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1.
Techno is, by all means, not a good person.
He’s a bounty hunter, after all. A glorified assassin, a freelance hitman set out to kill those that give the biggest paychecks. He’s been doing this for as long as he could remember, his hands stained with crimson more often than not. It’s not that he really wants to do this, but it’s just convenient. It’s what he’s used to, what he’s always done and what he will probably continue to do. At this point, it’s more troublesome to try integrating himself into regular society than just staying in his rather questionable line of work. And it’s not like he’s personally bothered by it, either. Any shred of moral integrity had been torn away years ago, and right now he just really doesn’t give a shit beyond getting to the prize and getting there first.
He’s a bounty hunter, after all, and the Prince of the South has one hell of an attractive bounty on his head.
He shifts from his place atop the trees, peeking out to check his surroundings for the nth time. He’s in the woods just at the outskirts of the capital, having gotten the information prior that the prince tends to take late night walks. Really, he’s surprised he hadn’t died by now, especially when he’s been doing it for literal years. If not to another bounty hunter, then surely to the beasts of the night he would perish. Ah, well, Techno’s at least glad that he can claim the bounty for himself at this rate. At the sight of a small light moving in the distance, he relaxes against the trunk. It was just a matter of time, now.
He really doesn’t know what warranted anyone to put a bounty on the prince’s head, not to mention one that high. Usually bounties were placed on criminals or generally shitty people, and from others’ accounts it doesn’t seem like the prince is that kind of person. If anything, he seems generally well-liked by both the general public and the higher class. Ah, well, Techno isn’t really one to judge. He’s only here for the money, and everyone is equal when faced with his weapons anyway. If anything, they probably just want to get him of the line of inheritance or something. It’s uncommon, yes, as it’s mostly a job left to hired assassins rather than bounty hunters. However, it isn’t entirely improbable.
At the sound of rustling leaves and muted footsteps slowly creeping closer, Techno breaks himself out of his train of thought and tenses up with bated breath. He’s alert, vigilant, and waiting for an opportunity for when his target comes closer. After a few more seconds, the telltale golden glow of a lantern shines directly under the branch he’s on, and he wastes no time and jumps.
A muffled shriek is elicited out of the prince as Techno lands directly on his back, knocking him to the ground. They struggle for a bit, and the assassin is admittedly caught a little off guard when the prince is stronger than he thought he would be. He dodges the first stab of his knife which embeds into the dirt instead, and kicks him square in the chest and rolls away in an attempt to escape. Unfortunately for him, this kind of situation is common to the bounty hunter because he recovers quickly and makes chase.
The prince is also smarter than he looks, though, because he swiftly dodges Techno’s incoming tackle which sends him tumbling to the ground. He grits his teeth as he braces for impact, but doesn’t waste a single second in grabbing at his victim’s cloak to pull him down with him. The prince gasps as he ends up sprawled on top of Techno, legs locked around his waist to prevent movement and both wrists held in the strong grip of one hand above their heads.
“Will you stop… fucking… moving?” Techno grits his teeth, grunting as he gets kicked in the side while he tries to flip their positions. Thankfully, he succeeds in pinning the prince under him while still holding onto his wrists. To his credit, he only winces slightly when his head hits the ground roughly and he doesn’t stop struggling even as the bounty hunter’s weight is pressing down on him.
“What do you expect me to do when I’m about to die!?” He hisses out, attempting to force himself into a sitting position only to cry out as he gets knocked down again. Techno would pity him if he were a decent person.
“Stay still and accept your fate.” He mutters, not exactly willing to chat too much with a soon-to-be corpse.
“What the hell? How about no?” The prince’s voice trails off at a high pitch in an incredulous tone, and Techno only rolls his eyes. The bounty hunter wields another blade using his other hand, but it’s then that he realizes their position.
The prince’s face is illuminated by the golds of candlelight and the silver of the night sky above, tracing his ethereal features perfectly. Freckled cheeks are painted with the carmine of exertion, and flaxen locks frame the sides of his face that give him a soft look. Wild chartreuse eyes look up at him in palpable fear, and for some reason Techno relishes the shiver he elicits when the cold steel of his knife meets the prince’s skin. Now that he has a good look at his face, he’s rather attractive.
