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Today is a good day. Or at least that’s what Dream tries to tell himself as he forces his feet to move one step at a time along the prime path.
The sun is shining, the bees are pollinating all his favorite flowers, and the wind’s breeze is refreshing and nice and definitely not being as harsh as his mind is to himself, blowing his hair around his head and forcing him to hold onto his mask as he rushes to… where is he going again?
That thought makes him stop his pacing. Where could he even go? He needs to get out of the Greater SMP, wants to be as far away as humanly possible so he can stop the panic and just… just what, avoid his problems?
“Fuck it,” he mumbles to himself, a bit louder than he would’ve done if he was in better control of his emotions. “I need someone to fight.”
With a goal in mind he forces his feet to move quicker, every step distracting him better and better from the stress, getting him further and further away from everything he doesn’t need, the pressure, the fake friends, the fake promises, just about everything bad. The quick steps turn into running, and he starts sprinting faster than any horse, or maybe he just feels that way as the wind picks up and his feet carry him far away.
He runs and he runs, completely disregarding the way his feet feel sore and his breath is getting worse and worse. Dream sprints from the oak path to grass to sand and then in the end to snow and harsh winds from a storm, but no matter what he keeps running, never stopping until he can see the door to Techno’s home.
And there it is. Dream’s pacing gets slower and slower until he’s completely stopped right outside Techno’s house. He’s shaking. The way to Techno’s house is long, but long enough to start a small snowstorm? Apparently so.
Dream should’ve known that already, being the creator and admin of the server and all. But for some reason, he always seems to forget that little detail.
The fireplace in Techno’s house is working hard as always, the warmth from it almost seeping out the walls, filling Dream’s heart before he’s even taken one single step inside. Peeking in through the windows it looks as warm and welcoming as ever.
The sofa Dream’s fallen asleep on many times before all the politics started taking over Dream’s life is looking way too comfortable, it makes the urge to just jump in there and take a nap bigger than ever. Gosh, that’s all he wants right now. A quick nap and then he can go back to the work he so desperately needs to get done.
Dream walks up to the door and knocks before he can even stop to ask himself if his self-proclaimed rival even wants to see him after everything. Techno isn’t standing at the door immediately, and even though Dream deep down knows that it’s normal he can’t help but worry. What if Techno was asleep and he just woke him up? What if he’s not even home? What if there’s an emergency that he’s interrupting? What if-
“Tommy I swear if it’s you again I will take all of your canon lives right now.” A hand is at the door. Dream thought it was impossible at this point, but his heart picks up even more at the sound of the door creaking open. And then, there he is.
Technoblade’s pink hair flows in the wind of the storm, and as the door fully opens Dream gets to see his… friend? Can he even call him that anymore after all the time that’s passed, all the differences and disagreements?
The look Technoblade is giving Dream doesn’t exactly scream friendly, that’s for sure. For the first time in what must be months, he’s met with the confused face of his rival. They stand there for a while, Techno staring confused at the masked man while Dream basks in the little amount of warmth that’s seeping out the door.
Warmth. It’s almost too nice of a feeling considering the expression facing him.
“Dream, what are you doing so far out in the middle of a storm? Don’t you have a country to kill or something?”
Dream can’t help but laugh at that. “Yeah, I do just… I don’t know, actually.” He shrugs. “You know, I was in the area and I uh… I wanted to say hi?” The answer comes out more as a question than anything else, making him cringe internally.
Techno gives him a look that tells Dream he doesn’t buy it, but he lets out no comment at the blatant lie.
The piglin hybrid closes the door behind him, leaving both of them out in the cold.
He smiles smugly at Dream like he just had the best thought ever. Dream has to admit, that’s the worst kind of smile to receive when you’ve just lied big time in front of someone.
“So, where’s your horse? You can’t possibly have walked all this way from that one tree everyone on the SMP has to come visit. That’s the one you went to, right? Everyone goes to the same one when they ‘accidentally’ drop by.” Sarcasm dripped with every word.
There are a huge amount of reasons why Dream wears a mask, but hiding his embarrassment definitely lands on the top of the list right now.
“I uh… I walked, actually.” Dream’s eyes glance down at his hands, carefully making sure his head doesn’t follow the motion.
