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As Techno stood at the altar of the building so beautifully decorated for the wedding ceremony, Wilbur standing beside him with the officiate’s book, Phil sitting in the audience surrounded by Techno and Dream’s closest friends, he felt an emotion akin to contentment fill his stomach.
The wedding had been put off longer than the two grooms would like to admit, the date always thwarted by admin meetings requiring Dream or desperate calls to battle for Techno. Finally, though, roughly five months after Techno had proposed to his fiance- a thrill went through the pink haired man every time he used that word-, the two were finally sealing the deal.
The large door at the end of the long, red carpet broke Techno out of his thoughts, his ruby eyes shooting to the large opening. There stood Dream, silhouetted by the setting sun, yet forcing all eyes away from the multitude of colors and rather onto the dirty blond man. The man stood tall, strength evident in his posture, the lace dress he was wearing doing nothing to dispel his confidence. In his hands he held a bouquet of marigolds, the flowers bright against the pristine white of the dress.
The blond had been very adamantly against the idea when Techno suggested it jokingly, yet now, he looked completely confident in the gown. When the article of clothing was first displayed to him, being handcrafted by some lovely merchants who had heard of the wedding, Dream’s angry gaze had turned wondrous. Later that night, after Dream had enlisted the help of Niki and Puffy to try the gown on, Techno had asked if he liked it, and with rosy cheeks, the green eyed man admitted that he felt pretty in the fabric.
The pink haired man was glad he wasn’t able to see Dream in his dress until the actual day they were to get married, it made the reveal that much better. Techno couldn’t fight the heat that rose to his cheeks as he gazed at the man who he was lucky enough to call his, and his fingers itched to touch the soft material covering freckled skin.
Dream’s steps were slow and methodical next to Sapnap, the precise foot placement reminding everybody in the room that he was a seasoned warrior that could take down anybody in the room, even in a large, white dress- Techno’s never been more in love with the man.
The entire room had their eyes set on the man as he walked down the aisle; Techno didn’t know how he did it. He doesn’t understand how the blond can thrive when eyes are locked solely on him, how he doesn’t feel the grip of anxiety when people follow his every move. The two had decided fairly easily who was going to walk down the aisle after a conversation about the topic.
Dream had made his way to stand across from Techno when the pinkette finally came out of his thoughts. The dirty blond looked even more mesmerizing up close, the sparkles of his dress accentuating his tan skin, freckles dotting his exposed shoulders. Dream had opted to keep his mask on during the ceremony, still not comfortable with even those closest to him seeing what’s underneath, and Techno was more than willing to cooperate with that.
In fact, Techno thinks he would probably start tearing up if he looked into Dream’s emerald eyes at the current moment. The unfiltered happiness that is without a doubt swirling in the emerald irises would have caused Techno’s heart to practically combust. Even without the man’s beautiful face showing, it somehow made everything more special; knowing that Techno is the only one who’s still seen Dream’s face after all these years never fails to make him giddy.
The grand piano on the side of the stage had changed its tune to a softer melody, interlocking with Wilbur’s words as the ceremony officially started. Dream encases Techno’s hands in his own, ruby eyes meeting the beady dots on the smiley face mask, and a thumb begins running over the pale, scarred skin.
Techno must have gotten lost in his thoughts, again, for when he tuned back into the conversation, Dream had just begun to say his vows. Techno is brave enough to admit that he teared up a little bit at the words, blame Dream and his ability to twist 26 letters into a sequence sweet enough to crack even the hardest of people.
When it became Techno’s turn to speak, he cleared his throat and began to recite the same speech he had practiced in the mirror beforehand. Dream’s hands tightened around his own at certain parts of the vows, namely when he recounted the time where they were separated for months on end, schedules too full to even think about seeing each other, yet his shoulders shook with contained laughter at other parts.
When the two were done, Dream’s hand came up to wipe slightly under Techno’s ruby eyes, the man leaning into the soft palm with a barely contained sigh. Wilbur’s voice became background noise as he focused entirely on the ethereal man in front of him, the stained glass windows surrounding them bathing the man in a kaleidoscope of hues.