It’s a shame that he still has a job to do, and one he’s not letting himself fail.
“I'm going to take you out.” Techno growls, pressing the blade even further into the prince’s throat. A thin rivulet of blood trickles downward and stains the pristine collar.
“Great!” He squeaks, loud and sudden enough to make Techno’s grip falter ever so slightly. Jeez, the guy sure was loud. It startles him enough that he lets his guard down. The pressure from the knife on the prince’s neck is ever so slightly alleviated, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Heh?” Techno blinks.
“It's a date, see you at five tomorrow at town square!” The prince has the audacity to wink.
“What.” He stares at the prince, deadpan and monotone and not entirely sure what the hell is going on. What the hell is wrong with this guy? One moment he was terrified, and now he’s attempting to… flirt? Is that what’s going on here? Techno has never had a human interaction like this before.
“Yep! Don’t leave me hanging!” In his moment of confusion and weakness, he’s pushed off suddenly and he lets out a small noise as he hits the ground roughly. His crimson eyes follow the retreating figure, dumbfounded. Ah, so it was an escape tactic. Well played, honestly. He looks at his hands sadly and tightens his grip on the knife.
"… I meant that as a threat."
2.
Techno pauses in his steps, shifting uncomfortably at being around so many people in broad daylight. He isn’t used to the sun, isn’t used to the rays of light that leave him exposed and the blanket of warmth that presses against his skin. He’s much more used to the moon, to the cover of darkness that shields him in its embrace and to the cool night breeze that carries away the stench of blood that clings to him insistently. It’s not just the environment that makes him stop, however, because he catches a sight of a familiar figure sitting at one of the benches near the fountain at the center of the town square.
The prince actually waited. He actually fucking waited at the exact time and location.
He’s dressed in simple wear and has a hood that leaves a shadow on his face, as if he’s trying to blend into the crowd and go unnoticed. It works, if only because of the blinding brightness and blistering heat that leaves everyone scrambling for some kind of cover to shield them from the sun’s wrath. Even then, no shadow can extinguish the glow of piercing emerald eyes and the shine of constellations of freckles on his face. He’s absolutely breathtaking, and it’s only fitting that his beauty can’t be concealed by a simple headwear, Techno still couldn’t get over the fact that he was very much real and that he was very much here, waiting for him.
Now, it is kind of mean to call him out on it when Techno is also there at the exact time and location. He can’t help it, okay? He’s just a bit curious. He had a lot of questions about this rather eccentric prince who not only managed to escape him, but also invited him on a date. It’s not like Techno doesn’t know that he’s somewhat attractive at least, but his looks aren’t exactly the first thing on his victims’ minds when he tries to kill them.
… besides, he’d be lying if he said he didn’t find him attractive.
If only to make his dilemma worse, the prince visibly perks up when he spots Techno and starts waving him over. Why does he look cute doing it, just why? “Oh, you made it!” Well, there’s no escape now.
“What the fuck is wrong with you.” He starts with no remorse once he’s standing right in front of the prince, hands twitching at his sides like they itch to do much more than say simple words. It’s more of a statement than anything, really. “Are you insane?”
“No, I’m Dream!” He has such a blinding smile on his face and such an unorthodox reaction that Techno just stares at him blankly for a second. This guy really knows how to shut him up, even if not in the ways he wants him to. Never mind, he has to purge that thought out instantly. He says the first thing that comes to mind.
“… what kind of name is that?” Yeah, his brain to mouth filter isn’t quite working if he’s being honest.
“Do you.. not even know the names of who you’re hunting?”
“Why does it matter when they’ll die anyway?”
“Well, I can assure you that I won’t.” The prince, Dream as Techno’s brain supplies unhelpfully, laughs so unabashedly and confidently that it has him hiding a smile of his own behind a palm. He’s not entirely sure if he’s laughing with him or at him, not entirely sure if he wants to put a name to the prince he’s supposed to kill just yet. “So you best remember mine.”
