Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I wake up, sigh and head off to war,

For the lilacs have already faded,

I scrub, i slice the skin off my palm

And feed death from my hand.

The sky was not a luxury he'd been allowed often. It was a rare gift to be able to admire the blue for more then the few seconds, minutes if he was desperate, in the chill of fights.

Technoblade was not one to be well behaved enough to earn outside time like his cellmate(s). He was too brutal, or didn't try all that hard, didn't earn a prize, barely deserved dinner. Thats was the caretakers said. Others, older then him yet too optimistic to last very long, (The piglin hybrid would give them a week, if they were lucky.) had said once that they weren't caretakers, only keepers, wardens, to keep them locked here. That they couldn't be caretakers if they did not care.

Technoblade didn't listen to their rambles, he'd learnt early they'd be replaced quick enough.

That one had lasted three rounds of sleep. 

Picking at the questionable liquid he'd always been told to be soup, the boy almost mourned. That one had been determined, or at the very least optimistic. Given two months he believed they might of even been able to weasel their way out.

They'd be killed before they had reached the gate, but that was still impressive. No one escaped here. 

Here...

The Ring, The Pit, The Kings Colosseum, cellmates had called it other names too, hell and a 'death trap' were common ones. They'd say it was worse then the nether. Technoblade would disagree with that, but maybe the hybrids standards were wrong, he was often wrong about the overworld. At least he could see more then red here.

No matter how rare it was his vision cleared to blue, he could still see it in more then a haze.

He decided he liked this blue.

New cellmates worked like clockwork here, six fights and three changes in sky colour after the last, another would be found in his cell, conveniently exactly after his latest fight. After he had settled into his cell again. Humans were rare, something about the guards not wanting to look at them, hybrids were the most common, any from goat to zombie. (Those were like Zombie Piglin apparently, but for humans. He was still unsure as to what goats were though. Apparently they had horns and hooves and fur. The goat hybrid wasn't very good at explaining, he'd died before he got to finish anyway, not that it mattered.) Mobs often got their own ring, he had only heard of them in passing.

It was for this reason that he wasn't surprised when the door to his cell opened after the second round of patrolling guards had long vanished.

What did surprise Technoblade however, was that this was not a hybrid, not any that he recognized, tall and with black skin, he couldn't see much from the dark of the cell but his ears twitched as they trailed up to briefly see a flash of a colour he'd never seen, before the creature, his new cellmate, curled their head inwards. (He'd learn in time, that purple was a rather nice colour, he'd also learn he'd been very lucky his cellmate was as kind as they were. Though he never learn why they put an enderman in with him instead of the mobs. He wouldn't question it now.) It looked similar to something he'd been told lived in the warped forest, a warpedworlder it was called in piglin. Technoblade never got to see one in person.

Curled up was where the strange cellmate then stayed, and stayed, and stayed, for three more fights and one more change of the sky.

They often got one day of rest, so it did not surprise him when he was awoken from his space on the hard stone floor to the clanking of chains as the enderman, (Thats what they were called according to the guards exclamation of disgust at its existence.) was dragged out. Technoblade made note of the weird metal thing around the creatures neck. he'd only ever seen it on a passing blaze hybrid before. 

Three shifts of guards and one caretaker change was the next time he saw end—ed end—d—ward? E'dward seemed like a good name for the creature, normally they'd have told him their names by now, not caring that he rarely acknowledged them, only wanting to talk, even if it was to a piglin hybrid that seemed to not know overworlder. He did, he knew a lot of words actually. Technoblade just never cared to speak. No matter though, E'dward didnt seem to want to talk very much. Or maybe they couldn't, from what the young piglin could make out of their face before they curled into themselves again, it had no mouth. He wondered how E'dward ate. The caretaker had rambled about the enderman being from a different plain though, like him, so maybe they didnt need too there. 

E'dward had made themselves small for something that looked four times Technoblades height, face pressed into their chest. The blood stained around their mouthless face was now much more noticeable, only challenged by the blood trailing up the creatures arms.

