TACENDA // Technoblade X Reader

20

Deirdre and Tarquin were sat on your bed, playing cards between them spread over your duvet. Over the cards they had collected in their hands, Deirdre and Tarquin eyed each other - this was less of a game of cards and more of a game of bluffing and lies, and it was hard to read the other person when they had the same poker face as you.

You were not really focused on the game though, as you were pacing about you room, trying to choose something suitable for Colin's birthday.

It was both an annoyance and a relief when everything was put on hold for the celebration. On one hand, this party was just more of Colin being an asshole - putting all the negotiations on hold for something so frivolous - but on the other hand, it would be nice to take a break for a moment, and just have some fun. 

You stepped in front of your mirror, looking yourself over. You weren't quite sure if the burnt orange suited you... so you turned to the twins. "What do you think of this one?"

The twins both turned to look at you, two sets of purple eyes looking you up and down. It was Tarquin who spoke first. "If you're going to wear that necklace, try something blue." 

"Or purple." Deirdre added as you walked back to your closet to change. 

You slipped off the burnt orange and found a few blue and purple options, piling them into your arms and carrying them out into the room. You dropped them on the duvet and laid them out neatly, looking over the garments. "Which one of these?"

Deirdre rolled her eyes and set down her hand of cards in favor of running her fingertips over the fabric. "I don't understand why you didn't go with the black one you tried on earlier." She said. 

"It's a birthday party, not a funeral." You said. 

"It's a birthday party for your brother." Tarquin specified. 

You looked down at the swaths of purple and blue that you had pulled from your closet. "Did you really think the black one was the best?"

Deirdre and Tarquin both nodded. 

"I suppose it doesn't matter, really." You said, scooping up the clothes you had pulled again and toting them back to the closet to grab the black outfit that you had tried on first. It was a little gothic, but fancy, and you didn't really get a chance to wear it much as it was too intricate for something you could just wear on a day-to-day basis. You slipped back into the clothes, stepping back out into the main room.

"Someone do the buttons in the back, please?" You asked, spinning around so that the one of the twins could help you out. 

Gentle fingers ran up your spine, fitting all the buttons into the appropriate holes. When you turned to face the mirror, Tarquin grinned from behind you. "Stunning." He said. 

"All it needs now is a little bit of jewelry." Deirdre said, grabbing your hand and tugging you over to your vanity, where you kept your jewelry box. You sat down on the plush seat as she pulled the case from one of the drawers, popping it open to trace her fingers over the jewels, poring over the options. 

You looked at yourself in the mirror, thinking about what pieces you had. "What do you think about the emerald things?" You asked, tilting your head up to look t Deirdre. 

She hummed, looking you over. "I was thinking the rubies."

You turned back to your reflection. You didn't wear the rubies often, but maybe tongiht was a night for new things. "Alright." You said. "Rubies it is." 

Deirdre pulled the jewelry from the box, draping necklaces around your neck, affixing earrings and sliding rings onto your fingers. When she was done, she snapped the box closed, coming to stand behind you in the mirror. "Oh, he'll love this."

You raised an eyebrow. "Neither Colin or my father care about fashion."

Deirdre traded a glance with her brother, who had also come to stand behind your seat. "She was talking about that war lord you've managed to seduce." He said. 

You rolled your eyes, turning around on the stool to look them both in the eye. "Will you two stop with that? At this rate, everyone in the while kingdom will think that we're madly in love. He's a dear friend, I've said it before-"

"You spend hours with him in the garden almost every day." Tarquin said. 

"You're always trading glances in the meetings." Deirdre said. 

"The first day you met him, you danced the night away." Tarquin said. 

"You call him a dear friend!" Deirdre said. "You don't even call us dear friends, and we've known you since we were all wee babes!"

"You both are more like siblings than friends." You said. "And I don't think discussing how evil Colin is counts as romance in the garden."

Tarquin tutted, looking to his sister. "Denial."

"Imagine not realizing that you're madly in love with the mysterious war lord from another world." Deirdre said. "How sad-"

"I am not madly in love with him." You interrupted, standing from the vanity to go over and gather up the playing cards the twins had left spread over your duvet. "You're both lucky that I don't start an awful rumor about you two in revenge."

Deirdre frowned. "We were in the middle of a game-"

"It's time we head down to the ballroom anyway." You said. "I'm sure Colin will already be drunk off his ass, and shouting at all the guests again."

The twins snickered, remembering Colin's birthday last year. In his drunken state, he had told almost every girl that approached him that they were hideous, and challenged no less that three generals to duels. If anything, alcohol in his system only made his already scathing social ineptness worse. 

Deirdre extended an arm. "Your Highness?" 

You linked your elbow with hers, and felt the air begin to distort around you. Closing your eyes, you smiled, as you felt the ground disappear under your feet. When you opened them, you were in the ballroom, and the party was in full swing.