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Techno’s dreams were never kind to him.
He ruffled Tommy’s hair. “Goodnight, Theseus.”
He closed the door to his bedroom and fell asleep in the living room reading.
He woke up to his little brother screaming.
Sometimes, that was where the dream ended. Everything would go black and Tommy’s desperate cries for help would continue until Techno managed to wake himself up. Other nights, he’d get to relive the full memory of bursting into the room to find it empty, the covers messy and the window wide open.
Every now and then, when he opened that door, Tommy was dead at his feet.
It was an every now and then kind of night.
Techno woke up hyperventilating, unable to get the image of Tommy’s bloody body out of his head. It wasn’t real. He wasn’t dead. Right? He wasn’t dead. The voices in his head all sighed collectively.
Nightmare again.
Role call! That was a recognizable one, Ranboo: he was the one of few that Techno trusted and actually liked to a degree. Is anyone here Tommy?
Nope.
No.
No.
I once knew a guy named Timmy-
Shut up, Connor.
Techno rubbed his temples. Being able to hear ghosts had its perks: it allowed him to remain convinced that Tommy was alive, because he’d surely seek Techno out if he died (right?). On the other hand, he was the only person that could hear ghosts, and they didn’t always make that easy on him.
Wilbur’s already awake and making tea.
Ooh, tea.
“Guys, stop spying on my family. We’ve been over this, remember?”
It’s not spying, he’s just in the kitchen.
“And you’re watchin’ him be in the kitchen.”
We watch you do almost everything.
Even sleep!
Shut UP, Connor. God.
“Yeah, well-” Techno rolled out of bed. “I know you’re there. And I can tell you to leave. If I want to. Like right now.” He made a shooing motion. “I needa get dressed. Go watch some pigeons outside or something.”
The voices quipped sarcastically all the way out of Techno’s range of hearing.
Fine.
The audacity of this man, wanting to enjoy his privacy.
Right? How dare he.
They’d survive a few minutes without him.
He made the most of his time before the ghosts wandered back. They were generally decently considerate of his desire to occasionally be left alone, but they were always back eventually. He understood it in a way—he’d probably be desperate to talk to anyone that could hear him if he was an invisible being incapable of having any effect on the world.
He tried not to imagine Tommy stuck like that.
Techno stretched as he walked into the kitchen. Wilbur was indeed already there, watching a tea kettle slowly start to steam. He looked up as Techno entered and immediately wrinkled his nose, grabbing the nearest dish towel and waving it at him mock-threateningly.
“Nope,” he declared. “No. You woke up with bad vibes today. Back to bed. Begone. Sleep in.”
“I have a patrol in like-” Techno checked the oven clock. “A little over an hour.”
“Well, then use the meantime to fix-” a whack to his chest with the towel. “-your fucking-” whack. “-vibes!”
“Are they really that bad?”
“Yes! You’re all…” Wilbur gestured vaguely. “Staticy. It’s getting everywhere.” He tilted his head to the side. “Are you stressed about something?”
“Just a nightmare.”
Wilbur’s gaze immediately dropped to the floor. “Oh. Again?”
“Mm-hmm. Again.” Techno crossed his arms as he leaned against the counter. “They don’t really go away.”
An unspoken not like he did hung in the air.
“Mine did,” Wilbur admitted softly, taking the kettle off the stove. “About a year ago, they started getting… nicer, I guess. I still dream about him, but it’s not so bad. Him growing flowers in a sunny field, all of us playing board games again, that kind of thing. All very pink and fuzzy.”
“Must be nice.”
Wilbur stared into his mug. “It’s not, really.” He blinked and seemed to reboot, grabbing a tea bag. “Because it’s not how things are, y’know? And it- and it never will be.”
Techno bristled instinctively. “You don’t know that.”
“Tech…” Wilbur pursed his lips before he continued. “It’s been six years, man. Six years of no leads, no clues, nothing.”
“Exactly.” Techno tapped the side of his head. “I’ve heard nothing about him.”
Wilbur seemed ready to debate the subject more, but the front door flew open just in time. Phil entered in a flurry of feathers and immediately collapsed onto the couch in the living room. With a quick glance, Techno and Wilbur silently agreed to table their conversation. Wilbur scooted a mug of tea Techno’s way and that was that.
