Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It had gone by many names. Some lost to history, some whispered as myth, but no matter, it always had to grasp at a new one when it was time to move on.

Currently, this thing was going by the name of Dream. And wow, wasn’t Dream something? 
He was respected by some. Feared by others. Hated even. And oh, wasn’t that something?

Because this had to have been one of its most complex acts yet! Because it had felt that mortal flare, doing everything it could while under this one name! 

It smiled slowly, laying broken and shattered on the harsh obsidian ground, lava bubbling and burning its surroundings. Oh, but despite the bloody mess it looked, skin seemingly burnt by the heat, what could be described as choked sobs erupting from its mouth, and limbs mangled, it felt almost nothing. 

It was brilliant! It knew how to play as a mortal thing, and wasn’t it incredible at it? Prideful, ah that’s what it was. Yes. It was quite proud of itself. 
Slowly, it let itself snap together, the slightest hiss easing through nothingness, and that was strange.

It shook its head and Dream sat up, it was only acting it reminded itself. It grunted and Dream carefully made his way along to the water basin, dipping shaking hands into the water to try and wipe away the blood.
It sighed and shook its head, shifting its mask out of the way to glance at the stolen face below before pausing.

Gingerly, Dream rubbed at his face, “Heh, you look like shit.” Black eyes crinkled in a cheap mimicry of amusement, baring broken teeth at itself before ruffling its dirty blond hair, which was matted and coated with its own blood.

It grimaced before grumbling to itself, “I can’t wait to get out of here.”

It nodded mildly and Dream grimaced as it lowered itself back to the ground, closing its eyes and detaching itself from the shell it had built itself this time.

Dream went limp, relaxing. The pain was fake, the panic was fake, this life was nothing but fake.

It nodded softly and Dream closed his eyes as he adjusted the mask back into place. It was jarring againist his form he figured, the way the mask stayed brillant and undamaged, no matter how many times others tried to shatter it or break it. Honestly the amount of times it caused Quackity rage alone was delightful.

It found those incidents amusing honestly. The pretender laughed weakly before it’s lungs burned and jerked it back. Hell, it wiped at its mouth and glanced at the murky blood that came away, and if it felt lonely and nervous and uncertain, it reminded itself that it was nothing. Dream was a fake, and the pretender was just that, an act.

But didn’t it feel so real, it mused fearfully to itself.

Chapter Text

Quackity didn’t know what it was about Dream, but no matter how much he reminded himself he was in control, some instinctual fear still coiled in his chest whenever he met gazes with that blank fucking mask.

He could shatter the other’s bones, break fingers, bash his head in, beat him, kick him in his chest, crush his hands beneath his boots, anything! But he could never break that fucking mask, he couldn’t even pry it from the other’s fucking face! Quackity hissed through bared teeth at the frustration of it all, fingers tapping at his desk.

He could stain that stupid mask with blood, but scratches didn’t remain, dents didn’t stick, and he couldn’t even get it to crack.

It disturbed him. But, hey, wasn’t Quackity already disturbed enough? He laughed, hollow and broken where he sat in Las Nevadas. A hand raised shaking fingers to gently trace the mangled scar that carved down his face before he heard someone calling him.

He didn’t flinch, hand definitely not jerking away as he didn’t shrink away from the sudden noise. Quackity had power now, he reminded himself with a nervous chuckle.

He had power now.

He sighed and slowly stood up, wiping the bitter frown off his face as he plastered a more brillant, false grin there instead.

He had business to attend to afterall.

~ 

Dream spat out a tooth, rubbing his face absently as the lava finally descended fully. Another visit from Quackity, and it seemed he had been more determined today to break his mask than ever before.

Which, kind of sucked, honestly.

The pretender slumped forward and carefully traced fingers along the white, blood-stained mask that lay before him. The pretender was butchered around his head and neck, gashes bleeding freely as he shifted to press a hand to his ears. Yeesh, it wrinkled its nose in annoyance, Quackity had nearly beheaded it today.

It spoke aloud to itself and blinked in alarm as it heard nothing but ringing.

It shouted, nothing.

There was just more ringing and it grunted in annoyance, moving a hand to slowly reach back into his mouth as he loosened another shattered tooth, spitting out blood before it gazed at the broken thing in its fingers. 

How long had it been here? Acting as the broken villian? The prisoner? It never liked keeping time before, but it, it kind of regretted destroying its last clock. 

It was bored. Dream was scared. The line even blurring every now and again. And it wanted to just finish up this newest game and leave to play a new one. It probably wasn’t going to play this role for a bit, let itself… rest?

The thing playing mortal shook its head harshly.

It didn’t need sleep. It didn’t need rest.

The ringing faded and it tried snapping next to its ears to see if it could hear again.

It was eternal. It could leave at any moment.

Dream relaxed as it’s sense of hearing returned.

The pretender relaxed as it nodded to itself, it could build itself a new form, replace its face with another, and lie low under a new name. 

It could leave. Dream stood up, thankful that his legs had been allowed time to heal as he stumbled towards the food shute.

A dry tongue ran across bloodied, blistered lips and Dream just rasped out a sigh. No. It had to see this through. It was… so stupidly curious. It had stuck this out for this long… it didn’t feel pain. It wasn’t actually scared. It was prideful, immortal, and invincible.

Dream was an act, it reminded itself, and Dream nodded slowly. Yeah. It was beyond mortal knowledge. It was beyond reality even!

Dream laughed, fingers digging into its bloodied scalp, clutching tightly at ragged hair. It’s eyelids felt heavy and it howled, “I AM A GOD!” Its breath wheezed, Dream clutching as his stomach before it stumbled and fell to the ground. 

“I am beyond you.” It spoke to nothing, eyes rolling into the back of its head, it shook slightly and it didn’t know why it’s face was growing wet with tears now.

It just had to finish the game. Dream whimpered in the back of his throat and curled tighter into itself.

…Why did everything feel so real this time around?

~

Dream lost track of the song and dance that Quackity and Sam orchestrated for him and him alone.

Had it only been days? Weeks? Months even?

It didn’t know. And it was bothered by that fact. It liked having knowledge. It liked knowing things. It liked control.

But right now, it was Dream. And tragically, Dream had lost his edge and was only alive due to its own silver tongue. Though now, the pretender was so ready to be done with this. It wanted to leave. It wanted to run. It wanted this all to stop.

But the cycle just contuined.

There were axes. Then blades. Then shears. And cruel smiles.

:)

Words twisting. Words breaking. Blood. Pain. Crushing fingers beneath cruel boots. Laughter.

:|

Frenzied begging. Pleading. Promises and lies. It didn’t stop. Axe. Words. Broken. Torn apart. Healed. Torn. Please stop.

:(

Nothing. You are nothing. Nothing nothing nothing. Neck snapped. Fingers cut. Blood. Broken. Healed. Broken. Healed. Broke-

:[

Bones broke. Blood splattered. Please no. Broken. Failed to get the weapon. Failure.  Carved. Message. Write a message. Why? Axe. Hurt. Blood. Don’t give the book. No no no no no-

:]

Writing in a book. Writing with tears. Writing with shaking hands. Fingers twisted but couldn’t stop. Help help help.

Blood, pain, torture, hate, blood, pain, beaten, blood, crying. Alone.

Breath.

Alone.

It could breath.

Alone…

It whimpered.

Alone…?

Dream opened his eyes, lids flickering as he wheezed in air. A mortal form. Mortal needs. It was beyond that. But it hurt.

It hurt so much. It shouldn’t hurt. This was supposed to be nothing. This was just a game.

Dream let his head fall limply and closed his eyes with a shudder. Slowly bones snapped back together. Skin knitted neatly into scars that slowly faded. Burnt flesh was renewed. But it hurt. It hurt. Hurt hurt hurt hurt.

It hurt so badly. Why?

Its eyes fell shut again and it’s breath hitched. If it cried, the pretender was merely playing its part. It was part of the act. It was all just an act. 

Chapter Text

Why was he here?

Dream’s breathing hitched, panic overflowing and taking over any ration thought as he instead yelled at the piglin brute that was growing closer to the cell.

But it did nothing. There was distant words and it knew there were voices speaking but it couldn’t think.

This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. THIS WAS NOT THE PLAN. THIS WAS NOT ITS PLAN. The pretender clutched at his chest, Dream screaming words he could barely focus on when the beating of its heart was so overwhelming. He could not get stuck here as well!

TECHNOBLADE COULD NOT BE HERE!

But all its yelling and screaming and pleading did nothing. Because when the pretender had finally calmed down, it was just him and Technoblade.

One of his few chances for escape. Dream stared blankly at the book it was writing in. He was going to be here for awhile, wasn’t he? And Technoblade wasn’t an option anymore.

Fuck.

~

Technoblade never really knew what to make of Dream.

Homelessssss

Eeeee

e

Teletubby

Cant even build a house

Imagine not having a house

LMAO

Even now when the other looked like shit, there was just something weird and off about the dude. The brute just couldn’t place a finger on it.

He’s a manipulator

/rainbow chat

Dream????

Pog

What I miss?

E

PHILLLLL

He glanced briefly at Dream, the other currently writing down in messy, loopy letters in one of the books present in the cell about what he knew regarding the prison.

I hope it’s legitable

Pff

Legiatbel

Ooo

Dream content

Someone with the fancy words

E

TECHBI NEVER FOE

HE NEVER DIES

BLOOD

E

eeeeeee

e?

LETS GOOOOOOO

Prisom arc?

Dream really did look worse for wear though, when Techno really thought about it. Maybe it was the cuts carved across his obnoxiously green hoodie, faint scars Techno was pretty sure weren’t present before visible on the other’s pale skin.

You didn’t just get new scars like that when you were supposedly isolated in prison. Espically not scars that looked like they were made by weapons… so… what had been going on? That unknown kinda made him feel nervous.

Whaaaaa?

Technoscared?

L

SYNDIACTE

SYNDICAYE

Oof

L

SNIGDEA

AND IIIIII WA N

SYNTAB

WE ARE THE VOICSE IN

Not good

*SYNDICATE

bro did you have a stroke

E

Eeeeee

YPUS HEAD

Blood

QUACKITY

And like, it was so hot in here, what was the guy even doing with that hoodie still?

Respect The drop!

Deatg

bloodod

WERE THE VOICES IN YOU HEAD

d

E

E

ss

a

EYYYYY

GOING SCREAM AND SHOU

Stop spamming!

The piglin rolled his eyes and went back to trying to carefully cook the potato in his hoofed hand, sticking his tongue out as he focused.

TECHNO SUPPORT!

PHIL?

Tubbo live!

OHHHHH DREEEEEAM

TECHNOSUPPOET!

E

eeeee

Bruhhhhh

The piglin felt giddy when he noticed that the potato seemed to actually be cooking, the brown skin nearest to the golden curtain of lava slowly darkening. 

Aw yes!

Potao pog!

Porato

POTATO

E

*PoTaO*

Lma

Roomates!

E

eee

prison arc

/hidechat

GASP

Techno absently flicked an ear and grumbled to himself, “I really need to get a channel member bell.”

And they were roomates!

EEE

Homeless telebttu

BLOOD FOR THE BLIOD GOD

E

INE OF US

ONE

E

ONE OF US

SUSCRIBE TO TECHNIOOO

e

Well at least the voices were having fun, Techno chuckled as he carefully adjusted the potato in his grip, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

Bet.

EEEEEEE

I DONT LIEK THIS

Sus

e

~

Dream closed the book before him with a grunt, pulling up his mask to run a shaking, scarred hand over tired eyes. 

“Hey roomie, done with that?” He jumped at that, Dream swerving around as he stumbled back into the nearest wall.

Shit. SHIT. He got caught- what was he going to do? Shit shit shi- Dream flinched harshly when he saw movement.

He raised an arm over his mask with a whimper, “Please. Please, I didn’t-“

A hand clasped his shoulder and pulled Dream to face the other, the pretender froze as its head snapped up.

Apologies and pleas died on his tongue as he blinked and only saw Technoblade. Dark eyes met his own and he didn’t know what to think of the emotion that had settled itself in the others gaze. Oh. Oh. It was just Techno. Fuck. Dream clutched at its chest and the pretender squeezed its eyes closed.

He was fine. Everything was fine! Just swe-

“Brrrrruh. Calm down. It’s just me.” Dream flinched, hurriedly glancing back up to notice that the piglin had crouched beside him- when did Dream get on the floor- giving him a strange look.

The pretender growled, “I know.” He shoved the book towards the other without another word and shrugged off the hand that was still settled on his shoulder. Pressing closer to the dark cell wall, ignoring the harsh material poking into his side, Dream hissed sharply, “There! You got your book, now leave me alone.”

The piglin raised his hands with a light, almost uneasy chuckle as he tilted his head to the side. Dream let out another growl, and this time the other stood up after picking up the book, gold-trimmed crimson cloak rippling behind his massive form with the movement.

A tense pause, then Technoblade opened his mouth, tusks glinting in the glow casted by the nearby lava curtain, before the brute clamped his mouth shut again. Then, slowly, as though seeming waiting for something from Dream, Technoblade walked back a few steps, hooves clicking harshly againist the cell’s floor.
The fake ignored the other, feeling a flurry of unknown emotions when the piglin finally headed towards the opposite wall of the cell.

It was fine. It was fake. It did not matter.

Dream flinched as a drop of purple landed on its skin from the crying obsidian above.

It was fine.

The pretender curled closer onto himself. He didn’t need pity. He didn’t need this. The pretender just needed to play its part! Then it’d be fine.

And if later Technoblade purposefully shoved a few cooked potatoes in his direction, it didn’t eat them for any other reason then that it had a mortal form with mortal needs. And it definitely didn’t melt at the taste of something beside raw potato.

Chapter Text

Dream sniffled as he absently wiped at its face, mask discarded for the time being. Technoblade was asleep, and things were really getting to the fake.

He just felt wrong. And that wasn’t, it wasn’t supposed- it was awful. The pretender scratched absently at his arms, finding some relief in the fact that at least the fabric that rubbed againist his skin was somewhat grounding.

It could leave. It should leave. Dream slowly got to his feet with a barely held back whimper, stumbling towards the food shute to gaze up.

It was merely met with darkness and Dream sighed as he ran a hand through his hair before gritting his teeth and flinching. Prime, when had his hair gotten so… disgusting? The pretender grasped at his hair and ran his fingers through the matted, tangled knots of hair. 

“That’s just gr-gross.” Dream wheezed at the cracked sound of its own voice. “Jeez, and I sound like crap?”

Dream leaned againist the obsidian once more, coughing harshly into the crook of his neck, “Fuck.” When had it gotten so weak?

The pretender slowly sat back down on the floor, leaning his head againist his knees, forgetting his plan to escape and even the fact that he was no longer alone. Dream fiddled with his pant leg until he jerked to attention at the sound of a grunt and the shifting of fabric. 

The lava hadn’t risen, the redstone hadn’t been activated. It was fine.

Fingers stopped fiddling with his pant leg to instead clutch at its hair.

It was just Technoblade. He knew that. But Dream stiffened all the same.

It wasn’t him. It was just the brute. The pretender whined low in his throat as he curled in on himself. 

IT WAS FINE.

Fingers moved to the sides of its face. Stolen. Fake. Wrong.

It was a pretender! Of course it was fake! Then why did he feel so real?

Broken nails began to drag down and it bit at its lip harshly. Iron in its mouth. Tears dripping down its face. Pain, it dug its nails in. Something it could control. Dream was shaking, when had he started shaking?

“Uhhhhhh…” The dry, monotone voice cut through the spiraling mess of its mind, Dream flinching harshly as he froze.

The silence stretched painfully before Technoblade cleared his throat.

The fake curled itself into a tighter ball, “S-sorry.”

Shit. He cleared his throat but couldn’t get anything out, instead grimacing. He’d probably woke the other. Mortal things needed rest. 

He had a mortal form though. Dream tensed, “No no no.” He shook his head sharply, he was beyond it. It was beyond all. 
The pretender flinched when he felt his hands being removed from his face, Dream closing his eyes tightly, “No, n-no, no no no no.”

“Dude, relax. It’s just me.” Dream kept his eyes firmly closed, trying to then cover his face, and after a beat he heard the piglin mutter something under his breath. 

Then his hands were slowly released, “Uhhhhhh… stay right there? I’ll get your uhhhh, ah, there it is, be right back.” 
The face stealer couldn’t help but shift slightly, pressing his hands closer over his face, peeking out to observe what Technoblade had gone to do.

Oh.

The piglin returned with a familar mask in his hand, the brute stopping a few feet away before sitting down. “Alright, here you go, roomie.”

Dream blinked, taking a shuddering breath as he outstretched a hand. Technoblade perked up slightly, such a subtle gesture, before leaning forward and carefully settling it into the other’s grasp.
The pretender glanced sharply at the other, though, thankfully, the piglin kept his gaze averted.

The pretender waited a beat, was it a trick? A test of some sort? He felt his fingers twitch before he suddenly snatched it away and pulled it toward himself. Technoblade didn’t make a move, eyes still looking elsewhere.

Dream quickly pressed the mask back to his face with a sigh of relief. He shifted it until it was just right, feeling some tension leave him as he carefully pressed himself as close as possible againist the cell’s dark walls.

Silence. Lava bubbling quietly. A shift of cloth. The fake breathed out, slumping forward with a shaky exhale, “T-thanks.”

The piglin finally, carefully, glanced up before cocking his head as he seemed to merely observe Dream. His eyes narrowed slightly, “Mhm.” A flicker of a smile, “No prob, sooooo… uh, yeah.” 

Quiet again. Dream shifted, running a still shaking hand through its hair, quickly flinching away though when met with the grimy, tangled mess. 

He forgot about Technoblade for a moment there, absently trying to comb his fingers through his matted hair, until he heard someone clear their throat. 

The pretender flinched, but ignored him, focused on his hair instead.

The piglin cleared his throat louder, and Dream grunted, “What?”

“Chilll-but… uhh, I could, like… braid your hair if you wanted?”

Dream glanced at him with curiosity, pausing with his fingers twisted in his hair, “What?”

The piglin shifted slightly, grinning with a light, casual shrug, “Braid it, get it out the way, and you know, um, get it cleaned?”

“You… know how to braid hair?” The pretender sat up straighter, shifting to a criss cross position. He couldn’t help but bark out a laugh, “Seriously?”

Technoblade just rolled his eyes, “Seriously. Dream, don’t act like, well, like that’s the strangest thing you’ve heard. Wil apparently had a furry after romancing a fish.” The piglin snickered and raised an eyebrow as he looked towards the other, practically challenging Dream to dispute his statement.

The pretender just glanced off, scratching at the back of his neck. “I-yeah. Touché.” Dream slowly stood up, pacing where it stood. “Why?”

A confused grin, “Why what?” Techno stood up as well, stretching as he did. 

Dream waved an hand out wildly, “Why help?” He swung around to glare at the piglin. 

Techno raised an eyebrow, “Heh?” A pause, “Ohhhh, you mean the, uh, hair thing?”

The pretender shrugged absently, “…Yeah.” He wandered over towards the water basin, looking down at himself with a frown beneath the mask. “Everyone else knows me as the monster and tyrant. And here you are… asking to braid its hair.”

The piglin wandered over with a snicker, swinging an arm around the other’s shoulders, though Dream noted the other seemed to purposefully step louder when approaching behind and paused to glance at him before doing so. Curious. Dream’s gaze snapped to the other as Technoblade gestured, “Don’t forget who else is a wanted criminal. I’ve done my fair share of murder.”

The fake rolled his eyes with a dismissive wave of his hand, “What about manipulation, killing a child multiple times, and reviving unstable madmen?” 

Technoblade stared off with a pondering expression, and it looked so blank that Dream almost leapt out its skin when the brute suddenly stated, “Well. Yeah, not my style. Buuuuuut, we are roomies! So we have to deal with each other whether we like it or not.”

The pretender sighed heavily, “Roomies.”

The piglin swung his head over sharply, “You admit it!”

Dream blinked. “Huh?”

Technoblade just laughed, stepping back, “You heard it chat! He admitted we are roomies!” The brute grinned with another chuckle, motioning for Dream to sit down as he did so himself. “Alright, now let’s deal with this mess.”

The mask glared down at the brute before slowly, painstakingly slowly, Dream sat down infront of Technoblade.

And if it melted at the contact as the brute gently began distangling and cleaning out his hair, neither Dream nor Technoblade mentioned it.

Chapter Text

Technoblade was absently flicking through the book Dream had written, he was bored. It had been… what? A few days? A week maybe? Since he’d been put in here?

HI

Technoooooo

RIP clock

Technolate

TECHNOOOOATE

Imagine being in prosom

Ooof

technolate

latem

lqtw

LATE

E

He didn’t know, they really should’ve given Dream another clock, but whatever, it was fiiiiiine. The thing was, he was getting kind of tired of just sitting around, didn’t give chat much content did it?

Prison arc

Bothing like a stream per month

Technooooooo

BLOOS

we neeeeeed content

SKULLS FIR THE SKULL THEONE

E

eeeee

dreamnmm

Sure, they got a bell from a god, but like… he had to wait for the sellout timer. With a groan, Technoblade sat up and stretched, “Hey, roomie?”

And they were rooomates

lollll

ONE OF US

ONE OF US

lmao

one of us!

eee

E

Dream gazed over with a questioning tilt of his head. 

E

Didn’t Dream say it was an it’s?

Dreeeeeeam

E

/hidechat

The piglin rotated an arm as he casually stretched out the sore muscles. “What do you do for fun in here? Chat needs content, man.”

bloood

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD

oof

e

BLOOOS

The mask glanced away and he watched as the other fiddled with his finely braided hair. “Not much… but uh, I throw myself into the lava sometimes?” Dream gazed back at him and shrugged, absently moving to twist shaking fingers into the fabric of the ruined hoodie he still wore.

aww braid

rpomies

uhhhhh

they are friends your honor

ARE WE FORGETTING THAT HE KILED TOMMY?????

eeee

drrreeam?!!

“Bruhhhhhh.” The piglin let his head fall back dramatically. “I’m not going to do that, respawning is annoying! Andddddd-” he waved a hoofed hand around before pointing sharply at Dream, “-Technoblade never dies!”

TECHBO NEVER DIES

BLOOD

bpoos

e

totem?

Bloo

A pause, “Well, not permanently at least? Do totems count?”

Dream shrugged, sitting down near Techno, the brute curious at the gesture, “I don’t think so? I mean, certainly didn’t take a life. You’re welcome for that by the way.” Dream gazed over and the brute got the feeling he was giving a teasing grin.

rival Twitter come get your juice!

friends???

TECHNO

aww

Techno just snickered, waving a hand absently. “Yeah, yeah. Well, once we get out, then you’ll have to thank me for that.”

uhhhh

PHIL?

syndicate?

eeeeeee

“…I don’t t-think I want to use my favor just yet.” Dream laid down with a shuddering exhale.

The piglin, however, just snorted out a laugh, “Bruh, you already used that favor naming the dog. This is free of charge, though you better be chill with having to stick with me until I’m sure you’re not going to, like. Y’know.”

Mass murder?

uhhhh he deserves this

kinda threatened to kill tubbo

e

HE KILLED TOMMY

Yikes

He hummed. “Commit mass murder and take your revenge.”

Dream stayed silent and after a bit, Technoblade realized the conversation had died off when he looked over see the other curled up on his side. The brute shrugged, opening the book back up and flipping through it again.

mis ranboo live?

Bloooooooood

e

E

PHUIIIIIL

quackity

~

Dream jolted up, it’s heart racing. It had fallen asleep? Why had it fallen asleep! It shouldn't had let its guard down!

FUCK. Fuck fuck fuck. Dream snapped his gaze around, breath hitching as it heard something click. No no no NO-no nooooo. He flinched and jerkily pulled itself to his feet.

He distantly heard a voice, but it couldn’t spare the time. It knew that click. It knew that sound. Redstone. The redstone had been activated.

The pretender stumbled back frantically, staring wide eyed at the lava, fuck. It’s mouth opened and he whined, low and pained, “Not now, not now, no no no no, no. NO. Please. P-please.”

He hit the wall, a snarl building in his throat as it clutched at the harsh, cold wall behind it. No. No. No. It couldn’t… no- he felt a presence stand beside it, and Dream knew the lava hadn’t fallen enough to allow someone in. It was Techno. It was just Techno. TECHNO COULDN’T BE HERE.

Dream kept an eye trained on the shifting red and gold as more clicks sounded, looking slowly to its side, “T-T-Techn-Techno?” Its breathing had hitched again and it was vaguely aware of the strain his body was going through in its panic.

“Hey, Dream.” The pretender eyed the brute, taking in the golden rings on his tusk, the tense flick of an ear, brow furrowed, dark eyes shifting between it and the lava. “What’s, uh, what’s happening, man?”

It wasn’t a man. IT WAS NOT R-REAL. It wasn’t mortal. IT WAS NOT. It shouldn’t be here. It was trapped. Dream collapsed onto his knees, hands moving to tap at its mask, “I-I-I- I don’t, no no, you- he’ll, I can’t!” It was trapped, he was trapped, they were trapped! Nothing- n-nothing. It was real. It hurt. It shouldn’t!

Technoblade slowly crouched beside him, the piglin glancing now warily between him and the lava- was it beginning to fall? It was. “Dream? Hey? Dre-”

A voice cut through it all, “-Dreaaaaam!”

He flinched violently, fingers clasping tightly to its mask. Dream whimpered and pressed itself againist the other. It twitched when it heard Techno shift. 

“Heh?” It would have laughed at the confusion in Techno’s voice under any other circumstance, but it could only give a strangled hiss in response.

The lava was beginning to drip down faster. “Dreeeeeeeeeaam~ Miss me?” Quackity’s voice raised in a cheerful sing-song. Dream just tensed, burying his head into the other’s cloak. 

“Dream. I’m fucking talking to you.” He couldn’t hear the lava anymore and a chill formed in the cell. The echoes of footsteps, the creak and clink of machinery. He heard the barrier raise. “Oh, I forgot you were here, Techie.”

“Techno.” The brute’s voice was clipped and annoyed. “Here to let me out?” Techno’s voice switched to something teasing and hollow. “Cause I don’t know why else you’d show up. Bummer I don’t have another pickaxe.”

“It’s not about you.” Quackity’s voice became clearer, colder. “Also… how the hell did you get a bell in here? What the fuck?”

He was vaguely aware of Sam’s voice, “They have a what?”

Quackity called back a reply but he couldn’t focus, clutching onto something soft. Its breathing caught. A shudder ran through the floor, footsteps. He didn’t have to look up. Dream closed his eyes tighter, “S-s-sorry.” It felt something trickle down its cheeks, breathing coming too quick, too much. Not enough.

Nothing.

The distant scrambling of something, something jerked at his hair, it hit the ground with a screech, yelling.

It was real.

Threats, the hiss of a blade, voices. Refusal. No. Not the book. Did they know? 

It hurt.

Pain. Red? Fear.

It was so sorry. 

~

Technoblade glared at the retreating form, hand clasped to his face as he breathed hard, blood trickling down his shoulder and into his eye. 

BLOOD

blood blood b

Blood

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD

TECHNOOOO

BLOOD

He grunted, rubbing at his snout as he shook his head. He hated using his tusks,  buuuuuut, Quackity seemed to have forgotten who he was. The piglin brute snorted harshly as he kept his defense, only relaxing when Quackity had finally scrambled onto the bridge and the barrier had risen. 

MAKE HIM BLEED

SHOW HIM

EEEEEEE

TECHBIOOO!

BLOOD

The man was clutching at his bleeding side, a dark stain spreading along his shirt, and casted a dark glare towards the brute. He knew it was a promise, but did he really care to consider the threat? Meh.

TECHNO NEVER DIES

E

BLOOD FOR HE BLOOD GOS!

BLOOD 

EE

If Quackity still had fear for him, no matter how much he threw, he’d always have some hesitance. And that worked just fine for Techno! 

His tail lashed behind him and only when the lava began to fall did he move to receive his cloak. Jeez, did Quackity actually tear a hole in it? Come oooooon.

Technosupport!

Blood

Bloood

BLOODD

dream?

TECHBO

His ears pricked and he turned around to give his roommate a look over. Oh, oof. Yikes. At least he hadn’t despawned, soooo Dream was still alive? Yeah. Okay!

The piglin limped over, had he pulled a muscle? Uuuuugh. He was so going to complain to Phil about this later, aaaand, this prison was getting a one star review when he got out. Service sucked.

LMAO

Drreeaaaam????

BLOOD

KILL QUACKITY

Can Phil get us out now?

BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD

He slumped down and nudged Dream with a hoof, the other who was now only wearing a loose, blood-soaked white top, “Heeeeeeeey, you good?” He cringed. “Uh, at least alive? How many hearts you got?”

Dream made a muffled whimper, and honestly, that was fair, he looked terrible. His body was twisted, fingers mangled, one arm seemingly broken, and the blood.
Techno coughed, looking away quickly before spotting Dream’s hoodie a little bit away from him, and grimaced as he leaned back. The piglin’s head was killing him. Sure, he was built for fighting, but not like that. Charging someone head first hurt. But it was fiiiiiine. 

Technosupport!

Blooooooooood

technoooo

How much hearts potato heal?

E

“I-is he… h-he gon… gone?”

Techno wheezed, “Yeah.”

It went quiet and the brute let his eyes close with a sigh.

Crack.

Technoblade wrinkled his nose, flicking an ear. 

Snap. An inhuman hiss.

The piglin pressed a hand to his face, rubbing down as he peeled open an eye, “Heh?”

uhhhhh??

what

BLOOD

????

A sickening crunch sounded and he heard a sharp gasp. The brute glanced over quickly, getting ready to stand at the sign of another threat.

But there was only Dream… wait. The other was slowly sitting up using a mangled arm to push himself up, head hanging forward limply. 

UHHHHH

??????!??!?

EXUSE ME

NOPEPEPPE

ummmmm

The other’s head snapped sharply to the side so that white, bloodied mask was staring straight at the brute, an audible crack sounding once more.

You all seeing this right!

Eeeeee?????

Yeahhhh!

