, Techno was.

He was long into the second book before Phil called him. He didn't need telling twice. Get up off his ass and go downstairs. He was at the kitchen table faster than you could say bedwars. Phil was filling 2 plastic cups up with water. He turned around to find a child staring at him. He jumped. He dropped the cups. Get ready for some hard beatings. To Techno's surprise, he just laughed. He giggled, and it turned into booming laughs.

"Oh, I didn't see you there Techno! There's some Mac and cheese in front of you, you can start eating while I clean up this water."

Techno looked at him in surprise. No hitting? No yelling? No kicking? No throwing? Who was he? And who did he think Techno was? Phil wasn't normal. At least not yet. He looked at the bowl in front of him. It was too big. Either way he was gonna get hit. Either he ate it all and Phil would hit him for being greedy, or eat would leave some and Phil would hit him for not eating enough and disrespecting his time he took to cook it. He wouldn't eat all of it. He wasn't hungry, and Phil has got him locked in a corner. He couldn't escape what was to come, seeing as he wasn't hungry. He picked at a few bits but then he stopped eating.

"Are you not hungry?"
Techno nodded.
"Don't worry, that's fine! You can go to your room if you want, just make sure you brush your teeth before bed, and that you go to sleep before 9:30. I'll be watching a movie down here if you need me."

Techno couldn't understand. Was he not gonna yell? Hit? Throw? He just nodded and ran upstairs. He would brush his teeth now, so he didn't forget.

---

He had started the 3rd book by the time it was 9:30. He was already in his pajamas and it was dark. So far so good. Techno just hoped Phil would stay this way. It was a big wish. It probably wouldn't come true. He shouldn't get his hopes up. It was highly unlikely. Most people he meets dislikes him, why should Phil be different? Why should Phil love him? Nobody else does. Nobody else will. Nobody else cares about Techno. Techno was just a small hopeless boy. Someone to push around. Someone to do their bidding. Someone to order. A slave. An accessory. Something that doesn't matter. Something unimportant.

Techno couldn't be more wrong.

Chapter Text

Techno had stayed with Phil for a few days. He had started to get suspicious of Phil. He hadn't yelled or hit. Techno didn't like this. Phil was unpredictable. Techno couldn't understand Phil. Phil would never get angry. Was he even human?

---
"Techno! We're going shopping now! Come on and get your shoes on."
Techno sprinted downstairs, so fast that he missed the last step and fell face first on to the floor.

"Are you okay? Do you need an ice pack?"
Techno stood up and nodded, but then shook his head. He wasn't going to make Phil wait for something that doesn't matter, even if his head was throbbing. He grabbed his shoes, slipped them on and followed Phil outside to his car.

He sat down in the back seat, and put his headphones in. A voice whispered into his ear.

Run, run while you get the chance, it's only going to get worse from here.

He put his hands to his head.

No, no no no. Phil hasn't done anything yet, there's no point in running.

He's going to do it eventually. It's just better if you run now, then you would have one good placement.

No no no.

Don't you want a placement that is good, that you didn't get hit or shouted at in?

Shut up.

He put his headphones in, trying to drain out the voices. They just screamed louder and louder.

You know I'm right. Phil's not looking now, run.

He turned the volume up. The voices just yelled over his music. They repeated the same thing over and over again.

Run.
Run.
Run.

Techno just ignored it. What could he do? What could he say? He could give in, but then Phil would definitely change when the police drag him back.

"Are you okay?"

Techno only just realised that he was shaking and hyperventilating. He quickly nodded. Fuck, that didn't help. It just made him dizzy. Phil could see the look of panic on his face.

"Hey, it's okay. Breathe with me," Phil made an exaggerated breathing motion. "In for 3, out for 5."

Techno copied. Phils hand moved closer to his. He immediately moved away, and flinched.

"You know what, we don't have to go out today, I'll just order them online."

Great. Now Techno's being a burden. Phil would surely take his anger out on him. He's not gonna keep Techno. He wasn't useful.

---

"Techno! We gotta go to see your new school. I booked an appointment with the headmaster, but he said we gotta get there by 11!"
Techno had known about this day for a few weeks. He had to go see his school. They wouldn't want him after they saw him. Nobody wants him. The only thing who ever liked him was Mr Potato, and thats a picture on a hoodie. Well there was Sam. Sam liked him. Sam cared about him. And he was the only person who does.

---

Techno's mind wondered off when he was in the car. He was anxious about everything. What if he messes it up so badly that they won't even accept him? What if Phil hates how he acts? What if Phil finally hits him? What if he looses his temper? He knew it was gonna go bad. No school liked him.