“Before we continue, is there anyone in this hall right now that has any reason why these two should not be wed?” The two barely noticed the question, still entirely focused on one another, but the silence afterward comforted a part of Techno he didn’t even know he was feeling. “Very well, if there are no objections, then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you part-”
“I object!” The words ripped like a shockwave throughout the people in the room, every pair of eyes now locked onto George. In the haze of everyone’s confusion, the goggled man had managed to separate Dream from Techno and drag him behind a nearby pillar. Techno, in his confusion, stood in place for a while as he tried to figure out what the hell just happened, before he was striding toward the pillar, desperate to see what George wanted with his… fiance? husband? he was still confused.
There, behind the pristine white of the large column, stood Dream and one of his childhood best friends, lips interlocked, with the brunette’s hands held tightly onto the masked man's waist. Techno felt ice cold dread settle into his gut at the sight, questions and accusations flying around in his head.
If Dream didn’t want to get married, surely he would have said something, right? If Dream still harbored feelings for the goggled man he would have said something… right?
Techno knew Dream used to be in love with George; he didn’t exactly keep it a secret. He had pined for the man long before Techno met him, but the brunette never seemed to return the feelings. Once Dream and Techno got closer, Dream revealed that he had given up on trying to win George’s affection, and that his heart now laid with the pinkette.
He wouldn’t have lied… right?
While he stood in shock, the guests of the wedding seemed to catch up. Somebody- Sapnap?- dragged George off to the side, a barrage of questions being fired at both Dream and the brunette. Dream didn’t seem to have any answers, his body stood stock still, his visible mouth from the raised mask open in shock. His body held a tenseness Techno hadn’t seen in a while, his shoulders unintentionally raised up towards his ears. His hand had raised up to his mouth, his fingers just barely grazing his lips.
“Did you pull away when he kissed you?”
The room didn’t have to wait long for an answer to Tommy's question, George’s voice sounding before the questioned man had any chance to say anything.
“He didn’t.”
The positive gazes that had been set on the dirty blond at the beginning of the ceremony have turned into scornful glances, everybody desperate for an explanation as to why he just kissed another person at his own wedding. Dream seemed to shrink at the accusatory glares, the confident line of his shoulders turning inward, as if he was trying to make his tall form smaller. His mouth opened to say something, anything, but only silence came out.
Techno knew his expression must have matched those around him, definitely not helping to get an explanation out of Dream, but he was just so confused. A shot of betrayal was laced into the confusion, mixed into a concoction Techno didn’t want to look too hard at, but he tried to contain himself. There had to be a logical explanation for what Dream did, and certainly the numerous people circling him like vultures weren’t going to help.
“I-”
With a start, Techno realized why this entire scenario seemed off. Dream’s voice had been watery when he tried to stutter out an answer, and if ruby eyes looked close enough, they could see a peek of salty tears appearing below the mask. George’s words had been cocky and smug, nowhere near as endearing as Dream’s usually confident voice.
Over years of knowing the dirty blond that held his affections, Techno had gotten pretty good at reading the man’s body language. The tense of his shoulders wasn’t one of preparing for battle or dealing with shitty elders, it was one of confusion and self-deprecation that Techno hadn’t seen since the blond lost their duel.
There was no way in hell that this is what Dream wanted. Now that Techno realized it, it became increasingly obvious. The staggered breathing, the shrinking of his shoulders, the way his hands clutched at the bouquet still held in his hands. There was no way Dream had wanted that kiss from George.
Before the pinkette could open his mouth to say something either encouraging towards Dream or scornful towards George, the dirty blond was running towards the exit. As Techno stepped forward to go after the blond, his boots stepped on something crunchy. He looked down to find the delicate marigolds crushed under his feet, the petals flattened and the stems bent.
As he looked back up, the masked man was long gone, leaving a group full of questions and a man with a crumpled bouquet of flowers.
-
The numerous pairs of eyes boring into him felt like a thousand arrows, their accusatory gazes causing Dream’s breathing to quicken every second. His chest felt tight and he knew it wasn’t caused by the perfectly fitted wedding dress. His emerald eyes frantically scanned the room, looking for somebody, anybody, who didn’t have a ferocious expression on their face. Instead, his eyes fell onto Techno.