ARE WE IN A HORROR MOVIE!?!!?

what

Techno flinched, wide eyed as skin that was torn open began to turn oily black, the blood around the wounds seeming to steam. The head snapped away as Dream suddenly jerked a hand behind his mask, where Techo assumed his jaw was, before a loud pop sounded.

The piglin froze, watching then as the broken, deformed skin along the others arms slowly knitted itself back together as he watched limbs jerk and twitch back into place, the snap of bone audible every once and awhile.
As he and chat watched in horror and mortified fascination, Dream healed with only faint scars left behind as the oily skin shimmered white before fading into something more human looking. 

I…

what

WTHHHHH

roomie?

that- I’m scarred

what did we just watch!?

Dream finally stopped moving, taking a deep breath before stumbling to his feet, coughing harshly. Techno watched frozen as he bolted for the toilet, gagging as he shoved his mask up. The piglin looked away then, ears flicking back at the sound of wretching and sobs.

~

“F-fu-fuck.” Dream gagged again, hating how tense it felt as it shuddered before slumping to the ground.

It moved its mask back into place before looking over at Technoblade, breathing hitching as its internal organs contuined shifting around, a punctured lung shuddering as it was adjusted back into proper shape.

The brute just stared back, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. The two stayed quiet, gazing at each other. One in defeat and acceptance, the other in bafflement and nervousness. 

Hm, Techno didn’t look too bad, thankfully. His tusks were bloodied, some blood still dripping down his chin and chest, but something told it that this wasn’t only the piglin’s. His shoulder was bleeding though, and there was a cut across one cheek and along his forehead. That would have to be dealt with.

It was real. Dream closed his eyes briefly, sniffling before shaking his head, “H-how many, many hearts, d-do you have?”

The brute jerked to attention, though his reactions seemed slower than usual. Concussion? Dream cleared its throat, grimacing at the taste of acid on its tongue. “W-want me, me to c-clean that cut?” It gestured to the others shoulder, rubbing at the soreness in his own limbs.

Technoblade just mutely nodded. The piglin opened his mouth, before closing it. He shook his head, finally saying weakly, “W-what did… you- how?”

Dream waved away the question, voice clipped, “Not human. I-I don’t, we can t-talk, talk later.”

The other stared at him, reaching a hand to wipe blood out of his eyes again, then carefully, he nodded. The brute looked slowly towards the bell, “Mind ringing… ringing that be-before?

“Se-sellout t-timer?”

Technoblade offered a grin, “I… got to earn money, s-somehow.”

This got a choked wheeze from the pretender, he smiled faintly behind the mask. “Sure.” He stumbled to his feet and went to ring the channel member bell to the piglin’s cheers.

Chapter Text

Dream groaned as he stretched his neck from side to side, it was still sore from where its neck had been unintentionally broken. But he was fine.

He had to focus. It glanced back to its work, Technoblade shifting beside it. “So… how long do I have to do this?” Dream glanced back to the potato in his hand, shifting it closer to the lava with a yawn.

Technoblade just shrugged, “Uhh, just until, until it’s starting to get crispy looking? Just don’t burn it.”

The fake hummed lightly, “Ah, yes. Nothing like burnt potato. My favorite.”

The piglin glanced back towards the bell, muttering under his breath to chat. He turned back towards Dream and rolled his eyes, “Also, I don’t know, man, what if whatever you are really likes burnt potato?”

Dream scoffed, shaking his head with a sharp tsk. “I can assure you, I don’t like burnt potato. Who does? Crazy people that’s who, I’m not even a person.”

“One more thing we have in common, roomie.” Techno gave a lazy grin, absently scratching at one of his tusks. “But seriously, what are you supposed to be? I thought you were just some… uh, homeless Teletubby.” 

“Oh for the love of- I am not homeless!” Dream bit his lip before cracking a toothy grin. “It’s the biggest house on the server, can’t you see?” He gestured with his free hand to the cell around them.

The brute next to him gave a snicker before barking out a laugh, “You heard it here chat! He is homeless!”

Dream wheezed, pulling back the potato from the dripping lava curtain, “Here, this good or do you think it needs a few minutes?”

Techno hummed thoughtfully, “A couple more minutes. Um, also, Dream, mind if I ask you something?”

A light shrug.

“Uh, earlier, like when I braided your hair, right?”

Dream glanced briefly at him before looking back, “Uh-huh?”

The brute scratched at his chin before shaking his head, “You sorta called yourself an it?”

It straightened at that. Tilting his head, Dream mused absently, “Did I?”

“Yuuuup. So are you an it/its sorta thing?” Technoblade looked over at his roommate before shifting to roll his injured shoulder.

Dream just froze before cautiously asking, “That’s a thing?” It ran its free hand along its braid, letting out a shaky exhale. “It’s just, I’m not really a man. Dream is. I’m not.”

The brute flicked an ear before tilting his head questioning, “Heh? I’m not sure I’m following?”

It leaned back and the fake moved the potato to its other hand. It took a moment to think how best to explain before saying lightly, “Well, whatever I am, I’m kinda malleable? Like you know how animals and people are made of bones and guts?”

Techno hummed, raising an eyebrow, “Sure.”

“Well, I’m more like a blob in terms of being physical?” Dream tilted its head to the side, pursing his lip in thought. “I just take what I find and make a body for myself? But I’m closer to stardust in my actually existence. I don’t know, I think it’s something to do with the Void. I mean, like I am the Void. But also not.” He gave an awkward laugh and shrugged, “Dream’s just what I’ve been calling this latest body I’ve made to contain my essence.”

“…O-kay.” Dream looked back with a wheeze. Technoblade had his head tilted awkwardly to the side, eyes narrowed as he seemed to be thinking hard about it. “I… think we get it? Chat’s just saying something about canon blob Dream? So I guess they’ve accepted it. And that… sure. Alright.”

It began to laugh, a sharp airy exhale escaping its mouth, “Just… alright?” The pretender carefully pulled the potato back to look it over while he tried to pull itself together, still shaking with breathy laughter.

The other just gestured sharply, defensively stating with a sputter, “W-Well how am I supposed to respond! Oh- cool. My roomie’s the physical embodiment of void, its such a chill not-person!” Techno took a moment to roll his eyes again, face going blank as he deadpanned, “Like, seriously?Bruhhhhhhh.”

The pretender just grinned, “Well, I will admit, I am quite fond of being Dream. So let’s just stick with that, though I do also like the it/its thing.”

Technoblade just nodded before smirking, “Cool. So… will Dream get itself to ringing the channel member bell then? My shoulders still out of whack and the sellout timer just went off.”

The fake stood up with an exaggerated groan, tossing the potato to the other, “Fiiiiiiine.”

The piglin fumbled to catch it for a moment before grinning as he shuffled to take over potato cooking duty while Dream called for chat to subscribe and become a channel member.

~

Dream and Technoblade were sprawled out on cell floor, absently arguing when there sounded a familiar click.

Dream heard it first, freezing as Techno contuined to ramble, “-but like, so I know what you said, and sure I guess, buuut, ha-“

The pretender hissed for him to be quiet, gazing sharply towards the lava with a nervous twitch. The piglin just groaned, “Oh, whatever. Look at you, so clever, sure. I’m just saying, Dream, if you wa-”

Dream sat up with a snarl, “Would you shut up!? The redstone is being activated!” 

That got the brute’s attention. “Heeeeh?”

It just scrambled to its feet in alarm, “I swear, i-it hasn’t been that long! I- no, he’s- he’s, n-not-”

Dream glanced quickly from Techno to the lava, and the piglin slowly stood up, “Uhhhh. Y-you sure?”

It just bared its teeth under the mask, swinging its arms around violently. “Of course, I’m fucking sure! Y- just stay out of the wa-way, okay?” Dream began to pace quickly, it could feel the phantom pain begin to spread along its body.

It whined low in its throat, but kept its eyes on the lava. The curtain began to fall. It knew what was to come, but its heart still sank when it saw the figure on the other side.

Quackity was back. But this time, he wasn’t visiting the cell alone.

~

Sam didn’t know why Quackity needed someone to come with him, but seeing as he hadn’t really spoken with the guards since the whole… banquet, well it wouldn’t hurt to offer some assistance. 

He just needed to get chains on Technoblade, then he’d leave Quackity to his thing. In and out. Prime, how he wanted to be done with this all, but he had to trust the man.

The creeper hybrid hissed in the back of his throat as he glanced down to his hands, the weight of the iron chains almost too light in his grasp. When had it become more normal holding a weapon?

Why did he feel sick?

He’d done so much to protect the server even though he couldn’t save Tommy, the teen’s screams still haunting his mind, he’d sacrificed so much that now Ponkie still wouldn’t look him in the eye, shrinking back if Sam got too close, and he already had blood on his hands, when had it gotten so easy to ignore it?

This was for the best. The Warden straightened his shoulders, “Get on the platform, Quackity.” His voice was cold, collected, and emotionless as he eased his mind into the steady order of his prison, and the Warden ignored the sinking feeling in his gut.

In and out. What was a little more blood on hands already soaked in it?

He wasn’t a monster like the prisoners. They deserved this. Did anyone on this server really deserve this?

~

Technoblade didn’t really know what to do when Quackity and Sam arrived. He just stood there and tried chatting them up, laughing nervously, “Ayyyyyy, fellas, how, how have things been?” He offered a casual grin.

Oof

Really?

LMAO

I don’t like this

BLOOD

BLOOD FOR THE BLODOQ FGOD

this is not good

Quackity shot him a glare, Sam didn’t respond, black eyes staring out of a blank face. Dream gave a strangled laugh, and at least his humor had hit home for someone. 

He glanced over to said roommate, who had shifted itself to be infront of the piglin with a tension to its shoulders, and he glanced back to the other two.

Ohhhh dreaaam

BLOOD

KILL QUACKITY

tge warden?

Whys same here?

Handsome sammmm

Sam, the Warden, was dressed in his enchanted netherite, a thick, iron chain in his grasp. 
“Hey, so… what’s up with that?” The piglin rubbed at an ear as he pointed absently towards the chains.

You

blood

Sam?

run

Get out!

The creeper hybrid didn’t say a word, and then, the barrier fell. Dream stumbled back, lightly shoving Techno back as well with a whimper. The piglin just stared, shifting his gaze to Quackity.

I don’t like this

RUN

GET OUT

PHILLLLL!?

“What are those chains for?” Techno snorted and bared his tusks with a huff. “Cause I’m not feeling like being nice today.” He scratched a hoof at the ground before saying with a deadpanned frown, “You tore a hole in my favorite cloak, you know?”

Dream glanced back at him and a disbelieving wheeze escaped him as he whispered frantically, “Oh my Prime, would you shut it?” It began to slowly push them back into one of the cell’s corners, sharply looking back to the Warden and Quackity.

Techno just smiled widely, opening his mouth to start talking again, and finally, Quackity spoke up, summoning a familiar blade from his inventory, “Shut. Up. You fucking pig.”

Blood

BLOOD

The Warden’s Will

Blood?

GET OUT TECHO

e

Sam moved forward suddenly towards Techno, eyes narrowed on the brute. Dream’s head snapped over and it quickly moved into the other’s way, just for Quackity to move in and shove Dream away.

Dream stumbled with a yelp, head smacking into the nearby wall with an audible crack, and it fell still, a pained wheeze escaping it. Quackity smirked, and a snarl spread across his face as he kicked viciously at the unmoving form.

Blood BLOOD BLOOD

E

I don’t like this!

WE NEED TO GET OUT NOW

BLOOD

WHERES PHIL 

Before Techno could move, to do what, exactly? He wasn’t sure. But before the brute could make a decision, he was being pinned to the wall, eyes moving to stare at the creeper man. 

The brute grunted and tried shoving back, but a sharp pain suddenly blossomed in his shoulder, he glanced over, wide-eyed and mouth agape, to see a blade piercing through his already injured shoulder. His eyelids flickered and he gasped as black stars colored his vision.

TECHNO!?

TECHNOSUPPORT!

BLOOD BLOOD

WJERE IS THE SYNDICATE

Technooii!

The piglin felt like he was floating, as the blade was twisted, and a fist suddenly flew into his gut, causing him to half-way crumble, the sword screeching againist the obsidian behind him at the movement.

TECHNO

Another fist flew into his face, the brute felt feather-light as he went with the movement.

Tec

Cold metal bit into his skin, but he couldn’t quite see.

b

The brute felt nothing.

Silence.

The voices were never silent. Technoblade collapsed.

~

Dream shook where it lay, it hurt. It hurt so much, it tried cracking its eyes open, but it felt so heavy. Dully it heard footsteps walk near it and then walked away after a crash of glass sounded.

It took a sharp breath as a healing pot splashed across it, careless glass cutting at its skin. Dream’s eyes fluttered open. The Warden was walking away, a frown on his face as he stared back for a mere moment, before the creeper’s face smoothed back to impassive carelessness. The barrier raised and he was gone.

Its eyes trailed towards where Techno had been and he saw a slumped form being towered over by Quackity, the man’s face split into a vicious, twisted smile.

Dream whimpered, flinching as it curled in on itself. This was bad. This was really fucking bad.

It hurt so badly. Another potion was splashed nearby and Techno made a half-mumbled yelp. Dream curled further into itself. It faded before a pained shout caught his attention though, Techno wasn’t safe. It was tired of Quackity.

Dream was useless.
It hurt. It was real.
The pretender shifted in its broken skin. It hissed, low and dangerous, it couldn’t just lay there.

Dream shuddered, fingers slowly tugging at its mask, nails turning into claws burying into the skin.

It had to help.

Then it reached inwards, and tore itself open. The fake whined in the pain and relief of it all, before it shattered itself. Dream stumbled, breaking from its mortal shell, pain overwhelming before it stood there, shaking, twisted, yet free. 

It smiled, horrified and ever so pleased with itself. It was done being a plaything. It twisted its neck around from where it had been sprawled againist the wall, and it screamed.

~

Something shrieked from behind him, and before Quackity knew what was happening, a force shoved him from behind and he went flying with a gasp.

Pain rocked through him as he landed againist the wall, the wings he often kept hidden under his suit taking the brunt of the hit, before he fell with a groan to the ground. Harsh obsidian scrapped at his exposed skin and face before something dug what felt like fire-hot blades into his ankle and drag him back.
He tried to scream, but nothing would come out beside a high-pitched warble. Quackity just needed to alert Sam! Then he’d- a hiss echoed out, and he froze.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he looked up.

A fanged, smiling maw stared back at Quackity, two black, void-like eyes staring out of a bone-white, draconic, almost eel-looking face. The thing twisted its neck sharply, almost a 360 degree angle before laughing as its now upside-down face looked down at him.

It’s laugh stretched into a sharp wheezing thing.

He stumbled to his feet, grimacing as he stumbled, pain laced his leg. He felt himself shudder, barely able to step back, horrified.

The thing stretched, climbing to its clawed, twisted limbs, climbing across the walls. Its darkness climbing onto the ceiling, covering the glow of the lava, but… despite covering all light sources, he wasn’t saved of the sight of this thing. He could still see the horror before him, bright as day, an ethereal glow bathing it.

It looped its neck as it drifted closer, stalking after him, oily, black skin rippling with color suddenly, so much wonder and disgusting beauty and soothing horror hidden in slick, marble-smooth skin. It wheezed again, arching its body like that of a snake though it seemed to swim as it moved, gracefully seeming to fill the cell with its looping, impossibly ever-stretching coils. 

But it’s face. It lowered closer, the smile stretching far beyond what should be possible, and as its head lowered to stare him in the eye, Quackity felt himself gag. The thing that was everything and nothing stared back, its eyes seeming to open wider, almost consuming all thought, consuming all of him. A spark of color twisted in the void, and he stumbled back, tripping over the consuming coils with a strangled yell.

He glanced back and he saw eyes of every shape and color staring back, he glanced around and more opened up to fix their stares on him, some twisting in on themselves to reveal glimpses of his own darkest horrors and most brutal truths. He whimpered, feeling his feathers spike as his damaged wings tried to open as every instinct told him to flee. But before he could do anything, think of anything, that face was back, and he couldn’t look away.

The coils started to twist around, hands emerging from the darkness to grasp at his legs and stroke along his face and arms. The sword was gone. He couldn’t see anything but the void with a smiley face. He was smiling as blood poured from his injured leg. He was shaking as the pain seemed to be forgotten. Quackity felt nothing. But his mind burned with everything.

His heart raced and the thing opened its mouth again, teeth going endlessly down the chasm, revealing a tongue that looked like a mantra ray, its wings opening to reveal blinding starlight. Quackity gasped in the glory of it, tears trickling down his face as the stars collapsed, and he heard screaming. Voices over voices, screaming. Quackity tried screaming back, but he could only lean closer with a plea on his lips.

Then suddenly, it closed its maw and he was left looking at the colorful, rippling hide, vision blurred. Ringing in his ears, whispers cradling his mind before it was all gone. The impossible, coiling dark was- was gone, his knees buried into dark, bubbling blood. 

It wasn’t only his. He looked at his palms and saw stars staring back, and he could hear the echoes of those screams.

He glanced up at the lava, bubbling and warm. Then he glanced back to see no one else in the cell. A laugh bubbled from his mouth. It was a pained wheeze that he quickly bit down on his lip to stop.

He flinched, and it felt like the ghosts of hands were still carefully gracing down his face. 

Quackity covered his face with a hand, ignoring the crimson he spread across himself, moving to clutch at the necklace under the suit he wore that bore his engagement ring.
He shook, clutching at it until the metal bit into the skin, collapsing into himself, he buried his face in his hands and sobbed.

Chapter Text

Technoblade shuddered from where he assumed he was laying on the ground, eyelids fluttering as he saw a smiling skull loom over him before opening its maw to consume him.

The piglin cringed, but there wasn’t much he could do to fight it as teeth neared and conscious left him.

At least it hadn’t been Quackity that killed him in the end. 

~

Dream surged to the surface of the ocean, scrabbling onto the shore, exhaling sharply as it took in the bitter cold. Too cold, much too cold for its liking.

Its body was sore, shivering as its jaws clicked open to cough up a seemingly dead Technoblade. Dream just huffed heavily, shaking itself off before focusing on shifting into a humanoid form. 
It was difficult, but eventually it stumbled  onto two legs, body vaguely similar to how it had looked, it’s torn, bloodied white tank top back in place as it shuffled  on bare feet, dusting a hand along its torn jeans. 

However, it seemed tearing apart its previous, ever-so-delicately-crafted form so violently and suddenly had some, well, ill effects.

Dream glanced briefly at its skin, and frowned. Despite seeming human again, its skin glistened as it did in its more monstrous form, dark, void-like skin glinting with stars, color shifting in the darkness and allowing for sparks of color to show.
It sighed but shook itself, turning to its companion, hurriedly helping a barely conscious Techno to his hooves.

“Techno—?” Dream cleared its throat, coughing harshly before swallowing back a grimace, “T-Techno?”

The piglin grunted lightly, eyelids flickering as Dream slowly maneuvered itself to bear Techno’s weight while being careful of his still injured shoulder, hurrying towards the anarchist’s home. “Just… d-don’t, don’t die, just yet? Got it?”

The piglin offered a soft sound, slurred words barely audible, though it vaguely sounded like he said ‘Techno never dies,’ which honestly? That sounded about right.

It mentally groaned, shifting itself before starting to walk… this was going to be a pain.

~

Philza paced quietly in his house, trying to think what his best course of action should be. It had been long enough, hadn’t it?

His wings shifted behind him and the elytrain sighed heavily. Of all the things to happen, Techno had to get himself thrown in prison, didn’t he? Sure, it had been a bit ago, and he should be sleeping, but it had started to become too long of a wait.

He smiled faintly, he trusted the brute, he really did, but for fuck’s sake.

He shook his head and was going to return to his pacing when he heard a frantic knocking, “A-anyone—“

A harsh coughing cut off the rasped voice and Philza hurried towards the door, pulling it open to see to his alarm and shock that is was Dream and Technoblade, the two slumped againist the other. Dream was still coughing, head tilted to the side with shoulders shaking, and it was then that Phil noticed something strange.

The man’s skin looked like the Void itself had come alive, stars seemingly twinkling from within the other’s skin, the shift of colors barely visible within the depths of the darkness. But he quickly shook his head and turned to look at the barely conscious piglin instead.

The two seemed ready to collapse, so squaring his shoulders, Phil quick maneuvered himself to Techno’s other side. With a huff, he heaved the brute’s other arm onto his shoulders, and with a harsh grunt, him and Dream entered his house.

Phil moved them so that he could set the injured piglin onto his bed, letting Dream stumble back with a shuddering sigh of seeming relief. The elytrain merely turned his attention to Techno, though he was absently aware of Dream slumping onto the ground with another coughing fit behind him.

The elytrain looked over Techno and sucked in a breath. What looked like a shard of a sword’s blade was sticking through his shoulder, fresh blood trickling down as the brute shifted before stilling with a moan of pain.
Phil gently eased Techno so he was lying on his back, carefully slipping a few pillows to support him.
The winged man winced before carefully looking him over for more wounds, carefully peeling back his bloodied dress shirt. After a moment he got out a small knife and was using the blade to carefully cut open the shirt when a hoarse voice spoke up.

“H-had a blade pierce his shoulder… cut across the lower abdomen, his wrists are bruised, there’s a slash a-along, along his side. His face was starting to bruise, but it’s hard to see wi-with the fur. I cleaned the cut on-on, on his forehead and cheek but I don’t know if, if they might get infected o-or not. Also he might’ve pulled something in his leg… and he’s got other scraps and cuts.”

Phil glanced over his shoulder to see Dream leaning againist a few chests, that blank mask staring at him. “What the hell happened? Does anyone know you’re out?”

Dream cocked his head to side and it seemed that last statement had peaked his interest, so Phil waved at him dismissively, “You got me back Techno, I’ll deal with you after I get things situated. I don’t want people coming after us because of you.”

The other’s shoulders slumped and he got a sigh before a soft, “Okay-I, understood. N-no one saw us, but uh, Quackity.”

Phil opened a window briefly, whistling for some of his crows. The excitable birds dashed in, circling with sudden croaks as they noticed Techno and Dream, some nervously beginning to hover around Techno until Phil waved them off, “Guys! Give him some space, Techno’ll be fine! Just get me Ranboo.” A few flew out, cawing lightly before heading off. He turned and looked at a couple that had landed in his shoulder while others scattered back outside, “You two, go get Niki.” Once those birds had headed off as well, Phil sighed and closed the window. “What about him?”

Dream didn’t seem to think the question was directed at him, instead facing a few of the more curious crows. Phil cleared his throat and when that blank, smiley face was staring back at him, he repeated himself.

Dream shuddered, “Oh. Yeah.” His hands went to clutch at his hair, “L-lets just, just say, he- well, h-he’s not fond of us. Visited in p-prison.”

Phil didn’t question it further, instead changing the topic, “Are you injured?”

He just got a cryptic laugh before Dream stated, almost smugly, “Not a-a-anymore.”

The elytrain glanced at him with a frown, “If you say so, grab me some health and regen pots then? Though I swear, if you run, I’ll personally hunt you down.”

Dream just wheezed, nodding sharply as he stood, “You g-got, got it.”

Phil turned back to his work, muttering for a couple of crows to follow after the masked figure. He glanced back at Techno and sighed, “Mate. What did you get yourself into this time?”

~

Dream was pacing wildly, a couple crows watching it as it was unable to quite keep its calm as time passed, it was getting light. It should run.

It fiddled with its mask and glanced at the windows again, where the dark night sky was brightening with the colors of a soon arriving dawn. Phil, after Dream had come back with the health and regeneration potions, told it to go wait in Techno’s house as he cleaned some of the piglin’s more serious wounds. But it was panicking.

And well, Dream couldn’t help itself. It didn’t want to go back. But it was nervous and it hurt.

One of the crows jumped closer, Dream swerving its head to give it a narrowed glare. The bird watched it back and after a moment, Dream glanced away, rubbing absently at its arms.
It finally sat down near the fireplace, taking another shuddering breath as it could still feel the cold rattling around in its lungs. It was sore from the sudden transitions between different forms, but it had to be done.

It should have been more careful, shouldn’t it? But it just, had to get out. Dream felt its eyelids flutter, head dipping down as the warmth seeped through it, skin unknowingly glowing at the shift in temperature.

It felt better though, so Dream, despite its fear and caution, did the worst, and let its guard down. It had run, it was away, it’d be okay.

It really hoped so anyway. But even if it wanted to run, its eyelids were too heavy and its body still shuddered. 

~

Ranboo sighed as he waved away another noisy crow, the birds cawing and croaking at him whenever he stopped.

“Relax! I’m going, I’m going!” The endermen hybrid could see his particles spark up and flash in similar annoyance, whispers of ender echoing around him.

Ranboo just grumbled back as he followed Phil’s crows. He had been having breakfast with Tubbo when all hell had apparently broken loose, the satyr had opened the window for a barely a second to check the weather outside when screeching birds had dashed in. The crows had immediately descended upon Ranboo, one daring one even nipping at his crown and an ear until he stood up with a Yelp.

Tubbo, because of course the satyr had found it funny, had laughed at him before waving him off. The ender hybrid had just groaned before the insistence of the birds finally made him hurry toward the North. He’d kissed Michael goodbye, ruffling Tubbo’s hair, and then dashed back out with his coat on.

Now here he was, marching through the snow, crows circling and croaking around him. He had a sword out and his armor on, as mobs still lingered with the going night.

One of his ears flicked absently when he heard a particular particle of his whisper though.

“⏁⟒☊⊑⋏⍜ ☌⍜⏁ ⍜⎍⏁, ⊑⟒’⌇ ⟟⋏⟊⎍⍀⟒⎅”

Techno got out, he’s injured

Ranboo felt his heart flutter, before he was running for it, cloak trailing behind him as the crows raced alongside him.

~

Technoblade… was in… a bed? He winced and blinked slowly, “What…?”

The piglin sniffed before coughing harshly, looking around with a baffled, “Heeeeh?” This didn’t make sense, unless Phil had activated the stasis chamber? Maybe? Or… had he died? 

TECHNOBLADE MEVER DIES!

Eeeee

TECHNO!

BLOOD BLOOD

TECHNOOOO

No? He winced as the voices were practically screaming, but at least he could hear them now.

“You all… a-all better subscribe.”

This got him quite a few laughs and lmao’s from the chat, and faintly the piglin smiled. He certainly didn’t feel dead.

Techno shifted with a groan, and he could see bandages stretched across his chest and limbs, blood soaking through here and there. If the brute had died, well then he wouldn’t have to deal with still bleeding wounds, now would he? So he hadn’t died… then how did he get home?

Eeee

E

Blood for the blood god!

TECHO

The piglin snorted, “Wow- so, so helpful, chat.”

The brute shifted, wincing as the movement sparked a pain along his, well, everything. He slumped back with a harsh exhale as his shoulder flared up, bringing a hand to absently rub at his tired face, hissing in pain. Yup, he was definitely still alive.

His eyelids felt heavy and they fluttered as he melted into his pillow. He’d… figure things out… later. Yeah.

~

Philza was absently perched on the roof of his house, wings outstretched as he gazed over her forest. The wind felt nice along his broken, damaged limbs, and he allowed the chill to calm his racing mind.

He was worried. Admittedly, Phil was pretty fucking worried.

Techno was still out, last time he checked anyways, and while he’d be fine now, Phil still had quite a few questions. Why had Quackity been visiting the prison? Had he really caused all the wounds seen on Techno? How had the two escaped? 

The questions just contuined and he grimaced as he stared towards the horizon, he could see faint traces of sunlight, then, small at first, but quickly approaching, he spotted a lanky form.

Phil felt his hand twitch for his sword before shaking his head sharply, it was just Ranboo. He’d asked for Ranboo. He could see some of his crows cawing and circling the poor kid and he couldn’t quite fight back a chuckle.

Having someone else here would help, that was until the other syndicate member could join them. The elytrain careful made his way down, wings flared for some balance as he made his way to met the other. Crows followed him, many of them silent as they fed off his own concern and worry.
But he couldn’t be stuck in his own head now, could he? Phil had a feeling the kid was going to be a nervous wreck as well.

Oh, fuck. Dream. He’d forgotten about Dream. Oh Ranboo wasn’t going to like this one bit.

The elytrain bit back a nervous chuckle and went to inform the ender hybrid of what had happened. This was going to be a… long day.

And the sun had barely risen, fucking hell.

Chapter Text

Dream jolted awake with a strangled scream tearing from its throat, crows screeching as they scattered away from it as it glanced towards the door. It blinked a few times as the dream finally faded before hissing, throwing its mask off with a frustrated scream. It was out! It had gotten out!

“I’m out!” It bit its fist with a muffled sob, unknowingly breaking the skin as fangs carved deep through its mimicry. “I’m fuc-fucking out.” 

It stumbled to its feet and covered its face with its hands, claws digging into its scalp as it took shuddering breaths in. Of course it had to have another nightmare of being back, of course!

“I-I got us o-out. I’m out.” It repeated itself, fighting back tears.

Dream peeled its hands back with a slow sigh, baring its teeth in annoyance as it looked around for its mask, the crows staring at it with rigid attentiveness. Dream growled low in its throat, sniffling, “What?”

The birds didn’t answer, one merely flying towards where the mask had landed, cawing harshly. Dream gave a stuttering sigh, and wandered over, “T-thanks, I guess.”

The bird merely eyed it, as though not sure what it was exactly looking at, Dream just ignored it. Pressing the mask back to cover itself as it slowly drifted to sit on a nearby chest. 

It buried its head back into its hands, not even noticing when a familar figure opened the door cautiously. Someone cleared their throat and Dream flinched, “I’m not going back.” It could feel something trickling down its arm and it shuddered.

It was not in that cell anymore. It wasn’t sitting under crying obsidian.

It cringed, curling further into itself, whimpering, “I ca-can’t.” Dream felt like it was spinning. It couldn’t breath. It clawed at its own throat and stumbled to its feet, breathing hard and rapidly.

“I-I-“

It didn’t even know when it had pushed itself into the nearest corner, fingers grasping at its mask until it saw Phil staring back.

