TACENDA // Technoblade X Reader

19

You practiced until the sword felt like an extension of your arm again, and you could hold your own against Tarquin; all that training from when you were young coming back to you. You had never been quite as good as Colin with a blade, but you could hold your own, and that was what mattered - or would matter - when the time came. 

The work took your mind off last night as well - it was easy to get lost in the fight, always anticipating your opponents next move didn't leave much room for anything else, and working your muscles in this rigorous exercise made your blood pump faster and a smile play in the corners of your mouth. It felt good to be doing something with your hands instead of your head for a change. 

You stopped around lunch, when your stomach rumbled and returned to the kitchen for the second time that day to grab a hearty meal and take it to the gardens to enjoy some peace anf quiet. Just spending a few hours working out with the twins had greatly improved your mood, and another few hours in the gardens would get you feeling back to your normal self, you were sure. 

You had just sat down on the stone bench, setting the tray with your lunch beside you, when you heard a rustle from the path behind you. Your heart leapt into your throat and you hand shot down to your pocket, curling around the eye, ready  to break it at a seconds notice. 

Technoblade emerged from the path, his smile just visible under his mask. "I thought I might find you out here."

Relief flooded your veins and your hand uncurled from around the orb in your pocket. "Technoblade." You said. "You startled me."

"My apologies." He said, sitting down next to you, so that your tray of lunch sat on the bench between you. "You weren't at the meeting today. Did you get enough sleep?"

"You went?" You countered. "We were on that balcony almost until the sun rose. There couldn't have been more than an hour between when we turned in and when the meeting started."

Technoblade shrugged. "It would be more strange if I didn't attend. Those meetings are the whole reason I am here, of course."

You hummed, reaching down to the tray of food you had brought and picking up one of the little skewers, sliding off the tender meat and vegetables into your mouth. Technoblade's eyes followed your hand as you set the now empty skewer down on the tray. 

"That's quite a bit of lunch you've got." He noted. "Get up to any vigorous labor this morning?"

You grinned. "Very funny." You said. "But if you must know - sort of yes. I was sparring with the twins for a while, just to get back into swordfighting and sharpen my skills." You paused to pick up another skewer. "Please, if you're hungry, eat. I took more than enough for two."

Technoblade hesitated, but then his hands went to the back of his head, under his braid to undo the clasp of his mask. He pulled the bone from his face and set it aside before picking up a skewer and sliding the delicious slices of meat and vegetables into his mouth. "S' quite good." He said around a mouthful. 

You smiled. "I'll tell the chef you said so when I bring the tray back down."

Technoblade smiled and rested his hand on the back of the bench so that he could lean backwards, tossing his braid back over his shoulder. 

You set down another empty skewer. "I didn't miss anything too important today, did I?" You asked. 

Technoblade sighed. "The usual screaming match, I suppose. I don't think Ilbertus can last much longer like this - the more your brother talks about going to war, the more I think Ilbertus is actually considering it, even though I reminded him we were here for diplomacy and not war proposals."

"I should have gone." You said. "Maybe I could have said something to help."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much." Technoblade said. "It's a struggle getting Ilbertus to listen to anyone, even me, and I've been working with him for years. We've fought wars together and he barely tolerates me."

You laughed, picking up another skewer from the tray. "Hopefully, you won't have to fight another with him."

"Hopefully I won't have to fight another at all." Technoblade said, his teasing tone turning solemn. 

"We can stop them." You said. "My brother won't listen to me, but he respects you because of your reputation, and maybe I'll try my hand with Lord Ilbertus, who knows, he might listen. Or my father. Maybe I can finally coax him out of his silence." 

"Wouldn't that be nice." Technoblade said.

You sat in companionable silence for a moment, the weight of hope borne between you. The garden breathed around you - the wind through the trees, the fish in the pond, the gentle sway of the flowers, the back-and-forth chirping of the birds. It was a while before you spoke again. 

"Do you think there'll actually be a war?" You asked, glancing at him. 

Technoblade hummed thoughtfully. "I think your brother wants there to be. He wants to be a war king; to be remembered. People don't remember peaceful kings, even if they're the better ones in the long run. He's found a weak spot with Ilbertus, and he's going to keep pushing buttons until Ilbertus finally snaps and declares war. But hopefully I can remind Ilbertus to reign in his temper and take the brunt of your brother's insulting, so we could make it out alright."

"That wasn't a no." You said.

"I'm only being honest." Technoblade sighed. "I'm trying my best at this point, but sometimes there's nothing I would like more than to grab your brother by the throat and throw him out of the throne room windows."

You laughed at the visual, and just like that the grim mood was gone. A smile played at the corners of Technoblade's mouth and you grinned as well. 

If anything, at least all this had brought you a friend.