Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Retirement had never been the end goal in his original plan, the thought had never crossed his mind while he traversed down the path that he carved for himself through blood, sweat, and tears. Equipped with only a blade strapped to his hip and a pack filled to the brim with supplies that he would need to survive in the treacherous world that he lived within.

Comforted by the faint memory of his mother’s kiss upon his forehead and his father’s arms wrapped tightly around him as he gave the two his farewell. Bringing a hand down to ruffle his baby brother’s hair and smiling lightly at the childish shouts of protest he received, tiny hands swatting at his own as he cherished the moment before turning on his heel and leaving his home. Setting off on an adventure that was filled with whispered promises of fame and glory, effortlessly capturing the heart of the young man that dreamed of making a name for himself.

Having spent a better portion of his youth preparing and training himself for the moment that he would be given permission to leave on his journey. Raised with a blade in hand and a twinkle of determination in his eyes that signaled to all those that bore witness that he was going to be someone that would be remembered.

And remember they did as he claimed the moniker of ‘Blood God’ as his very own, a warrior of immeasurable strength that left a bloody trail in his wake. A legend spoke of through word of mouth from one adventure to another as they met in taverns, tales of his feats reaching even the furthest of towns. Countless shaking their heads in disbelief of the outlandish stories they were being told, seeming too farfetched to ever be true. Until the day that evidence was presented before them in the most irrefutable way imaginable.

A High Dragon

Believed to be gods of old wearing the guise of mythical creatures only spoken of in legends, having long been revered as beasts that were untouchable by mortal hands. Creatures that laid waste to wherever area they had claimed as their own to settle within and raise their brood. Civilians of those respective lands praying to the heavens above for salvation as they were forced to leave behind all worldly possessions in exchange for the chance to escape the destruction that had been brought to their doorstep.

There were very few warriors that could hope to even attempt to survive an encounter with a creature that held the power to level cities with one flap of it’s mighty wings. It was almost unheard of that someone actually managed to slay a High Dragon, a feat that was rewarded with a new title and rank that suited their otherworldly action.

That was how his father and mother had both respectfully acquired their titles as ‘Angel of Death’ and ‘Goddess of Death’. Having brought an end to the reign of terror of a High Dragon that wielded the power to raise the dead and command them to listen to her beck and call. Erasing a major city off the face of the planet and in turn using the mangled bodies of her victims as soldiers to protect her brood.

And that was how Technoblade himself claimed his own title as ‘Blood God’ at the young age of twenty. Sealing that moniker that was once only whispered by travelers as a name that would be written down in history.

Single handedly bringing an end to the reign of destruction that a High Dragon had been leading over the span of months. Onlookers watching in stunned silence as the young man casually strolled up to the Dragon that had already brought a swift end to the lives of many who had wished to leave their mark in history. Not a single soul was able to deny the claims of Technoblade truly being a genius in combat as they witnessed first hand the man in action. Effortlessly defeating the monster with little injury to his own person and thus bringing an end to the hell that had plagued their lands for far too long.

The fame and glory that came afterwards were not something that Techno could have ever fully prepared himself for. Having lived his life up until that point in relative seclusion aside from the occasional run in with the few acquaintances he had made over the years, people that he enjoyed speaking with. Or the times he made plans with his twin brother to meet up in a predetermined town so that they could catch up with one another, the two having set out on their journeys relatively close in date to one another.

Techno valued his privacy above all else, actively choosing to limit his social interactions as much as physically possible aside from the very few people that had found a home within his closed off heart. Yet with this newfound fame Techno found that the life he had once led had become impossible to continue. Recognition found in nearly every settlement he ventured into as the masses exclaimed their delight upon meeting someone they revered as legend in the flesh.

This had never been an issue that he could remember his father and mother had ever faced while he was growing up. Techno honestly hadn’t even known that either of them were legends in their own right until he had packed up and set off on his own journey, hearing tales of the married couple with every new city he arrived in. Some things may have changed over the course of the years since they had made history by slaying the first High Dragon, or maybe they both held some secret to keeping their privacy that Techno himself had yet to discover.

The only thing Techno could say with absolute certainty was that he had grown ever so exhausted with this new life that he was experiencing. That initial pride and excitement that filled his being with the prospect of something new and wondrous fading fast and leaving behind a man that had grown so very tired of the same monotonous life.

Tired of the crowds that would swarm him and for barriers that would prevent him from completing his task whenever someone put the pieces together and realized who he was in fact. Resulting in his stop to restock that would normally only take a few hours to last days.

Tired of the never ending sea of people that confronted him demanding that they have a sparring match, something that would end faster than the amount of time they had spent trying to convince Techno to spare some of his precious time on them.

Tired of opportunist highwaymen that believed for a moment that their sheer numbers would overwhelm and outclass Techno’s skill. Believing that they would best a living legend and leave with riches beyond their wildest dreams after hearing tales of the powerful weapons Techno had forged from the body of the Dragon he slain.

It had become predictable and draining in a way that Techno had found to quickly despise, dreading waking in the morning with the knowledge that he would repeat the entire process once more.