“Hey- hey, just breath, okay, mate?”

Dream shook its head, stuttering hoarsely, “I-I, we! I- I just got- no no no.”

The winged man just held his hands up passively, “Hey. You’re not going anywhere, alright?”

Dream latched onto Phil, hands clutching weakly yet desperately at his shirt, “T-they made me r-real! I-I-I can’t!”

Philza stiffened, before slowly, he peeled away its hands, carefully lowering the two of them to the ground. The winged man however gave pause as he noticed the dark blood dripping down its arm and now staining his own hands.
Dream hissed in a breath, eyes darting around. Phil merely tried to regain its attention as it looked around in its panicked state, “Hey. Look at me?”

Dream looked over sharply, “I- no. W-why?” It felt itself loosing it, swallowing harshly. “I-I-I was a g-god. A GOD.”

The elytrain raised an eyebrow but merely said, “Just relax. You’re not going anywhere, alright?”

It just shook its head, “Why do y-you keep lying!”

Phil rolled his eyes before shaking his head, as though disappointed or in disbelief. Then he carefully set Dream’s hands into its lap, though those crisp blue eyes lingered on its bleeding knuckles, “Look, if you’re still panicking this much, I don’t think the prison was doing you any good.”

Dream laughed, high and bordering manic, leaning forward with a twitch, “Go-good? Why should a-any care about that? I am the monster. It- it was so-so much fun.”

It leaned back with shaking laughs, moving its hands to remove its mask, but Phil just gently grabbed its wrists and pulled its hands away. “Okay. I don’t know what you keep going on about here, but you’re clearly not better off isolated in a cell.”

Dream chuckled, letting its head fall limply back as tears streamed down its face, “Oh~ b-but r-remember? Qua-Quackity came to, to visit! Heh.” It sniffled. “No one else c-cared. A-and, and why should they have?”

Phil sighed, releasing his grip, “I- I’ll be right back, you’re bleeding, you know? Just, stay. Alright?”

Dream just nodded weakly, slowly rolling its head to glance down at its injured hand with a frown, before shaking its head sharply as it went to clutching at its hair again. It didn’t even notice when the other had left.

It just shook and absently wiped at its face. It was so tired.

~

Phil grimaced at the blood staining his hand… it… burned? The skin in contact with the dark, almost murky, liquid feeling warm with heat, enough to be notable, though he decided to ignore the odd feeing for the time being.

He shook his head and walked towards his house, because as much as he loved Techno, Philza didn’t know how he found anything in that house of his.

He began opening his chests and shifting through them for spare potions or ingredients, humming mildly.

He had drifted off into his own head when he heard his voice being called lightly, noting Ranboo standing over his shoulder now, giving him a wary sideways look. Phil gave a questioning hum and the ender’s eyes trailed over his now blood-stained hands.
The elytrain just offered a gentle smile, absently reaching for a water basin to quickly rinse them off in, “Don’t worry, it’s not mine. Think Dream punched a wall or something, managed to cut up his knuckles.”

The ender hybrid’s frown deepened, “You… sure we don’t need to restrain him or something? …Call Sam even?” 

Nearby, Niki was quietly listening to the two, the woman carefully brushing through Techno’s fur, gently twisting little braids in it here and there. The piglin had been having a nightmare or something earlier when she’d finally arrived, tossing and turning as he muttered almost feverishly. This seemed to calm the brute as he healed.

Phil sighed, a few crows carefully landing on his shoulders and arms, “I am not calling Sam. Don’t trust that fucking prison if this is how Techno looks. I don’t know what happened, but Dream was spiraling because he’s convinced we’re sending him back.”

“And… are we?” Ranboo absently twisted his hands into his coat and Phil could see the struggle of emotions within the younger.

He bit his lip and shrugged, his birds croaking mild comments to each other and him, “I- well… he brought back Techno. He hasn’t run. He hasn’t tried to fight us. And well, I’m curious.”
The elytrain shrugged, moving along to his brewing stand. “I think the solitary confinement messed with him, keeps ranting about how ‘they made him real’ and how ‘he used to be a god. I mean… this hasn’t been the first time he woke up screaming afterall.” 

Ranboo grimaced, ears flicking back. Phil could see the ender hybrid remembered that. It had sounded… bad, almost like someone was being murdered.

Phil shrugged absently, turning to watch the ingredients trickle into the water bottles as he set the stand up, “I’m just wondering if he actually… just lost it while in there.”

Niki spoke up, having been slowly removing some of Techno’s bandages as she had been listening, “Well, he certainly doesn’t look quite human anymore?” She flicked her fading-pink hair back, standing up to move around Phil for some clean wraps, “And just, well, there was always something off, even before.”

Phil hummed mildly, “Didn’t have many interactions with him, honestly. So I’ll take your word for it.”

Niki just dipped her head, moving back towards Techno.

Ranboo had been quiet as he observed the interaction before he finally spoke up, “What does that mean, exactly? ‘Doesn’t quite look human anymore?’”

The other two shared a look before Niki merely returned to reapplying the bandages, Phil stating as he grabbed a finished potion, “Uh. Bit hard to explain, mate.”
The winged man gave a tense shrug, walking to the door before glancing back at Ranboo, “You want to see? It’s, uh, well mate, it is pretty bloody weird.”

~

Ranboo entered Techno’s house after Phil, opting to put his armor on and keep his maxed out sword in his hotbar. He didn’t care if he had Phil with him, it was still Dream.

So he stumbled to a stop for a moment when he finally peered around the older, watching as the winged man walked towards the masked man whose voice had haunted him for so long.

Whose voice still haunted him.

But well, there was something off. Dream raised his head, seeming to do so almost lazily or carelessly, well, if it weren’t for the tremble. The man made a questioning sound and slowly cocked his head to the side. Then that head turned towards him, and seemed to stare right through him.

Dream straightened slightly, crowing with apparent delight. “Ranboo.”

The hybrid just tensed, sharply looking away while Phil quickly drew away the attention from him, “Hey, mate. Can I see your hand for a moment?”

The blank mask stayed where it was a second more before gazing away towards Phil. A beat of silence, awkward and tense, before the figure muttered lightly, “It’ll be fine. It’s barely a cut.”

The winged man just ignored the comment and surprisingly, Dream offered no resistance when he picked up the other’s hand, that masked face still just tilted to the side. Ranboo took the distraction Phil offered to look over the server admin.

And well? The others had been right.

Without his usual hoodie on, Ranboo got a pretty good look at him… he was much skinner than Ranboo had expected (he got the feeling that Dream should have been in better shape, but it had been awhile, hadn’t it?). His black (hadn’t it been dirty blonde?) hair was long, twisted in a loose braid and there was old blood staining his white tee and torn jeans (was it Tommy’s? Techno’s? …Dream’s?). But what really drew the hybrid’s attention was the admin’s skin.

His skin, which Ranboo somehow knew had been pale and littered with freckles, was now slick in appearance, and dark, black almost if not for the shifting color and sparkling white speckles across it. It looked like Dream had painted his skin with the night sky itself, but it lived and breathed just as he did.
Colors swirling and fading and exploding all along.

Ranboo shook his head, stepping back as he seemed to finally draw his baffled gaze away. One hand came to clutch at his horns and he couldn’t help but blurt out, “What’s up with his skin?”

Philza looked over his shoulder and blinked, having been focused on observing what Dream had done to his hand, “Hm?”

The ender opened his mouth, hands gesturing towards Dream when the very man himself interrupted, raising his uninjured hand with one finger raised, “Its skin.” His tone was crystal clear and smug almost, which made Ranboo nervous.

The other two glanced at each other briefly, Philza raising an eyebrow while Ranboo flinched back. The elytrain looked back and cautiously questioned Dream, “Sorry?” The winged man tightened the bandages he’d begun to the wrap after applying the healing pot.

“I’m an it. It/Its. Not a man. I’m done pretending.” Dream carefully pulled his (its?) hand back and observed the work once Phil had finished. “Thanks.”

Phil hummed lightly, “Your welcome. Though I’d say I’m also kinda curious about what happened for your skin to suddenly look like that.” He gestured vaguely to Dream’s arm. 
Dream tilted its head, before sighing heavily, “That’s just how it looks sometimes, I’m usually able to control it. Didn’t mean to break it though… I’m ki-kind of stuck like this. Quackity played dirty.”

It leaned back with a sigh suddenly, “Fuck, I’m tired.” Dream groaned lightly and stretched. Ranboo stepped back when in a slowly, shuffling movement, it drifted over to the fireplace and leaned back, shivering.

Phil gazed at the masked figure without a hint of fear, “Hungry at all, mate?”

Dream shook its head gently, pulling its legs to its chest as it laid its head againist its knees, “No… thanks, Phil.”

The elytrain just nodded, ruffling the other’s hair before walking off, and surprisingly enough, Dream hadn’t seemed to mind the gesture.

Ranboo stared a moment more before that mask suddenly snapped up, the ender hybrid making a sharp, screeching-warble before scrambling after Phil. 
He slammed the door behind him, ignoring the curious glance sent his way as he stated shakily, “I’m going- going t-to feed the dogs.”

Philza just nodded with an understanding look, “Call me if you need me, alright, Ranboo?”

Ranboo just nodded as a chill went down his spine before hurrying to the dog house, away from it.
Away from that smile.

…He had so many more questions now. 

~

Technoblade blinked awake to something nosing at his face, “W-What?” There was a snuffling sound and the piglin stared in confusion at the wet muzzle sniffing at him.

Techno!

Hi!

The brute shifted with a groggy groan.

How are you?

pog

Steeeeeeeve

He blinked slowly and mumbled, “Steve?” This got him an instant response, the polar bear leaning back to blink big, black eyes at him before nosing at him again, investigating his bandages.

“Steeeeve. Off.” 

Aw

Ste e!

STEVE

E

lmaoooo

A low growl, before a heavy blast of warm air blew in his face, Techno barely flinched. “Steve,” his tone was stern, but affectionate. There was a stand off, but after a brief staring contest, Steve did as asked. The bear absently lowering its head to lay gently by his side, practically pouting.

Chat absolutely cooed at the bear’s antics, Techno just rolled his eyes. “Dramatic, much?” He paused with a yawn, blinking a few times.

E!

steve my beloved

aw

steve?

/hide chat

The piglin smiled faintly and ran his hands through the thick fur before his eyes drifted closed again.

Technooooo

Wecneed content!

Tec?

He most definitely was home. Safe.

Byyyyye

Night Techno!

aw noooo

The brute relaxed and fell back asleep.

~

Niki hummed softly, sitting outside with Philza at the moment, the two perched at the top of the stairs. “Quackity must have let Sam know they’re out by now, right?”

Phil hummed lightly with a frown. They’d been discussing what to do now while Ranboo distracted himself by playing with the dogs. Techno had Steve, and it seemed finally, Dream was going to stay asleep.

“I’ll say, it’s certainly weird that no alarm has sounded. No messages. Nothing.” A few crows played with Phil’s hand, the man cooing at them from time to time.

The woman merely eased a hand through her hair, she noted she’d need to re-dye it soon. “Radio silence. Do you think they’re trying to keep the server from going into a panic?” She glanced at Philza and he frowned, taking off his hat to tussle his own hair.

“I’m not sure. Maybe they’re trying to hide something? Quackity was visiting. Did that to Techno… and Dream, first time he- uh, it, sorry, woke up, you know, like that, it was practically begging me not to hurt it.” He scratched at the scruff on his chin. “What are you thinking?”

Niki glanced up, “Hm?” She scratched gently at one crow’s chin, the bird having flew over to sit on her knee, dropping a shiny pebble into her open palm.

“The prison. Dream. What do you think we should do? I’m, heh, I’m a bit lost without Techno.” He offered a weak half-smile and the younger woman gently moved to give him a side hug. Philza slumped into the gesture. “I was worried sick… it, its like the fucking…”

Niki gave him a comforting look, “The execution?” Phil winced but reluctantly nodded. She sighed, “I think, we just need to wait. I won’t lie, I don’t like Dream. Don’t trust it. But… I want to see what happens? Get more information?” She paused. “Actually… maybe I could ask Jack?”

Phil carefully moved away, Niki letting him go as she pulled out her comm. “Manifold? Weren’t you and him trying to kill Tommy?”

A faint, embarrassed chuckle eased from the other, heat flushing to Niki’s face. “Yeah. Uh, I’m done with that, Jack… I’m not sure what he’s been up to? But when Tommy died he was doing some research into the prison. Explosion or something caused the lockdown. Maybe he has some insight on what’s been happening around there?” She scrolled down through her contacts. “Had this whole little detective thing going on for awhile, it was kind of cute.”

Phil nudged her teasingly, “Oh?”

Niki straightened with a harsh scoff, slapping at his shoulder, causing him to cackle. “Not like that. More like a brother than anything.”

Philza’s grin grew, a teasing glint to his eyes, “Oh I know that. Only got eyes for Puffy, right?”

The woman stood up, face flushed, “Phil. We aren’t even dating right now.” She raised a hand and pointed warningly at the older, “I swear-!”

The winged man leaned back, raising his hands in surrender as his laughter grew, “Alright, alright! Go on and get in contact with Jack then.” 

Niki shook her head with a huff, “You’re insufferable.”

Phil’s laughter tampered off as he wiped a pretend tear from his eye, face still brightened by a grin, “It’s a talent. Where’d you think the boys got it from?”

The woman gave a soft, disbelieving giggle before walking off, turning to her comm. 

[You whispered to JackManifoldTV]: Hi, Jack! I know we weren’t on the best terms last time, but I need some help? Could you do me a favor?

She bit her lip, nervous that Jack might just ignore her. It’s not like they’d been on the best of terms since their little ‘Team Rocket’ fell apart. Niki frowned, was this even a good idea?

Luckily, before she could start questioning herself, a ping alerted her to a new message. 

[JackManifoldTV whispered to you]: What do you want

Chapter Text

Dream woke up to something huffing againist its hair. It blinked groggily, “W-what?” It’s words were slurred, it felt heavy, exhausted.
Slowly, it raised its head, tensing when it saw a gaping maw level with its head. Dream was up in a heart beat, scrambling back with a sharp, whistling hiss that turned into a deep, warning growl. 

It got a better look at the intruder as it stepped back a little… and… was that a polar bear?

The animal only paused for a moment though, it blinked, sniffing curiously as it followed after it. Dream shoved its mask up and screeched, not even noting the other figure as it let its face ripple outwards for a moment. The bear just paused as Dream inhaled shakily before a voice stated softly, “What the fuck.”

It glanced over blinking, just to meet gazes with a blank-faced Philza. The two stared a moment more before Dream hurriedly covered its face once more.

Fuck.

~

Phil had been idly trying to get one of the polar bears, he honestly couldn’t tell most of them apart, to leave Dream alone when the other had woken.

He was expecting maybe the other to be startled, but he was not expecting what was to come next. An inhuman hiss turned growl erupted from the startled humanoid, making Philza give pause in his pursuit of the curious bear.

It was when Dream then moved to seemingly take off its mask that the elytrain froze, eyes locked on the slowly revealed ‘face,’ though could it really be described as that?

As Dream pushed up its mask, skin and muscle seemed to tear away, spreading outwards and up like the fur on a startled cat’s back, revealing a skull where the face should have been.

A pristine mimicry of a human’s skull.
Keyword, mimicry. The teeth were too elongated, there were too many eyes visible in what should have been empty sockets, and as that jaw gaped open, he could see nothing but a tendril of blinding light emerge as Dream screeched.

Phil stared at the sight before him, understanding the horror but not quite being able to express anything but the feeling of acceptance, muttering a soft, baffled, “What the fuck.”

Dream gazed over sharply, and he felt such a sudden, overwhelming repulsion rise up as eyes, so many eyes, stared back, before that face rippled again as the muscle and skin seemed to hurriedly try to patch back over the exposed bone. It shoved down the mask before Phil could see the finished product.

But… well. Huh. So that’s what was under the mask.

And honestly? The winged man felt the fear and repulsion pass right on by. Because… okay. Phil cleared his throat, Dream visibly flinching, before he stated lightly, “Uhhhh… sorry to wake you, mate. I- um. Hungry?”

The other just stared at him before the tension broke as the bear contuined towards the inhuman, and honestly? It was a mercy from the gods, that distraction from… well what Phil had seen… whatever the fuck that had been. But when Dream yelped in surprise as the bear pressed its muzzle into its chest, he felt confusion rise up as the sound that came from the other now was… so strangely human.

Dream raised its hands and Philza couldn’t help but laugh as he shook the questions from his mind, moving to tug at the polar bear’s collar, “Just ignore the bear, Techno’s.”

Dream stared, before shakily stating, “W-why… is it staring at me like, like that?”

“Either you made it more curious by ripping your face open.” The winged man paused as he swatted the bear with a groan as it tried to sniff at Dream again. “Fucking stubborn! But, uh, it is also probably just curious about you being here. Think this is one of the younger ones.”

The bear growled and turned towards Phil, who absently rubbed at its head before tugging it back. This time the large animal allowed it, huffing heavily.

“…Okay?”

The elytrain chuckled at that, “Well, mate, I’ll get this fella out the way, and then I’m going to cook something up. Sound good?”

A pause before, reluctantly, Dream responded, “I- okay.”

Phil nodded, barely giving the masked figure a second glance as he worked to maneuver the animal outside again. Of all the animals that Techno could have chosen, he had to pick something as stubborn as polar bears? Weren’t the wolves enough?

He finally managed to convince the lumbering giant to exit the house, and slowly made his way to reunite it with the others.

~ 

Techno smiled tiredly as he ruffled Steve’s fur, amusement clear in his gaze as the bear let him smush its face between his hands. “Steve.”

Steeveeee

Steve

e

My beloved!

Hiiiii

His voice was flat, dry, and deadly serious. “I love you.” He frowned heavily at the bear and Steve just snuffled back, the piglin laughing as he leaned back.

AW

TECHNOSOFT

steeeeve

He laid his head againist his pillow once more as the bear settled back down, and glanced lazily to the door, scratching at his tusks before noting that they didn’t have their gold bands on anymore.

Phil?

steve

Phil

Tevhnoooo

e

Technosofy!

Huh. Phil must have removed them.

Speaking of which, his ears perked as he heard a familar accented voice grumbling outside, the door carefully shoved open as the winged man entered. The brute grinned at his old friend, watching as the elytrain didn’t even notice he was awake until he wandered over to check on his bandages.

PHIIIIIIIL

/hide chat

PHILLLLL

PHIL

YESSSS

Phil finally looked at him and Techno grinned lazily as they met gazes, “Heeeeeey, Phil.”

THEY ARE FRIENDS YOUR HONOR

PHIL

yes

DADZAAAAA

To say the other lit up would be an understatement. Those already sparkling, blue eyes seeming to practical glow, Phil’s damaged wings raising up as a delighted warble broke from the immortal’s lips, “Techno.”

“Hey, man.” Techno smiled fondly, dark eyes crinkling.

The brute shifted to then sit up when Phil went to hug him, pausing when the other gave a grimace of pain. “Shit, sorry.” He backed up a step further when Steve gave a light, warning growl.

Phiiiiil

aw

lol

jesslous bear

STEVE BOT NOT

THEY ARE HAVING A MOMENT

steeeeeve!

The brute just winced lightly, “It’s alright. Also, shut up, Steve.” He grunted and lightly stated, “Mind helping me here?”

awwwwww

aw

STE E CONTENT

AWWWWW

❤️❤️❤️

Phil blinked before carefully helping the other into a sitting position, the piglin absently swinging his hooved feet over the side of the bed to rest them againist the floor. Steve sharply gazed up again before huffing heavily, relaxing as he laid his head down once more, eyes closing.

Phil chuckled, the winged man coming to sit by him, “You had me worried sick, mate.”

phiiiiiiil

PHIL

e

are we worried about Sam still?

TECHNO NEVER DIESSS

The piglin shrugged dismissively, patting at his head when he noticed his crown was missing as well, “Technoblade-“

Phil rolled his eyes, “-never dies.”

BLOOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD

TECHNOBLADE NEVER DIES

E

E

EEE

Technoblade just hummed with a nod. He leaned lightly againist Phil, absently rubbing at his forehead. “Mind helping me get to my ender chest real quick?”

The other glanced over before he frowned, “I really don’t think you should be testing your luck, mate.” Phil blinked. “Oh, I’ll be right back, just remembered I patched up your cape, had a hole in it.”

he noticed!

omg

phiiiiiiiil

awwwwwwww

YOU GUYS

Techno smiled as the elytrain stood up to grab said cloak, tossing it to the piglin when he finally found where he’d put it. Phil watched quietly as the piglin carefully moved to pull it back on, before stating with a growing smile, “I’m going to go make some lunch now, think you could stomach eating something now?”

munch

nom

check the back of your head

E

PMG YES LMAO

LOOOOL

The piglin just shrugged, rubbing at the back of his neck, before he straightened sharply, and when given a confused look, he muttered lightly, “Did… someone braid my hair?”

nikkiiii

SYNDICATE!

LOL

omg

lol

eeeeeee

YE

Phil’s eyes crinkled in amusement, “Nemesis.” Techno smiled faintly before the elytrain contuined with a wave, “You’ve been in and out these last few days, I got Dream to eat a couple apples and some bread last night, so I’ll probably grab some bread for you-“

Phiiiii

Oh DREAMMMMM

wait

Oh yeah

E

The piglin jerked to attention. He raised a finger, cutting off the other, “-Wa-wait. Wait. Go back, the teletubby is here?” The brute shifted, tail lashing slightly behind him. “As in that masked weirdo. Its out?”

ha hea homesleas

homlessss

PHIK

lmwo

WHERES RANBOO?

e

The other gave a shallow nod, looking thoughtful, “Yes, been keeping him in your house for the time being. Is, is there a something I’m missing?”

“I- hm.” Techno frowned lightly, scratching at his chin in a thoughtful manner. “Has… it tried anything?”

thats what the mask is!

Boo boy

E

/rainbow chattttt

wgy does 

Phil tilted his head, “Dream? Well, surprisingly, no.” He shifted over to one of his chest for some wheat he’d harvested a couple days ago. “Expecting something? H- it, say something while you two were… er-“

“In prison?”

The other just winced, “Yeah.” He then shook his head, turning back to the piglin brute. “But seriously, do I need to be worried?”

he tried to kill Tubbo

PUNZ LIVE?

E

E

T

dweam

Techno just gave a thoughtful hum, “Mind dragging that idiot in here?” 

Phil raised an eyebrow, “Mate?”

A hoofed hand waved him away, “It’s, well, if nothing has happened yet, eh, it’ll be fiiiiiiine.”

will it

I wonder how gogy will react

lmaoiooi

oh yeah

Technosupport!

“I- if you say so.” The elytrain sighed, setting some bread on a nearby table by the bed, “I’ll be back. Nibble on that if you feel up to it.”

Techno just nodded, watching as the other headed back out. This would be… interesting.

Pffffff

sure

LMAO

e

i don’t know Ah out this

~

Dream absently fiddled with its thumbs, laying on its back againist the hardwood floor, staring at the crow on its chest as the bird stared back.

“What?” It hummed lightly, gently moving a finger to carefully stroke down the bird’s head.

It clicked its beak and hissed, Phil’s crows finally having broken their silence a bit ago now, ‘You better not harm Tommy.’

It smiled, slow and predatory, a rumble building in its chest, “Oh? Why? I thought he wasn’t even Phil’s kid.”

The crow glared, harshly nipping at the other’s finger. Then it spoke once more, ‘We care. That’s ours.’

Dream just lazily drawled, “And why should I listen?”

‘We see a lot. We’ve been around a lot. Don’t make Dadza craft a belt. Bitch.’

It just chuckled, a quiet, yet harsh thing. “He’s immortal, isn’t he? Think he’s met things like me? Because I doubt it.”

‘He’d figure it out. Wilbur is obsessed with you. Tommy’s scared. Tubbo’s stressed. We don’t like it.’

Dream just cocked its head to the side, scratching under the sharp-spoken creature’s chin. “Understood… I’m- I’ll admit it, I’m too tired to hunt anymore.” It sighed. “I’m real either way. I’m not infinite and unknown. You see it, don’t you?”

The crow merely preened as Dream got a good spot, before another answered from nearby for the other bird. ‘We don’t know what we see. No one’s seen in your eyes before. We are just one audience.’

It hummed, reaching back to stroke at the other bird, “I know. I don’t. It’s whatever. The ender’s particles. The elytrain’s crows. The brute’s voices. The hell-raised’s headset. The king’s loyal business. And oh so many more. Isn’t that so?”

There was silence. Then another spoke, from the windowsill, ‘True. But what are you doing next then?’

“Honestly? I don’t know. Isn’t it exciting?” Dream smiled faintly. “I’m used to knowing and having the others be the fools, but I’ve joined the ranks.”

‘We watched you fall. The voices flew to us after Techno’s last stream. Joined our flock and spread the fire.’ One crow absently came to peck at its mask. ‘What are you?’

“I don’t know.” Dream closed its eyes and sighed heavily. “I really don’t.”

One crow laughed, a scratchy thing, ‘A manipulative bastard that’s what!’

The masked figure snickered, “Elegant wording.”

The crows just screeched around it, laughing, teasing, and insulting.

Dream just relaxed in the chaos of it until it heard the door open once more.

~

Phil observed chat as the noisy flock fluttered around and on Dream, the masked figure absently stroking one’s head as that mask drifted over to give him a look, one hand raising in a slight wave.

The elytrain just raised an eyebrow as birds scattered to coat him as well, the winged man chuckling fondly as they talked over each other, some poking their heads into his pockets to drop off trinkets they’d most likely stolen from the very room they were in.
He didn’t mention it though, merely walking over to Dream, “Hey, mate.”

A calm voice muttered something that sounded vaguely like his name, the mask following after his movement with its endlessly blank eyes and permanent smile.

Philza just shook his head, “Here, we’re heading to my house. Techno’s up, wanted to see you.”

That emotionless mask tilted slightly, “Hmm. Okay? What about the other two.”

“Niki and Ranboo?” A slight nod. Philza waved a hand out. “They’re doing their own thing. Nothing you should mind. Now c’mon, up we go.” He offered a hand, and after a pause that almost stretched into awkwardness, Dream let itself be helped up, the crow’s that had been hanging on it flying off.

“How’s he doing by the way?” The elytrain had turned on his heel but gazed back with another questioning hum. “Techno?”

Philza smiled, “Well he’s certainly doing better then he was. Bet he’ll be complaining about what review he’s gonna give the prison next.” He shook his head fondly at the thought and exited the house with the masked figure on his heels.

~

Quackity… still felt numb. A bone-set exhaustion that seemed to eat away at his very soul.

He was scared. He was paranoid. He was unnerved.

Yet, as he curled tighter againist Sapnap and Karl, the two having welcomed him into their Kingdom with open arms when he came stumbling in with tears in his eyes and blood on his hands, he tried to ignore his haunted thoughts.

If only they knew what he’d done. Quackity shuddered.

The avian sniffled, and a set of arms pulled him closer, a face pressed againist his hair with a warm, groggy mumble. Quackity felt a faint smile touch his lips while the other in bed shifted closer, Karl muttering in his ear before placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

But, as his eyes drifted shut again, he knew he’d have to go deal with bussiness tomorrow. He’d been putting it off.

The avian just wanted to move on now. But for now, he let himself relax into the warmth.

~

Dream tilted its head at Techno when it saw the other before wandering over and plopping down beside the piglin. It looked over quietly, merely observing the brute as Technoblade seemed to do likewise.

It could absently hear Phil in the background getting materials for food out. Techno didn’t look too bad, a few bandages littering his chest and torso, sprawled out on his arms and along his injured shoulder. But he had a light to his eyes, a smile twitching on his lips, and Techno seemed to be in a lot less pain.

“Hi.” Dream spoke up first. It didn’t know why. It smiled though, either way.

Techno just hummed, “Not up to anything shady at the moment?” The piglin’s tail flicked behind him, hooves shuffling before stilling again.

It shrugged, “Nope.” It perked up, remembering its inventory, “Oh! I did get the bell though.” It excitedly pulled said bell from its inventory, passing it to the piglin, who took it carefully into his hooved hands.

“Niiiiice.” The piglin was grinning widely, slapping it down with a glistening mischief, “Get to ringing it.”

Dream just stared, looking between the brute and the bell, “What? It’s, it’s literally right there.”

The brute shrugged, leaning back casually though a twitch of an eye revealed some pain still, “I’m still injured. You look fine, though… what happened to your hand?” An absent wave towards its bandaged hand.

“Bit it. It’s fine.”

Techno huffed but didn’t push it. He merely grinned, tapping a finger to his forehead. “Sellout timer.”

Dream just gave a heavy sigh, before dragging itself to its feet, plopping back down by the bell with a growl. It ignored Steve, the polar bear glancing over.

“Do I really have to? Wasn’t it enough in prison? Seriously?” It flicked at the bell, getting a clear ding.

Techno just deadpanned, “Yes.”

Dream groaned but went to ringing. It was fine. It couldn’t help but roll its eyes though when Techno started excitedly calling for chat to subscribe and become a member. After a moment, Dream joined in the chant, a laugh bordering its words.

Chapter Text

Dream absently stared at Techno before stating lowly, “You have to be kidding me.” It was too early in the morning for this shit.

Techno just frowned, peering out the window, “Noooope.”

The masked figure began to pace, “It’s just him, you sure?”

The piglin just hissed, “Yes, I’m sure. I may need glasses, but I’m not blind!”

A beat as the two stared at the other before Dream couldn’t quite help but ask, “Wait. You need glasses?”

“Yeah. Usually just wear them for reading though.” Techno peered at the figure standing outside the fence again, a dark cloak hiding whether or not Quackity was armed. He sat saddled up on the rigid spine of a skeletal horse, the creature’s eyes a burning glow as it tossed its head and pawed at the snow. It practically glowed in the scattered torch light and dying moonlight.

“Where do you even get a prescription from?” The brute gave the other a long look, and Dream raised its hands up, “I don’t know! I-I’m trying not to panic!”

