#borrower!phil

 Wilbur, with his passion for music and comedy, always making fun of his brothers (especially Tommy) but at the same time being incredibly protective over them.

 Technoblade, with his hardened exterior but soft inside, the way he focused on things and went all out on them, and cared more than he’d ever let on.

 And Tommy, who was young, loud, and brash but also quite mature and smart. He knew how to make people laugh and used that ability whenever given the chance.

 ...Yeah, he supposed the answer to his question was obvious.

 The three humans had definitely won over his heart unlike anyone else ever had. Human and borrower alike.

 But was all that really enough for Phil to risk literally everything in order to help these kids out?

 Apparently yes.

 “Alright, that’s it, we’re fixing things up around here!” Phil yelled out into the full kitchen. All three humans had been standing around, rummaging through pantries and the fridge while chatting with each other.

 He had appeared on the counter with crossed arms. He would have preferred to be higher up and not within arms reach of the humans but that wasn’t possible for him in this area of the house. He just had to hope they’d be too shocked to think of grabbing him.

 Wilbur, Techno, and Tommy looked at Phil in shock and awe and Phil tried his best to not squirm underneath their gazes.

 “Wha-?” Wilbur started but Phil cut him off.

 “Nope, none of that now. Here’s what’s going to happen.” Phil looked to Wilbur first. “Wilbur, you are going to go to the store and get some actual groceries. I want this place stocked full of protein and veggies and some fruits. No chips or candies, got it?”

 Wilbur only stared open mouthed at him. “How do you know my-”

 “I said, do you got it?” Phil interrupted again, his tone turning more stern. Wilbur stood up straighter.

 “Um, uh, yes--yes sir.” And with that Wilbur grabbed his keys and headed out. Phil blinked, almost not believing that actually worked. 

 And he certainly wasn’t expecting to be called sir of all things.

 He turned towards Tommy and Techno, who were looking at him with much the same expression.

 “What the s***?” Tommy muttered, looking between him and where Wilbur had just left.

 “Now, you two are going to clean this house top to bottom before Wil comes back, yeah? This place is a f****** mess.”

 Tommy looked like he wanted to protest but Techno placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Phil and Techno met gazes, both intense. Though Phil couldn’t help but notice how much of an advantage Techno had, with his size and all.

 “...We’ll clean up but only if you promise to stick around.” Techno said.

 Phil blinked. “...I wasn’t planning on leaving, not permanently. I’ll be going back into the walls but I’ll be back when Wilbur is.” Phil said honestly, not even worrying about the fact that he had revealed where he lived.

 Techno looked at him silently for a few moments before nodding.

 “...Alright. Come on, Tommy. Let’s clean this place.”

 Techno dragged Tommy away, who was in the midst of confused yelling and cursing. Phil winced but didn’t blame him. 

 Phil was honestly really surprised that that went well. The humans had actually listened to him, which was just, mind-boggling for the borrower. But he wasn’t going to complain, especially if this meant the humans would start taking care of themselves better.

 Phil slipped back into the walls. He’d be back, just as he told Techno but for now, he didn’t want to be out in the open.

***

 Wilbur was back home an hour later, coming into the house with five grocery bags on each arm. He set them on the table and looked around for the little person that had told him to go out in the first place.

 “He’s not here but he said he’d be back.” Techno answered, coming into the kitchen. He was wearing gloves and his hair was up in a ponytail. He was also holding a duster, one that he quickly put back underneath the sink. At the confused look Wilbur gave him, Techno shrugged. “He told Tommy and I to clean the house.”

 “Yeah! And it sucked! Why did we listen to that weird tiny man again?” Tommy asked, coming into the kitchen as well. He was quick to throw off his own gloves.

 Wilbur started putting the food away, thinking it over. “I don’t...I don’t know. It is weird though, isn’t it?”

 “You can say that again.” Tommy scoffed. “I have half a mind to stick the guy in a jar the next time I see him.”

 “Um...please don’t.”

 All three humans turned in surprise toward the sudden voice. There, on the opposite counter, where he had appeared the first time, was the tiny person again. He looked a bit more nervous than before, probably thanks to Tommy’s threat.

 “Huh, so you actually came back.” Techno commented.

 The tiny man looked confused. “Well yeah, I said I would, didn’t I?” His eyes wandered between the three of them, but mostly towards Tommy and Techno honestly couldn’t blame him.

 “Don’t worry,” He felt the need to say, placing a hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “No one is sticking anyone in any jars. Right?” Techno directed the last word to Tommy, who looked offended.

 “Come on! I wasn’t actually going to do it!” Tommy shouted. The tiny man winced at the volume but looked a bit more relaxed than before.

 “If you don’t mind me asking…” Wilbur suddenly spoke up and Techno was surprised to see that he had taken a couple of steps closer to the tiny man. “Who are you? What are you? And why did you...tell us to do these things?” Wilbur asked, motioning toward the groceries.

 The tiny man shrugged. “I saw how you all lived, didn’t think it was healthy, and I decided to insert myself forcefully into your lives in order to help you out.” The tiny man explained simply.

 The three humans blinked at him.

 “Ah.” Wilbur said. “Okay, yeah no, that’s fair.” 

 “Okay, but you didn’t answer the other questions!” Tommy said loudly and man, Tommy’s loudness probably wasn’t good for the tiny man’s equally tiny ears.

 “Ah right, about that.” The man looked a bit nervous again. “See, technically, my kind aren’t allowed to speak to humans. Or show ourselves for that matter. I’m breaking a lot of rules by being here with you three.”

