Work Text:
Don’t forget the chocolate
I won’t forget your dumbass chocolate
Those messages had been sent two days ago.
They knew this would happen eventually. In their line of work, anything was possible. Techno just didn’t know the day would come so soon.
It was the middle of the afternoon, and Dream had just gone out to get something for them to cook at their humble home. Techno had texted him while he was at the store to remember the chocolate, not something meaningful, just to get the stupid chocolate. Now there isn’t a day that passes that the pinket wishes he could’ve said something else.
Survivors’ guilt, if you will.
He’d gotten the call as soon as it happened. It didn’t come from the police, the fire department, or the hospital no. His own brother Wilbur had been on watch that day, and he saw the moment Dream’s heart monitor went flat.
Techno still remembers the aftermath, the fallout of his own emotions and pain. He remembers flying out of the house, gaining Dream’s location and speeding his way. He remembers the cars, the way that Dream’s was smashed in on the drivers side and how the other car was on fire. He remembers running into the wreck, wrenching the car door open and letting Dream’s limp body fall into his arms. He remembers how cold Dream’s body had been. He remembers hours before when they were pressed together on the couch.
He remembers how cold his tears were as they slid down his face.
The police had gotten there sometime after Techno, and they grabbed at his lover’s body. Techno held onto the blond for a moment longer, kissing him on the forehead before letting the other people take his body away. There was nothing they could do, there was nothing anyone could do.
Dream was no longer with the world anymore.
He remembers how numb he felt as he climbed back into his own car. He remembers how he felt as they dragged Dream’s body into the back of an ambulance with a white sheet over his body. He remembers how he felt as he rolled down the windows to let the cold air blast across his face. He remembers how he felt as each one of his family members and teammates called and asked if he was okay.
He remembers how he felt as he went to bed by himself that night.
They had asked if he’d like to go to the funeral, and he remembers Phil telling him where it would be located.
He doesn’t remember getting out of bed and going.
There were people there he recognized. Most of the people were friends of Dream, and therefore friends of Techno. He recognized George, Sapnap, Bad, Skeppy, Callahan, Sam, etc; and by default he recognized his own family: Phil, Tommy, Wilbur, and Wilbur’s boyfriend, Schlatt. Also by default Dream’s family, Puffy and Tubbo. He vaguely remembers talking to them, the interactions he had going in one ear and out the other.
He remembers the session starting. He remembers the cold air conditioning of the church. He remembers moving outside. He remembers the icy wind blowing through the air. He remembers touching Dream’s hand one last time. He remembers how cold his skin was against his own. He remembers lowering his lover’s body. He remembers how it started to rain. He remembers standing there without an umbrella letting the water soak into his skin.
He didn’t remember how long he stood there.
He didn’t remember what warmth felt like.
He didn’t think he ever would again.
His warmth was taken from him.
All he was left with was –
Cold.