Chapter Text
Tommy wasn't really sure how he felt about hospitals.
Actually, Tommy wasn't really sure of anything at the moment.
The first thing he was aware of was a high pitched ringing in his ears, making him wince. He tried to put his hands over his ears, but found that he couldn't quite move them. They felt numb, and stiff, like they were wrapped in bandages.
He blinked, trying to flex his fingers, which he managed easily enough. What was going on?
The next thing he was aware of was people. A lot of people, around him, yelling and saying stuff that Tommy couldn't understand. It sounded like they were speaking in a foreign language. His brain couldn't comprehend the words.
A woman with pink hair flickered into his view. She called something out, and Tommy managed to register the words; "He's awake!"
The ringing in Tommy's ears had faded slightly, though he could hear other noises: beeping, hurried footsteps, and a lot of talking. Every sound seemed magnified to be louder than it actually was, making Tommy wince.
"Hey, it's okay." The words were fuzzy and sounded far away, but at least Tommy could understand them. "Just breathe. Breathe for me, okay?"
Tommy tried to take deep breaths, though his lungs hurt like hell. The pink haired lady nodded. "There we go. You're okay."
"Wha-" Tommy's throat felt like sandpaper. He licked his lips weakly. "What-"
"Maybe don't try to talk?" Pink Lady suggested gently. Tommy chose to ignore that suggestion. "Where am I?" His voice sounded about as good as he felt, but whatever.
"How much do you remember?" Pink Lady asked him.
Tommy thought hard. "Not... not much."
"That's okay," Pink Lady reassured him. "Deep breaths, okay? I'm Niki."
Tommy nodded weakly. "Where am I?" He repeated, voice cracking slightly.
"You're in the hospital," Niki told him gently. "You were in an accident. You've been in a coma for six months."
Tommy's brain didn't quite register the words at first. Six months?
Six months. Six months where he could be playing video games and hanging out with friends and dating hot women and listening to Wilbur play guitar and-
Wilbur.
Techno.
Dad.
Tubbo.
Ranboo.
Tommy froze, stiffening suddenly. The nurses and doctors started talking anxiously, saying something about a stroke or a seizure. Tommy managed to shake his head, trying to convey that he was alright.
But he wasn't.
"Shit," Tommy gasped, hands shaking. "Shit, I-"
"Tommy!"
Tommy only saw a flash of brown curls and eyes filled with tears before Wilbur was tackling him in a hug. Niki was saying something, probably trying to get him to give Tommy space, but Tommy didn't want space at the moment.
He'd waited six fucking months to be hugged. He wasn't waiting another minute.
So Tommy weakly lifted his arms and clung to Wilbur. He breathed in, and out, and he could smell the coconut shampoo Wilbur always used, and the dumb perfume that he insisted was cologne even though Tommy knew girls in his class wore the exact same thing, and moth balls because Phil made Wilbur practise guitar in the attic because God fucking dammit, Will, it's 2am, shut the fuck up.
"Tommy," Wilbur mumbled, and Tommy wanted to nod, to tell him it was alright, and it was okay, and he was here, but his eyes felt a bit watery (probably just from allergies, as big men like him never cried) so he just sort of hummed and held his brother tighter.
And then Wilbur pulled away as the door burst open again despite the doctor telling people to give the patient space (he wasn't even Tommy, apparently, just the patient) and Techno and Phil were standing there, eyes wide and afraid, like they had been scared to get their hopes up until they saw Tommy for themselves.
"You're here," Techno croaked, and Tommy wanted to retort that yes, he was here, it wasn't like he'd been anywhere else for the last six months, but instead he just smiled and hoped that was enough.
And it was.
Tommy was sitting up in a hospital bed, with wires pulled into him just to help him live, and yet he'd never felt more alive.
Phil was hugging him and crying and Wilbur had collapsed onto one of the hospital chairs with his head in his hands, and Techno was clinging to him and gazing at Tommy like he'd never be able to look at him enough. Like he was a miracle just for existing, just for being there.
And Tommy had never loved his family more.
About an hour later, Tubbo flew into the room and literally screamed at the sight of him.
"You bitch!" Tubbo shrieked. "You go off, and- and- fucking crash a car- and fucking get into a come for six fucking months- and you just wake up now- and- and- fuck you!"
Tommy got about 70% of that, but he just smiled sheepishly and allowed Tubbo to jump on top of him and wrap him in a hug.
Then Tubbo slapped him in the face and cussed him out for about fifteen minutes, which made Niki look shocked, but Tommy just laughed. "Pussy, imagine missing me, you're so clingy-"
"I will chop off your testicles, you piece of shit-"
A while after that, during which Tubbo threatened to defenestrate him about sixteen times, Ranboo ran in the door, and looked like he was going to faint at the sight of Tommy.
" 'Ello, boob boy," Tommy said with a grin, and Ranboo fucking sobbed. What a pussy. Imagine crying. Tommy would never.
Phil stayed with him that night (Techno and Wilbur had to be literally dragged out of the hospital, and Ranboo had to actually carry Tubbo out) and Tommy curled up in his dad's arms, listening as Phil whispered over and over how much he loved him.
Tommy didn't sleep for a long time. He would never admit it to anyone, but he was the tiniest bit afraid that if he went back to sleep, maybe he wouldn't wake up again. But Phil was soft and warm and Tommy's eyes were closing before he even realised it.
But it didn't matter, because he would wake up. He promised himself.
No matter how long it took. Because his family would always be waiting.