[This takes place half a year before Technoblade proposes in the streamer AU, I mentioned how they had gotten into a single bad argument over Tia becoming friends with Eret once more. Here it is.]
[Hurt/no comfort btw lmao]
[TW! Physical altercation?, verbal argument, some physical ?abuse?]
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It's not 'Right Person, Wrong Time." It's "Right Person, I Was Just Stupid.""
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Tia was laughing in a discord call, the icon with her had been unseen for months and months. Eret was laughing through her headphones, both of them ecstatic.
Many long paragraphs full of apologies later, they finally heard each other's voices for the first time in so long. They weren't mended fully, far from it, but it was something. They were mended enough though, weak stitching holding them together by the seams, strong enough to hold a conversation full of laughter as they made those threads stronger.
"God I missed you!" Tia laughed, leaning back in her chair and taking a sip of water. She was grinning, probably the happiest she's been in a bit. Happiest since she finally moved in with her boyfriend, that day was probably the best of her life. The day they got to organize a shared closet with both of their clothes in it, and introduce their dogs knowing they were the only kids they planned on having. Discussing even getting another together.
"I missed you too, this is nice. We should stream soon, maybe fix our shared lore." Eret spoke softly, voice full of care. She could see his little Minecraft character on her screen building. Eret was still working on making another large castle-like building on the SMP. Tia has given up on helping him twenty minutes ago, just handing her materials to him to do the building. It's never been her strong suit.
"I could maybe drive down soon? You just got that new cat, Goose, right? We should hang out and introduce me to the little guy." Tia could remember Eret's tweets about the new cat, a white cat with apparently a very eccentric personality.
Eret hummed, though his response was interrupted by the sound of Tia's front door opening. "Oh, I think Tech is home." Eret could hear the smile in her voice, and Tech call out after he entered the home. Well- apartment. Apparently they are still house hunting.
"I'm home, beautiful!" Eret could hear the voice, and his heart hurt a bit, but he was still happy by the little squeak he heard from Tia on the other end of the call.
"In here!" She called out, and it took mere moments before Eret heard her door open.
Tia was laughing, the brunet having already ran and wrapped her in a hug the second he entered, laughing. Then a cup of iced tea was shoved in her palms, the lid still on with a label from her favorite cafe. A kiss quickly placed on her forehead. "Stopped by that shop on the way home from the store, know you like the Earl Grey there, two sugars."
She just laughed, taking a sip and then placing the cup on her desk, Tech was standing proudly in front of her. The dogs were asleep in the other room, otherwise she knew they would be barking wildly due to their Dad being home. "Love you." She replied simply, hearing Eret in her headphones.
"You two are so cheesy. Holy shit." He commented, though it was lighthearted.
"Shut up." She replied easily.
"Who are ya talkin' to?" Tech said, standing behind her and resting his hands on her shoulders. She was still in her chair.
She paused, knowing that Technoblade hadn't exactly been fond of Eret ever since she broke up with him. He's had a grudge to say the least, and it only got worse after he started going out with Tia himself, as he didn't enjoy that Eret hurt Tia in the first place. "I'm talking to Alastair, we reconnected." She said, trying to sound as causal as she possibly could.
And yet she didn't miss the way his expression darkened for a moment. "Alright. I'm gon' go start up the next episode of Stranger Things, feel free to join me." He just walked out, and Tia was left already knowing he was upset. Probably not at her, but at the situation.
"Oof, did I get you in trouble?" Eret sounded a bit sympathetic, voice a small rumble.
"Eh, I wouldn't say so. He knows to not get mad over this stuff. I mean- why would he?" Tia laughed a bit, shrugging as she closed out of Minecraft. "Though, I'm rewatching Stranger Things with him and I don't want to miss the next episode. I'm gonna check out for today. Talk tomorrow?"
"Yup, I'll be streaming too."
"Cya, dude."
The call ended with the signature sound effect, and she took off her headphones rolling away from her desk, getting out of her chair.
She left the room, stretching a bit and running a hand through her hair.