The piglin groaned, “Ponk, who else? But seriously, what do we do?”

Dream just gave a strangled laugh, “I don’t know! Like hell I’m, I’m going out there, e-even if he is alone, I’m not going back!” It clutched at its hair and gave shaky breaths.

Techno walked over and shook the other’s shoulders, “Look. I’m not saying that you completely deserved it… but you kinda were a, aaaaand still are, a massive jerk.”

Dream growled, “W-wow, tha-thanks.”

The piglin rolled his eyes, “But look. That place is seriously messed up. We aren’t going back though. Got it?”

It just shook its head, “Okay, okay. Okay. When should Phil be back? Do y-you, you t-“

Techno released the other, peering back out to see Quackity was tying the skeletal creature’s lead to the fence. “He’s coming. You, uhhhh, hide?”

Dream hissed, pushing up the mask to bear jagged fangs, “HIDE!? WHERE?” 

The piglin just waved it off, “You better hurry, nerd.”

It started looking around sharply before climbing the ladder upstairs, pausing to snap back, “You’re the on-one that needs glasses!”

Then it was hurrying to hide in one of the corners upstairs while Techno just contuined to stare out.

Then it was quiet, Dream moving a hand to cover its mouth as its breathing hitched. This was just the worst. Phil had been gone for less than 45 minutes and things were already going to shit!

GREAT.

~

Technoblade watched as Quackity slowly walked along towards the house, ears perking up as he carefully moved back from the window. Alright, he ran his hands down his face with a huff. So he was doing this. Great.

BLOOD

WHY IRD HE HRTER ?????

BLOOD BLOOD

blood

e

this is not good

BLOOOD 

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he smoothed his face into something emotionless and careless. It was fiiiiiiiine.

ID OT TEALLLY?????

BLOOOOOOOOOD

get out

z

e

E

THIS IS NOT GOOD

Techno nodded absently to himself, turning to carefully make his way to his potions chest, muttering to himself as he downed a strength and speed potion. Just incase. The brute took a sharp breath, wincing at the burn that coursed through his still sore muscles before they relaxed.

The piglin then went to his enderchest, pulling out the axe Ranboo had made him before carefully settling it in his hotbar. Alright.

KILL HIM

BLOOOOOD

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD VOF

BLOOD

E

BLOOD

He moved back towards the door before someone knocked swiftly. He didn’t jump.

hwre we go

Yikkkkes

BLOOOOOOD!!!!

TECHNOSUPPORT

“Alright. We got this.” Techno muttered to himself before nodding, pulling the door open to give the figure there a cool, blank stare, “What.”

Quackity blinked, seemingly taken aback for a moment before he glanced down, almost as though nervous. Techno grunted and the other cleared his throat, “Heeeey. Techno.”

BLOOOD

BLOOD

KILL

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD

KILL QUACKITY

The brute snorted harshly, “What do you want, Quackity. I was planning to come find you and repay you, but now could do, I guess.” He absently stared at his hand, looking over the hooved nails carelessly.

The cloaked figure shifted, “I-uh, actually… I came to-“

“What.” His patience was limited. His nerves had already been fried by the whole ordeal, and well. Techno was tired.

technosupport!

BLOOD

 L

BLOOOOOOOD!!!

ohhhh quackityyyy

“I’m sorry, alright! Fucking hell, man.” Quackity glared harshly at Techno before taking a deep inhale, continuing before he could be cut off again. “I don’t want to keep fighting, I-I, I saw what the fuck Dream was. Okay?”

He looked terrified briefly at just the thought, the one eye going wide and his hands shaking before Quackity shook himself harshly. He grunted, and Techno raised an eyebrow, admittedly curious. “He got you out like it was nothing! I- hell, I don’t know how he did that. But- fuck.”

OH????

BLOOD!

blood?

BLOOOOOOOD!!!

I don’t belive him

liar

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOOOOD!!!!

Techno hummed lightly, “I’m listening.”

????

E

KILL HIMMM

BLOOD!

technoooooo

Contenr?

Quackity blinked, the man looking back to him before rolling his eyes, “Look. I- heh, everyone- knows you’ve got your shit together. Right?”

lmaooooooo

pffffff

Blood

BLOOD

loooooool

lol

The piglin shrugged lazily, drawling, “I guess you could say that.”

The man merely chuckled, hand running down his face, “Okay- alright. Yeah. Ca-can you keep Dream from hurting them then?” He swallowed and stared Techno dead in the eye, desperation painted across his features.

what

Blood

blood

WHAT?

BLOOOD?

Technoblade just blinked. “What.” He chuckled awkwardly. “Hehhh?”

A snarl, “Can you keep that monster away or not?”

The brute blinked again, mouth slightly agape, “Wait-wait a minute. You want me… to just keep Dream here?” The moon was gone and light was beginning to color the sky in faint purples and pinks.

wait- what?

seriously?

blood

TUBBO LIVE!

e

hehhhhh?

The snarl melted away, hopefulness replacing the aggression, Quackity nodded, “Yes. I, keep him away from Tommy and Tubbo? From hurting Karl or Sapnap or anyone else, ever again.”

oh

blood

BLOOOD

BLOOD

great now I feel bad

KILL HIM

Techno was baffled, “Thats… you’re not here to drag us back?”

A laugh, then Quackity smiled weakly. “Do you really think I can take you? I’ve- heh- I think… I’ve learned my lesson by now. I don’t want… I just want to move on.” He absently played with a necklace around his neck, the shimmering of a metal ring catching the piglin’s attention and curiosity.

OH

UH

E

/hide chat

blood

“I- alright.” Techno nodded lightly. “Sure, man. What… Uh, what about Sam?”

“Sam wants to just hide that he got out at all.” Quackity’s face twisted. “He thinks that he can take care of the ‘situation’ by himself.” His lip twitched. “Can you believe that? He couldn’t even save fucking Tommy.”

THE SHADE THO

BLOOD

yikkkes

oh yeah…

that did happen

kill him?

The brute hummed softly, before he nodded again, “Alright.”

oh?

Technoooo

BLOOD

e

r

technosfot?

The other smiled slightly, extending a shaking hand, “Cool, cool. I won’t bother you. You keep him away.”

Techno grasped the other’s hand in a vise grip, pulling him closer to state lowly, “You better not be lying to me again. Or I swear I’ll plunge a shovel through your other eye.”

BLOOOOOOD

BLOOD

GET HIM

YESSSSS

KILL

Quackity looked ready to run, but he met the other’s glare, dark eyes narrowed on Techno’s own. “I swear. I will never come back with ill intention, and hell, if I do. Go for it.” The business man grinned, a shaky, twitchy thing, but a grin either way.

The piglin snorted harshly in the other’s face and he felt satisfied when Quackity flinched. Then he leaned back with a lazily smirk, bearing his fangs and tusks. “I’ll keep you to that.”

YES

E

BLOOD

KILL

E

E

E

stop spamming!

Smiles were exchanged, predatory and filled with cold acceptance. Then Quackity let go, the piglin letting his grip drop as well, “One last thing.”

Techno tilted his head and his heart fluttered when a familiar sword was drawn. He could feel that blade carve through his flesh all over again and his own hand twitched to pull out his axe.

I KNEW IT!

KILL HIM!

e

BLOOOOOOD!

BLOOD

BLOOD 

e

That was, until Quackity dipped his head, and held the sword out. The piglin stepped back slightly, but the other didn’t mention the moment of weakness. “Warden’s Will. Take it.”

This made Technoblade freeze. He glanced sharply at Quackity but he saw no indication that this was a trick. He reached out and the sword was released into his hand.

WHAT

BLOOD

e

KILL HIM NOW

USE IT

E

E

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD

Techno pointed it sharply to the other’s throat. He growled. The cloaked figure didn’t move, staring at him with a tired, weary look. “If that’s what you need to do.”

He faltered, “Hmmm… Nah.” Slowly, warningly, the warrior let the sword dissipate. It sat tense in his inventory and he looked over Quackity once more. 

The other just smiled widely, tears brimming in his eyes, “Pleasure doing business.” The sky was turning into a beautiful orange-yellow, pink touching the edges.

what

wait… we’re letting him go?

BLOOD!

we demand bloooood!

please? Little murder?

e

Techno just dipped his head slightly and Quackity backed up, not exposing his side or back as he did, until he was near the steps. Only then did he retreat exposed, walking back to his awaiting steed. 

KILL HIM

quackity better run

oof

e

bloooos

The piglin just watched, having stepped onto the porch as Quackity offered a brief wave, before the hood was drawn up and with a harsh kick to the beast’s ribcage, the skeletion horse took its master away, quickly fading into the shadows of the forest.

that happened

techbosupport!

BLOOD

omg

oof

Techno exhaled loudly, raising a hand to his forehead before moving back inside, sitting down heavily on a nearby chest. He clutched as his chest and gave a shaky laugh.

“Looks like that’s it chat.”

technosupport!

SUSCRIBE!

e

e

tha- what

~

Dream flinched when it heard someone coming up, it’s breathing coming in gasps as it buried its teeth deeper into its arm, blood trickling down the limb and its chin. It didn’t really care though.

It just needed to stay quiet. Yeah! It could do that. Be quiet. Don’t speak unless spoken to. And you won’t get hurt.

The mask figure flinched however when someone spoke up from next to it, jaw clenching and fangs going deeper as it gave a low growl. It couldn’t hear the words. Fuck. 

Where was Quackity? What happened? Its eyes rolled in the sockets, tension spreading through it, and it looked at the figure with blurred vision.

It inhaled shakily and it could only taste iron in its mouth. It gagged and when it had opened its jaws, someone moved its arm away from its fangs. Dream just let it happen. It couldn’t focus.

The masked figure glanced down and it whined low in its throat. It couldn’t focus on the words spoken to it, but after a beat, a hand began gently carding through its hair. Dream slumped into the contact, shuddering.

It couldn’t go back.
It just couldn’t.

~

Phil sighed softly as he sat beside Wilbur, the two sat in a quiet forest as the sun rose behind them. The winged man was just staring at his son with a faint smile while the other ran a hand through his hair as he spoke energetically about his newest plot.

Something to do with fucking with Quackity’s business or something?

He looked to the horizon briefly before he gave a small chuckle as he glanced back to his son. Wilbur… was different. That’s for sure, and Phil didn’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing anymore.

Wil was alive. 

His eyes absently trailed over the other. From the white streaked hair that used to be so light and free, now seeming tangled and ash-coated to the worn coat he wore with its bloodied tears and stitched together patches. The bloodied bandages that stretched across his arm, which Wilbur refused to explain, the way his dark eyes seemed blank and manic at the same time yet ever so lively.

His son was so different now. He looked so much older too. A slight tiredness permanently touching his features.

Did Wilbur even notice? 

Phil shook his head dismissively, one damaged wing stretching out to bring his son closer when the man jumped to his feet uncaring and unseeing of the gesture. The elytrain winced but pulled the aching limb back as Wil paced and ranted infront of him.

He just listened. Philza hadn’t given his son all his attention before and look what had happened. Maybe… maybe this time would be different?

He smiled and nodded to Wil’s absent, honey-coated words. Techno would be fine without him for a bit longer, right?

~

Ranboo trotted up the stairs quickly, knocking on the door to hear a gruff voice, “What?”

A nervous warble fluttered from his lips but his particles whispered encouragements and he eventually chirped, “It’s just me, Techno!”

A pause and then he heard Techno call, voice relaxing, “Just come in.”

The ender pushed the door open curiously, ears perked as he carefully strode in, pausing as he noticed Technoblade and Dream sitting againist a sound-asleep Steve. 

“Uhhh, Niki’s journal was saying something happened with Quackity? And- and I saw him riding off?” He stepped closer, eyeing the masked figure that sat unusually still.

While him and Niki were out talking with Jack by the hotel, the man having been wary of them before he’d begun excitedly sharing his discoveries with Niki, the woman had pulled out her journal to write some notes down.

That’s when lines of writing had appeared, scrawled out in multiple different hand-writing, telling them something was happening at Techno’s.

Ranboo had volunteered to go, and seeing as Niki had a better (?) relationship with Jack, she’d thanked him before he’d run off.

Now he was back and so far, things didn’t seem too bad. Techno looked over at him and gave a shaky smile, “Uh, you could say that. Nerd came for a visit.”

His heart dropped, “What?”

The piglin groaned as he stood up, stretching out to his full height before he stated lightly, “Not much of an issue anymore. But, well, look for yourself.” He gestured with his head towards Dream and Ranboo’s eyes trailed over.

Dream was utterly still, one arm bandaged, head tilted as it seemed to just be blankly staring off somewhere. It hadn’t even seemed to react to Ranboo coming in, a strong contrast to last time when the being had seemed delighted at the hybrid’s discomfort and presence.

Ranboo looked back at Techno for explanation. The piglin huffed, moving to a chest to grab a few steaks, gnawing on the stale meat as he settled back down by Dream. The masked figure’s breathing hitched before it slumped againist the brute.

The hybrid raised an eyebrow slowly sitting on a chest near them, though still far enough away that if Dream did make a move, he could be on his feet with his sword out in no time. 

“You… know what happened in the prison?” The piglin absently chewed on his food, face resting againist a hand.

Ranboo winced slightly just at the mention of that place, weak memories aching through his mind, “Sorta? I-“ He pulled out his book to make sure. “You got hurt.”

Techno smiled, it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yuuuuuuu-p. Dream has been in there for like, a half a year or something? Torture does crazy things, even to ‘gods’ apparently.”

“Wai-wait? Is… is it really-?” The ender’s eyes blew wide open, but the other merely snickered.

“Nahhhhhhh.” He watched curiously as the piglin slightly flicked his robe out, Dream seeming to practical melt into the material as it covered it. “But, point still stands. Quackity apparently got real good at it.”

Ranboo flicked an ear nervously, “G-good at what?”

Techno groaned, “Torture, Ranboo.” The ender grimaced but the brute seemed to have his mind elsewhere as he absently grumbled. “Here I am, trying to be all, here’s my wisdom, my pupil? And this? This is what you give me? I thought you were big into your lore, jeeeeeez.”

“W-what?” 

A dismissive wave of a hand, “It’s fiiiiiine. But seriously. Dream is even more messed up than I think it was before.” 

“I-I can, can st-still hear you.” Ranboo practically jumped at the low, croaked voice. His head snapped towards Dream who merely stared at the ground, fingers tightening againist its bandaged arm.

“Welp, roomie. Am I wrong?” Techno hadn’t even flinched, rolling his eyes at he titled his head to the side.

Dream didn’t respond. Ranboo swallowed down a whimper. “I-I-I going, going to go outside.”

Techno glanced up, questioningly, “Heh?”

Before he could speak up and make some excuse, the masked figure surprisingly enough gave an out for him, “F-fuck’s sake. Kid’s, ki-kid’s a nervous wreck, T-Techno. Let, l-let, him go breath while he processes.”

The piglin blinked, looking back at Ranboo who merely offered a weak smile. Techno’s face went back to something impassive, shrugging easily enough, “Alright. Go on then.”

Ranboo was out that door in a heartbeat, offering a weak ‘T-Thanks!’ before he was hurrying to his house. His particles were practically a flurry around him, whispering frantically to him as Ranboo whispered back. This was… a lot.

He-he needed to… to do something. Anything to distract from whatever this was. He needed to talk to Tubbo.

Chapter Text

Ranboo twisted his fingers absently, briefly dusting at his suit. He glanced up, wincing, because, well, this was an interesting situation he found himself in now, wasn’t it?

Tubbo and Tommy were currently in his house. Arguing. He felt himself curl up tighter into himself, shoulders reaching to his ears, clearing his throat, “Uh? Guys?”

Tubbo glanced over with a frown, Tommy just grunted, fingers tapping harshly against his side as he took a careless bite out of a golden apple. “Ma-maybe we should just… talk to T-Techno?”

Tubbo flicked an ear and frowned, scratching a hoof againist the floor.

The satyr had come over as quickly as he could when Ranboo had panicky explained the situation, they’d placed Michael in the vault for now with some toys to distract the toddler (it’s not like they could really trust most people on this server with their kid, even Puffy had other things going on with the shambles of the eggpire and Foolish hadn’t returned their messages, but that was okay. They were used to dealing with things by themselves. At least they had each other.)

Tommy huffed, finally speaking up with a fanged sneer, “That bitch? He’s hiding fucking Dream for fuck’s sake!” He strode over to the nearby window and glared out, the devil child’s black, spade-tipped tail lashing sharply behind him. “Wh-why didn’t Sam say anything?”

The last part was a whisper, but the other two picked up on it, turning to glance at the other. Tubbo absently mouthed ‘Get him downstairs and safe?’ which Ranboo nodded to easily enough. The ender hybrid stood up and cleared his throat, figuring he’d trust whatever Tubbo had thought up, “Tommy?”

The blond turned around and looked up to the other. “Ca-can you help me downstairs real quick? Grab some totems from the vault and check on Michael.”

Tommy frowned, but he rolled his eyes after a moment. “Well let’s hurry boob-boy. Then we deal with that fucker.” He stuck a thumb out towards Techno’s house, tail lashing again, a faint wisp of smoke curling from his nose as he gave a sharp huff.

Ranboo just offered a smile and brief nod before slipping downstairs, Tommy on his heel. Tubbo cleared his throat and the later paused to gaze back, ears pricked. “I’m going to be right back.”

The devil frowned, “What?” Most would think that Tommy was being rather snappish at the moment, but Tubbo saw the stutter in his step, the tense twisting of fingers into his red shirt, the flutter of his chest. Tommy was nervous.

But hell, weren’t they all?

The satyr waved him off easily, “Gonna get some gear from my place. Stick with Boo.”

Tommy ran a nervous hand over an arching, gold-speckled black horn before nodding, sharp and quick. He trusted Tubbo. The satyr gave a reassuring smile and headed towards the door while Tommy hurried after the ender.

Tubbo inhaled deeply, pried the door open with a shudder at the cold that nipped at his face, and after a brief moment of hesitation, went to go deal with the monsters.

~

Dream was absently twisting its fingers into Niki’s hair, “A-and… now what?”

The woman had returned a couple hours ago, Phil wasn’t back yet, and they were just waiting for him before they called a meeting. He was expected to return any minute now. Techno was up and watching the window for his return, once more dressed up in his pre-prison glory, gold rings, shimmering crown, and head held high.

The woman hummed softly, pulling Dream’s attention towards her again, “Now take that center section, okay?” Dream nodded, gently picking up the woman’s hair, which he’d been instructed to seperate into three parts, and she contuined, “Now take the right and overlap it. New middle, got it?”

The masked figure cocked his head to the side, but contuined to follow the other’s instruction until it had created a messy, simple braid. It dropped its hand and tilted its head curious, “D-is that good?”

Niki turned around, leaning back as she analyzed it, then she smiled, “I’d say with more practice, you’d be pretty good at it.”

The masked figure cocked its head to the other side, pulling its own, recently redone, braid into its hands to fiddle with, “Really?”

The pinkette smiled faintly, Dream figured she still didn’t trust it whatsoever (it tried to ignore the conflicting feeling of pleasure at the fear and the anger at the thought that was how everyone else saw it), but she seemed willing to try and play nice.

So it would return the favor, it hopped to its feet and began to pace, “That, that was admittedly… fun.” It chuckled awkwardly and perched itself on a nearby windowsill, a couple crows croaking and cawing at it for attention.

It absently let the birds settle on it and looked attentively to Niki, the woman was studying it with those sharp eyes of hers. Dream absently studied her back, a slight amused grin stretching across its hidden face. Mortals were amusing.

Niki especially had been a fascinating character, often in the other players’ shadows, but there from nearly the beginning. She was a fierce, passionate thing that had been ignored one too many times. Dream hummed softly, and its smile became something more genuine.

It didn’t think the woman would settle to be ignored again. It was about to speak up, to question or prod maybe, when a knock, commanding yet fluttering, drew everyone’s attention.

Techno frowned, glancing up from his comm, “That’s… not Phil.”

Niki swerved to attention, drawing a sword, “Think it’s something to be worried about?”

Dream just settled back, watching and waiting. It had no power here anymore. And for once, it was content to let others run the show before it.

It was curious. It was terrified.

~

Tubbo blinked at the door being pulled open by a familiar woman with faint pink hair and a warm-looking, fur-lined, blue cloak, he couldn’t help but smile at her, “Niki?”

The woman in question just blinked back, equally as baffled before she beamed, “Tubbo!”

He was wrapped into a quick, warm hug before Niki pulled away, holding him at arm’s length as she seemed to look over the satyr from head to hoof. “What are you doing out here?” 

He had unconsciously stepped inside, Niki closing the door as she still smiled at him. 

Tubbo, however, had frozen at the blank smiling stare he had met with when he’d glanced behind the pinkette. That taunting grin tilted as the man it belonged to cocked his head to side, it reminded him of an inquisitive predator. Something waiting in the shadows for any flicker of weakness.

Niki glanced back and that silent staring contest was broken as Dream looked away under the woman’s sharp look. She sighed, “I- Uh-“

Tubbo just gave a shuddering breath, “I-I already knew.”

This didn’t seem to be what she’d been expecting to hear, but Dream seemed to chuckle. Tubbo almost flinched at the playful, careless sound, the satyr having to fight back his instincts to flee as Dream stood up with a delighted hum, “Ranboo?”

Tubbo was back staring at that mask, but he swallowed his fear, absently hearing a familiar sounding, ‘Heh?’ in the background. “Does it matter? I just want to see you back in that cell rotting.”

This seemed to hit a cord as Dream physically recoiled, making an inhuman hiss as Niki looked between them. The masked man seemed ready to strangle him, taking a threatening step forward if it weren’t for an all too notorious piglin brute stepping forth as well.

Tubbo watched as Techno pulled Dream back, absently smacking him upside the head, “No.”

Dream growled back and Techno huffed in response, Tubbo glancing back at Niki who had her sword out, and for a moment he was scared it was directed at him. But as he looked up to Niki, he could see her gaze narrowed on Dream instead. “Dream, don’t even fucking try a thing.”

The satyr perked his ears up as Dream snarled, “Oh come on! He’s right there, it’d be so easy.”

Techno picked up the other, the admin giving a yelp, before he was plopped down idly by the fireplace. “Stay.” The piglin turned away from the stunned admin and walked back to stare down at Tubbo.

Tubbo just stared back, trying not to shudder. He’d forgiven the piglin awhile back, but it still hurt. “Hi.”

A flicker of a smile, “Hey, so, uh, what you doing?” The piglin shifted his stance slightly, and Tubbo’s eyes shifted to the bandages he could see visible from the other’s rolled up sleeves.

He cleared his throat, “I want to know why Dream’s out. What you’re doing about him-“

Dream spoke up, “It! It/Its.”

Tubbo raised an eyebrow, “What, sorry?”

The admin gazed up, raising a finger, “I’m an it/its.”

The satyr nodded absently, huffing as he smoothed some of his hair back, “Okay. Alright. What are you doing about it? And why didn’t Sam raise the alarm?”

Before anyone could answer, the door opened once more, “I’m back! Sorry got slowed down by some hogl- oh. Hello, Tubbo. How you doing, mate?”

Everyone turned to Phil as the elytrain easily smiled at Tubbo, Tubbo just awkwardly shifted under the stare. “Hey Phil.”

The winged man nodded before stating, “Well I guess the secret’s out, Tubbo, might as well grab the other two. Since Tommy’s usually around. Meeting time.”

~

Phil hummed softly as he looked over Tommy and Tubbo, the duo sat down while Ranboo absently stood behind them with a narrowed glare directed at Dream and a blade in hand. 
The winged man just sighed and glanced towards Techno, the piglin sitting next to a pacing Dream, the admin muttering to itself while Niki stood by Phil’s side.

She had her sword out as well, to mostly keep anyone from going at another, but mostly to deter Dream from trying anything. While Phil had the same caution, his sword was merely sheathed by his side, a shield prepped in his hotbar if a fight did happen to break out.

It was… well tense for one thing. But it was also extremely awkward.

No one seemed ready to speak up first, and it wasn’t like the elytrain blamed them. This was a weird situation. 

They had been hiding Dream, Sam hadn’t alerted the server, most people still didn’t know Techno had been imprisoned at all, Tommy looked simultaneously terrified and ready to kill, Tubbo was tense, and Ranboo was now glancing between him, Niki, and Techno. 

Phil sighed and opened his mouth to break the tension when Dream spoke up instead, startling half of the room, “Sam still hasn’t told anyone I’m out, has he?”

Tubbo twitched, hesitantly stating, “Hasn't said a fucking word.”

The admin tilted his head, and Tommy suddenly stood up, “And why hasn’t he! Did you do something, huh? Fucking prick, why’d you fucks help him out!” The devil child swung around towards the Syndicate, teeth bared at his last statement, a spark of flame hissing out his mouth. 

Niki raised an eyebrow, saying, “We didn’t get it out,” at the same time that Dream stated with a grunt, “They didn’t do jackshit. I got myself out.”

Tommy flicked an ear and stepped back, taking a bite out of another golden apple. “W-how then?”

Techno snorted, shifting on his hooves, Tubbo flinching, before the piglin stated, “We don’t know.” The brute looked towards Dream, “How’d you do it, nerd?”

Ranboo readjusted his sword as Dream gestured sharply at itself, the color lurking in the depths of its dark skin flaring with its annoyance, “I’m a shapeshifting monstrosity that has tasted godhood. It wasn't that hard.”

Tommy flinched, Tubbo glowered, and Niki gave a confused look towards the admin. Phil spoke up, asking the question that seemed to linger on most of their minds, “Why didn’t you escape sooner then, mate?”

Phil ruffled his wings out before straightening slightly when Tommy eased to his side.

Technoblade gave the masked figure a knowing look and it flinched, looking away as it curled into itself instead of answering. The brute cleared his throat, “Dream was treating everything like a game.” Dream seemed to grimace.

Tubbo stiffened, a hysterical laugh bubbling from his scarred lips, “A game?” He rose to his hooved feet the same time that Tommy gave a disgusted step back. The satyr gave a twisted smile, “My life… was just a part of a game to you? Killing Tommy was just a game? Ruining FUCKING EVERYTHING WAS JUST A PART OF A GAME FOR YOU?”

Niki walked over quickly and held him back as he tried to launch himself at Dream, a scream tearing from his lips until he suddenly turned to latch onto Niki and began to cry, the stress of everything finally crumbling down on him. Tommy’s head swung over and even Techno seemed surprised at the outburst.

Dream just snarled, “Oh course it was just a fucking game! Everything I’ve done has been for my own amusement!” It stood and spread out its arms, “THIS IS MY SERVER! MY WORLD! But then this stupid ass hero had to keep ruining it!” It swung towards Tommy, a growling laugh rumbling from it.

Phil spread his wings sharply, and even though they were battered and fragile, they still spoke to the power that he had known and still held.
Ranboo turned to look as the elytrain then warningly placed a hand on his sheathed weapon, Tommy blinking at the winged man in shock and seeming relief.
Techno tugged Dream back at the moment of distraction, and even though the admin turned to snarling at the piglin, it didn’t make a move to lash out towards the brute, just trying to jerk away.

Tubbo was still shuddering againist Niki when Ranboo walked over slowly, his voice wavering as he passed Tommy and Phil to stand in front of the Villian instead. He looked tired, “…But why?”

Dream just rolled its head, groaning as Techno finally release his grip, “I don’t fucking know! To see them break? To get the thrill of the hunt back? To feel like a god again?” It slumped back, a hand going behind the mask to rub at its face. “I did what I wanted, and I just wanted to, okay? There’s no excuse, no guilty plea, no tragedy that corrupted me. I know what I did, and I delighted in it.”

Techno sighed heavily and sat down, watching Dream and Ranboo as the two seemed to have some silent glaring match, then the admin stepped back slightly, “What?”

Tubbo was leaning against Niki as the pink-haired woman watched the two warily, one arm wrapped around the younger’s shoulders as he blankly stared off. 

Ranboo still had his sword in hand, face smoothing into something eased and cold, “What changed then, huh? Why didn’t you try to kill Tubbo or Tommy after you escaped? Why didn’t you finish what you started? Why is everything still broken? Why can’t I fix it anymore?”

Something desperate drew into the plea as the ender hybrid stepped forth again, Dream stumbling back into the wall as Ranboo practically screamed, seeming on the verge of tears. “Why? You were the reason! Why didn’t it stop?

Tommy blinked at the shriek, leaning againist Phil who merely stood and observed. Techno had his ears pricked, dark eyes eyeing the weapon in the ender’s hand and Dream’s body language.

Dream stood straighter, and it stated gently, “It wasn’t your fault, kid.” Ranboo whined low in his throat as the admin seemed to just study him. Then the admin stepped forward, Techno stiffening, but it merely raised a hand to gently cup the hybrid’s face, using its thumb to wipe away a few tears threatening to fall, “You… wow, you really wanted to fix things so bad, didn’t you? I know. Tommy didn’t die because of you. Hell, it wasn’t even Sam’s fault. You keep… just blame me, okay? I caused the wars. I killed people. But listen. You can’t fix everything I broke. I did it with intention and care.”

Tommy stepped forward, seeming ready to punch Dream, but he stopped, just confused.

The admin sighed again, placing a hand on Ranboo’s shoulder, “You were so easy to tear apart. But look, I don’t have that power anymore. You don’t need to understand why I hurt people, you don’t need to understand this to help them. You’ve helped plenty. You’re going to be alright.” It groaned loudly and shook its head, “Jeez. You mortals are so fragile.”

Ranboo whimpered and stepped back, Dream’s hand sliding off easily, “W-why… why ca-“

Dream chuckled. “It’s alright. You’re going to be okay.”

Ranboo turned without another word, and ran outside. No one moved to stop him, Dream simply giving a faint tsk.

Tubbo spoke up, voice wavering, “W-why, why’d you keep to-toying with us? Why d-do, do you contuine to fuck with u-us!?” Niki kissed the top of his head gently, glancing briefly to the door as it slammed shut. She was so deeply confused and admittedly disturbed.

