Chapter Text
This time, Technotwt made sure to set his alarm.
Sun streamed in through a crack between his curtains, burning white, narrow scan lines across his ruffled bed sheets. Technotwt groggily reached for his buzzing phone and whacked it in hopes of hitting snooze. After a minute of sleeping in, he difficultly pulled himself out of bed and got ready for the morning.
Checking his phone as he walked his way to class, Technotwt opened his texting app and clicked on Sleepytwt's direct messages, which had a (1) notification sign shown next to it.
[Ess Bee Eye]: dream2 said to meet them at 4
[You]: Right outside the library?
[Ess Bee Eye]: yep
[Ess Bee Eye]: don't be late again lmao
Technotwt rolled his eyes. Amusedly (and with a hint of exasperation), he clicked his phone off and continued going about his day.
As predetermined, Technotwt began waiting for Dream2 in front of the school library at 4PM on the dot. The library was a large, seperate building built similarly to Greek temples during ancient times. It was one of MCYT Academy's pride and joys, but to Technotwt, it was just another location that would soon have a memory filed under the ‘really bad one’ folder.
To Technotwt's utmost annoyance, Dream2 decided to arrive a whopping twenty minutes late with yet another cup of iced coffee in their hands.
“You,” Technotwt gruffly said, “left me hanging for nearly half an hour.” He jabbed at his wristwatch. As a response, Dream2 slowly directed their mouth to the coffee cup’s straw and loudly slurped up the remainder of their drink, much to Technotwt’s fury.
“I,” Dream2 said as they looked around for a trash can, “do not care.” With a thunk, Dream2 punctuated their words by dropping the now-empty cup into a bin. Technotwt stared, features twisted, as he gave Dream2 an incredulous look.
“What are you staring at?” Dream2 moved to stand in front of the library’s magnificent entrance. “Get inside, you oaf.”
Baffled, Technotwt almost sputtered, but he held his tongue on time. Technotwt trailed alongside Dream2 with an exaggerated sigh and entered the air-conditioned establishment. A few students were scattered around the mass of tables provided for public use, and Technotwt hurried to secure an uncrowded spot near a haphazardly-parked trolley of returned books. He unloaded his bag and tidied his folders. Dream2 followed in suit, sitting right across Technotwt.
“Right,” the pink-haired man started as he pulled a chair aside to sit. “We have to do an analysis on a play of your choice. Which play do you want to do?”
Dream2 languidly stretched their upper body, almost like a cat. “Dunno. You give me a play. I’ll do the research for you.”
“How about ‘An Inspector Calls’?”
“Sure. But I’ve never read it.”
Technotwt raised an eyebrow. “What plays have you read, then?”
A pause. Dream2 hummed thoughtfully. “Does the entire script of the hit show ‘Dre PMS’ count?”
“No,” Technotwt flatly replied.
“Then I’ve read nothing.” Dream2 ran a tired hand through their hair. “God, this is so stupid. I can’t believe the teacher grouped me with the likes of you.”
The hairs on Technotwt’s neck rose. “Elaborate,” he said tightly, “because I am equally as frustrated to work with a Subredditor, of all things.” The binder in Technotwt’s hand was currently held in a vice grip. Its owner clenched a strong hand around the spine. Indifferent, chartreuse eyes met inflamed azalea. A glint of provocative mirth glittered in the expanse of Dream2’s irises. Technotwt’s pupils thinned into slits.
Seeing this, Dream2 practically crooned. They leaned across the table, a smile tugging at the corner of their lips. “Furious, aren’t you? Fucking pathetic.” Immediately, their mouth plummeted into a dark scowl. “All Subtweets are the same. Once provoked, you’re out for blood.”
The hand strangling the spine of Technotwt’s own binder only increased in tenacity. “I’m not like those air-headed”—Technotwt tried (and failed) to calm down—“idiots you speak of. You’re intentionally stepping on my toes. I have every right to get defensive.”
“You’re an impatient man,” Dream2 noted.
“Only to you,” Technotwt seethed. “Because every single interaction we’ve had left me feeling pissed.”
“Biased, impatient, and easy to anger.” Each word was emphasized with a lift of a dainty finger. As if driving a point home, Dream2 cocked their head to a side. They lifted one of their shoulders, shrugging half-heartedly, unbothered to give Technotwt their full attention. To top it all off, they sneered, “Looks like you’re not as different as 404 or Bootwt after all.”
Technotwt inhaled sharply. The library’s cool air burned his nostrils, and the air around the two became infinitely colder. “Don’t,” he bit out, gritting his teeth, “mention their names. Especially Bootwt.” He let go of his binder. Any longer and he’ll break the rings.
Dream2 plowed onwards, egging Technotwt to snap. “Bootwt,” they repeated maliciously. “Come on, yell at me. What did the man do to you? Slandered you, I bet? Beat you against a wall? Did 404twt watch?" And like a sick twist of a knife in his chest, Dream 2 added in a low whisper: “Did anyone stop them?”
Before he could register it, Technotwt’s arm shot out and grabbed the collar of Dream2’s dress shirt. Dream2 was forced to steady themselves with their arms as they were yanked across the table’s surface, eyes wide. Technotwt and Dream2 were barely two inches apart. If Dream2 breathed hard enough, they could smell the other's cologne.
“Shut your mouth.” Technotwt’s voice cracked at the end. “You’re so goddamn pretentious. You think you and your Subreddit cronies are the kings of the world, don’t you? That you can act superior to me, to us, to any other Sub-whatever? News flash, Dream2,” Technotwt hissed, “that’s not how it works. That’s not how the world works. Get it through your thick fucking skull so we can have a proper conversation for once.”
Technotwt stopped for air. He felt the intense and curious peers of multiple students staring at him and Dream2, with some small groups murmuring amongst their friends. He slowly slackened his grip around Dream2’s shirt. Even as Technotwt backed away with a bead of sweat sliding down his neck, Dream2 remained frozen, still half-leaning across the table, their eyes the size of saucers.
Technotwt cleared his throat. Finally, Dream2 blinked. Then they blinked a few more times and brushed the nonexistent dust off their shirt.
“I apologize,” Technotwt said monotonously, wiping a sleeve against the mid-section of his face. “I acted out of line.”
“I—um. It’s fine.” Dream2 still looked undeniably bewildered. “To be honest, I’m sorry too, actually.”
For what? Technotwt thought to himself, but he did not vocalize his snark. Instead, he gathered his things with one clean sweep and dumped them into his backpack.
“I’m leaving.” Technotwt slung the bag over his shoulder. “We can meet up another time. Preferably not this week; we have two months for this monstrosity of a project.”
Before Dream2 could get a word in, Technotwt pushed in his chair, fished out his earphones, and left without a goodbye.