This war was ending soon.
A date had officially been set- and both sides were preparing.
The sixteenth.
The only reason you knew they set a date was because Quackity had come over to you and asked you if he could use the diamonds you had strip mined for armor.
To which you said what you strip mined was for everybody- of course he can use them.
And he then said you should get armor yourself because... being amorless isn't exactly a good thing when your in a war.
Weaponless isn't either, but you shrugged him off, and thanked him for the information update.
Tommy kept promptly leaving to find Tubbo or build towers- and you didn't bother trying to talk to him with how fast he kept dipping.
It hurt.
It hurt alot.
To watch someone drift, but not at all know how to stop it.
All because you wanted to be friends with both sides of the argument.
It sucked.
Shaking your head, you focused back onto more pressing matters.
The sixteenth.
It had only been a day since a bunch of new people joined Pogtopia. War preparations were due, and while most others were out in the wilderness, you were here- fixing armor.
The sixteenth seemed so far away, but in actuality it would hit surprisingly quickly. About a week? Not even?
Would this really be the end to Pogtopia?
You pondered those questions as you sat in the ravine, doing the odd tasks of polishing other people's armor, and preparing rations for the fight.
Not the most interesting job, but again. You had to remind yourself. You were never here for the fighting. You were never promised family and friends.
Grunting, you huffed at a particular piece of a diamond chestplate that wouldn't properly fold back into place.
Currently you were trying to fix a dent in Fundy's armor. All you knew about him was that he was Wilburs kid, and he joined Pogtopia after being in Manberg.
Yet here you were fixing his armor.
You huffed at it, pushing it one last time before tugging at the leather holding it together.
If it wouldn't go back through brute force you'd just have to manually warm it up and then rescuplt it.
Couldn't be too hard.
You barely started to undo the straps when two hands reached over your shoulder, grabbing the diamond armor and and giving it a pop- dent forcefully reforming into the proper shape.
Good Lord.
That would have taken a lot of strength.
Your eyes follow the hands up their arm to see Technoblade- looking worse for wear and staring at the armor you were fixing.
Of course Techno can undent diamond armor with his bare hands. Of course. Who other then him does that kind of thing.
"Uuh- hi." You murmur, and he finally releases the diamond armor, retracting himself from over your shoulder to instead stand and give you a look that you couldn't quite read.
"Hallo-" he murmurs back- voice low as he looks at your nook's table and then reconnects eye contact. Or at least you think he's making eyecontact.
It's difficult to tell with the mask.
"Thanks for giving a helping hand-" you scratch at your head before asking, "What brings you here?"
"Just a pit stop to check in."
"I'm assuming you heard the news?"
He merely nods, shuffling once more to peer at the armor.
"Who's armor is that?" He questions.
You turn to look at it, "Fundy's. You know Wilbur's kid?"
"You could say we met a few times." With a huff he sits down at the table, taking a single finger to tap at the diamon chestplate, "Word of advice- don't fix anymore armor."
What?
You reel your head back to give him a confused look, "Come again?"
"Just trust me." He says, and does a double take clearly realizing how that statement sounded when the both of you discussed each other's mistrust, "Okay- Trust me as much as you can. I've got plans."
You squint at him and his head titled away from your stare.
Good.
Let him be the one to act nervous instead of the other way around. His hand twisted itself in a circle, fiddling with the edges of the table as he poignantly refused to look.
"I would offer tea, but I'm out of tea packets." You finally say, and any of the tension in the air tumbles down. You didn't mention that you stress drank all of the packets in a desperate attempt to keep yourself awake.
With that, a silence falls over the room. A blanket of hush wrapped itself around the both of you like a snake.
A long snake, with winding scales and restricting loops. Not the best kind of atmosphere all things considered, but he wasn't as off put anymore, so you had that going for it.
It was harsh, and stiffled, and it seemed like he wanted to say something to you, but you had nothing to say to start the conversation, so you both just.... sat there.
His hands didn't stop twisting themselves, and he didn't stop twitching his head. The way his mouth opened and closed made it seem like he kept loosing his words, which was so strange to see from Techno. He always chose precisely when to talk, and knew precisely what to say. Unlike now.
He shuffled, the mop of pink hair on his head sliding down his shoulder as he titled his head and finally seemed to grit out some words to you.
Not the words he wanted if the way his body was stiff was anything to go by.
"Are you going to try visiting your brother again?"
Why would he care if you're going to visit?
He shouldn't.
But if he did- you guessed that made you feel happy. In a weird, 'someone cares' kind of way.
"Uh- not for a good while no." You grit back in reply- trying to grin but failing with how stifling the atmosphere was.
He really, really looked like he wanted to say something.