It took months of repeating that never changing routine before Techno finally awoke one morning and realized that enough was enough. That there was nothing that stated he needed to continue down this path that had long since lost its appeal. He had already tasted the fruits of fame and glory and came to discover that he rather hated the flavor.

This wasn’t what he wanted to make of his life and there was nothing holding him back from pursuing something that truly brought him joy.

So Techno packed up the few belongings he owned and set off to find a location that was a reasonable distance away from the touch of civilization, yet remained within a day’s walk from his childhood home. Settling on a spot deep within a forest that had never seen the touch of mankind before beginning the long and tedious process of crafting himself of home to all his own.

Pleasantly surprised when his father and his twin brother arrived one afternoon after hearing of Techno’s plans to build himself a home. Assisting on building that framework of the small cabin that Techno had tentatively begun, hesitant to continue when he had no prior knowledge in what he was doing. Relieved when Phil and Wilbur spent a little over two weeks with him and helping in making great strides into his passion project, almost able to see the finished project and estimating another two or three weeks of hard labor before he would have his very own home hidden away from prying eyes.

A home that Techno would soon fill with trinkets and books that he had slowly collected during his years of travel, sending all those little things home to his parents to store away who would now return them as he had a place to call his own.

Thick blankets woven from the wool that came from the family farm, his mother spent long hours creating something that fully covered his tall stature and would provide him warmth for the coming winter. An assortment of masterfully carved pieces of woodwork adorned his home, having been gifted by a few acquaintances that knew the location of his home. Books filled with philosophy, history, documentation, whatever you could imagine lined his shelves having been gifted to him by his twin brother, Wilbur knew well that caught Techno’s interest and would leave him wide eyed and reading into the late hours of the morning.

While other Hybrids and Humans never stepped foot on the piece of land that Techno had claimed as his own, that didn’t mean that the wildlife did the same. A pack of wolves making themselves at home within the four walls of his house, bowing their heads towards the warrior and acting similar to that of domesticated dogs. And a few farm animals that had been brought over from their family farm, all living inside the small barn alongside his prized horse Carl.

A plethora of wildlife were quick to make the tree line into their home, lingering just outside the edge of the man’s property. Bears, Foxes, wild Boar, this list seemed never ending and Techno found himself honestly quite surprised with how much he appreciated the company of the few animals that had settled around him. Gifting each with their own name and just basking in the silent comforting companionship, a drastic difference from the foul stench of humanity that had long since left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He would have preferred that it had stayed that way until the end of times, not receiving a single visitor outside of the few family members that stopped by on occasion to check on his well-being when he had taken too long to respond to their calls with his own magic crystal.

Yet sometimes life has a way of surprising even the most unwavering opponents.

“Technoblade!” The shout of his name was immediate as he opened the door fully, his sword just out of sight from whoever was standing outside yet still within arm’s reach if something were to arise. Techno hadn’t been expecting visitors and he surely hadn’t been expecting to see a small child with sunset colored wings standing on his front porch. “I want you to train me!”

The demand was sudden and loud, while Techno prided himself on being a battle-hardened warrior that let very little catch him off guard. He would admit that the sudden shout from the child had caused him to subconsciously take a step backward, not prepare for the sheer volume.

Staring down in disbelief at the child that was beginning to shiver due to wearing clothing that was ill-suited for the harsh winter that they had just entered. Snot dribbling down his face that he hastily wiped away with the sleeve of his thin coat, an action that nearly caused Techno to recoil in utter disgust. “Hehh?”

That was obviously not the answer the child had wanted to hear as his cheeks and feathers both puffed up with his irritation. Eyes narrowing while his brow furrowed as he wrapped arms around his middle in a vain attempt to look intimidating while also conserving body heat that was surely rapidly escaping. It was glaringly obvious that the child had been traversing through the snow for a better part of the day due to how much clung to his clothing. It was a wonder that the child had survived this long as the sun had already begun to set and the air chilled even further.

“I want you to train me to be a warrior just like you!” The boy huffed once more with the tiniest stomp of his foot, an action that viciously reminded Techno how much he has a disdain for young children and their self-entitled attitudes. Actively avoiding all interactions with them during his brief stops inside of villages as they clamored around him with demands that he perform acts as if he was some sort of circus show rather than a man that had slayed a Dragon.

This child’s loud demand was one that immediately brought forth feelings of annoyance that quickly erased any lingering shock that had once consumed him upon seeing the unknown child at his doorstep. While Techno still remained incredibly confused on how a young child had managed to find him where others had failed, he shoved those thoughts aside for a moment to interrogate the child that was becoming exceedingly more aggravated the longer the pair remained in silence.

Leaning against the doorframe, Techno crossed his arms and stared down at the child with a bored look that seemed to infuriate the child even further. Something that brought Techno a small sense of satisfaction as the child had already ruined the evening he was having. “And who exactly are you to make those sort of demands of me?”

Techno’s words caused the child to let out a sharp noise of anger that caused Techno to wince as the child uncrossed his arms and held his fists tightly at his side. Shaking in place from a mixture of the cold wind and the anger that surged through his small body, barely being contained as it was seconds away from bursting forth and directed towards the man that was mocking him. “Your little brother!”