“Bold claim to make for someone that willingly meets up with the bounty hunter that tried to kill him just the night before.” Techno scoffs, offering his other hand to the prince. He doesn’t know where they’re going to go, doesn’t know where he’s going to take him, but he doesn’t exactly mind the unpredictability. It’s exciting, in small doses like these. Perhaps there’s something new for him to learn in an experience like this. “You seriously lack self-preservation skills.”
“You wound me.” The prince cries out in fake offense, and Techno laughs a little under his breath. He only pushes his already outstretched hand at him as if to insist he takes it, and the prince grumbles before begrudgingly letting himself be pulled up from his seat.
“Oh, I will wound you alright.” Techno threatens lightheartedly, and the prince only has a cheeky smile on his face.
“Sure you will. Sure.”
He doesn’t. And contrary to his beliefs, he does actually end up enjoying the date.
They don’t do anything too crazy, mostly just strolling around the streets and talking. Techno’s grateful for the relative solitude and otherwise calm conversation. In the easy exchange of words secret to all but two ears and the wind running through the nooks and crannies of the city, Techno learns a lot about the prince. He learns that he’s twenty-one, just a few months younger than Techno himself. He learns that he pays much attention to social etiquette and his image even outside of the throne room, delicate and graceful in contrast to the way Techno carries himself. He learns that he’s stayed here his entire life and has barely seen the light of day outside the castle grounds, while Techno has been practically nomadic his entire life and never stayed in one place for too long lest he be recognized and captured. He learns that last night was one of the few times he would be able to sneak out, and the prince is shutting down the apologies with reassurances that he was rather excited to get to know someone new at the very least.
“You’re insane if you find some positive in coming across a bounty hunter about to kill you.” Techno mutters bluntly. He puffs out a breath of air, kicking a pebble on the road as they pass it by. “I literally cannot believe you found that to be a favorable turn of events.”
“I think we’ve already established that none of us are entirely sane with how unorthodox our lives are.” The prince waves him off and walk ahead, seemingly content with how things already are. Techno can only chuckle at his nonchalance and chase after him.
He bumps his side against the prince’s, smirking at the half-hearted glare sent his way. “Fair enough.”
There’s something in their back and forth banter, in the little quips that the prince sends his way for him to return full force without fear of coming off too strong. There’s something in their lingering touches and held gazes, in the warmth of heated fingertips never truly leaving his skin when they brush against it. There’s something in their shared burden, in the strange companionship they find in the small semblance of normalcy when they can simply be themselves with each other.
Techno doesn’t mind keeping that smile so bright for just a little longer.
3.
Now, you might be wondering why Techno hasn’t killed the prince yet. He has an explanation for that, and it’s quite simple, really. You see, despite the rather rocky start, he’s found a friend in the prince. Or at least, he’s found someone he doesn’t want to kill just yet. He’s still going through it, still thinking about what the prince really means to him and what he wants to do with him. It’s an internal struggle of sorts, one that will probably never find its way outside of the crevices of his own mind. He doesn’t want to admit anything he’s not entirely sure of.
On the other hand, he doesn’t have an explanation for why he’s following him around.
He could justify it as tailing his target but when he’s here alone with his thoughts, he doesn’t have to hide anything. He’s curious, and he doesn’t exactly have anything better to do. He can’t go ahead and do multiple jobs at the same time, so he’s stuck here until he gets it done. It’s not such a lamentable fate, if anything he’s actually quite grateful for the much needed break. That, and he kind of likes just observing the prince. There’s something about him in all his candid glory, of him murmuring to himself often and getting distracted over the littlest of things and being so enamored with the world around him. Techno finds himself smiling fondly as the prince discovers the world for himself, even if he doesn’t exactly know why he feels so compelled to witness it with his own two eyes.
He’s glad he’s here, though, because someone else also is and he can already tell they don’t have particularly good intentions.
