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The snow outside tightly sealed windows danced in the harsh winter winds, making travel outside almost unbearable to most. This is not a problem to the large piglin hybrid, thick skin and luscious cape keeping him warm no matter the weather. Allowing him time to escape from the chaos that unfolds within his cabin as way too many people are stuffed inside and there is said to be more on their way.
With a heavy sigh, Techno leans on the fence that keeps his army of dogs inside their enclosure. He absentmindedly pets them as they come up to greet him, muttering hellos to them as if they could respond to him. They did not seem to be bothered by the icy wind that barrels past the large man as he enters the pen.
He sits on a bench on the side of a wall, still circled by dogs that all want more attention than one man can ever provide. He still tries to give all of his dogs attention, a small smile gracing his face.
“I am forever grateful that you guys can provide a necessary distraction whenever I need it. Oh, and backup too. You guys are good at that too.” His voice is barely above a whisper even though no one else is outside with them. Still, his thanks are given only to his dogs and his dogs alone.
Technosoft!!
Aww, the dogs are so cute!!
PET PET PET
Floof!?
Techno is so nice to his dogs:( <3
Why are we outside?
Chat suddenly was louder than they were before, raving about Techno’s soft-spot for his animals that somehow always seems to catch some of them off guard. Shutting his ruby red eyes tightly, he shook off the voices as best he could. He knew they would be back soon but some peace was always appreciated.
But just as the voices in his head silenced, there were voices coming from the direction of his home. Tommy and Wilbur had made their way outside in search of their brother who only sunk into his seat more, hoping they would pass him by.
There was no such luck as a boy with hair like gold popped his head into the enclosure.
“HERE HE IS!” The boy drug out the last vowel, shouting to the brunette in the distance.
“Go away Tommy, I came out here for a reason y’know?”
“Oh I know, I was just curious as to where you had gone and so Wilbur and I came out looking for you. We made a bet on who would find you first and I won!” Tommy was bundled up with sweaters and scarves layered on top of one another and still he had the strength to bounce around as if it weighed nothing to him.
It probably did, the kid spent half his life in heavy armor all the time. It must feel as heavy as paper.
Techno shook off that thought and the little pang of sadness that followed it before he stood up and made his way to the golden boy. Wilbur came up behind Tommy, scaring him and beginning a shouting match in which Tommy swears he wasn’t scared while Wilbur laughs and laughs about how high his little brother jumped.
Family!!
3/4, where’s Phil?
PHIIIIILLLLLL!!!! THE BOYS ARE FIGHTING AGAIN!!!
The family dynamic!! Brothers!!
Techno wondered if the voices were capable of being shut up completely.
“I might ask Phil to look for a cure again soon.” He muttered under his breath.
“What was that?” The two turned and stared at him but he waved his hand quickly, avoiding eye contact, as he dismissed it. They shrugged their shoulders in unison and the piglin thought fondly of how he was with Phil, completely in sync (mostly on the battlefield but he ignores that sell detail).
“Sooo, Tech-no,” Tommy popped the “oh” sound out more than needed with a mischievous grin on his face. “Seeing as this is a family get together, where are Tubso and Ran-boob?”
“Since when is government family?”
“One, he isn’t government dumbass. And two, he has been for a long while! He was family long before he was government! Let it go already!”
The two stared at each other in a silent argument for minutes until Wilbur finally interjects.
“Didn’t Phil literally adopt him from a box on the side of the road? He’s literally my adoptive brother.”
Techno whips his head to Wilbur and the voices are loud once more.
Tubbox!!
Tubbo and Wilbur are canon brothers?
The family dynamic is getting confusing now what
Blood for the blood god maybe question mark?
With a hooved hand held to his head, he sighs.
“Fine. But one mention of government and he is gone.”
“He isn’t gonna bring it up, he hates even thinking about it! Just stop being a dick Tech-no.”
“I am not!” The piglin pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes squeezed shut in light annoyance. He heaves a sigh and waves a hand in the air as he fully exits the canine enclosure and makes his way back inside, Wilbur on his heels.
“You know, I think it is quite thoughtful of you to allow Tubbo on your land and in your home! Such a sweet, brotherly thing to do of you!”
“Can it Wilbur, there will be no more family dynamic talk tonight.”
“Aww, but Technoo,” Wilbur whines. Techno shoots the man a glare over his shoulder as they enter the house once again. “Family dynamics are so much fun to talk about! We don’t have to talk about ours but say, maybe TUbbo and Ranboo’s!”
