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The soft crunch of leaves under Techno’s heavy boots echoed through the empty forest, the man’s steps slow and calculated. The wind whistled through pink hair, blowing it softly around the man’s solemn face. The expression on Techno’s face only grew more somber as he reached his destination, his feet stopping in front of a large tree.
A shaky hand was raised to the tree, wiping away excess moss around the piece of paper that was nailed to the bark. A face was sketched onto the paper, the unmistakable freckled face causing Techno’s vision to blur. A messy sentence was written on the parchment, Techno barely being able to see through the tears clouding his vision.
Missing Person, Dream Taken, last seen at-
Techno closed his eyes, his vision cutting off from the sentence he’s read a million times over. He raised a hand to his face, desperately attempting to wipe away the tear tracks on his cheeks, but to no avail. Techno stared at the drawn face in front of him, a sob threatening to break through his throat.
Techno remembered when he met the blond kid on the poster.
He was eight when a child with ecstatic green eyes broke his wooden sword. He was mad at first, who wouldn’t be, but he got over it when the blond handed him another wooden sword, seemingly retrieving it out of nowhere. After that incident, the two became fast friends, barely leaving each other’s sides.
They grew up together, anything one of them went through, the other did too. They learned how to spar together, Techno always slightly ahead of Dream, both being miles ahead of everybody else in the class. They learned how to protect themselves against the raids that sometimes plowed through cities, both of them eager to help the townsfolk.
They spent their days exploring in the forest, Dream eagerly teaching Techno how to jump from tree to tree without falling. They spent their afternoons staying out way too late, Phil having to come out and drag Techno back in, Dream going off to wherever he stays. They sometimes spent nights sneaking out, meeting at the same tree Techno was currently standing at.
As time went on, Techno began to view his best friend in a different light. Dream’s loud wheezing laugh became more endearing, the freckles covering tan skin turned to constellations in Techno’s ruby eyes, his dirty blond hair becoming soft to the touch. The occasional brush of fingertips sent fire flooding through Techno’s body, their eye contact held longer than what was probably considered normal.
They were together every day, without fail, until one day, they weren’t.
Two weeks after Dream’s sixteenth birthday, everything fell apart. The day started out completely normal, the two of them meeting at their normal tree before going off to find a place to spar. They didn’t spend as much time together as usual, Techno saying that he had to go do something away from Dream for a few hours, Dream saying he had to do the same.
Techno decided that morning while they were sparring that enough was enough, he was going to do something about his childish crush whether it kills him or not. He set out into the middle of the forest and recited the same line over and over again until it felt like that was all he could say. When he arrived back at the tree at their designated meeting time, Dream was nowhere to be seen. Techno merely shrugged and sat down, assuming Dream was a little late.
However, Dream never showed up that day. Techno stayed for hours after the meeting time before Phil had to drag him back, his exhausted body not putting up much of a fight. Dream didn’t show up the next day, nor the next, nor for the rest of the week. Techno showed up every day, desperate that Dream would show up eventually, but he never did.
Techno was determined to find the blond, so he set out around town, asking if anybody had seen him. Everybody either brushed him off or flat out ignored him, but one street vendor offered to draw out a missing poster for him. Techno pinned the paper to their tree as soon as he got there, hoping desperately that Dream would make his way back.
When months went by, Techno lost hope. His fake optimism turned to overwhelming sadness, threatening to consume the pink haired boy. He went through the motions of life without even thinking, Phil often having to coax him out of bed. Techno shrunk into himself more, almost never reaching out to talk to other people.
As more time went on, months turning into years, Techno felt his sadness turn to anger. He couldn’t believe the boy would just leave without a word, leaving Techno alone without even so much as a goodbye. He knew, realistically, that the anger wasn’t directed at the blond boy, more at whatever reason he had for leaving without saying anything, but he needed somewhere to direct his emotions towards.
Now, five years later, the blond was still missing.
Every single month, Techno would visit the tree and wipe off the moss surrounding the paper, lest it obstructed the drawing. There’s still a small glimmer of hope in the back of Techno’s mind that Dream will come back one day, no matter how dark the outcome is looking. He has since stopped taking daily trips into the forest to look for the man, but he has never stopped hoping.