Not that the hybrid cared, he'd long since ignored the turn of his stomach at the metallic smell, it was nothing compared to the taste when fight had worn him thin. They chanted for a god when he fought for a reason. The half piglin shook his head, letting his legs, hooves? slide under him as he stared slightly at the form of his cellmate, neither seemed to have any fights left for today, you could normally tell if they didn't arrive before the second guard patrol. 

So he waited.

He was used to waiting, waiting and counting. It took until his tenth and fifth count to ten for the caretaker to stand, and turn, glancing into their cell with an expression his helmet all but hid, Technoblade would be willing to bet his life savings of a scratched gold nugget and a fork that it was a distaste and uncaring though.

Still, he waited until his footsteps had vanished around the corner before he spoke. The caretaker switch normally took between ten and two counts of ten and ten and ten counts to come back. The fighter had time.

Too bad he didnt have the words.

E'dward seemed to pick up that he wanted something however, as they raised their head, tilted down but they seemed to be looking at the general area in which the hybrid sat.

It took a few beats of what he would in the future call awkward for anything to happen.

Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, it was E'dward that, spoke? first...

A faint ripping sound is what made Technoblade stop fiddling with his hands, skin seemed to, tear open as a warbling sound escaped the endermans mouth. No blood, or pain seemed to even phase his cellmate at the action. Ah, that explained the bloodied face huh. E'dward spoke again. Or the boy assumed they spoke.

"⊬⍜⎍ ⏃⍀⟒ ⌇⋔⏃⌰⌰ ⎎⍜⍀ ⏃ ⎎⟟☌⊑⏁⟒⍀" 

It was far from Piglin and even father from overworlder. Technoblade didnt make sense of it, though he didn't pick hostility from the.. warbling... So he assumed that had to be a good thing right? His confusion must of shown on his face as E'dward let out a sound that could only slightly resemble a humans laughs, though less menacing, and half resembled the amused grunts of piglin. The boy could only assume his cellmate was laughing at him. He almost turned away, content with never speaking to the enderman again, he would leave too anyway. Just like the rest of them, just like all of them did. He got halfway there, shuffling back, head turned only slightly to catch any movement.

That, clearly, did not work. Given that a clawed hand settled itself on top of Technoblades matted hair, it took him a startling amount of self restraint to stay still. (Whether he wanted to lean into it or tear away, not even the glorified piglet could tell you.) Claws, dry with blood now, gently scrapped at his scalp. 

E'dward spoke again.

"⊬⍜⎍ ⏃⍀⟒, ⏃ ⍜⎅⎅ ⍜⋏⟒. ⋏⍜⏁ ⌰⟟☍⟒ ⏁⊑⟒ ⍜⏁⊑⟒⍀⌇."

Maybe, had he been a normal child, or normal in general, he would of puffed his cheeks out in frustration at the language barrier or maybe streaked at the tall, face ripping creature touching them. He'd never been normal though, and he steeled himself for having to use his voice, absently counting down the caretakers switch, they were late now, it was odd but not concerning. He'd been here long enough to notice irregularities and know they were never worth the risk. Others had tried before, only one had ever gotten far enough to touch the gate. None beyond. 

But that was enough stalling, grinding his own teeth he ignored the slight tooth pains from the recently grown in tusks, his lip seemed to have a permanent cut nowadays. 

His voice was high and a little rough from lack of use.

"Technoblade" 

Barely above a hushed whisper, mostly to keep himself from straining, any normal human, or even hybrid would have to focus to have heard him. E'dward apparently, did not, if what Technoblade assumed was an affectionate warble came from his new cellmate. Or at least not hostile. The boy wasn't sure, kept by the clawed hand on his head from trying to study the endermans face at all. It made him jittery. He still spoke again, this time raising a hand a pointing at himself. He wasn't even sure that the mob was looking at him still, it was stupid, he should of just stayed quiet. Technoblade bit back a sigh. He wasn't a quitter at the very least.

"Technoblade" 

Just above a whisper this time, and yet it seemed to echo tauntingly in the five by five cell. Teasing him with the ire of the caretakers return. The scratch of claws in his hair snapped him to focus. He couldn't let his guard down. He had a cellmate. He...

The enderman made a strangely familiar sound, as if trying to repeat a imitation in their own language. 