"Have you gotten yourself a weapon yet? Because traversing the nether by yourself without a weapon is very... inefficient at best." The tension in him coiled the slightest bit more- a hand clenching before he forcefully unwound it.
"You're correct in assuming I have no weapons." You wave a hand, "How does this correlate to me visiting my brother exactly?"
Was he offering to escort you again? You could've sworn after you dumped emotional baggage on him last time he would have sworn off ever escorting you again.
"Theoretically- if someone offered you a weapon, would you take it?"
Is... is he getting at what you think he's getting at?
Surely not.
"If someone offers me anything I'll probably take it. As long as it's in good faith." The tone of voice you spoke in was collected and cool, but on the inside you were dying. Was he offering a weapon???
You had no idea, and you didn't want to jump to conclusions when he was being so abstractedly vague about it in a classically vague Techno way.
He takes a moment to think, before standing from your nook's chair and swinging his arm around to grip the hilt of his sword. His cape flared with the dramatic movement, and you flinched when he pulled his sword out.
Not out of the sheath, but directly off his belt- and again you're taken by surprise when the sheathed blade he was holding wasn't even his usual blade.
You could tell because it was too tiny in his hands- that and the regular blade he used was still hitched to the side of his waist.
You were both silent- Techno looking at you with the classic unreadable masked face, and you, eyes wide and still confused.
Almost to affirm what was happening you tilt your head, and Techno grumbles out an embarrassed sound when you glance between him and it.
The sword is stretched your way, "Take it. Before I reconsider."
Jolting out of your seat by his words, you gently cup your hands around the blade, glancing rapidly between his mask and the sword he was holding.
No words are spoken.
Merely head gestures, and your nervous fingers dancing across the finely buffed and stitched leather scabbard of the sword. The quality of it showed with how detailed the design was- and you just stood there, thumbing over the smooth anilime finish.
You felt like a child, just staring at it, and you gave him one last look before partially unsheathing it, the netherite inside just as expertly smithed and detail oriented as the scabbard it was resting in. The purple shine was intense, and you resheathed it after realizing just how much time would have had to have been put into a gift like this.
"...Holy shit-" you say. You had no words to describe how flattered you felt. Not because you loved swords, but because the effort that had to have gone into this would've been insane.
It boggles your mind how generous one person can be.
You looked up at him- completely gobsmacked-
And in return he was blankly facing you, taking in your reaction. You had absolutely no idea how to say thank you, but you had to because holy shit- the effort- so you just... threw your arms out and tugged him into a hug.
You knew he wasn't fond of touch, but that was just the only way you could think to communicate how happy you were.
Two arms, past his cape and right around his abdomen- the sword still in your grip and getting pressed against his back with the hug.
Oh god- you forgot how warm he was-
So so warm-
So much so that you nearly melted before remembering that this was supposed to be a quick thank you hug-
He didn't return the hug, so you moved to pull away after remembering that fact, but to your surprise at the last second his arms finally moved, hesitantly and awkwardly barring you in.
"I'll take it you like it?" He asks, sounding rather content. His voice rumbled in his chest- sounding almost... proud...?
You couldn't be bothered to question, nodding, you nestled your head farther into him, taking in how warm he was and absolutely reveling in it.
You couldn't think straight- not at all- so when the words, "I love all things warm." comes out of your mouth you begged whatever god was out there to smite you. Of course your mind can only focus on warmth and it assumed his question was about the hug- what else could it have been? Definitely not the sword he just gave you.
You had no idea what your mind is running on-
Oh wait- you do- ninety-six hours of no sleep and twenty some cups of tea.
As though to fix your blunder- you quickly spit out, "The amount of detail you put into it is amazing- ... thank you..."
The rumble in his chest returns at that- and at this point in time you have no idea if that's him talking or humming- your mind stalled out on the fact that he was so so warm- His words blurred together into mere white noise and vibrating bass against your cheek.
The hug was lasting way too long to be a regular thank you hug by now.
Every time you nestled yourself closer, he just returned the gesture, tugging you into him until his figure was slouched over yours with the embrace, shrouding you in the fabric of his clothes and heat- pulling you into his chest-
You didn't want to leave.
And without sleep- you wanted to take a nap.
No questions to why Techno was even letting you do this- just-
Just being a touch starved fool who likes warmth too much.
Perfect moments always end though, and when Techno's figure went tense, you reluctantly pulled away.
He always seems to remember that he's doing something affectionate- and whenever he remembers he gets... a little more closed off.
"Thank you again-" you murmer, clutching the sword to your chest, shaking off the bleary blanket that his warmth had pulled over your mind.
He didn't respond.
Glancing to him, you notice his gaze was on something else entirely- something behind you- so you whip your head around to focus in on whatever it was he was staring at.
Tommy.
Tubbo.