She saw Technoblade already stretched out lounging on the couch, Floof and Helios curled up with each other on the floor at his feet. Still sound asleep. She wordlessly walked over, the episode starting.
She climbed into his lap, back pressed to his chest. He folded almost immediately, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. "You okay?" She whispered, placing her hand on his.
"Mhm, just don't like him." He responded, moving her hand so he could hold it, intertwining their fingers and pressing a quick kiss to her throat.
"Why not?"
He was silent for a moment, sighing and leaning back. The episode playing in the background, both of them only paying half a mind to it. "It hurts knowin'- that you can love him. That you loved someone other than me like that, even though I know you only love me now, it just hurts knowin' that he's someone you can love." He obviously was struggling to find the words, but he got the point across well enough.
She turned around, now facing him still in his lap. He definitely wasn't paying attention to whatever drama was happening in the episode behind her now. "You're right, I only love you now in this way. So there's no need to worry."
He absolutely melted when she began to kiss him, his hands naturally finding their place on her hips. "Mmmm." He hummed, leaning his head back when she kissed down his jawline. Soft and sweet, each one dangerously closer to becoming a hickey.
Until a certain dog woke up and managed to weasel his way in between them, Floof now on Technoblade's lap expecting pets. "Floof you absolute monster." Technoblade groaned, feeling Tia pull away and instead coddle the small animal. "Fuckin'- evil rat. Literal evil rat." He repeated as she climbed off of his lap, now sitting next to him with the dog in her arms.
"Your child cockblocked you." She laughed, petting Floof as his tongue lolled out. Happy yips as he settled onto her lap.
"Floof I will never forgive you." He paused, rethinking his statement. "I lied, Floof I love you come here."
Tia laughed harder, nuzzling into the side of Technoblade's neck. "I love you."
"I love you too." He whispered back, letting her cuddle into his side. They ended up half paying attention to the show, and half just whispering dumb jokes to the other.
When it all happened a second time it was worse.
It was the middle of the night, and Technoblade had been out of the house for the past week. He hadn't left Tia this long since they started dating, but he had to leave California to go to a merch meeting. He needed to partner with a company in order to copyright the designs let alone properly create them and make them reality. This was going to be an endeavor.
They hadn't gotten to talk much when he was gone, it was business after all.
He was cranky, he hadn't slept much, it was three in the morning and his sleep schedule was fucked from work. He hated carrying these stupid suitcases and his shoulders hurt from his backpack- and that dumb baby crying on the plane ride home didn't help his mood. Moral of the story, he was pissed at life and he just wanted to hug and kiss his girlfriend and see his cute dogs.
He stepped inside, and it was fairly quiet.
That wasn't shocking he supposed. It was late at night, he couldn't blame Tia for being asleep. He could see the dogs cuddled up on the couch, Floof surrounded by Helios. Helios was huge for a Rottweiler, and seeing him so protective over tiny little Floof even in his sleep was hilarious.
That lightened his mood a bit.
He left his suitcases by the door, taking off his backpack. That was a problem for the Technoblade of tomorrow, the Technoblade of now was going to climb into his own bed with Tia. Yeah, that sounded great.
He slipped off his shoes, letting out a sigh and walking up the stairs to the bedroom. Making his way down a familiar hallway, dead silent.
He opened the bedroom door, she wasn't in bed.
He blinked a few times, turning on the light. He thought for a moment maybe he couldn't just see her due to the dark, he pushed up his glasses a bit.
This didn't help his already pissed off mood, part of him knew it was stupid but she knew he was getting home right about now. He had messaged her and everything hours ago. She even replied. It was kind of upsetting enough she didn't stay up for him to get home, but she wasn't even in bed.
He walked over to her office, opening the door.
What he saw kind of made him feel more disgusted than mad.
She was asleep at her desk, headphones still on.
She was in a call with Eret. He could see it had been going for over eight hours.
Technoblade was kind of shaking a bit, and he was tired and annoyed and his back hurt- he just wanted to sleep with his girlfriend and she had been in a call asleep with her ex and-
He snapped.
