"Stop staring at me," Dream complained, staring into the mirror at his masked face and disheveled hair. The mirror seemed to distort. Was that Wilbur?
"Oh, that's just Wilbur," Nikki laughed. "He likes to keep an eye on prisoners."
"Prisoners?" Dream's eyes narrowed. "There are more?"
"Well of course," Nikki replied. "There used to be cells filled with them. Long time ago. Now, not so many. We have about... 20 now, including you."
"Huh," Dream looked back into the mirror. "Do they all get to eat dinner with Technoblade and his so called friends?"
"Actually, no. You're the only one," Nikki frowned, her german accent rolling off her tongue. "I don't know why. Maybe Techno thinks you're special."
"I do not," a voice came from downstairs. Dream raised a brow.
"Does he also keep an eye on prisoners all the time?" the blonde pointed outside the door.
"No, that's Wilbur's job. Techno just has really good hearing."
"Is it because he has those pig ear things? Can he read my mind?"
Nikki laughed sweetly, and Dream swore he saw the mirror glowing pink. "No, he can't, don't worry!" she reassured. "Are you ready? Follow me!"
~
Dream took a seat near a blonde-haired boy. He looked around and scanned the room. Next to the boy he was sitting with was a brunette. He wore a dark green shirt and clutched a jar. Looking closer, Dream realised they were bees. Beside him sat a man in a yellow sweater and a long coat. A beanie was perched on top of his chocolatey curls. On the other side sat Technoblade, the oh-so-mighty prince who walked around in a poor village, pockets filled with gold. Beside him was a middle-aged man with platinum shoulder-length hair. He wore a striped green bucket hat. Dream's eyes widened when he saw something flutter behind him.
"A-are those wings?" he gasped.
Technoblade shot him a glare. "That's not how you address a king."
"Please, Techno," the man waved him off. "It's alright. I'm Phil. King Philza or whatever, you can call me Phil. And you are?"
"Uh," Dream swallowed. "I'm Dream. Just Dream. I live in a village and I'm a bounty hunter."
"Thief," Technoblade corrected. Dream stared daggers at him.
"I presume you're the one who tried stealing the gold?" Phil guessed. Dream's face reddened.
"I- I'm sorry, I-"
"No, no," Phil chuckled. "I don't mean to scare you. Nobody ever passes the test."
"What?" Dream looked at Technoblade. "You've done this before?"
"Many times," Technoblade smiled. "You all just can't resist some gold, can you?"
Dream gritted his teeth.
Phil noticed the tension and interjected. "Okay, okay. At least you didn't try attacking the man like most do." he patted the shoulder of Technoblade, who shrugged him off.
"Are you a bounty hunter?" the blonde boy beside him exclaimed, staring at him with wide eyes. "Like you catch people for money and shit?"
"Bounty hunter? Isn't that like, Jar Jar Binks or something?" the brunette piped up.
The blonde shook his head. "No, that's a fictional bounty hunter. He is a real bounty hunter. I'm Tommy, by the way."
"I'm Tubbo," the brunette added cheerily.
"You picked the best prisoner, Techno!" Tommy snorted. "He is kind of mu-"
"Tommy," Wilbur said sternly. Tommy quietened down. "We're here to have a formal conversation with this man."
"I'm guessing you're Wilbur?" Dream asked.
"That's me," Wilbur smiled.
"Were you the one spying on me?"
"Well-" Wilbur laughed heartily. "I like to make sure the prisoners are doing okay."
"So you made the entire castle like, invisible?" Dream felt awed.
"I guess you could say so," Wilbur shrugged. "I've been doing magic since I was ten years old. Remember Techno, when I accidentally-"
"I remember," Techno interrupted, poking at his food. Tommy snorted, but stopped once he saw the man's glare.
"So Dream, how's your life? Do you have any close friends, or relatives?" Phil ate a piece of meat, seeming genuinely intrigued.
"I have an aunt, who I basically do everything for. My parents died when I was really young, so she brought me up. Uh, I have two close friends, George and Sapnap."
"Interesting," Phil nodded. "Techno never had any friends, you know."
Techno rolled his eyes. "Phil-"
"He was always a, what do you call it? A social reject? Wilbur was the polar opposite, he was always surrounded with friends."