Strong, sweet Technoblade. Dream’s heart plummets as he indirectly meets the eye of the pinkette, the mask blocking the view of him from the outside. The confused and angry expression on the pinkette’s face only succeeded in making him feel worse. Techno had always been so kind to the masked man, so understanding and encouraging through everything, and he just had to go and fuck it up.
The look of hurt and betrayal laced in with the confusion didn’t belong on Techno’s face. After so many years of facing hardship and death and destruction, Dream had wished he never had to see those emotions swirl on his face again, especially not with the cause of it being Dream. Dream had sworn- he had promised- that he would never hurt Technoblade, no matter what happened between them, but of course he had to mess it up- oh fuck, Phil’s gonna kill him.
Maybe he deserves it. Maybe he deserves the hellfire Phil had promised would come to him if he hurt his son. Maybe he deserves to get ripped limb by limb like Tommy said he would do. Maybe he deserves to die the fiery death Wilbur insisted he would grant him if he ever upset Techno. Taking one last look at his fiance- where do they stand now?-, he’s certain that he deserves everything Techno’s family would give him.
As his vision became too cloudy to look at Techno anymore, tears pooling in his eyes no matter how hard he tries to blink them away, he surveyed the rest of the crowd. Mirrored faces of disgust surrounded him from every side, not one person containing a face laced in anything other than venom. He wanted to tell everyone that he didn’t want this to happen, he didn’t want George to kiss him, he hadn't wanted him to since he was hopelessly pining after the shorter boy more than three years ago at this point. Yet, nobody seemed to understand that; not Tommy, not Niki, or Punz, or Ant, or Wilbur, or Puffy-
Fuck, even his own mother had a look of sadness and betrayal on her face.
God, Dream really messed up. This was all his fault. He should have pulled away. He should’ve stopped George before he kissed him. He should have pushed him off of him, instead of standing there with a gaping mouth while everybody demanded answers.
Techno deserves better; he deserves so, so much better. He deserves someone who wouldn’t ruin his entire wedding. He deserves someone who wouldn’t go around kissing people that they used to adore. He deserves so much more than Dream.
“Dream… why?”
Puffy’s voice broke Dream out of his thoughts, his vision refocusing on the group of people surrounding him. He felt like they were closing in, making the circle smaller and smaller until Dream had nowhere left to run, until they could treat him like the monster he is. He could feel the panic in him rising, only increasing as the silence in the building grew suffocating, not even the sound of Sapnap berating George filling the air any more.
So, Dream did what he did best when confronted by a group of people surrounding him with their teeth bared.
He ran.
He sprinted as fast as he could away from the church, away from the group of people who required questions, away from his ex-fiance- that hurt more than he would like to admit. He ran from the barrage of questions, from the people who probably wanted nothing to do with somebody so dirty anymore.
Playful manhunts with Sapnap, Bad, Ant, and George- even the mere mention of his name caused bile to rise in Dream’s throat- caused his stamina to increase ten fold. He was glad he decided to wear his normal boots under the dress, knowing they’d be hidden, for they came in handy once the terrain shifted from the paved roads to the unpredictable forest floor. He was glad he didn’t let Techno- he wants nothing to do with Dream anymore- jokingly pressure him into wearing heels.
When his legs felt like jelly, when his rapid breathing started to weigh on his aching limbs, when the dress he was wearing gained a multitude of scratches from nearby tree branches, he finally stopped, collapsing on the floor. When Dream glanced at his surroundings, taking his head out from his knees, his entire body shaking, he found he was in his and Techno’s sparring field. How symbolic that he fell apart after a failed marriage in the same place he shared his first kiss with the ruby eyed man.
He didn’t know how long he sat there for, desperately clutching at his hair, attempting to control his breathing in any way he could. The once pristine dress is now stained brown, the dirt covering the forest floor not showing any mercy in ruining the already spoiled dress. He desperately spit onto the ground, trying to get rid of the feeling of George’s lips on his in any way he could. Somewhere during his desperation, his mask fell off, hitting the dirt with a small sound.
His mind was too muddled with thoughts of how he should’ve done better and how everybody hates him now and he's going to be homeless again, cast out by his entire family. The chain of thoughts was broken by a voice sounding throughout the clearing, hesitance and exhaustion clear in the words.
