Retired and Can't Get a Break

Bouquet Apologies

"We've been over this you are in no condition to-" Techno was trying to rationalize the situation, his own thoughts were disagreeing with themselves.

"Why do you care so much." Schlatt was confused, tired, and annoyed. He was fine, he didn't know what the big deal was.

"I don't but-"

"But what Techno, I'm not a child. I can take care of myself now." The other shook his head, he had on a forced and annoyed smile as he let out a pitiful chuckle.

"I had to save you from a zombie."

"Yeah, but I can stand on my own now, I'll be fine."

"The answer is no. That's final." Technobalde was out the door, he could hear Schlatt shout through the door.

"Whatever asshole, I'll be out of here first chance I get!"

This guy really was a chip on the shoulder. A huge pain in the neck. Techno didn't know why he wanted him to stay so bad. He didn't know why the voices screamed the rams name. He didn't know why he didn't want Ghostbur around him. The kitchen was silenced, you could hear a pin drop. Philza placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Techno, are you alright?" Techno had never liked that question, he had voices in his head for the end's sake. He couldn't say that, that would be rude.

"I..I don't know, Phil." Phil let out a somber hum in agreement, he removed his hand from the others shoulder.

"How about you tell me what the voices are saying right now?" He could tell that the small murmurs were eating away at his ear, Techno seemed to tense. The voices had no blood lust in them repeating the same three phrases, "Apologize, Schlatts hurt, protect." He feared talking to Phil about them, but at the same time if he didn't they would eat him alive.

"They, they want him?" He swallowed dryly, "I don't know why, they never specify, I don't know what they want from me."

Phil had a frown on his face, a pitiful look, "Is that why you've been so antsy as of late?" Techno nodded, his thoughts have been all over the place, even while he's plotting he has to check in on the ram almost every other minute. Ghostbur clinging to him doesn't help that fact. Schlatt has only been there for two days, why was he acting as if he had been there longer than him and Phil have. He was confused, he couldn't get his mind off of it. "Well, why don't you check on your garden, maybe that will get your mind off of the whole thing?"

"Gardening, yeah- Thank you Phil." He rushed out of the kitchen and out the front door. He had almost forgotten about his potato farm he had started not too long ago. There were other plants too of course, like some corn flowers, roses, and tulips, but Techno focused more on the potato aspect of it.

Turns out, Phil was right, he felt a bit better once he was finished planting and harvesting the crops. His hair was tied back into a low ponytail and his arms were covered in speckles of mud and dirt. He would definitely have to wash up when he got back inside. It was still freezing outside, but due to him being a piglin, he was his own body heater.

He looked into the window, Schlatt seemed to be in a better mood too, he was chatting with Phil, in the living room, laughing, drinking some of what he assumed was coffee. Something twisted in his gut. He felt nervous, why was he nervous. Techno's eyes never left the window, it seemed that there was a third person in the room, once they came into the room Techno's anger returned. It was Ghostbur, he was there, for the third time today. He really loved to be an annoyance to Techno's peace.

He really wanted to do what the voices were telling him and just burst into the house and kick Ghostbur out again. However he would have to deal with both Phil and Schlatt's arguments at the same time, and he didn't want to poke the bear more than twice today. He looked away from the window, he began to grumble angrily at the soil, "Stupid dumb ghost, with his stupid dumb sweater.." This went on for a few minutes, more than Techno would have liked. Something caught his eyes, the flowers.

If he just apologizes and gives Schlatt flowers, after he kicks Ghostbur out all will be well! He made his way over to the flower bed, what to choose, he didn't know what type of flowers he liked. After a few moments of deep thinking, he just picked one of the yellow acacia blossoms with a few blue hyacinths. It wasn't the best, but it was Techno's first time picking and giving someone flowers. He didn't know what to do with them, which hand did he hold them in, was there a specific way to hold them, there were so many unaccounted variables. Techno glared at the door, he was brittle. He took a deep breath and entered his home, flowers being held behind his back.

He walked as if the floor was covered in thin ice, as if one wrong move would lead to him falling through. Techno tried to sneak past the room in which they were all in, key word here is tried, Phil immediately noticed him due to his wide hearing range.

"Techno! Why don't you come join us?" Techno pause mid step, he looked over and noticed that both Schlatt and Phil were looking directly at him, Phil looked more happy while Schlatt was, well confused on why he was sneaking around in his own house. Technos eyes darted around the room.

"Where is Ghostbur?" The question caught Philza off guard.

"He left just a bit ago, why?" Techno could have cried with joy right then and there. He kept his poker face up.

"No reason, I just saw him in the window." Phil hummed in response, choosing not to press the subject farther as he took another sip from his mug. Schlatt budded into the conversation.

"What are you holding behind your back?" Shit, Techno was hoping he wouldn't notice. He felt himself start to sweat.

"I'm not holding anything behind my back?" Schlatt gave him a 'are you kidding' look, he was unimpressed. He placed the cup he was holding on the nearest surface and walked over to the now visibly distressed Techno. He gave the taller a questionable look, he didn't believe him for a second. He looked behind his back, there were the flowers.

"Flowers?" Techno was a very questionable man, more ways than one was he strange, but flowers? Why would he have flowers. Techno's already pink tinted skin turned almost cherry, he was fumbling with his words.

"Uh- Um-" He coughed into his hand and reached the flowers out to him, "They're for you as an apology for how I acted earlier." He was looking away bashfully, he didn't know why his heart was going miles a minute, he was probably just anxious because of how stupid he probably looked. He felt a hand brush against his, and the bouquet was taken. He met eyes with a slightly pink Schlatt, his ears were twitching. He liked the color pink he became, it went well with his dark blue sweater.

"Thanks, I was never really a flower guy-" His eyes widened, he didn't want to seem ungrateful, "-But these are nice! I like them!" His words were rushed, he would be lying if he didn't feel a small tug in his chest. It was true, Schlatt never was the one for flowers, but they were pretty.

Techno felt prideful, he nodded and rushed out and to the bathroom. He shut the door and leaned against the door with a hand covering his mouth, "Keep yourself together Techno." He didn't understand what his problem was, but the voices were happy, so he would be fine, right?