This morning, was a grim feeling morning.

You were restless in the house, pacing about all antsy and trying to do everything you could to keep busy.

You cleaned, you organized. Everything Philza would need done, you had done, just to set yourself to work.

Because today was the day they'd be arriving back in L'manberg. If they weren't all dead.

Today was the day the news of whether Techno was caught or killed gets revealed.

Phil was calm, sitting at the balcony with his legs crossed, a practiced state of mind running full length through him. He was waiting just as much as you were waiting, but he had none of the worries you did.

Almost like a hawk who was hovering in a high current, eyeing the situation from all angles and bidding his time.

"Philll!!" You call from downstairs.

"Wat!" He calls instantly back.

"Where do you want your obsidian??"

A noise of discontent comes from Phil, muffled through the floor, but loud enough for you to catch his tone.

"Mate- leave it! You sorted through it five times already, my storage mess can't get any cleaner!"

With a harrumph, you look back at the obsidian in your hand.

Fucking...

Stupid rock.

Why can't it be more disorganized- so that organizing its disorganization can give your mind something to do.

With another fustrated breath of air, you set the obsidian down. In a different spot. Aka, in a different chest, aka, the bottom chest.

You couldn't take how long this day felt. Everything was dragging and it was terrible.

With a groan, you flop back on the floor and just...

Think.

Your mind is going stir crazy with all of the thoughts running around- you needed to do something.

Techno was in possible danger.

Maybe he's dead- maybe he isn't- you really hope he isn't.

You've just started to feel the accursed thing called attachment grow for him. A tentative grow- any wrong thing could squash it- but he made it so hard to dislike his company- and his dumb laughs- and even dumber thirst for violence-

Fuck him.

But also please be alive.

You can't make up you're mind on how you want to feel- so in turn all you feel is stress.

"Hey!" Phil calls, "Get up here."

Did... something new happen???

You rush, fumbling your way off the floor, rushing up the ladder and all but tripping over Phil as you stopped at the balcony.

"What is it?? Did Techno give you a text???"

Phil tilts his head up at you with a smile, "No, I just wanted you to come up here and wait with me."

"Phillll..."

When you frown, he smiles, and you groan again before flopping down next to him.

"Phhhillll......"

He cackles, plopping a hand on your face to pat it twice before calmly pulling it back, "We'll get news soon enough. We just gotta be patient, you know?"

You harshly bit your lip.

Eyes squinted in fustration.

"Or... I could help out..."

Phil sideglances you with a look you know means he doesn't like what you're implying, but let's you keep speaking, "I could... really help out and fly over there... maybe crush a few things- spook them so hard they don't ever come back."

Phil purses his lips, "You could. Are you ready for that big of a target to be painted on your back?" He makes direct eyecontact, "You and I both know you're a double edged sword."

You push air out of your lunges. No response. Because you don't know. You genuinely don't know.

You're fustrated, and helpless feeling, and... spooking them would quell that rage, but....

Do you want them to know what's out there?

Do you want four enemies (you think?) to know exactly what you're capable of?

You close your eyes, sitting up straight, trying your best to mimic how calm he was.

You only get to close your eyes for a few seconds when Phil shoves his elbow into your side, two harsh pokes that have you snapping your eyes open.

You open your mouth to protest, but stop when you realize Phil's far too focused on something else.

All it took was following his line of sight, two calm blue eyes turning worried at what he saw.

Technoblade.

The tall, imposing Technoblade, all fur and blood, puffed up defensively with chains dragging on his hands.

He looked wild, tusks tapered off into a curve, eyes so furrowed with irritation you could barely see them between the fuzz of his face. He was a boar again- clearly ready to fight but... not fighting? He didn't have his mask on either, and you could only assume they took it or he somehow got it knocked off.

Mild slashes littered his form, like they were fighting, and he was winning- but then-

Why in the world was he here?? He looked completely fine aside from the occasional stray cut. Why would he be willingly following them?

Phil was wrong- and deep in your gut you felt even more stress trying to eat its way out of you.

"Phil... I thought..." You bite your lip harshly, fully ready to break skin if only to quell yourself.

The harsh prickle of scales goosebumped along your jaw.