“Dream? Is that you?”
Dream could already imagine Techno’s thoughts scolding him because who else would it be? Normally, he would have laughed, but he knows that’s not what Techno wants. He sniffles one more time before standing up, wiping his eyes with slightly dirty fingertips, wiping the now wet digits on the dirty dress. His posture was poor, his body exhausted after sobbing for who knows how long, yet he stood as strong as he could.
“Techno-” Dream cut himself off, clearing his throat before continuing on, “I’m sorry.” He knew he must’ve sounded pitiful, his voice hoarse after sobs ripped through them unforgivingly. He kept his gaze to the floor, not wanting to see the disgust that is inevitably covering the pinkette’s face. “I’m sorry I didn’t pull away, I shouldn’t have kissed George at our wedding, it was cruel, and I’m truly sor-”
“You didn’t want to kiss him, did you?” That caught Dream’s attention, his eyes finally shifting from the floor to his beloved ex-fiance’s ruby eyes. He expected disgust and anger in the beautiful irises, he expected Techno to throw a punch and belittle him with words, he did not expect understanding and consolation- not pity, never pity, they both despised it- to appear on the pinkette’s face.
Dream shook his head frantically, small ‘no’s escaping his mouth without prompting. “No, I- no, I never wanted to kiss him. You have to believe me Techno, please, I didn’t- I didn’t think he would do that. I stopped liking him years ago, Tech, please.” He could feel tears appear once more in his eyes, his eyes puffy from the past sobbing.
“Hey, Dream, I’m not mad at you.” Techno walked closer to the blond, his hands hovering in the air like he wanted to hold Dream- why would he want to hold something so dirty? “Can I touch you?” Despite the logical part of his brain telling him that he doesn’t deserve this, doesn’t deserve the comfort the man’s hands bring, the part of his mind desperate for any sort of solace overtook it, Dream’s head nodding before he could think twice.
The man’s touch was soft on his cheeks, his thumbs tracing lightly under Dream’s eyes. Despite there being no other point of contact between the two, Dream felt like he was surrounded in the best way possible. Techno’s face came even closer before he rested their foreheads together, Dream greedily taking in the contact before he would inevitably have to leave everything behind.
“I’m not mad.” Techno repeated his earlier words, Dream desperately wishing he could believe the other. “You couldn’t possibly have known he would do that. You were shocked and you couldn’t react in time, that isn’t your fault. Nothin’ that happened was your fault, George took advantage of you, it never should’ve happened. You’re okay.”
Tears rose to Dream’s eyes once again, being quickly wiped away by the calloused thumbs still swiping across his skin. Techno’s words were more comforting than Dream could’ve imagined, they were exactly what he needed to try and silence the voices screaming at him in his head. Nevertheless, he was still doubtful. “But- but everybody looked so mad. You looked so hurt, Techno, and it was because of me.”
Techno shook his head as much as he could without disconnecting from the blond. “They were just confused, nobody had any idea what was going on. I reacted without thinkin’ at first. I was hurt, I’ll admit, but then I put together what actually happened, and it all made sense. Before I could get to you, you were already runnin’.”
Dream felt guilt fill him at the last sentence, remembering how he left Techno all alone in a group of people, their questions no doubt being directed at him afterwards. Techno must have noticed because he made a small noise in his throat, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. “Hey, don’t do that, I know what you’re thinkin’. It was a natural reaction to want to leave, you did what you thought was best, Dream, it’s okay.”
The aforementioned nodded slightly, his own hands raising to rest lightly on Techno’s wrists, releasing the iron grip they had on his dress. The two stayed silent for a moment, Dream trying to calm down while Techno tried to reassure him, his hands warm against the freckled cheeks. Once the blond was feeling considerately better, he opened his mouth, his words scratchy. “What happened to George?”
A small laugh left Techno’s mouth, warming Dream from the inside out. “Well, once I figured out what was going on, and you had already left, I explained it to the rest. They all quickly grew angry and we got to have some fun chasin’ George around the church. Though, I will say, it was more fun to actually take care of him.”
