barbarism (dreamnoblade)

chapter thirty one

|||Dream POV|||

Dream stands in the kitchen, hands shaking as they hover over the charred potatoes on the tray. The stench is overwhelming, a disgusting scent of burnt vegetables stinging his nose.

All Dream had wanted to do was make breakfast for Technoblade before he woke up, he didn't even know why he attempted to do that in the first place. From all his experience he always cooks over an open flame, he had assumed that it would be as simple as that but he was proved wrong.

As he struggles to properly cook the potatoes he hears shuffling behind him and sighs, of course he had to get interrupted, he could always blame this mess on someone else.

He turns around expecting to see Wilbur or Tommy, but instead he makes eye contact with Technoblade, who quietly takes a seat at the bench.

Technoblade's hair is in tangled curls, cascading down his slumped shoulders like rushing water. His crimson eyes flash up to stare at him, glistening with unidentifiable emotions. Dream wishes he could wipe away the eyebags tainting his pale skin, like soot was smeared under his eyes.

"Are you feeling better now, Tec-Pinkie?" Dream keeps forgetting to use his nickname, stumbling over his words to correct himself.

"I feel... empty I guess, good- yeah I feel good." Dream has to double take, noticing a small smile curving on the pinkette's lips. It was a soft smile, light like a feather.

"That's good." He stammers and tries to look away, feeling his face flush. He hasn't seen Technoblade so happy and carefree since he showed him his face, it made his stomach feel fuzzy.

"What are you doing? I smelled something burning and thought Tommy was here."

Dream looks back at the burned potatoes before looking back at Technoblade, "yeah, seems like Tommy burned a batch of potatoes, I was just about to clean it."

Technoblade hums to himself and leans further into the chair, resting his chin on the surface of the table, "I'm sure he'll learn how to cook better eventually, it's not that hard."

Dream fakes out a scoff, "yeah, if he keeps burning these I might have to cook for us!"

Technoblade glances up with a raised eyebrow, "so I've been noticing just how long you've been hanging around here, do you have a house somewhere or are you homeless?"

Dream freezes, feeling all the blood in his body halt. He couldn't let Technoblade know where he lived, or could he? After all Dream knew where he lived, and if the pinkette really did want to hurt him he would've by now.

"I'm not homeless, but right now I can't tell you where I live."

"Seems a tad bit hypocritical but sure," Technoblade sighs and leans back in his chair, eyes glued to the ceiling, "are you sure you aren't just covering up the fact that you're homeless?"

Dream splutters and raises his voice, "I-I'm not homeless! I do have a house!"

Technoblade laughs, Dream adores the way his eyes glisten with giddiness. He stops after a while of surprised teasing and sighs, "I'm sure Wilbur wouldn't care if you kept crashing here- but I'll ask for you."

"No it's fine... I like where I live despite the memories," Dream picks up the tray and lets the burnt food slide into the bin. "But I could always stay over for a bit more- Wilbur's been pretty out of it and having someone sane here might move things along quicker."

Then Technoblade chuckles. A light sound that causes Dream to pinch himself, just to check if he was dreaming. "I guess we're all pretty out of it, but Wilbur's been acting different- more human I guess."