Out of the Cold

Chapter Five

A/N

Little shorter of a chapter than usual.

I was very excited to write the scene where Techno and Ranboo meet again, since it was the reason I started writing this fic (and where the title comes from).

Sorry if this is written differently than the other chapters, been a while since I've had the chance to write much, and I scrapped a lot of the plans I originally had since I don't think I can execute them well anymore. But here we go, one step closer to everyone's happy ending :)

Techno sat on the very edge of his bed, as if trying to get as far away from it as possible. The 'it' happened to a small, white, and rectangular device flipped over on his pillows. As he watched it warily, it buzzed, some light reflecting on the dip in the pillow.

He sighed, and it buzzed again. He didn't want to answer it. It was 8am and he just wanted to forget all his problems.

But when it buzzed a third time, he gave in and reached for it, collapsing across the mattress as he did so.

Thirteen unread texts. From Wilbur. Of course.

Techno skimmed through them and considered throwing his phone at the wall. But then, he reasoned, he'd have to replace it. And repair the wall.

Instead, he sent a text back and blocked the number. There, problem dealt with. He shut off his phone and sat up, prepared to start the day, when his phone buzzed again.

Techno stared at the dog bed in the corner of his room, where Steve was, lying on his back with his paws up against the wall. At another insistent buzz from the phone, he checked it.

Phil.

Techno opened his phone, wondering what his friend - father - wanted. As he read the messages, he gritted his teeth. It was just Wilbur from Phil's phone. So he blocked that number as well. Then he got up, grabbed a coat from his wardrobe and stumbled into the hallway, wondering whether he should make coffee first or take Steve for a walk. As he walked down the stairs, he made up his mind. He would take Steve for a walk and return at a time when his roommate was more likely to be awake and have a coffee with her.

It's nice to have someone else , he thought, making his way through the living room towards the front door, whistling for Steve as he went. And to live in a bigger house.

They had only moved in a few months ago but Techno already preferred it over the small, one storey house he had been living in prior. At least this one he wasn't renting - signing that mortgage with his roommate was still a moment he was proud of. It hadn't been something he had ever thought he could achieve, especially when he was in foster care. But then everything seemed possibly because he had met Phil and -

Techno stopped. He heard Steve scrambling down the staircase after him, eager for a morning walk.

Don't think about it, he told himself. At least we're talking now. He remembered the numbers he had just blocked a few minutes ago.

Sort of.

Techno picked his winter boots off the shoe rack in the front entrance way and took Steve's lead and harness from the wall. Steve had reached him but he wasn't wagging his tail as usual. Instead, he was sniffing the air, a low whine rumbling in his throat.

"Something wrong?" Techno asked softly. His voice cracked and he suddenly realised it might be a good idea to have some water before he went out. But before he could put the gear he was holding down, Steve had walked over to the door and started scratching at it.

Techno hesitated. This wasn't normal behaviour. There was a feeling building up inside him, an idea that there was something...wrong. Slowly, he put the harness back on the hook and shoes back on the rack. Then he turned around and opened the door.

Nothing looked wrong. The footpath and street were white with snow. Parked cars sat just metres away, covered with their frozen blankets and glinting in the cold light. The house directly across the street was glowing with Christmas lights - which, in Techno's opinion, was quite premature.

But what caught Techno's attention when he looked down to check on Steve, was the kid sitting on the edge of the veranda, legs tucked against their chest as they stared at the border collie slowly approaching.

Reacting instinctively, Techno grabbed Steve's collar to hold him in place. Then he inspected the kid. He couldn't tell how old he was, but the moment their eyes met - blue staring into green and red - he knew that there was something eerily familiar about the kid. Maybe it was the haunted look in his eyes, something Techno remembered quite well from when he himself was a kid. Even as he decided that was the sensible conclusion, he felt some vague vestige of a memory stirring.

Something from a lot more recently.

If Techno had to guess he'd say the kid was about thirteen. He could see slender limbs hidden in the folds of clothes that were far too thin and cold for this kind of weather. How had the kid managed a night out here?

Techno had definitely seen many kids like him. Although, one being right outside his front door was a first.

"Um," he started, aware he had just been staring at the kid. "Did you - need something?" As he spoke, he was aware that it was a stupid question. Of course the kid needed something. He needed warmth, some proper winter clothes, maybe some hot food.

Well.

He thought back to one winter when he first arrived at Phil's house. He had been so intent on running away and one night he tried to, but Phil caught him. But instead of punishing him like Techno expected, Phil just offered him some hot chocolate.

Techno knew they were out of hot chocolate. But the kid couldn't stay sitting out here. Or anywhere. Surely there was somewhere else he should be.

So Techno took a deep breath and spoke.

"Why don't you come inside and out of the cold?"

I wonder who Techno's new roommate is :)