He knows he shouldn't have. If he was in his right mind he probably would have just woken her up and decided to talk to her about it kindly over breakfast the next morning. Smiled and said that he wasn't too comfortable with her being in long term calls with Eret like that just yet. That he still had to warm up with the idea of her being friends with the other again.
Instead he- probably a bit too forcefully, oh who is he kidding- he ripped the headphones off of her, letting them fall to the ground with a loud fucking noise. She woke up, startled, she was always a light sleeper.
He reached over her, harshly again, angrily making her leave the call and unplugging her computer.
"Huh...?" She was confused from sleep, rubbing at her eyes and processing the situation. His heart ached a bit when she realized he was home, Tia smiled. "Babe-"
"Don't fuckin' call me babe right now." He huffed, riding the high of being pissed due to fifty different things. A small voice in the back of his mind was screaming saying that he was taking out anger on her, the woman he loved.
"What? Was your flight home okay?" She stood up, reaching to take his hands.
He tugged them away.
He wished he didn't.
"It was great." He spat, words full of sarcasm. "It's even better when I get home and I find that you're asleep and have been in a call with your ex for over eight hours. Have you been doin' this every day I'm gone? What the fuck are you talkin' to him for?"
She had to blink a few times, rubbing at her eyes again. This is when the guilt set in. God she looked so tired, when was the last time she slept? She looked so tired oh my god- wait, shit, didn't she say she couldn't sleep the day he left because he wasn't in bed with her? He thought she was just being all cute and exaggerating.
"Can we- can we talk about this in the morning? I can't think." She whispered, taking a step forward to him, reaching to grab his hands again. "Let's just go sleep. I want you to tell me everything you saw on your trip tomorrow and then we can talk about this-"
He took a step back. "I seriously can't believe you're talkin' with him again, and for that long? Am I not enough for you? I had to come home to this after a week, Tia. I don't know what you were doin' with him for that week."
She looked dumbfounded. "Dude, he was just helping me sleep. I missed you, I love you. You know this. Do you seriously not trust me? If you want me to back off from him a bit and take our friendship slower I can. I think you're just tired, can we please sleep and talk when you're in a better mindset?"
He doubled down. "Bullshit!" He did it, the one thing he promised to not do in their relationship. They had promised in arguments to never raise their voices, she had said it never helps. That people just do it to overpower others. "I had TOLD you I don't like you talkin' to him months ago and when I'm GONE I find THIS!"
That usually men do it because they know they can be louder and stronger.
He agreed and they promised.
He screamed at her.
He heard the dogs barking downstairs. He woke them up. Fuck.
Tia looked shocked, not mad, shocked. "I-" She stuttered over her words, and he knew he fucked up further when her expression hardened. "Stop yelling at me. You know me, and you know I don't cheat. You're on an emotional low right now obviously from your trip, and I'm not a goddamn punching bag. I'll sleep in the guest room tonight."
She went to walk away.
His next mistake out of the many that night was to grab her wrist before she could leave.
He later would kiss the bruises from it, because he gripped her arm so hard it left marks.
"Let go." She insisted, looking back to him.
"I want an apology." He furthered his argument, internally knowing he was wrong and he couldn't just fucking accept that.
"What? You seriously want an apology for something I didn't do right now? Let go of me." She went to tug her wrist away.
Another mistake.
He tugged her toward him, harshly.
He wasn't exactly a strong person, he played games for a living, but she wasn't too physically strong either. He was a man, he was bigger. And he wasn't letting her leave with force.
That was the first time she looked scared of him. He won't ever forget it.
"I said I want an apology before I fucking sleep-"
"Let go of me-"
She still hasn't raised her voice, the dogs were upstairs now.
He huffed, snapping again. "Whatever." He let go of her, but shoved her back a bit when he did. She stumbled, but didn't fall.
She held her wrist with her other hand.