"⏁⟒☊⊑⋏⍜⏚⌰⏃⎅⟒"

Maybe, giving it a chance, talking to his cellmate wouldn't be too bad. Just this once, sure E'dward was a mob, but... Surly he was special to be kept here...

Just this once wont hurt. 

One, two, three, four, five, six (E'dward retreated back to his curled up corner.), seven (Technoblade decided he didnt miss the hand. It hadn't been bad either though.) eight, nine, and...

The caretakers boots scrapped across the floor as they slammed a metal rod against the bars, likely waking up anyone who had foolishly fallen asleep before the last swap of the night. It only made Technoblade stiffen, E'dward curled into himself a little more. Silence became the norm for the rest of the night, Technoblade  slipping in and out of sleep as he normally did. Absently he thought to himself.

That had been the first time someone had spoken to him, to him, not at, not the yells of praise for a blood god, not a scream to a disobedient brat. Even if they'd not understood each other. (Did E'dward understand him? Maybe he just didnt want to speak Overworlder, it didn't matter.) The feeling in his chest was unfamiliar to him if he was being honest, it was almost a discomfort. The boy didnt quite know how to register it. So he simply didnt. Shuffling into a slightly more comfortable spot, as comfortable as a cold floor could be, he let himself rest, a light sleep, he'd be woken up when the caretakers changed again at light-rise. Like always. 

It was nice to have a change in routine. 

As always, changes didn't last, and the two fell back into silence, methodically being dragged out of the cell each to fight, never at the same time. Technoblade could only guess and hope as to why. He didnt feel like fighting his cellmate. They'd done that before. He never knew why, it seemed to fill a sick space in their hearts to see the slight hesitation rush through him before he struck out. If he remembered the light in their eyes going out each time, well, the guards didnt need to know that, it would only make them laugh.

Maybe E'dward wouldn't be the same.

That would be nice.

If a spark of hope filled Technoblades chest when a week passed and E'dward was still here, no one needed to know. (If the same happened after a month, it didnt matter.) 

Maybe it was his lack of social interaction but speaking to someone, who, well, seemed to understand you, but didnt speak back in the same language made it, easier in a way, there wasn't any pressure from the endermans warbles of acknowledgments. No pressure to respond quickly or get a boot to the head. The young hybrid had learnt early, maybe two weeks after having E'dward as a cellmate, to not look the creature in the eye. He'd seen, vaguely, the start of one of the undermans fights, before being dragged to the second arena, a man was yanked by the hair, E'dward themselves chained by the neck to look straight. He had almost missed it with how quickly E'dwards jaw unhinged and the mans throat was gone. 

He didnt look E'dward in the eye after that. 

In the rare caretaker changes and the lulls of alone time, the two would talk, babble, it would make Technoblades throat sore, but it was worth it to learn the different meanings to each sound E'dward made, to learn about them. He didnt know how he felt about the mob, in turn, learning about him. How his tail twitched just before a guard turned the corner, how he'd snap to attention and silently snuggle to breath after a nightmare. He didnt know how he felt about the mob dragging him into their arms and raking their clawed hands through his hair. How it calmed him down and let him rest. 

It was nice.

It wouldn't last.

The first nightmare he had with E'dward as his cellmate happened to be one of the worst ones, often the boy would rollover and go back to a light sleep. Force himself to forget it ever happened. To forget the recognizable eyes of people he'd been forced to kill before. This time, unsurprisingly, it had been E'dward at the tip of his blade, enraged eyes baring into him as they fought for their lives. Knowing only one would get out of this.

Technoblade had shot up with a silent gasp and couldn't find his breath in the panic. His tail twitched and curled around his own thigh tightly, half cutting off circulation. Still, he raked his chipped nails down his arms and let himself rock in place.

He didn't count, nor tune into the sounds around him. It wasn't until a large hand, claw, reached around to pull him forward did Technoblade even take note that he wasn't alone. The boy wanted to pull away, he could only tense at the contract, being pulled into a chest. Apparently endermans skin had a thin layer of fur over it. Good to know. Arms encircled him loosely. Warbles echoing quietly from E'dwards throat. The mobs chest rumbled in a way the quietly reminded the boy of the few 'cat' hybrids that passed through the ring. 

