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When Dream woke up, he wasn’t expecting a cold bed next to him.
Typically, Technoーthe living embodiment of a space heaterーwould be wrapped around him, essentially trapping him in a prison of comfort, not that Dream’s opposed to it. Techno is a very deep sleeper, and Dream has always been an early riser, so mornings usually ended up with Dream either attempting to sleep more or simply trying to occupy himself without leaving Techno’s arms. Ranboo, whenever he doesn’t wake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare, usually makes his way into his parents’ room once he wakes up, which is usually not long after Dream does since he’s always been a light sleeper.
Apparently today was different, not that Dream knew why.
Nevertheless, he tucked himself into Techno’s pillow, trying to find any semblance of warmth in the cushion. When he found next to none, he sighed, flopping back to his side of the bed before huffing. He wasn’t mad, per say, that Techno wasn’t still in bedーsince he’ll occasionally be up earlier than Dream to either tend to his potato plants when it’s cooler, or doing something with Ranbooー, but he wishes the pinkette would’ve left a note or woken him up to tell him where he was going.
Just as he was about to push himself out of bed, either to get something to eat or to try and drag his husband back to bed, his ears twitched as he heard footsteps outside his bedroom door. He perked up where he lay, not bothering to reach for the sword he keeps close by, knowing that if someone was here to kill him, they wouldn’t be poorly whispering like the people outside his door were doing.
Dream’s long ears twitched, attempting to understand any of the words being spoken, but they were entirely muffled by the heavy door separating the sheep hybrid from the rest of the world. He can clearly distinguish two different voices, though, and he had a sneaking suspicion that there was a piglin hybrid and a much smaller enderman hybrid waiting behind the doorーfor what? Dream didn't know.
Just when he was about to get up and see what the two of them were doing, the door opened, revealing a piglin hybrid carrying something behind his back while an enderman hybrid was obnoxiously shushing his father. Dream smiled at the sight before closing his eyes, deciding that they must be surprising him with something, whether it be a child jumping onto his stomach or Techno saying he found another pet outside. The bed dipped beside him before two tiny hands were patting his cheek. Dream whined half-heartedly, bringing a hand up to rub his eyes as if he had actually just woke up, putting on a show for a giggling Ranboo.
When he opened his eyes, he was met with a large smile on his son’s face while Techno looked on with a fond expression on his face. Before he could say anything, Ranboo crawled over to Technoーwho stood at the edge of the bedーbefore making grabby hands towards his father. Whatever was behind the pinkette’s back was placed into Ranboo’s hands, and his son turned back towards Dream before thrusting a plate full of food into Dream’s face. He sat up before taking it, a confused yet grateful smile on his face as he looked towards the two. “What’s this for?”
“Happy birthday!” The two in front of him chorused, Ranboo’s small hands shooting up into the air above him with a bright smile on his face. Oh. Okay, listen, so what if he forgot his birthday? Being retired means you don’t have to keep track of anything, the current date included, so you really can’t blame him. Dream’s glad Techno and Ranboo remembered his birthday for him, since he wouldn’t want to have to deal with Techno’s teasing if he walked into a room full of presents and asked who they were for (which hasn’t happened yet, but it’s still up on the list of Dream’s greatest fears).
“Oh my…” Dream trailed off, his eyes flicking between his family and the large plate of food placed on his lap. Almost every single type of breakfast food was there, including pancakes of varying sizes and condition, giving Dream the indication that Ranboo had tried his hand at helping to cook something for his dadーjust the thought warmed his heart. “Did you make this all by yourself, Ranboo?” Dream looked back up towards his son, beaming at the excited expression on the boy’s face.
“I made the pancakes! See, they’re hearts! For you!” Dream chuckled at his son, looking back down at the pancakes to find a couple vaguely heart-shaped ones mixed in with the rest. “I wanted to make the bacon, ‘cause you said it’s like Papa is cooking himself,” both Dream and Techno snorted at that, making eye contact over their son, “but he won’t let me!” Ranboo pouted at Dream, his mouth twisting into a smile once Dream ruffled his hair.
“He’s a big old meanie, isn’t he, Boo?” The boy grinned, nodding his head erradiactly at Dream’s words.
“Yeah! He’s the meanest ever.”
“Now, what did you say, you little twerp?” Techno reached for Ranboo, who shrieked in delight before jumping off the bed and running out the door, quickly followed by a smiling Technoblade. Dream wheezed at the sound of his son’s giggles and his husband’s chuckles throughout the house, his laughter only increasing when the sound grew louder and a small enderman hybrid was suddenly hiding behind him on the bed. Sensing that trouble was about to occur, Dream moved his plate onto the bedside table, just in time for Techno to walk through the door. Ranboo was giggling behind him, poorly attempting to stifle it with his hand. “Ah, Dream, have you seen a small criminal around here at all? He’s about 1’4 and can’t cook bacon.”
Ranboo’s giggles never ceased, even when Techno playfully insulted him. Dream thinks the boy might not have a grasp about how small 1’4 is, but he’s surprised the bacon comment didn’t make Ranboo reveal himself. Despite his shock, he played into it. “Why, no I haven’t, Technoblade. All I’ve seen around here is a fierce warrior who defends these lands from the pig king.” Dream snorted at the roll of eyes his comment garnered, feeling tiny hands clutching at the back of his shirt as his son’s frame still racked with giggles.