As always, he’s sitting on the branch of a tree and perched directly above the unaware prince. It’s oddly reminiscent of the first time they meet, a distant memory from several months ago that’s abruptly unearthed by the striking similarities. Everything is as it was back then, from the moon shining brightly and the stars twinkling and the leaves rustling, and down to even the golden glow of the lantern flickering below him as the prince stops to get a closer look at something on the ground. Except this time, there’s an intruder on what should be their time alone together.
Techno spots some movement in the shadows, right behind the prince’s back. Immediately, the bounty hunter straightens from his lax resting position and moves one hand to the dagger he always keeps sheathed at his belt. Crimson eyes squint and remain vigilant, carefully keeping an eye on the spot where he last saw traces of activity. Sure enough, there’s the glint of a blade that reflects off the lantern’s light that peeks through a bush just moments before they move to strike.
Of course, Techno doesn’t let this fly. He jumps down from the branch right before the other’s weapon can even dream of grazing the prince, and the person beneath him grunts as he crashes into them. They sway dangerously at the unexpected weight, tumbling forwards and sending the prince down with them. He cries out in surprise, and Techno sees red and is quick to push the stranger far back and away from him.
“Dream!” He looks back frantically to see the prince thankfully mostly unscathed, just knocked down to the ground in the struggle.
“Ah… Techno!?” Dream’s eyes are wide and his tone is disbelieving, but Techno doesn’t have time to dwell on that.
Their intruder is finally beginning to get back on their feet, and Techno wastes no time and attention in somewhere other than the fight. He doesn’t give them time nor opportunities, however. He’s quick to send them back into the ground, unsheathing his dagger when he’s sure he’s pinned them by the core. He raises the weapon over his head, and promptly slams the hilt down onto their skull. He winces at the resounding impact, but is undoubtedly relieved to see that they go limp in unconsciousness. Once he’s confirmed that they’re not waking up anytime soon, he rushes over to Dream.
“Are you okay?” He asks, despite knowing full well he’s probably fine. He just likes the reassurance of a verbal response coming from the man himself. “Did you get hurt anywhere?”
“I’m alright, I’m alright. It’s just…” He brushes himself off, and Techno’s heart calms down at the small smile that graces his freckled face. “I can’t believe you knocked someone out for me, Techno.”
Denial always comes easier than the truth, so he resorts to that. “I didn’t do that for you. I’m just eliminating competition.”
“Don’t worry.” Dream puts a hand to his chest, speaking in a purposefully dramatic manner. “No one will ever be able to compete for your place in my heart.”
“When will you shut up?” Techno grumbles, averting his gaze.
“Oh, the things you'd do for me.” Dream continues, all sing-song and teasing.
"Yeah, the things I'd do to get that head." Techno lifts his dagger intimidatingly and makes a show of twirling it around in his hand, but all it manages to do is elicit a shameless laugh from Dream. It’s not like he minds anyway.
"You could just ask, you know." Dream winks, and it’s then that Techno realizes the implications of his words. He immediately goes to correct his statement.
“That's not what I meant.” He sputters, cheeks flushing furiously. How… uncouth. He couldn’t believe this was a prince standing right in front of him, not with his immature giggling.
“Sure it isn’t. Sure.”
“I’m going to punch you.” Techno threatens again. Well, he tries. It comes off far too soft instead.
“You wouldn’t dare hurt me.” Dream’s emerald eyes are as sharp as ever today, and they pierce into his soul like it’s cutting through butter and not layers of walls built up over years. It’s too much. He’s shouldn’t be this familiar with the crevices of Techno’s heart, and yet he seeps into them effortlessly anyway. “I know you far too well.”
And Dream’s right, unfortunately. He wouldn’t. Not now, not ever.
4.
“Open up, Dream.”
“Not yet. I can’t do it just yet.”
“It’s really not that hard.”
“I know. Trust me, I know.”
“Then just do it.”