Unknowingly he found his shoulders relaxing, head tilting into E'dward grip.

Was it stupid to let his guard down around a mob that could rip his throat out if they made eye contact? Probably, but as he found himself pressing his face into E'dwards soft fur, letting his breathing even out, he found he really didn't care. 

Not right now.

It became a common occurrence after the first nightmare. Waking up in a cold sweat with panicked breaths, he'd find himself curled up, lulled into sleep by light warbles, purrs, until the guards made their first rounds, when the two would return to their designated sides of the cold cell.

It was nice, to have someone around. 

It made the guards loud laughs as a metal rod was slammed into the side of their cell so much louder. A large man, Technoblade remembered his name was something generic he was sure at least three others had, wrapping his dirt covered fingers around the bars as it to taunt the two. Knowing both could rip them off if they so wished.

Still, the man didn't seem to care as he slammed the rod down on the bars again, sound echoing throughout the hallway.

"Ay, it'll be good to see one of you monsters go, kept ya' alive for too long." He barked out a laugh and stepped away from the bars, seemingly gaining a gram of sense. He kept talking. "This fight'll rile up the crown real good."

His tusks cut his own lip from how hard he was biting down as the man leaned forward again, sadistic grin filling his face. 

"Folks love to see beasts fight eachother, huh?"

Technoblade felt his chest squeeze.

He didn't want to be complacent anymore.

So, when E'dward warbled and pointed to his cuff and then out of the cell, Technoblade nodded knowingly, out, they'd get out. He, he didn't want to kill E'dward. It took one guard change for Technoblade to realised he was strong enough to crack the cuff just enough for it to let Edward to regain strength that it seeped from him outside of fights.

When E'dward managed to grab the keys from a distracted guards belt, it was too good to be true. 

It was happening too quickly.

When the caretaker swap was late, it was a chance, it was a blessing.

It was a pause, and then time seemed to move faster then the piglin hybrid had ever thought was possible. Reaching around the key was easy to slip in and turn, was easy to do, it felt almost too easy. As the cell, home, cage doors slammed open. Maybe it wasn't the feeling of a fight, of blood staining his hands, no, but as his hooves slammed against the hard stone in a sprint, followed easily by the silent pad of E'dwards, the rush of freedom felt... better.

It felt like the sun hitting his skin without reflecting blood.

It was quick, some say sudden, and unexpected, Technoblade hadn't tried to escape since his first month at the ring, he had a feeling they thought him compliant. They'd have been right a month and a half ago. 

Now?

The thrill of turning, running, sprinting down halls, back tracking steps to an entrance he hadn't seen in so long was too good. Too freeing.

He refused too be trapped again.

The gate, the one so many had died, to get within meters off was in sight. Technoblade didnt know when, or how, but somewhere along the way E'dward had shoved a sword into his hand and they'd started fighting, the blood was drying quickly in the heat, clinging to his rags and hair and skin. 

And the gate was closing.

And his sword slashed across another guards throat.

And E'dward reached out a hand, dragging him past arrows and across a threshold he thought would be where he died. Techno slammed the hilt of his sword into the device on the endermans neck.

And... They were gone. 

Teleporting felt like purple. It swirled and faded his vision, it felt inherently wrong to be able to do, and yet, here he was. Standing in a field, village in the distance, the tall figure of E'dward in front of him, and for the first time in years.

Technoblade smiled.

The silence over took them as Technoblade caught his breath, E'dward seemingly to only wait patiently. 

The world seemed to tune back in for the boy, the lack of clanking metal and distant sobs threw him off. Instead a chilling silence, washed over him, chirps that reminded him of the few birds that he'd seen in the pit, circling above or hopping around the few times he was in the courtyard. It was peaceful.

He turned his attention back to E'dward, easily avoiding eye contact.

Still, the curve of E'dwards mouth... Area... as they lent down to rest a hand on the warriors, childs, head gave away that they too, were smiling. Leaning forward slightly, Technoblade let their heads bump together, mildly thinking back to the small amount of time he'd spent with his mother, he couldn't remember her face now, but he remembers the way she'd lean forward and press their foreheads together. It was, comforting. E'dward let out an affectionate warble.

