song that goes with this chapter: The Mercy of the Wind by Million Eyes
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Technoblade could hardly remember life outside of the orphanage. His five years with his parents had been whittled down to glimpses of smiles and scarlet red eyes, or the tiniest memories, each held so incredibly dear to him.
Dream could remember nothing other than the orphanage. Dropped into the orphanage by parents who never wanted him, he possessed memories only of the rough oak pillars that gave splinters to curious children and the perpetually slightly dusty windows of the orphanage.
"Up! Hold it higher! Higher!" Technoblade yelled at Dream, poking his stick into his ribs as he signalled for Dream to hold his own stick higher.
"Oh my god, Techno! Stop!" Dream whined, his stance weakening as he adjusted his arm, which held a smooth oak stick straight out from his hand, a slight tremor in his fingers, the whites of his knuckles prominent in the dappled light of the clearing.
"Seriously, we've been through this again and again! Just hold the stick properly and you can try disarming me!" Technoblade rolled his eyes, pulling away from Dream and assuming a fighting stance a distance away from him.
The boys leapt at each other, parrying moves and attempting to poke each other with their stick. The leaves crinkled and crunched under their brown, orphanage-issued boots, when finally, Dream misstepped and stumbled, allowing Technoblade to jab him in his ribs, declaring him the victor.
"YES! TO DEFEAT ME, TRAIN FOR ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS!" He crowed, but paused to pull Dream back up.
"It's not fair that you have enhancements, Techno." Dream sulked, grabbing his callused hand nonetheless.
"Ha. L." Technoblade smirked, but still pulled Dream up, ensuring that he was steady on his feet.
Technoblade ran a hand through his hair, freeing the pink hair from the loose ponytail that he had left it in. The strands curled around his fingers fleetingly, before they fluttered back down his back, cascading in a way that could only be described as a waterfall. Yet another odd quirk of the Gladiolus.
They were fourteen this year, and just two more years before they were sent to be trained as knights.
The boys in the orphanage would often be sent off to be trained as soldiers, or if particularly smart or enhanced, would be sent off to apprenticeships that would give them head-starts in their lives. Heaven knew that they were told about the story of Jacob Thorne, a boy from this very orphanage, who left ten years ago and entered an apprenticeship to hone his fire skills and became a master in his art, everyday. They could practically recite his story word for word.
For the girls, however, the same went for them. The smart ones would be sent off to apprenticeships while the strong or enhanced to the military ranks. They needed soldiers, healers, and mages, and the orphanages provided. Some people argued that the orphanages were exploiting children, but their cries were often swept under the rug.
Technoblade was a rarity; a Gladiolus in an orphanage. Gladiolus were known for their powers, pink hair and scarlet eyes, and having both parents wiped out was practically unheard of.
He knew only too well why he was here.
It was one of the few memories that remained clear as the day that it had happened.
Technoblade shook his head, clearing it from the dark memories that plagued his dreams. He had nightmares almost every night, and he hated them. (There was a reason why Technoblade chose the bed next to Dream's. They never spoke about it.)
From a distance away, the clanging of the dinner bell rang through the small clearing, and both boys looked at each other in grim understanding.
"Whoever loses makes the beds for the next week." Dream uttered, emerald eyes meeting scarlet.
Technoblade nodded stiffly, before both boys shot off, screeching as they went. Trampling on sticks and the odd patch of dried leaves, they sped off towards the orphanage.
They jumped and leaped, to try and gain even the slightest advantage. However, though Technoblade was far superior in combat, Dream was the man to go for speed.
Dream snickered, catching Techno off guard, before he made a huge leap, grabbing onto a low-hanging branch, before using the momentum to swing himself much farther.
"HEY!" Techno yelled, but it was futile. Dream was already far ahead, and wheezing maniacally as he reached the orphanage first, slapping a hand onto the worn wood.
Technoblade quickly caught up, groaning as Dream leant on the wall for support as he caught his breath.
"You always do that!" He grumbled, but it was short-lived, as they were caught by Mother, the woman who ran the orphanage. (She never liked how they were all sent to be soldiers for some cause or another, and was often vocal about her disapproval. There wasn't much she could really have done, but they appreciated it nonetheless.)
"Little gremlins!" She sighed, as she grabbed their collars. "I thought you two went missing! What did I tell you about leaving the clearing?"
The boys drooped, as they hung their heads. They didn't want to make Mother worry, and simultaneously muttered a "Sorry..".
Mother smiled, a crinkle forming at the corner of her eyes.
"Oh, I could never get mad at you two.." She sighed, before she pulled them both into a hug.
Mother released them, but fixed a stern face on again.
"Remember, tell me if you want to go train or play, or whatever! I'll send one of the bigger ones with you."
The boys shared a look, but stayed quiet. After all, it was widely known that Dream and Technoblade never needed a fifteen year old to come with them if they wanted to go out. Technoblade would be able to defeat anyone anyways.
Mother allowed them to go inside for lunch, and they swung themselves onto oak benches, slurping greedily at the bowl in front of them.
Dream and Technoblade swung their legs at each other, starting an impromptu kicking competition, but quickly stopped when Mother walked past.
Purpled, a younger kid, only about eight years old, grinned at them.
"So, who won?" He giggled, a cheeky grin stretching across his soup-stained face.
Purpled was one of the few enhanced in the orphanage, with an ability to manipulate light, an ability that if properly trained, would be incredibly valuable and powerful. There was talk about sending him to a master once he reached his tenth birthday, six years younger than normal.