It took a few moments for those words to fully process inside of Techno’s mind, remaining still for quite a long time before his eyes grew exponentially wide. Blinking rapidly as he brought himself back into a standing position, staring down at the child in utter disbelief. Watching as tears had begun to prick the edges of the boy's vision due to the sheer amount of anger at being mocked in such a way while he was so very tired and cold. “Tommy?”

“Yeah! You big prick!” Techno should have been able to tell right away that the child standing before him was his baby brother, should have known that without a single doubt in his mind. Yet Tommy had only been two years old when Techno had set out on his journey to discover his place in the world.

It had been six years since then.

Somewhere inside of his own mind he should have known that this child standing before him was his baby brother, all the questions that had been plaguing his mind suddenly finding answers. Realizing that the only people that owned a map that detailed the path leading to his home were his parents, a map that was currently crumpled and sticking out of Tommy’s coat pocket.

Yet it was hard to push aside those memories of a wobbly toddler chasing after him in an attempt to spend time together and replace them with the eight year old that now stood before him. Tiny wings that were once just little balls of soft downy feathers not replaced with fully developed wings that nearly dwarfed Tommy with their sheer size. Tips dragging through the snow because the child wasn’t tall enough to prevent them from dragging when relaxed and had to be exhausted from the journey to his home.

“It’s cold…” The mumbled words are what snapped Techno back to reality as he was viciously reminded that he had left Tommy standing on his porch in thin clothing that wasn’t suited for the harsh winter they were currently in. Soaked to the bone from what Techno could assume were numerous falls into snow banks as the snow clung to every part of his body.

If asked, Techno would never verbally admit that he had panicked the moment he realized that there was a real possibility that Tommy ran the risk of being hypothermic. Would never admit that he actively kept his movements smooth and calm so as to not reveal how much he was scrambling internally to correct the mistakes he had made. Moving his body just enough to allow Tommy to slip past him and walk into the warm house where the child was quick to kick off his boots and rush over to the fireplace. Taking a seat and allowing a few of the wolves that were also relaxing by the fire to curl up beside him.

Shallowing down his annoyance at the fact that Tommy was dripping water all over his wooden floors and wolves, knowing that the stench of wet dog was soon to follow. His younger brother was still very much a child with little common sense and while children aggravated Techno to no end, there was a special place inside of his heart for members of his own family. So Techno busied himself with gathering a few supplies from another room in order to push the thoughts of water warping his floor aside.

Returning to the living space with a large towel, a shirt that would surely shallow Tommy’s small frame, and the wool blanket that their mother had sewn for Techno when he first moved into his home. An item that Techno cherished dearly and was slightly reluctant in allowing Tommy to borrow, yet knowing that they needed to raise the body temperature of the child that was chilled to the bone.

Techno knelt down in front of Tommy who was seated a few spaces in front of the fireplace with his wings spread open and facing the fire, two wolves pressed tightly against his sides as they attempted to help warm the child. Tommy just remained silent with his eyes shut as he allowed the heat from the fire to radiate and dry the feathery appendages that were dripping melted snow onto the floor. Techno now able to see how much snow truly clung to Tommy and made the connection that his brother must have attempted to fly at one point during his journey and failed miserably.

“Here, you’re dripping water everywhere.” Techno spoke without allowing Tommy a moment to prepare himself before taking the towel he had brought with him and rubbing the dry cloth through Tommy’s hair. Smirking as the boy began to sputter loudly in his shock as he raised tiny arms high into the air to swat at his brother to make him stop with his vicious clothed assault.

“Fuck off! I can dry myself off you ass!” Techno simply replied with a hum as a smile found its way onto his lips, feeling his heart swell tightly inside of his chest at the small interaction. Having truly missed his youngest brother yet at the same time not wanting to run the risk of his location being revealed should he make the trek to their parents home, highly valuing his small semblance of privacy.

Techno soon pulled the towel away from Tommy’s head and was met with pout and blond locks pointing in every which direction. Struggling to keep himself from snickering at the sight before him and sending the child into another string of curses that he had just demonstrated his use of with his previous screaming.

“There’s a bathroom just down the hallway, take this and get changed out of your wet clothes.” Techno spoke as he handed the piece of clothing over to Tommy, watching as the child unfolded the shirt and held it in the air with a frown. The dark colored shirt nearly touched the floor and would easily reach past Tommy’s knees when worn due to his much smaller form, even if the shirt happened to belong to their father. It was one of the very few articles of clothing Phil had left behind inside of Techno’s home and one of the very few pieces of clothing that already had pre-prepared slits in the back for Tommy’s wings as Phil had his own set of dark colored wings.

“This isn’t going to fit me.” Tommy huffed lousy before setting the shirt down on the floor beside him so that he could begin to undo the buttons of his coat. Shedding off the piece of clothing and allowing it to hit the floor with a loud slopping sound, Techno wincing as he could only imagine how much water was currently seeping into his floorboards.