The enderman spoke. The piglin hybrid only caught a few words, they were enough. 

"⊬⍜⎍'⍀⟒ ⋔⊬ ⎎⍀⟟⟒⋏⎅ ⟒⋏⎅⟒⍀⌰⟟⋏☌. ⍙⟒ ⍙⟟⌰⌰ ⋔⟒⟒⏁ ⏃☌⏃⟟⋏. ⏁⏃☍⟒ ☊⏃⍀⟒, ⊬⍜⎍'⌰⌰ ⊑⏃⎐⟒ ⋔⎍☊⊑ ⏁⍜ ⎅⍜ ⟟⋏ ⊬⍜⎍⍀ ⌰⟟⎎⟒. ⋔⏃⋏⊬ ⊑⏃⍀⎅⌇⊑⟟⌿⌇, ⍜⋏⟒ ⎅⏃⊬ ⊬⍜⎍ ⍙⟟⌰⌰ ⎎⟟⋏⎅ ⏃ ⊑⏃⎍⋏⏁⟟⋏☌ ⍜⎎ ⊬⍜⎍⍀ ⍜⍙⋏."

Gently, the endermans free hand reached for Technoblades own, glancing down he watched as a small, green orb that almost resembled an eye was placed in his hand. Fingers closing around it he pressed it close to his chest, it's texture felt close to glass. Fragile and delicate.

E'dward warbled again.

"⌰⟟⎐⟒."

He let his eyes close and felt the air shift around him with a slight 'vwoop' sound and when Technoblade looked up again, E'dward was gone.

That was ok.

The child of the air ruffled him, and falling to the grass, it felt new to not rest on solid stone, grass, this was grass wasn't it. Holding the gift to his chest, Technoblade reached out and ran his hand across the plant. 

Village, right. 

Nothing lasted forever, maybe he could rest here, just for awhile, at least...

He let himself breath in the fresh air around him.

In his next breath, three months seemed to pass in a blur for the piglin hybrid to find himself settled in, just a little, rooming in what the town called an 'orphanage' apparently he wasn't old enough to live on his own. 

It was crowed, but he had a bed.

The hybrid found himself slipping into a routine again here. (He didnt know how to feel about that yet.)

No one asked him to fight. Or well, do anything but clean up after himself really. Exept for Ruby, Technoblade didnt know how to feel about her, she came up to his hip and liked trying to feed him mud. She called it a pie, but even he knew it was just mud from the orphanages caretakers garden.

Still, when she asked him to collect 'herbs' and 'pretty flowers' from the near by forest, he didnt object. 

Maybe he regretted it just a little now. 

Peace couldn't last forever he guessed, that'd just get boring. 

With a cry the piglin hybrid rolled out of the way, only the squawking of, whatever thing had crashed through the trees filled the air. It sounded... Strangely human, given that it was followed by various different swears, it probably was human. Technoblade pried his eyes open and thanked his time in the ring for training him out of whatever knee jerking startle response he had left after leaving the nether, as the first thing he saw was the bright glow of blue eyes, unnatural enough that even he could tell the man was a hybrid... If the wings on his back didnt give him away first. 

For a few moments they seemed to stare at one another, blue meeting a rather wide red.

Black wings that reminded Technoblade of the birds that circled the ring whenever fights too place. He didnt remember the birds name. It didnt matter anyway, they only seemed to bring death with them, he'd seen them pick at the body of an opponent once, before he was wrangled back to his cell.

He did remember, once, when he'd been given access to the courtyard on good behaviour, before they screamed his name, before he gained any representation, he'd been sitting by the trees. Well, trees plural was generous, there were maybe three, it had been so long now the scene was barely a blur. The only thing he really recalled in any detail was a black bird, at the time it seemed much bigger, he would have needed three of his hands to grab it, not that that fact had stopped him at the time, given then he'd very much grabbed that bird. He'd kept it until it cawed and startled him as well. They seemed much smaller now, or maybe he had gotten bigger. 

