Snowy Days

Rest

The weeks following the attempt on Techno's life were, peaceful to say the least.

Techno and Arrow had both helped Tommy to relax, and realize that Dream was wrong about many things.

The first thing they managed to get through Tommy's thick skull, was that basic human rights applied to him as well.

He could eat the food that he was given without permission.

He was allowed to ask questions.

He was allowed to be loud.

He was allowed to wander off and go on adventures.

He was allowed to gather and keep his own things (not steal, Arrow had told him it was mean to take other people's things.)

Once Tommy had healed enough, both physically and mentally, Techno had done his speech about revenge against the government and how nothing good comes from men ruling men, and the suppression of freedom, and all that. And then he had shown Tommy his vault.

The room was covered wall, to wall in wither skeleton skulls. More than enough for fifty withers plus some change.

Tommy had screamed.

The days following that encounter, however, were quite peaceful.

Techno had taken to farming and expanding the cabin slightly.

Arrow showed Tommy how to clean his clothes in the river and where the traps they had set up to catch food were.

Everything was peaceful. Quiet, even.

"This is seriously what you were doing since you ditched everyone?"

"Yes, Tommy. I've been farming, taking care of livestock and hunting mobs. That's it. It's called retirement for a reason, Tommy." Techno says, rolling his eyes as a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.

"That... That's so boring, though!" Tommy exclaims, throwing his hands in the air and almost falling off the fence he was sitting on in the process.

Techno sighs as he pauses in his work, leaning against the iron hoe he was working with. "Tommy, I was tired. Everyone had only seen me as a weapon ever since I got on this blasted server. I was sick of it. Sick of people. Sick of fighting. Sick of only being seen as "The Blade" instead of Techno. I'm a person too, Tommy. And I need rest, just like everyone else. This was the only way I was going to get any."

Tommy stops, and furrows his brows. Of course Techno was a person. He'd never only seen him as a weapon. Techno was funny and smart and strong and unbeatable and-

...

What was that? Tommy blinks and shakes his head. No. No that type of thinking only proved what Techno was saying was right. And Tommy couldn't have done that to a person, taken their humanity.

Techno sighs as he watches Tommy think. Of course the kid didn't even realize it. It wasn't his fault, not really. Tommy was only parroting back what he heard from Wilbur and Dream and everyone else about him.

The only two people so far, who saw him more that just a means to an end, just a weapon, a tool were Arrow and Phil. And he'd do anything to protect his new pack.

"Tommy, calm. It's fine. Yes, I'm still an anarchist. Yes, I am still against all forms of government. Yes, I still plan on destroying the government. But, I need time. I need rest. And that's what this is, rest. So, relax." With that, Techno went back to farming leaving Tommy alone to think.

Tommy hops off the fence to go inside and think. Arrow had been inside, working on making and enchanting their own set of diamond armor and tools.

They glance up as Tommy walks in from the garden, covered in snow and a bit of dirt. "Don't forget to take off your shoes." Arrow calls gently from their place on the sofa, curled up with an enchanted book, making sure it had all the enchantments they wanted on their pickaxe.

Tommy pauses as he realizes his dirty snowshoes were still on and that he was about to trek dirt into the clean house. "Oops. Thanks Little A." Tommy mutters, taking off his shoes.

"No problem, big man." Arrow responds idly. Arrow had started calling Tommy big man jokingly, but it had turned into an honest to God nickname for the blonde.

Tommy smiles bitterly at the nickname, but once again says nothing of his old best friend who used to call him that. Instead, he wanders off to the kitchen to get himself a snack.

"I'm getting food, you want any?" Tommy calls over his shoulder.

"An apple if we got any. Carrot should be fine if not."

"Gapple it is."

"Tommy, NO-!" Arrow shouts before dissolving into laughter. "Dad's gonna kill you if you keep wasting gapples!"

"Blade is strong, but he's no match for such a big man like myself!" Tommy states proudly, but throws Arrow a golden carrot instead, anyway.

Arrow raises an amused eyebrow at that, catching the carrot in their free hand. "Mhmm... Sure, Tommy. Whatever you say."

"You speak as if you doubt me. Not to worry young one, I once bested the Blade in bedwars." Tommy says, thinking back to the few times he had actually managed to kill Technoblade in bedwars.

Arrow rolls their eyes as they close the enchanted book. "Uh-huh. Sure. I think we all know that you did no such thing and are talking about the temporary deaths that don't count as a win."

"I still killed him! Come on, little A, gotta give me some credit here!" Tommy whines.

Arrow simply shrugs and takes a bite out of their golden carrot. Tommy pouts, and takes a bite out of the gapple he stole.

The door creaks open, and in walks a dirtied Technoblade, exhausted from a morning of farming.

"Tommy, is that one of my gapples?" Techno deadpans, an unamused look on his face as he kicks off his shoes.

"... maybe." Tommy mumbles before taking off while Techno shouts after him that, "Those are ment for battle, not a midday snack!!"

Arrow chuckles at the two as they dissolve into a playful argument with no real malice or hate in it.

These days are nice, relaxing even. And Arrow can't help the small smile tugging on their lips. They could stay like this forever.