“My apologies, I wasn’t quite prepared for unannounced company that also didn’t bring along their own change of clothing.” That brought a heat to Tommy’s face that quickly turned his entire face red in sheer embarrassment. Quickly snatching the shirt from the floor and hastily retreating towards the bathroom that Techno had pointed him towards, leaving behind his soaking wet coat and two whimpering wolves that were quick to miss his company.

Releasing a sigh, Techno gave both wolves a pat on the head before gathering up the coat and moving towards the kitchen to ring out the excess water into the sink. Thinking over the series of events that had just taken place in under an hour and wondering how in the world Tommy had managed to make the trek all the way to Techno’s home on his own.

Knowing there was no possible way their parents would allow Tommy to make the journey on his own and would definitely not allow it during the middle of winter where one slight misstep could end one's life swiftly. Coming to the conclusion that Tommy must have stolen the map from their parents and run away without either of them aware of where he had gone.

Techno made a mental note to call their parents through the magic crystal that was used as a communicator once he had managed to put the child to sleep.

With another loud sigh, Techno tossed the coat into a nearby basket that he used for dirty kitchen cloths after ringing out the excess water. Allowing himself a moment to breathe before deciding to prepare Tommy a special treat that would be sure to warm his body up quickly. Opening one of his cabinets and pulling out the tin can that was filled with the cocoa powder Techno would need to create the sugary drink that was a favorite of Wilbur and his.

Techno was definitely going to need the bribery if he wanted to get down to the root of why Tommy had believed it to be a smart idea to trek through the snow just to find his older brother to ask for training.

Chapter Text

“Why didn’t you ask either Dad or Mom to teach you?” Techno questioned as he handed over the warm cup of hot chocolate to the younger boy, knowing that the warm sugary drink was bound to help greatly in warming up the frozen child that had long since stopped shivering as much as when Techno had first opened his front door. Having changed out of the clothing that had once clung to his body dripping water and into the oversized but dry clothes that Techno had provided.

“Mom or Dad?” Tommy questioned with a raise of his brow as the feathers of his sunset colored wings shuffled against his back, pulling the appendages tighter against his body as if he was attempting to hug himself with his own wings. The wool blanket their mother had gifted Techno draped around Tommy’s shoulders and enveloping him in a warmth that he had desperately craved, extending one arm out from his knitted confines so that he would grip onto the handle of the mug that was being offered to him. “Are we talking about the same people? Because Mom and Dad don’t fight.”

“Heehh?” The pure look of seriousness in Tommy’s eyes shocked the older man, searching the child’s expression for any sign that the child was trying to pull a fast one over on him. Finding himself even more at a loss when he found that Tommy truly meant his words.

Phil and Kristin had been the ones that had taught Techno everything that he knew about combat, had spent countless hours by his side teaching him how to wield both a bow and blade. He would never have been half the warrior he was now without his parents guiding hands. “They taught me everything that I know, Dad is highly capable with the bow while Mom is skilled with the blade.”

It was Tommy’s turn to look baffled as his eyebrows rose high and he looked at Techno as if the man was spouting nothing but lies to him. An expression that was made comedic by the chocolate mustache that coated Tommy’s upper lip after he had taken a large sip of his drink. “Mom and Dad? As in our parents that spent the entire morning spewing lovey dovey garbage to one another?”

Ah, Techno couldn’t very much deny that it would be rather difficult to understand the way that both of their parents were legendary fighters when everyday Tommy only saw a domestic couple that enjoyed their simple lives.

Techno could only sigh before reaching outwards with a washcloth that he had brought with him and began to scrub at the chocolate mustache that Tommy had pointedly been ignoring. The child grunting at his older brother’s actions before sticking a tongue out to lick at the palm of Techno’s hand that hadn’t been shielded by the piece of cloth.

It took great effort not to recoil backwards from Tommy’s disgusting attempt at aggravating his brother and to remain in complete control of his reaction. Refusing to give Tommy the satisfaction of knowing how thoroughly disgusted he was with his attempt at being bothersome, Tommy smirking up at him.

“Wasn’t your most brilliant plan to travel to my home on your own.” Techno began once more as he pulled back to sit back in his seat, using the washcloth to wipe away the saliva that coated his hand. Tommy’s tongue remained sticking out of his mouth with a smug satisfaction twinkling brightly in his eyes. “The weather this time of year is deadly for those unprepared.”

“Well then it’s a good thing that I was well prepared!” Tommy boasted with a large toothy grin as he nearly sent his mug spilling to the floor with his grand gestures, a confidence radiating off his body that couldn’t be quashed by Techno’s unimpressed and disbelieving stare in response to his statement.

“...Uh-huh.”

“It’s true! I prepared so much!” Tommy shouted out in retaliation to Techno’s silent accusation, his grin quickly morphing into a pout. An annoyance coursing through his body at his brother’s reluctance to believe that he had properly planned out the trip before setting off. “I wore my leather boots and thick coat because it was supposed to be cold, just like Mom and Dad always tell me to do! Also I made sure to have a few coins in my pocket so that I could buy a meal when I passed through the village on the map, so that I wasn’t hungry! And I made sure to keep looking at the map so that I wouldn’t get lost, just like Wilbur taught me!”