Either way, the fact that a... bird? Hybrid dangled from its wings in front of him became a rather pressing problem as he was forced to scrambled back. The Avian ruffled his wings and twisted, landing on the grass with a harsh thump, a groan join soon after as the man twisted to lean into a better sitting position, the hat? He wore had long since fallen off, and he seemed to pat around to try and find it. Given that it was about a foot in front of him, Technoblade didn't have faith that the older man wasn't blind in his age. He digressed, he stayed silent as the avian grabbed his hat, finally looking up to lock eyes with him.

Giving him what Technoblade could only describe as a wobbly smile, the man spoke up.

"Hi mate."

Technoblade blinked.

The strange man blinked. 

Technoblade blinked.

The man blinked again as the silence momentarily dragged on.

...

"Heh??"

Beyond confused the scruffy looking recent escapee deeply wished that E'dward was still with him. Sure he hadn't expected him to stick around all that long, but it had been nice to hope, a mild sense of... structure? Not routine, routine was the Ring, routine was waking up to foot steps and chains every morning, it was counting the rounds until his next fight. It was waiting for his cellmate to vanish and a new one to replace them.

No, Technoblade decided he didnt like routine all that much.

But he also wasn't all too sure he liked this current change of events. He'd rather a town, or maybe a warm bed. Either worked. He supposed he was suck with the strange hybrid for now though, who was finally getting up.

Technoblade watched as he folded the large black wings behind his back, a few feathers left abandoned on the ground. The man seemed to pat around on his form for awhile before giving up, turning back to him he reached out a hand. The boy only blinked at it, he'd been doing a lot of blinking lately it seemed. He absently  couldn't meet the mans eyes for more then a few seconds. It was a given after living with an Enderman and dealing with the ring. 

Seconds of silence passed before Technoblade raised his hand and grabbed the taller mans outstretched one. Letting himself be pulled easily (too easily) too his feet. 

The man had been speaking, he hadn't been listening, only a hand on his shoulder jolted the boy out of his slight daze. Meeting the mans eyes again the piglin hybrid tuned in to whatever the strange sky man was saying.

Bird-man cleared his throat. "Shit, ah, I'm Phil by the way kid, sorry for..." Bird-man-phil cleared his throat again. "Crashing through the trees." The man scratched the back of his head, other hand occupied holding the, slightly ugly, striped grass coloured hat. Technoblade cursed at himself as something was dropped on his head, slightly obscuring his vision. Tilting his head back he met the avian- Phils- eyes again. Apparently staring at a hat for too long meant someone would put it on your head. Good to know, at least it wasn't scratchy, Mrs Caretaker had spent enough time for five rounds (She told him it was three hours) washing and brushing it out, cutting off the bits she said were too matted to be saveable. It was a candyfloss (whatever that was, one of the other kids had said festivals had it in town. They said they'd get some next time.) pink instead of a dull reddish brown. 

That was the least pressing revelation as Technoblade adjusted the hat though, looking up to see Phil trying to fight down a smile at the sight. Technoblade ears flicked and he stared at the avian intently until the man started to shift uncomfortably. Good, he'd been getting a little too comfortable. The boy fought down a snort of amusement.

Phil cleared his throat again. Maybe he needed water for a cough or something and thats why he came crashing through the trees. 

"I've been meaning to pick up some supplies I was wondering if you could show me to the town?" Sounded kind of murder-like but Technoblade felt like he could take his fragile bird bones. He didnt look like much of a fighter anyway, Techno couldn't see any weapons on him, which normally meant he was either really good, or really bad. Either way, the boy simply nodded his head, Pivoting on his hoof he turned back the way he came. Ruby will have to deal with no new herbs for her potions today he guessed. Light footfalls followed him as the boy made he way out of the thinned forest trees. 

The village up ahead was as bright as it was when he arrived there, though it wasn't quite as awe inspiring in the middle of the middays sun. Still, it was quaint and... Nice. It would be a rather nice home for someone. (Maybe him, maybe for now). 

