End Of Days

41: Heartache

Technoblade woke with the sun's rise, much to his displeasure.

He had hoped that finally reaching his destination, finally finding safety and a place to stay, might mean his brain would let him get a full night's rest. He was proven wrong only a handful of hours later. He opened his eyes, and knew immediately that he would not be able to force any more rest.

Waking up tired was familiar after so many months on the road, but the quiet was new. The walls of his bedroom blocked out the sound from the rest of the world. If he really strained, he could barely make out the distant crashing of the ocean, but that was it. There was no soft breathing from Sapnap and George, there were no birds in the trees or bugs in the air. Techno was inside, and he was alone.

He made his way out to the kitchen before he gave his mind the chance to wander.

There was nobody here, but a steaming kettle rested on the stovetop. Techno picked up a mug and wordlessly filled it, taking a sip of the coffee with a soft hum of contentment. He hadn't had coffee for a long time.

It was about as bitter as he remembered it to be. He'd never been much of a fan of the morning drink, but he decided that he would finish the mug nonetheless, for old times sake if nothing more.

He wandered through the house like a ghost, fingertips barely brushing light switches and pictures as he passed, not quite ready to sit down yet. The quiet was eerie, despite knowing that the house was full of people. Techno found himself on the front porch a few moments later and took another sip of coffee. The taste was still bitter, but the warmth was comforting.

It took him a moment to realise that someone else was out here. He approached the cliffside slowly, coming to rest by her side a few moments later.

"I didn't think you'd be up for a few more hours." Niki said, her voice soft and her eyes watching the horizon. "Yesterday must have been a lot."

"It was." Techno agreed after a moment. "Old habits die hard, I guess."

Niki nodded, her hands shifting around her own cup of steaming coffee. She brought it to her lips, taking a short sip as her eyebrows creased with something unreadable, but she didn't offer up any more words.

Technoblade followed her gaze, and for the first time appreciated the view. The ocean was shimmering and blue, reflecting the light in the most beautiful of ways. The sun was making its way over the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant oranges and yellows.

He looked to his left, and his heart sank as he realised what they were standing next to.

A large piece of wood and a rock, sitting side by side. Twin graves for teenagers who would never get to finish growing up. Techno closed his eyes and forced himself to look away. "What was he like?"

Finally, Niki's eyes snapped to him. Her eyebrows pulled together in silent question.

Techno took a breath and pushed on. "Wilbur. Before he...died."

Niki's lips pressed together into a thin line, and her gaze shifted until she was looking down at the gravestone. There was so much pain in her eyes, yet her body stayed upright. Techno wondered how one person could be that strong.

"He was angry." She whispered a moment later, and something about that caught him off guard.

"He was–?"

She nodded, eyes glassy. "Not all the time. Sometimes he was happy, or calm or hopeful. But more often than not, he was angry."

"Oh." Techno said, hands gripping onto his mug as though it were the only thing grounding him to the earth.