barbarism (dreamnoblade)

chapter sixteen

"Hehe this is perfect!" Tommy giggles and claps his hands together with a mischievous grin plastered on his face. Across from him Technoblade sits with slight hesitancy, leg jumping nervously as he tries to reason with his brother.

"F-father probably wouldn't like it if I went to school with you, especially since I'm not allowed to go out in public..." His hands fidget with each other while his ears flatten against his hair, which had grown considerably long. Long enough to be tied back into a loose bun that hangs down to his neck.

Tommy scoffs in exasperation, still grinning while poking his brother on the cheek and skipping back to his desk, "this'll work out perfectly, all you need to do is jump out and scare them when they meet up with me."

"Scare them...?"

"You're a hybrid! Plus you can get really scary sometimes." Tommy slightly stutters the last part, though his confidence quickly returns as he starts shoving books into his bag. Tommy murmurs to himself, as if he was having trouble convincing himself as well.

It's fine, it would be fine. All Technoblade had to do was scare a couple of bullies enough so that they would leave Tommy alone. He would do it, because after all the thought of his little brother being hurt boils his blood.

|||Technoblade POV|||

The walk back home wasn't as tedious as he assumed it was going to be, the sun peeks out from behind the clouds that idly sit with no threat of rain. It was a mix of hot and cold, a perfect kind of weather for venturing out. It helped lift Technoblade's mood as he trudged through all the shrubs and grass.

He isn't sure what to expect, but the moment he enters through the door Tommy jumps up from his seat with a gleeful shout. Across the table is Wilbur, sitting with a book in his hand, was that his book he was reading?

"Hey-"

"Where were you? You haven't been here for three days!" Tommy starts to bombard him with questions, tears faintly bubbling in his eyes as he tries to stop a smile from creeping onto his face.

Was he gone for three days?

"Didn't Wilbur tell you? I just- n-needed a break..." Technoblade doesn't want to specify or go into detail, it would make Tommy ask more questions, make him think about it more.

"He only said you needed time alone, what happened-?"

"Let's not pester him, shall we?" Wilbur stands up and places the book on the table, walking over to pull Technoblade into a hug. He flinches from the contact, body jerking backward from his brother. But Wilbur doesn't let go, the touch feels suffocating, the hands on his back tighten and he flinches again.

Technoblade wants to pull away, to escape the feeling of being trapped- powerless- but he doesn't want to upset his brother. The dark thoughts crawl in the back of his mind like bugs, getting caught in webs that clog up his ability to think. Eventually his heavy breathing subsides, and although he trembles slightly he manages to let himself be hugged.

A soft hand grabs his and Wilbur gently lifts his arm to inspect his wound closer, he raises an eyebrow at the plasters over the finger. The cooing words he gives are stiff, they feel unnatural, but they make Technoblade feel better regardless. He clings to the safety of Wilburs words like a lifeline, to the happiness shining in his brother's eyes.

"Well it's good that you're back because something interesting came in yesterday, an invitation just for you."

Technoblade sighs with relief as Wilbur pulls away, the cold air returning around him like a soothing blanket, only to tense up again when he reads the envelope placed into his hands.