Chapter Text
With Theseus’s help,Techno managed to half-walk, half-drag himself to his bedroom. He felt dizzy, and knew without a doubt that he was pale, deathly so.
Theseus was fretting. Likely not because of any reason that meant Techno was on the right track, most likely just because his ticket to no more Melanthe had just been poisoned. Or maybe it was because of the very apparent bloodshow that was the last moments of that dinner.
And Techno still hadn’t gotten to eat! Ugh!
Melanthe’s an idiot, Techno thought to himself as he crept into bed. You’d think she’d be a little more subtle about the poisoning, like she was with the duke. But then again, it wasn’t like she made it apparent it was her who arranged for a poisoning. Techno was sure she had erased any trace of it by now, and if Techno were to run an investigation, it would start more issues if he were to run a search on her quarters. Why couldn’t anything just be easy?
Techno glanced over to where Theseus hovered near the door, looking uncomfortable to step any further into the room. “Theseus,” Techno called, and even he winced at how sickly his voice sounded. When in the world would this go away?
He wasn’t worried about this being deadly. The Erebus household was built in with a high tolerance to poison, so one measly attempt wouldn’t do anything more than make him sick for a couple of days, though maybe with a little bit more blood. That’s why it had been a gradual thing, how the duke died.
Of course, Theseus hadn’t been very well versed in the inner-workings of the family name and traits, due to the fact that the time of his schooling in which he would learn such things had abruptly halted his education, because the duke was now on the slow decline, and Melanthe was curling her gloved fist around the household, and the children. It was likely that Theseus was worried.
“Yes, brother?” At least it wasn’t a ‘your grace’. He wasn’t even Duke yet.
“You call me so stiffly,” he chuckled dryly, hoping it sounded genuine past all of the sickness. “But you can come further into the room, you know? You aren’t unwelcome in here.”
Theseus bit his lip, eyes flicking to the closed door. He looked hesitant.
Slow and steady wins the race, Techno reminded himself. He spoke again. “How about you come sit down. Fretting will do you no good.”
That seemed to do it, because Theseus took small, shuffling steps towards the chair by his bed. His shoulders were hiked up to his ears in a tension that Techno would’ve never expected from a child.
But then again, this child never had a childhood, never really got to be himself. It was tragic.
Techno reached out, if only to help him relax. He knew this wasn’t the best moment to try to connect with his brother, but Melanthe wasn’t here, they were alone, and they had more than a minute to just talk.
So he took hold of Theseus’s hand, rubbing his thumb against the boy’s knuckles. “Are you alright? I know that I haven’t gotten the chance to truly talk with you today, but I want to know how things have been. Genuinely.”
Theseus chewed his lip in contemplation as he mulled over his answer. “Things have been… okay, your grac- uh, brother. Um, I do believe that is a question more suited for Lady Melanthe.”
“We just spent however long arguing like children in the dining room, and atop that, her organizational skills should be a war crime. I do not believe I will be willingly conversing with her any time soon.”
Theseus sputtered, a bit shocked at the so-blatant disrespect. Techno could see it in his eyes. "Uh, well, I-" he sighed. "Okay."
"What about you?" Techno asked, and okay, that question sounded a bit odd, but sue him, he was slightly delirious. "I mean, how are you specifically? I want to know everything."
The look in Theseus's eyes was confused, but there was a hint of something bitter in his gaze, something he tried to smother with a placating half-smile. "But why? I mean no offense, brother, but you haven't really been around at all."
Techno grimaced. "I know, gosh, I know, Theseus. And I regret it. I regret every second I didn't make more of a stink about how costly my lessons were to my relationships. I regret every second that I put any business above my family. I regret it so much, and as I was in the camp, I had a lot of time to think about how I took those things for granted, and now I'm back. Now, I want to know you. I want to try again. Just… please? I understand if you have no interest in getting to know me, but how do you feel about restarting?"
Theseus paused, eyes blown wide. Shocked, like he had never considered someone would want to know or love him.