“They don’t have a family dynamic though.”
“Ah but they do! With Micheal!”
“That is simply a family Wilbur, there is a difference there.”
“They still have a family dynamic thought, don’t they?”
“Wilbur.” Techno is done, his tone hard and cold. “Shut up.”
Wilbur shuffled from one foot to the other before simply nodding. Techno, now satisfied, entered his kitchen. Phil was cooking still and Techno was very pleased with the smell of it.
He looked around the room and spotted many of his bowls already in the sink soaking with sopa and what he assumes is warm water. Removing his cloak and draping it over a chair, he rolls his sleeves up and begins to wash the dishes. Phil spares him a short glance and smiles warmly at him before continuing to focus on the food in front of him.
The two worked in silence together for a short while, eventually Wilbur joined the duo and everyone exchanged small greetings. The brunette took his spot at the table, book in hand, and began to read. Everyone was simply enjoying their shared peace and quiet, getting their own things done.
They all sit in their silence that is only ever broken by Phil’s soft humming or a small noise from Wilbur as he reacts to something that he reads in his book. The company is nice, Techno decides. He is quite fond of the idea of having more people over much more often if it could be like this everytime.
Techno’s thoughts are broken as the front door is swung open and laughter erupts from what could only be identified as Tommy. Techno can make out Ranboo and Tubbo’s voices but they are much fainter in comparison to the golden child, loud as ever.
He turns around and notices that Wilbur has furrowed eyebrows and an unreadable expression and suddenly techno is setting down the last bowl and drying his hands off completely to check out whatever the brat decided to drag in.
Once he was around the table and stood next to Wilbur, the confusion the brunette felt was justified. With Tommy there was a platinum blonde boy dressed in purple with a very strange dog at his feet. A hood was drawn over his head but his bangs still hung low on his forehead so Techno could see his hair. They looked very uneasy, unsure of what to do, with their hands stuffed in the pocket of his hoodie they stepped from foot to foot with what seemed to be a buzzing sound about them.
It was Purpled, someone Techno had fought with at the Red Banquet. What he was doing here with Tommy was a mystery.
Purpled!? POG!!
Tommy brought another person? WHo are they?
AMERICAN TOMMY YOOO!!
Aren’t they from the Red Baquet? So cool!
So no blood for the blood god with this one?
“Hey Tech! Hope you don’t mind me bringing Big P with too!” Tommy said, much louder than what was needed but snapped the pink haired man out of his head well enough.
He shrugged, gesturing that everyone come on in and make themselves at home. He made very brief eye contact with Tubbo and exchanged a curt nod in his direction before flashing a warm smile to his husband, Ranboo. The enderian returns the smile with a toothy grin of their own before returning to the conversation they were having before.
His attention is now fully back on Purpled, who still hasn’t calmed down much but is at least sitting now. Techno decides that he shouldn’t approach just yet, hopefully later the kid will be a bit better situated.
Turning around to alert Phil of the guests, Wilbur holds out a gloved hand to stop him.
“Hey, who is that kid? I have seen him in Las Nevadas some and I just can't figure out what his name is.”
“His name is literally a color Wilbur, I am confident you can figure it out from there. Or, maybe go ask him yourself. He is a good kid though, for the most part.”
Wilbur sends him a worried glance but he ignores it and heads to Phil.
“Hey Phil.”
“Hey mate, need anything?”
“No I just wanted to let you know that Tubbo, Ranboo, and Purpled are now here. I don’t know if that complicates anything with dinner but I wanted you to be prepared.”
“Purpled? Is this a new kid?”
“No, he’s been around, just didn’t do much. Fought with him in the Red Banquet though so he’s chill.”
Phil nods slowly, looking down at the food before him with his hand on his chin. He nods resolutely, looking back at his piglin friend.
“Tell everyone the dinner will be ready soon. I have rolls sat over by the window if you could go grab them and bring them out to everyone for me Tech.” He nods and does as asked of him, looking at the scene in front of him.
Tubbo and Ranboo are laughing at something stupid Tommy is doing while Purpled is chatting away mindlessly with Wilbur, both seemingly less anxious now than mere minutes ago. All eyes are on him when he puts down the rolls and straightens his back, pushing stray strands of pink hair behind his ear.
“The dinner will be ready soon but these are rolls that Phil made earlier so go ahead and eat some if you want to.”
The people in his living room made brief noises of acknowledgment before going back to how they were before. The piglin decided to sit down himself, next to Wilbur and Purpled. The dog that the boy had brought with him was nowhere to be seen, Techno noticed. So, at the next break in their conversation, he decided to jut in.
