maybe it's just me (built to snap eventually)
Summary: Technoblade and Dream have a rivalry, and the both of them are sure it's as simple as that, a rivalry- definitely not something that'll lead to an all consuming culmination of hatred and obsession, it couldn't be
Warnings: heavy gore, graphic & poetic character death, awkward conversations, the rivalsduo is meant to be read as a possessive/obsessive thing instead of a romantic thing, injury recovery, swearing, not actually character death, funerals, please read with caution
Authors Note: you know, this was originally an SBI-centric fic in my head, but then I had a lot of fun with the rivalsduo dynamic, so here we are now. I don't even know how we got here, but the end product is really fun. rip awesamdude. @sobredunia i subjected you to some of my mad ramblings, heres the full thing, i'm too tired for the ending to be perfectly formulated. hope ya'll enjoy, and if you do consider dropping a reblog, ao3 port comes out hopefully tomorrow
"Look, Techno," Phil began with as he glanced at his second son. His beloved son, who he cared for dearly despite his rather odd choice of form, "We need to have a talk."
The Piglin hesitantly made eye contact, "Yeah dad?"
"You have the most non-human blood of all my sons, given the fact you can shape-shift. I still don't get why you want to be a pig, but you do you. Really though, a pig?" Phil rambled.
"Dad. The point," Techno said rather sternly.
"Right, yeah, this conversations topic," Phil said cautiously.
"Is this about sex? I know about sex," Techno blurted out before he could stop himself from making an assumption.
"Fuck no, definitely not," He answered with, his wings gave a fluff of discomfort. He cleared his throat, "But, as you may know, immortals grow attached to mortals. Usually picking a specific one without realizing it in the moment, and sometimes we take it upon ourselves to protect them until they die of natural causes."
"That explains Wilbur's obsession with Sapnap," Techno mused with an eye roll.
Phil gives a hum, "No, he just really wants to fuck Sapnap- it's Tommy's situation with Tubbo though."
"Ah," Techno said, a wave of understanding washed over him, "I don't have one of those."
"You do," Phil answered with, "It's not always friendship, or romance, sometimes it's hatred. Immortals grow deeply attached to a mortal to the point of obsession, brutalization even, to make sure we can take care of them or take advantage of them. It's like," He paused, "It's like our tether to mortality, we live mortal lives through their existence. Even if their mortal lives put them so close to death everyday; even if the mortal lives they lead are ones we hate them for; we grow obsessed and can't help it."
"An example," Techno demanded.
"Well," Phil said, "I don't have one of the aggressive type off the top of my head, but I'd say it's similar to your predicament with Dream, no?"
Deep red flared on Techno's face at the accusation, it didn't show much considering the hue of his skin. He cleared his throat roughly and gave a feeble defense, "Is not."
"Is too," Phil countered with.
"I fucking hate him! I want him dead! I would never do anything to protect him, ever," Techno snapped aggressively. And the way he snarled and nearly yelled would scare everyone but Philza, Tommyinnit, and Wilbur Soot. They were just used too it.
"What if I said he was dying right now, what would you do? He's on the floor, bleeding out, what do you do?" Phil asked.
It made Techno pause, he hated the fact it did but he needed to think about a question this grave. He dropped further into his chair, cape awkwardly pooling around him. He opened his mouth to speak but paused, "I'd kill him I'd finish him off myself."
"Why," Phil demands.
"Because blood loss is a terrible way to go," Techno answered with.
"What if someone else was about to finish Dream and you could save him momentarily? Then what?" Phil asked carefully. Each word interlocking to paint a beautiful picture in Techno's head.
"I'd save him, and then I'd kill him," Techno answered with, and he sounds ashamed of his answer even though he can't say someone else gets the honors of killing Dream. He takes a heavy breath, "I save him, kill his attacker, give him a potion, tell him to find me once he's healed, and then I'd kill him."
"Then go," Phil said as he stood up, "You don't have any omnipotence yet, but I do, and I just wanna say that you're about to lose him."
"What? He can handle some fucking bandits," Techno said defensively as Phil started to walk off.
There's a hum, "Yeah, but I doubt he can handle someone like Sam given his new Netherite gear."
Techno stayed silent, a deep knot of confusion settling in his gut. He stays here and lets Sam kill his one true rival, or he goes out there and tries to find said rival before Sam does. He gives an annoyed groan as he flips onto his side, "Sam can kill him."
"I'll be in the kitchen if you need me then," Phil answered with, a smirk on his face but Techno can't see it.
The second that Phil is in the kitchen the piglin is on his feet and leaving, he can already feel his tusks jut out a little bit more than usual. Stupid divinity in his genetics, he hates and loves it. But, he'll put that godly wrath to good use, just to make sure he's the one who gets to kill Dream in the end of it all.
An axe is in his hands when he reaches the door, diamond, enchanted, it will tear open someone's skull once again. He doesn't bother to grab any armor, a totem and he's well on his way out the door and into the wilderness.
He really hopes that Sam has a spare life, just to make sure he'll wake up and understand why people don't mess with an immortals mortal.
-/-/-/-
"Do you have any idea how hard it was to track you down?" Sam asked as he took another step into the bloody snow, a deep crimson turning to ice from Dream's previous death.
The man shakes his head as the tip of a sword goes to reach under his chin. He lifts his head with the blade, "How long?" He gives that trademark grin, that undying smile, the thing he's known for most on wanted posters. His hands are resting in the snow behind him, and his jacket is slashed up, no armor, he didn't think he'd need it. How wrong he was.
"Months. I spent fucking months trying to track you down after you got out just so I could have the pleasure," Sam explained in an exasperated tone. He jutted he sword forward and Dream lurched backwards till he was flat on the snow. A paw came to rest on his knee and pressed until it shattered, he bit his tongue and didn't scream, "And you have more fucking lives than you're supposed to. You should be dead right now, unable to return."
Dream laughed, "Naw, that's not how someone like me works. I can't let you of all people kill me," He tries to push himself up to face the centaur, resting on his elbows, "Only one person out there gets the honor, and trust me, he won't be pleased to find you trying to steal it."
