Puffy stared down at the letter once more, holding it in her slim fingers. She'd already sent a letter in return to her protogé, hell, he'd probably already received it at this point. She ran a hand over her face as she sat in the meeting room, the paper in her grasp almost blending in with the sheets stacked and messed all over the planning board.
Her ears angled back in discontent, and she jumped in surprise when a hand clamped down on her shoulder. She turned, seeing Corpse, and huffed in annoyance, turning back to the table and letting the letter fall onto the wood.
Corpse sat down next to her and cleared his throat. She did not respond. He cleared his throat again. Couldn't he just leave her alone? Could he not tell she was didn't want his company?
Still, Corpse persisted, muttering her name in that deep voice of his. Puffy sighed, giving up, and turned slightly to look at him. His fuzzy dark rabbit ears were raised in question and attention, which made a sliver of guilt pierce her heart. He was just trying to help.
"Puffy," her second-in-command started, "what does the letter say?"
Puffy stared at him for a second, trying to decide if he had any ill intentions before she huffed. She tipped her hat forward a bit as it slid, and grabbed the sheet off of the table, shoving it into Corpse's awaiting hands.
He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing and started to read.
Puffy watched him for his reaction, but all he gave away was a slight frown as he took in the information.
He was always so good at keeping his face impassive. Puffy had learnt from him, but still...sometimes she couldn't help it. She wishes she couldn't care about meaningless stuff. Like that kid. Techno. Or, Technoblade, whatever he made the others call him.
She bit the inside of her cheek at the thought, and her pale sheep ears drooped. Techno. The kid. The kid who's not technically a kid anymore but who's still so young. The kid she sent into the lair of the beast.
She was cleared from her thoughts when Corpse laid the letter gently in front of Puffy once more. She looked over at him, ears raising slightly, and he just shrugged.
Puffy groaned, bringing her head to her arms as she slumped against the table.
"It's not the best situation for Technoblade, but surely you've realised how ideal it is for us." he remarked, tapping his fingers gently on the wooden table.
Puffy stared up at him, still resting on her arms before she stretched them out and leaned back onto the frame of her chair.
She was silent for a moment as she stared at the roof, but she nodded and looked back at the guard.
"Yeah. I have. Already told the kid and everything." she murmured.
Corpse did not respond immediately, as he thought it over, and tilted his head.
"So, what's the problem then?" he questioned, and Puffy glared at him, causing him to quickly raise his hands in mock surrender.
"The problem," she seethed, "is obvious."
Corpse looked back down at the paper, then back at Puffy. He already knew what she was talking about.
"Yeah, so it's dangerous. But it's Technoblade. He escapes every shitty situation." Corpse reminded her.
Puffy did not respond.
"Cmon," Corpse laughed a little bit, "Technoblade never dies, remember?"
Puffy's lips quirked up slightly against her will at the saying. She still remembered the first time she'd heard the kid say that, back when he was training, and had egged on another guard to practice with real swords instead of wooden ones. She'd been so angry at him, no matter the fact he had previous experience, it was dangerous and she didn't feel ready- didn't feel like he was ready, she means. And then the kid had shrugged, an impassive look on his face, like always, and Puffy had half the mind to pull him by those pig ears back to his hut and lock him in there for days. Except, she didn't, of course, and the kid must have noticed her uneasiness, so he smiled shortly (and kind of uncomfortably) and raised his arms in a careless manner.
"It's fine!" he yelled, head tilted to the sky, "Technoblade never dies!"
And it held some truth. Every mission, every fight, everything he did for their sanctuary, every dangerous situation, he came out of it. Safe, healthy, totally unscathed. Well, not totally, he did have some scars to count, but the point was that even when the odds were so much against him, he always wiggled his way out of danger. And everyone had noticed.
Puffy sighed, nodding her head lightly at Corpse, "Yeah, you're right. Technoblade never dies."
Except that was wrong. Because no matter the magic that kid held in his body, he was still mortal. And everyone died one day.
But she could worry about that sometime else.
Puffy and Corpse sat in a sort of comfortable silence for a while, before Corpse cleared his throat.
Puffy looked at him, and he looked at her, uneasy if he should continue. He must have won the internal battle he was having with himself because he sighed and opened his mouth to speak.
"Are you gonna tell him?" Corpse asked softly, and Puffy frowned, looking back to the letter and the kid's curved handwriting.
She debated it for a moment before she decided.
"Tell him what?" she feigned innocence, and Corpse's soft features hardened as he looked at her.
"Puffy." he warned.
She stared back at Corpse, almost challenging him.
"Puffy. Are you going to tell him?"
"Tell him what?" she reiterated, grabbing the letter and scrunching it up, letting it drop into the bin underneath the table.
Corpse sighed, realising he was losing the battle.
He stood, his chair scraping back as he collected his coat, slinging it over his shoulders and patting some of the dust off the sides.
An uncomfortable silence brewed between them, and Puffy looked down as she fiddled her fingers guiltily.
Corpse's boots made soft scuffed noises echo throughout the small room, and Puffy looked up to watch him leave. Just as he opened the door, however, and a small breeze entered the room, Puffy spoke against her better judgement.
"He can't know. Not now. Not yet." she corrected, and Corpse froze, his hand lingering on the doorframe.
There was a beat of silence, and then Corpse let his hand drop. He turned his head as he looked over his shoulder, ears flat, and they held eye contact.
"Well, then I hope that kid forgives you, someday." he murmured coldly, and shut the door behind him, leaving Puffy alone with the paper as dust settled near the door.
x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x
Hello friends! Look at me go. Somewhat keeping my promise of updating this book. Be glad you didn't wait months for this one.
Anyway. Not much to say. Other than Puffy is totally sus. Wonder what that's about, hmmm?
It meant a lot to me to see all the kind comments from yesterday's chapter. I really appreciate you guys telling me my mental health comes first. Honestly, you guys just reading and being sweet is helping, and I love y'all for it. Never change, dear readers, never change.
That's all for today!
Happy reading!
-Milo (I'm actually sticking with this one this time, I promise, no more name changes)
(3/8/21)
Co-posted on ao3
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Secret Of The Hybrids (Technoblade)
Fanfiction(Part two of the merman's tear series) Technoblade never meant to leave his family. It was his duty to protect them, to help Phil provide so that they could survive. He knew it was his job to take care of them, he knew that without him they wouldn't...