“Well, you see…” A sniffle comes from the other side, and an audible breath is taken. Techno’s own hitches in his throat, muscles tensing up in anticipation. “When we were both kids, Sapnap…”
“OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!” Techno snaps then bangs his fist against the wood, rolling his eyes as the prince bursts out into laughter from the other side.
“Alright, alright, if you insist.” There’s a click and a creak as the royal library’s door slowly opens to reveal the prince, illuminated only by the orange of a small candle. There’s a smile on his face that mirror’s Techno’s own. “What brings you here on this fine night?”
Without missing a beat, he replies. “You.”
“My, my.” Dream puts a hand to his mouth as if he’s scandalized. “How smooth of you.”
“You literally asked for me to go here.” He pushes past the prince, walking into the room and closing the door behind him. He scowls and puts a hand on his dagger as if to make a point, though he should really know better by now. “And for all you know, I could be here to kill you. You know, this is a rather isolated place. I doubt anyone would catch me in the act.”
“Details, details.” Dream waves him off, walking over to sit at a table before an opened book. He beckons Techno over. “What matters is that you’re here for me.”
Techno sighs but follows, taking the seat next to him. “I’m always here for you.”
“Ah.” An awkward silence befalls them for a bit, and Techno turns to face Dream only to notice the scarlet painting the constellations on his cheeks. Oh, perhaps he had been more earnest than he thought. Not that he minds admitting it that much anymore. In fact, he would say that it’s quite cute to see the prince so flustered from straightforward confessions.
“What are you reading?” It’s fun to tease him, to press his side against him and watch his hands twitch and listen to his words stumble over one another. Techno tries to hide a smile but fails miserably.
“I…” Dream clears his throat and straightens in his seat, trying to pass it off nonchalantly. He holds the book, running his fingertips over the pages with such care. “It’s a mystery novel that I’m quite fond of.”
“Oh, what’s it about?”
“Classic assassination.” Ah, how ironic. There’s not much else to say about that. “I’m still in the middle of it, though. Right now there’s a lot of circumstantial evidence pointing to one character, but no one knows why he would even think of doing it.”
“There isn’t a motive yet?”
“Not that anyone knows of. Well, there’s this one thing…” Dream trails off, as if he’s suddenly coming to a realization. His eyes twinkle as he looks up at Techno and leans in as if he’s scrutinizing something, and he feels like breathing has suddenly gotten several times more difficult.
“What?” He chokes out, unable to bear the intense gaze and the proximity.
“You know… I don’t think I ever asked you why you became a bounty hunter.” Dream sits back properly on the chair, though he never really breaks eye contact. He puts a hand on his chin and he props his elbow on the table, fingers playing with a stray lock of hair down the side of his face. “Would you care to indulge my curiosities?”
Techno follows his every movement, blurting out a generic response. “It’s not as interesting as a story.”
“Everything’s interesting when it’s you.” Dream replies instantly, and he can’t help but let himself be pried open for his world to see.
“I just wanted money.” He says, curt and straight to the point. “It’s as simple as that, really.”
“I see, I see.” Dream turns away from him to look at the wall in front of him. Before Techno can get a word, he squashes all his doubts in the palms of his hands so effortlessly. “There’s nothing wrong with that, don’t worry.”
“But there’s still something on your mind.”
“Of course.” Dream finally faces him again. “If it’s just money you want, you know I have plenty.”
Techno sighs. So this is where things are going. “You know I can’t just do that…”
“Nonsense!” Dream protests, taking his hands into his and squeezing them reassuringly. Techno wants more of the warmth. “It’s of my own accord, Techno. I want to give you money. I want to make sure you live comfortably, eat and drink well, sleep peacefully, and the like.”
“Well…”
“Just with one thing in exchange.” Techno perks up at the prospect of being able to pay him back somehow. “Your company.”
“Oh.” He says, ever so eloquent. Thankfully, Dream never looks for too many words from him.
“Stay with me?” He asks in a whisper, intertwining their fingers together and burying his face in the crook between Techno’s neck and shoulder. Techno can’t bring himself to ignore how they fit together so perfectly, how he doesn’t want to leave this spot for eternity.