"I know what I said..." He whispered, just as confused as you.

On the contrast to how pristine Techno looked, everyone hauling him in looked terrible.

Like they had a face off with death and nearly gave in.

Observing from afar was agonizing.

You wanted to be closer, to help in some way, but you were tied in your thoughts.

Phil stood up as they rounded closer to the house, "..They actually got him..." Phil supplied, almost breathless- almost as if he wasn't believing what he was currently seeing until it got closer and more tangible.

Techno's ears flicked, catching the noise Phil made, and in turn clocking his head in that direction. Everyone harshly pulled at Techno's chains as he turned two wild eyes to you and Phil.

If he wanted he could pull both of them to follow him.

Both of the people on his chains had zero control over him- something had to be forcing him to stay in line-

"PHIL- WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU-" he yelled- confused and appalled, eyes flicking from the standing Phil to the sitting you, "WHAT DID THEY DO TO BOTH OF YOU-"

You could see something.

Something deep in his eyes that looked wild, and angry. A bloodlust so overpowering that the fact that he wasn't killing anyone right now was a wonder of itself.

Techno is harshly tugged, and he relents, letting himself manually get pulled away, though he maintains eyecontact with you for as long as he can before he's forced to pay attention to what one of them was saying.

And then you saw what was keeping him in line.

Carl.

The big fluffy horse he was, tiny little Quackity seated on his back, trotting away from the docks.

A hostage.

Of course.

How else were they supposed to make him cooperate?

Harsh words were traded, from one to another, and when Quackity finally came back, Carl missing, they briefly got into a scuffle, Quackity shoving at Techno's broad shoulders and squinting in fustration at something else that came out of Techno's mouth.

Probably a jest- a mock. Techno is always unbelievably calm in tense situations. Which is clearly upsetting Quackity.

Finally, they led Techno up the stage, shoving him into a cage, and with a dizzying glance upwards you see exactly what they plan to do.

The scales prickle even farther, and you feel Phil place a hand on your shoulder. The squeeze he gave you seemed to try and make you calmer, but it did nothing of the sort. Only serving to make you more antsy.

You couldn't hear words but you definitely heard noises, angry noises, with angry people-

"Phil."

He doesn't look at you.

"I don't like this."

He nods, but doesn't speak, eyes finally reverting back into their oddly calm usual. He was accepting fate already. You knew that much.

If he said anything, you couldn't hear.

Everyone was organizing themselves, people shuffling to and fro as Techno stood idly in the cage.

A strange figure started to cross the dock- a blue sheep trotting after a yellow sweatered man.

It was a strange sight- you even saw him talk to Techno- but you were too far to hear what was exchanged, much less try and recognize who it was.

All you could focus on was Techno. Living.

And the thought of what comes after.

Tubbo was giving a speech-

He was imposing for such a small person. For such a young person.

Something about that thought makes you feel anxious.

But before he could even finish, someone from above teleported down and started reeking havoc.

Ponk? Purpled?

You didn't bother to keep track.

Too busy watching Techno glance from person to person- analyzing everything that was happening in very nearly the same manner you were.

From beside you, Philza shuffled, bow being grabbed, breath baited and eyes narrowed in on the machine.

Narrowed in on Quackity as he scurried away from the commotion.

He was desperate to end everything, you could tell in the sloppy way he threw his feet forwards, to the way his face crunched inwards, to the panicked sound of his yelling. Both you, and Phil, watched as Quackity lunged for the lever, heaving it down with a clunk.

Everything slowed down.

From the clunk of the lever, to the fleeing form of ponk- to each and every L'manberg citizen who was distracted and confused- heads turning at the sound of redstone lighting up.

The sound it makes is distinct. Just a small click- like a light switch being flicked- like a door being opened- the sound grew distant the farther up in the sky it climbed until you couldn't hear it anymore.

So your eyes flickered down- to Techno- to the unwilling participent. From this distance you could barely catch the sight of his eyes widening- jaw clenching in anticipation as reality set in.

He was going to die.

He was going to die and you couldn't stop it.

From beside you Phil moved again- you watched him pull an arrow back against the bowstring- taking aim- firing as if that would stop the object that was currently falling.