He was upset, he was tired, he was mad at the trip and the fifty things that happened on it, his back and shoulders hurt, and he was pissed at Eret. One thing was certain. He was not actually mad at Tia. He was mad at the version of her he made in his head, the version of her that he crafted that was romantically talking to Eret again. Because that part of him was insecure in their relationship.
He took it out on her.
So she was shocked. She was scared. And now she was crying.
The dogs were in the room now.
"I'm- I'm just-" She stumbled over her words, and then took steps back from him, slowly moving around him so she was an arms length away, her eyes watching him. She grabbed her phone, later he would realize what she was doing from a self defense talk her and Niki were having once in a voice chat. He had joined originally to play games but the conversation somehow had led to Tia helping Niki with basic knowledge on physical protection. He only remembered when he realized she was practicing self defense against him in those moments.
"Yeah I used to take self defense classes." Tia had said in the discord call, Niki had mentioned being scared of male fans. Not wanting to be cornered at the slim chance someone had ulterior motives.
"Really?" Niki replied. "Any tips then?"
"Well..." Tia started, humming. "If you're in a closed in space like you said, nobody around, the first thing you should do is get out your phone."
Tia dialed a number on her phone, still an arms length away from him.
"My phone...? How can that help in self defense." Niki sounded confused, and Technoblade listening in was confused too.
"Niki, we're girls. Self defense for us isn't physical, almost all men would win in physical altercations with us. Self defense against a man isn't a physical fight, it's survival by any means necessary."
"Damn." Technoblade muttered, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat.
"So I take out my phone..." Niki asked.
"And then you call someone you know will pick up, anyone. Call the cops if you believe the man is for sure a threat, but if you just need someone to listen in as a precaution call a friend, most harassers will leave if they know there's a witness. Crisis averted." Tia had sounded so serious in that moment, he could hear Niki hum.
He could hear Wilbur on the phone, he paused, shocked. Why had she called Wilbur? She must have known he would pick up this late because of the time zone difference.
Later he would remember why she called him.
She began to leave the room, staring at him and far away, she then ran down the hallway, he let her. Wilbur on the phone asking why she called, he could barely hear his voice.
"Then, you keep your eyes on the danger at all times while you leave. Make sure you're an arms length away. The second you're out of their line of site you run. Leave everything behind, if you had put down your purse or jacket or something, your life is your top priority. All material possessions you deem worthless if it isn't already in your hands." Tia spoke calmly, and it was almost worrying how much she knew. Technoblade hated how women had to learn these things.
"Thank you, really thank you." Niki replied.
He heard the front door open, he began to make his way down the hallway and down the stairs. He could see her grabbing the keys from the little bowl on the table by the front door, all the keys were in it. She put it there with him so they wouldn't lose their car keys anymore.
He remembered picking it out with her, they were just antique shopping and they found the stupid old looking bowl. It had dumb little pig designs on it, so they couldn't just leave it.
"Where are you going?!" He yelled down, not angrily but confused, she looked terrified, she was about to put on her shoes.
"Wil- no Wil I'm okay I'm just- please stay on the phone." She rushed out.
She grabbed her shoes, he watched as she didn't even put them on. She just ran out the door and closed the door behind her. Running down the apartment hallway barefoot.
The only good thing he did that night was to decide to not follow her. He would have made it worse if he did. He knows that now.
Tia was running down the stairwell, still not responding to Wilbur.
"Torva? Hey?! Are you okay? I heard yelling!" Wilbur spoke concerned, and she went into the parking lot to her car.
"I'm fine- my wrist stings a bit but whatever." She huffed out, unlocking the car and getting inside, locking it immediately and putting on her shoes. Then putting the phone on speaker and placing it in her cup holder before sighing.
"What happened? Do I need to call the cops?" He sounded genuinely terrified for her.
"Tech and I got into an argument- I think. I don't even know if I could call that an argument honestly." She laughed out, trying to find humor in anything she could. Starting the car and beginning to drive away. She didn't even know where.
"What?! I mean- you two never argue. Did you say your wrist hurt? What's happening??"