Now, Techno doesn’t believe in God, but everytime he comes he can’t help but mutter a plea to anybody who’s listening to bring Dream back to him.
Techno shook out of his mind when he heard the rustle of leaves nearby, quickly wiping his eyes before looking over to find a squirrel peering at him curiously. He glared at the small creature before turning back to the direction of his home, walking back to the small building.
He ignored the nagging feeling in the back of his mind telling him to stay and wait for Dream, far used to the feeling that shows up without fail every time he goes to the tree.
-
As Techno watched the sun set through glass windows, reds and oranges shining over the interior of his wooden house, he felt himself grow tired.
He could still feel the dried tear tracks on his face from earlier that day, his eyes slightly puffy. He hated crying; he supposes he should be used to it by now, since it happens every month he visits, but he isn’t. He quickly does one more swipe of his cheek, only succeeding in reddening the skin, before he stands up and heads to his bed.
As Techno settled down in the collection of furs and soft linen, his eyes nearly closed, he heard a knock at his door. He stopped his movements, awkwardly perched on the mattress holding a fur blanket in the air, listening for the telltale sign of a weapon being drawn. However, nothing comes. All he can hear is the usual song of the forest at night, a soft melody being created by multiple different types of animals.
He eventually continues his actions, checking that his trusty sword is nearby, before deciding that he can deal with the mystery knock in the morning. He determines that he isn’t anywhere near the right mindset to deal with people right now, exhaustion clouding his brain.
As his eyes close for good, he squashes down the hopeful voice in the back of his head that says the knock was his childhood best friend; he knows it isn’t true.
-
As it turns out, he definitely should not have waited for the morning to deal with whatever was going on.
When he had walked outside after he woke up, the sun already high in the sky, he found a letter sitting on his doorstep. He could already feel the annoyance rise up in him at the familiar sight of a noble’s penmanship, already knowing who it was from before he picked it up. The letter was written on the most expensive parchment money could buy, not an ink swirl out of place.
Greetings Technoblade,
Your presence is requested at the kingdom at high noon tomorrow by the King himself. The subject is being kept private until your arrival. A refusal to meet these requests will be met with the royal guards sent to your doorste-
Techno pinched the bridge of his nose, a deep sigh echoing out of him. What the hell could this guy want. Techno quickly walked back inside and dropped the letter on the counter, resisting the urge to rip the parchment to shreds. His eyes traveled to the clock hung over the door, his pulse quickening at the sight of the hand only half an hour away from noon.
He managed to make it to the kingdom a minute past noon, a guard showing him the way into the throne room, as if he hasn’t been here before. Techno had to fight an eye roll at the sight of the King cockily sitting on his throne, the view all too familiar to the pink haired man.
“Ah, Technoblade! So nice to see you again!” Techno could already feel a headache coming on from the man’s voice, why does it have to sound like nails on a chalkboard? “So! I assume you’re eagerly wondering as to why I brought you here.” Techno feels more out of place the longer he stands in this stuffy room. “I’ll keep it short, I have a job for you.” What.
“With all due respect, sir, you and I both know I’ve been retired for months now.”
Phil had wanted Techno to become a knight after Dream vanished, and Techno wanted to take his mind off the missing boy, so he took the job. He regretted it almost instantly, his purpose shifting from protecting the King to becoming a weapon for use. He had enough when he turned twenty one, quitting the position almost instantly and moving to a little cabin in the woods. Life has been nicer since he left, and now the King wants Techno back.
“Yes, yes, I’m aware. But I’m afraid that you’re the only one in the entire kingdom who has a chance to defeat this man. You see, I had sent my four best men, at the same time, after this thief, and they didn’t even manage to capture the guy!”
That caught Techno’s attention, one person able to fight off four guys at once? Seems like somethin’ only he could do.
“So, Technoblade, I kindly ask you to step out of retirement- only for a minute- to kill this one man, and then you’ll be set free! I’ll never ask you for anything else!”