Dream walked slowly forward, Tommy stiffening as it stalked past him. It stopped as Niki’s sword tip pressed againist its chest. “Because you were something amusing. You’d fight so hard. You care so much, even if you bury it. I wanted that to die. I wanted that hope to rot. I wanted you gone.” It tilted its head and Tubbo met the gaze of that fucking mask, mouth feeling dry as the satyr swallowed harshly. A smile seemed to touch upon its words, “You beat me.”

It stepped back and turned towards Tommy, who flinched violently. Dream didn’t seem to notice or care, not taking the opportunity to dangle the weakness above the devil’s head. Phil watched it tensely.

It just spoke up carelessly, “And you.”

Tommy snarled, a waver to his voice, “W-what about me, bitch?”

Dream wheezed, “There you go.”

The blond tried to ignore the twist that threatened his mind at the sound. Dream wasn’t his fucking friend.

The admin cocked its head, “You always were so headstrong. Too much, too alive. I’ve killed you. Taken all I could. And yet… you intrigue me so much. You terrify me. I hate everything you are. Just go and stop letting me haunt you. You’ve already beaten me, Tommy. You won.”

Tommy swallowed, “Not until you’re de-dead!”

It smiled, words cold and bitter. “I died eons ago. When I clawed my way to heaven and drank the blood of a god. When I took its power and became such a hungry, desperate thing.” It reached out a hand before withdrawing it as though touching Tommy would burn its skin.
It growled. “I died when I was banished. I died as the monster I became, and I will live as one for eternity. Even if you kill me now, even if you stare into my lifeless eyes, you will never be truly assured that you have actually, finally, seen the last of me.”

The devil child stepped back, blue eyes wide and breath shuddering. Dream just eyed him, before stepping back, dipping its head in submission.

Tommy stepped back again, and held a hand out desperately for Tubbo, the satyr grabbed it and Niki lead them quickly outside.

Phil watched before turning to look at Dream, who slowly slid down to the floor and began to laugh madly into its hands, shoulders shaking harshly. The winged man looked to a confused Techno.

What… what had just happened?

~

Dream came back to itself later, it had walked outside, a coat had been rested on its shoulders and it grimaced at the gesture.

It inhaled the cold air, feeling that burning in its lungs, and it accepted with an idle fear that it was in fact real. It was the monster. And it was real.

This wasn’t just a story anymore, was it? Something twisted in its chest and it was disgusted in itself. In all it had proclaimed and yelled and cheered.

It was horrified.

Yet, it… it wasn’t regretful. It didn’t regret a damn thing. But it hated what it had done. But fuck, it would do it all again in a heart beat if it could, wouldn’t it?

The thing that had claimed Dream as a new title for a new game grimaced as it realized it had truly, and completely, lost. And now it was here. And it was Dream.

Wasn't that something? It turned and was surprised to see a familiar figure, it frowned at the twin face and turned away, “I’m already disgraced, what do you want?”

The thing just smiled, its graceful form a contrast to its own twisted soul. Then it shook its head, as though interacting with a naughty child. 

Dream snarled at that, giving a sharp, hissing, “What?” The figure merely laughed.

Voices laced with bells rang clear, the sound echoing around them, freezing the air with the delightful, delicate nature of it. “𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖘𝖚𝖈𝖍 𝖆 𝖘𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖞 𝖑𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌, 𝖆𝖗𝖊𝖓’𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚? 𝖂𝖍𝖞 𝖉𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖑𝖎𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖘𝖆𝖞 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖉𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖌𝖆𝖒𝖊𝖘?”

You are such a silly little thing, aren’t you? Why do you lie and say you are done with games?

It drifted above it and tapped at its mask with a playful, teasing air. It wagged a finger in front of its face as the admin went to turn away. Dream raised its hands, backing away, “I’m not lying.”

It paused, seeming disappointed and almost baffled. “𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖇𝖚𝖙 𝖆 𝖑𝖎𝖆𝖗. 𝖂𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖕𝖑𝖆𝖞 𝖆𝖙 𝖓𝖊𝖝𝖙?”

You are nothing but a liar. What will you play at next?

Dream sighed, “Don’t act like you care. I’ve pretended longer than any of you have, go and bother someone that cares to amuse you.” It turned away, ignoring the god, and entered Techno’s house.

Technoblade was speaking lowly with Philza by the fireplace, but it didn’t care to listen in. Its fate hadn’t been its for ages, let them decide. It was tired. Dream quietly stalked to a chest and began to play with its braid, muttering softly to itself.

It had been such a fool, hadn’t it?

Chapter Text

Liar. 

Liar.

Liar.

The word kept circling its mind as it absently laid sprawled out on the porch. Techno and Philza had left to the main SMP, leaving it (a show of trust? A test? Where would it even run to honestly if it decided to flee?) to care for itself.
It didn’t mind. Dream sighed, word had spread quickly now about it being out, and, big surprise, people didn’t know how to feel about the development.

It didn’t care.

It could see snow beginning to fall, but it didn’t want to move. Did the cold bother it? Quite. Did the snow?

Not particularly. It just wanted to lay there, feel the chill of the Arctic settle deep within its skin and burn.

It smiled faintly, goosebumps rippling across its skin as it shivered.

Then it heard a voice, oh it hadn’t heard that one in awhile. The ghost hadn’t been the same afterall.

“Well, well. Seems rumors are true then. Hello, Dream.”

Dream chuckled in response, moving to sit up as Wilbur walked over, sitting down on the top of the steps as he gazed it over slowly. “Greetings, Soot.”

The two studied the other, and after a pause, Dream walked over and sat down beside the dead man. Wilbur hummed with a predatory smile, “Want a cigar? Haven’t been able to find a good pipe since I got back.”

It gave a dismissive hand gesture as the other simply shrugged, pulling open his coat, exposing the gaping, bloodied hole that sat in his chest. When he got the box out, he stuck one in his mouth before patting himself down for a lighter, trenchcoat flittering to hide the only showcasing of his abnormal living.

Dream tsked, snapping a small flame into existence between its fingertips, the side of Wilbur’s mouth twitched in appreciation as he leaned forward before leaning back, taking a deep, slow draw.

It pulled its mask off, and blinked a few times as its eyes adjusted to the change in light. It yawned, it didn’t have to worry about driving this one mad, Wilbur had made such a lovely vessel afterall.

Said man puffed out a ring of smoke, chuckling as his eyes trailed towards Dream’s face. His pupils dilated at an alarming speed, inhaling sharply, before his body relaxed, eyes narrowing in apparent delight, “You look like complete and utter shit.”

Dream bared his teeth with a careless mirth, Wilbur didn’t even flinch, “Prison does that to a person.”

Wilbur took another drag from his cigarette before blowing the smoke directly into its face this time. Dream didn’t blink, its eyes burned. “Oh? Pity.” The man frowned, but his eyes glistened with amusement and an unnatural cheer as he clicked his tongue.

It just rolled its eyes, “Quite, I’ll give credit where credit’s due though, Quackity has learned a thing or two. Still a coward, but I think he tasted power enough to get addicted.”

Wilbur absently scratched at his chest, a wispy flutter to his breath before he took another drag. “Quackity, huh?”

Dream nodded lazily, “Though it’s questionable now.”

A raised eyebrow, “How?” Another exhale of smoke and ash.

It rested its chin on a fist, its eyes trailed to lock onto Wilbur’s, “Not quite ready to see the true madness needed for that.”

The other man hummed, leaning closer, licking his lips before tilting his head to the side, “And I am?” Dream just threw its head back and laughed. Wilbur frowned though, gesturing with his cigar, “Fine, I see how it is you bastard. So. You know Tommy’s the one that told them you’re out, right?”

It looked at Wilbur sharply, lips peeling back, “And?”

The other leaned back, relaxed, “Annnnnnd. I want to know what you’re up to.” Wilbur smiled and stuck his cigar back in his mouth, absently chewing on it before taking another puff.

Dream eyed him. Then it tsked, reaching out to take the cigar as it took a drag itself. Wilbur merely let it as it said with a groan, “That’s the problem now, isn’t it? They’re waiting for my move then?”

Wilbur held his hand out for the cigar and Dream passed it, exhaling a long puff of smoke as it gazed skyward towards the gray clouds and dancing snowflakes.

“Yeah. Seems so. So what is the next move, cause I’d like to get our score settled soon.” Wilbur passed the cigar back to Dream after he took another puff himself, eyeing it.

It just gazed at the sky as it took the offered smoke. “I. Hmm… how eager are you to be done with it?”

Wilbur sighed, running a hand through his white streaked hair, Dream finally glancing over again. “Depends. I want to be done, but well… you know most people think I praise you.” He took his cigar back, mouth pulled into a tense frown.

Dream smirked, a mouth full of fangs and broken promises, silver tongue running along its teeth, “Delightful.” Wilbur growled and it merely bared its teeth in its own snarl.

A beat passed and Wilbur deflated, then he sighed, “I just… what do you need from me?” A desperation touched upon the fearless one’s words. It delighted in that.

It grimaced at that.

Dream hummed, before sighing as it let its walls down. “I’ll admit. I’m just tired nowadays. I loved the thrill, that taste of manic chaos, the pleasure of pain and broken spirits… but now? I just want to rest.” It stretched and stood up, looking over the spruce forest before them. “I’m real now. You understand what that means for me, don’t you?”

Wilbur looked up before moving to stand as well, a nervous flutter to the man’s movement before he took another puff of his cigar. His fingers were shaking, Dream noted. “How do I help?”

It ran a hand through its hair, “You can’t.”

Wilbur turned and stated through gritted teeth, “How do I settle the debt then? You got me out, at least give me something I can do to repay you, you fucking prick!”

Dream smiled, “Stop being my vessel. Give it back.”

The man stepped back and his brow furrowed, “What?”

It turned and glowered, power flooding its form as it straightened and growled. “Give back my gift.”

Wilbur clutched at his chest, cigar forgotten, “B-but, then I won’t see! And- and I need that vision!”

Dream sighed and rested a hand againist the other’s shoulder, “You were never supposed to have that. You’re addicted to it, you know that’s why they’re unnerved by you, right? They can’t begin to know, but you do.”

Wilbur clutched to the other, shaking, eyes wild, “But I-I’ll forget! I can’t f- I can’t!”

Dream snarled, claws digging into the other’s shoulders, “Do you want to settle this or not, Soot?”

The man winced, a beat of silence, harsh breaths againist the cold. Wilbur’s head dipped and he began to sob, “B-but-“

Dream huffed, raising his chin up, “Look. At. Me.”

Wilbur’s tearful gaze met its own. It smiled, “Good. Now, just give it back. Okay?”

The man looked ready to run, but then the tension snapped and he leaned forward, head resting on its shoulder. “I- o-okay.”

Dream smiled. “You were incredible.”

Wilbur tsked, “Prick.”

It just nodded before suddenly reaching into the other’s chest and tearing. Wilbur lurched back and screamed.

*********

Dream just sighed, rolling its eyes as it buried its claws in deeper until it could feel Wilbur’s heart beating frantically againist its hand. The man was gaping wide-mouthed at it, but it had to do this quick, so it hurriedly moved its claws around before it met a cold, slick thing that was slightly buried into the beating organ.

The thing withered under its touch and tried to bury deeper before Dream caught it, Wilbur making a gurgling, pained noise as he tried to speak. It just hummed softly and tore the wiggling mass out, using the other hand to gently move Wilbur to the ground.

The man was just blankly staring now, coughing up blood into the sparkling white snow. It sizzled as the man’s eyes rolled, black tears running down his pale face.

Dream turned its attention to the thing desperately trying to escape its bloodied talons, the slim, serpentine-like beast screeching in a long dead language, its milky white body twisting as it tried to escape its fate, the burning embers of its eyes frantic.

The twisted soul that was Dream merely raised it to its mouth and bit down, the thing screaming in bell-ringing symphonies before it went limp. Dream merely unhinged its jaw and swallowed down the rapidly dissolving corpse.

Then it looked back to a writhing Wilbur, the man clutching at his mangled chest as the old wound weaved back together, erasing Dream’s claim as Wilbur’s eyes fluttered.

********

Dream leaned down to help Wilbur back to his feet, being careful to wipe at the tears dripping down his face and the blood foaming from his lips.

The man moaned in agony, though when Dream gazed to his chest, where the gaping hole had been, the newly healing flesh was soon being covered by clean skin. It lightly prodded the area and the man whimpered softly. 

Slowly Dream moved its mask back to its face, licking its lips absently as it cleaned the blood from its talons. Wilbur leaned againist it heavily, though eventually, the man seemed to regain his senses.

Dream just observed, allowing its renewed self to shift to something more pleasant.

~

Wilbur breathed in, his mind, so sharp and clear, seemed to fog.

What… what had he just been doing? He blinked and moved a hand to his nose, shit, when did his nose start bleeding?

Echoes of voices circled his mind before fading. Visions dancing in his head in glorious ferocity, the man desperately closing his eyes as he tried to remember.

Then it was gone. He coughed harshly, opening his eyes and blinking back tears. A pristine smiling mask stared back. “D-Dream?”

His voice was a croak, he tasted iron and smoke. He licked his lips and grimaced.

Dream just tilted his head, looking just like his pre-prison self again (was he supposed to look like something else?), though he was missing his usual green hoodie, only in a white tee. Wilbur was about to speak up when the other said in a friendly tone, “How you feeling, Soot?”

Wilbur smiled faintly, gingerly touching a bloodied hand to his forehead, “Like shit.”

Dream just nodded, carefully helping him to sit, Wilbur shuddered as a cold wind whipped around them, tussling his hair. The masked figure spoke up, “You know our debt is settled now, right?”

Wilbur raised an eyebrow, “Wait? Really? But I-“

Dream raised a finger, “Don’t worry bout it. It’ll just make your head hurt.”

He just nodded faintly, “Got a-a killer headache.”

“What about your chest?” Dream absently scratched at his chin and Wilbur frowned in confusion. 

He just shrugged before shivering again, muttering instead, “Why’s it s-so fucking c-c-cold?”

The other just snorted, “Come on in then, fire’s going.”

Wilbur smiled, “F-F-Fuck. What a-are we d-doing out here then?”

Dream just shrugged, “No clue, you?”

The man just laughed awkwardly as he stood, “Not the s-s-slightest.” He rubbed the back of his head as he gazed around. “S-Strange.”

Dream stood and walked towards Phil’s door, helping Wilbur along. Sheesh, why’d he feel so awful? He grimaced and touched his head again, was he forgetting something?

He shook his head absently, and Dream mused as they settled inside, “Know any good card games, Soot?”

Wilbur perked up with a slow grin.

~

Ranboo absently shifted on his feet as he eyed Tubbo and Tommy. “S-should we just go?” He didn’t want to be here.

Tommy glanced briefly at an arguing Quackity and Sam, the two gesturing wildly as they yelled. A few other members of the SMP were standing nearby incase the argument got physical. It seemed like Sam was losing though, the creeper had a grimace etched onto his face.

The devil child took a shuddering breath, “Kinda want to, honestly.”

Tubbo frowned but didn’t speak up and the ender hybrid took that as an answer. “I know a nice flower field a little ways from here? Niki showed it to me if I’m, uh, remembering correctly!”

Tommy sighed heavily, absently scratching at his temple, exposing the pale scar that marred his skull before his hair settled back over it. “Sure.” The devil’s tail lashed as he glanced out a nearby window towards the horizon.

It was nearly noon. They’d been here since the morning, they’d done what they could, said what they would.

Ranboo straightened, “Alright.” He began walking, heading out the community house (rebuilt how many times now?), and the other two followed. They all needed a break. 

Listening to all this bickering wasn’t helping.

~

Techno groaned loudly as he finally left the community house, jeez, how long had he been there?

Too long!

Conteeeeeent

please murder

BLOOOOOOOD!

boooored

TECHNOOOOOOOOO

He rolled his eyes and adjusted his cloak, stalking off towards the main portal, he’d said what he needed, he gave his side of things, and he’d made his threats. So basically, the piglin was going home now.

FINALLLY

POOOOOOG!

steve?

YEA

phil?

Eeeeeeeee

Phil was going to stick around, but honestly, the brute trusted the man to take care of himself. And seeing as Doomsday had still scarred quite a few of the people there, Techno doubted they’d try anything will Phil.

Uhhhhh

quackity?

/hide chat

BLOOD BLOOD!

bloooood

BLOOD

Sureeeee, Quackity had tried to imprison him, but so far, the man had been avoiding him like the plague, even when they were in the same building, which was sooooo preferred.

The piglin snorted, shaking his head, he was going to go home and sleep for a month. Yeah. Yeeeeah.

plz dont

Techhhhhhooooo

;-;

whyyyyyy

e

iy be what it be

He was nearing the portal, about to step in, when someone called out to him. He sighed heavily and glanced over. 

Techno was admittedly surprised to see Sapnap and George trailing after him, but he quickly schooled his face into neutral carelessness.

Sapnap hurried up the stairs and glanced up at him while George just walked along without a seeming care in the world. Technoblade turned his attention to the fireborn and raised a questioning eyebrow, “What?”

uhhhhhh

e

dweeeeam

E

/rainbow chat

thisll be something

The man just shifted under his gaze, a hand fiddling with the white cloth around his forehead before looking back to George. Those dark blue eyes hurriedly snapped back to him though, “I- we, uh…”

“What.” Techno flicked an ear absently as George finally caught up, looking away as he crossed his arms without a word.

Sapnap chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before saying with a nervous voice, “Can… w-we see, Dream?”

OHHHHH SREEEAM

e

E

didnt he say he’d kill it tho?

bruuuuuuh

E

BLOOD?

George nodded slightly when the brute glanced towards him before he looked back to Sapnap. “Heeeeh?”

The fireborn grimaced, rubbing at the back of his neck with a shrug, “Well?”

He didn’t offer a reply, narrowing his gaze. Sapnap looked back with a nervous, shifting stance. George spoke up quietly, “Please?”

GOGY

e

E

ohhhh George

e

e

BLOOOOOOD

kill kill killlll

e

content?

Techno stayed quiet for a minute more. Chat was right… this could give him some content. Finally he took a deep breath and groaned, rolling his eyes, “…Fine. Don’t kill it or whatever when we get there I guess.” 

The two perked up before George seemed to adjust himself to look like it didn’t matter to him. Sapnap just lit up, like literally, eyes flashing a vivid whitish-blue as he nodded.

YESSSS

CONTENT

E

e

killl pleasssseeee????

OHHHH THISLL BE SOMETHING

Lol

Techno shrugged and walked into the portal, soon followed by the two when he waved a hoofed hand for them to follow before the portal had teleported him off to the harshness of the nether. 
He grinned widely as he began walking back towards his own portal and home, Sapnap on his heels while George trailed slightly behind.

This would be interesting to see play out.

CONTENT

FINALLY

YESSSSS

E

E

BLOOOOOOD!

Chapter Text

Philza honestly just felt annoyed and stressed by this whole situation. Putting Dream in prison again wasn’t something he was going to let happen. The admin was destructive and frankly, fucked up, but the winged man had seen how it was now, and well, that didn’t bode well either.

To break something like that took a lot… it was disturbing to think that Quackity had managed the feat. It pissed him off.

The elytrain didn’t particularly care for the justice the other members sought, to truly get that would cost more than any of them could afford, and honestly? Phil could see the blood on all of their hands. But… he wasn’t a fool either.

Dream was, and would always be, incredibly dangerous. And looking at it at another angle… if that prison couldn’t keep it in, then maybe the people of the server should just accept his and Techno’s promise to keep Dream away instead.

Quackity had admitted to what had happened in the prison, and while some were blatantly disgusted and horrified, a good few merely met the admission with curiosity or neutrality. The scar-faced man himself seemed somewhat conflicted, stating he did it for the better though he seemed to struggle with even accepting that.

Philza just absently observed until him and Techno got their turn to speak up, since technically, they did have Dream under their care. They kept things simple and brief, Techno baring his tusks and giving blunt threats to those present, and Philza merely stated lowly that Dream was under their watch now.

Some looked ready to challenge them, others merely reflected. But strangely, those that seemed to hate Dream most or those that seemed the most conflicted when it came to the admin didn’t offer much fight.

Ranboo stayed quiet, eyes glancing outside with a frown.

Tommy looked furious, but when asked for his opinion, he merely stated he wanted to move on, the devil hugging himself as he took deep, steady breaths.

Tubbo stared silently with horns slightly lowered and stated firmly that as long as Dream was nowhere near him or his family, he didn’t give a fuck about what happened.

Jack eyed them all with a suspicious frown but merely nodded along.

Eret gazed back at Phil, studying him before rubbing a hand down his face with a sigh. The king looked just as done with it all as Phil felt.

Fundy gazed at Quackity with a conflicted expression, the fox’s brow furrowed as he turned away to stare at his own feet.

Sapnap and George didn’t offer much, but when Techno left, they trailed after. Phil figured the brute could handle them.

Punz left soon after, merely sharing a glance and nod with Phil, slipping away as quietly as they’d arrived.

Sam glared at Philza, eyes blazing, but his mouth merely stayed in a firmly, tense frown. A low hiss could be heard from him.

Even Puffy, who had almost failed to even arrive, just listened silent. Phil had expected her to argue or ask or something, since those rumors of her having ‘adopted’ Dream spread about.

But then again, everyone found other things to deal with after the stand off, hadn’t they? Phil didn’t blame any of them, couldn’t care to. Not like he was any better.
He just hummed lightly and leaned back as Quackity and Sam got into another argument.

The elytrain watched as the so-called Bench Trio left, he stayed and watched as Puffy slipped out to speak with Foolish, as Ponk finally approached Sam to pull him away from Quackity despite the hesitance and nervous tension the man carried (when had he lost an arm?) while Karl did the same for Quackity.

It was strange. Phil just stared and watched, having said his peace as more people drifted in and out. Even some more of the Eggpire people walked in before quickly leaving when noticed.

Phil just stood and listened, his crows carrying him news and telling him what they knew. The birds drifted to speak with the King’s ferrets, they flew back with whispers of something about Wilbur and Dream, and they helped keep him grounded.

Phil sighed. Then he growled and began speaking again as someone challenged if him and Techno could truly deal with Dream.

His wings spread and he stood his ground.

He’d seen empires fall.

He’d seen good men go insane.

Phil had walked hand in hand with Death herself.

He’d seen worlds die.

He touched the Void and shared secrets with it’s haunting melody.

The Angel of Death tsked as the mortals squabbled and tried to tear apart his words. He shook his head as they retreated. He let his wings fall as he finally held his head high with victory.

Philza left as the sky grew dark and the moon finally took her place in the sky once more. He had some things he needed to reflect on, but first, he wanted to go home.

~

As the Angel was still speaking with those at the community house, as the sun still hovered lazily in the sky, Sapnap was staring at Techno and Philza’s houses with a sense of unease and awe.

The wooden cabins had greeted them as they exited the forest into a snowy clearing. It was quite a pretty place honestly… he inhaled shakily before following after The Blade, the piglin absently talking to himself, or well, rather chat.

The fireborn wasn’t particularly sure what this chat was, but he wouldn’t lie and say he didn’t feel the stares and hear the laughs of voices he didn’t know sometimes. Sapnap frowned at the piglin brute’s trailing cloak as he took them forwards, George practically hanging onto the fireborn now.

The man had given up his cold act, googles pressed onto his forehead as he stared ahead wide-eyed.

This… he hadn’t been expecting this kind of reunion. But fuck he wanted to see Dream again.

So he took a deep breath and tried to seem calmer than he felt. 

~

Dream heard the door open, Wilbur jerking his head up before relaxing with a crow, “Technoooo! Hey, man.”

The masked figure heard a dry response, glancing back down at his cards, not noticing as Wilbur tensed barely a moment later, his eyes widening.

“Hey, Wil. Guess you really are undead now, huh?” A chuckle, and not waiting for a response, Techno spoke on, “Hey, Dream.”

It just grumbled a response, lifting a hand in greeting, then it stated, “Hey. So have they figured out if I’m going back to prison or can I stay, cause I’ll admit, I kind of want to play more of this stupid card game.”

Wilbur made an offended noise and Dream looked up with a sneer, “I said I’m having fun.”

The other rolled his eyes, but his gaze was trailing towards where Techno was again, then he licked his dry lips and said lowly, “You might want to look behind you.”

Dream cocked its head and turned around with a hum, just to go absolutely still, sucking in a sharp breath. “Oh.”

Sapnap stared back, and remembering their last words, it darted to its feet, stumbling back, gaping.

Oh. Oh this was it? Wasn’t it? Shit! “Sa-“

Another figure caught his attention as he moved forward and Dream’s head snapped to George, going completely still and silent.

Wilbur stood slowly, and it looked over as the man glanced back at it. Fuck.

Dream turned away and eyed Sapnap and George before the fireborn human suddenly surged forward, it flinched. The admin closed its eyes, waiting for the sharp pain of a sword… it didn’t come.

It felt itself stumble back as it was instead wrapped in a tight hug.

Its breathing stuttered as it raised its arms in shock, then Sapnap drew back before Dream could process, tears spilling down his face. The masked figure went to speak (to say what exactly?) and before even a sound could be made, Sapnap threw a hard punch to its face.

Dream yelped, stumbling back once more as it moved a hand towards its masked face just for George to move in and pull it into another hug, Sapnap latching on again.

Dream felt its breathing hitch once more before it slumped forward, face sore and stinging, heart pounding in its chest… and- it, it broke down. It didn’t know why. It was horrified but it couldn’t stop and slowly the three were on the floor and its best friends (?) were there holding it.

Why were they here? Why did they hug it? Didn’t they hate it? It had hurt them! It was the monster. It must have started to speak aloud, hiccups shaking it, because the two were talking softly now. Where were Techno and Wilbur?

It tried to blink away the tears and look up but the other two weren’t present anymore.

It focused back to Sapnap and George, another sob forcing itself past its lips.

It couldn’t quite hear what they were saying, but as its mind caught up with its stunning reality, it began to make out words again.

George sighed, “-Fuck, I missed you.”

Sapnap’s voice was a weak growl, “I’m so pissed, you were horrible… but shit, its good to see you.”

Its breathing fluttered again, “I-I-I, I’m so, so, so-s-sorry!”

It didn’t know why it apologized, it didn’t know why it cared, but it hurt. Why…? It moved to push away, shaking its head sharply, but the other two merely held it, the monster, the Villian, the thing that had hurt so many for its amusement.

It didn’t understand. So it did the only thing it could, it gave up the fight. Leaning againist the other two as it closed its eyes tightly.

~

Wilbur and Techno quietly took their leave as the three clung to each other, Techno absently nodding for Wil to follow him.

Wil didn’t object, trailing after the piglin brute with a faint smile. Damn, he hadn’t talked to Techno in awhile.

As they entered the piglin’s house, Wilbur taking a moment to look around with an appreciating whistle, he gazed back over with a toothy smile.

“It’s good to see y-“

The brute held up a hand and the dead man closed his mouth with a questioning hum. Technoblade just sighed, a flicker of a chuckle touching upon his lips. 

Then, awkwardly, Techno motioned him over, and when he complied, he was pulled into a quick, brief hug before the piglin moved back to look him over.

Wilbur just grinned, and began to speak. The other rolled his eyes silently and moved to sit down, merely letting the man ramble excitedly.

It had been too long.

~

Sapnap had expected a number of different things to happen when he saw Dream again. 

He had expected them to fight, blade againist blade, to be hunting down a desperate and fierce warrior as he fled. He expected pain, stinging cuts and bitter pleads.

He expected for Dream to come back with vengeance, to take revenge on those that ended his reign. For blood and death to follow the escape.

The fireborn expected everything but this. All the situations he’d thought of, all the nightmares that haunted him, all the ways where everything would fall apart and he’d have to choose his old friend or the safety of the server.

Out of all of that… Sapnap had never thought something like this would happen instead.

Dream was still slumped againist him and George, George turned so his head was dipped againist the admin’s shoulder and neck, Dream having his face buried in Sapnap’s chest as he shook with sobs and whispered sorry’s. 

The fireborn just sniffled and leaned his head down againist the other’s hair, absently placing a gentle kiss on his friend’s head. 

Sapnap… had many emotions and thoughts about this situation. He was angry, sure. Pissed even. He hadn’t forgotten what Dream had done, he didn’t think he’d ever be able to do that, but he didn’t hate him.

The fireborn was scared that this was all just another delicate act. Another trick to lower his guard. Something else to be used againist him.

But fuck… he cared too much. Didn’t he? Sapnap held his friends close.

~

George was so angry. He was shaking with the emotion, a cold chill that ran through his veins, but all he could do was bury his head into Dream’s shoulder, bawling his eyes out.

He missed Dream. He missed having his friends together. The man missed the old days. 

His dreams had given him more than his life had this last year, but hell. Right now? George felt wide awake.

He soaked in this moment, basked in it, and even though he wanted so bad to strangle the admin for all he’d done, for all the pain he’d put them through, George just closed his eyes and embraced the moment.

They had time to talk later. He just wanted his friends right now.

A smile weakly clung to his face and he sighed heavily. 

~

Dream sniffled and finally it managed to pull away, a hand moving behind its mask briefly to wipe at its face, eyes carefully lowered towards the ground.

George still clung to it, but let go as Sapnap pulled him away, the brit’s eyes puffy and red. It looked towards Sapnap and the fireborn didn’t look much better.

But when the man noted its masked gaze on him, he offered a weak smile, rubbing at an eye with a fist. “P-Prime, we’re, were all, heh, a-all a wreck, huh?”

Dream just chuckled softly in response before looking down to its lap, “I- I…” It trailed off, clenching its hands into fists, the nails burying into its palms as it tried to think of something to say.

George seemed to understand, reaching out to take one of its hands, smoothing its fingers away from its palm. “D-Dream?”

It whined low in its throat. Sapnap sighed, and moved to lean againist it, “Take… just t-take a moment, okay?”

The masked figure nodded gently, unconsciously turning to rest its head against the fireborn, tears still trickling down its face. It swallowed nervously before fumbling through its thoughts. It managed to say simply, “W-I don’t… Why?”

George just hummed quietly, moving to unclench its other fist. Sapnap responded, voice soft, “Why what?”