 “And?” Tommy demanded and Techno tried to reel him in a little. He didn’t want Tommy scaring him off.

 “And part of those rules is to not tell our species name to the humans.” The tiny man paused. “Although at this point does it even matter?” The question was mostly muttered to himself but that didn’t stop Wilbur from answering anyway.

 “I’m going to say no but only because I want to know.” Wilbur said. He hadn’t moved any closer but Techno realized he was in reach of the small man. He wasn’t making any moves towards the little man though, so Techno let him be.

 The tiny man laughed, throwing everyone off. “Well, when you put it like that...” He said with a shake of his head. “Alright, but…” The tiny man grew serious, reminding them of earlier, when they first met. “Ya can’t tell anyone about me, alright? Having three humans knowing about me is already too much, I don’t need any more.”

 “You have our word.” Techno spoke up for everyone. Neither Wilbur nor Tommy spoke up to say otherwise.

With Steve's help, they got to the kitchen in no time. It sure beat traversing the winding passages of the house's ventilation system by foot. Techno pulled out his tool, leaning forward to undo the screws on the grate in their way. After two had come loose, they could easily push it to the side, creating a gap just wide enough to squeeze through.

They jumped on top of the fridge. Techno looked around the kitchen but since it was the middle of the night he was pretty confident nobody would be around. Both brothers were deep sleepers. He fastened his grappling hook on the slit of the fridge door to start his descent to the counters.

"You coming?" he asked, noticing Phil wasn't doing the same.

"Nah, I think I'm good. I'll meet you down there."

Techno rolled his eyes but didn't comment, pushing off to climb down. He wasn't even halfway there when Phil jumped.

The contraption on his back had unfolded to reveal two large black triangles, each made up of countless facets. Techno wouldn't know the exact materials they were made of, despite seeing Phil fiddle around with the prototype in their base.

The insect-like wings worked exactly as they were supposed to and by the time Techno had made it there Phil was already waiting, having glided down easily with his makeshift wings. The wide grin on his face showed how pleased he was with this development.

"Show off," Techno told him.

Phil wheezed a laugh. "Aw, is somebody jealous?"

"I think it goes without saying you'll be making me one too."

"I don't remember ever agreeing to that," Phil mused, holding his chin in thought.

Techno latched onto him, pulling on Phil's arm while he whined. "No, come on Phil. Please I want it so bad. And it looked so cool, I need one too. I thought we were best friends-"

"Yeah, fine. I'll make you one, stop being a little shit."

They fell back into their routines easily, searching the kitchen for food and any other things they might need to last the week. Niki had visited, which meant there was a whole tray's worth of muffins in the bread basket. Techno tore off some pieces from the biggest one, shoving them into his pack. He made sure to bring extra for Steve.

"Why is Will's guitar on the table?" Phil asked when they met up again. Techno glanced at the instrument, propped up against a chair. It was only natural for Phil to notice, considering how Wilbur normally rarely let it leave his sight.

"One of the strings broke," Technoblade said. It happened yesterday when Phil was out in the garden. Techno was sitting at the vent of the living room listening to Wilbur play. He had heard the snap of the string, followed by Wil's muttered curses as he threw the instrument down in a huff. He shrugged. "I don't think they have the money to fix it."

"Oh..." Phil stared at the guitar with what could almost be described as pain on his face. He always felt bad for those two, barely adults and already forced to look after each other since their parents died. Wilbur tried to make ends meet by working part-time in a burger joint and playing music at night. Tommy was still in school.

It was exactly the kind of sob story that worked on a guy like Phil, who took in any stray animals he laid his eyes on and nursed them back to health. Not that Techno didn't do the same, but at least he wasn't a sap about it.

"Phil, I know what you're thinking and I'm telling you that's a horrible idea."

"If you know what I'm thinking you should know it's useless to try and stop me, Tech."

A fact Technoblade had to begrudgingly recognize was true. Maybe that was why he didn't intervene as he watched Phil glide over to the table on his wings and pull a coiled length of fishing wire out of his bag.

He might argue otherwise when pressed on the matter, but Techno knew he had just as much of a soft spot for the two humans living in this house as Phil did. Why else would he secretly fix the spelling mistakes in Tommy's English essay or fix the rip in Wilbur's favorite beanie with needle and thread.

Why else would he stand and watch as Phil fixed the string on that guitar.

"It's better than nothing," Phil said when he was done. "And if that next gig works out, he can get a proper replacement. It'll be as good as new."

"He's gonna notice."

Phil shook his head as they set off back towards the fridge. "They never noticed anything before."

"Sure, but this is the first time fishing line has magically appeared overnight."

"Maybe..." Phil stopped. "Maybe that just means it's time they know."

Techno stopped too. "Yeah, because letting people know about our existence has always turned out great before."

"I'm serious, Tech. They seem... different from any other humans we've encountered. Imagine if we wouldn't need to hide anymore."

Techno scowled. "Or imagine they put us in a jar and sell us the highest bidder. It's just not worth the risk, Phil."

"I'm just saying you should consider it." Phil pulled on the rope, making sure the grappling hook was still attached so they could climb up. "And you gotta admit it's a nice thought." He pulled himself up first, shooting a smile down at Techno.

And for a moment, Technoblade did consider it. No more life-endangering escapades for food. No more hunger or cold during the harsher winters. No more need to worry about keeping Phil safe every time he set out on his own.