“How was the night shift?” he asked, making his way into the living room and standing behind the armchair that he knew Wilbur would sit down in.
“It was shit,” Phil groaned. “Why are people so fucking stupid? Like, just because it’s dark out doesn’t mean no one’s gonna notice when you try to rob an ATM directly under a fucking streetlamp! I- ughhhhh.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “How does this city have so much crime and so few people that are actually good at it?”
Wilbur sat down with a grin. “Is Dadza finally gonna craft a belt?”
Phil pulled a black knife from somewhere in his cloak and set it on the coffee table, where it promptly turned into a shiny feather. “A belt would be a waste of my wings. But it’s tempting.” He picked up the TV remote from beside the feather that was once a knife—Techno hoped he wouldn’t leave it lying around when he got up, he shed enough as it was. “Let’s see what the news is like this fine morning, hm?”
The TV turned on right to the news channel, where a prominent headline was written along the bottom of the screen in bold.
“‘Dream takes on a new apprentice,’” Wilbur read. “Really? Is that today? I only just heard he was getting one.”
“Everyone’s gonna be covering this,” Phil sighed. “No ‘Angel of Death stops five robberies in one night,’ nope, just ‘city’s most arrogant hero adopts a new child.’”
“Dream doesn’t do anything halfway,” Techno remarked. “He’s gonna run that kid hard.”
“Hope he’s cut out for it,” Wilbur muttered.
Said kid was now on screen, standing dutifully beside and slightly behind his mentor. His face was covered by a disc-like mask similar to Dream's, but with an ‘X’ on it rather than a smiley face. Tufts of blond hair poked out from the red hood pulled over his head. Traditionally, apprentice heroes didn’t directly address the public until they were confirmed and had officially earned the trust of the people, so Dream did all the talking to the reporter.
“Now, Dream, you’ve never had an apprentice before,” he said. “What made you decide to take one on?”
“It was all him.” Dream placed a hand on his trainee’s shoulder. “I saw so much potential in him that I couldn’t not give him this chance.”
“When can we expect to see the two of you in action together?”
“I’ll be taking him on his first patrol tonight.”
“And what codename has your apprentice chosen?”
“He’s decided to be known to the public as Theseus.”
Techno suddenly stopped being able to breathe.
“Theseus doesn’t have a very happy story,” Tommy mumbled sleepily, snuggling under his covers.
“No, he doesn’t.”
“Why do you call me that, then?”
Techno sat down on the bed. “Well, it’s your favorite myth, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, but-”
“I think,” Techno said, “that Theseus would want someone to fix his legacy and find a happy ending to put to his name.” He pointed at Tommy, who grinned—he was missing one of his front teeth. “That’s your job.”
“I can do that.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah!”
“Can’t wait to see it, Theseus.”
The blond hair beneath that hoodie had a very familiar wave to it.
Techno’s mug shattered on the floor.
“Whoa!” Wilbur exclaimed, shooting to his feet. “Shit, Techno, you’ve gone all gray.” His brother guided him to the couch. “Sit down. What’s wrong?”
Techno couldn’t take his eyes off the screen. “That’s Tommy.”
“What?” Phil looked sharply between him and the boy on the screen. “Techno…”
“I know it’s been years, okay?” he snapped. “I-I know you think he’s gone, but he’s not, and that’s him! That name—no one else would choose that.” Techno attempted to take a deep breath. “He’s trying to tell me it’s him.”
“And how did he get there, huh?” Wilbur asked. “Are you suggesting Dream kidnapped him? He may be an ass, but-”
“He could’ve done it.” Techno stood up, all the pieces coming together. “Think about it! He could’ve phased through the wall to get in. That- that’s why the window was opened from the inside, he needed a way to get Tommy out. And no one’s going to investigate a hero for something as big as a kidnapping-”
“Because he’s a fucking hero!” Wilbur exclaimed. “He wouldn’t-”
“But he could’ve!” Techno pointed at the TV screen, which had since gone to commercials. “And he did!” His family stared at him in stunned silence. “Look. I know Tommy when I see him, alright?”
“And you think I don’t?” Phil asked. “You think I wouldn’t recognize my own son?”
“I think you do, deep down,” Techno insisted. “That’s him.”