Normally, Techno would easily say no to this man. However, he could feel up to twenty different sets of eyes set on him, waiting for his decision. He can feel their prying eyes watching his every move, eagerly watching for an ounce of hesitation on his face. He wanted to say no, he intended to say no, but of course, nothing goes right for Technoblade.
“I’ll do it.”
-
Later that day, he was armed to the teeth with various weapons, courtesy of the Kingdom, along with a compass that supposedly always pointed towards the man he was supposed to be hunting.
He was given a brief description of the man by the previous four hunters, who seemed to shiver at their own words. Tall, lean, always wearing a green hoodie, criss crossed straps on his chest holding various weapons, black pants, dark boots; and the one thing that caused all four of them to flinch, a white porcelain smiley face mask.
As Techno followed the compass to find a man fitting the exact description he was told, he thought that maybe he should’ve taken their frightened warnings more seriously. They didn’t tell him how unsettling the crudely drawn smiley face actually was, and how the axe strapped on the man’s back was huge. They also failed to mention the shield the man carried, which would have been helpful to a shieldless Technoblade.
Luckily the man hadn’t noticed him yet, focused on sharpening a dagger he had, so Techno had a view minutes to prepare himself. However, when the man did finally notice him, he jumped up before freezing in place, his mask eerily staring straight at Techno. The two were at a standstill, waiting for each other to make a move, before the man turned around and ran.
Techno was confused, not confused enough to not follow the man, but still very confused. This guy was so terrifyin’? All he’s doin’ is runnin’. The man was fast and agile, Techno barely able to keep up through the dense forest. Unless those four especially hated running, Techno couldn’t understand why they were so terrified of the masked man.
Techno finally got to see why he terrified the four when the masked man stopped running, stopping short at a large decline. Techno stopped when he stopped, a couple feet behind him. They stared at each other for five seconds before the man struck, Techno blocking the axe blow with the blade of his sword.
The two exchanged strikes, neither of them ever delivering fatal blows. As the time went on, Techno noticed how the man seemed to always be on the defensive. He went on the offense when the situation required it, but most of their fight was Techno attacking while the man used his shield. Those four must’ve been terrified of people defendin’ themselves for them to be so traumatized.
Their fight ended when the man’s shield nearly broke, both of them realizing at the same time. Techno swung back to deliver a fatal blow to the splintered wood, but before his sword could make contact, the man was gone. Techno looked around, trying to catch sight of any lime green, but after finding nothing, took out the compass he received. Somehow the man had descended the large hill with ease and was now heading south, Techno grumbling slightly before begrudgingly following.
-
Techno thinks he finally understood how devastating the man’s attacks could be when he watched him fight off a group of bounty hunters.
It had been a couple of days of Techno blindly following the compass without any evidence of the masked man before he finally stumbled upon the man. He heard the five men surrounding the masked man before he saw them, their faces pulled into a sneer as they surrounded the man in green.
“I reckon we could stretch the price on your head if we delivered you alive and killed you in front of the king himself.” Techno scrunched up his nose at that, walking closer to the voice. He found the numerous men standing around the guy he was supposed to be hunting, the masked man not seeming too stressed at the unwelcomed company.
“Ooh! Or maybe we can tear you limb from limb.” These guys are on too much of a power trip. Techno rolled his eyes slightly from his spot behind a nearby tree, watching the masked man take the large axe off his back. “Aww,” one of the bounty hunters pouted mockingly, “the little baby thinks he can fight back.” At this point, Techno’s seriously considering killing the men himself.
It seems like the masked man was sick of them as well, if the annoyed sigh filling the air was anything to go by. The man rolled his shoulders and lifted his axe, surveying the numerous men around him. He still hasn’t noticed Techno, which the pink haired man is grateful for. He’s been feelin’ sore from sleepin’ on the floor for days straight. The men surrounding the one in the middle looked at each other, identical grins on all of their faces, before they struck.
Techno thought he knew who was going to win, c’mon, the only thing the masked man knows how to do is run. However, he could not have been prepared to see the axe wielding man bring down one man within the first few seconds of the fight. A swift strike to the neck and the man was dead, his four remaining counterparts glancing at each other nervously.