Dream gazed over, a heaviness settling in its chest, “I- hurt you. I-I… I used you!”

It gazed towards George and it growled out, “I fu-fucking… I… I don’t care.”

The man merely ran a thumb along its hand, a frown settling on the other’s face. A pinched, pained look. “I know.”

Sapnap just closed his eyes, “You, you hurt a lot of p-people.”

It nodded before taking its hands back, moving its legs so it could rest its chin on its knees. “Yeah.” It hugged its legs and moved to rest its masked face against its knees instead so it didn’t have to see the two’s faces.

George shifted beside it. A quiet spread. It was on the verge of tears again, sniffling as it carefully moved its face to look over, it couldn’t bare the silence. The man had settled himself onto the floor, fiddling with his googles.

Sapnap spoke from its other side and it shivered. “…Do- hell, do you regret it?” 

It bit its lips, burying the fangs in before it forced itself to whimper out a simple, “No.”

The fireborn didn’t respond and it couldn’t help but whisper, “I… I’m so scared. I- I didn’t… I don’t kn…”

It clenched its fists before grabbing at its hair, another sob pushing past its lips, “I- I’m… I can’t.”

A gentle, but firm hand untangled its fingers from its hair, muttering soothing nothings. Sapnap spoke up as it shook its head sharply, desperately trying to remind itself that it shouldn’t be weak. It shouldn’t care! Why did it care so much right now? “Dream. Just breath… we’re going to be right here, a-alright?”

It nodded mutely. George had its hands in his own grasp again, humming a soft melody that Dream couldn’t quite name but felt its soothing familiarity either way.

It took a deep breath after a few minutes and spoke again. “I… I didn’t want to get attached.” Its voice wavered, but it managed to say the words nevertheless.

George spoke this time, “Well… how’s that working out?” It sounded fleeting and careless, but Dream could swear it heard a desperation within the light words.

It gently ran its thumbs over the other’s hands before pulling away.

It then gritted its teeth. “It didn’t.”

Sapnap nudged its side and the admin gazed over slowly, the fireborn just gave a toothy grin. “What you saying, huh?”

Dream couldn’t help itself, it smiled back. It shook its head and said without bite, “I hate you.”

Something flickered across the other’s face before he was crying, “Fuck- I… m-missed you.” Dream shifted its stance before it held its arms open and the fireborn fell in, clutching at it with a hiccuping sob.

George shifted to lean into its side with a heavy sigh. “Love you.”

Dream closed its eyes, then said, almost bitterly, “I love you guys, too.”

Sapnap merely sobbed harder, mumbling something absently and it gently raised its mask slightly to kiss the top of his head. “I’m sorry, Pandas.”

It turned to smile at George before adjusting its mask back into place, George eyeing it wide-eyed. Dream took a deep breath before saying softly, “I’m sorry, Gogy.”

The man’s face clenched and he buried his face in its shoulder, shaking.

Dream hated itself. It relaxed and spoke gently to its humans. Comforting words leaving its silver tongue, a being used to lies giving the bare truth.

The monster writhed inside, but it couldn’t help itself. It loved them, didn’t it? Truly it did… why?

It- it didn’t know. Dream closed its eyes. It felt… it was safe. 

Sure… there was still a lot of tension. It wasn’t stupid… but, well, for some foolish reason… it felt happy.

Chapter Text

When Philza finally made it home, sending a quick message to Niki as he did so (the woman had opted out the meeting, instead having gone to her secret city soon after checking in with Tommy, Tubbo, and Ranboo), he wasn’t expecting much else.

He simply moved to open the door, shaking his wings out (it had been snowing lightly and while the chill felt refreshing on his scarred limbs, he wanted to keep his wings well kept), only to be met by a low growling.

The elytrain briefly wondered if one of the bears had gotten in before he noticed the three figures sitting by his fireplace. Dream’s blank mask was practically latched onto his figure, a rigid tension to its body as Phil’s gaze moved to the sleeping forms around it.

Huh. So that’s where Sapnap and George had gone.

Sapnap was slumped against Dream’s chest, practically curled up in the admin’s lap, Dream’s chin absently resting on the fireborn’s messy black hair. George, on the other hand, was leaning mildly against its side, legs tucked neatly by his chest, head rolled to nestle against Dream’s side, googles held in a loose grip.

The growling had stopped after a bit and Phil realized it had been coming from the masked figure itself. He offered a faint chuckle and waved a hand. Then quietly, he stated, “It’s alright, mate. I’m just going to set some things away and check on Techno.”

Dream muttered something and the winged man turned away to unpack a few things back into his ender chest, still feeling that sharp gaze on the back of his neck the whole time.

He didn’t mind it, merely heading off to check on Techno.

~

Wilbur glanced up from his solitaire when he heard the door open, Techno shifting behind him with a tired hum, the piglin looking up from where he was carefully cleaning one of his swords.

The undead man grinned widely however when it only turned out to be his father, Wilbur standing up with delight, “Philza!”

The elytrain blinked at him before relaxing, walking over and opening his arms for Wilbur. 

The man dipped briefly into the embrace before pushing back, prodding Phil for details about what he’d heard and seen.

Phil merely chuckled, “Alright, mate. Alright.”

The winged man gave a fond shake of his head, speaking to Techno briefly before turning back to tell them how the little meeting had gone.

~

While friends and families were speaking to one another or resting peacefully, a certain masked figure was wide awake, lost in its own mind.

It was disturbed and fucking disgusted in itself.

FAKE

Dream was conflicted. Thinking of ancient memories and how it had easily destroyed those that fought in opposition against it in the past. It thought how it had delighted in the chaos. It reflected on how it had clawed its way to the top using all the nasty tricks it had picked up from birth.

MONSTER

It frowned, having barely moved an inch since it had been settled against and used as a pillow for flimsy, emotional, and ever-so-briefly-lived mortals.

Dream was a monster. A simple truth, using those around it for its own gain. It had played this game for ages.

It didn’t care what happened to the losers. To those it left behind instead of killing. It never cared. 

LIAR

Yet… here Dream was. Trying to figure out why it had been so defensive when Philza had entered.

It had practically snarled at the man. The one it knew of from stories and whispers. And why? Because it had been protective. Protective of its humans.

And there it was, when had it started to think of George and Sapnap as its humans? When had things changed from a simple amusement that made it keep them alive to genuine affection?

FOOL

Because try as it like, this hadn’t developed overnight. So then… had… had it really been holding back this whole game? Dream grimaced in disgust.

How else had it fallen from grace?

~

Technoblade absently observed the people around him, chewing contently on a few gold carrots, sipping at the rabbit stew Philza had made for him after blowing on it a few times.

dadza

hiiiii Techno

phiiiiiiiul

technoooio

Ep

:)

tech

*E

He stretched and licked carelessly at his lips, one ear flicking as Phil muttered something to a few of the crows hanging around.

His attention drew back to the soup and he smiled faintly. Philza was great. The stew was even still warm despite the chilly weather around them.

PHIL

o7

dadza my beloved

where ranboo?

dadddza

Wilbur!?

e

e

The brute wiped at its his mouth and glanced to his side as Wilbur stood in his seat, voice teasing as he crowed, “Get a room, maybe?”

Techno snickered as George stuck his tongue out in response, Sapnap mimicking the older man while Dream just shook its head.

e

E

Snapnap

OH DREAAAAAM

te hmo

Heh?

Philza spoke up and placed down some more food, and the Dream team, who had been sprawled out in a tangle of limbs on the other side of the table, moved to grab some. Dream was in the middle, dragging an apple behind its mask while an energetic George snatched some bread right from Sapnap.

Techno just rolled his eyes and leaned back, moving his bowl away as the fireborn launched at the other human, the two getting into some playful fight as Dream merely leaned back as well, laughing.

awwwwww

are they good now?

e

E

I don’t trust this

E

Blooood?

It was such a quiet moment. Techno, however, was not blind.

He saw the bags under the two human’s eyes. The way they still seemed slightly hesitant, but merely pushed through. It was peculiar, but he figured that while the three must have come to some understanding, the team would need more time to truly heal.

blood

e

TECHNO

Phil?

/rainbow chat

whys Wilbur here?

E

He gazed sideways to Phil, who was staring at Wilbur as the man merely began to talk about some paradise he was planning to make. Techno hummed and gazed back to Wil as well.

There was something new about the other that the brute couldn’t put his finger on. But, well, for having been dead for awhile, he seemed lively enough now.

domt trust that

Aliveburrrr

E

/hide chat

sa d

bluuuuue

E

E

BLOOOOD BLOOD

He’d have to keep an eye on that one though. Techno looked over towards Dream and stated aloud, “Hey, we should spar.”

That mask gazed over and he heard an excitement in the other’s voice, “Oh?”

content?

OH

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

E

BLOOOOOOOD!

YESSSSSSS

kiiill

The piglin finished off his meal, and set the bowl down with a grin. “Oh, what? Interested, nerd?”

He stood, rolling his neck before seeing that Dream was standing as well. “You’re on, bacon.”

BLOOD

BLOOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD

E

/hide chat

BLOOD

KILL

GET HIM

e

Techno laughed, and the others gazed over to watch the show.

~

It was later in the afternoon when George and Sapnap finally took their leave.

Sapnap mentioned he had to speak with his fiancés about some things and George said softly that he was going to check on some of the Eggpire people.

Dream gave a wavering smile, they’d gotten to heal some… but it wasn’t surprised that the two needed to get away from it now.

So it merely nodded, letting itself get dragged into a tearful hug before watching them leave. Sapnap yelled a promise to come back soon, George grinning, and Dream just waved them off.

They turned, and they were gone. Out of its life again.

Something painful twisted in its chest and it merely stayed outside, staring at the forest for some time after. Then it dragged its gaze away, observing the circling of a lone goshawk above the clearing. 

It smiled faintly watching the bird’s slow, controlled movements before it turned away and into the distance. The admin sighed softly, leaning its chin againist a fist as it took a deep breath in.

The cold air was refreshing, and absently, as it let its mind wander, it was aware of someone exiting one of the houses and walking over. It didn’t feel nervous or scared though, it could hear the ruffling of wings and the cawing of crows making it clear who it was.

A few of the noisy birds surrounded it, cawing and croaking for attention before Philza came to stand beside it, waving the birds off with a tsk. Then the elytrain gazed over and stated mildly, “Hey, mate.”

Dream just nodded slowly, thinking. 

Phil cleared his throat and said seriously, “We need to talk.”

It finally gave the immortal its attention. 

This seemed to appease the Angel as he turned to lean slightly against the railing for a bit, then he pushed himself away, motioning for Dream to follow. It obeyed and trailed after, shifting the jacket it had been gifted to fit more snuggly over its scrawny form.

They walked in general silence until they came to the bordering fence around the clearing, Philza gazing into the depths of the near spruce forest, which Dream couldn’t help but note seemed abuzz with life.

It bared its teeth lightly at the chill of power before gazing back to Phil. Phil gazed into the shadows a moment more as though searching for something before turning to regard it. Then the winged man asked bluntly, “What are you.”

Dream mulled over the question with a tilt of its head before shrugging lazily, opening its mouth to give some cheap throw away before Phil’s gaze narrowed.

A chill ran through it and an electric charge seemed to spark up around them, it felt suffocating and the admin blinked, shrinking back nervously. Phil said lowly, “Tell me the truth, or I swear, mate.”

It couldn’t help itself, it snarled at the slight challenge, “Swear what, Angel?”

Phil merely gazed back before slightly raising his head, arching an eyebrow as his eyes seemed to practically beg it to continue pushing its luck.

Then cooly he replied, “You know who I am. And if you’ve been around as long as you claim, you know exactly what I can and have done. Don’t play games with me. I won’t fucking play along with your rules.”

It stared back for a moment before dipping its head, exhaling slowly. Dream bared its teeth and said with a growl, “Fine. What do you want to know.” 

Phil eased, the tension faded and it could see exactly why so many thought the man was a safe haven instead of the powerful threat he could be. “Is what you said to Tommy true?”

It tilted its head, “Hm?” It carefully leaned against the fence.

Philza sighed, waving a hand lightly in the air, a few crows flying down to land on his arm. It gazed up to see that a majority of chat’s flock had nestled into the spruce forest and along the fence line. Observing, watching, speaking softly amongst themselves.

It quickly turned its attention back to Philza, realizing he’d spoken. It sheepishly muttered, “Uh… could you repeat that?”

The elytrain rolled his eyes in an almost fond exasperation. “Did you really kill a god to obtain their power?”

Dream smiled, all boastfulness and pride, perking up, “Yes. It was surprisingly, delightfully, easy.”

*

A young face gazed back wide-eyed at the mortal being with unstable magic running through their veins. The mortal just bared blood-stained teeth in a stretched smile as they swung their axe down. The god child cried out, holding a shaking hand to try to defend themself as blow after blow finally struck them into stunning stillness.

The mortal smiled viciously. They bent to dip their clawed hands into the silver gore and raised it to their mouth, stumbling slightly as they righted themself, tail lashing excitedly behind them.

They grimaced for a moment feeling power burn through their veins before they relaxed with a delighted laugh. 

They turned to the other, still frozen in horror and shock, and the mortal-no-longer smiled, head tilted, an ear twitching before they swung out again to strike the other across the face with the silver-coated blade.
The god stumbled back, their remaining eye widening as ichor dripped down their face, the other eye practically gorged out with the strike. The monster smirked with jagged teeth, watching eagerly as the other god finally turned and fled.

The mortal-now-immortal, blessed with divinity, watched with glee, eyes wild as they turned away. They stumbled slightly, moving towards what they came for, driving a hand down into the dead chest of the slain and looking to see if gods had hearts.

*

Dream absently wiped at its mouth, blinking back to itself as hazy memories drifted through its mind.

Philza seemed to be thinking over its words before giving a low whistle, “I’ll admit, that’s quite the feat. What about losing it? How’d that come about, unless you said that to make Tommy think you’re more powerless currently than you are?”

It gazed away with a shudder, remembering the blooming agony of it all over again.

Golden eyes staring it down, a masked face watching it with a sneer, arms twisting around its mangled jaws, chains, the blood of stars staining godly hands, something shattering its connection to the comfort of the Void, trapping it in a broken body, condemned. Banished. Thrown to the burned earth below, left to peel itself back together. Form reduced to ichor and malleable desperation.

Alone. Disgraced. Shameful.

Its arms unconsciously came to hug itself, goosebumps spiking along its skin.

Its voice was a hoarse whisper, “I wasn’t lying. I-“ It flinched, before stating softly. “I…” It shook its head sharply, “Fuck.”

Why did it feel so reluctant to dip into those old memories? It had been a god, it shouldn’t grimace and flinch at what had occurred in the past.

It was fucking better than that.

Dream grimaced and looked away, Phil allowing it the moment to find its words.

It licked its lips again and stated gently, “I … was never human. Mortal, sure… but b-before.” It shook its head. “A kind of ender? Er? Ender, maybe water-spirit or mer hybrid, and heh. Hybrids have had- they’ve had a bad history… you know? And I… I stuck out. Unstable magic.”

Phil made a soft noise and Dream took a shuddering breath, taking that as confirmation to continue. “I. I did everything so I could make- so they would hurt as much as I had.”

The winged man shifted in place, “Oh. Mate-“

Dream just cut him off, snarling, “I killed every single last one of them. Their families, their children. Their lovers. Burned their homes, their villages, everything. Burned the land, tore it apart, killed everything. Made it painful. Slow.”

It gave a shaky smile as it heard the echoes of screams, the screams that rang through its own voice in its other forms, more evidence of its crimes.

It turned to Philza and it was laughing, “Is that what you wanted to know? The gods took away my precious gift because of my crimes!”

It stepped forward, opening its arms widely, “Want to hear how I killed them? Tore them apart slowly? Made them think they were going insane before picking them off one by one? Want me to describe how I’d drag them to death’s door… just to leave them?”

It took a deep breath before stating softer, lowering its arms, “How- how, how I fucking loved it? Watching their mangled forms plead for death?”

It shook, gazing at its hands, blinking to try and focus its vision. “I was always the monster to them. Bu-but I showed them! I showed them all! D-didn’t I?” It gazed up and it realized its mask was inches away from Phil’s face. It couldn’t care.

It just tilted its head, voice lowering, “I didn’t even kill a proper god, a child. Just another fucking c-child. I-“

Dream couldn’t say more, covering its mouth with its hand as it wheezed painfully, “I- I fucking, I… didn’t even care.”

It blinked sharply, shaking its head almost frantically, “I didn’t- I m-mean I don’t-“

Dream stepped back, having raised a hand to its face as it grimaced. Why did it feel so emotional? They all deserved it. Right? It didn’t regret. Regret was for mortals. It had ascended that!

Philza sighed. Dream drew back, its gaze snapped towards him with a startled noise.

The winged man just closed his eyes before softly asking, “Alright. Okay… so are you just immortal now? Can I even kill you?”

It took a deep breath before it smiled weakly, “I-I don’t know. I… usually steal forms, my real flesh is pretty weak.” It shrugged. “But you? Yes. I have no doubt that the Angel of Death would be able to drag me to cower beneath Death’s grace.”

Dream stepped back with a nervous chuckle, eyeing the other slightly. Was it finally going to get what it deserved? It wouldn’t go without a fight.

’Are you going to fight, you fucking coward?’

Philza merely looked away, processing before nodding simply. Then he gazed at it and said, “Show me your true face then.”

Dark eyes reflected back to it. It smiled at itself, observing the damage before sighing, moving to splash cold, murky river water on its face.

It recoiled with a low snarl. Repulsion and disgust made it want to tear the other’s throat out.

Blades piercing, laughs echoing out, chains rattled. 

The Angel didn’t seem to expect that response, raising an eyebrow curiously. Dream just kept its guard up, taking a sharp breath, “Why the fuck would I do that? I’m not an idiot.”

’Trust me, I can help.’ A simple laugh and golden hair flicked back. It foolishly listened.

Phil frowned, “I’m not going to hurt you, mate.”

Boots crushing fingers beneath careless steps. It screamed as someone grasped at its hair. ‘So this is the thief?’

Dream flinched. It blinked and stumbled back a few more steps, tilting its head from side to side, nose wrinkled. It took a shuddering breath and just shook its head sharply, “No. Lies. Fucking lies!”

They had lied. They always lied. They will just continue to lie! Trust only yourself!

“I’m not lying?” Philza didn’t follow it, staying where he was, but his eyes watched it.

‘I won’t hurt you.’ Gentle words with practiced cruelty crafting the perfect lie. ‘Aren’t you something fascinating?’

Dream began moving backwards away from the immortal, “Is that all you needed?”

’Can I just leave now? P-please?’ Something hit it solidly in the gut and it gasped, tripping and falling onto its side.

The winged man hummed, sensing he was not going to get much else now that the admin’s defenses were up. “I- okay. Okay, Dream. That’s, sure, that’s all for now.”

Lies. Liar. Lying god.

It bared its teeth, “Good. I’m not some fucking human that needs your guidance, got it?”

Philza just raised his hands in surrender, but it reminded it all too much of someone trying to ease a panicked animal. It snorted sharply, ignoring how it’s shoulder slumped in relief.

It turned quickly, making its way back to the cabins, shaking its head as it practically bolted for Techno’s house.

It was fine.

All it does is lie.

Chapter Text

Technoblade stared as Dream curled against him. He’d let the admin sit there when it stumbled in a shaking mess.

hi tevhhho

what you reading?

technooooo

bored

Blood?

Why Dream still here?

e

Now Dream was practically trying to vanish into his cloak, but, well, Techno merely let it. The piglin turned back to his book (something Wilbur had found apparently, the man having left a little bit ago to who knows where), adjusting his glasses with a yawn.

nerd

Anyone know when Wilbur’s next stream?

E

E

/hide chat

eeo

sus

The figure beside it shivered and Techno glanced over, Dream seemed to be staring blankly at its hands now. Weird.

agreed

E

F

maybe burgs its hair?

TECHNOSOFT

lmao

soft

The brute rolled his eyes with a deadpan expression, moving one hand to absently card through the other’s hair. Hm, he’d need to rebraid its hair soon.

rivals <3

aw

i still don’t like it

dweam

E

/raimbw

e

/rainbow char

The piglin nodded lightly and he felt Dream relax at the contact. For all the admin’s talk of being a ‘god’ and ‘above them all,’ Techno found it faintly amusing when it would absolutely melt at the slightest thing such as someone brushing fingers through its hair.

kinda sad

drram sucks

e

booooook

e

when we killing Sam?

heh

oof

wait were killing Sam!?!?

Techno sighed softly and went back to his reading, it might have been a little more annoying to use one hand, but it contuined the gentle motions through the other’s hair.

blood?

kill?

teletubby

e

no we are not killing Sam!

handsome Sam

E

Techno grumbled under his breath, “Chat I swear, I’ll end stream.”

nooooooo

murder!

E

WHAAAAA

pleassei 

no!

Technoooooo

ood

blood

The brute rolled his eyes, chat was always so dramatic.

~

Dream took to trailing after Techno a lot more frequently after the conversation with Philza. It had almost been a couple weeks now since it had last seen the prison and it just wanted to be out now.

So it followed the brute when he went out to get wood, followed as they checked on the turtles, followed as he feed the dogs, even followed him into a Syndicate meeting… which had been… kinda awkward?

Ranboo stared at it and Dream just tried to make itself smaller as it sat on the edge of Techno’s seat, covered in the warmth of the brute’s cloak.

Niki raised an eyebrow, but strangely enough, the woman didn’t press for answers. Dream absently noticed her hair was a pale blond now with rich pink tips. It looked nice and the admin played with the new braids Techno had done for it. It kinda wanted to braid Niki’s hair again, maybe it could ask sometime.

It smiled faintly and nodded absently to itself.

Philza didn’t say a word, having grown used to its lurking presence, and Techno didn’t seem to really notice if it was there or not, just reading over a few papers. Dream slowly peered out trying to read over his shoulder, reaching out to swipe a cookie from the plate that Niki had brought, and Ranboo purposefully cleared his throat.

Dream blinked, shrinking back into its hiding spot, quickly shoving the treat into its mouth. It practically melted at the flavor as the ender said lightly, almost annoyed, “What… what is i-it doing here?”

Technoblade just looked up with a confused, “Heh?” 

The ender glanced away to briefly look at Niki and Philza before looking back at Dream, “Uh? You have… someone under your cloak?”

It almost laughed when the piglin gazed down and his eyes widened comically, “Oh. Uhhhhhhhh.” He then turned back, face smoothing into something calm and blank, “I knew it was there the entire time. It’s fiiiiiiiine. Right, roomie? No evil plans?”

Dream blinked before snorting, speaking up and nearly cringing at how hoarse its voice sounded, “If I had one, would have already left. I’m fine right where I am.”

Ranboo didn’t look reassured, Niki’s eyes lingered on it with an emotion it couldn’t figure out, but Philza spoke up and drew away their attention.

It shifted were it sat feeling almost smug, especially when the piglin passed it another cookie, the admin gazing purposefully at Ranboo as it pulled the cookie behind it’s mask. The hybrid just glared at it, turning away when he was questioned about something.

Dream snickered, leaning its face againist its fist as it let its mind wander.

That had certainly been an experience.

But still. Beside its humans (and Wilbur, though he was a different case all together), who had visited a couple more times since their last encounter—

Sapnap greeting it with a hesitant smile, opening his arms for a hug. Dream just latched on, causing the other to stumble slightly. They held on tightly to one another, Dream burying its head into the others shoulder with a disbelieving laugh.

George visiting with a familiar god trailing his footsteps, but when Dream stumbled away from his spot by Techno to go met him outside, XD was nowhere to be seen. But George did seem to be smiling, despite the dark bags under his eyes, so it forgot about that small detail quickly enough.

Wilbur grinning as he stood lazily by the door, a new pipe in hand as he greeted Dream, “Want a smoke?” Dream had just taken the pipe with a scoff, crowing back as it took a drawl, “Fuck off, Soot.”

—Techno was also something safe.

Taunts exchanged over the clashing of blades, Dream slowly being able to relax into the delightful grace of the fight instead of flinching anytime that weapon came just a little too close.

The brute sometimes calling it over when the sellout timer went off, and despite Dream’s complaining, it was a nice distraction on the bad days when the waking world mixed too much with its nightmares and memories.

A dry voice rambling about something or another, Dream listening with a roll of its eyes, watching as Techno absently waved a hooved hand around.

Being able to turn its back without the fear of a blade turning on it.

Someone that gave the blunt truth.

And while it was admittedly growing more paranoid that the longer it stayed in this one spot, the more likely someone would finally come track it down to make it pay once more for its crimes… it well, it didn’t really want to leave.

’I know you’re here! You have nowhere to run now, Freak!’

Dream grimaced as it tucked itself further into the corner it had been sitting in. Techno was reading another book just a couple feet away, Philza preening his damaged wings on the couch.

A brilliant blue gaze, wings raised. Power. Fear. Respect. It stared as the explosions rang around them, withers hissing and gasping alive around the ruined land. 

Dream shuddered. It gazed down to its hands and bared its teeth in a silent growl.

Words that shouldn’t mean anything curling too close to some desperate hope. An outstretched hand offering help.

There had been way too many conflicting emotions and thoughts lately.

‘I’m not a beast! I-I just! I’m s-so sorry!’

Staying… it was appealing. But this… this had to be the most stupid thing that had wormed its way into its mind… but, well, maybe it didn’t always want to be on the run?

Run. It’s all you’re ever good for.

Dream sighed, slowly leaning back. Staying here? That’d be something …but, maybe… Techno could help?

Dream gazed up with a frown, hands splashing water onto the bloody cut across the other’s face. ‘Quackity got you good, huh?’ The piglin had just given it a pained grin, ‘I got him to go away, didn’t I?’ It flinched and stopped speaking.

It couldn’t quite remember what Quackity had done, its mind a blur of pain until it got confirmation the man was gone, but Techno had indeed done something to make the other leave. Dream assumed it had everything to do with the piglin’s bloody tusks and cuts but it didn’t ask anything more.

Dream grew silent as they talked, a memory sitting heavy on its mind. It turned away but Techno just let the topic go. It felt some flicker of… relief? Maybe?

Techno didn’t push things. So it would return the favor.

Dream slowly stood up, moving cautiously to sit beside Techno. It glanced towards Phil briefly, but he was still on the couch, it turned back to the brute, “What are you reading now?”

The piglin didn’t even look up, muttering lightly, “Uh… just something regarding the trials of Hercules… yeah.” It nodded absently, leaning against the brute with a soft exhale. It closed its eyes and listened to the other’s steady breathing.

’Just… just breath? A-alright?’
A soft whimper, ‘Okay.’

And so it contuined to stick with Techno. Ignoring the looks, and just keeping close to the blood-red cloak and powerful warrior.

And it was fine.

Everything was just fine.

~

EVERYTHING WAS FUCKING AWFUL.

Dream paced in the snow with a snarl, Techno had gone somewhere it couldn’t follow. Apparently Sam had demanded a meeting… and it couldn’t. It just couldn’t go. It couldn’t.

It was so fucking pathetic. So it just paced outside, circling around the fence border, ignoring the figures that would stare out every once and awhile from Ranboo’s window. Dream didn’t care about the trio, let them fucking gawk at!

It turned and moved where they couldn’t see it, ducking under the bridge that connected Philza and Techno’s houses as it absently stepped across a few large, study lily pads, beautiful fish startling at its presence. 

It spun with delight. Powerful tail making up for its disfigured leg, it loved when the moonlight trickled down into the water. Fish swam by it, looking like living silver. It breached the surface, giggling.

Dream smiled slightly before walking along towards the edge of the fence, now having the urge to just roam.

Sharp claws trailing along twisted vines, a stumbling step making it nearly trip over a tree root. It rolled its eyes and reminded itself it would need to be more careful.

Dream bounced lightly on the balls of its feet, it had always preferred being bare foot, even if the cold burned.

Gasping, clawing to the surface. Coughing as it was torn away by the current.

It tilted its head before going off, chasing after a few crows that circled about. It found chat so amusing, so perhaps that would be a good distraction?

You’ve gone too far, Dream!

It grimaced, stopping just beside the fence. Hell… it’s not like it would go far.

‘Hello, Cornelius.’ 

The birds had eyes on it. It… It would probably be able notice someone else around.

‘Oh, relaaaaax, c’mon. Scared of a few mobs, huh?’

Okay. 

It was fine.

So the disgraced god jumped over the fence with an excited rumble in its chest, moving between trees before circling back. It had been regaining its strength since it had first weakly dragged itself and Techno out here so it didn’t have to catch its breath after only a moment of running around.

Dream smiled, gazing up at the tree tops, a few of Phil’s birds calling teases and insults at it. It merely yelled back in return, wheezing faintly as it wandered deeper. 

A few of the birds trailed after before growing bored. Some screaming at it to be back before Techno and Phil returned. It waved off the noise, clicking its tongue dismissively.

It’d be fine.

However, as it trailed over to a small clearing within the forest, it noticed a figure there already. The admin tensed ready to flee before relaxing, instead asking with a growl. “What are you doing here now?”

The figure just stared back and it seemed annoyed. The admin just tilted its head, “What? Nothing to say?”

XD didn’t reply. Dream edged closer, gazing over its angelic form.

The admin smiled, all teeth and curiosity, “What are you lurking here for?”

The figure tilted its head before it spoke lowly, voice shuddering and freezing the air around them. Dream’s breath caught in its throat. “𝖂𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖉𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖒 𝖓𝖔𝖜?”

What do you want of them now?

The admin stepped back slightly, confused, “What?”

The god drifted closer, before it settled on the ground, feet stepping along, a more solid body materializing as it took a more humanoid form.
Wings folded away into pearly robes etched with golden words it didn’t understand, drifting hands becoming connected, wiry limbs covered in black, laced gloves. A drifting masked face becoming connected to the rest of it, glistening skin like starlight visible where it wasn’t covered.

Its vast existence becoming just slightly more bearable.

Despite the changes, it was still gorgeous and powerful. It made Dream uneasy. 

Dream’s gaze trailed to the twin mask that remained unchanged. “I… who are we talking about…?”

