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“Maybe we should take a break.”
Techno set down the last bowl back in its cupboard, glancing over to Phil to check his reaction. The avian raised his eyebrows, looking at him in concern.
“You alright, mate?”
“Yeah. Just… this is gettin’ tiring. I don’t want to end up parenting again, y’know?”
Sighing, he leaned on the bannister, pretty much ready to go to bed. But he had to say this now, or he wouldn’t feel the same in the morning. Phil smiled sympathetically, standing up too.
“I feel you. Ok. I’ll talk to the others about it.”
“Thanks. Only for a weekend, we can all go home, see our families?”
“Sounds great.”
And that was it. Techno smiled, as much as he ever felt comfortable doing, and headed upstairs. Well, he wouldn’t be going home. He’d be staying right here, thank you very much. But he’d be alone, with a bit of quiet for once.
Could do him some good.
——————
“Wait- am I the last one to know about this?” Niki looked around the table, eyes wide and brow furrowed. Pushing back her chair, she stood up, hands clenched into fists. “No way. I- I thought you lot actually cared. I- Tech, why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
Techno looked up, making a small noise of surprise.
“I- uh… I thought Phil had told you, to be honest.”
“Sorry, mate. Slipped my mind.” Phil smiled apologetically. “How’s it sound though?”
“It sounds amazing. I’ll be glad to be out of here.”
Niki stormed off, cheeks burning, and shooting glares at all of them. Techno frowned, not a little worried. Phil sighed.
“Apart from… that, are we all in for a weekend off?”
“Yep. Sounds good.” Ranboo gave an awkward thumbs up, and a nod, just to be perfectly clear.
“Mhm. Might… check on her.” Techno nodded to the door. “Was she like that earlier?”
“Don’t think so.” Phil didn’t look too concerned, standing up himself and stretching his wings. “So. See you all on Monday?”
“Yep!”
Ranboo teleported off. Phil gave him a friendly nod, and walked out. Techno followed just after, still frowning. That was… odd, for Niki. Or, then again, maybe it was exactly what he should have expected.
Maybe a weekend to unwind would do them more good than he’d expected.
——————
Techno spotted Ranboo throwing various things into several bags, a sort of nervous energy about him, as he headed down the stairs.
“Oh- Techno, hi, I was just about to… if we’re still doing that, I- uh, I was about to leave.”
“Go for it.” Techno nodded approvingly, making sure not to look too closely at what the enderman was packing. That was his business. “When d’ya think you’ll be back?”
“Uh… not sure, to be honest. Why, do I- need to be?”
“Nah. Take as long as you need. Be safe, ok?”
Techno let just a flicker of worry slip through, and Ranboo reassured him with a smile and a nod.
“I will be. Promise.”
With that, the enderman teleported off, smiling wider than Techno had seen in a while. He hummed to himself. Where was Ranboo so eager to go?
A moment later, Niki stomped down the stairs, shooting him a glare as she pulled out a comm, and typed furiously, standing near the door. Techno decided not to comment on the fact he could see she wasn’t doing anything.
Phil followed, slinging a bag onto his shoulders and nodding to her.
“You ready to go?”
“Yeah.”
Grinning, the avian wandered over to where Techno was, in the kitchen, and started making himself coffee.
“Morning. Where’re you going?”
“Nowhere.”
“Eh?” Phil looked up, frowning. “Aren’t you-“
“I live here, Phil. Might as well stick around, tidy up a bit. And it ain’t like I’ve got family to visit, so…”
“You’ve got Wil.”
Phil looked so earnest, eyes wide, looking for a solution, just like always, that Techno felt bad for scoffing.
“Sorry, but I don’t really feel like seeing my half-brother on my day off. And it’s Wil.” He pulled a face, then shrugged, picking up his cereal to head over to the table. “I’ll be fine. You go enjoy yourself.”
Niki was still staring determinedly at her comm, cheeks slightly pink. Techno greeted her with a vaguely friendly grunt, sat down, and started eating.
“Mornin’”
She ignored him. Alright then. Her loss. Phil swung by a minute later, apparently having downed a whole coffee in negative three seconds.
“Ready?”
“Still, yes.” Sighing, she stood up, meeting Techno’s eyes for only a moment. “Bye.”
He nodded. Wasn’t his place to question it. Well, it was, but he’d care later, in private. Gods, it was going to be nice to be alone for once.
Phil waved as they headed out, then they were gone. And just like that, he was alone in his house.
Was it stupid to say the first thing he felt was lonely?
Probably. He didn’t feel lonely, not now, not ever. He liked being alone. He had the whole house to himself, for a whole damn day. He was going to have the time of his life.
——————
Techno was having an amazing time. Not that you could exactly tell, with him sitting on a sofa and reading a book, just like all the rest of the time, but he really was. Besides, this was him having a break. He’d been busy.
So, the whole house was clean. The weapons were tidied. He’d meal planned for the next week, if Niki deigned to let him give it a shot.
Speaking of, he should probably do something to make it up to Niki. Techno had seen genuine hurt in her eyes, and it wasn’t like her to be so terse. He wondered how she and Phil were getting on.
Standing up again, he left his book on the table. He could do that. No one would mind, not for a day or so. It was nice.
Techno ascended the stairs, up to Niki’s room, then hesitated. He could go in. He could do whatever, it was his house. But… there was a difference between could and should. One he’d been becoming more and more familiar with.
Smiling, he turned away. He didn’t need to poke around to find her something she’d like. Gods, this was why he didn’t hang around children. They changed him, in strange ways he wasn’t sure he was ready to accept.
Maybe it was time for a change. Maybe it was time for him to admit he genuinely wanted to apologise to Niki. Maybe he was lonely, without his house full of chatter and chaos.
Felt weird to say that. Techno scoffed at himself, making his way back downstairs. Was this what happened when you gave the great blood god something to care about? He got distracted, sappy, to attached.
But this was his job. To take care of those around him, the ones he’d decided were worthy. And he’d long ago decided it wasn’t worth worrying about who’d given him that power. He just gave and gave until someone would carry on his legacy. Easy. That was what he did. So had anything changed?
Techno grabbed a sewing kit on his way downstairs, smiling unusually softly to himself. That was the thing, alright. He’d do anything for those kids. Ranboo too, even if Phil had pretty much called dibs. Phil was better at this shit anyway.
Well, better get sewing. Maybe he could embroider her something. No, she’d hate that. Would she?
Phil would know what to do. And that was a weird feeling to Techno, because he was meant to be the one with the answers. The first one to do something, the one who’d failed long enough ago that no one could remember, long enough that he just seemed a natural at everything he did. But making a gift to apologise to someone he knew? Beyond him.
A friend. He corrected himself quietly, trying not to let the thought linger. Niki was a friend. The word sounded wonky, squeezing to fit alongside Phil in that little section of his brain. But Techno was surprised to see Niki fit in easily, and noticed Ranboo had snuck in there too.
awww
he had friends!
Pog
thought he was getting lonely
Did you miss us?
“Idiots.” Techno grunted, trying not the smile as Chat flickered back to life. They’d been quiet for a while, he supposed he shouldn’t expect too much. Funny, they only really kicked up a fuss whenever he was alone, or miserable. “What’s got you lot so cheerful?”
you’re happy
We’re feeling nice
see? Friends :)
They miss u too…
we care
Just a little bit
but it’s nice to see you happy!
“Huh. Maybe you ain’t assholes.”
don’t push it
Techno snorted. The loneliness hadn’t gone away, but neither had Chat, just settled to a comfortable hum in the back of his mind. It was peaceful. He was alone, and happy, and thinking of his friends.
That was what he did.