“Techno…” Phil shrugged with tears in his eyes. “I wish it was.”
… I feel like this is a bad time to come back, a ghost whispered.
Shhhh!
Sorry!
Techno turned on his heel and grabbed his bag from where it sat by the door. “I’m going to work.”
—
Techno threw his bag into his locker and slammed it shut, not caring if it closed properly. Dream would undoubtedly be somewhere in the training center, preparing his apprentice—preparing Tommy— for his first patrol. Techno made a beeline for the second floor and found Dream in the gym, practicing hand-to-hand combat with Tommy. Both of them still wore their masks.
You’re gonna be late for patrol, a nasal voice reminded him.
I don’t see any askers.
What is he supposed to do, not go see Tommy?
Not a chance.
“Mind if I interrupt?” Techno asked as he stepped through the door, having every intention of interrupting.
Dream phased to dodge an attack from Tommy and walked his way. “The Blood God himself! What can I do for you?”
PRICK, one voice shouted.
Not now, Tubbo! Ranboo scolded.
“Just wanted to meet your new apprentice.” Techno nodded a greeting to Tommy. “Theseus, right?”
He looked away without a word.
Techno died a little inside.
“Theseus isn’t particularly talkative,” Dream said. “Very talented, though.”
“Mm-hmm,” Techno hummed. “And what exactly are his abilities?”
Dream sucked air in through his teeth. “They’re very dangerous, I’m afraid. Nothing you’d want to see.”
Pfft. Yeah, right.
Since when is the little flower boy dangerous?
Oh, no, he grows plants, a ghost drawled sarcastically. He’ll kill us all.
“Just tell me about them,” Techno requested, fighting to keep his voice semi-civil.
“That’s for him to talk about.”
“I thought he didn’t talk.”
Dream tilted his head to the side, his creepy mask’s pinpoint eyes boring into Techno’s. “What do you want, Blood God? Hm?”
“You’re hiding something.”
“What. Do. You. Want?”
Techno shrugged. “What are you looking for here? All I want is the truth, and you’d never lie to me. Right?”
“Of course not. What reason would I have?”
“Where’d Theseus come from?”
Dream laughed. “Are you trying to steal my apprentice?”
“Figuratively?” Techno wiggled a hand from side to side. “Maybe. Literally? No. That would be stealing a human. We call that kidnapping, which is, y’know, a crime.” Techno crossed his arms. “And crime generally is pretty frowned upon, especially by heroes.”
YEAH! GET HIS ASS!
Language! Stop distracting him!
But that was so cool!
I’m sure he knows that.
How cool Techno was while interrogating his little brother’s potential kidnapper wasn’t exactly his primary concern.
“I don’t appreciate your tone,” Dream said flatly.
“I wonder why.”
“Y’know what I think?” Dream asked. “I think those voices you hear are driving you crazy. I don’t know what they’re telling you, but… I wouldn’t listen to them.”
I HATE THIS GUY.
ACTUALLY THE WORST.
KILL HIM.
We just went over how crime is bad.
NOT IF IT’S AGAINST HIM IT’S NOT.
Techno forced what was definitely not a kind smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Yeah, when HELL FREEZES OVER.
Deep breaths, Fundy.
When was the last time you took a breath, huh? 1900?
… Shut up.
“Glad to hear it.” Dream motioned toward the door. “I believe you have a patrol you’re late for?”
“I do.” Techno paused on his way out. “I’ll see you both later.”
Dream gave him a cold shoulder. Tommy hesitated before returning to his training.
The door to the gym closed and Techno froze at a tiny crack. For a second, he thought he’d somehow broken the door, but he found the sound was coming from the floor. Just in front of his feet was a hairline fracture in the white linoleum. Techno watched in wonder as a tiny green stalk reached up and bloomed into a dozen tiny blue flowers.
Forget-me-nots.
Techno plucked the flowers out of the floor with shaking hands. The effort it would’ve taken Tommy to grow something without even being able to see it… clearly, he’d thought it was worth it.
“I’m not forgetting you, Theseus,” Techno swore. “Not ever.”
A ghost cleared their throat. Well. You did just leave without much of a fight.
Connor, I will kill you again.
Yeah, the Blood God always has a plan.
Techno pursed his lips. “Remember what I said about not spyin’ on my family?”