While those were incredible feats for someone as young as Tommy, he had managed to make that day-long trek through dangerous terrain with only a vague map to guide his way. It was a journey that a child should have never made in the first place, the dangers heavily outweighing anything else. An ever-growing list inside of Techno’s mind slowly becoming longer as his mind flared to life with the many different scenarios that could have snuffed out Tommy’s life with not a single one of their family members ever knowing what truly happened to the child.

The mere thought is heart-stoppingly terrifying, to wake up one morning and come to discover that Tommy had vanished from his bed sometime in the middle of the night. Never to find a single trace of where the child had wandered off to, endlessly searching for a child that they most likely would never find as the wilderness between Techno’s home and his parent’s was much too vast. Numerous areas that ended in drops where one false move would result in one plummeting to their untimely death.

Those emotions were difficult to shove down to the deepest pits of his soul, hard to swallow down the rising frustration that wished to snap at the child for his reckless decisions that could have ended his life. Relentlessly scolding Tommy until he understood how rash and ignorant his choice was when Tommy could have simply spoken to his brother over the magical crystals that Techno himself used to speak with both his parents and twin.

It took several moments for Techno to breath and collect his bearings before he opened his mouth to begin to reply to Tommy’s claims of being well-prepared. To stop himself from ripping the child’s overflowing confidence to shreds as he reminds himself that Tommy would crumple under the scrutiny. “We’ll have to agree to disagree.”

Tommy’s pout only seemed to become even more prominent from within his cocoon of warm wool and feathers, giving his older brother a pointed glare before suddenly and unexpectedly yawning. The child’s eyes pinched closed as tears pricked around the edges as he found himself opening his mouth wide in a loud and lengthy yawn, bringing one hand away from his mug to wipe away the liquid in his eyes before returning it back.

It didn’t come as a surprise that Tommy was tired due to the lengthy journey that left even grown men exhausted, something that Wilbur had complained about on more than one occasion. Begging the question as to when Tommy had even begun the journey that typically took a single day, if he had been forced to sleep on the cold ground buried in snow throughout the night that surely would have stolen his life.

The imagery of Tommy laying in the snow shivering forced Techno to shove down the feelings that demanded he collect the child into his arms and never let go. A small nagging voice screaming in the back of his mind to share his naturally high body heat with the child that was still much too cold.

“Give me that before you accidentally burn yourself.” Techno muttered as he reached his hands outwards and collected the mug from Tommy’s hands, ignoring his small cry of protest that was quickly cut off as Tommy found himself yawning loudly once more. Giving up on his argument before he could even begin as he used his now free hands to grip the blanket tighter around himself, pulling knees to his chest so that his entire body could be concealed within the soft blanket.

“I want you to train me, so I can kill a High Dragon just like you.” Tommy mumbled as his eyes began to droop under the weight of the sleep that beckoned him. Valiantly fighting against the enticing whispers that begged for him to close his eyes just for a few moments, almost giving into the temptation if not for the strong desire to remain awake until he heard Techno’s answer.

Techno forced himself to hold back the snicker that was seconds away from escaping as his eyes softened at the way Tommy began to nod off. Deciding that it was best to take the child to the guest room before he fell asleep on the couch, rising to his feet and moving to scoop the child into his arms. Tommy loudly protested against being carried in such a manner as hands and feet flailed about in his attempt to free himself from Techno’s hold.

“We’ll discuss it more in the morning, right now you need to rest.” Tommy grumbled loudly before settling down in Techno’s arms with his slight victory in continuing the conversation at a later date. If Tommy was anything, it was impossibly stubborn and he was determined to have the older man teach him everything he knew before Tommy would ever agree to returning home.

Huffing loudly before turning his body in Techno’s hold so that he was able to bury his face into Techno’s chest. It wasn’t because it was extremely comfortable! Tommy wasn’t a child that needed to be coddled and babied to fall asleep!

If Techno smiled fondly when he heard the faint sounds of snoring escape the child, that was only his business.

The call to his parents had been more emotionally exhausting than Techno had originally anticipated, having to call through the magic crystal quite a few times before either adult answered his insistent ringing. The image of his father’s panicked face forming on the surface of the mineral, the red ring around his eyes giving away that the man had at some point been weeping.

It was a sight that unsettled Techno in ways that he couldn’t quite put into words, having never seen either of his parents in such a panicked state. Something so inherently wrong with the imagery of the two pillars in Techno life in near tears once more as they questioned Techno if he had any information on the location of his younger brother.

Had taken quite some time to explain the entire situation to both of his parents so that their worries were wasted away, their relieved expressions causing Techno’s heart to squeeze painfully inside of his chest. Having gone through his own inner turmoil at the thought of Tommy laying in a deep snow bed, unable to pull himself free and not a single person in the vicinity to save him.

Both of his parents had released breaths of relief soon after Techno had walked into the guest bedroom with the magic crystal in hand and allowed them both to see their youngest curled up on the bed in a nest of pillows and blankets. Pointedly ignoring that way his mother cooed and playfully teased him over lending his precious blanket to Tommy. A tiny chirp escaped past the sleeping child’s lips as his sunset colored wings fluttered lightly, one of Techno’s many wolves having crawled into the bed beside Tommy and snuggled itself close to his side to keep the child warm.