Dream grinned a bit, internally making fun of the man.
"I had a wife, long time ago. We adopted them at a very young age. Wilbur is now... how old are you Will? 24. Techno's 21, if I am not wrong. Tommy and Tubbo are 15."
Technoblade sighed. "Phil, considering he's a bounty hunter, I really don't think you should-"
"Oh," Phil huffed. "You'll be staying with us, right, Dream?"
Dream pondered. He really didn't have any other choice. But his home- his friends, Sapnap and George, most importantly, his aunt... he sighed. "I... I guess I have to."
"Is there a problem, Dream?" Techno raised an eyebrow.
Dream gritted his teeth. "My aunt, she isn't really in a good health condition... I mean, she never tells me why she's always so sick, I just don't think I can leave her. But I guess, since I have to stay here, I really can't do anything about it."
Phil frowned. "If you want, you can bring her here and we can try to-"
"Phil!" Techno complained.
Phil hushed him. "Shh, you can leave tomorrow and bring her here, Dream. Techno, accompany him."
Techno groaned. "Are you serious? He's a prisoner! He tried to steal from me!"
"Hey, I like him, he seems like a genuinely nice guy, unlike the other people. Just do it, will you?" (nike. anyway-)
Techno rolled his eyes. "Okay. Fine."
Tommy grinned. "So is Dream part of our family now?"
Techno shook his head. "No, he is not."
"Aww," Tubbo pouted.
"So Dream, why do you wear a mask?" Tommy piped up.
"I wanted to ask the same thing," Phil agreed.
"I..." Dream thought for a while. "I don't know, I kinda like the mysterious theme, you know? It kinda became my signature thing."
"Can you take it off? Are you ugly or hot?"
"Tommy-"
They continued to conversate, until Wilbur had to leave the table. Tubbo and Tommy eavesdropped on him in the kitchen, snickering. The man stumbled to one of the maids who Dream recognised, Nikki, and started talking to her. He stuttered on his words and tried to keep a conversation without being too awkward but failed. Nikki giggled at his attempts, her expression clearly saying, 'You're an idiot, but you're my idiot.'
"Ah, young love." Phil sighed.
Techno made a face. "He looks like a fool."
"It's not like you do any better."
"You're right, and that's because I don't do that. I don't flirt with people."
"Well you should, or you're going to be lonely for the rest of your life."
Dream chuckled lightly at this.
Techno looked at him. "Something funny?"
"Nope," Dream replied, smiling.
"Well, I'm done here. Goodnight." Phil let out a breath and got up, leaving the table and the two boys sitting there awkwardly, alone.
"Do you drink wine, Dream?" Techno offered him the bottle.
"Yes. Yes, I do." Dream held up his glass, and Techno filled it up.
The blonde lifted his mask slightly, only revealing his lips, to take a sip. From the corner of his eye he saw Techno watching him intently and immediately felt self-conscious.
Techno suddenly raised his arms to his hair, causing Dream to flinch.
"I'm not going to hit you," he chuckled, undoing the rubber band of his long, braided hair.
"Sorry," Dream muttered, watching as Techno skilfully tied up his hair into a bun. "My dad wasn't the best. Old habits die hard, I guess."
"Oh?" Techno put his hands back on the table and crossed his legs. "I thought you said he died when you were really young?"
"Well, yeah, when I was like ten. Before that, he wasn't really nice. But my mom, she was the best. My aunt too." Dream rested his chin on his palm.
"Huh," Techno leaned back into his royal chair. "I don't remember how my parents were like. But Phil is really great. We all really look up to him as a father."
Dream nodded, and they both sat in silence, watching Wilbur from afar failing at flirting with Nikki and the two children making fun of him behind a pillar.
"Well, we're leaving tomorrow at 9 am sharp." Techno rose to full height. "I'll wait for you at your cell. Oh, I've decided to be nice and upgrade you to a better cell, just ask a maid where it is. Don't be late. Goodnight."
His eyes glinted before he turned around and left.
~
I suddenly have this motivation to write so I'll probably be uploading another chapter in a few hours :D Hope you enjoyed!
(Also to all the people commenting that I'm funny, I never received that compliment before and that made me feel warm lol thanks)
see you
-dainty <3