The way the masked man swept through the bounty hunters was beautiful; the man was performing a dance with death and winning. Techno could recognize some of his own techniques being performed by the man, almost a mirror image of the fighting style he learned when he was younger, barely able to grasp the concepts before he was running to show Dream. He shook his head at the incoming thoughts of the blond boy, focusing instead on the fight still continuing in front of him.
The battle must have lasted only a couple minutes, the masked man standing strong in the middle of a ring of corpses. Techno shook his head out of the mesmerized haze he was in, watching as the man crouched down to rifle through the others’ pockets. He watched as the man swiftly took some valuables from the bodies, standing up before sweeping the forest around him, then continuing to walk east.
Techno watched him go for a few seconds before his head jolted back. Wait. He didn’t fight like that when he was fightin’ him. Techno started to blindly walk after the man, his mind riddled with instances where the masked man could have taken his head cleanly off.
Why is he holdin’ back? Only with him?
-
Techno had been following the masked man for two weeks, and he was thoroughly exhausted.
Getting up every morning at the crack of dawn after sleeping on the harsh forest floor was killing him, he doesn’t know how much longer he can do this for. He is deeply regretting agreeing to do what the King asked him to, debating whether to go back and tell him that the man can’t be caught. Nevertheless, he continues on, having seemingly meaningless battles every day then falling asleep on the hard ground, before waking up and repeating the process over again.
Tonight he felt as though he’d been walking aimlessly in the same direction, never catching sight of the masked man once. It was well past sunset, the moon high in the sky, the only light Techno had in the dark forest. Techno’s eyes couldn’t stop drooping, his vision blurring with exhaustion.
Suddenly, he saw a bright orange glow break through the shadows. His attention peaked, his vision focused on the light. As he got closer, he realized the glow was from a bright fire sitting within a small clearing of trees. Around the fire sat a couple of overturned logs, a lone figure sitting on one, facing the direction Techno came from.
The man was silhouetted by the light, accenting the mask sitting on his face. The man’s shoulders were hunched, his head bent forward, his elbows rested on his thighs, his hands hanging between his legs. The fatigue was evident in the hunched figure, the lines of his body looking forlorn. For a moment he didn’t look like the terrifying figure he was during the day, didn’t look like the reason four men were now traumatized; he looked like a man who had been running nonstop for too long.
Techno felt sympathy for the man in front of him. He was all too familiar with the bone deep exhaustion that came with fighting without a break. He went days with only an hour of sleep when he was a royal guard, and the only way he got out of the routine was when Phil took him back to his house, where he promptly slept for sixteen hours. The man in front of him clearly needed a nice bed to sleep for an entire day in.
Techno took one final look at the man before turning around, walking away from the warmth of the flames. It’d be nice for once to fall asleep to the feeling of his own fire, not having to worry about how visible the light would be; not having to worry about the masked man finding him.
-
It had been a week after Techno fell asleep next to a warm fire when he decided enough was enough.
He got more and more tired everyday, his body was sore beyond belief, and he just wanted to go home. He had planned the perfect ambush the night before performing it, and he even went through back up plans; Dream would be so proud. His swords were as sharpened as they could be, he was well rested, and his mindset was in the right place; nothing could go wrong.
Except for the fact that the masked man won’t stop running. It seems as though when Techno makes it one step, the masked man’s already ten feet ahead. Techno could feel his irritation grow larger every second, threatening to explode inside his head. If the man didn’t stop sometime soon, he would snap.
Luckily for him, the masked man had to stop sooner than expected, being cornered between Techno and a steep incline. The man looked around desperately, trying to find a way out, but Techno blocked every exit. This was ending here and now, Techno would make sure of it.
Their unavoidable fight went roughly the same as their last skirmishes did, both parties parrying back and forth, no clear winner. Except this time, Techno was fueled with a new fury, there was no way he was losin’. The masked man continued to be on the defensive, only attacking Techno when it was needed.