"We all want you dead, and you think any of us care who finishes you? They don't," Sam snarled as he leaned in, raising his paw up to Dream's femur and presses until it shatters, a bloody burst as the bones splits roughly, "I'll be fucking praised."
There's an amused hum from Dream at the sudden lurch back on Sam's end, the way his ears swivel around. Snow crunching under feet, fast, closing in on them very fast. And in the instant that Sam is looking back to see who it is, he's being tackled down by a seemingly amorphous wild boar. Tusks sharp as an axe tearing into his hide and cloven hooves (almost paws), the fur is pink, striking red down the back.
"Technoblade," Dream said as he looked at his temporary savior, "He was just bluffing."
The beast whips it's head around to snarl at Dream. The beast-like characteristics are fading, until the red separates into a cape and the horns to a crown. His breathing is labored, eyes still glazed over red, he can form words just barely; "Your life is fucking mine."
Dream would stand up and walk condescending circles around Techno at this point, but considering how ruined his left leg is he can't do so. He shrugs, "I think our friend the prison warden understands that now."
Techno still indulges, killing Sam rather swiftly, tearing out his chest and spreading the ribs. A gut wrenching scream, and a snap of teeth around a heart, he's gone before he can ask why. The boar still feasts, the boar feasts until the human half of the corpse has been thoroughly desecrated, to the point it can barely be called a corpse.
Dream just watches, fully aware of the fact that'll be him one day, when Techno has finally decided to end their game of cat and mouse. Dream quite likes this right now, just watching, mentally preparing himself for the final bell to toll. Readying himself for the day Techno decides that killing someone when they're wounded is viable and far better than letting them heal to fight at full strength.
When he raises from the corpse, so close to just being another guy, but bereft of the simplicity of a human form, he looks at Dream. He licks the blood from the back of his hand before walking over to his rival, his enemy, his beloathed, but he wouldn't dare call him a friend. He crouches down and gently prods at the shattered limb and Dream hisses, "Guess you can't make it back to your place on your own."
"Kill me now, I'm on my last life," Dream answered with, "You want too, don't you?"
"Not when you're pathetic like this," Techno said bluntly as he slid an arm under his rivals knees, black pants still intact but in need of being cut up to tend to the wound. He slides an arm around the shoulders, lowering to his back and picking him up, "I'll patch you up."
Dream feebly pushes against the torso of his rival, "No, fuck you. I have an extra life, let me freeze to death."
"That's a lame way to go," Techno said as he carried Dream, he was cold, worryingly so. Techno catches the clasp of his cape on his task and attempts to swing it over.
"Are you using your cape, as a blanket?" Dream asked, he did reach for the velvety red fabric to curl himself up in it a little bit.
"Like I said, it would suck to freeze to death," Techno said as he clutched his rivals body a little closer, he can hear a zombie groaning below the ground. It's a defensive motion, like hell he's letting Dream get struck down permanently by anything other than his own two hands.
Dream hums, "I've frozen to death before."
"How was that for you?" Techno asked as that purple glow of the portal came into view past the trunk of a tree. He slows a bit, can sudden shift from cold to hot kill a human? Demi-human, because he knows that some part of Dream isn't human just like he isn't.
Dream shrugged, "It was lame, just cold," His raises a hand to touch one of Techno's tusks and the hybrid bites, fangs just barely nipping the edge of Dream's fingernail. Shock is on his face, it's pure shock, usually held behind an arrogant mask. Techno revels in the fact he's one of the few who gets to see Dream with the mask off, even if only for a second, "Dude, dick move."
"I know," Techno said, and he grinned, it made Dream's blood boil.
He crosses his arms like a defiant teen, which, yeah, he never really grew out of the defiant part. He rests his head on the fabric of Techno's shirt, and despite the pain coursing through him he keeps a straight face. He's felt worse, "Fuck you."
Techno gives a singular laugh, "I would never."
"Neither would I," Dream spits back, "I was using hyperbole."
"Shut up before I strangle you into a coma," Techno threatened.
Dream shut up.
-/-/-/-
"Hey dad," Wilbur began with as he walked past Techno and into the kitchen.
"Yeah Wil?" Phil responded with as he pivoted on his heel to face his first son.
"Why is Techno sitting on the couch staring at the ceiling?" Wilbur asked, "His hands are bloody."
Phil shrugged, "He has an 'acquaintance' over and he's worried about how Tommy will react," He gestured around vaguely with his spatula as he spoke.
"Oh my fuck, Techno got a girlfriend?" Wilbur asked excitedly, trying to keep his voice hushed but failing.
"I do not have a girlfriend!" Techno shouted from the living room.
"Trust me, this visitor is not a girlfriend," Phil said with an amused hum, "Far from it."
"Who is it?" Wilbur asked, making a point of getting up in his dads face as he spoke, the Elytrian shifter edged back.
"You'll have to wait and see," Phil said as he pushed away his son with the tip of his spatula, "Go bother Techno about it."
"He'll rip my head off dad," Wilbur said, he snatched away the Elytrian's cooking utensil, "I'll help cook instead."
"An extra set of hands is always welcome in my kitchen," Phil said as he grabbed a spatula for himself.
On the other side of the house Tommy, the youngest of Phil's sons, is kicking off his boots and shaking down his tail of the snow. Striped fur stands on end when he catches the scent of blood, heavy on the air. Before he can even announce he's home he's following that fresh blood smell that burns his nose down the halls to Techno's room.
He doesn't knock, just swings open the door, "Techno are you-"
Words die in his throat as he stares at the man in his brothers bed, it isn't his brother. His heart rate picks up when that cunt in green tilts his head to be greeted with the sight of the blonde. There's a small smile void of malicious intent, but Tommy sees violence in those emerald eyes. He slams the door shut before Dream can even get out a weak 'hi,' his fur is bristled now.
"Technoblade, why the fuck is Dream in your bed?!" Tommy exclaimed as he walked into the living room.
