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Without the familiar heavy weight of his armour upon his person or the thick cape draped across his shoulders, Techno felt exposed. Even his crown and jewelry had been taken off, the familiar chink sound his earrings would make as he walked was startlingly absent for once and the wight of his solid gold crown upon his head left Techno feeling lighter, in the worst way.
He felt almost naked walking through the obsidian and blackstone hallways of Pandora's Vault - at least he’d been allowed to keep his heels, he’d half expected the Warden to try and classify them as weapons - the clicking of his heels and the heavy stomps of Sam beside him was the only sound in the hallways aside from the faint bubbling of lava Techno could hear slowly growing closer and the shrieks of the Guardians hidden within the walls, his steps felt sluggish thanks to the mining fatigue emanating from said beasts.
The feeling of unease that had been festering in his gut ever since he'd left the Arctic nearly doubled as Sam led him to another obsidian and blackstone room. Levers and buttons littered the walls, illuminated only by a lava wall on the far wall.
"Stand on the stone platform, face forward while I drain the lava," Sam instructed.
Techno nodded, standing awkwardly on the platform, he could feel the heat of the lava against his skin, almost blistering even with his piglin descent, he moved to play with his rings to distract his mind as the silence and the tense atmosphere left him antsy only to remember that Sam had made him leave them in the locker by the entrance of the prison.
With no distractions, Techno was left to only crack his fingers and pick at his nail polish. He could feel Sam's stare at the back of his neck and Techno felt the familiar surge of bloodlust creeping under his skin. Gods he hated it here and wanted nothing more than to leave Sam's glare and surround himself in the safety and security of his armour and and cape and Chat fed on his discomfort, the chant for blood growing louder and louder he could almost feel it thrum under his skin.
"This takes a while," Sam says dryly, effectively snapping Techno out of his haze. He flexes his hand and finds crescent moon marks on his palms and blood under his nails.
"It really does take it's time huh," Techno says, keeping his eyes trained to the seemingly unmoving wall of lava in front of him even though the urge to peek behind him is almost overwhelming.
He doesn't though, because he gets the distinct feeling Sam will only need one excuse to run him through with that shiny sword gripped tightly in his scaled hands and Techno is, for once in his life, practically defenseless.
Techno isn't an idiot, nor is he as uninformed of the SMPs happenings as he leads others to believe. Even with the two months he spent off world, leading a revolution on Skyblock, thanks to Ranboo and Phil's (almost daily) letters, Techno knows that Sam is- was, close with Tommy. The creeper hybrid has no doubt heard of the 'betrayal' Tommy suffered at his hands. The thought almost makes him scoff out loud.
Eventually the lava does fall, leaving only the lake at the bottom of the large room, a smaller room at the centre where Techno can see a small figure curled into a ball in the corner of the room. Techno almost doesn't recognise Dream outside of his green jumper and ridiculous mask, but as the figure lifts their head, dirty blonde hair past his shoulders and once bright eyes dull and void of any life or fire - it is Dream, it has to be, but any of the things that make him him have been stripped away.
The platform beneath him lurched with no warning and Techno had to step back to keep his balance, looking over his shoulder to shoot a glare at the Warden who no doubt had a smirk hidden under his gas mask. When he turns around again Dream is standing by the netherite blockade, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Techno?" He asks softly, like he can't trust what his eyes see anymore and Techno heart cracks.
How could he have left Dream in isolation for nearly six months now?
"Hey, daydream," Techno speaks the nickname with a reverence, voice soft and soothing as he slowly lifts a hand, Dream flinches on instinct before rushing forward to grab the extended hand.
"It's really you?" He asks, fingers tracing over Techno's calloused palm before intertwining their fingers at Techno's answering hum.
"It's me, daydream, I got your message."
And Dream's entire body stiffens at that, the faintest hint of a smile that had been working its way into his face replaced with full blown panic. He rips his hand away from Techno and takes a step back. "You can't be here," He gasps. "How could you be so stupid, you cant- you have to leave, now!"
"Dream what?" Techno starts before he hears the rumbling of the platform retracting, he whirls around and stares at Sam who is watching them impassively with his arms crossed.
"Sam? So uh, how long until I can leave?"
The Warden forces a laugh. “You’re not going anywhere. You're the biggest threat to this prison, you said you and Dream were business partners! Really, you've done me a favour by walking in here yourself."
Techno's heart starts hammering in his chest. "Sam-" He starts, walking to the edge of the cell and as he looks up to see lava raining from the sky full blown panic overtakes him, the voices screaming, for what, he's not sure but they scream and scream so loudly his ears start ringing.
The curtain of lava falls faster than it drains and eventually Sam's smug look is hidden behind the wall of molten rock. He calms his breathing and focuses on the feeling of the warm and rough obsidian against his palm. Eventually the ringing in his ears stops and Chat quietens enough he can hear himself think.
"Quackity and Sam are working together. He- he's been torturing me and Sam just lets him," Dream says softly from behind him.
Techno straightens and turns to face him, taking a moment to actually look him over. His orange prison uniform is torn and bloodied and burned, Dream himself is bruised and frail, standing on shaky legs. From the few bits of skin that are exposed, Techno can spot new scars, some old, some still stabbed over, littered all across him.
"I knew he was lyin'," Techno huffs and runs a hand down his face.
They stand in silence for a moment, both of them taking a minute to process their current situation before Dream speaks up.
"Why- why did you decide to come now? Why not when I was first imprisoned or- or before Quackity decided to start visiting me?"
"I was scared," Techno admits, looking down at his hands and trying to pick at his nail polish before realising he'd already picked it all off before. "I felt like I failed you and I didn't know how to face you after that. I realise now, I've only failed you again and there is no way I can earn your forgiveness for this but I promise you, my dearest daydream, I will get you out of here."
Dream gives him a blank look, taking Techno's hands in his own to stop him from picking at the skin around his nails. He hadn't even realised he'd been doing it.
"And what about you?" He asks.
"I'll figure something out," Techno says and hesitantly wraps his arms around Dream, missing the smell of the forest and hint of gunpowder that always used to cling to him. He feels tiny in his hold and Techno just holds him closer when Dream slips his arms around his neck. "I always do," He whispers.
They end up on the floor, Techno leaning against the wall with Dream in his lap, cuddled into his chest as Techno traces soft patterns onto his hip with one hand and gently strokes his matter and greasy hair with the other.
"Let me tell you about this nerd called Dante," He starts softly, letting the soothing rumble of his voice lure his darling to sleep. He doesn't stop talking even when Dream's breathing evens out and the tight hold he had around Techno loosens. He keeps talking and when he finishes his story, Dream fast asleep on his chest, he places a soft kiss to his forehead and begins planning how to make Quackity and Sam pay for this injustice a thousand times over.