"You want to start over? But why?"
"What do you mean? Why wouldn't I want to know my little brother?"
"Because-" he argued, voice still soft, but a bit more pressing. He gestured to himself. "I'm just some kid— Lady Melanthe says I'm a burden on the house. Why would you want to waste time talking to me?" He looked frustrated in a way, in a perplexed sort of way.
Techno frowned, squeezing Theseus's hand. "You are no burden," he stated firmly. "You will never be a burden. Whatever Melanthe's told you, she's wrong. She's so incredibly wrong. You are an Erebus, you are of the blood of the Boar. Theseus, you are the second son of one of the best dukes the duchy has seen in a hundred years. You are Blessed by the gods. You are important in so many ways that you don't even know yet. You are not just 'some kid' and you are definitely no burden."
"But I-" Theseus argued, brow furrowed.
"Furthermore-" Techno cut him off, not even letting him fully articulate another self-deprecating thought. "You are not wasting my time. You are my little brother, and I would never consider a second of time with you wasted. You're family. If anyone was a waste of my time and a burden, it would be Melan—" he coughed, effectively ending his sentence as he spat more blood into his hand. "Speaking of, where is that lady with the doctor, holy crap."
Theseus blinked dumbly at him, face blank and yet stunned at the same time. "I— but- but I'm—"
"Nope." Techno held up a hand to cut him off. "I will hear no such things about my little brother. They're not true. I won't hear them."
Theseus huffed. If Techno didn't know any better, he'd think that the look in the boy's eyes was something touched at his words.
"Anyways-" Techno continued. "I know this may be a sensitive question, so please, don't feel inclined to answer me. If you feel uncomfortable with answering, then don't, simple as that— but, uh, well, how has Melanthe been… treating you?"
Theseus stiffed anew, his face going ashen. "She— she's fine. I'm fine. We're fine. Don't worry about it, everything's- everything's good."
Techno's lips pursed, and he stared at Theseus with something so incredibly saddened. "Theseus, I know I said you don't have to answer, and you don't, but please don't lie. And please just answer me this: are you safe? Have you been safe?"
Theseus swallowed. Looked away. Curled in on himself. Then, with words so quiet, Techno could barely hear him, Theseus whispered, "No."
That was all the confirmation Techno needed. "That stupid—" he muttered, before readressing Theseus. "Then I'll help you. We have to wait for my inauguration to kick her out, but I swear to you, she will have no more power over you. I will get you out of this, if you will let me."
Theseus faced him again, his face disbelieving. "That's a lot of promises."
"And I intend to keep every single one."
They were quiet for a second, the boy doing his best to process how he felt about this. How was he meant to respond? "I… I want help. I don't— I don't want to be with her forever."
"Then I'll get you out. I swear it."
Theseus managed the smallest of smiles, but it felt like a victory. Like sunshine. Like every good thing in the world.
And then the door burst open, with Melanthe dashing in, followed by a meek looking doctor. "Look him over," she demanded, though her voice sounded annoyed, like finding a doctor was an inconvenience for her instead of the sick man in his bed who had suffered from a poisoning she orchestrated. She burned the bridge and then was mad it wasn't there anymore, what was she expecting?
The doctor ducked past her, looking a bit terrified. Techno couldn't say he blamed the guy. "Yes, my lady."
Techno pushed himself to a more upright position, a bit disappointed he didn't get to talk to Theseus more. The doctor approached, going through a list of procedures to check him over, before asking him a few questions about how he felt.
"What do you believe you ingested?" The doctor questioned, flipping through a few notes on a clipboard.
Techno shrugged. "I would assume it was a spice of sorts, considering it came after a bite of pork. I wouldn't be surprised if there was something on the pork that triggered the reaction. It was most definitely a poisoning, though."
"Intentional?"
"Likely, yes."