Their fight lasted for a total of five minutes before the unspeakable happened. The cracking of porcelain filled the air, the sound deafening in the relatively silent forest. The man now sat on the ground, clutching his face, his weapon abandoned on the grass. Techno stalked over to the man, sheathing his sword in the process, before roughly removing the man’s hands from his face.
Techno couldn’t breathe. His eyes widened in shock, his grip loosening enough for the man to hold his arms out in front of him, not covering his face as much as preparing to block a blow that wasn’t coming. Techno stared at the man, a million questions running through his head at the sight.
He knew him. He knew those freckles, he knew that dirty blond hair that slightly flopped over his emerald eyes, he knew that scar that ran through his right eye, he was there when he got it; this was Dream.
Techno’s hands started to shake, his gaze still focused on the man cowering in front of him. He fell forward from his crouched position, his knees hitting the soft dirt, his hands reaching out slightly to hover over the man who he now knows is Dream. The blond finally lowered his hands, staring at Techno, confused ruby meeting scared emerald.
“Dream?” Techno’s voice came out shaky, his usual monotone tone lifted with astonishment. At the small nod from Dream, Techno reached forward and grabbed the man’s shoulders, pulling the man’s body against his own. A surprised sound escaped Dream’s mouth, slightly muffled by Techno’s shoulder as the pinkette wrapped his arms around the blond.
Dream’s hands were shaky as they finally returned the sentiment, both pairs of arms desperately clinging to each other. Techno buried his face in Dream’s shoulder, an overwhelming sense of relief blanketing him. He could feel hot tears leaking out of his eyes, but he paid no attention to them, his entire focus on the man currently choking down his own sobs.
Techno doesn’t know how long they hugged for, not long enough, if you ask him, but they eventually pulled away. They didn’t move far from each other, Techno keeping his hands securely on Dream’s shoulders. “Dream… what happened? How- how did this all happen?” How did his childhood best friend, the one who talked softly to animals and was exceptional with children, become a wanted criminal?
“It’s too much to explain right now, Techno, believe me.” Techno felt like crying again, the man’s voice, the one he hasn’t heard in half a decade, felt like soft honey as it caressed the pink haired man. “Can we go somewhere else please? I’m getting sick of the forest.” The small chuckle he let out squeezed Techno’s heart, the wheezing laughter he so desperately missed only one joke away from slipping out.
That’s how Techno found himself walking back to his house, the blond man close to his side, their hands brushing with every stride before their fingers were interlocked by Dream, the tracking compass lying broken on the ground behind them.
-
Techno doesn’t think he’s ever been more happy to see his little cottage in the woods, the blond next to him practically dead on his feet. He opened the creaky front door, Dream following his every move due to their still intertwined fingers, the warmth of the house encasing the two in comfort. The red hues of the sunset filtered through the window, bathing the two in a mellow light.
Techno could see Dream looking around next to him, his emerald eyes scanning the interior of the building. A small smile was on his face, though it was slightly dazed due to exhaustion. Techno helped the blond take off his boots, his own coming off the moment they stepped through the door.
“You know, Dream, we really need to talk about the whole vanishin' thing.”
Dream let out a small whine from where he was leaning against Techno, the two of them still standing in the doorway. “Can we please do that tomorrow, I want to sleep for a year right now.” Techno has never been able to resist Dream, ready to do anything he wanted at the drop of a hat, why would he start now?
Techno rolled his eyes fondly, awkwardly shuffling to his room with a clingy Dream attached to his side. He opened his door and practically drooled at the sight of his bed, the collection of blankets looking softer than usual. To be fair, it has been three weeks since he’s slept in a bed.
Dream took one look at the bed and dragged Techno over to it, softly throwing him down before lying next to him, reattaching himself to the man’s side. Their bodies fit perfectly, they have since they were kids, and Techno felt like he could cry again. Instead, he wrapped his arms around the blond, pulling him closer, the steady beat of their hearts comforting the two immensely.
Techno buried his head in Dream’s hair, the strands way softer than they should be after running through a forest for who-knows-how-long. He made a mock appalled noise, the sound slightly muffled by Dream’s hair. “When was the last time you showered?”