"I don't fucking know!" Techno shot back as he snapped up from his sitting position, "I couldn't just let him freeze to death, that'd be cruel!"
"I thought you hated him!" Tommy practically screamed.
"I do hate him! I promise, but I need to be the one to kill him! And you wouldn't fucking get it!" Techno roared back at the considerably smaller of the two.
"Then why in the name of Philza Minecraft, Foolish Gamers, and so on and so forth! Is he, in your, bedroom?!" Tommy yelled, his throat hurt just a bit, "If you're fucking him I'm going to disown you."
"That's disgusting! I would never fuck someone as low as him," Techno snapped, tone lowering as he spoke. He heaved a long sigh, "He's staying."
"I'm killing him in his sleep," Tommy said venomously.
Techno would be snapping Tommy's neck right about now if they weren't brothers, instead he stands up and walks past Tommy who gives an annoyed sound. He leans in the doorway of the kitchen, "Is dinner ready yet?"
"I take it you don't want to eat dinner with us?" Phil asked as he portioned a couple of diagonally cut sandwiches onto a platter.
"Not if Tommy is being a bitch about Dream staying here," Techno said as kindly as he could, which wasn't kindly at all. He crossed his arms bitterly, "Can I have a plate?"
Phil hands the plate to Wilbur who hands the plate to Techno.
"Thanks," Techno said.
The living room is empty, his bedroom door is propped open. He tries to stay calm as he enters his room to find Tommy above Dream, dagger so close to piercing his heart. A pair of weak hands grasp desperately at the blade to stop it from puncturing his skin.
"Tommy," Techno said coldly, he placed the plate of sandwiches on his desk.
The blonde looked up, "This isn't what it looks like."
"Yes, yes it is what it looks like! Get this thing off of me!" Dream snapped as he attempted to use his one good leg to kick off Tommy. His attempts were feeble, he just wanted to scare off the Procyonidae, not hurt him.
"Dream, shut up," Techno snapped, "Tommy, get out of my room."
"But-" The plead was desperate.
"Now," Techno snarled and the raccoon was skittering out of the room in mere seconds. He heaves a sigh before grabbing the plate of sandwiches and dropping down his bed beside Dream.
Dream reaches for a sandwich and Techno shifts the plate a little closer.
"Think twice before badmouthing any member of my family," Techno said.
Dream nodded, "Got it."
"Sorry that Tommy just, did that," Techno said weakly as he tore a chunk out of his sandwich, cheese stuck to one of his tusks.
"I probably deserved it," Dream answered without any chalantness in his voice as he ate his sandwich.
"If you want to stay here,"
"I don't,"
"You'll have to live with that, and Wilbur, and Phil, and the humans they drag along. You aren't gonna have any control here, you're just here to heal up,"
"I didn't want to be here at all,"
"I know, but I couldn't let you freeze to death, it's so fucking lame,"
Dream gives a small sigh, "Thanks anyways."
"You're welcome," Techno said and it hurt to say it to Dream, "On account of the fact that you're sleeping in my bed-"
Dream quirked a brow and smirked at the words.
"Not sexually," Techno quickly defended with, "Fuck, you have a dirty mind."
"That I do," Dream said with a small laugh, "Please continue."
"I'm sleeping on the couch now, so if you need me, just roll out of bed and drag yourself across the floors and wake me up," Techno said.
"How hospitable," Dream said with a roll of the eyes, "I'll keep that in mind."
Techno grabs another triangle of cheese and bread, "Yeah, yeah, get some sleep."
Dream gives a sickly sweet expression, "Good night, Techno," His voice was sugar sweet and it made the piglin gag, that made Dream laugh.
"Watch your fucking mouth bud," Techno snarled out, "I'm not above killing you in your sleep."
-/-/-/-
Dreams legs are shaking, and he's holding onto Techno's hand like a vice as he tries to take steps. Everything still hurts so much, and his bones aren't quite set, but he needs to try. He's already overstayed his welcome and he needs to heal up and learn how to walk again.
"Hey, dude, you can just lay down again," Techno offered quietly as he led Dream to the kitchen, "I'll bring you some leftovers."
He shook his head, "You said that Phil, Wilbur, and Tommy were bringing over their mortals, I want to be at the dinner table."
"Uh huh, and whys that?" Techno asked, tilting Dream off balance just a bit. It garnered a heavy glare that made the Piglin grin.
"I'm your mortal according to Phil, so I want to be there," Dream explained as he took yet another shaky step. At least it wasn't bleeding anymore, the gauze holding his leg in one piece.
Techno nearly laughed, "You're definitely not my mortal, I just want to be the one who kills you," He knocks his tusk gently against the side of Dream's head, "Is it not fair for me to make sure you're at your best when I do?"
"It's kinda gay, that's what it is," Dream accused rather boldly, "But really, it's just like what Phil was telling me about. You act like you own my mortality, more so than usual," He pauses, "I appreciate all the help getting back to my best again but people don't just do that."
Techno paused, "I'm built different."
And Dream just laughs, "Yeah you fucking are, you're built like a brick house and a pig for fucks sake! I'm lucky to have an enemy like you."
"I'd say the term 'rival' works better," Techno corrected as he rolled his eyes and led Dream into the kitchen.
Tommy glances up and instead of doing anything he just leans further into Tubbo. His breathing picks up.
"Dream! Glad to see you're joining us for dinner," Phil said with a grin.
"Can't stay in Techno's room the whole time I'm here, it'd be rude," Dream said, almost nervously, but not quite.
"I trust everyone here knows each other?" Phil asked as he glanced over the table.
Dream sat down next to Phil, Techno sat down next to Dream, acting as a comfortable barrier between Tommy and Dream. Schlatt leaned over the table a bit, to get a good look at the man Dream had become. He's softer now, just as gnarled with scars but physically, he's softer, less malnourished.
"Not personally," Schlatt said, "But we all know Dream."