Tubbo looked indifferent, and Tommy just looked aggravated.
"They're deffo flirting." Tubbo chimes, sounding so proud of his statement, while Tommy shoots the both of you a strangled and weirded out look.
"No-nononon-" You say, "Bad Tubbo- not deffo flirting-" you waved your hands intently at him, adamant on dissuading him.
You shot a glance back to see Techno- and almost exactly as you predicted- he was completely clamped up. Any of the nervousness- or hesitation was gone. Only the blank slate was left behind.
The blank slate of 'The Blade.'
"Mm. Deffo flirting."
"Tubbo no!" You groan, rooted to your spot in front of Techno, "I hug friends all the time-"
You pause as another thought comes to you before looking at Tubbo, "You know what? Come're- you can have a hug too."
"Uuuh-" the boy gave you a concerned look. A very concerned look. A look that said he would run the minute you came anywhere near him, "I'm not sure if that's a threat or not-"
You grin at him- taking a single step in his direction and watching him scurry away in a panicked hurry-
Good- run away you little shit.
Huffing you turn back around- catching Techno and Tommy trading looks. Techno was still incredibly stiff, the balancing act that was his outer barriers were teetering, and it was a struggle to watch.
On the other hand all of Tommy's emotions were vividly on display- he didn't need to say a single word to make everything he thought clear to everyone around him.
"Do you even care that he killed Tubbo...?" He croaked at you, and you sent him a flabbergasted look.
"I told you this already- of course I care- Tubbo's a sweet kid-"
"Then why are you always so happy to just hang around-" Tommy tosses his hand in Techno's direction, "him??"
You pause- staring- before pinching the bridge of your nose and harshly shaking your head in a disappointed sort of way, "Is it wrong to want to be friends with people??"
"No! Of course not- but-" Tommy bit his lip and looked at Techno- and you could nearly see the images he thought flashed past him-
You know what? You had enough of this back and forth tension- you're unearthing everything right here right now.
"Techno- apologize to Tommy-" before said man can even speak you turn to Tommy, "Tommy- stop being an ass to both him and me."
Both sides are equally confused- a disgruntled, "The fuck?? No-" coming from Tommy.
Techno settled on giving a harsh look to Tommy, "I have no reason to apologize. What happened in the pit, stays in the pit."
"You beat him up." You grimace, "And killing a best friend is understandably going to make someone mad- what did you expect?"
"..." You couldn't tell what Techno was feeling- and now more then ever you wanted to rip that mask off his face.
"He's a fucking bitch- and any apology he gives me will suck because he doesn't give a shit-" Tommy loudly muttered.
Techno took a step towards Tommy- to which Tommy instantly took a step backwards in fear. You would too if that much intensity was focused on you.
The voice that came out of Techno surprised you. It was incredibly low and gritty, the barest hint of disappointment lining it , "You do not understand what things I mean and what things I don't mean so don't assume to know-" the tone he held was filled with a harsh bite.
"That's exactly why you fucking suck you dick!!" The step back Tommy took was for nothing, as Tommy puffed himself up, strutting up to Techno and wildly glaring, "You never tell anyone anything!! If you were gonna get peer pressured you should've told us- or not gone- but you did and you fucking killed Tubbo!!"
Techno clamped his mouth shut, straightening himself, looming over everyone in the room as though to take an offensive position, but something in your gut said he was anything but offensive. Only defensive.
Tommy took things a step farther, yelling, "I know you can do even worse things! I've heard Wilbur talk about it- and- Argh!" Tommy turns his look at you- uneasily- and you know what he's thinking- but you have no idea what to do so you just look at him.
Apparently he didn't know what to say to you either, because he just stares at you until Techno speaks again, attention snapping back to the older male.
"Tommy- I can do so much worse."
Techno's words finally silence him.
The cold chill of the room settles down on everyone as Techno took in a deep breath to calm whatever nerves were flaring up.
"I can do so, so much worse. And it is hard not to Tommy."
The chill makes your skin prickle.
"You've only proven my point Blade." Tommy grits as reply.
The glance Tommy sent you was slow. Hope was laced with it- the hope that you would drop Techno off the face of the planet- but you remained indifferent, and he retreated into his mind when you didn't say anything to him.
"Fine." He huffed- the slouch of his shoulders dejected as he stormed out of the ravine- grabbing Tubbo as he went (who had been spying on everyone from the steps).
His footsteps winded up the steps- until fading off into the unknown.
You took in a deep breath, trying to calm the sweltering and bubbling pile of emotions that came with that entire argument.
Techno did very much the same thing as you- his figure exuding a lifeless feeling as he slammed down the shutters in his mind, barring the windows of emotions so as to keep himself the pristine and fearless Blade.