It didn’t seem to be listening, merely biting out sharply, voice feeling like thunder clashing in its head, “𝖂𝖍𝖆𝖙. 𝕯𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚. 𝖂𝖆𝖓𝖙.” 

What. Do you. Want.

Dream shook its head, stepping back, “What the fuck are you talking about?”

It leaned closer, “𝕷𝖎𝖆𝖗. 𝕷𝖎𝖆𝖗. 𝕷𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊, 𝖒𝖔𝖓𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗. 𝕳𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖉 𝖋𝖔𝖔𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖍 𝖑𝖞𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌. 𝕭𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖉𝖞 𝖑𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖙.”

Liar. Liar. Little, monster. Horrid foolish lying thing. Bloody little beast.

It just bared its teeth, stepping back again, “I’m not a liar!”

The other pursued. Power crackled along the air and XD screamed, arching pain rocked Dream’s body and it collapsed to its knees.

Its hands came to cover its ears, and the god stopped. It couldn’t see the other’s face but it could feel the glare burning into it. “𝕷𝖞𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌. 𝕳𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖉 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖒𝖔𝖓𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗. 𝕴𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖍𝖚𝖗𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖒 𝖆𝖌𝖆𝖎𝖓, 𝕴 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖗𝖊𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖓. 𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖞 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖆 𝖋𝖔𝖔𝖑, 𝖇𝖚𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖞 𝖉𝖔𝖓’𝖙 𝖐𝖓𝖔𝖜. 𝕴 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖎𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖞 𝖑𝖎𝖐𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙.”

Lying thing. Horrid fucking monster. If you hurt them again, I will return. They are a fool, but they don’t know. I want it to stay like that.

Dream felt tears in its eyes as the pressure built around it, it was suffocating. “O-okay.” Its voice echoed in agony. “Sure!”

XD stared and, for a moment, something felt familiar. Then it was gone and Dream slumped forward, finally able to breath.

It grasped at its throat and coughed harshly, shaken. What the fuck.

It curled into itself, trying to figure out what just happened. That god had just threatened it. Dream knew XD, for some reason, liked to mock it, the thing wearing a mimicry of its own mask as some trophy, following it around to remind it of its fall, but this?

It had killed a god, and they had disgraced it, but it hadn’t been threatened. Gods were finicky things, doing as they pleased, but they usually had some predictable behavior, moving on with things surprisingly quickly, it was a particular habit it had taken advantage of before, but this?

Dream sniffled and slowly stood, body feeling unnaturally weak in such a sickening familiarity, but it merely turned and fled instead. Stumbling and gasping, but away.

It came back to the fence and slumped against it, muttering harshly, “What. The. Fuck.”

~

Dream didn’t speak a word of the incident. Though it was admittedly so baffled by the occurrence, most of its previous concerns and troubles were pushed to the back.

Could it survive the wrath of a god currently? It didn’t know. Dream paced, eyes unseeing as it muttered to itself.

It had been a few days now since the encounter, but it was bothering it something awful. It had killed a god before, sure, with magical assistance and with a weak target, but it had killed one regardless… could it repeat that?

Dream rubbed at its chin, tsking. It turned on its heel, feeling the dogs gazes turn to watch it, but well, they obeyed Techno, so there wasn’t any issue.

They could stare. It didn’t care.

Sharp breaths, staggering towards the water, fuck! Just a bit closer!

The past meant nothing.

Snarling, snapping jaws. It screamed.

Dream grimaced, freezing in place. Shit. It turned again just to raise its head up to see Philza standing there.

It tensed. Philza remained at ease. It didn’t know what to do. The winged man sighed, it flinched, and the elytrain stated slightly, “Mate, I really am not going to hurt you.”

Dream didn’t respond.

“Okay.” The other ran a hand through his blond hair, hat tucked under his arm as he seemed to think something over. “I… a blizzard’s coming, we should, uhm, head inside?”

It didn’t move.

Philza’s shoulders slumped slightly, the man putting his hat back on. “I won’t hurt you unless you force my hand.”

Dream licked its lips, cautiously asking, “…What would… ma-make it come to that?”

The elytrain seemed to gaze it over briefly, “Are you planning to hurt anyone?”

The masked figure merely shrugged, “Not at the moment. I lost the game.”

An eyebrow raised at that before a gust of wind caught Phil’s attention. The man gazed up, but Dream’s gaze didn’t move from the other. It was not going to be caught off guard.

Those blue eyes gazed back to it and Phil slowly begun moving away, it tensed, but the other just contuined walking away. Dream watched wide eyed.

It blinked as a snowflake drifted infront of it. Slowly, Phil still in its sight, it quickly looked to the sky. Oh.

It felt another chill run through it as the wind picked up, the sky darkening.

‘It’s just a little storm. Should pass right over and you can go back on you’re way? Okay?’

Dream swallowed harshly, nodding faintly, “Okay.” Then, ever so cautiously, it began to trail after the Angel.

It… could be alright?

Chapter Text

Technoblade… was asleep. And apparently, that meant the piglin would be out for anywhere between a few hours to a few weeks. 

Which meant it was stuck, stuck until the storm ended outside, with Philza fucking Minecraft.

Great.

Incredible.

Fucking amazing.

Dream tucked itself further into its corner, twisting its shirt between its fingers, frowning hard as it thought over the current situation.

Philza… was a complex issue. An issue it would rather trade in for literally anything else.

Phantom pain dragging along its face, daggers cutting across delicate flesh.

The admin grimaced, tensing, okay. Maybe not for anything else… but it would rather bury the issue. But… it had a feeling that the elytrain wanted to talk. Like he’d been trying to do since their last conversation.

Why?

No clue. Liar. It didn’t want to know.

So instead, it just nervously tapped a foot while Philza drifted away from the window, the man whistling softly, “It sure is coming down out there, kinda glad Ranboo decided to stay with Tubbo.”

Dream rolled its eyes, resting its face on its fist.

The man just spoke on, “Good thing the dogs are used to this kind of weather, and I’m fairly certain the bears are absolutely enjoying it.” He gave a light laugh before settling by the fireplace in a worn looking chair.

The admin didn’t speak, letting its gaze drift around instead.

Philza cleared his throat, awkwardly continuing to Dream’s building irritation. “What do you think of the weather? Personally, I’ll admit that the chill is nice, but I guess I’m just used to it from my-“

Dream finally snapped. “Okay. What do you fucking want.”

The elytrain blinked, “Hm?”

It stood up with a growl, staring down at the other. Phil merely raised an eyebrow so it grunted out, “You keep trying to talk to me. What do you want?”

The man laughed easily enough and it felt that annoyance building. “Mate, I don’t want anything? I’m jus-“

Dream hissed, “Everyone wants something, no one tries to interact with me unless I can give them something.”
It waved a hand sharply. “Wilbur wanted land and glory, Tommy wanted chaos and the stupid disks, Punz wanted riches, Sam wanted to build and create, etc. Etc! ETC. Get it?”

Phil stretched his wings out and let them merely soak up the warmth from the fire, closing his eyes with a hum. Dream crept closer, tilting its head cautiously, “Well? Got something to fucking add or not Philza?”

A beat of quiet between the two, the wind howling outside. Then the winged man spoke up, the admin flinching though Philza stayed where he was. “Well. If that’s the case, what does Techno want then?”

“I- what?” It frowned, uncertain. It should just ignore the Angel. The longer it interacted, the more unsure it felt. Dream rolled its eyes, ready to just curl back up in its corner.

Phil hummed absently, speaking up again as he opened an eye to fix it with his icy gaze, “If everyone must want something, why does Techno let you stick around?”

Dream snarled, “I stick around and he doesn’t deal with the threat of prison or people trying to hunt him down again. Simple.”

Philza closed his eye again, “So why does he let you live here? He could have just as easily forced you to make a shelter outside.”

Its brow furrowed but it shook its head dismissively, unconsciously easing closer. “Probably so he doesn’t have to waste resources…?”

“Mate… did you think he just braids your hair because he’s waiting for some… payment?”

It merely winced, shoulders hunched. A frown settled on the Angel’s face the longer it didn’t respond.

Finally the man pinched the bridge of his nose before stating sharply, “So… you’re saying, Techno just lets you follow him around and cuddle under his cloak for… what? Power? You’re telling me you think the only reason he helped you with panic and anxiety attacks was for… what? Some gold or something in the future?”

Dream glanced away, opening and closing a hand, biting its lip before muttering, “I… I don’t know.”

Philza sighed heavily, absently moving a hand to stroke at a crow’s head as the bird settled on his shoulder. Most of the flock was upstairs with Techno, though a few still lingered downstairs.

The crow dropped a shimmering emerald into his awaiting hand. Those blue eyes opened and fixed Dream with a questioning, almost somber, gaze. The crow gazed over as well.

Dream shrank back, “I- it’s probably because he’s mob born.” It grimaced at the weak excuse.

Phil snorted, “So… he’s a piglin…? That’s it?”

It growled, throwing its hands up as it began pacing, “I- I don’t fucking know!”

“Tommy is a devil though, isn’t he?”

Dream gazed over sharply, “What?”

Phil shrugged, looking down at his lap and playing around with one of his crow’s wings, the bird cawing softly. “He’s a devil child, got the whole horns and tail, doesn’t he? And Sam, he’s also mob born. Don’t get me started on the number of hybrids we got as well.”

He held up a finger, cutting off Dream when it went to speak, “Quackity is an avian, Wilbur was born of magic, same thing with Sapnap, even if they are for the most part ‘human.’”

Dream didn’t immediately respond, instead running a shaky hand though its hair as it began pacing wildly again, “But they’re still people!”

Philza’s frown deepened, but the admin didn’t know why. He sucked in a breath,“Oh. Mate…” He shook his head gently, “I- so… people are pretty cruel sometimes then, huh?”

It laughed, a shaky grin relaxing onto its face. “Yeah, that could be said.”

Philza simply sighed, waving off his birds, “Then what does George want? Sapnap?”

It stopped, pausing to eye the birds before gazing back to Phil, “I… don’t understand?”

The man shrugged again, “If ‘people’ are so malicious, why are you attached to George and Sapnap?”

Dream almost stopped breathing, instead taking a sharp inhale as it glared daggers at Philza, “What?”

The elytrain sighed. Dream tried to ignore the twist it felt at that seeming disappointment. “Dream, you’re allowed to care. There doesn’t always need to be a reason.”

It gave a strangled laugh, arms coming around to hug itself, “What?” It ignored the whispers and questions from chat.

Phil smiled cautiously, “I-“

“NO!” It shook its head sharply, tears pricking its eyes as it practically screamed the word. It slammed a fist againist a near wall. “I’m not an idiot! What do you want!?”

It was desperate, coming closer as Phil finally stood up, claws scrapping at the front of the man’s shirt. The man just gave a weak smile to its growing desperation and confusion. Then, as though uncertain, carefully, ever so carefully, Philza engulfed it into a hug.

Dream went deadly still, eyes burning.

“Look, mate. I get it, you’ve been around awhile.” It didn’t speak. It couldn’t move. “And you’ve seen the darker side of things, I- heh, I probably didn’t help that paranoia, did I? Demanding to see your true face?” It hissed lowly, but merely closed its eyes tightly.

Phil sighed, “I’m sorry, mate. I know it sucks, doesn’t it?”

Dream took in a shuddering breath, slumping to lean its head against Philza’s shoulder, muttering lightly, “I. I can’t. I’m not- I don’t…”

It was gently hushed. “It’s alright. Mortals don’t always understand, I get it… sometimes it’s so easy to let go, isn’t it? To rise above it all.”

Something damning clenched at its throat when it heard that soft statement. It hiccuped, “I just, I’m so done. I d-don’t know w… what I want anymore.”

Philza merely sighed, moving a hand to rub gentle circles against its back, “You know… you are a person, too, right, Dream?”

Dream jerked its head up, “Stop lying.” Its voice was hoarse and it couldn’t see, moving a hand behind the mask as it tore away from the embrace. It wiped fiercely at its face, mouth dry, “How d-do you keep doing this!?”

It stepped back rapidly, sobbing, “How!?” It turned to gaze at the soft expression on Phil’s face, screaming, “Why?”

Slowly the man approached and it snarled lowly, all aggression and despair, “Just st-stop p-pretending!”

Stop lying.

It twirled in a gorgeous dress, laughing as it pretended to care for the woman before it. Another stepping stone.

Stop betraying.

Its back hit the wall, tears falling quicker.

It smiled at its companions before freezing, noticing the blood trickling from one of their gaping mouths.

Stop merely watching.

“…N-no…”

’Show us your true form, beast!’ Desperately running, blood caking the back of its head, hair soaked.

”…S-stop… I can’t…”

You are real.

’You know, you had me fooled for a moment.’ A wheezing chuckle as it clasped a bloody wound.

It grasped at its hair.

’I’m sorry.’

Stop running.

A hand carefully cupped its face, warmth flooded its mind and it leaned into the contact with another sob, “Please.”

The hand moved to cup the back of its neck, slowly moving its head down to rest againist Philza’s forehead. It flinched, Dream crying harder, “Philza?”

The man just whispered gently, “It’s going to be okay.”

It let its eyes fall close and softly it whispered back, broken and defeated, “How- ho-how… a-are you so s-sure?”

Phil laughed quietly, carefully moving to embrace Dream again, “I don’t know, mate. Sometimes, welp, you just gotta hope.”

A small face gazed up at Dream. A purring thing that rubbed itself against the monster without a care.

“Hope?” The cat meowed and arched its back with a yawn, the pretender could hear Tommy sobbing behind it.

It didn’t care, just having eyes for the new curiosity. It smiled and gently stroke the feline’s head.

“Hope died.” Dream’s face scrunched up, inhaling sharply.

The elytrain just hummed softly, but he didn’t respond. It felt a flurry of emotions arch dangerously to the surface, it didn’t dare speak.

While the house went eerily quiet, the howling wind carried on outside, the snow twirling elegantly outside the window as the storm roared to its highest peak. The snow was coming down in sheets, its grasping claws raking across everything, blanketing the world in all its chilling beauty.

The spruce forest that belonged to Her and Her alone, settled serene and steady outside the clearing felt the barest of touch by the wind.

The sky screamed in all of its raw reality, bleak and dark and powerful. The wildlife tucked down in their burrows, the bears and wolves snuggled against their neighbors, and even a lone god cast a curious eye towards this odd weather. 

There was something more to it all, wasn’t there? Up in the snow where things were ever so real to the ones that lived here. So painfully real.

~

Exodus stared silently outside, head tilted to the side as its fingers absently played with the windowsill.

It took a deep breath in with unnecessary lungs and eased a breath out, listening for the door to open. Its cloak drifted around it, impatient starlight twirling about its form, currently looking vaguely humanoid.

It sighed. Bored. Nervous.

Maybe Wish would take its advice. It frowned lightly as it remembered the strange turn of the weather up north. It tsked, rolling its eye, drifting away to float lazily on its back.

It missed Wish. It played absently with its mask, carefully tracing where it circled its face, mouth turned in a slight frown.

Its eye drifted closed and it hummed gently, pausing to perk up when it heard a noise by the door, eagerly spinning to peer over.

It practically lit up when it saw none other then Wish walk in, the god-soul muttering to himself as he bustled in. Exodus pouted as it was however completely and utterly ignored by its eternity, Wish merely turning away into one room.

The god groaned, Exodus moving its masked face to peer into the hallway, crossing its arms impatiently.

Then it heard footsteps and Wish reappeared, holding a few diamonds in his grasp. Its pout grew and he finally looked at it and smiled. Exodus softened, shoulders easing and adoration filling its golden heart, “𝕳𝖎, 𝕲𝖊𝖔𝖗𝖌𝖊.”

Hi, George.

The man chuckled, “Hi, XD, you were right.”

It grinned, teasingly, playfully tapping the god-soul on the head, “𝕴 𝖆𝖑𝖜𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖆𝖒~”

I always am~

Wish pushed up his goggles and gave him a look, Exodus giggling childishly, “𝖂𝖍𝖆𝖙?”

What?

The man just shoved away the floating god, neither bite not burn held within his words, “Oh, fuck off. So, what you wanna do then?”

The god perked up, its halo appearing as it glowed ecstatic, “𝕺𝖍? 𝕹𝖔𝖙 𝖌𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖗𝖚𝖓 𝖔𝖋𝖋 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖊𝖇𝖔𝖗𝖓?”

Oh? Not going to run off with the fireborn?

A dismissive wave of the hand as Wish moved to a crafting table, working a simple magic to bind a few resources into a diamond pickaxe. “Nah, he’s been off with Bad, though I’m glad the demon’s snapped out of the stupid Egg cult or whatever.”

Exodus rolled its eye, shifting its mask off its face, drifting upside down as it walked along the ceiling carelessly. “𝖂𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖆𝖇𝖔𝖚𝖙 𝕯𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒?” It managed to keep the venom from its words. Wish didn’t know.

What about Dream?

Wish shrugged, twirling his new tool between his grasp, “I told you, you were right, idiot. Awful storm that way.”

George shoved the tool into his inventory, walking towards the door.

Exodus followed, waving a gloved hand, the delicate black lacing glistening with visions of its dimension. “𝕴’𝖒 𝖆 𝖌𝖔𝖉. 𝕹𝖔𝖙 𝖆 𝖋𝖔𝖔𝖑.”

I’m a god. Not a fool.

The man merely dismissed the statement, instead tussling its golden locks as he opened the door, “Just shut up, XD. Lets go mining or something.”

The god sighed, pushing its mask back to hide its scarred face once more, marked eternally by a magic it couldn’t heal. “𝕬𝖓𝖞𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌, 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖞𝖔𝖚. 𝕬𝖓𝖞𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌, 𝖂𝖎𝖘𝖍.”

Anything, for you. Anything, Wish.

The mortal smiled, and it melted at the sight of its oldest friend so lively and happy. “Weirdo.”

Exodus just laughed, ringing bells and joyful memories. 

~

Deep within the earth where a crimson plague coiled tight, another force clawed at its roots. The Crimson screamed, desperate, lying pleas. It was ignored, talons burying deeper, searching until they found the dreadful seed.

The attacker did not waste any energy to listen to the choked dying calls, it had other things to attend to, clutched within the golden embrace.

It was tired. The game no longer appealed. So its virus held no purpose anymore. 

~

Dream slumped further into the embrace it was held within near the fire, the storm quietening outside as Philza hummed some song gently under his breath.

Darkness, ever so gentle darkness. Great, consuming wings stretching across the Void. 

It felt tears still trickle down its face, burning shame no doubt coloring its currently pale face as its eyelids drooped.

Soft, gracing light. Coloring vision with a twirling delight.

It carefully, slowly, let itself go limp in the grasp.

Lying warmth.  Honest chill.

Sighing softly, Dream let itself rest. It couldn’t run anymore. It didn’t want to.

Chapter Text

Dream was oddly content.

The storm had a passed, and it had stayed with Philza. And that was… odd. But not unbearable?

Dream blinked groggily as it awoke, muttering under its breath as it raised a hand behind the mask, wiping at its eyes with a yawn. It froze however as it felt a hand gently brushing through its hair.

It wanted to tear away, its teeth bared as it waited. But the hand merely contuined gently carding through its messy locks, and slowly, the admin eased at the touch.

It sighed, letting its eyes flutter close again.

And oddly enough, it had been able to actually sleep in, Dream often (despite its claim that it didn’t sleep in the first place) couldn’t sleep for too long. It had been like that for ages, but prison hadn’t made the habit any better.

At least until Techno had joined it in that hell. Then things changed and unless Techno was near, it just hadn’t felt safe enough to rest for more than a few desperate hours here and there. But here, this day, it had actually been able to rest easy, only stirring a few times before fading into a thankfully dreamless, memory-absent sleep.

It only woken up when it had smelled something heavenly. Then it got to learn that Philza was actually a pretty damn good cook. And it delighted in the fact that not only did it have access to this, but, it got to try out so many different things.

It had been… really nice. And sure, there was an unsteady feeling the more Dream thought about it (it was a waste of resources, a waste of time) but hell, it didn’t linger. Especially not when it had practically melted at the taste of a short cake.

It hadn’t been able to really indulge in food, only recently being able to even stomach something beside the most basic things such as an apple here, some bread, or a simple stew. But now? Fucking hell, it was absolutely excited.

So here it was, later in the day, Dream perched on the porch, laying on its full stomach, feeling well rested, as it played with a crow, Sapnap and George sprawled out to either side of it. And things were going well.

The trio had talked some more, delving into the darker side of things, into the conflicting emotions that they still had, and how they’d planned to move on, and well. It was a relief. A relief to get the things it needed to off its chest, to talk things over and understand.

Or at least understand to the best of its capability. You’re a person, too.

Dream frowned before shaking its head, relaxing again as it focused back on the current moment.

The admin poked teasingly at the bird’s feathered chest, humming softly as Sapnap toyed with its hair and George merely rolled to sprawl out againist its back. 

The crow hissed at it, ‘Brat! Ugly ass bitch!’ 

Dream just sneered, “Flying rat.”

The bird had the nerve to look insulted before hopping closer, nipping at its mask. The masked figure just chuckled, Sapnap muttering beside it as the man seemed to be thinking aloud to himself.

George spoke up, “Hey, I think that’s Niki.”

Dream just took his word for it, rolling onto its back, shoving the google-wearing man away from it as it instead pushed itself into Sapnap’s lap. The fireborn just shifted slightly before going back to playing with Dream’s hair, “What you think she wants?”

George glared half-heartedly at Dream before slumping against it again.

Dream spoke up to answer Sapnap’s question, shrugging with a dismissive wave of a hand, “Probably needs to speak to Philza. Techno’s still asleep or whatever. He apparently likes sleeping as much as Gogy does.”

This got it a sharp elbow to the side as George pouted, moving to sit up as he focused his attention fully to the approaching figure. He offered a lazy wave, “Hiya, Niki!”

Niki called a greeting in return and Dream waved to her as well, rubbing at its sore, most-likely-now-going-to-bruise, side as it kicked at George, the man sticking his tongue out at it. Dream merely shoved its mask up to return the gesture.

Sapnap just rolled his eyes at their antics, “You’re both idiots.

George flicked him off and went to stand, “Fuck off.”

Dream just let its eyes close as the fireborn, whose lap it was still sprawled on, began just absently running his fingers along the admin’s scalp. It felt nice, and Dream was in utter bliss as it slumped into the touch.

Whatever conversation was held near it was forgotten, just basking in the warmth of the moment. And… well, it felt truly, and utterly, safe.

Dream smiled lightly, it was lucky. So fucking lucky, to be here, to be with these people. 

You know… you are a person, too, right, Dream?

~

Dream was sat infront of Niki as the woman quietly redid its braid, Sapnap having undid it in order to play with its long locks, absently watching George and Sapnap argue over something.

It smiled faintly. It really did love them. 

But, eventually, the time came when they had to take their leave.

It was getting late afterall, the current sunset leaving a beautiful collage of color in its departure, but it still hit a sore spot. A possessive desire curling tight in its mind, whispering dark little things to its haunted thoughts.

Dream ignored it, instead frowning as it waved a good bye to its best friends. It wasn’t like they could even see the sour expression on its face. It would be alright.

…It hated seeing them leave though. Into that cold world full of other monsters and cruelty. 

It turned to watch the fire with a sigh before shifting slightly, stilling as Niki spoke up, “How have you three been?”

Dream relaxed, it was fine, it was okay. It was just Niki. It took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before finally answering, “Better. I… we’ve talked.”

Niki spoke up again as it could feel her tie its hair up, “That’s good.”

It hummed softly. Then cautiously, it stated, “Yeah. It’s, it’s… uh been nice. But…I also… I want to get b-better, too.”

The woman didn’t answer for a bit, so Dream turned to face her, and it was curious to see such a soft expression on her face. 

The masked figure didn’t understand its meaning though, shrinking back slightly, nervously asking, “W-what? Did… was that wro-wrong to say?”

Niki blinked back to herself before quickly reassuring it, “Oh, no! J-just was thinking. It’s… ok.”

Dream tilted its head, intrigued, one hand pulling its newly done braid down to fiddle with and trace over with its fingers. “What were you thinking about.”

It came out sharper than it meant, more of a demand than a question, but the woman didn’t mention it.

She merely ran a hand through her own hair, Dream watching the motion, mimicking it as she spoke, “Well… Puffy did start a therapy service.”

Dream frowned, testing the word out, “Therapy?” It wrinkled its nose. “What… exactly is that?” The word was familiar, where had it heard that before again?

An odd expression passed over the woman’s face. Then, lightly, Niki said, “Here… uh, I’m going to go talk with Phil, okay?” She stood up, dusting her pants off briefly.

Dream merely nodded, confused yet ever so curious as it watched her go off to find said man.

~

Puffy… was anxious. She truly was. But why?

She didn’t exactly know, maybe it was the situation? That she’d been asked to give therapy to a known abuser, manipulator, and murderer? Maybe it was the fact that she’d see her duckling Dream again? Maybe it felt like she was betraying the minors on the SMP, helping the monster? Maybe it was because after everything there were still so many things that needed to be put back together? Maybe it was guilt?

Maybe it was fear.

She… she didn’t exactly know. But Puffy couldn’t just ignore the issue, could she? She’d ignored what had happened for too long. Acted like the hero without anything to be proud of.

She hadn’t stepped in when Tommy was exiled.

Puffy passed along the obsidian made to build the walls. Dream towering above them all as it laid out its threats. She just listened.

She hadn’t offered help to an obviously stressed Tubbo.

What had she exactly done? Just went around goofing off? The kid working himself ragged.

The satyr had told her later in one of their sessions (Tommy finally managing to convince him to do so after Tubbo had apparently gotten into a bad fight with Ranboo) how he still had nightmares of his execution. How he’d suffered from self doubt, how he’d dealt with things by burying them. How he feared he was just like Schlatt, how his horns made him feel ashamed of himself.

Puffy knew that things wouldn’t be automatically better the first few times Tubbo went to therapy, but she so desperately wanted to help him heal. It would take awhile though, wouldn’t it?

She had ignored the signs that things weren’t right with her friends.

Puffy could see the red glow in the other’s eyes. The desperate obsession. Maybe if she’d done something sooner? Attacked the Egg sooner? Something. 

She’d let Foolish die.

Blood. A scream. Was it hers? Shimmering emerald eyes becoming dull before the body collapsed and crumbled into nothing.

She’d let Dream be alone.

Whispers of torture haunted her dreams. Puffy feeling a clawing horror, but she couldn’t have done anything, right? But she’d claimed the admin as her own, hadn’t she?

Maybe… maybe Puffy was just scared.

Scared of how she’d react. Of how Dream would be like. What others would think. What if she couldn’t help? What if Dream relapsed under her care? What if it refused her help? What if this was another act?

The faun swallowed down her nerves, glancing back at her comm, before taking a deep breath in and out. A hoof scratched absently at the ground as she chewed on her bottom lip.

[Ph1LzA whispered to you]: I’ve sent you the cords, I know this isn’t exactly easy to ask, but it’s easy for an immortal to lose themself, Dream could really use the help

Puffy sighed heavily, closing her eyes as she steeled herself. She had to do this. The faun stroked a hand along her horns before glancing down at the coordinates. 

She really was doing this, wasn’t she?

With a shaky breath, she sent another message before going towards the main portal.

[You whispered to FoolishG]: Hey, would you come visit Dream with me?

~

Philza observed Dream quietly, the admin currently sitting on the porch railing, seemingly scanning the forest. There was some odd desperation to the admin’s actions, and briefly, the elytrain wondered if maybe the inhuman’s relationship with Puffy had been more complex than he’d initially thought.

Or maybe it was something to do with the admin’s excitement at ‘possibly becoming better.’ It was almost saddening how desperate it seemed to achieve this goal, but well, out of anything the admin could have been plotting, this was greatly preferred.

Phil would admit that he hadn’t quite expected for the conversation Niki started with him earlier (the woman having found him outside as he fed Techno’s army of pets) to turn towards getting Dream therapy, but, well, the admin would certainly benefit.

Wouldn’t it? He sure hoped so. At least Dream seemed eager and curious about the idea, so that was a plus.

He knew that Tommy was trying it out (and the devil child was a menace about talking about his feelings and insecurities, but Philza wouldn’t be lying if he said he was secretly proud that the teen had been the one to seek that help himself), and when he’d spoken to Ranboo a couple days ago before the storm, he’d mentioned something about how Puffy had approached him to talk about the service as well.

It was an intriguing idea, but well, from what Philza had seen, the people on this server could really use it. Fucking idiots the whole lot, he sighed heavily, stretching his wings out. 

“We can wait inside you know, mate?” Dream hadn’t put its coat on and the longer they stayed out here, the more the elytrain noted that the admin was shivering.

Dream didn’t respond save for a harsh hiss and shake of its head. Phil sighed, “Imma get your coat then, alright?”

It didn’t respond and the winged man groaned as he stood up, ignoring chat’s cackling jokes of how old he was (especially when one of his knees popped), heading inside instead.

This would certainly be something he mused to himself. 

~

When Puffy finally exited the strange forest, Foolish stalking along by her side, sword on his hip, her breath almost caught as she looked to the buildings before her. She was really doing this, wasn’t she?

Almost immediately the faun could feel eyes on her.

It didn’t take much longer to spot the white mask staring directly at her, the figure with its large coat on scrambling to its feet, Puffy dully noting that Philza was also there.

But her eyes were on Dream. Her disgraced little duckling, who looked so much like its old self, and yet, somehow brand new. 

Dream jumped off the porch railing it’d been perched on, stumbling slightly but landing well enough that it swiftly pushed itself back to its feet. Then it approached as the faun also forced herself forward, Foolish a comfort by her side.

But well, as she prepared herself for anything, she received what she could have never planned for.

As Dream stood a few feet away, it tensed and they eyed one another. Dream’s form swaying slightly, wringing its hands as it seemed to briefly duck its head. Puffy flicked an ear and cautiously opened her arms, weakly offering a simple, “Hey, duckling.”

That mask snapped up to her before the admin slowly approached, Foolish eyeing the other before the admin quietly slumped into Puffy’s offered hug. She froze, carefully wrapping her arms around the other, noting Dream was practically shaking.