Quackity gives a hum of agreement, "We know him very well, I guess having bad taste in men runs in the family."
Both Phil and Techno glare at Quackity.
"I'm just being honest," Quackity mused.
"Firstly, fuck off," Techno said, "Secondly, I hate this man," He gestured to said man who was sitting beside him, "Thirdly, Wilbur has dogshit taste in men and you're proof of it, lastly Tommy is, he's Tommy."
"I love debates," Tubbo said, butting into the conversation with ease, "But can we not kill each other over this little dinner?"
"Sounds fine," Quackity said as he glared at Techno, "Peachy keen."
Techno lounged back further into his chair and grabbed his plate, "I'm going to my room."
Dream gave an offended gasp, "You're gonna leave me out here to die?"
"No I'm not," Techno said before roughly hoisting up dream and slinging him onto his shoulders.
Wilbur gives a hum, "Don't be too loud, might ruin our appetites."
The glare Techno shoots at Wilbur is sharp enough to cut through steel. Wilbur just smiles.
"You're gross," Techno said.
"And hot," Wilbur answered with, "One of those two things, you aren't."
"I am this fucking close to throwing Dream at you, he will claw your eyes out," Techno threatened, holding his fingers mere millimeters apart.
"I'll have to agree with Wilbur," Quackity said smugly.
Techno places his plate down on the table and gently lifts Dream from his shoulders.
"Hey now, let's be rational, we're all adults here," Dream said rather nervously as Techno shifted how he was held.
"Yeah, and what's a couple more months with you healing up," Techno said, and despite phrasing it as a question it was a statement.
"And that's enough! From the both of you," Phil demanded as he stood up, voice cold and stern in such a way it made his children freeze. He glared at each of them, "None of you are going to your room, I plan full well on having dinner with my family present for the first time in over a month."
"Since Dream got here," Tommy muttered.
"What was that Tommy?" Phil growled out.
"He takes up all of Techno's time! They have to be doing something right under our noses," Tommy accused.
"I would never!" Techno snapped back, "I hate him."
"Then how come you're taking care of him?" Wilbur asked before Tommy could.
"Because," Techno faltered, "Because I, he-"
"He owes me one," Dream quickly stepped in with, "I saved his life and he's doing the same."
Phil knows that Dream is lying, omnipotence will do that to you. He doesn't say anything about it though.
"He doesn't have to do so in the house I live in," Tommy answered with, extremely exasperated at that.
"Tommy, Dream is a guest in our household and I expect you to at least try and respect him," Phil said, "I don't like it either, but he's Techno's mortal, we're respecting that."
"He fucking isn't!" Techno said desperately.
"Kid," Schlatt began, "Look at yourself, you're fucking obsessed with that green guy- he's your mortal, and you're his immortal, whether you like it or not."
"He's not my fucking immortal," Dream spat venomously.
"That's what I said when Phil started fawning over my existence, making sure I didn't get hurt and shit," Schlatt said as he stood up, "Porch?"
"Porch," Dream answered with as the rest of the family argued over the table.
-/-/-/-
"Look, I'm not an expert on this shit," Schlatt said, "But I sure as hell have experience."
"Then start talking," Techno demanded.
"Watch your tone, I could have smited for that," Schlatt said as he pointed to Techno with his cigar.
Dream scoffed, "Sure."
"When you sleep with someones dad anything can happen," Schlatt said with a casual shrug.
"I'll be up questioning my life decisions tonight," Techno said, "Forget late night training."
"Do you want my advice or not?" Schlatt asked coldly.
They both nodded.
"You, green," Schlatt started with, "Deal with it, Techno is gonna be making sure you don't die for a very long time. Even if you do die, I wouldn't put him past trying to bring you back if he didn't get the honors. No one will so much as lay a hand on you if they find out that you 'belong' to Techno."
"But I hate him," Dream said as the Piglin unloaded him onto a lawn chair.
"For now. You hate him for. I hated Phil and here I am, fucking him," Schlatt said with a bit of a laugh, "I guess some of me still hates him, and I'm not trying to say you two will end up fucking, but you belong to each other now."
"Like some fucked up and lazy soulmate trope?" Techno asked.
"Exactly like that," Schlatt answered with, "You're a fast learner."
"Thanks, I've been told I get it from my dad," Techno said stiffly.
"Where was I? Right, Piglin," Schlatt said, "Dream belongs to you, you can defy it, distance yourself from him, try to forget him- but if you catch wind of anyone trying to hurt him you're gonna end up fucking them up. Like what you did to Sam. Tommy would do the same for Tubbo, but that's because he cares about Tubbo as a friend, not because Tommy wants to be the one to kill Tubbo."
Techno nodded.
"You want to kill Dream when he's at his full power, you'll do anything you can to make sure you can fulfill that. Your obsession turned into a necessity somewhere along the line, sure, if you fail to kill him permanently, you'll move on. But there will be a very long mourning period of something you failed to do," Schlatt tried to explain.
"So, basically, I have a divine being here to protect me, so he can kill me?" Dream asked, "Cause that is, it's kind of stupid and hard to wrap my head around."
"How do you think I feel?" Techno asked, "We were supposed to be killing each other, dying of blood loss in a heap on the ground, buried in the same coffin."
"See? That's the whole 'immortals have a mortal' thing kicking in," Schlatt said.
"I've always thought of Dream like that," Techno said.
"And that's always how I've thought of Techno, we're supposed to die together, he kills me, I kill him," Dream defended.
"That won't happen," Schlatt said, "Techno is immortal."
"Then I'll find a way to kill him," Dream said, "I have too."
Schlatt's eyes widened a bit, "Okay, this is clearly a lot more in depth and messy than whatever Phil thinks it is that you too have going on."
Techno hoisted up Dream, "That was useless advice then."
Before Schlatt could say anything else Techno ferried Dream throughout the house, his family was still arguing. He dropped Dream down onto the bed, then he laid down on the ground.
"Don't you sleep on the couch?" Dream asked.
"They're screaming at each other, I do not want to be out there," Techno said.