Dream snorted slightly, his hand coming up to lightly hit Techno’s shoulder. “Oh shut up.” Dream’s hand remained on Techno’s shoulder, their bodies still intertwined, both of them falling into a deep sleep simultaneously.
They’ll talk in the morning, Techno’s sure of it.
-
They didn’t talk in the morning. In fact, neither of them spoke until the next night, the sunset pouring through the windows, when their minds were finally lifted of their exhausted haze. Ruby eyes were the first to open, the complete opposite of when they were kids, the pink haired man rubbing a calloused hand over his face, trying to wipe away the exhaustion that still clung to him.
He attempted to get out of bed, the action being thwarted by the man still clinging to him. Techno couldn’t stop the fond smile that spread across his face as he looked at the blond, the man’s features so similar yet different from when they last saw each other.
He lost some of the baby fat he still had as a teenager, the smile lines that were indented near his eyes seemed smoother, the dimples on his cheeks yet to make an appearance; yet the emerald eyes currently covered by pale eyelids were the same, the slightly crooked nose from being broken when they were ten was the same, the constellation of freckles was the same; he was still Dream, albeit an exhausted version.
“Why are you staring at me, you creep.” Dream’s voice was thick with sleep, his half open eyes barely visible in the setting sun. Techno snorted quietly, not daring to disturb the peace that formed around them. They basked in the silence for a few minutes before Techno broke it, bringing up the topic that’s been at the back of both of their minds since they reunited.
“Dream, we need to get up, you go shower and i’ll attempt to cook somethin’.” Dream made a noncommittal sound at that, his face burrowing further into Techno’s shirt. “And then we need to have a talk.” Dream groaned, raising his head to half heartedly glare at Techno. The pink haired man only lightly patted Dream on the back before maneuvering out of the blond’s hold, ignoring the groan the man gave when Techno pulled him out of the sheets.
Their dinner passed in relative silence, both of them eagerly eating Techno’s specialty, baked potatoes. Techno grabbed both of their plates and placed them in the sink when they were done, telling himself he’ll clean them later. They avoided the elephant in the room until they couldn’t any longer.
“Alright, Dream, where do we start?” Techno never really felt awkward around Dream, maybe that’s why he adores him so much, but he can't help the way his fingertips drum on the wooden table.
The awkward laugh from Dream showed that he wasn’t the only one who felt uncomfortable. “Right, so, uh, I guess I’ll start from the beginning.” Dream shifted in his seat, Techno’s fingers still lightly tapping the wood. “So, you need to know that I didn’t want to leave without saying a word. I didn’t want to leave at all, really, but suddenly I turn around and a man is chasing after me and saying I’m in trouble. So, I ran.”
“Why didn’t you find me? You knew where I was, we could’ve fought the guy together.” Techno would gladly fight someone who was giving Dream trouble, he’s done it before and he’d do it again. Dream looked at him and shook his head, his gaze shifting back to the wood.
“I didn’t want to get you involved. It was my mistake, I needed to pay for it.”
“Dream if you don’t explain what ‘your mistake’ means in the next thirty seconds, I’m going to have to start assumin’ shit, which never ends well.” They both remembered when Techno was eleven and thought Phil hated him just because he didn’t say his usual good morning, neither of them wanted a repeat.
“Well, I stole something from the town and was accidentally caught.” That didn’t sound too bad, the two of them constantly stole stuff from the town center without getting caught, loaves of bread and books that couldn’t have cost more than an emerald.
“And basically the King sent a shit ton of men after me, and I’ve been running for five years straight. Then you show up out of the blue, and I freak out because how am I supposed to fight you? So I ran for a long time, usually I would’ve just fought but we’ve always been equally matched in combat, and then when you broke my mask I was so scared cause I thought you’d be mad at me for leaving you alone without a word.”
Techno has so many questions.
“So, let me get this straight, you stole somethin’, the King got mad and sent people after you, even four at a time, and this has been happenin’ for five years?” Dream’s nod did barely anything to satisfy Techno’s questions. “What did you steal that made an entire Kingdom mad at you?”