Techno eyes averted to the building Phil had parked next to. He read the sign: Elm Secondary School.  Why? School sucks. Why can't Techno just stay locked in his room and read A series of unfortunate events? He was on the last chapter of the 3rd book, he really wanted to finish it. He wanted to push everyone out of that window.

Techno couldn't look away from that sign. It had a motto underneath it. It was in Spanish: Tienes que intentarlo para poder tener éxito. Techno was fluent in Spanish. It said: You have to try in order to succeed. He hated mottos like that. He couldn't succeed. He tried and tried, but he never succeeded. He couldn't. It was a quality of Techno Blade. He was stupid and unable to do anything. His face was always dirty and his teeth were crooked. His canines were so much bigger than the rest of his teeth. It was like he had fangs. His nose was big and - worse of all - his face was pink. Like full on pink all of the time. It looked like he was constantly sunburnt. It was worse combined with his badly dyed hair. His hair sucked. He would try to braid it but give up mid way. He couldn't do it. Like he couldn't do anything else.

---

Techno was facing the headmaster. He had a lanyard on and it read Mr Leaf. His mouth was moving but Techno couldn't hear anything. There was a large ringing sound. He tried to ignore it but it just got louder and louder. It was unbearable. He placed his hands over his ears but the sound didn't stop. He wanted to scream. Techno suddenly felt very faint. The noise was pounding in his ear. Techno just realised something. He had forgotten how to breathe. Then eveything went black.

---

This reminded Techno of the time where he first got hit.

He was only six at the time and he thought it must of been a mistake. He just asked if he could go to his friends birthday party, and then all of a sudden he was pounded against a wall. Their hands wrapped around his neck and then they squeezed. Techno couldn't forget the look on their eyes as he struggled to break free.

They finally let him go, but the pain didn't stop there. Oh no. They punched him. On his face, neck, arms, really anywhere it would hurt. They forced him down, and that's when Techno lost his connection with the world. His eyes slowly shut but his hearing was still intact.

"Oh shit. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck."

That was the last thing Techno heard before waking up. A blinding light shone down into his eyes. Everything was blurry. His ears didn't work properly. He had no clue where he was. He just felt the agnony his body was in.

Then he heard something. A voice, to be exact.
"Techno?"
It was Sam. Sam cared. Sam loved him.
"Techno! You're awake! You're ok!"
"Sam, where am I?"
"Techno, you're in the hospital, you got hit by a car."
He didn't remember that. He remembered his screams. He remembered tears. He remembered his foster parents. They were meant to make sure he was safe. They were meant to care. They were meant to love him. They didn't.

Right then, a doctor walked in. He couldn't recall the what happened next, but he knew it was all lies. Nobody knew what actually happened. Even Techno was forced to lie. He was told the same thing would happen again, except 10% worse. That scared the living hell out of him. He was 6, and had already been beaten the shit out of.

He just hoped that wouldn't happen this time.

Chapter Text

So basically I haven't posted in ages. Basically a problem of motivation. Then Techno died and I wanted to do nothing everyday. And unfortunately I had writers block.

I'm sorry, I'll try to post some more, but I have some oneshots coming and I'm trying my hardest to get this next chapter done. I'll try and get the chapter finished by the end of this month.

Thank you guys for being so understanding.
<3

Chapter Text

It didn't take long for Techno to wake up. According to Phil, it was about 5 minutes. This had happened before. The overthinking, him wanting to do everything perfect, so bad he couldn't take it. He knew that he had messed up though. He messed up real bad. No way he was going to be on Phils good side. He wanted to scream. He wanted to scream and cry and just die. This wasn't just embarrassment, this was fear. Fear of what would happen next, what Phil thought. Fear of what he would do. Techno didn't do a good job of hiding it.

"Techno, are you okay?"

Phil looked worryingly at Techno. Techno was panting and his eyes were red. He nodded quickly and stared big eyed at Phil.

---

Phil led him away to the car. The car ride home was more silent then it usually was. Techno knew that he wasn't easy, but he appreciated Phil trying hard for the first few weeks.

---
Phil sat down on his office chair. He knew that Techno would be fucked, but he wasn't prepared for this. Something had happened that he wasn't expecting. Something had happened that made Phil want to punch a lot of people.

---

Techno walked into the house and immediately ran upstairs to his room. He collapsed on his bed and just sobbed. He grabbed his hoodie from the wardrobe and curled up into a ball. He just stayed there for about an hour while he cried. While he thought about how bad he is, how much no one wants him, how much he messed up. Even after he stopped crying he didn't dare move because he could already guess what would happen if he went downstairs. The video just replayed in his head again and again.