He was going to die.

Your vision went fuzzy- hearing all but static and eyes staring dead center at Techno- Not at the anvil, or Philza's arrow sailing across the sky to try and stop it from striking- but at Techno.

Scales prickled faster then you could stop- crawling up your face- your hand all but clawing out your mouth with how hard you had it pressed to your face.

For a moment-

Just a small moment, the world was different.

It wasn't you, eyes wide, legs unmoving- and it wasn't Techno, currently getting his skull crushed-

It was a figure, horns proud upon its head even as it collapsed with a wicked and ear piercing screech-

The feeling of holding something close and smothering it to your chest ghosted your arms- a memory- a raw, and soul piercing memory-

A memory just as red as the present.

Red.

Red red redredred-

The anvil hit-

It landed just as it was intended-

But instead of blood splattering everywhere, there was a brief flash of green and golden light- you could barely catch the look of a body reforming itself with how bright it was. But when the noise settled- and the light faded- there was Techno.

Standing outside the cage, ripping his arm free from one of the iron bars and running.

Hope blossomed in your chest.

He wasn't dead.

He wasn't being held in your arms as you remembered death often had you do.

Nobody seemed to know what to do.

But Phil did.

You stared after Techno, feeling the heat of a hand press against your shoulder.

The shove you needed to move.

"Go." Phil murmered. Voice soft, but confident. Like he knew this is what you needed.

So, with his hand and voice, with his shove.

You went.

Right off the balcony, stumbling for only a moment before you chased after Techno.

Quackity had the same idea as you, already taking off after Techno, which left you to chase down the both of them.

A third figure was in the mix- Dream.

The mask he had on was titled toward Techno, but almost the moment you spotted him he flicked his gaze to you. Something small and metal seemed to shimmer near the supplies on his belt.

You didn't have time to focus though.

Making a mad dash past confused L'manberg citizens, across the docks, you had to catch up. Not sit and stare.

You slowed down as you neared the cave that Techno and Dream slunk into, realizing that if you ran faster right now, you'd pass Quackity's gaze, and you'd much rather not be caught by him.

The hope that had been blossoming in your chest calmed you. Somehow. It felt like things would be okay, so you let that thought take your mind as you slowly crept after Quackity.

Techno was in the cave first, and subsequently had the most time to get away- if he was planning on getting away.

Quackity made movement to enter the cave as well, which had you carefully following after him. But in a strange twist of events, Quackity whipped himself around, staring you dead on.

You freeze in the confusion of being caught- staring directly into the dark furrowed eyes of one very pissed off looking person.

"Get over here-" he growls- and reaches for you, to which you shuffle away from him.

His expression gets even angrier- eyes looking stormier then ever, and despite that, a big grin stretches on his face.

"You. Are going to come with me. And be cooperative about it."

"I've been cooperative enough as of late." You say, trying your best to give him a dark look back, trying to channel everything you felt while they ransacked Phil's house, and everything you felt when they literally almost murdered Techno.

Your scowl definitely had an effect. As not one moment after you glared at him, he let out an aggravated puff of air and reached again-

Which started a chase-

He would keep grabbing, you would keep barely out of reach- before finally you had enough of him keeping you from checking on Techno, pulling everything in your self taunt, and shoving past Quackity.

He yelled after you, and you could hear his feet on your heel- but you absolutely refused to look behind you.

Looking behind you would make you slow down in your mad dash for the cave.

Run run run- turn- dash through the entrance-

Maybe you're a worse runner then you thought you were, and maybe he was closer on your heel then you suspected, cause not a moment later a harsh yank on your upper arm stopped you.

You pulled hard to free yourself- and it worked to an extent- until you got yanked again, close enough for an axe blade to sweep around the front of you, holding so close to your neck that the bit of the axe cut a sliver of skin open.

A small, innocent bead of blood formed, staying on the cut with how small it was, but threatening to fall.

"Alright- here's how this is gonna go." Quackity's voice was dark, "I'm gonna walk in there with you, you're not gonna struggle unless you want to loose a life, and Techno is gonna walk back the fuck up that stage."