"It's fine, nothing uh- too bad." She laughed awkwardly again, already driving down some random road. Part of her hoping to get lost so she could sit around for a bit. "He grabbed me, shoved me a bit. He's just tired and upset from his work trip, I uh- shit." There was silence for a bit, neither of them really knowing what to say. "Sorry for calling- I shouldn't have. I just wanted someone there incase things..." she cringed. "Escalated...? Fuck that sounds so bad- I promise I trust him but I kind of got spooked for a second there. You can go, I'll just drive a bit so he can calm down."
Wilbur was still silent.
"He like... actually grabbed you? Like...? Actually put his hands on you like that...?"
"Ah- I'm- I'm just blowing this out of proportion I promise. It literally isn't bad my wrist just stings a bit, maybe bruised, I'm not even hurt." She was laughing again, even though some tears were falling down her face. She had to pull over onto the side of the road in some random neighborhood she found herself in, tears blurring over her vision and she knew it wasn't safe to drive like that.
"Tia, look he's my best friend and-"
"I know, Tech wouldn't hurt a fly, it's seriously nothing bad."
"I heard part of that whole thing, dude. He's not... he's not in his right mind. And yes, it's bad, he shouldn't have fucking done that HOLY SHIT- ITS SETTING IN NOW-" he began yelling, and she could hear something fall to the ground. It sounded like a cup or plate.
Tia's eyes widened, still wiping at tears. "You okay dude?"
"Sorry! Knocked over my mug-" he laughed awkwardly, and Tia couldn't help but smile despite the situation.
"Were you seriously drinking coffee this late?" She accused the brunet, starting up her car again. Seeing she was low on gas, deciding to just get a full tank while she was out.
"Bold of you to assume it's coffee."
"It's coffee."
"Fuck off."
There was silence for a few moments before they both burst into laughter, Tia pulling into the gas station and taking her phone out while she filled up her car's tank. "I love you, dude. Thanks for hanging out on call with me."
"Do you want to talk about it? It's alright if not. I can forget all of this if you want." He spoke softly, and she swears her heart melted a little bit.
"He was upset because he came home and I was in call with Eret, I wasn't able to sleep so he kinda talked my ear off til' I did. Tech got pissed before I could explain." She sighed, paying for the gas and getting back in her car. "He uh- he grabbed me I guess. Didn't hit me."
"He better Fuckin' have not- I would fly down and beat the shit outta him if he did. He's one of my best friends but I won't hesitate." He sounded so serious that it caught her off guard.
"He was just high on emotions or whatever..." She began to ignore the floods of calls and messages pouring in. All from a familiar pink heart as a contact name, she never bothered to put 'Tech' there. The emoji was just associated with him now.
"... that... isn't an excuse...? I mean- Tia I'll be completely honest here and say I love you two being together. So many people would argue there isn't a better match, but I wouldn't blame you if you took a step back. We'd all be heartbroken but... nobody would blame you."
That's kind of when it set in. This was kind of grounds where someone would break up with someone else. But also, Tech and Tia haven't really argued before. Not like this. Sure maybe a joking disagreement here or there but, never an actual argument. Plus they've just... been interwoven with each other's lives for so long. "I wouldn't be able to. Even if he did it all over again."
"That's worrying."
"I know."
Silence followed again, but this time it wasn't broken by laughter.
"You... I know you two are frankly so in love I'm sickened but... you have to promise you'll leave if something ever did actually happen. I know he wouldn't truly hurt a fly, and I can hear your phone buzzing every second through the line. But if on the off chance that he did..."
"I'll promise." She said, though they both knew it was kind of an empty one.
"Alright, you want me to stay on the line?"
"Nah I'll... probably get a hotel for the night. Or the next few. Have him drown in guilt for a bit."
"That's fair."
"Love you Will, goodnight." Tia began driving again, not even looking up directions in google yet. Driving aimlessly.
"Goodnight, stay safe."
Tia heard the line go dead, but that's fine. Because she felt just a bit dead too.