Yep, sure do.
“Yeah, there’s now an exception to that rule.” Techno held the flowers carefully as he hurried to go change into his uniform. “I want someone keeping an eye on Tommy at all times, and if Dream so much as breathes too hard on him, I want to hear about it.”
Sir, yes, sir!
—
Phil and Wilbur were both home when Techno got back from his patrol that evening, relaxing in silence in the living room. Techno wasted no time slamming the front door to get their attention and dropping the forget-me-nots on the coffee table.
“There,” he huffed. “Tommy grew those. I went to confront Dream—who, by the way, definitely did it—and he was there. He wouldn’t talk to me, or couldn’t, or something, but the second I was out of sight, these bloomed out of the floor right in front of me.”
Techno half-expected Wilbur to start objecting—something along the lines of why the hell would you confront Dream? He didn’t. His brother was staring at him open-mouthed and Techno realized he was probably oozing genuineness.
“How are my vibes now?” he asked.
Wilbur promptly started sobbing.
He shakily got to his feet and fell into Techno’s arms. “He’s alive,” he whispered. “Our little brother is alive.”
“Yeah.” Techno held him tightly. “He is.”
Phil gently picked up the flowers, his other hand over his mouth as silent tears streamed freely down his face. “They’re forget-me-nots. He-” a single choked sound escaped his throat. “This whole time, he’s been out there somewhere. And we didn’t find him.”
“But we’ve found him now,” Techno said firmly. “We can finally bring him home!”
“How?” Wilbur pressed.
“I… haven’t gotten that far.”
Hey, Techno? a feminine ghost whispered. Ranboo just got back from headquarters.
Uh, yeah, Ranboo said. You might want to start getting that far.
Phil began to say something, but Techno held up a hand to cut him off. “Hang on.”
“Ghost?” he guessed.
Techno nodded. “Continue,” he told Ranboo.
So, I was looking after Tommy, like you asked, he explained. He guessed that I was there and started talking to me the second he was alone. Dream kidnapped him and- and he doesn’t treat him very well. He paused briefly. He misses all of you a lot. He says he’s sorry he couldn’t get out on his own, and he really wants to come home. Techno didn’t say anything at first, too stunned by the information. Did I say something wrong?
“No,” Techno assured him. “You said everything right. Do you know where he is right now?”
Not exactly, Tubbo’s watching him right now—they should be somewhere downtown, though, their patrol was only just starting when I left.
“Great.” Techno turned to Wilbur and Phil, who no longer raised any eyebrows when he started talking to seemingly empty space. “We’re going downtown. Now.”
Wilbur’s eyes filled with hope. “Are we…?”
“Getting Tommy?” Techno asked. “Yeah.”
—
The three of them found Dream and Tommy on a rooftop.
The voices were dead silent and serious. They liked Tommy, and Techno made it very clear that he wouldn’t take kindly to them interrupting the encounter. No one took the chance of so much as coughing, but Techno could feel the weight of a veritable army of ghosts around him.
“Oi, green bastard!” Wilbur called, leveling a crossbow at the alleged hero’s head. “Hand over my goddamn brother.”
Dream looked their way nonchalantly. Techno felt his skin crawl at the sight of the smile on his mask.
“Oh, c’mon,” Dream sighed. “Put it down, Rebel, we can talk about this.”
“We’re not here to talk about shit,” Phil seethed. “You kidnapped my son. He’s coming home with us, and you’re going to fucking prison.”
“Have it your way.” Dream swiftly grabbed the collar of Tommy’s hoodie and pushed him halfway off the edge of the roof. “We can not talk.” Wilbur raised his crossbow further, but Techno pressed it down and away from Dream. “Yeah, you shoot and I drop him. And if you-” he pointed at Phil with his spare hand. “Move an inch, I’ll just phase through his chest and pull out his heart when he falls. No point catching a corpse, hm?”
“Dream.” The hair on the back of Techno’s neck stood up when he heard Tommy speak for the first time in six years. “Dream, please-”
“You don’t speak, remember?” he snarled. “Those are the rules.”
“That’s enough, Dream,” Techno snapped. “We know that’s Tommy, that mask isn’t fooling anyone. We’re not leaving without him. Alive.”
