barbarism (dreamnoblade)

chapter twenty eight

|||Tommy POV|||

He sits outside Technoblade’s bedroom with jittery nerves, tapping his foot on the floor as he rests his head against the stone wall behind him. 

He can hear chattering from inside, muffled and unidentifiable. Tommy knew that Dream and Wilbur were in there taking care of Technoblade.

Tommy’s eyes sting, he feels as though he is about to cry but the tears never come. He sighs and closes his eyes in an attempt to sooth them.

He really fucked up.

He’s angry at multiple things; firstly he’s pissed off at Technoblade for ignoring him and then running off. But he’s also pissed off at himself, for being so blunt and aggressive. In the heat of the moment it felt right, it felt wonderful letting all of his pent up frustration out. But it was irrational.

When was his anger ever rational? Tommy struggled to vent his emotions properly, so they would always build up until he burst.

But Tommy regrets who he let it out onto, he regrets hurting Technoblade. Even though he wishes he could go back in time he was stuck with the consequences, he just hopes that Technoblade would be willing to talk to him after this.

Honestly he was scared for Technoblade. Tommy had watched his face morph into one of pure horror, he had only ever seen that face when Technoblade had snapped back into reality after tearing off Philza’s wing.

He’ll probably end up having more nightmares about that face, as if he didn’t already have enough problems to worry about.

“Tommy…?”

His head jerks up to see Tubbo inching closer to him, blanket wrapped around him like a cape.

“Tubbo? Go back to bed you don’t need to be here-”

“I want to be.” He takes a seat next to Tommy and wraps his blanket around him, Tommy snuggles into the warmth with a faint smile. Tubbo always knew how to cheer him up, even in the worst of situations.

“What happened? I heard shouting and screaming…” Tubbo looks him in the eyes, determination scrawled over his face. Tommy wouldn’t be able to wiggle his way out of this one.

“I got angry and yelled at Technoblade… and- and he freaked out.”

“Why were you angry at Technoblade?”

“I…” There were many reasons, not all of them were a direct result of Technoblade himself. But Tommy had been drowning in stress and fear, and Technoblade was the first outlet given to him.

God he felt like shit.

“I can’t explain it, I don’t want to…”

Tubbo pulls him into a hug, he hugs back with trembling shoulders. The faintest scent of blood stains the blanket, making Tommy remember many things.

“I won’t force you to say anything, but when you do want to I will always listen.”

|||Dream’s POV|||

When he heard screaming he ran as fast as he could, it was instinctive. His body moved before his mind registered the screams as Technoblades.

His feet pounded into the ground as he darted through the hallway, bursting through Technoblade’s door to check on him.

Dream’s heart stopped at the scene.

Technoblade was sprawled out on the floor, blood dripping from his mouth and staining his hand, which had shards of glass coating it. Dream rushes over to pull him over to the bed, eyes locking in on his face. His eyes were closed but he could tell they were swollen from crying, tear tracks stain his cheeks with glistening moisture. 

Blood trickles down his chin so Dream carefully pries his mouth open. He can see the front of his gums were cut up, revealing bone underneath. That was going to leave scars.

He tilts Technoblade to his side and watches as more blood leaks out, just to make sure he didn't end up choking on it.

Dream then inspects his hand to see shards of tinted glass buried in his palm, he takes a moment to look around when he sees it.

A vial.

It was different to the one he had stolen, it was a dark smokey gray. The top cracked open and in pieces on the floor. Dream is filled with confusion, where did Technoblade get that?

It must’ve been hybrid blood, or else he wouldn’t bother carrying it around with him. But where did he get it?

His first instinct is Schlatt but he brushes it off, would Schlatt give Technoblade his own blood?

If it got him something in return he most definitely would, Dream scowls. Suddenly it becomes less unbelievable. He would have a talk with that ram hybrid soon, he needed to sort out boundaries, because Schlatt was dangerous, a man with many layers of deceit. 

Technoblade stirs from behind him, Dream spins around and shuffles over to him, using a thumb to brush the tears off his cheeks.

The pinkette looks so vulnerable, so miserable.

“What happened?”

He hears Wilbur ask him, walking into the room and closing the door behind him. His voice lacks any emotion, as if a soulless creature was talking.

“He must’ve panicked- hallucinated- I don’t know! Does he normally do this?”

Dream hears a sigh and more shuffling, Wilbur sits down next to him and focuses his tired eyes on the hybrid. “He used to, he would wake up crying every night. Sometimes I would have to spend hours with him before he would fall back asleep.”

Hearing such a compassionate thing come from such an apathetic voice would send shivers down Dream’s spine, if he hadn't already ran into these types of people. He had expected Wilbur to have treated Technoblade as a child the same way he treats him now. 

But people change he assumes.

“I assume he stopped at some point?”

“He stopped talking to any of us, it got really frustrating. Philza would focus on him every day, check in on him, wouldn’t force him into chores or make him do anything.” Wilbur lowly chuckles, “none of that matters, none of this ever matters. There’s no point fretting over spilled milk.”

Sounded like favouritism to Dream, or maybe a father’s guilt.

“Anyway, why is there blood everywhere?” Wilbur glances around and frowns.

“A vial, not sure who’s.”

Wilbur’s gaze darkens as his eyes drift over the splotches of red staining the cold stone. “Whose blood is that then.”

Dream didn’t want Wilbur in on his suspicions, he didn’t trust the man one bit, “probably got it from town or something.”

Wilbur absentmindedly nods, far off into his own head. Dream wasn't sure if he brought it but he could at least play off his own innocence.

“Well hopefully Technoblade wakes up refreshed soon. He’ll be needed in the near future.”

Before Dream can question him, Wilbur stands up and walks out.

Dream looks back at Technoblade, brushing away the blood on his lips. They appear more red and Dream finds himself wanting to lean in. 

When did he spiral down this far? At what point did curiosity turn into an excuse?

"What the fuck is wrong with me?"