“Purpled, welcome to my home! Where is your dog, do you know?”
The teen looked around the house, suddenly aware his dog is no longer at his feet.
“No actually, I don’t know where he went. Dogchamp usually stays close by though so he has to be somewhere in the house.”
“You would think we could see a big fluffy dog like him though, wouldn’t we?” Wilbur put his two cents in, now also looking around for the dog.
Then it hit him. Techno turned his head sharply to a far corner near the front of the cabin where Steve, his polar bear, stayed throughout the day. He seemed to notice the eyes now on him as he lifted his head to stare back at the piglin man. Techno made his way over to Steve and crouched down to eye level to ask a question.
“Is Dogchamp hiding somewhere in your fur Steve? Have you taken the kids' dog?”
Steve, obviously, doesn't reply, but he does lift up his paw to reveal the dog lying comfortably under Steve's head. The two had quickly become friends and Dogchamp had fallen fast asleep wrapped in the warmth of Steve's fur.
“Ah, I see. Carry on then, just don’t break him, alright?” Steve again did not respond but did yawn and go back to the way he once was, napping peacefully with his new dog friend.
Techno gave him a pat on the back before returning back to the group just as Phil was bringing out the main courses. With a wave of Techno’s hand, a bigger table replaced the small coffee table that once held the rolls. Tommy clapped his hands excitedly while the others looked on in mild confusion and interest as to how he did it.
That was all forgotten quickly, much to Techno’s slight dismay (he liked to impress new people that visited his home, not that he would ever admit it), as Phil set down a lovely ham with sides that ranged from mashed potatoes to exquisite green bean casserole. He is smiling brightly as everyone compliments how lovely his food smells and looks and Techno has to agree, Phil is a wonderful cook. His food always looks delicious and smells just as good.
“Well, before we dig in, I want to say a few things. Techno, sit down.” Phil speaks up over the chatter. Techno listens, pulling up a chair to one side of the new table. Everyone is finally quiet, waiting for Phil to say what he needs to before they can dig in.
But before Phil even says another word, he once again disappears into the kitchen. There is the sound of dishes clinking together and a few muttered ‘fuck’s here and there but he comes back out, plates in one hand with drink glasses in the other. He begins to set the table before he speaks.
“I am going to be a bit cheesy here maybe, but you all have to put up with it for now.” A collective groan sounds out in the room before Phil loudly shushes them all. “Winter is a time I like to spend with family, not just because of Christmas rolling around but family always makes the desolate cold and bitter winter seem much better.”
Techno shoots a glance over to the kids that take up his couch. Tommy and Ranboo are both smiling happily, their eyes not leaving Phil’s face even once. He shifts his attention to Tubbo, who he notices was looking at him as well. They make eye contact for the third time that night but, to his surprise, tubbo gives him a sheepish smile before he turns to look at Phil.
Then there is Purpled. The kid that no one expected to be here tonight but somehow managed to make his way into the family dinner. Techno doesn’t know if the kid even would have had a place to celebrate the holidays with other than that Las Nevadas place Wilbur mentioned earlier.
Quackity!!
Las Nevadas pog!!
Dap me up!!
Slime guy would have celebrated with him!!
Techno shakes his head once more, groaning at the voices in his head that make no sense to him at all. But, for whatever reason, he’s glad the kid is here and seems to be enjoying himself. Although right now he has a worried expression on his face as he twirls his fingers in his lap. The teen is avoiding eye contact with Phil but Techno catches his eye and the piglin gives a small nod accompanied with a smile.
“Now, to have my family here with me is an honor, even if some of us are newer additions than others. From this day forward, everyone sat around this table tonight is a part of this family. We have fought against one another but also we have all fought with or for one another, as a family does. We have stuck together, and I couldn’t ask for a better family.”
Phil pours himself some wine into his glass, raising it into the air as he speaks one last time.
“To family!”
“TO FAMILY!” The group calls back, Tommy obviously the loudest as Purpled hesitantly joins in with his head down.
Finally, Phil pulls up his chair and the feast begins, everyone grabbing their plates and piling it up with food.
And the night goes on like that, a family eating a delicious meal surrounded by people that care. Tommy made Purpled’s plate for him as he was too busy hiding the tears he had streaming down his face. Tubbo and Ranboo joked with their friends while Phil and Wilbur spoke about miscellaneous things and basically made small talk. Techno just watched, silently eating his food and enjoying the company of his family.