You swallowed.

Should you comply?

It's not like he could kill you right now-

But not complying means showing off that you can casually come back.

Maybe-

Quackity started walking, forcing you forward.

Maybe you can duck to the side? Get your arm nicked instead of your head lobbed off?

The harsh grip on your upper arm was cutting off circulation, and everytime you stepped forward you were almost tripped into the axe by Quackity's following feet.

This isn't good- you don't have a plan- there's nothing good you can think to do to get out of this.

Before you knew it, you were being pushed right into view of Techno, who's back was turned, but at the sound of you both walking in, he flicked his head around.

Dream was gone. Like he was never here to begin with, and Carl stood farther behind Techno snorting idly to himself as he investigated the ground.

"Heyyyy Techno-" you awkwardly grinned, "Funny meeting you here?"

Techno squints at you, "Can I just say that we always meet on completely normal terms?"

"Shut the fuck up both of you-" Quackity growls, axe held closer to your neck.

You catch Techno's eyes narrow in on that, just a small squint, and a small tick of his eyebrows, before any sort of disdain on his face melds back into calm cool and collected.

"Technoblade- how the fuck did that anvil not kill you."

"Did you really think, Quackity, that you could kill me that easily?" Techno straightens his shoulders, "You think death can stop me?"

There was a pause, and you felt Quackity's grip tighten as he watched Techno's eyes gleam red with fustration.

"You- You know what? I've got a lot to say- I was gonna say it at the trial but we got a little bit interrupted-"

You watch Techno's figure puff- just a little bit, as he spread his arms out in an open handed gesture.

"You know I tried convincing you guys that government was not the answer- that government was actually the cause of all your problems. I tried convincing you guys by fighting alongside you as brothers, and you just cast me aside. You used me. And when I swore off violence?"

He huffed, and his figure puffed a bit more, eyes looking more and more red with violent thoughts.

"You hunted me down, you hurt my friends." His eyes flickered to you for a small moment.

When Quackity made movement to respond, Techno fully puffed up, a boar standing in his place, staring down at the two of you.

You could feel Quackity tense- you could tell he was intimidated, from the way he silently swallowed, and the way he had to take a breath to keep talking, "You do not understand what we're trying to build Techno- this is not a simple anarchy thing- I am building a country out there and what we need is organization, and power."

Techno's ears flick backwards.

And even though Quackity was intimidated- his voice held strong, "I don't care how long it takes me, I'm going to fucking kill you."

Oh to remember the days when you were but a humble prisoner who sung a single song and watched Quackity strum a tune.

Silence ushers in.

Two tense individuals ready to fight.

The axe felt like it was getting closer to your neck.

"I have...haha-" Techno still hasn't broken eye contact with Quackity, "I just have one question."

Teeth bared and eyes growing wide with excitement, "You really think you're enough to kill me? Even unarmed and in iron armor?"

The tension finally snapped-

This was it-

You had to do something now.

You felt Quackity's axe swing backwards- completely ready to lob off your head- but as he swung, you lunged yourself forward-

Meaning the only thing he was in range for, was the arm he was still tightly gripping.

You hit the floor faster then you thought you would.

The grip Quackity had on you was the only thing that would have kept you up with how much force you used to lunge forward.

Which meant he wasn't holding you anymore.

The first thing you recognized was the sound of potions-

Splashing and shattering everywhere.

Then the sound of blood filtered in- the thick dripping splotch of red against stone.

Your eyes fluttered- open to close open to close- fixed on the red that was spilling on the ground.

The stone was cold.

And the sound of scuffling boots was loud. You looked up to vaguely take in Techno and Quackity fighting.

Quackity could barely even hit Techno- and when he did, whatever potion Techno drank made the axe blade leave little scratches instead of the usual big gaps of missing flesh.

That wasn't a fair fight.

You let out a huff of amusement, before looking away from them, shakily staring at the blood again.

That is definitely from you.

Your right hand reaches out, grabbing at your upper arm, feeling down it until there was a noticeable gap of empty air.

Huh.

"Well isn't that unusual?"