Her heart clenched painfully and before she could do anything else, she heard a desperate, pleading voice whisper hoarsely, “M—Puffy, y-you… I need help.”

She merely smiled weakly, trying to ignore the tears building in her eyes. Then, cautiously and shakily, she moved to kiss the top of its head, “Okay.”

~

Dream… did not know how to feel. It did not understand how it felt. About any of this.

It stared blankly at the ceiling, thinking.

It was… happy? Scared? Proud…? And it… it was a lot. All these different, conflicting things. All these startling new things. And it… Dream sighed in the relief of it all.

Because it had finally realized that it could feel again.

And wasn’t that… nice? It knew logically that it had emotions, that its thoughts were its own, and that it knew sensation… but it had also been so fucking numb. Now Dream. Now it felt… something.

It wasn’t much, sure, but it was, heh, it was something. It smiled. A soft, nervous thing, but a smile either way.

Because it could be better. Puffy had said so, that it could, it could try. And that she’d help! And it… it wanted to believe that. It wanted to believe that when Philza called it a person he meant it. It wanted to believe that Techno had helped it for a reason. That Sapnap and George really did care.

It wanted to be better.

It wanted to be real.

It wanted to be… a person again.

Dream wiped at its face with a sniffle, not even realizing it had started to cry, but it… it felt good? It… in a way, it felt relieving.

Now… while it still had people it needed to talk to, it had one particular person it needed to speak with specifically.
Yeah. It could do that. It had something to return after all. 

~

Ranboo did not expect to wake up outside the house, at night, to Tubbo and Tommy by his sides, screaming at him, and shaking him.

He tilted his head to the side, feeling unusually groggy, and spoke up, “⍙⊑⏃⏁… ⟟⌇ ⊑⏃⌿⌿⟒⋏⟟⋏☌?”

What… is happening?

The hybrid jerked to attention as he heard his own voice, letting his head fall back, groaning, “⟊⟒⟒⋉… ⟟ ⍙⏃⌇-I was en-sleep walking again… wasn’t I?”

Jeez… I was-

Tommy blinked up at him, “Yeah… where were uh, you going?”

Ranboo rubbed at his face, yawning widely until his jaw unhinged. The devil seemed disturbed by the action, making a face as he leaned back while Tubbo did the opposite, leaning in with a curious grin.

The hybrid didn’t care, merely muttering, “I- we should go back to bed.”

Tubbo, however, thought otherwise, “Actually… I want to know where you were headed, too?”

Ranboo shrugged, “I don’t know.” He scratched at a horn absently and stretched, yawning again, “I— I just wander.”

Tommy frowned, “Nah, you fucking- were going somewhere. Like… very purposefully heading that way.” He pointed towards the near woods, ears pricked as his tail swayed anxiously. “It was creepy as fuck.” 

The ender shrugged again, turning to go back inside the house when he felt something tug.

He should go that way.

Ranboo turned around, ears pricked, eyes widening as something hummed in his chest.

Tubbo stared at him but Ranboo didn’t mind, saying lightly in a distorted warble of English, “Something… I think I’m needed.”

Tommy stared but Ranboo didn’t mind, slowly beginning to walk. “I̴̤̿ ̶̺̄t̶̥͂ḩ̷́i̸̼̚n̴͕̈́k̴̰͒ ̸̧͐ī̵͙t̷̢͋’̴͉̏s̴̖̈́ ̴̖̀g̶̝͘ỏ̴͉i̴̥͂n̵͚̈g̴͉̉ ̴̳̀t̵̟̓o̶͚̕ ̷̉ͅr̸̦̽e̸̯͂ṭ̶́ű̴̝ŕ̴̦n̶̟̒ ̴̕ͅm̸̤̅y̵̭͝ ̸̛̝p̵̮̀e̶͝ͅa̷̲͛r̶͕͛l̶͍͐.̷̛̲.”

I think its going to return my pearl.

He smiled, Tubbo quickly scrambling to his side with a confused bleat, “What?”

Ranboo just remained smiling, feeling the tight knot in its chest loosen.

Tommy came up next to him as well, tightly clutching to his sleeve. Ranboo just hummed, ears twitching as the other two brought out their weapons.

The devil sputtered, “Did you say pearl?”

The ender nodded carelessly, voice becoming softer, “Y̸͖͔̜̻̅ͅë̷̢̡̡̫͓̤̖͓́ǎ̸̧̮̘͈͎̹̱̥̆̊͂ḩ̵̰̲̩̗̂͌ͅ.”

Yeah.

The satyr to his side swallowed nervously, he didn’t know why. Tubbo asked, “Who… who has your pearl?”

Ranboo hummed, eyes staring blankly ahead “Ḑ̸̧̧̛̛̱̫̟̟̱̭͔͚̘̝̣̙̺͇̱̺͕̯̜͚̝̜͊͌̈́͆̋̐́̑̒̿͌̋͌̓̔̓͊̅̐͋͌̂̏͋͠͝ŗ̴̧̝̲̗̺̖͈̠͎̞͉̝̊̆̽̔̄̓͋͑̌̚e̶̛̫̯̼̫͇͇̖̳̰̻͊̏͑̌̌͌͊̈́̿̽̋̉̈͆̈̒̾́͐̚͘̚͝ͅà̷̪̉̔̏̒̈͊̿͌́͒̐̅̔̔̔͑͋͘͝m̶̠̗̦͗͝.”

Dream.

Chapter Text

Tommy felt his heart drop when Ranboo said Dream’s name, a hand brushing uneasily through his hair, brushing against his horns before clutching back onto Ranboo’s sleeve. His breathing hitched, he thought they were finally done with that bastard.

But this? This was fucking creepy. Ranboo wasn’t talking anymore, pupils near slits even though it was eerily dark outside save for some moonlight that peered through the drifting clouds and his and Tubbo’s torchlight.

What was even stranger was the way Ranboo was moving. Like a strange twitchy wobble, moving quicker the further they went, a smile ever plastered on his blank face. It was just… wrong.

The ender hybrid was supposed to be nervous and sarcastic and jumpy. A slight twitch or a beaming grin, eyes wide and eagerly soaking in his surroundings… not whatever the fuck this was.

Ranboo reminded him more of a puppet being dragged along than a living person at the moment and he was certain the goosebumps coating his skin weren’t only there because of the chilly night air.

He glanced at Tubbo and could see the satyr looked just as weary and paranoid. Tommy sure as hell didn’t blame him, the devil might have died by Dream’s hand, but the other had felt that cold threat first.

Down in the dark depths of a towering mountain, a shimmering smile glaring down as the axe played carefully close towards Tubbo’s neck. 

Tommy’s grip on Ranboo’s sleeve grew tighter and he tried to control his breathing. He wasn’t letting Dream hurt anyone he cared about ever again.

~

Techno woke up with a start, blinking before frowning. Why did he wake up?

He went to close his eyes when chat screamed. The brute jolted awake, eyes shot wide open, he’d heard chat say and do many things, but they’d never screamed. 

Voices over voices, screaming, echoing the others, screaming without end.

They had yelled at him, they had shouted, they had cursed him, they had supported him, sobbed, laughed at his words, joked along with him, teased him, but never had they screamed.

Voices over voices urging him to get up NOW.

A terrifying chorus of screams, voices over voices crying out in a desperate need for him to get Phil and get Dream before something bad happened.

HURRY. GET UP. GET PHIL NOW.

The brute felt like his head was going to explode, stumbling out of bed as he numbly hurried downstairs.

HURRY. IN THE FOREST. COME ON!

He spoke, more like chat spoke through him, and even though he couldn’t hear anything but the screaming he made it outside. He numbly recognized that Phil was behind him.

HURRY. WE DON’T WANT THEM TO HURT EACH OTHER.

Techno hurried along, something bad was going to happen. 

~

Tubbo felt Ranboo begin to slow down, nervously glancing up to see the ender’s head slow turn towards their left, eyes still slitted and wide open. 

The satyr slowly let go, whispering as he stepped back on shaking hooves, “Tommy, put out your torch.”

The devil child glanced over and frowned sharply, opening his mouth to speak when Ranboo suddenly stopped. Tommy’s light went out quickly, the blond blowing out the flickering flame before letting go of Ranboo’s arm.

He didn’t even seem to notice, that eerie smile Tubbo wished would just fade off his platonic husband’s face merely growing to bare his teeth as well. The satyr slowly reached out for Tommy, backing up towards a tree, “Hide?”

Tommy nodded mutely, drawing his sword as he stared at the stock still form of Ranboo, his ears slowly moving forward as the ender silently stood, seemingly waiting.

Tubbo swallowed down a nervous bleat, covering his mouth as his heart began to pound harder in his chest. Tommy seemed to be in the same boat, and it certainly didn’t get any better when they heard a familiar voice.

“There you are.” His ears pricked and he could see Tommy’s twitch at the voice as well. Tubbo grimaced, there was no mistaken who that was.

Slowly a form began to creep into view, but… well, it didn’t exactly look like Dream save for the clothes it wore and the smiling mask over the thing’s face.

Beside that, and the unusually dark almost star-speckled skin, the figure was unlike anything Tubbo had seen. The figure appeared almost like a shadow, but as a cloud passed by the moon, faint light trickled through the canopy, better illuminating the figure.

The star like speckles across its skin seemed to practically glimmer as the moonlight trailed over its form, two spiraling, twisted horns arching from their head, face hidden by that bone-white mask with its tauntingly simple black grin and beady eyes. They stood on two legs, though while one arched leg ended in a sharp clawed foot, the other seemed to end in a withered stump, the nub attached to a carefully designed wooden peg. 

The figure stepped lightly, a long, muscular tail waving behind it as it strode along, the figure leaning against a tree as it seemed to stare long and hard at Ranboo. It moved stumbling and almost unsteady, yet it carried a dangerous air either way.

Tubbo could see the figure’s sharp claws on its hand as it idly scratched at its chin, “You usually are quicker. What took you so long?” The voice sounded almost careless, he shuddered.

An eased Dream was a Dream assured of its situation.

The satyr grimaced, leaning back, a hand still clasped tightly over his mouth as Tommy leaned heavily against him, eyes wide.

Ranboo didn’t speak, just shrugging with a hum. Dream, it had to be Dream, cocked its head to the side, dropping to all fours in a fluid, natural motion as it walked closer, the back leg that ended in the peg raised up off the ground before slowly it stretched up back on its hind legs to stare Ranboo over.

“Did… someone wake you?”

An annoyance entered the admin’s voice. Tommy’s ears flicked back and his tail froze, Tubbo swallowed heavily as that mask suddenly snapped towards their hiding spot.

Ranboo slowly looked over as well, mouth still stretched in an eerily blank smile, teeth glinting in the flickering moonlight as another cloud passed overhead.

The hidden duo shuddered.

“Who…?” Dream, straightened dangerously, the odd fins along its back, tail, chest, and limbs flared open, exposing a brilliant blue webbing. A low hiss cut through the air.

Tommy stumbled back. And like that, their cover was blown, Dream dropped smoothly onto clawed hands, stalking forward with a cautious tilt of the head, a loose braid of white hair trailing down at the motion.

Tubbo stood frozen as that figure slowly stood before him now, that mask inches from his face. He couldn’t move. Then the figure leaned back, “Well. Fuck.”

A hysterical laugh escaped his lips before a sword was suddenly diving towards Dream. He couldn’t breath, terrified tears building in his eyes.

~

Dream’s gaze swung from the satyr to the sword being directed at it, dropping back onto all fours as it dodged and scrambled away, teeth unconsciously bared. While it preferred moving on two legs in other humanoid forms, this form was more flexible and easier to utilize on all fours (technically all three’s but who cared?), allowing it to make up for the weakness of its malformed hind leg.

Tommy swung wildly, making it easier to escape, before it lunged forward, hissing. The devil flinched and it grasped the blade, snapping its jaws sharply from behind the mask. The blond moved to dodge unseen teeth and it used its tail to swipe harshly against the younger’s arm.

A shriek of surprise and fear from the teen, and it threw the blade away, throwing out an arm to knock the devil child back as it skipped back to a four-legged stance again. 

The devil child just scrabbled back, baring his teeth as his tail lashed behind him. Tubbo seemed to snap out his shock though, suddenly moving as though to ram him, those short, still developing horns dipped as though to pierce.

Dream jumped back, stumbling slightly as it snarled, “Oh, fuck off!” It easily swiped at the teen’s legs, shoving the satyr back into the snow. “You don’t even have proper horns, kid!”

It was growing increasingly annoyed with this situation, especially when Tommy screamed, “No, fuck you, bitch!”

It hissed, glancing back towards Ranboo as it could feel the thread snap as the ender awoke from its control. “Oh-“

“What the hell?”

Dream spun around, eyes wide behind the mask as its ears flicked forward at the similar, drawling voice.

Techno locked eyes with it and it unconsciously shrank back before a burning pain suddenly flared up, Tommy having apparently found his bravo and another weapon, the admin yelping as felt blood begin to trickle from the cut along its side.

It snarled, whirling around to tackle the brat, shoving its mask up as it went instinctually for the younger’s throat, “YOU BRAT!” However, as it’s jagged teeth snapped closer, the teen trying to grasp back as his weapon’s hilt , it felt something snatch the back of its coat.

Dream yelped as it was picked up, claws stilling in the air as it was then dropped onto the ground. Its ears flicked back and it gazed sharply to the figure before it, gnashing its teeth for the piglin brute to just smack it upside the head.

It flinched but quieted. Its tail lashed harshly and it saw Techno move to help a stunned, shaking Tommy to his feet. Dream was still rather annoyed, glancing back towards where Tubbo was, just to note he’d move to Ranboo’s panicked figure.

“Oh, great. Now that kid’s having a panic attack or something.” This plan really had gone to shit, hadn’t it?

Ranboo was crumbling to his knees, and it just watched before hearing the ruffle of wings behind it. It tensed automatically as Philza spoke up, his chat croaking and cawing around him, “What the hell?”

It didn’t move, instead grimacing as it tried to make itself smaller.

Fuck. This… this looked pretty bad, didn’t it?

~

Philza stared at the scene before himself, pinching the bridge of his nose, “What happened?”

He looked up and stared from person to person, stopping to raise a curious eyebrow at a figure in oddly familiar clothing. Though the person themself was unlike anything he’d seen before, save for that curious skin that looked like it was taken straight from the void.

“Dream?”

The figure flinched, hunching in on itself, but that answered his question either way. He looked towards Techno and the brute shrugged with a brief yawn, brow furrowed. At least his face wasn’t as pinched as before, so hopefully chat wasn’t screaming at the poor piglin anymore. 

Unlike his noisy crows. The birds making a racket as they seemed to be checking on everyone there.

“Alright. We’re heading back to the cabin.” Ranboo was still panicking it seemed, the hybrid not looking too well though Tubbo nodded at his side. He gazed over towards Tommy and he could see Techno carrying him along like a cat, the devil child merely glaring, tail lashing.

It was kinda hilarious.

When Tubbo finally managed to get Ranboo to his feet with Philza’s help, the elytrain turned towards Dream.

It hadn’t moved, it hadn’t turned to face him yet. Phil sighed, “Dream? You good, mate?”

The admin shook its head mutely, so Phil said aloud, “Okay. That’s, that’s alright. Let’s go, mind if I touch you?”

Dream finally looked over and that white mask met his gaze, the admin’s arms hugging its torso.
Then after he received a cautious nod, Phil walked over and gently helped the other to its feet, raising an eyebrow curiously at the slight stumble and peg leg. He’d have to ask later. 

The admin’s long tail swept nervously behind it and Phil just sighed, cautiously extending a wing out, “Let’s go catch up.”

Dream just mutely followed, leaning into the contact.

~

The air in the cabin was tense, to say the least. Ranboo especially felt it, while having recovered from his panic attack earlier, he still felt on edge.

His head espically hurt. The ender looked at his feet absently, Tubbo and Tommy practically latched into him from both side. The devil had his teeth bared, head slightly angled down so his horns could act as another barrier, and his tail was coiled around Ranboo’s side. He didn’t really mind, Tubbo grasping his arm tightly on the other side.

The ender hybrid could practically hear his particles cooing to him, the soft glow of them spinning around his form a slight comfort. 

Phil broke the quiet, “What the fuck happened?”

Ranboo cautiously glanced up, Tommy hissing, “Dream was fucking mind controlling Ranboo or some shit!”

Dream puffed up, looking up from its bandaged side, snapping back, “Yeah, well things were going smoothly until you two fucked things up!”

Tubbo tensed, one hoof stomping down harshly againist the floor, “What were you even trying to doing you prick?”

The admin growled in response, fins flared up as its tail lashed. Though admittedly, the effect was ruined by the fact that it was currently snuggled against Techno. 

Phil spoke up as Tommy launched to his feet, as though to tackle the admin or to start screaming again. “Tommy, sit back down. Ranboo, breath. Dream, explain.”

Dream snarled but the elytrain shot it a look that made it instantly shrink back, mask glancing down to the ground. It would have made Ranboo laugh to see the admin being scolded like a child if it weren’t for the fact that his breathing was coming in gasps.

Tommy gently moved back to his side, muttering comforts as Dream sighed dramatically. “I just wanted to get the ender alone so I could put back his pearl.”

Ranboo’s head shot up at that, the hum in his chest growing once more as his ears perked. His breath caught.

Techno muttered lightly, “What pearl?” The brute looked tired, rubbing a hooved hand down his face.

“Well, you know how endermen have enderpearls?” Dream shrugged with a wave of a clawed hand. “Usually the hybrids lack them, have a malformed or partial one, or,” Ranboo could practically hear the glee in its voice, “sometimes, they have a lovely full-formed one that’s special. More so than a normal pearl.”

Ranboo felt eyes on him but the hybrid didn’t care, speaking up sharply to the surprise of most in the room, “You took my pearl.”

Dream tilted its head, rubbing a shoulder, “Yes.” The admin then mused lightly, “It was such a curiosity. Not like you’d remember. But it made you a polite little puppet.”

The hybrid snarled, “You-“ He clutched his head, grimacing. He could feel Tubbo lay his head against his shoulder, Tommy’s stable grasp on his shoulder, he sighed. “Why… I don’t…?”

Dream just laughed, though it sounded hollow and empty, “Yeah, how about we don’t ask anything we don’t want answers to. Don’t ask me to explain. But I just wanted to return it.” Ranboo narrowed his eyes at the other.

Dream just scratched at its own chest as Phil prodded gently, “So… mind control?”

It flinched, waving a hand as it stood to pace, “I don’t know! Yes? Seemed the best option otherwise I would have dealt with this!” It gestured to its bandaged side in annoyance before groaning. “Beside, it would have been better. Ranboo wouldn’t remember, No one panicked. And no one had to get hurt.”

Tommy scowled, “Well sorry if we get freaked out by Ranboo turning into a fucking creepy ass puppet!”

Tubbo snorted, “Yeah, was pretty horrifying.”

Dream merely threw its hands into the air, “Well I’m sorry! It’s not like I thought he was around other people! It’s almost 2am!”

Philza stood up with a sigh, “Dream.”

It gazed over sharply and Ranboo tiredly rubbed at his temple.

“Why not just… tell someone what you were going to do?”

Dream tsked, voice flat, “Oh, yes. Of course, Phil. Hey, I’m going to tear open Ranboo’s chest and put back his ender pearl that I stole when he only recently arrived in the server so I could have an obedient little spy and servant. Oh yes. That makes things sound a lot nicer, right?”

Ranboo flinched, clutching at his head. So he could’ve hurt someone? And he wouldn’t even remember? What had he done that he couldn’t remember?

He seemed to have spoken aloud as Dream answered simply, “I haven’t made you hurt anyone. You haven’t directly done anything. I’m not an idiot.”

Tommy spoke up with a harsh hiss, “Sure. We completely believe you, goddamn bastard.”

Techno spoke up before anyone else could, “Wait… did you just say tear open Ranboo’s chest?”

Dream shrugged, “Gotta put it back in his chest somehow.”

“The fuck?” Tubbo breathed in sharply. “Like seriously, what the actual fuck!”

The admin shrank back, “Er… I mean…? He wouldn’t feel anything, and well… it would have been a pretty easy process. I mean Wilbur’s doing fine now, isn’t he?”

Phil spoke up now, “Wait… what about Wilbur now? Dream… mate?”

Dream cocked its head, before straightening sharply, looking towards Tommy now. “Wait… you haven’t noticed?”

Tommy looked at Ranboo and Tubbo before looking back in confusion.

Dream laughed awkwardly, “Er… I kind of made him my… uh… vessel?”

Phil seemed to be the only one that knew the weight of the statement, eyes widening, “No. You- you didn’t!”

“Just… a bit?” 

The elytrain covered his face with his hands before stating aloud, “It is too fucking early in the morning for this.”

No one spoke at that, unsure how to continue before Ranboo said suddenly, “I want my pearl.”

~

Dream hummed lightly as it sat beside a completely out of it Ranboo. 

After the ender hybrid had practically demanded for it to return his pearl, ignoring anyone else, they’d finally settled on this.

Dream would do as it needed to, but if anything went wrong, well. Tubbo and Tommy were glaring at it with promised threats, weapons in hand. It didn’t care, if it did this, then it didn’t have to deal with the trio again.

It sighed, Techno having gone to bed while Philza remained to keep the peace. It finally focused back to the task at hand before pushing up its mask so it could reach into its throat.

This was going to suck.

~

Tommy stared wide eyed at the scene before him, as Dream unhinged its fanged maw, mask pushed up slightly before reaching a clawed hand into its own throat.

Dream didn’t seem to even care, the arm going deeper before suddenly color seemed to bloom across the admin, dancing across its skin as it pulled its hand sharply out, a golden orb clutched in its bloodied claws. He could see Dream cough up blood before the mask was shakily pushed back down. 

The devil child wanted to gagged, especially when that mask turned towards Ranboo, the golden orb seeming to glow brighter as Dream slowly moved a claw hand to rest right on Ranboo’s chest.

Then those wicked daggers dove in, red and green blood oozing from the wound as Dream just seemed to dig further until like a simple wrapped gift it peeled back the skin and flesh to reveal barren bone.

Tubbo made a small noise and he had to hold in a horrified yell himself. The claws tapped along the bone before gently, so stupidly gently, placing the orb in a dip in the ender’s sternum. It seemed to flash for a moment before fading to a soft white, then Dream snatched its hand back.

And the flesh rapidly moved to fold back over the wound until the skin was renewed save for some blood that remained. Dream took a shuddering breath before collapsing onto its side at the same moment Ranboo woke.

Tommy didn’t care for the other, instead springing to his feet to check on Ranboo with Tubbo. The hybrid’s eyes seemed to brighten, becoming focused as his pupils darted around before the ender said simply, “Hi, guys.”

Tubbo tugged him up quickly to gather him in a hug, Tommy latching on as well. He was okay. They were okay. The devil growled lightly, “You fucker.”

Ranboo just hummed, weakly muttering, “I want to go back to bed.”

Tubbo snorted harshly as Tommy just laughed.

~

Dream felt like shit. And honestly? That was valid. 

It was a fucked up piece of shit. It absently rubbed at its throat before turning back on its side to contuine sleeping curled up by Philza on the couch.

After it had passed out (it was disappointed, that pearl had been so powerful, it had absolutely drained it to return it to Ranboo) apparently the trio had promptly dashed home. Phil had checked to make sure it was still alive, and then had accompanied them to Snowchester. 

The place Tubbo had apparently run off to. Whatever. It didn’t care anymore.

It had been placed on the couch and apparently, after returning to the cabin, Philza had sat down next to it and promptly passed out as well.

And now it was here. Sprawled out next to the Angel himself while exposed and vulnerable. But hell, it felt lighter? Didn’t it?

Dream just grumbled, falling back into a deep, dreamless sleep.

It was done playing games. It was done trying to control. It just wanted to exist now.

So that’s what it would do.

Chapter Text

Things… were different now. It was… different now.

And it was… nervous? About this all, wasn’t it? It was certainly unsure if it would last, but it wouldn’t be lying if it said that it wanted this to continue.

Dream was enjoying this life.

So it let itself relax.

A few days after the incident, it found itself absently sprawled out on top of Bad in its basic form, the demon having made a reappearance after the Crimson’s control had finally fully vanished, which was a delight. Because fuck, Bad gave good hugs, the demon hugging it to his chest with a low hum. Skeppy was propped against the near wall, Bad’s head in his lap as the man played with the demon’s hair.

Bad and it had talked for some time. And it had been just as tense yet relieving as the talk with Sapnap and George. 

Dream sighed softly. It still had so much to talk over with others, but hey, it was getting there. It was learning to understand. To realize. To change.

And that was… something.
This all was something. To be here. To be in this moment. Each new day. It was… nice.

The next day would find it sharing a smoke with Wilbur.

Dream grumbled under its breath as it tried to spark a flame between its claws, but the curse of this form being too magically unstable to extend its control to cast spells seemed to have remained.

Though at least its form seemed stable enough that it wasn’t in much physical or mental pain as it had once remembered. So…at least that was a plus.

It sighed as it gave up, moving a hand under the mask as it rubbed tiredly at its face before Wilbur offered it a flame instead, the admin accepting it with a low dip of its head.
Wilbur was getting better, too, it seemed. The man talking about how he’d managed to rope Ranboo and Tommy into his latest scheme, some hot dog van or something. It was mostly just a dumb prank it seemed, and that, well, it sounded like it was fun.

Probably good for Wilbur to get that manic energy of his out like that anyways.

Dream laughed easily, “That sounds ridiculous. The man that fought against me in wars going to make hot dogs now?” It took a short drawl before exhaling, letting Wilbur snatch the pipe from its fingers.

Wilbur cackled, throwing an arm over its shoulders, waving the hand holding the pipe, the smoke trailing in an absent little swirl, “You mean genius? And fucking hell, not like you’re doing much yourself nowadays, are you?”

It grinned easily, “Nah. But seriously, hot dogs, Soot. Really?”

The man just laughed, free and sharp. Dream laughed with him, wheezing and breathless.

The next day it spent outside, sparring with Technoblade. Philza watching with amusement as his crows brought him trinkets.

The brute weaved away as Dream dove forward, Techno moving to arc his blade up as the admin hurried to keep its balance and move to block.

It hadn’t been able to change back for long or completely since the incident with returning Ranboo’s pearl. So it had been training this body as well, Dream was used to being able to turn his peg into a functioning limb with the divine magic it had. But, well, now that it was stuck, it figured it might as well learn to be as graceful in this form as it was in previous ones.

Dream grinned as the blades screeched against each other, managing to hold its own before they separated in their dangerous dance.

A week later would find it talking to Puffy, nervous and confused and horribly exposed. 

Dream had finally managed to settle itself into more humanoid appearances, but it seemed that the damage of reality on an eldritch being had done its work.

This form was just a weak shell of the power it had held when it was mysterious and feared, but it seemed that this was the price it had to paid.

So be it.

It absently twirled its hair, which had remained white, the other hand delicately running its fingers over the living night of its skin. It swallowed and tapped its foot, having taken the prosthetic leg Phil had helped design for it off at the moment.

Puffy cleared her throat and Dream swallowed again nervously. Fuck, its mouth was dry.

“So, Dream… do you have anything you want to talk about?”

It fiddled with its fingers before looking up finally, voice barley a whisper, “…I- I don’t know.”

The faun merely gave a patient smile, “That’s okay, we can take this slow for now, how about if I ask some questions instead and you answer them to the best of your ability?”
Dream gazed over her face with a frown as she merely gave it an encouraging look. “And if you don’t want to answer a question or talk about a certain subject, we don’t have to. This is a safe space afterall.”

Dream nodded, finally weakly smiling, “Okay.”

And so that became its life. Being able to try to reconnect with friends, avoiding the temptations of power, and learning to live again instead of just pretending.

It was nice.

Dream was not. But it was happy.

It laid curled up on the couch without a false skin or false intentions. Merely existing, George sprawled lazily on the floor with Sapnap as they talked about whatever came to mind. The fireborn absently twisting his engagement ring as they did.

While Sapnap's, Karl’s, and Quackity’s marriage had been called off, due to tensions that arose due to the prison and Dream situation, they still cared for each other. It was a work in progress, as most things were at the moment, but they seemed to at least want to try.

Though. Dream didn’t know if it would even be able to look at Quackity again if that day came. It would of course attend, but… it shook its head.

One ear twitched as it heard movement in the kitchen.

Techno was currently in there with Niki, Puffy (the faun had started to finally reconnect with the other woman, and that merely meant more treats were made that it could swipe), and Ranboo (while the ender was still distrustful of it, for obvious reasons, they seemed to have settled into a neutral acceptation of the other, which worked perfectly fine with it). 
It could hear the piglin brute muttering about ingredients with Ranboo, Puffy and Niki absently flirting. It mused lightly if Puffy and Niki would try to date again.

It smiled faintly.

Philza was off with Tommy and Wilbur for the day. It seemed that Tommy was trusting Techno and Philza again, though Dream and the teen avoided each other like the plague. It was best for everyone if it remained like that.

It was best for both of them.

Tubbo came around for Ranboo, and it seemed he still hated its guts, but like all that shared the feeling, it understood easily why. It didn’t mind.

It was healing its way, they were healing theirs, and there was no need to overlap. Dream wasn’t sorry for its actions, though it held some regrets, and it didn’t need them to accept it into their lives.

They were happy with their progress. And it was happy with its.

Dream flicked its tail absently to smack Sapnap in the face, wheezing at the sputter and tackle that followed. The admin yelping as Sapnap tried to get its head in a headlock, Dream being careful of its horns as it managed to avoid the other’s grasp.

It laughed as it managed to get loose, hurrying to its feet before fleeing outside with a taunting yell, “Too slow as always, Pandas!”

The fireborn merely yelled back, “Fuck you!” Dream grinned as it dashed into the snow, the chase probably wouldn’t last long since neither of them had grabbed their coats, but it was fun either way.

It merely wanted to bask in the moment. Happy. Content. And smiling.

Things were healing. Dream was healing.