You weren't as good at doing that as he was. Even if right now you wished you could do exactly as he was.
"Is that why you two haven't been hanging out?" Techno asks- a gentle question spoken by an unfeeling voice.
"I guess." You uneasily rub at your arms- trying to calm your frazzled nerves, "I just-... he phrased a question to me a while back that made it sound like a 'it's you or him' kinda question..."
"And when you wouldn't be a shitty person and drop me-..." Techno filled in the blank.
"Yeah." With a nod, a hush refilled the air.
A quiet understanding.
One that made emotions bubble in you quite vividly.
Your head rose, eyes flickering away from the floor you had been staring at to hesitantly land on Techno's figure.
Your eyes burned, but you refused to cry after a dumb little argument, so rather then meet his mask, you burned your gaze into his chest. The fancy gold chains strung between both sides of his cape glistened in the dull lighting, and were much more entertaining to watch then the stone walls.
The same old stale stone walls.
Your hand rose- wiping your eye in a rushed manner, before harshly gripping the sword Techno gave you. You needed something to distract your mind.
Something to keep it from tumbling off into the dark roads of doubt.
"Thanks again for the sword." You shifted your gaze off of him, "It means a lot to know that someone's looking out for me."
Kind of.
You knew Techno wasn't exactly the most trustful- but you would take small victories.
He didn't quite respond to you, glancing around the ravine and looking very unfocused.
Maybe having Tommy hate him hit Techno harder then he wanted to let on?
You couldn't know for sure, so you idly watched him take in a breath, chest puffing up with oxygen before he released, and shook his head.
"Your welcome." He mutters.
It felt wrong to sit back down after everything, so you took it upon yourself to try and change the subject.
"So how exactly do I attach this sword to my belt...?" You awkwardly messed with the hilt, twisting it around to look for a way to, but you barely got anywhere in experimenting when Techno reached a hand out.
"Psh- nerd-" he chuffed, "How have you never put on a sword before?"
He grabbed a suspension in one hand, the loop of your belt in the other, and tugged you closer before looping the suspension through your belt and hooking the sheath firmly to it.
He was quick- and his fingers didnt linger after he finished, but you could've sworn they were there with the way your skin fluttered at the contact.
"Never had to." You murmer, quiet now that you were standing so close.
"When you're in battle- be careful not to get stuck on the scabbard in tight places. It'll be awkward to carry around, but you'll get used to it."
You look at the sheath, taking a step back from Techno and giving an experimental twirl.
Yeah- that was strange. You felt a little off balance, but you guessed you'd just get used to it.
"Do you ever feel off centered?" You ask him, still looking at the sword on your hip and making experimental movements.
"No. I've carried a sword with me the day I could hold a sword."
That made you look up, eyes rolling up his figure before settling on his mask.
"That's a weird thing to think about-" he makes a disgruntled noise before you wave a hand and continue, "Like- you're not weird, but imagining tiny Techno instead of current Techno is just- funny to me."
Unbeknownst to you- every single voice in his head was now chanting TinyTechno- and he blanched behind the mask at how overbearingly loud they all were being.
"I wasn't very tiny. To normal standards." He says at first.
Then he doesn't elaborate and you raise an eyebrow, "Continue? I'm curious now."
He chuffs at you with amusement before saying, "When I was a kid I wasn't very tiny. There's nothing to really discuss. I was just bigger and stronger then the other kids."
You laugh at the monotone way he said he was better, eyebrow raising even higher, "Better then everyone else?"
"Yeah. Pretty much." He smiles as if thinking back on a fond memory, "Wilbur and Tommy were the tiny ones-"
He cuts himself off, pursing his lips before waving his hand idly at you as though to dissuade those thoughts, "That was a long time ago though."
You nod.
He didn't want to talk about himself anymore- and you could relate.
"Are you going to head out soon?" You ask.
"The grind is neverending." He murmurs.
"You should sleep first- you look like you haven't had a good few days to."
"Look in the mirror." He says, and you grimace because yeah. He's very much right.
"I guess we both need sleep." You sigh.
"I suppose so." He agrees, gathering anything he brought with him and making a clear effort to get ready to leave.
"And yet neither of us are sleeping." You say.
"It's just incredibly healthy to go long periods of time without resting, you know?" He says, waving a hand around as he spoke, grabbing his bag off the side of the chair.
"Oh- of course- people can't function without at least 45 hours of no sleep." You grin when he let's out a small strangled laugh.
"I need another good 46 hours if I'm being honest here- so I suppose I'll catch you at a different time."
"See ya Tech-" You softly wave, "And seriously- get some sleep!" He half waves to you, before walking for the steps, cape swooping behind him as he strut away.
The minute he was out of sight you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding-
God.
Things were going so terribly wrong yet so terribly right at the same time.