Dream took a tentative breath, "You don't have to sleep on the floor."
"I'm not fucking you," Techno said.
"I'm not asking you to fuck me," Dream said, "That would sound a lot more like 'we should have sex to piss them off' instead of what I said."
Techno sat up and pulled himself onto his bed, tossing aside his cape and gently placing down his crown. He laid down on his back, Dream rested on his side facing away, towards the window.
"Don't make this gay," Techno said before Dream could even bother to say anything.
Instead he rolled over until his head was resting top of the Piglins chest, "Okay."
"This is pretty fucking gay," Techno said carefully. Maybe he enjoyed having someone lying down on top of him, it's a nice pressure, like a weight blanket shaped like a human.
"Don't care, go to sleep," Dream said, "I'll be gone in the morning."
-/-/-/-
Dream wasn't lying when he said he'd be gone in the morning.
When Techno woke up he was alone in bed, and when he opened the top drawer of his dresser one of his shirts was gone along with a gem out of his crown. Dream's mask was there, the physical one, the cracked and bloodstained porcelain left behind on top of Techno's desk. He lifted it up and out fell a small note.
I really hope that you do end up killing me, and I want to kill you too, ask Phil to bury us together, that would be nice. I want to rot with you, I want to die with you, it'd be a lot harder to say this in person, so I wrote it, and left. Like a pussy. Because sometimes you gotta be a bit of a pussy, if you ever want to find me you should be able to use the pantleg you cut off to scent track me
When you decide that it's time, make sure it's somewhere they'll find our bodies
I would say yours truly, but if you're so concerned about it being gay, I won't
There goes Techno's concerns of Tommy scaring off Dream. He places the letter down gently and clasps his cape around his neck, velvety fabric flowing comfortably. He rests his crown atop his head, now he has even more reason to kill Dream, he stole one of the crown jewels.
He finds Tommy sitting on the couch and he looks guilt ridden. He glances up to see Techno, alone, without Dream. A little bit of worry worms it's way into Tommy's stomach, did he fuck it up that badly? He really hopes he didn't, "Where's Dream?"
"Gone," Techno answered with, "You didn't cause it."
His nerves ease just a bit, "Sorry," He doesn't mean it, Techno chooses to believe he does.
"Don't worry about it," Techno said, "Just do me a favor."
"What is it?" Tommy asked.
"Make sure that me and Dream go down in the same coffin when we die," Techno said before pushing his way into the kitchen where he found Wilbur biting through an apple at a worrying pace.
Techno grabs a cooked strip of beef and tears into it as he leans against the counter.
"I'm engaged to Quackity," Wilbur said quietly, "It happened last night, when you weren't in the room."
Techno nearly chokes on his food, "Really?"
Wilbur nodded, "Yeah, really, I was waiting until we could all be together to get down on one knee. It's a big deal."
"Sorry," Techno said quietly.
"Is Dream still asleep?" Wilbur asked.
Techno shook his head, "Dream left."
"He could barely walk," Wilbur said, "Where are you going?"
Techno shrugged, "On a walk, don't know if I'll be back."
"I'll tell Phil," Wilbur said.
"you know he's a bit omnipotent, he already knows," Techno said bluntly before starting on his way off.
The morning air is cold on his face, he doesn't care about that though. Not when he has a brand new search to begin anyways, it's been forever since he's had a chance to hunt someone like Dream. The difference is that this time he's actually going to kill what he finds, and he hopes that they both go down in flames by the end of it all.
-/-/-/-
Dream is holding a dagger in his hands when Techno finds him, it's enchanted, a deep purple hue that keeps flashing this sickly green. He stuffs it in his pocket and flops onto his back, the Piglin joins him on the ground.
"You know what I've been thinking about lately?" Dream asked.
"Enlighten me," Techno answered with.
"What you said when Schlatt took us aside to try and explain the 'immortals having a mortal' thing," Dream answered with, "How we've both always thought of rotting together."
Techno gives a hum, "Doesn't everyone think that way about their true rival?"
"I don't think so, Techno," Dream said with a laugh, "It's been months since we last met, I talked with my acquaintances who have rivals, they don't think like that of their rivals. They just want their rivals to die so they can come out on top, they don't want to die with them, they'd kill their rivals in their sleep, Techno."
"Oh," Techno said quietly.
"What we have isn't normal for rivals," Dream said, "It's so fucking stupid, we hate each other, we need each other, and then, we'll kill each other."
"We're supposed to do that," Techno said.
Dream shook his head, "One of us is supposed to come out on top, we aren't both supposed to end up in the dirt."
Techno sat up, "We've dreamed of rotting together since we first met. Dream, we've wanted to slit each others throats for as long as I can remember, so fucking what if it's not normal?"
"It's pretty fucking gay," Dream said as he sat up.
"To die together? For me to rot in your arms and you in mine? That's just fucking destiny, how is that pretty fucking gay if we don't have control?" Techno questioned, "I'm dying of blood loss, and you're going down with me, understood?"
There's this odd stinging at the corner of his eyes, he classifies it as crying even though he shouldn't be. They're talking about how they're meant to die together, to be buried together, because that's their twisted rendition of this song and dance immortals do. He nods, "Yeah," He pulls out the dagger, "I found an enchantment to make sure you'll die with me."
Techno bumps the side of a tusk against Dream's head, "Thank you," He's not quite sure why he's saying thanks over a promised death, but he is.
Dream heaves a sigh, "I suppose this is it then."
"I don't want this to be it," Techno said, "I want to keep living so going down with you will be even better."
"I made stew last night," Dream offered awkwardly, "Beef, lamb, potatoes."
"No pork?" Techno asked.
"I can't eat pork even if I wanted to," Dream said, "It feels, wrong."
"Could I have a bowl?" Techno asked.
Dream gestured to the campfire behind him, "It's boiling away in the pot, help yourself."
The answer is a quiet, "Thanks."
"I don't want to kill you tomorrow," Dream said rather absently.
"Neither do I," Techno answered with.