Nobody heard you say that- you could still hear them fighting, but humor was making you feel something aside from panic, so you reached your hand again, not for your upper arm, but for your lower arm- laying flat on the ground.

Maybe leaning forward wasn't the best idea- because things were getting a bit foggy- and your muscles were starting to not cooperate. Going headfirst into your own blood wasn't the intention, but it was what happened anyway.

Techno yelled something- not that you could hear too well- so you tried glancing up but only caught the fall of Quackity's dead body before it poofed away and all his stuff got dropped onto the floor.

Techno immediately and efficiently sorted through all of Quackity's stuff- fast and hurried, and just shy of fumbling with things from how panicked he seemed to be.

When he finished, he was over by you in an instant- a hand pulling you up and setting you against a wall-

Your head got fuzzier- not enough blood to really pump back up into your brain- but you tried to stay lucient.

His hand wrapped something around your stub of an arm- probably to try and stop the bleeding- but as soon as he realized that wasn't working, he hoisted you up, walking somewhere with you, before placing you on something much higher up.

The smell of hay, and the snort of a horse told you it was Carl.

Big fluffy.

Big fluffy guy.

Good guy.

"My arm..." You hoarsely force out.

A hand gets put to your head, hushing you, words are spoken, but it sounds like words that would be used to try to quiet you. Console maybe?

"No... my arm- get it...-"

It was taking everything in you to wrangle your senses.

A shuffling noise.

Another sound of his voice.

Something large and warm slid behind you, a wall that wrapped an arm around you to keep you steady on the horse and not on the ground.

Then you felt the muscles in Carl begin to move- a steady thrum of power with a tune that went thunk-thunk-thunk against the stone.

Fuck.

You weren't loosing yourself.

You really hope he grabbed your arm.

Without an ounce of willpower in you- you blanked.

.

.

.

.

...

..

.

......

.

When you awoke- you were awkwardly sitting in a saddle- neck aching because of the fact that you had it hanging for so long.

Your arm felt sticky- as did your clothes- and your face. When you glanced at your hands you caught sight of the partially dried blood all over you.

Huh.

Heat was settled all around you, red netherack sprawling in every direction you glanced.

There was a hand forcing you to be on the horse, warm- just about warmer then the nether air itself.

You eyed it, still reeling from the cut off in consciousness.

You recognized that hand.

And that arm.

That arm that vanished from your vision because you couldn't look behind you unless you twisted fully in your place on the saddle, and you couldn't twist because a hand was keeping you there.

It was spread across your abdomen, confining.

"...Techno...?"

You softly call, unsure as to why he was still silent- and what was happening- and how he was feeling- and if he was hurt.

He grunted- and you felt the noise vibrate from his chest to your back.

"You grabbed my arm." You say, looking at the arm that was once again connected to your body.

He grunts again, humming before softly replying with a, "You kinda told me to."

You pull your right hand up, settling it against the hand that was pressed across your abdomen, softly squeezing before saying, "I'm okay now."

No response.

He doesn't speak, and he doesn't move his hand.

Only the steady bob of Carl cantering making your bodies move.

You feel your face flush with heat when he didn't remove his arm.

Ah.

Alright.

"Has anyone ever told you that watching your limbs reach for each other is weird?" Techno starts off with.

"Weird?" You scoff, "Has anyone ever told you that your red lines are strange?"

"Only you. No one else gets to see my lines because its personal business." He scoffs a laugh, "Your arm went eldritch horror on me and actively reached its little veins out to reconnect."

There was a pause. The information sinking in for both parties before he finished with a, "Weird."

"Another Tuesday for me." You grumble.

There's a small moment of pause again before he laughs that laugh of his, hand unintentionally closing tighter around you, forcing you farther into his chest.

"You know what, I think I genuinely don't understand anything that just happened. Here I am, being a decent human being, takin' you back to my house to see if I can somehow stitch your arm back on- and now you're completely fine??" His own laugh interrupts him, "You are genuinely fine, and talking like you didn't just put 14 quarts of blood all over the side of Carl."

"Yeah. Average Tuesday." You bite your cheek and scoff in amusement, "What I'd like to know is how you got yourself a totem of undying."

A coy sounding noise came from him, "And I have no obligation to tell you."