“You know, this wasn’t how it was supposed to go. I don’t want him dead, trust me, but…” Dream shrugged, jostling Tommy dangerously in the process. “If I can’t have him, no one can, right?”
“Not exactly,” Techno said. “I can legally challenge your mentorship of Tommy if I think I would be a better fit for him. We duel and he becomes the apprentice of whoever wins.”
“No one’s done that in decades,” Dream scoffed.
“So?” Techno asked. “We still can.”
Wilbur glanced at him sideways, undoubtedly able to read both his determination and his risky intentions. “Be careful, Tech,” he muttered softly, finger still over the crossbow’s trigger.
“You want to duel?” Dream asked with a light chuckle. “You wanna go back to HQ and fence for-”
“I was thinking we could do our duel right here. Right now,” Techno said. “With real stakes.”
Dream tilted his head to the side. “Oh?”
“To the death. Tommy can be mentored by whoever lives.”
“What?” Phil exclaimed sharply. “You can’t be serious!”
“Oh, I’m serious.”
“He can literally phase through your weapons!” Phil hissed.
“Relax,” Techno said confidently. “I’m not gonna lose.”
“We’ll see about that.” Dream pulled Tommy back onto the roof a bit, but didn’t let go of him. “If your little friends swear not to come near Theseus here during the fight or intervene under any circumstances, then I agree to the duel.”
Techno raised his eyebrows at Phil and Wilbur expectantly. “Swear it.”
“No!” Phil insisted. “I’m not going to let you do this!”
“Hey, hey!” Wilbur said. “He thinks he can do it. Really. I know he does.”
“I don’t give a damn what he thinks, I will not lose a son again!”
“Dad,” Techno held up a placating hand and smiled. “I can do this.”
“This is all so touching,” Dream drawled. “Are we dueling or not?”
“Swear it,” Techno repeated. “Please.”
Wilbur narrowed his eyes at him, seeing something beyond just his expression, and lowered his crossbow. “I swear it. I won’t intervene.”
Phil’s face was a conflicted mess, glancing from Techno to where Tommy was still in Dream’s grasp. “I…” Tommy nodded minisculely—his vote of approval fueled Techno’s confidence. “I swear it.”
He stepped back with his head in his hands and let Wilbur put an arm around him.
“Great.” Dream forced Tommy to sit down in the corner of the roof. “Don’t you dare move.”
Techno drew his sword. Ranboo spoke up somewhere to his left.
Tubbo is still keeping an eye on Tommy, he’ll shout if something happens with him. Niki’s with the rest of your family, he informed him. Want me to fight with you?
“That would be great,” Techno told him quietly.
Got it. Gonna need the element of surprise to kill this guy, right?
“Right.”
“Talking to yourself?” Dream taunted, twirling an axe.
“You wish.”
He laughed and leaped into action.
Techno spun out of the way, blocking a strike and ignoring Phil’s gasp from behind him. Dream didn’t bother to dodge Techno’s sword, simply phasing out of solid form and letting the blade go right through him harmlessly. They exchanged parries as they circled the rooftop. The only perk to Dream’s incessant phasing was that his axe went intangible along with him.
He favors his right foot, Ranboo reported. Focuses mostly at the center of your chest. Dodge to your left when I say ‘go’ and aim for his right knee, you might land a hit before he can phase.
Techno prepared himself for the countdown. Ranboo was usually right about things like this when he helped him fight, and it was more important than ever that Techno won—he couldn’t start doubting him now.
Three… two… one… go!
Techno threw himself to the left and went for the knee, like Ranboo had suggested. His sword cut into Dream’s flesh and he stumbled. A few ghosts cheered in his ears.
“You can yield if you want,” Techno said, ducking as Dream took an angry, careless strike at his head. “I’d be willin' to settle for letting you rot in prison.”
“Not happening.”
“Then I’m gonna kill you.”
“Go ahead and try.”
Techno was generally opposed to murder, but Dream was a special kind of evil. He’d watched as Techno searched for his brother for years, even offered assistance on one occasion, and yet the whole time had been mistreating him. Dream could ignore attacks at will—Techno couldn’t afford to hesitate to kill him. There was no pinning him down and telling him to yield. There was only kill or be killed.
Tommy remained in the corner Dream had banished him to. His face was still covered (Techno had a nasty feeling there was no way for him to take the thing off), but it was obvious from the movements of his head that he was watching the duel intently.