Talking with his parents for a bit longer afterwards before the two bid their farewell with promises to see their son soon. Having agreed upon allowing Tommy to stay for a few more days with Techno before the two would arrive to take him back home. Techno refused to admit that he had agreed because he wanted to spend some time with his brother before they would spend another long period of time separated as Techno kept himself hidden away from society.

Techno now rested on his couch with a freshly brewed cup of tea seated on the end table beside the arm of the couch while he held open a book he had recently started to read. Glasses pushed high upon the bridge of his nose while one of his many wolves laid across his lap, tongue lulled out and eyes closed as the canine slept on it’s master’s lap. Returning to the peaceful quiet that had once enveloped his home before Tommy had arrived banging on his door with loud demands.

A peaceful moment that was soon disrupted as the wolf that had once been sound asleep rose suddenly, ears perking upwards as they flickered around to listen closely to a sound that Techno was unable to hear. Slipping off the couch as it stood at high alert, a low growl of aggravation rumbling in it’s chest that brought Techno to full attention.

There was very little that brought forth such a negative reaction from one of his wolves, the last time something like this had happened had been when an aggressive bear had walked onto his property looking to make one of his livestock into an easy meal. Though the idea of it being a bear that had stumbled onto his property once more was quickly shoved aside as the faint howling of his pack alerted Techno that this was something more.

Rising to his feet in a matter of seconds before moving towards his front door as silently as possible to slip on his thick leather boots. Straining his ears to hear the quiet crunching of snow from heavy footsteps as he estimated how close his unwanted visitors were to his home. Coming to the conclusion that they were just beginning to step into the open field where his home was located. A noise of annoyance escaped past his lips before he rose back to full height, gripping onto his blade that had remained resting beside his front door.

Turning his head downward to look at the wolf that remained at his side, a low growl emitting as it narrowed its eyes at the front door in preparation to launch an attack. All noise ceased as Techno gestured with one hand for the canine’s attention, the wolf quickly lifting its head upwards to look at its master who gave the silent command for the wolf to leave the home from the back exit.

Techno had installed a large dog door for his pack to freely enter and exit his home as they pleased once he grew tired of opening and closing the door as they begged and whined to be let inside. Grateful as the wolf wasted little time to rush through the home and leave through the exit designed just for them. Soon to group up with the rest of the pack as they all stood alert and hidden within the tree, waiting for their master’s command.

Taking a deep breath, Techno steeled his nerves before reaching downwards for the door handle and pulled open the door to face whoever was awaiting him. The light from the moon reflected brightly against the untouched snow that covered his yard, allowing the man to see the rather large group of men that were slowly approaching his home.

He really should have seen this outcome from a mile away, should have known the moment that Tommy arrived at his doorstep that there would surely be those that trailed after him. Tommy had proven himself in their brief time spent together that he had grown to be rather vocal and proud in his accomplishments. Techno wouldn’t have put it past Tommy to have boasted loudly in the village that he had passed through, about just who exactly he was travelling to see.

Those thoughts soon proved to be correct as the crowd of men began to jeer from their position near the forest’s edge, calls of his name followed loudly with demands that he hand over all his valuables. A common occurrence before he had retreated into a life of solitude, far away from those that sought out the value of his dragon crafted items. Weapons and armor that were priceless as they could only be replicated should someone else claim the life of a High Dragon.

“Technoblade! Hand over everything and we won’t have problems!” Those threats weren’t as empty-handed as Techno would have liked as a handful of would-be thieves held torches high in the air as if to prove their point. Held dangerously close to the large cedar trees that circles his property, flames licking the air just a few inches away from the pine needles.

It was an ignorant choice to set the first ablaze, the small group of thieves would only find themselves trapped within the deadly fires that ate away everything they came into contact with as well. Unable to escape their own creation as their lungs filled with the thick smoke that would slowly clog their airways, resulting in a slow and agonizing death.

“If I had known I was having so many unexpectant guests, I would have made sure to prepare a larger pot of tea.” Techno takes satisfaction in the way his blatant disregard of their threats caused a large portion of the men to twitch in their aggravation, understanding that he thought little of their threats as they were truly undeserving of his concern. An obvious tactic to keep their anger and attention directed at him, to slowly drop their guard and lose a part of their rational thinking.

None of the group were aware of the wolves that were slowly encroaching on their location, hidden from view due to their coats and the veil of darkness that helped them to blend perfectly into the snowy terrain. Fangs bared and ready to pounce on their unsuspecting prey the moment that Techno give them the command.

Grateful that he had taken the extra step to train the canines to listen to his beck and call during the time they had spent in one another’s company. A feat that had taken his father by utter surprise when Techno had proudly demonstrated their obedience while out on a hunt, wolves and man working together in unison as if they were one fluid unit.

“We aren’t playing games here!” Another shouted from the crowd that brought for a chorus of agreement for the others that had regained their confidence. Weapons raised high in the air as if the display of their weaponry was meant to intimidate the man that had faced far greater threats to his life. “We want your dragon equipment! And we want that Avian boy!”