Hardy har.

He can be smug all he wants. With a stretch of your arms and a tilte of your head, you reach for him.

Pressing the crown of your head against his chest you stare up at him to try and gage his face, pressing both of your bloody hands against his cheeks and forcing him to make eye contact with you when he didn't look down.

"Being smug is only reserved for people who think their secrects are worth something. Tell me, is it really so important that you can't tell the person who literally died?" You stare blankly at him smile slowly forming when he stared back with a loss of words. His red eyes burned.

Before he can find a response, Carl slams to a stop, sliding, and making both of you jolt forward.

Unfortunately that makes Techno's chin clunk into the top of your head, and also unfortunately, that makes the only thing that saved you from toppling over Carl's head was Techno's hand, which squeezed you a tad too tight for comfort.

"Fuck-" your groan, rubbing where Technos chin clunked into you, looking up and catching sight of what stopped Carl.

A ledge, that led right off into an abyss of lava.

"Someone doesn't know how to steer." You jab, grinning when he huffs.

"I was perfectly aware of everything happening."

"And I'm ready for take two of how we met."

An amused scoff, and then a kick of his heels against Carl to turn and keep walking the path. The reigns jingled as he pulled them to the left.

A silence fell between both of you.

You weren't sure how to fill the gap.

Too many words to be said, so many things that could be asked.

That was an eventful 20 minutes.

For however scrambled your thoughts were, you at least knew one thing you were certain of.

"I'm glad you're okay." You murmer, once again squeezing at his hand, which finally peeled off your side.

He held it out flat, and you traced gently over the calluses and scars.

He grunted, and when you moved your hand off of his he switched to loosely hold the reigns with both hands. Both his forearms were idle at your waist with that action

"....I'm glad you're fine too." He says in a low voice.

So there it was.

Just you, and Techno, and Carl, all in the nether.

"What I want to to know is why your arm gets cut off and it's fine, but the minute an arrow shoots you, you collapse."

You laugh.

Whatever softness that was coming from both of you shatters as of course, Techno starts going through the logistics of battle, and what advantages you could have over everyone else.

"Like- if I had the op ability to grow back limbs I would exploit that so hard-"

You genuinely couldn't keep your laughter in- and when he acknowledges the fact that you find him funny he let's out a small laugh of his own before proddingly asking, "Alright- Listen here- I don't see how you think this is funny- do you know how advantageous this could be? I'm talking element of surprise, undying battle type of stuff, okay?"

You scoff, "Sounds like someone is too conniving for they're own good."

He snorts and replies with his dry tone of voice, "No- Me? Conniving? How could you."

"I didn't specify that it was you."

He's taken aback by the reply before chuckling again- the eye roll almost audible despite having no visual of his eyes at the moment.

"Sooo.... arrows??" He questions, "Arrows are your weakness...?"

"And you're trying to figure out what kills me... why?"

Instead of stuttering for an answer he very straightforwardly goes, "So we know what to avoid." Almost like he thought about this already.

We.

Like we were a team.

Not you, or I or him.

We.

For some reason...

Trusting him with information was starting to feel natural.

The caving walls of your soul just-... crumbled everytime you both pushed at each other-

Maybe... you wanted to tell him what could kill you?

Maybe you wanted to believe you were a team?

What once was such a horrifying thought- didn't sound so bad.

"You're aware that I'm not human."

You begin with, reiterating previous information, building up to a ramp before properly explaining to him. He hums in confirmation.

"And you know that... I can be much, much bigger then just little tiny person me."

He hums again

"Well... whenever I go from little tiny me- to big guy me- there's this weird grey area where people can just... fly swat me? And then I'm dead?"

"So when that arrow hit you...?"

"I was 'bout to go big guy mode."

"Which is bad, because-"

"Because anything could have wiped me out of existence, yes." You confirm, "...Thanks again... for keeping me alive somehow..."

He grunts, a small noise struggling in his throat like he wanted to say something, before he settled on nothing.

"So that's you're only weakness?" He eventually says.

"Pretty much. You can kill me in 'big guy mode', but only if you sit there for hours and try to peirce a single spot in my skin." You hum, "Which I don't consider a weakness."