He had killed his father by accident when he was four.
A freak accident involving a torchlight and an unfortunately placed mirror.
After that, his family didn't want him anymore, calling him a demon and a changeling, and he was dropped on the doorstep of the orphanage before long. Technoblade and Dream found him on the doorstep one frigid winter's day, having snuck out of the orphanage to collect pretty rocks.
Purpled had loved them ever since.
Now, he looked at them with glittering eyes, purple eyes that were unnaturally shiny. Flashes of light flickered around his hands, which wore masterfully crafted rings that held bright white gems. They suppressed his magic to ensure that he wouldn't harm anyone accidentally, and could only be taken off after his tenth birthday.
Smiling at him fondly, Dream ruffled his hair, and rolled his eyes, jokingly poking Technoblade in the ribs.
Purpled giggled in understanding, and returned to his half-finished tomato soup.
Once the bell was struck again, and the dishes cleared and washed, the two boys climbed the stairs to their room, which was nestled in the top attic, along with Purpled, and two thirteen and fifteen-year-olds.
It seemed that the other inhabitants had chosen to leave the orphanage instead of staying in their room, but Dream and Technoblade had plans that required visiting their room.
Creaking open the door, Technoblade glanced into the room, making sure that no one was inside, before heading to his bed, which had a worn pink duvet thrown across it. Dream headed to his, and both of them dug through their belongings before finding what they wanted.
Over the years of staying in the orphanage, they had both accumulated items, things that each found interesting or perhaps valuable. And every year, they would always find something to gift the other person something.
In the orphanage, birthdays went unnoticed and uncelebrated. It wasn't because Mother didn't want to, but they were simply too poor to afford presents for each other.
Technoblade knew his birthday, he remembered gifts of swords and gold, and glints of smiles, and crinkled scarlet eyes.
Dream didn't know his birthday. Dropped on the cold stone steps, all he remembered of his parents was the rustling of blankets and cold emerald eyes rivaling the temperature of the place that he had been abandoned.
The boys had decided that they would share Technoblade's birthday.
("We could be twins!" Dream had said, a grin missing several teeth gracing his face. Technoblade had agreed, despite his half-hearted disagreement.)
Dream got his gift out first and sat patiently on his bed waiting for Technoblade to get his out.
It was wrapped neatly in tissue paper, snuck from the dining table, and decorated with pink glitter that fell off the gift with each idle movement.
Technoblade finally turned back, and in his hands was a tiny bundle, wrapped meticulously in lime green cloth and tied with braided tissue.
Dream and Technoblade snickered as they exchanged gifts, and sat down to unwrap them.
Technoblade got his open first and paused. Inside was a carefully carved pig, and a wooden crown painted with gold paint. With gentle hands, he reached out and pulled the pig out.
It was evidently carved from scrap wood, probably gathered from their trips out in the forest. Its doleful eyes looked back at him, and he put it down to reach for the crown. Braided and whittled from sticks and vines, the crown was surprisingly sturdy and good-looking, and he marveled Dream's skills.
With slight trepidation, Techno turned to look at Dream, who was silently staring at the gold jewelry in his hands.
All those years back, his parents had given him a single pair of emerald earrings. Technoblade had asked what it was for, and with smiles on their faces and rubies glinting in their ears, they had replied that it was for his soulmate. His partner.
Gladiolus had a tradition. Matching jewelry for partners. It could be rings, earrings, or even necklaces, but it was always made of gold and had a precious stone set into it.
And now, Dream had one of the halves in his hands. Glinting delicately in the moderate light of the attic, Technoblade held his breath as Dream sat stock still, the singular earring held carefully in his hands.
"Technoblade..." Techno's breath caught in his chest as he wondered what Dream was about to say.
"It's beautiful." Technoblade exhaled a breath that he didn't even realize he was holding.
"Yeah, I know your ears aren't pierced, but I just thought since we're going off to knight camp in two years it'll be nice to have something that really matched us, you know?" Technoblade rambled, his nerves getting the better of him.
"Calm down, Tech. I love it." Dream smiled, a sincere grin for once. Technoblade relaxed.
"How are you going to wear it though?" Technoblade asked, nervously fidgeting with the lone emerald in his ear.
Dream smirked. "You're going to help me pierce it." Technoblade blinked.
After a heavy debate, Technoblade sighed in resignation as he rubbed a sewing needle in some alcohol. (They had stolen it from the first aid kit in the bathroom cupboard.)
"If anything goes wrong, it's not my fault." Technoblade reminded again, brushing Dream's curly blonde hair away from his ear. After a short conference, they decided that Dream should have his left ear pierced, as Technoblade had his right.
"I know, I know, just hurry up already." Technoblade sighed, but proceeded, holding the ice up to Dream's ear, numbing it.
"Alright, ready?" Technoblade grumbled, and Dream nodded. Carefully, Technoblade lined up the needle, and with a quick motion, pierced the earlobe. To Dream's credit, he only winced.
Technoblade carefully inserted the earring, and satisfied, leaned back.
Dream carefully touched the earring and grinned.
"I look so cool, don't I?" He excitedly asked.
"Yeah yeah, whatever." Technoblade rolled his eyes, but they both knew that he was secretly pleased that Dream had done it.
"Happy birthday, Dream." Technoblade smiled, his eyes sincere as he gazed at his best friend.
"Happy birthday, Techno." Dream's eyes were just as happy, the emerald in his earlobe matching his green eyes perfectly, sparkling in the dull afternoon sun.
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