“You what now?”
Dream looks back up at Techno. “I walked, Techno. You know, one step in front of the other? You should know by now how walking works.”
Techno sighs, crossing his arms in… what, an attempt to control his anger? Show his disappointment in the awful comeback? Dream can’t tell for sure.
“What do you really want, Dream? ‘Cus I’m sure you didn’t come here just to stand out in the snow.”
What does he really want? That’s a tough question, one he doesn’t remember getting asked in a bit too long for comfort. He wants to go inside and take a nap on Techno’s sofa, wants to go back in time and scream at his past self not to invite Tommy to the server, he wants to do anything to stop his heavy breaths from running so far for so long. and most of all…
“I want to fight you, Technoblade.”
Techno blinks once, twice, and then five times more.
“You want to fight me? in a blizzard? When you can barely even stand on your own legs?” He laughs loudly.
Dream can’t do anything but stare at Techno as his anger starts bubbling. How dare he laugh at him! He came so far just to what, be ridiculed and laughed at in the face?
Techno rests his hand on his stomach as he continues the laughter. Dream crosses his arms as he waits impatiently for his rival to finally shut up and listen.
After some time, his laughter quiets down and Techno faces Dream once more.
“Listen, Dream,” Techno starts, tone much more serious than it was before. “I’ve gotta be honest with ya, I don’t fight anymore. I’ve put that past me, you out of all people should know that.”
Dream opens his mouth, ready to answer when Techno continues.
“Besides, we both know you don’t want to fight me in these conditions, you’d lose and look cringe. Come inside and warm up instead. It’s freezing out here. When the storm quiets down you can fight one of the dummies or something.”
Screw Techno for knowing just the right thing to say. And screw him for learning how Dream actually feels. Dream thinks more about it and realizes that he would actually hate to fight Techno right now. His hands are far too cold to hold a blade, and he can feel the shake in his frozen legs.
The wind pushes against his head once more, forcing Dream to hold onto his mask just in case. Maybe it would be better if he went in for just an hour or so until the storm quieted down, and then he could take the long road back.
Dream nods at Technoblade, a gesture immediately understood. Techno reopens the door and lets both him and Dream inside. The room is far warmer than Dream had expected. Oh, how he wants to take off his mask and breathe the warm air freely, but he can’t. Not when he has a reputation to uphold. His anonymity is what makes him strong, or at least that’s what he tells himself.
Techno makes a beeline for the kitchen and sets some hot water on the stove. “You want some coffee?”
Dream grimaces. “No thanks I hate coffee, just the smell of it makes me sick.”
A beat of silence.
“... Do you want tea instead?”
“Sure.”
Silence falls between the two men, leaving them with only the sound of the crackling fire and boiling water to entertain their ears. Oh, and also the wind howling at the walls, urging to enter.
Dream warms his hands as he sits there, patiently waiting for his rival to come back with a cup of tea. He wonders what kind he’ll get this time.
Techno comes back with three cups of tea in his hands, which confuses Dream right until he realizes that the third one must be for Philza. huh. He invited Phil over…
That’s… awkward? Dream might be overthinking things.
Techno must have noticed Dream’s confusion as he puts down the cups and explains. “I invited Phil over so we could play some card games.”
Comments about how Phil always comes over is left unsaid. It’s not like Techno needed to mention it, Dream was already aware of their deep friendship. The two hybrids were attached to the limp at this point.
Dream nods once again, not wanting to admit that he’s happy to see Phil again. It’s been a while since he’s seen either of them.
The cup doesn’t even have the time to cool down and become drinkable before Philza appears at the door already shaking from the cold. Both Techno and Dream look up to watch as he takes off his scarf and jacket and glances at the cup of tea sitting by the empty chair. Without even saying hello he plops down onto the couch and grabs the warm tea.
Dream couldn’t help but stare. Philza’s hair has gotten longer since the last time they spoke, also his beard. He doesn’t look older per se, but that wasn’t exactly expected. It’s only been what, a couple of months?
It takes him some time to notice that Phil is staring right back at him.
“Hello, earth to Dream?”
Dream blinks hard. Oh, he had been zoning out. “Sorry, yeah?”