"Oh, don't be dramatic, you're fine," Melanthe scoffed, crossing the room as she came to look just beside Theseus, whose wide eyes trained intently on Techno. "It's just a little food sensitivity, you can't act like everything's bigger than it is."
Techno blinked at her, unamused. "I threw up blood."
"So? Food sensitivity." She looked even more annoyed, like she was contemplating snapping or something for him to dare doubt her words.
"I don't think you know what 'food sensitivity' means at all," Techno muttered. "A food sensitivity is when you aren't allergic to a food, but it tends to upse-" Techno's head whipped to the side as her hand made contact with his check, resounding in a loud SMACK!
There was quiet, for a second. Stunned silence, really. What followed was practically a tidal wave of emotions. To Theseus, he looked unsurprised, though also a little worried. The doctor looked appalled and shocked at her movements, though he didn't seem like he didn't expect something of the sort. Techno was simply stunned, but that got him thinking…
Had she abused the previous Technoblade before she sent him off to war? He wouldn't put it past her, but still, he would've thought she would've had more self-control towards someone capable of defending himself. Of course, Techno had no idea what the previous Technoblade was like, so it wasn't like he knew if the kid was the type to stand up for himself. However, he would never be able to know, because his character was one of mystery. Backstory fodder. Nothing more, nothing less.
Just another tragedy in the making.
Techno refused to be like him, refused to fade into the abyss of a tragic past and allow his soul and name to be swept to the current of an unforgiving narrative. He refused to let the tide take his life under, to hold him under until his breath refused to come, until his heart refused to beat.
He would live, for him and for Theseus, a kid that never got the things he deserved, even after he soured from the lack of them.
Techno refused to let Melanthe take his life. And he refused to let her take Theseus's.
"Get out," Techno said, a cold fury blazing in his eyes. He turned his glare towards Melanthe, making eye contact. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Theseus flinch.
"Doctor, leave us," Melanthe commanded. The doctor yelped and dashed out.
"Get out," Techno demanded again, voice low and dangerous.
"You have some nerve. Remember, you are still legally my son, and I am your guardian. It would do you well to respect me."
"I am an adult," Techno ground out, and for a moment he was about ready to punch her. Keep it together, Techno. "And I give my respect to those who don't send their children off to die." He was probably digging himself a grave, but he didn't care.
He could claim it was the sickness talking.
That would have to work.
"I never sent you off to die," Melanthe scoffed. "And you place your blame on the people you disrespect too easily. Just because you don't like me doesn't mean you can go around proclaiming what is not true."
"It is true. Don't think that the generals at the camp don't spill their guts as soon as they've had alcohol. Those men spill so many government secrets after they've stuffed themselves up with enough booze. You haven't hired the most tight-lipped of conspirators."
Melanthe's face reddened, probably very much like her vision. Her lips curled into a frightening snarl, pulling around her teeth as her facade shattered in front of Techno's very eyes. Theseus recoiled and reared back, practically scrambling to get out of the line of fire.
She moved like an arrow, precise and fast as she dove for him, curling one hand around his shirt, and one in his hair. Techno, still very much weakened from being poisoned literally thirty minutes prior, could do nothing as she pulled on it, before slamming his head into the bedframe. "Listen to me," she sneered. "I don't know who you think you are, boy, but I raised you. And if you don't want to be sent back, then you will keep your mouth shut and your head down. Am I understood, Technoblade?"
Techno squinted at her, his own expression darkening as he held her cold and angered gaze. "You do not have the power to send me away, not anymore, and not now. Not now that my father is dead, I've done my service, and my inauguration is just around the corner. And listen to me well, Melanthe."
He curled his own hand around her wrist, his nails digging into the exposed skin, nearly drawing blood. "If you don't want to end up with your head on a pike for everything you've done to harm this house, then you will stay out of my way, and you will behave yourself. Am. I. Clear?"
Melanthe let go of him, standing just beside the bed as she glared, her lips pursed. "Crystal."
"Then go. I wish not to see your face."
Melanthe rolled her eyes, and with that, took her leave.