“… I’ll think about it.” He replies breathlessly, and Dream only continues smiling. He presses a feather-light kiss to Techno’s collarbone, relishing in the shiver it elicits. The prince doesn’t have to worry about anything, not when his hands are held and his knees knock into his and his hair tickles Techno’s chin.
Coming from Techno, that promise is as good as a yes.
+1
“Techno?” Dream’s voice is raspy from the embrace of slumber, words slurring as he rubs his eyes and squints through the moonlight peeking from his window. “Is that you?”
“Yeah.” Techno’s voice comes in a whisper, and it’s startling just how such a small thing wakes the prince up like so. He promptly gets off his bed, rushing over to the window to let the other in. It was far too cold out, after all. Dream chuckles under his breath when he sees how Techno reached his bedroom window. Of course it’s like this. He’s not sure why he expected anything different.
“Must you always descend from trees?” He teases, thinking back to their first meeting. It feels so long ago, and yet the days only seem to become more beautiful as they pass by. Time has done nothing but strengthened their bond, and distant memories are but things to laugh at for them.
“It’s convenient.” Techno grumbles, sighing in relief when his feet hit the ground. He dusts himself off even when he’s already practically pristine despite his tree climbing escapades. It’s a wonder how he’s so well-kept despite the nature of his line of work.
“Much like you being here.” Dream sits back down on his bed, fingers playing with the hem of his nightwear. He feels oddly vulnerable like this, feels oddly vulnerable in front of Techno dressed in thin cotton and bathed in the silver of the heavens. Strangely enough, he doesn’t seem to mind at all. “I don’t recall asking for you.”
“Well, that is…” Techno clears his throat, shifting from one foot to the other. He doesn’t elaborate, but Dream’s sleep-addled brain does its best to catch up. It takes a small while, with him still being half asleep and reeling from the fact that Techno is apparently here. When it finally does, he gasps and perks up considerably.
“Could it be that you missed me?” He drawls, finding such joy in such a situation. Techno is always so adorable when he’s like this, when denial laces his words and silence speaks volumes. “Did you yearn for me, long for me to a point where you just couldn’t bear the urge to see me?”
Techno rolls his eyes. “Over my dead body.”
“Kinky.” Dream replies automatically, and Techno levels him with a look of distaste. Their banter is lighthearted as always, never hanging despite time or place.
“What the hell is wrong with you.”
"Damn, Techno, I didn't think you'd be the type to be into that."
“That’s because I’m literally not.”
“So what are you into, then?”
Techno doesn’t miss a beat. He never does. “You.”
“You…” Dream takes a deep breath, feeling warmth already rise to his cheeks. He doesn’t know what to say. He never knows what to say in front of such blatant statements. “You can’t just say that.”
Techno steps forward, deliberate in every movement. He only stops when he’s standing right in front of Dream, bringing a hand up to cup his face and run his thumb over the stars that decorate his skin. “I’ve been thinking about it, Dream.”
“Yeah?” Dream asks breathlessly, leaning into the touch. His mind swirls with… a lot of things. It’s so overwhelming, in a good way. Everything about Techno is intoxicating, and he briefly wonders if the bounty hunter is his own breed of poison himself. “About what?”
“I think…” Techno starts then trails off, gently pushing him onto the bed. He’s slow and tentative in a way that gives Dream room to protest or escape, but of course he doesn’t. He lets Techno loom over him, let their faces come close in a way that their breaths are tangible on each other’s lips and their noses brush against each other.
The position takes them to a time long ago, when they had first met and Techno was out for Dream’s blood more than anything else. So much and so little has changed at the same time. Ethereal features are still illuminated by golds and silvers, cheeks are still flushed and freckles are still as prominent as ever, and messy flaxen hair still frames the sides of a soft face. And yet, there’s no blade being pressed against a throat, there’s no strong grips and harsh pressure, there’s no cold gaze from fiery crimson eyes. There’s only love and comfort and just one more little difference.
“I would love to stay.” Techno admits only for them to hear, and finally closes the distance between them.