“Oh really? Well, we’ll see where this mighty warrior is now.” With that, Techno moved towards the bed, sitting on his knees on the sheets before moving towards Dream. Ranboo was still behind him, so Dream couldn’t move back at all, meaning that he couldn’t escape Techno’s tickling attack. The blond’s loud laughter was the only thing that could be heard in the room, only increasing as he desperately tried to escape Techno’s strong hold.
“Ran- Ranboo, h- help.” Dream managed to stutter out between giggles, feeling the boy leave his spot behind him before diving at Techno, who screamed dramatically before falling back on the bed, Ranboo sitting on his chest. The boy was playfully hitting Techno’s cheeks, which puffed up to make Ranboo laugh more. The piglin hybrid suddenly smirked before he started tickling his son, who shrieked in laughter.
Dream smiled fondly at the sight before taking pity on the boy, pulling him from Techno before placing him on his lap, Ranboo’s giggles turning breathless. Once Dream thought his son was done laughing, he patted Ranboo’s arms before reaching towards the plate of food on the bedside table. “Hey, Boo,” The boy perked up at his name, looking up at Dream as the last of his giggles trailed off, “wanna help me eat some of this? We can share a heart pancake.” Ranboo nodded excitedly before taking one in his hands, ripping it half before handing one half to Dream, stuffing the other one into his mouth. Dream followed suit, making a face at the slightly-undercooked taste of the food Ranboo made.
Techno came to sit next to him against the headboard, taking a pancake for himself before placing a kiss onto Dream’s cheek, biting into his food right after. The blond smiled fondly at his little family, wanting nothing more than to record this moment so he could remember it for the rest of his life. Techno, as if noticing his sappiness, grabbed his free hand before intertwining their fingers.
Dream couldn’t ask for anything more.
-
Later that day, after everything was winding down and the sun was dipping below the horizon, Techno told Dream that he had one more surprise for him.
The sheep hybrid had been sitting on their couch, running his hand through Ranboo’s hair as the boy slept against his chest, Dream’s own eyes closed as Techno gently weaved strands of gold through the blond’s horns, when the "surprise" was put into action. The man had gotten his husband both a new crossbowーsince Dream recently broke his while sparring with Tommyーand a series of gold jewelry, including what Techno called “horn earrings.” The name didn’t make much sense, since there weren’t any holes in his horns to stick earrings through, but Techno explained that they were like the piglin’s own piercings, with long chains connecting the pieces of jewelry. Essentially, they were long chains that attached to Dream’s horns with rings of varying sizes, meaning they’d rest on the appendages in different places, leaving strands of gold stretching across the space between the two horns like spiderwebs.
Dream may have not taken Techno’s “showering him in gold” thing too seriously when the piglin first said it at the start of their relationship, but now he sees how much he meant it.
The point is, Dream didn’t think Techno could have more surprises up his sleeve, but he was proven wrong by his husband yet again. Once the pinkette was done threading the gold through Dream’s horns, he patted the blond’s shoulder before standing up, picking Ranboo off Dream’s lap. The blond opened his eyes to glare at his husband, who only looked at him with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. “C’mon, Dream, it’s time for your final gift.” With the hand that wasn’t supporting Ranboo in his arms, Techno pulled Dream up from the couch.
He followed behind his husband like a lost puppy while Techno walked towards their front door, bundling Ranboo up in at least five layers before handing a coat to Dream, who put it on with a poorly-hidden confused expression. He followed Techno as the man left their house, walking towards Phil’s cabin, which was close to their's, but also at a respectable distance away. He was practically falling asleep at Techno’s side while he spoke to Phil, the excitement of the day finally catching up to him. Nevertheless, he was conscious enough to place a small kiss on Ranboo’s head once he realized that the boy was apparently sleeping at Phil’s for the night.
Once the door closed in front of Dream, he was swept off his feet. He squealed slightly in surprise, his hands shooting out for anything to catch onto before they found broad shoulders, wrapping around the neck in between them. Techno had picked him up bridal style and was currently walking back towards their house. Dream, deciding not to question what was going on, sighed contently before rubbing his face into the fur collar of his husband’s coat. “Dream.” The man opened his eyes at thatーwhen did he close them?ーbefore looking towards Techno, moving his head away from the man’s shoulder so they could make eye contact. “We have the house to ourselves for the night, y’know.”
It took a moment for Dream to register the words, the sleepy fog of his brain lifting once he realized what Techno meant. He rolled his eyes but let a small laugh escape his lips. “Really, you made Phil take care of Ranboo for the night just for this?” Despite his disbelieving tone, Dream isn’t actually mad. The two hadn’t had much time alone together since they adopted Ranboo two years ago, and Dream can’t say he’d be angry about ending his birthday the way Techno is suggesting they do.
“Hey, it’s not my fault you look so pretty covered in gold.” Dream snorted before affectionately bonking his horns into the side of Techno’s head at his comment.
“Yeah, and who’s fault is it that I have gold pieces everywhere jewelry can be placed and more?” Techno had reached their bedroom at this point, shutting the door behind them with his foot before placing Dream down on the bed, removing his cape and shoes before straddling Dream’s thighs. The blond smiled into the kiss Techno placed on his lips, moving his hands up to play with the button down his husband was wearing.
“Just shush and let me appreciate my own personal gold.” Dream’s face burned at that comment, his hand coming up to bat at one of Techno’s shoulders. Nevertheless, he didn’t complain when Techno dove in for another kiss.
Who knew birthdays could be so perfect?