Phil stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for him. He had keys in his hand and a sinister look on his face. He slapped Techno across the face and he fell to the floor. Phil then grabbed his ear and yanked him up the stairs. He pushed him into his room and locked it. Techno banged and banged at the door pleading from the other side that he would unlock it and it was just a joke. But everytime you could just hear Phils laugh as tears streamed down Techno's face. Then Phil started yelling and then-

Knock, Knock

"Techno? You okay in there? I can hear you crying. Can I come in?"

Techno's nightmare was interrupted by Phils voice. He opened his bedroom door and nodded. His hands were shaking and he didn't bear to look at him, even if his voice felt warm and sweet. Techno pulled at his fingers and felt himself sinking deeper and deeper into the floor.

---

Phil opened his emails. He was reminded of the time before Techno, and how much he hated them times. He might have been able to do more stuff, and have some free time, but he would give the world for Techno, despite him being the most messed up kid he's ever seen.

He was about to delete some junk emails when cries prickled his ears. He stood up and headed upstairs, getting more concerned with every step he took. Then for a minute, it just went silent. The cries stopped. But he knew that Techno needed him, even if his cries on the outside stopped, the cries on the inside were still there, screaming out louder then they could go.

Phil couldn't bring himself to knock on Techno's door. He could picture what he would look like, the fear he would hold. He just sat in front of the door. He didn't hear anything for a while, then it started again. And Phil remembered. And he hated it.

There are some things nobody knows about Phil. Some secrets that would never be told, something that he will hold in until the day he died. He knew what Techno was going through a bit too well.

There are some days which he can't remember. There are some which are blurry and some which still haunt him to his day. Nothing will fix what he felt for the first 18 years of his life. This is one of the reasons why seeing Techno's face, filled with all that fear, and all of the hope he's lost as the years went by, hurts him so much. It reminds him of himself, and it reminds him of all the kids like Techno.

---

Phil's flashbacks always sucked. Every flashback sucks, but something feels worse about his. It wasn't what he saw, what he felt, and the pain striking his body over, and over, and over again. It was the betrayal. The betrayal of the one person that a kid was supposed to trust, the person they were supposed to cry to when they have a bad dream, or they mess up, or they just need someone.

Little Phil sat in the corner of him room. He pulled his legs to his chest, and rocked back and forth. He grabbed the end of his thin frayed blanket (which was probably free at a garage sale) and layed on the cold hard floor. He tossed and turned, and curled smaller and smaller with every footstep he could feel coming closer to the door of the room. He thought if he wished hard enough that he could just disappear. It didn't work. The doorr burst open and he had 2 options. Stand up and obey every order he heard, or just pretend to sleep, and ignore the world around him. He picked the wrong option. He layed there and did nothing.
"Oh, this little bitch is ignoring me?" A voice spat in his ear. "Well then, we better make him listen, don't we!"

Kicks pounded his chest, legs and stomach. He was pulled up from his shirt and slapped in the face. Phil was dropped to the floor and punched in the nose. Blood pooled out but nobody cared. Phil was just begging and begging for it to stop and nothing to happen anymore. Him to just feel the pain drift away, as he drifted away. His wish couldn't be granted. Nails dug into his soft, rosy cheek. That bled too. His tears rolled down to the floor. Phils bloodstained clothes were ripped off his head. He was pinned to the floor and just hit and hit and scratched and then he was left alone. Cuts and bruises ran along his chest. He layed there and sobbed. He couldn't move. He fell asleep in the same position he was left in.

---

Phil was crying. Not wailing, but a few tears fell off his cheeks. He stood up, wiped his eyes and knocked on the door.
"Techno? You okay in there? I can hear you crying. Can I come in?"

The door opened very quickly. Phil noticed Techno's shaking hands and tear stained cheeks. Techno nodded. Phil stepped inside and bent down to his height. Phil didn't say anything, he just smiled. And for the first time, Techno was so relieved that Phil was there.

Chapter Text

Techno doesn't have good memories with school. They are full of kids, some good, some bad. And they talk. Non stop talking. The noise of the cafeteria rang in his ears for days afterwards. He was so glad that Phil packed him a lunch. The school lunches always sucked, and the lunch hall never had a seat free, so he would end up sitting on the floor. 

He was not looking forward for today.

---

First of all, he couldn't find his socks, which made him panic and he didn't dare get Phil. He was starting to realise maybe Phil was who he seemed, but he still wouldn't dare do anything wrong. He ended up putting on some dirty ones on from yesterday.