Dream’s awkward expression turned sheepish, his hands fidgeting more than they were before. “Uh, the King’s prized netherite sword.” His voice was so quiet, Techno almost didn’t hear it. If it weren’t for the embarrassed expression on his face, Techno would’ve thought he heard it wrong.
“Did you just say you stole the King’s netherite sword? The only object everybody in the Kingdom knows not to touch because of how much the guy likes it?” Dream raised his hands in mock defense, his eyebrows raising. “What compelled you to do that?”
“Well, you talked so much about how you thought it was so cool. And I wanted to get you a gift because I wanted to … tell you something, and I thought, ‘hey! What better to get you than the sword you’ve been ogling forever?’”
“So, you stole the King’s most prized possession, became a fugitive of the law, was hunted by people for five years straight, all because you wanted to give me a gift.”
“Yes.”
Techno takes back everything he’s ever said, he hates this man. “Are you insane?!”
“Listen! I wanted to give you something you wanted before I confessed something so if it went south, I could distract you with the present and you wouldn’t be mad at me!”
“What did you want to confess?”
“That I had a crush on you!” Dream’s hand flew over his mouth, his eyes wide. Techno’s eyes were a similar width, both of their gazes meeting. They stood in silence for fifteen seconds before Techno broke it with a small chuckle, his hands coming up to cover his face. “What?” Dream was staring at Techno with a fearful expression, probably expecting the worst from Techno’s reaction.
“Nothing, nothing, we could’ve just avoided this all if I got the courage to tell you I had a crush on you just a day before I was going to.” They’re both idiots, Techno’s sure of it.
“Wait, you had a crush on me?”
“Yes!” Techno couldn’t keep the exasperation out of his voice. “And I was plannin’ on tellin’ you the day you went missin’!” They stood in shocked silence for another couple of seconds before Dream burst out laughing, the familiar wheeze Techno hadn’t heard in years restricting his heart, his mouth pulling into a smile before his own laughter filled the air.
“Wow, we really are idiots, huh?” Dream’s voice was fond.
“Yeah, that’s an understatement.”
They stared at each other as they laughed, their eyes meeting with an understanding passing through them. They’d figure out their reblooming feelings another day, right now all they needed to do was sit in Techno’s dining room, their laughter echoing around the walls, their hands inching closer on the tabletop.
They’d figure it out.
-
A month later, Techno and Dream walked through the same forest they met in, Dream dragging the pinkette to ‘a secret place’ … whatever that means.
The two had figured out how they felt about each other eventually, their relationship now being one week strong. Techno hasn’t felt as happy as he does now in five years, but now he’s made a promise to himself that he’ll never let Dream go through with his terrible plans ever again … at least not without helping.
“We’re here!” Techno shook out of his stupor at the sound of his beloved’s voice, the man’s tan hands pushing aside a curtain of vines before reaching into the trunk of a tree. Techno screwed up his face at the sight, before Dream retracted his hand, which quickly flew behind his back, holding the object he was hiding from Techno’s view. “Close your eyes.”
Techno rolled his eyes fondly but as his lovers said, his hands held out in front of him. A heavy weight was set onto his awaiting palms, the chill of the object causing Techno to shiver slightly. “Can I open my eyes now?”
“Wait a minute.” Dream readjusted Techno’s hands, the object shifting in his grip. “Okay, you can open them now.” Ruby eyes opened before squinting at the sunlight, his vision quickly shooting down to his hands, which held a netherite blade in them.
Techno couldn’t believe it. Sure, Dream did say he stole the King’s blade, but Techno assumed he had used it or sold it or something, anything but keeping it in the trunk of a tree for five years. Techno shifted the blade in his grip, his eyes raking over the object that held his fascinations as a teenager. The sword felt right in his grip, Techno not doubting for a second how deadly the blade could be if he used it.
“Wow, it’s not as cool as I remember.”
Dream rolled his eyes fondly, a small chuckle leaving his lips. “You’re such an idiot.” With that, he leaned forward, their lips meeting in the warm summer breeze. Techno’s grip on the sword shifted to one hand, the unoccupied one coming up to cup Dream’s cheek, both of them smiling into the kiss.
Neither of them have ever been more happy.