Techno faltered as his mind began to process what had been shouted, the smile wiped clean off his face as his mind came to a stuttering stop. Those words ringing loudly in his mind and the implications behind them, all humor he once found from the situation erased and replaced with a slow burning rage that was quickly becoming an inferno. The men took his silence as an implication of his fear as they smugly continued on with their loud demands, unaware that they were signing away their lives. “Price of Avians is pretty damn high here lately, and we want him!”

Kidnapping and selling of hybrid children wasn’t a secret, it was in fact a highly known problem throughout the land that no one seemed to want to address. It was an appalling practice that Techno had discovered rather soon into his travels when he had accidentally stumbled across an underground dungeon filled with hybrid children that were waiting on the day their freedom would be sold to the highest bidder. An illegal operation that city officials turned a blind eye to, an operation that he brought to a swift end as he ran his blade through the throats of those that dared to place a price tag on children.

There was nothing different from those men and the ones standing before him, greedy degenerates that looked at his younger brother as if he was an easy ticket to wealth rather than the child that he actually was. And just like those original slave traders that he had faced years prior, Techno would once again wet his blade with the blood of those that didn’t deserve the life they had been gifted.

The group barely had any time to react before Techno brought fingers to his lips and whistled loudly to his wolves that had patiently been waiting to launch themselves at their targets. Screams of terror rang out through the open field, screams that morphed into gurgled choking sounds as their men soon lost their lives under the savage attack.

The chaos of the wolves' sudden attack distracted many of the thieves from the second threat that soon made himself known. Techno wasted little time to dash off his doorstep and throw himself as well into the fray. Parring an axe that had been swung at his head with the side of his blade, sending the weapon soaring high into the air before it landed in the snow a distance away. The man had no time to react to the loss of his weapon before Techno reached a hand outwards and gripped tightly his hair, yanking the man’s face downwards as he lifted his knee upwards and connected it against his skull with a sickening crack.

The man slumped though Techno kept a tight grip on the fistful of hair, pulling the man’s unconscious body to the left to block an arrow that whistled through the air. The sound of the arrow sticking into the man’s flesh before he released and turned on his heel to block that incoming blade to his right, steel clashing against one another loudly. The new attacker giving out a cry of surprise had he hadn’t been expecting Techno’s quick reaction, unable to stop the more skilled fighter from hooking a leg behind his own that sent him tumbling into the snow. A swift kick to the temple caused the man to slump as he lost consciousness and allowed Techno to focus on the archer that had begun to prime another arrow, the threat removed as a wolf launched himself at the unaware archer.

Techno felt little remorse for the swift ending of their lives to both his blade and his pack of wolves. The snow painted in an ocean of red as the group’s numbers dwindled faster than any of them could truly process, leaving only a handful that raced into the forest trying to escape. If only they knew that they would meet their end to the bear affectionately named Steven who had wandered closer to Techno’s home due to the loud commotion and the scent of blood that filled the air.

A loud yelp followed by a child’s terrified scream ripped Techno violently from his thoughts as he surveyed the area. The blade of a knife nicked his cheek from a man that had charged him while he was distracted, narrowing his eyes before he angled his blade and dug it into the man’s side. A scream ripping from his throat as he crumpled to the ground, hands gripping at the wound to try and stop the blood from flowing out into the snow. Techno didn’t bother to finish the job as he spun on his heel to locate where Tommy’s scream had come from.

Heart pounding painfully in his chest as his eyes settled on one of the men that had somehow slipped past both himself and his wolves and managed to enter his home. Had managed to find the child that had once been safely asleep in his bed and dragged him by the arm to stand on Techno’s porch where he was now being held with a knife held against his throat. Trembling from both the unimaginable fear and the cold that licked at his unprotected skin.

“Call off the dogs or the kid won’t be living long enough to see the sun!” This time the threat was genuinely frightening, emphasized as the man pressed the knife harder against Tommy’s throat. Eliciting a whimper of terror from Tommy’s lips, baby blue eyes quivering with unshed tears as he looked towards Techno pleading to be saved. “Call the dogs off!”

Techno gritted his teeth before bringing his fingers back to his mouth and whistling for his wolves to cease with their attack. Though there was little use in the action as the large group that had once circled his property now lay on the ground in bloody heaps. A fact that the man holding Tommy hostages seemed to realize as his face twisted in a disgusting snarl, eyes frantically scanning the terrain for any sign of an accomplice and finding not a single soul that would be able to assist him.

The man was too tied up in his own thoughts and fears, trying to come up with a way out of this dangerous situation that he wasn’t aware of the wolf that was slowly creeping upon him from behind. Techno came to the conclusion that it must have been the wolf that had been sleeping beside Tommy, able to see a deep gash on the canine’s face that must have been caused by the man when he captured Tommy.

The man was taken by utter surprise as the wolf launched itself forward and dug fangs deep into the meaty flesh of his calf. Pulling his leg out from underneath him and bringing him slamming against the wooden porch with a loud thud, screaming loudly as he used his free leg to try and kick at the canine that kept a death grip on his leg.