Next up was the tie. Why did he have to wear school uniform? What was the point? He tried to remember what Sam had taught him, but it was useless. His mind was blank. He decided that it would be best to ask Phil. He went downstairs. The smell of warm- what was that? He never smelt it before, but it smelt good. Sweet. Tasty. He walked slowly to the kitchen door and stood in the doorway.

"Techno! I made some pancakes, do you want some?"

He nodded, and then pointed to his tie.

"Do you want me to help you with your tie?"

He nodded again.

Phil knew not to do it while on its round his neck. It would make him flinch, and he didn't want to make him uncomfortable. He told him to pass it to him, and then he tied it in the air. It was difficult, but it was better then Techno having a panic attack. He passed it back to Techno and he tightened it.

"Sit down, there's some toppings for your pancake, but you can always have more if you want some."

Techno had never had pancakes. He heard of them, but he never had seen them before. There was about 10 different sauces and jams on the table. He had never even seen about half of them.

"If you don't know what you want, I recommend maple syrup. It's really sweet," Phil said, looking sweetly at Techno. He slowly walked over to the table and sat down, eyeing Phil's every move as he continued to make pancakes. Phil happily hummed a sweet tune as he rushed around the kitchen, careful not to burn any pancakes. He dropped one on Techno's plate. Techno nibbled at the side. It was- great. Amazing. Techno took another bite. He had never tasted anything better. Why did Phil decide to make this for him? Was this supposed to make him feel better because of the shitty day he's going to have? Techno didn't eat anymore. He lost his appetite.

---

"Okay! Let's get into the car. I've put your pencil case into your bag, along with your water bottle and lunch box."

Techno stood up. His bag was in the hallway so he grabbed it and shoved it onto his shoulder. His headphones had broke a few days ago so he couldn't listen to anything. He walked over to the car. He pushed himself into the car. He couldn't do this. This was the last thing he wanted to do right now. But he had to. He had no choice. This was the only option, no matter how bad it is.

---

Phil pulled up. "Do you want me to walk up with you?" Techno nodded slowly. "Okay! Come on then kid," Phil led the way and Techno trailed behind. Techno stared at the floor the whole walk. He was scared. He hated school. He wasn't that smart, he tried but he just couldn't always get it. It was hard. There was no point anymore.

---

"This is Techno." Before he knew it, Phil had left and the receptionist had led him to his class and she was introducing him to his teacher, a one by the name of Miss Milton. "Hiya Techno, I've heard so much about you," Techno grimaced. He was sick of hearing that.

---

Registration was a nightmare. Techno was already in the class sat down ages before the bell rang. One by one a kid came in and sat down. Techno wanted to go back. He would rather do anything but be there in that second.

Miss Milton started calling out names. Emma, Lucy, Simon, Adam. Most of the names she called replied with here, and only very few didn't reply at all. She didn't say his name. Techno listened carefully, matching names with faces. He sat on a table by himself, at the back of the classroom. At least he thought he was alone. Nearing the end of registration, a small boy with black hair and a grey beanie ran in rushing, and immediately yelled, "Miss I'm so sorry I'm late," Miss Milton stared at him.

"Go sit down Alex, I don't even want to hear your excuse today."

He sat down next to Techno. "Hey, I'm Quackity, the teachers all call me Alex, because that's my real name, but you call me Quackity,"

Techno nodded.

There wasn't much longer left until first period, and at this point Techno was just counting down the seconds until the day ended. The bell rang and everyone stood up.

"Techno! Alex! Stay behind please," Miss Milton gestured to them. Quackity reluctantly walked over to Miss Milton. Techno trailed behind. The rest of the class went rushing off. 

"Alex, as you probably know, Techno is new here, and I expected you to show him around and settle down, as he has all the same classes as you."

Quackity nodded quickly, as if he was... excited?

Nobody had been excited to stay the whole day with Techno before. He stared blankly at him, waiting for him to start walking. Instead he noticed that he stared at him, as if he was waiting for Techno to say something.

Miss Milton quickly hopped in, "Well you better you get along now, is it alright if you just wait outside for a minute, I just want a quick word with Alex." Techno nodded and hopped away. He couldn't hear what Miss Milton was saying to Quackity but he picked up on a few words which he heard;

Mute.. Don't wait for an answer.. Include him at break and lunch.. Be patient.

After a while, Quackity came out of the classroom. "Well then, shall we set off?" Techno nodded. He followed behind Quackity as he blabbled along about what lessons they had that day, but Techno wasn't really listening. He had too much on his mind. They had taken so long the corridors were empty. He had a feeling that it was gonna be a shit day.

But this time the feeling wasn't right.