Dream pulled away slightly at the words, looking at Techno in confusion before the pinkette flashed his knuckles at him, a smile covering his face. The skin of the knobs were red, covered in blood that did not look to be Techno’s own. Dream knew Techno rarely used his fists to fight, preferring the security of a blade, yet when he did, he always produced a gruesome sight. The blond snorted slightly at the satisfied smile on the pinkette’s face, the small smile now on his face being the first one in hours. Techno’s smile only grew larger, fondness now evident in the expression.
The two stood there again, this time simply observing each other. Dream knew he must look like a mess, with his dirty dress and his blotchy face, yet there was only fondness and adoration in Techno’s gaze, the blond’s face turning red at the sight. “You really aren’t mad at me for ruining the wedding?”
This time, it was Techno’s turn to snort. “Dream, I don’t care about that dumb church and the formality of the entire place, I just wanted to get married to you. We could even get married on an island in the middle of a lava lake and it’d be perfect, cause it would only be us.” Dream couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling up in his chest, the mere image of the scene causing more laughter. Techno didn’t seem to mind, his ruby eyes still watching the other fondly.
Before Dream could open his mouth to respond, Techno started to walk away. Panic rose within Dream, his eyes widening as he watched the pinkette move, his hand raising toward him before he could stop it. However, it lowered as he noticed Techno now crouched down at the edge of the clearing, his broad shoulders blocking Dream’s view of what he was doing.
When the pinkette turned around, he was holding a small gathering of purple flowers- heliotropes, if Dream remembered Tubbo’s flower book correctly. He attempted to make the individual flowers stay together, trying to create a makeshift bouquet, before he gave up. Techno smiled sheepishly before handing the flowers to Dream, the blond laughing fondly before taking them, holding them close to his chest. He grabbed Dream’s free hand, interlocking their fingers before leveling his gaze into Dream’s eyes.
“Dream, I know this is very informal- I don’t even have the rings with me-, but I, Technoblade, would gladly take you, Dream, as my lawfully-well, technically not- wedded husband.” After a moment of the blond simply looking at Techno, wonder and fondness evident in his gaze, the pinkette spoke again. “If you’ll have me.”
A wide smile spread across Dream’s face, his cheeks straining slightly. Astonished laughter filled the air around the two, emerald eyes tearing slightly at the sight. Dream squeezed the hand in his before speaking. “You’re such an idiot, of course I’ll have you.” The large smile was mirrored on Techno’s face, his other hand coming up to cup Dream’s cheek. “I, Dream, would gladly take you, Technoblade, as my lawfully-well, technically not- wedded husband.”
The blond couldn’t stop the giddiness rising in his chest, released in an ecstatic giggle that encased the two in warmth. Techno came ever closer, their faces now inches apart. A hint of panic resonated throughout Dream, his jaw locking up slightly. Techno stopped directly in front of Dream, their noses brushing. “You okay with this?”
Despite the previous giddiness of the situation, Dream didn’t want to say yes. He wanted to please Techno, wanted to give the man anything he’s ever wanted and more, but he couldn’t find it within himself to say yes. Everytime he so much as touched his own lips with his fingers, he’s reminded of the disgusting feeling of George’s chapped lips against his own.
He shook his head lightly, letting out an audible sigh of relief when the warm expression on Techno’s face didn’t change. The pinkette simply distanced himself a bit, not enough to leave completely, only enough to let the blond breath freely. A small smile appeared on Techno’s face, not an ounce of disappointment visible, before he moved his lips up on Dream’s face, placing a lingering kiss on the blond’s forehead.
They stood like that for a moment before Techno pulled away, guiding Dream into a comforting hug, his freckled face tucked into the pinkette’s neck. “That’s okay, love, I’ll be here when you’re ready.” And fuck, Dream’s never been more in love. He only nodded against Techno’s shoulder, his hand not holding the flowers wrapping around to clutch at the back of the man’s suit, unable to convey the emotions he’s feeling.
The silence around the two was comforting, only the sound of crickets and scurrying animals filling their ears. It was bliss- Dream had a husband!- pure and utter bliss. He doesn’t think this moment could get any better. “Hey, wanna go teach George your own lesson?” Dream snorted slightly, nodding his head before the two separated, quickly grabbing Dream's mask before walking back towards the church where Dream could show George how he really felt about the kiss, hands interlocked between them.
It was bliss.