Techno couldn’t lose.
He had Dream limping and riled up now, with only a few nicks and scratches on himself. He needed to pull off one last surprise.
Hear me out, Ranboo said. You’re gonna have to almost die on purpose.
Techno bit his tongue to keep himself from asking the ghost what the big idea was. Almost dying on purpose wasn’t exactly his idea of a good time, but he couldn’t exactly argue with him mid-battle.
He won’t phase if his axe is, um, in you. If you let him get a hit on like your arm, that gives you a shot to finish him. Look, I really hate to suggest this, but… y’know.
But it would work.
Techno sighed under his breath. “Fine.”
He half-heartedly dodged Dream’s next strike and his axe collided with his shoulder. He could hear his family cry out. As soon as Techno felt the bite of pain, he shoved his sword upward.
It tore right through Dream’s chest.
He slumped instantly, wrenching the blade of the axe out of Techno’s shoulder in the process. He barely noticed, no longer concerned with Dream in the slightest now that he was dead. The only thing on his mind was Tommy.
Techno ran to his younger brother, heedless of the blood streaming down his arm. Tommy was already sprinting for him. They met in the middle and Techno held him like he would disappear.
“I knew you’d figure it out,” Tommy whispered, voice muffled slightly by his mask. “I knew you’d recognize me.”
“Of course I did.”
Wilbur barreled into them, hands immediately going to the back of Tommy’s head. “Phil! Phil, it’s fucking locked on!”
A feather turned into a razor-sharp knife in Phil’s hand, and he cut the fastener on the back of the strap with terrifying precision. The mask fell off and Tommy’s blue eyes looked directly into his own. The last time Techno had seen those eyes, they’d been looking up at him.
“You-” Techno’s eyes filled with tears. “You’re so tall!”
Tommy’s face broke into a smile as he laughed. The four of them sank into one giant group hug, Tommy at the center of it.
“We missed you so much,” Phil whispered. “So much.”
“Sorry we didn’t find you sooner,” Wilbur added.
Techno felt Tommy’s grip on his cape tighten. “I’m just glad you found me at all.”
“And you-” Phil whacked Techno gently on the top of his head. “What were you thinking?”
“It worked.”
“You could’ve died-”
“But he didn’t,” Wilbur said. “Told you he could do it.”
Phil sighed and leaned into the hug. “None of you are ever leaving my sight again. Okay? Ever.”
“Y’know what?” Techno ruffled Tommy’s hair. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”
—
You are so getting arrested.
“Shush,” Techno muttered. “Tommy’s sleepin’.”
He can’t hear us.
“I can. And I’m tellin’ you to shut it.”
He ran a hand through the teenager’s blond hair. Tommy was a teenager now, and frighteningly close to being an adult. Techno had missed so much of his life.
Tommy made a soft grumbling sound. “What are the voices talking about?”
“How I’m gonna get arrested,” Techno sighed. “Sorry for waking you.”
“‘S fine. Wasn’t having very nice dreams anyway.”
“Nightmares?”
“... Yeah.” Tommy readjusted, curling up closer to Techno’s chest. “Are you gonna get arrested?”
“Nah. Stopping bad guys is kind of in my job description,” Techno assured him. “Besides, Dream had it coming. He messed with you.” He looked down at Tommy. “Why did he mess with you, anyway? Do you know?”
“Dream ran a potions business on the side,” Tommy explained softly. “I could grow most of his ingredients and food for all the rest.”
“I’m so sorry,” Techno whispered. “We’ll take the whole thing down, I promise.”
“We? Like, you and me?”
“You and me,” he confirmed. “You’re my apprentice now, remember, Theseus?”
Tommy grinned. “Always wanted to be.”
“Yeah?”
“‘Course.”
Techno’s heart felt like it was about to burn out of his chest in the best way possible. “Alright,” he mumbled, glad for the darkness hiding his face. “Go back to sleep, Tommy.”
He yawned. “It’s nice to talk to you, though.”
“Talk to me in the morning. You need to rest.”
“Fine.” He shut his eyes. “G’night, Techno.”
His breathing almost immediately began to slow down as he drifted off. Techno rested a gentle hand on his head.
“Welcome home, Theseus.”