The attack had caused the man to lose his grip on both Tommy and the knife he once held, the child realizing that he had been free and sprinting in the direction of his older brother with tears streaming down his face. Relief filled his face as he ignore the biting cold of the snow against his bare feet in favor of running into the arms of the man he knew would protect him, though that relief was quickly washed away and replaced with absolute terror as Tommy opened his mouth to scream.

Techno was baffled by the expression before a searing pain burst from his side that caused his vision to fill with spots of white. Blinking rapidly before eyes darted in the direction of the pain and discovered that a large chunk of flesh had been ripped from his unprotected side, not having the time to slip on his armor before exiting his home. The man that Techno had chosen to ignore in favor of focusing his attention on Tommy’s kidnapper had managed to rise back to his feet and dig that blade of an axe deep into his side.

“Techno!!” He ignored Tommy’s blood curdling scream as he twisted the blade in his hand and jabbed the pointed end straight into the jugular of his assailant that hadn’t been expecting the sudden attack. Having assumed that Techno would be in too much blinding pain to properly counter the attack, he paid that price as his lifeless body crumpled into the snow with Techno’s sword still buried in his throat. Techno having released his sword in favor of pressing both hands against his gaping wound, vision spinning as he tilted and fell as well into the powdery snow that barely managed to cushion his fall.

There was something rather poetic in the way that he found himself lying in a pool of his own blood, a haze slowly entering his vision around the edges as it became difficult to keep focused on his surroundings. A ringing in his ears that was near deafening as he tried his hardest to listen for any indication that the man that had been fighting off his wolf had managed to escape.

Techno had always been a warrior, a fighter that stood proudly above all opponents as the crowds chanted ‘Technoblade never dies!’

He could admit to the irony in that statement and his current predicament, laying broken and defeated as his baby brother knelt over his prone body with hands much too small pressing desperately into the gaping wound that was slowly stealing away his life. Bright blue eyes filled to the brim with tears as pupils quivered with a fear and desperation to save his big brother, too young to properly know how to treat a wound of this caliber.

Chokingly repeating over and over ‘Technoblade, please don’t die’

“Tommy.” Techno despises how weak his voice sounds even to his own ears, barely heard over the insistent ringing that seemed never-ending. Hates how Tommy curls even tighter in on himself when he hears his voice, tears spilling faster as hands press even harder into Techno’s wound. “Tommy, I need you to listen to me.”

“Shut up!” The way Tommy’s voice cracks with his shout causes Techno’s heart to clench painfully in his chest. “We can fix this! I can fix this!”

“Tommy, you can’t save me.” Techno tried once more knowing that he hadn’t been anywhere near prepared to handle a wound of this level, didn’t have the potions or supplies needed as Techno hadn’t believed he would ever have an injury like this after retiring. The realization that there was little chance he would be able to survive settled heavy on his mind and brought forth a horror that was suffocating. “Tommy, you need to listen to me so that I can explain how to contact Mom and Dad.”

“I can fix this! So just shut up and let me help you!” Tommy all but screamed once more with a frown that caused Techno to smile in response. Slowly bringing a hand upwards to wipe at the tears that were slipping down Tommy’s cheeks and take in the child’s appearance one last time. Remorseful that they didn’t have longer to spend with one another as Techno truly wanted to spend as much time with Tommy as he could. “Stop acting so damn dramatic! I told you I can fix this!”

Techno was on the verge of attempting to explain once more to Tommy on how to use the magic crystals to contact their parents when Tommy suddenly leaned forward. Hovering his face a mere few inches above Techno’s wound and allowing the tears that spilled from his eyes to land against the gaping wound. Techno’s eyes widening to near saucers as steam poured off his skin and the wound began to stitch itself back together before his very eyes, Tommy remaining hovering and allowing more tears to drip down and land on the wound until it looked as if Techno had never been injured to begin with.

Mind racing as Tommy pulled himself backwards with a pout, allowing Techno to sit up properly and inspect the area where he once had a life threatening injury. Running fingertips against the smooth skin and finding not a single hint that would have indicated that just mere seconds ago he was on the verge of losing his life. “...How?”

Tommy huffed loudly as he brought one of the oversized sleeves of his father’s borrowed shirt to his eyes and began to wipe away at the remnants of his tears. Lips trembling as sniffled loudly to barely mask the sound of his sob. “I kept telling you that I could fix it.”

Techno was silent in his utter disbelief before his eyes focused on Tommy’s wings and the pieces to the puzzle began to slot into place. Sunset colored wings taking on an entirely different meaning due to the power that Tommy had just displayed, though Techno shoved those thoughts aside in favor of gathering up the shivering child into his arms.

Tucking Tommy’s head beneath his chin and allowing the child to bury his face deep into Techno’s shirt before he began sobbing loudly, releasing those fears that he tried so desperately to hide. Techno closed his eyes and he tightened his hold and allowed his body to relax with the relief that both Tommy and himself had managed to escape the incident with both of their lives, even if it had been a rather close call.

“Yeah, you did tell me and I’m so proud of you.”