Piano Keys [Discontinued]

Chapter Six - Time for a Visit

Technoblade 1st Person POV

"Wait, what?" "What is he talking about?" "How am I a stupid idiot?" "The hell?" "What is wrong with this nerd?" Were all of the many things I wanted to say. Instead I managed to stutter out a glorious, "Huh?"

Smooth. Very smooth. Dream seems content letting me sit in my misery and confusion as I wait for him to elaborate.

"I mean, you are really blind. Seriously, how have you not figured it out by now?"

Dream was giving no more context than before, and my nerves slowly gets ticked off. "Explain?"

"Techno, I know it's you. And I don't know how you haven't figured out it's me yet. Either you've been lying to yourself or just are really ignorant."

At this point, I'm done dealing with this man. Why can't he just be specific?

Figured what out yet? Ignorant or lying to myself about what?

"You realize I have no idea what you are talking about right?" I say, knowing I sound slightly agitated.

"You know what? Meet me at the cafe in ten, Techno."

With that, Dream left, leaving me to sit there in a hasty panic. The cafe? He knew? Who was he, where was he? Had he been spying on me?

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Technoblade 3rd Person POV

Instead of having a single answer to any of the questions, Techno simply obliged to what Dream had said, heart racing at the meaning of the words. He drove himself to the cafe he usually went to in silence.

When he pushed to door open to walk inside, he saw a far too familiar face waiting at his normal table.

"Hey, Clay," Tehcno began as he sat down across from him.

Instead of a friendly smile and wave back, Clay just clicked his tongue. "You really are just stupid."

That's when it clicked. An overwhelming amount of thoughts rushed into Techno's brain, cluttering his mind and emotions. Everything cleared from his head, his thoughts flurrying faster than the wind on a stormy day.

His breathing suddenly seemed to quicken, his mind a blur. Everything turned to mush, and all he could feel was panic. Panic. It slowly crawled up his chest, filling his head.

He was only vaguely aware of a hand being put on his shoulder, someone speaking words that he couldn't seem to decipher.

Then a snap in front of his face made his sight clap back to the present. He could see Clay-Dream-in front of him, his arm outstretched with his hand on Techno's shoulder.

Dream spoke, and Techno could actually understand the words, "Breathe, Techno. It's okay. Here-"

Dream started snapped methodically, and Techno worked to match his breathing with the pattern.

In, two, three, four, five.
Hold, two, three, four five.
Out, two, three, four, five.
Rest, two, three, four, five.

Techno was able to shakily regain control of his breathing a bit better after repeating the pattern a few times. Enough to speak at least.

"I-I'm, I'm sorry," he managed.

Dream shook his head. "It's okay, just calm. If you feel like you can though, name five things you can see, okay?"

Dream had pulled up his chair next to Techno. With one hand, he was holding Techno's while drawing circles on it, and the other was still snapping.