A deep feeling settled into your gut now that you got that off your chest.

Now that Techno knew, there was no telling what he could use that information for.

He could kill you himself, or have someone else try to kill you- or trade that information for more power-

Or-

Just-

Everything wrong could happen.

To ground yourself you had to try and circle back to every instance you've doubted Techno.

How much he follows through in his loyalty. How much Phil trusts him.

Techno wouldn't do something to hurt you... would he?

Surely not.

You refocus into realty, watching Techno's rough hands gently direct Carl around. Feeling the beating of hooves against the path, feeling Techno's large body behind you- a comfort. Not an enemy.

"I know this is an age old question..." Techno starts, "And I know it's probably kind of sensitive for you... but what are you, really?"

Nope.

Nopenope nope-

You've already gone out of your comfort zone to trust him with some information.

You're comfort zone has been walked across enough today.

"Perhaps a different time for that question?" You meekly say. Because today you couldn't do that. You trusted him much more then you ever realized you could, but too much was too much- and another day was the only way for the right words to ever come out of your throat.

"Another day." He repeats.

Almost on que to the end of the conversation, a nether portal comes into view, Carl picking up pace as if he recognized that that was the way home.

Home.

Huh.

Strange thought.

That little cottage certainly felt like home, even if it had no right to do so.

Techno pulled the reigns back, slowing Carl to a trot, letting him calmly walk through the dizzying mist of purple.

As soon as he was on the other side, and the effects of the portal weren't lingering, he set back into a canter.

The swelling winds weren't doing you too well.

Your fingers felt the effects of the cold almost instantly, so when Techno leaned down, and took some of the brunt of the wind, you felt incredibly thankful.

Thank the gods someone could stand cold weather.

Eventually, enough galloping through the endless hills of snowy nothingness, and there it was.

A little speck of cottage in the distance.

The smoke that usually came through the chimney wasn't there, evidence that no one had been there in a while.

As you rounded closer, Techno began slowing Carl, a smooth transition before he stood still at the front of the stable.

Techno swooped off first, touching ground and looking up to you, who was shivering and aching at the loss of your wind buffer.

He flips the reigns around Carl's head to hold them, grabbing at the base to hold him steady while waiting for you to dismount.

"Alright- let's get you inside Achilles." He says, holding a hand up to help you down, which you take purely because you're chasing after anything to help with your shivering.

You didn't question the name, too tired to put much effort into thinking.

As soon as you're down, Techno shifts, leading Carl into the stable and setting to work un-saddling Carl.

"You can head in if you want. I have to get Carl brushed and ready for the cold." He pauses, "Not mentioning any names, but someone put blood all over him. Which needs cleaned."

You don't reply, merely ambling into the stable and watching Techno work at Carl.

Un-strapping his saddle, hefting it onto the fence, removing the reigns and brushing through all the ice that settled into Carl's fur.

Carl seemed more then happy to sit there for once. Enjoying the grooming and probably ready to just relax after being dragged around who knows how long.

Techno takes such good care of Carl. Always making sure he's okay, and fed and brushed.

They always say you can learn a lot by looking at how others treat animals.

"I can hear your teeth chattering." Comes from Techno's low, unamused voice.

"No you can't-"

"Go inside. Start the fire okay? It's gonna be cold inside."

You stare into Techno's back before huffing.

He makes a point.

But you kinda wanted to ask him if he could take you to Tommy. Phil never got to take you.

Obviously you wouldn't push him to take you now, because when someone gets literally executed, you could understand wanting alone time... but eventually.

You suppose you could wait to ask him until you got inside though.

It was cold.

And it was going to take a bit to get the house heated up.

Without farther ado, you trudge your way out of the stable and up to the basement door. It was way too much effort to go up the steps.

You push into the door, walking in with a shiver and a huff- before landing eyes directly on someone you never thought you'd see here.

Gapple half shoved into his mouth- blue eyes wide with shock and the alarm of being caught with said gapple half shoved into his mouth- there stands Tommy.

The guy.

The gremlin boy.

"....Tommy...?"

Fuck.

He looked so beat up and terrible-

What happened to him???