Phil laughs. “It’s alright mate, I was just asking why you were so far out in the middle of a storm.”
Oh, that question. Dream rubs awkwardly at his neck. “I uh… it wasn’t that bad when I left.”
“He says that,” Techno reveals smugly. “but he’s probably just lying to feel less embarrassed about his simping.”
“What?! I am not simping!”
Techno laughs as he puts down a board game on the table.
“Really, Techno, Ludo?” Phil asks with playful tiredness in his tone. It makes Dream smile. “We also played Ludo last time, do you really need me to beat you again?”
A determined smile finds its home on Techno’s face as he glares playfully at Phil. “Yes. Yes, I do.”
And so they bring out the game. Techno goes straight for the red pieces, leaving no room to argue about it. Dream reaches for the green at the same time, and their hands quickly bump. Phil apologizes with a smile and reaches for the yellow pieces instead. They set each of their tokens in their spots and then play. Phil snitches the dice first and rolls. He swears as it hits a 1.
“Ha, loser,” Techno says. Dream smirks.
They continue the game, swearing and yelling at each other every time they throw each other home. The game goes on for what feels like a very long time for Dream, but not once does he get bored. In fact, he feels as much at peace as he has been in a while. For a moment he completely forgets everything that he has to return to. Techno throws his hands up in the air when Dream throws him home a second time in a row.
“How dare you!” Techno says in a mock hurt tone. Dream sends him a smug smile that he can’t see for the mask.
“Sucks to suck.” Dream laughs.
The second after that, Phil takes the dice and hits a four. He leans in on the board with his right hand scratching his beard. Hope lights up in his eyes and he moves his brick closest to Dream. The token ends up on Dream’s spot. The masked man stutters as Techno and Phil laugh and high-five each other.
“Oh sweet revenge,” Techno says.
To everyone’s surprise, Phil ends up turning his back on Techno in the end, killing all of his tokens, and moving his last one into the middle. Dream yell about it being unfair and demands a rematch which Techno fully agrees on. They make some more tea and try again.
It takes them a long time to notice the sunset. When they’re finally done getting all the rematches you can get without getting too mad they look out at the sky to see the darkness.
All the worries that were gone seconds before starts to fill up Dream’s mind again. Did he even tell anyone that he left?
“Sleep here tonight, Dream.” He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn’t even notice who said it. He looks away from the window and see them both looking at him.
“I’ve got an extra duvet you can grab,” Techno says. “The storm will probably be over by tomorrow, and then you can go back.”
Dream wants to argue, he really does. But what could he possibly say? There was no better option than the offer he was just so kindly handed. He sighs and nods as Techno.
“Well,” Phil interjects. He sighs as he stands up. “I’ll go home then. An old man needs his sleep.”
“Good night, Phil,” Techno says to him. Dream gives a kind nod.
Once Philza closes the door behind him, Techno gets right to work. He instructs Dream to clean up the table as he goes to bring the promised duvet. The table is quickly cleaned, and soon enough Dream is handed a soft duvet and some pajamas pants.
“Is this really necessary?” he asks as he looks at the pants.”
“What, they’re your color and everything.”
He looks down at the pants again. Techno’s right, the pants he’s holding are green, although a different shade than what he usually wears. While his hoodie is green like the grass, this one is green like the leaves on the trees when the sun is setting. The pants are soft, just like the leaves. He decides to keep them, just for the night.
Techno goes to his room with a quick “goodnight!” leaving Dream alone with the rest of the house and the still-lit fireplace. Well, lit is barely the word to describe it. All the fire in the wood has burnt out, leaving the planks with only a gist of what was there before. He doesn’t really mind, the light emanating from it is gorgeously lighting up just what he needs to see.
Dream changes to the pajama pants and the shirt he wears underneath his hoodie, but doesn’t go to sleep just yet. Instead, he sits on the sofa with the duvet covering his legs and feet. The wind is still howling outside, but it had gotten better since when he knocked on the door.
Maybe it was for the best that he didn’t end up sparring Techno today. His whole body aches for sleep and warmth, the latter which he had already gotten. It was… a good day. It actually, truly was. He wasn’t lying to himself this time.