"Then when?" Dream asked.
Techno didn't know, "I guess we'll just know when it's time."
Dream nodded, "Yeah, yeah that sounds good to me."
-/-/-/-
There's this gravitational pull when it's finally time to close the circuit, the both of them swirling to the same point like they've been caught in a hurricane. Drawn to the center point where everything coalces and becomes one, rage, blood, hatred, bones, screaming, crying- they both know why they're gridlock.
Blade of an axe pressed to the edge of Dream's sword, bright blue diamond edges clashing and shards splitting off. It blends with the sand below them, glassy, glimmering, red spills into it and darkens it in splotches. Technoblade's blood isn't red, Technoblade's blood is maroon and it shines like oil, it's not mortal.
A heady exclamation as they lurch back from each other once again, breathing labored. A dagger is raised, the one and only, the blade that will seal their fates, the blade that will spell out the ending of their tales as one. Two creatures so different brought to the same point all over again, they both started with the same weapon, and now they'll both end with the same weapon.
Technoblade loses his form, axe in one hand as he lunges at Dream, the humanity of his form fading until he's naught but a beast. A wild animal, eyes glazed over in red, crown turned to horns built to rend flesh like his tusks. And Dream just grins even wider, this is it, this is time.
He is finished. His god is finished. His god will finish him. He will finish his god. They will end it all. They will fade in each others arms. They will be go rancid in the desert heat. Their bones will twine till archeologists don't know what they are. They will end everything. His god will feast on his flesh in their last moments. He will drink his gods blood until he sees the light of reincarnation.
A tusk tears into his stomach and tears up behind his sternum, he screams and it sounds like a laugh despite how guttural and agonized it is. The hand with the dagger is pressed flush in Technoblade's throat, the enchantment shooting through the immortals blood, destroying divinity. Allowing him to die with Dream like they're supposed too, like they've been meant to do since before they were born, even in the afterlife they'll kill each other.
They'll kill each other in every world because who else is bold enough to kill either of them? Who else is smart enough to figure out the enchantment to kill a god?
Who else is meant for Technoblade the way Dream is and that in itself begs the question of who else is meant for Dream the way Technoblade is.
There's a laugh as the enchantment winds through Technoblades veins, destroying him as he destroyed Dream. The tusk is unmoving in Dreams chest as he laughs with Technoblade, even as fangs bite into his flesh. He is meat. He is flesh. He is sustenance. Technoblade is a predator. Technoblade is a devourer. And he will die of food poisoning because nothing else can kill him.
A hand, slowly losing strength because Dream drank his potions like a good boy, raises up to clutch at Technoblades shoulder. Blunt nails tear into the fabric as he laughs. It's a wet sound. He sounds like death. And he supposes that killing a god could make him death. He takes a breath, deep despite all of the red in his lungs, and he speaks.
"This is how it was meant to be," The words come out on a whisper, spoken with reverence because this is how it's supposed to be. Technoblade kills him. He kills Technoblade.
And the god gives a deep hum, a reverberating sound that shakes into Dreams bones. His immortality is being stripped from his blood, the oily sheen, glistening a rainbow of colors in the most unnatural way, is gone. He can feel himself fading and he's glad that it's Dream who did it. A hand, rough, desperate, hungry, clutches at the small of the mortals back and clutches him so very close. Snout burrowing around inside of Dream's chest, everything he has to offer in this destined death until Technoblade is choking in it all.
Strangled in greed or strangled with gifts he can't tell the difference, all he knows is that the taste of Dream's blood is perfect. The way bloody hands tangle into pink hair so long and left unbraided. Head mashed into his shoulder and breathing a susurration against his ear, it's hedonism with how much he keeps taking even though they're both to die in moments.
"I love you,"
Neither of them know who said it, they both know those aren't the right words with how sick this fulfillment of their existence is. The engulfing and ever consuming flame of obsession ate them both. The difference is that Dream's god is still eating him even as he fades and slumps further into the warm body just barely holding on.
And when it's finally over, they lay in the sand. They go rancid in the heat. They rot in the heat. Limbs entangled and weapons caught in each others flesh even as their corpses release everything else. They fade from reality together as they were meant too. Neither of them know. Neither of them see. They are gone.
Phil is the only one who knows they rotted out there for a week when someone finds their corpses being picked at by the vultures. Phil is the only one who knows what went down with the curse of his omnipotence. And even as he hates having to bury his own son, he knows in the back of his mind this was inevitable. Dream was his sons mortal. His on was Dreams immortal. It was bound to spiral, it was bound to end in bloody promises.
-/-/-/-
"How does it feel Phil?" Schlatt asked as Phil sat down beside him.
"How does what feel?" Phil shot back with weakly.
"Attending your kids funeral," Schlatt said.
"Terrible, you're staying at my place tonight," Phil answered with, "For emotional support."
"Figured as much," Schlatt sighed.
Wilbur is the final person at the casket with the rotting bodies, Quackity stands beside him. They both place a flower on the rotting flesh.
"This sucks ass," Wilbur choked out quietly.
Quackity nodded, "Definitely."
"There goes Techno, my favorite brother," Wilbur said, "What am I gonna do now?"
"You have me," Quackity supplied gently.
"I know I do, but it's not the same," Wilbur said, "It's just, not the same."
Tommy is crying, head buried in his hands as the smell of rotting flesh makes his stomach turn. He hates it. He feels like he's going to vomit even with a hand rubbing gentle circles on his back.
"Hey, dude," Tubbo said gently, "It's gonna be fine."
"It would be fine if he didn't make me bury him with Dream," Tommy practically sobbed into his hands, "That cunt broke me, and Techno gave him the honors to be buried together."
Tubbo just pulled his friend into a hug, silently.
"I'm gonna do it though," Tommy said weakly, "Because that's what he wanted."
-/-/-/-
Techno revives with Dream in his arms and while it isn't unwelcome it is unexpected. They did die like this, it makes sense they'd revive like this. He recognizes the room as his own and Dream is still asleep, locked firmly under one of Techno's arms.