Still, stepping past the village border, a few people gave him smiles, yells of various nicknames thrown at him as the hybrid behind him got various looks, ranging from awe to what could only be described as confusion mixed with envy. Maybe Technoblade would of been envious too, if he wasn't concerned with the fact the man landed face first into a tree and almost fell on him.

Yeah, he doubts his flying skills. 

Technoblade stayed quiet throughout their walk, only nodding or shaking his head when Phil asked if certain stores existed and where they were, glad that he'd spent his first night and day here mapping the town just in case. It paid off in that he didnt have to go crawling to a local to find out where the market was. The piglin hybrid felt loosly like a lost puppy as he followed Phil around, waiting absently as he picked up what he needed and moved on. Feeling obligated to help him, Technoblade waited until the man had walked to the edge of one side of the village, bordering a steep cliff, to turn to leave him.

Maybe this was just the social anxiety Mrs Caretaker lady mentioned.

Still, he stopped his turn to leave as the avian sat, gesturing for him to join. Despite his desperate wish to leave this social situation, the boy relented, letting himself sit silently by the man. 

The tides bellow churned predictably. Beating against the rocks of the cliff, It reminded him of the village he stayed in once, it hung just over a lava pool. Fiddling with his fingers he wondered what would of happened if he'd stayed there. It was too late now, he guessed. 

It was silent until Phil spoke up.

"Mate, I never asked your name."

Techno hadn't given him it, had he? He hadn't given anyone his name since E'dward. Even the towns people, even the kids in the little orphanage didnt know it. They'd taken to calling him anything from Pinkie to Piggie since he got there. The caretaker (A real one this time, she did care, she made them food and gave them beds. Thats what a real caretaker did right?)

Technoblade noticed he was silent for a few beats too long and shook his head, turning back to Phil. Mrs Caretaker said it was rude not to answer peoples questions. Technoblade didnt care much for being rude, but he was living with them now, he wouldn't ignore their advice so quickly. 

Phil didnt seem so bad anyway.

"They called me Technoblade." The avian seemed to pause at his wording. Dragging his eyes down to meet Technoblades before he returned them to the sky with a hum.

Getting to his feet, Phil made a small 'oomf' sound, leaning to crack his back as he spread his wings out behind him. The slight pop of his joints made Technoblade give the man a strange look. It must of been a rather amusing sight as the avian broke into a bright laugh, reaching a hand down he grabbed the hat off of Technoblades head, placing the green and white atrocity back on his own. With a groan he wringed his hands out in front of him and took a step forward, towards the edge of the cliff the two were sat by. After a moment, Philza spoke up.

"Maybe I'll see you again, Techno. Dont go finding yourself in too much trouble alright mate?" And with a grin, a tip of his head, his black wings momentarily blocked out the sun.

In a moment, Phil was gone. 

He had a feeling that they'd meet again, soon. Looking back at the village behind him, the piglin hybrid paused. Watching as the women, Mrs Caretaker, Max he thinks her name was, the other kids dancing around her, she caught his gaze and raised a hand to wave. 

Maybe he could give this a chance.

Techno smiled, if only slightly. Yeah, maybe he'll give this a chance.

The birds seemed to be louder, chirping as if joyful at his choice, as he leaned back onto the grass and looked up to the sky above.

This would be a nice place to rest.

(and technoblade thinks, green is a rather nice colour too. you can have three favourites right?)

But death is not hungry, a Fledgling

— a cuckoo chink — begs my pardon.

Don't go, he pleads,

There's nothing here.

I have a soul too, he says.

The lilacs have faded,

The orchards will bloom,

The war will come to an end.

- "Words of War" a collection of war poems

Chapter Text

Everyone's doing this, and I wanted to have my say, even if this isn't the most popular fic. 

If you don't know what "The News" is, I recommend getting somewhere you feel safe and watching the newest video on Technoblades channel.

I will not be taking this fic down, this is something I made for him and his character with love and care, a story I wanted to tell because his content meant a lot to me. I came to the choice that, I don't want his story, his character, to fade out of fandom, I don't want to see content stop. (And I hope authors can come to terms and choose to still write him. To still remember him.) I don't want content to vanish. 

I hope people can come to accept his passing and continue to carry on his memory and grieve healthily. Please take care. ❤️