They weren't supposed to revive, that was supposed to be it. He's never lost a life, he must've had extras. So much for that whole event happening. It was for absolutely nothing aside from feeling a little bit less weighted about the odd form of rivalry he holds with Dream.
Said man is starting to wake up, shuffling just a bit. He goes ramrod straight in mere moments before sitting up, "We should be dead."
Techno gives a hum, "Oh well."
"What a fucking waste!"
"Dude! Keep it down, Phil isn't a heavy sleeper,"
Dream dropped down onto Techno's chest again, "This is bullshit, it took me so long to find that dagger, and get the resources to actually kill you."
"We could do it again," Techno offered.
"That's not," Dream began, then he stopped himself. Right, they already aren't conventional rivals. They're already breaking the fundamental rules of rivalry, "Yeah, sure, we'll go on some grand adventures to find ourselves and end up in each others arms all over again."
"Don't make it gay," Techno said quietly.
"It already is gay," Dream said.
"Again, not gay if we have no say in how shit happens," Techno said, "Besides, I still hate you deeply."
"And so do I, fuck, we were supposed to stay dead," Dream gave an exasperated sigh, "It would tie off all those loose ends."
"Life isn't simple," Techno said as he shrugged off Dream and moved towards his desk. Everything ached from the brutality of his death, he picks up the mask, "You left this here."
Dream gives a hum, catching it when it's tossed over, "Thanks."
"How long do you think we were dead for?" Techno asked.
"A month, maybe two," Dream answered with, "Wanna go give Phil a heart attack?"
"Oh, absolutely," Techno said as he tugged Dream off the bed.
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#2 for notes & #62 for docs. :)
#2 for docs is LONG......so i'm making this a lil' fic :DD
(edit) okay i just read this and genuinely it's a pretty okay oneshot?? wtf??? here you go!! that moment where you read super old writing and realize it's pretty much completely similar to your writing now </3
(also scroll down for #62, it’s there i promise)
meeting boo
wc: 1889
tw: injury (non-fatal), swearing, mention of fatal vore (doesn't happen), aaand i think that's it
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Tubbo yelped, narrowly missing the edge of the cabinet and falling, his arms instinctively moving to grab something, but they never did. The rope his leg was secured to went taut with a harsh snap, a spasm of pain shooting through his leg while he hung there, his cloak beginning to block his sight. The lightheadedness of being upside down kick in, along with the half-lidded eyes and numbness of his leg. He could feel conscious slipping from him inch by inch, and before he knew it he was just a beat away from passing out.
Until he wasn't.
He hadn’t properly registered what was happening, except for when something warm enveloping him from under. Shit. Tubbo tried to scramble back, only to be stopped by the rope. “Stop, stop, stop!” Tubbo yelped, pushing the fingers away from him. “I’m not going to hurt you, just stay still,” Ranboo instructed, his words soft. “Ranboo, please, stop,” Tears pricked at his eyes while he helplessly laid within the human’s grip, squirming occasionally against the fresh wave of pain moving throughout his numb leg.
His vision was cloudy, his throat hurt, and his eyes were threatening to close. He couldn’t, though. Not when he’s vulnerable in a human’s grip. “Please, calm down.”
“Stop..” Tubbo whined, nearly yelling again as his leg was free, pins and needles moving throughout his leg while it returned to its normal- no, abnormal position. It was broken. “Fuck…” Tubbo whined, placing a hand on his broken leg. “Put- put me down.” Tubbo tried, and surprisingly, the cold counter was soon his holder.
Ranboo crouched down, his hands curled against of the counter while his covered face stared at him blankly. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Tubbo whined again. “I- I could help you?” Ranboo offered. Tubbo rapidly shook his head. “I can do it fine, just leave.” Tubbo choked on his words, tears now streaming down his partly-scarred cheeks. “Sure, right, okay.” Ranboo stood and backed away slowly before fully leaving the room with a click of the door.
Tubbo sat on the counter quietly, a hand clamped over his mouth to stifle his hiccuping sobs. He pressed his lips in to a thin line then placed his hands behind him. It was slow, but he could manage pushing himself backward towards his makeshift medical supplies in the wall.
–
It was a lousy cast, and was really just medical tape wrapped tightly around his leg, but it would be fine. Right? He’d just stay here for a while. Maybe he should go stay with Tommy? No. He should treat this on his own, he doesn’t need someone to help him. He’s been solo for a year now, he doesn’t need to break that.
—
It wasn’t helping. It was a bit, but not much. He couldn’t walk, and more importantly, he couldn’t get food, which was taking its affect on him now.
“Hey, um, this is really stupid, I- I don’t even know where you’re at, or if you’re still here… but, I just wanted to ask how your… leg is doing, is it- you know, healing?” Ranboo’s voice beamed from outside the wall suddenly. . . he was showing genuine concern for the borrower.
“I’m fine.” Tubbo announced.
“Can- can you walk yet?”
“No.”
Ranboo didn’t respond for a bit. Tubbo sat in anticipation for the next words, but they were late to come. He started to believe the human had left after disappointment washed over him over the fact his little snack couldn’t walk yet.
“There’s medicine out here if you want it.” Was all he said.
Tubbo had never had human medicine before. A lot of borrowers will mix random herbs and call it medicine. But they weren’t pills like humans have, they had a lousy soup-like thing. He didn’t even know if he could eat a human-sized pill. He could try, but what if it was a trap? He couldn’t escape from it due to his leg.. gods he’s overthinking. “It’s not a trap if you’re thinking that.”
“To be fair, you saying that makes it more suspicious, bossman.”
Tubbo heard Ranboo sigh in amusement. “It’s here if you’d like it.” He said again. Tubbo made a small noise in acknowledgement. He doubted the human heard it but he really didn’t care right now. Sleep was pulling at his eyes and before he knew his heart beat had dropped and conscious slipped out of him.
–
Leg pain had woken him up. Tubbo groggily propped himself up against the dusty wall and rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand. Ranboo’s past words repeated in his head. There was medicine set out for him, right. No. It was a trap. . . or poison. Not medicine. A human would never do that for his kind.
He knew this, and still, in the back of his mind, he pondered on what was actually out there. Maybe there was nothing and Ranboo was just toying with him, trying to get him out onto the counter and vulnerable so he could overpower him. Would he be eaten? Kept as a pet in a jar or a cage? Flattened? Cooked? Endless endings.
And that was why he continued to lay in bed. And lay, and lay, and lay for weeks. He slept through most of it, and if he hadn’t been sleeping he was either having a short conversation with Ranboo or salvaging the last of his food. He’d run out three days ago and it was starting to affect him badly.
Nearly six weeks had passed, Tubbo had been without food for almost a week now. He hadn’t gotten up in a bit, the last time he did he could manage a short walk with a bad limp. Perhaps he should try it again.
He could move his leg better than he could a week ago, and it definitely felt better to walk on now. He had a limp, but he could manage with going out to get food.
He limped through the room to the rope he’d set in the back of the cabinet. Shit. He couldn’t climb this, it'd fuck his leg up again, right? He supposed he could go on the counter… but he’d need a rope for that as well. He could go a bit longer without food, maybe.. or maybe Ranboo could help? No. Just climb the rope and get food.
It wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be, truth be told. His pace was a bit slow while he tried to keep his leg steady and not move it quickly or drastically, but within moments he’d found himself in the dark cabinet. He felt around for any type of box or bag, a wave of relief washing over him as he brushed over a familiar box. Hopefully.
He maneuvered though it, breaking the cracker into four to store easier. He stuffed the last quarter into the now-full bag. The cabinet door opened, catching Tubbo off guard. “Fuck,” Tubbo frowned, gazing at the masked human ahead of him. He looked relieved.
“Sorry,” The two muttered in unison.
Tubbo looked down in embarrassment, then back up with a genuine, small smile, while Ranboo huffed in amusement again. He did that a lot. "It’s good to see you’re… doing better,” Tubbo nodded, the grin gone. “Right, well, I’m doing a stream in the kitchen, you may want to… lay low?” Ranboo suggested.
“Okay,” Tubbo nodded again, taking a hesitant step back.
**
Ranboo closed the cabinet door after their encounter to allow the tiny his privacy. He hadn’t completely grasped the whole borrower concept yet, probably from Tubbo’s neglect for telling him information and Google’s unhelpful results.
Not that he could blame the borrower; someone as small on him clearly wouldn’t feel safe sharing information on his species. If he was really that desperate for information, he could ask Wilbur, given that he had a much closer bond with Tommy than Ranboo had with Tubbo.
He had time before his stream, he could probably squeeze in a visit to Wilbur’s? No, that would be stupid to go there just to get advice on how to win Tubbo over. They’re making progress; it won’t take too long. Hopefully.
—
The stream went fine, Tubbo assumingely stayed.. wherever he was. The walls, maybe? That seemed like the most logical option. He remembered Wilbur briefly muttering about it to Tommy on a call. Whatever.
He idly typed ‘good stream’ in Ranmail then began cleaning his… terribly messed up kitchen. He frowned at the sight of raw egg from the subgoal, and countless wrappers and unclosed bags. Flour was everywhere, and a partially eaten cake was in the middle of it.
“Hey, bossman,” Tubbo’s voice was quiet, but he managed to hear it. Ranboo turned, his eyes landing on the small form on the counter. He crouched, curling his hands around the counter. “Hey, what’s up?”
“I- I um… gods this is stupid, but I- I just wanted to.. thank you for talking with me for- for the past few weeks and- um- untying me.”
Ranboo smiled even though it wasn’t visible. “Did Tommy put you up to this?”
“What? How do you even- no, he didn’t…”
“Alright, well, you’re welcome. You seemed like you could use the company.”
Tubbo fiddled with his thumbs while thinking of a response. “Yeah, Tommy’s been so worked up with his human lately. A- And I’m also sorry that I was so… quippy? with you. My- my kind really aren’t supposed to talk, or even be spotted by a human, so-“ Ranboo shook his head. “I get it.” He said softly. “So- uh.. yeah, thank you.” Tubbo smiled genuinely. Tubbo took a step back, and Ranboo nodded shortly. A beat of silence passed before the borrower spoke up again. “So…uh, what’d you do to your kitchen?”
Ranboo looked back at the kitchen island then back at the tiny. “I don’t even know.” Tubbo huffed in subtle amusement, but it was there. The borrower opened his mouth to speak again, but was cut off.
“Tubbo!” Tommy’s muffled voice called from (assumingely) the walls, catching both Tubbo and Ranboo’s attention. “Now he comes. Hold on,” Tubbo muttered, holding a finger up as a sign to wait, then disappearing beyond the walls. The two’s probably quieted conversation couldn’t be heard from out here, so Ranboo returned to cleaning while he waited.
**
“Tommy?” Tubbo called out as he maneuvered though the dark hallway until he spotted Tommy “Hey, big man!” Tommy grinned, but it fell a moment later. “Why’re you limping?”
“Oh, I- I uh… broke my leg,”
Tommy gaped at that. “You fucking what? Shit, Tubbo I’m sorry I didn’t visit you- I, uh, was giving you space because of what happened the last time I came,” Tommy fretted. “It’s fine, you worry too much." Tubbo paused for a moment. "What’re you here for, bossman?”
Tommy stayed quiet for a moment or two. “I wanted to visit you.” Tommy shrugged.
“I’ve got a human to attend to, so, ma-“
“You’ve what? You’ve made peace with Ranboo?” Tommy said, a shit-eating grin plastered upon his face. Something about his eyes said he was about to bolt through the tunnels and straight out onto the counter to talk to Ranboo. He did.
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sdfjgdfds sorry if you had to scroll through that 😅
anyway
#62 in docs is titled 'any thrill will do: notes' and is worldbuilding/plot outline rambles for my quackity au :D
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