APRICITY // technoblade x reader DISCONTINUED

31 - Galas and Gardens

The ride to the gala is, thankfully, calming. Niki fills your carriage with chatter, entertaining you, Techno, and Wilbur, and slowly your anxiety dissolves. Techno doesn't let go of your hand for the entire ride, gloves off and tucked into a hidden pocket so that you can feel the comforting warmth of his hand. By the time the carriage rumbles to a halt, the nervousness gnawing at your gut is gone, and you send Techno a grateful glance.

He merely smiles back, squeezing your hand before he opens the door. He steps out gracefully, then turns to help you out. It elicits a sense of deja vu, reminding you of the day all those weeks ago that you arrived at his home. You blink and it's gone, but the memory leaves a warm tingle in your chest at the thought of how close you've grown.

You move to take his hand and step down, hyper-aware of the heels that you're not used to wearing, but instead Techno scoops your up at the waist and sets you down gently at his side. It surprises a laugh out of you, and you see him smile, genuine and endearingly crooked.

Wilbur hops out next, his boots tapping the cobblestone floor as he lands and helps Niki out as well. Niki's still chatting with Wil as he helps her down, but her sentence cuts off as she looks behind you. "Thank you, Wil, I-- Oh, it's beautiful!"

You spin slowly, curious as to what's caught Nikis eye, and your jaw drops as well. In front of you, a massive, sprawling building towers, jutting spires and sharply sloped roofs into the sky. It's a veritable palace, a behemoth of swooping adges and balconies gilded in the dying evening sunlight. Golden light spills across a garden, lush and boldly green, and the beautiful stone path that winds and dips towards the pale grey stone of the... You don't even know what building this is, quite frankly.

Techno extends an arm, laughing softly at your stunned face as you slip your hand into the crook of his elbow. "I thought the same thing when I first came here. There's nothing like this in the Nether, not this style of architecture or to this scope, so I was pretty speechless too. It was right after Phil first adopted me, when I was probably eight, and we came to the Magisterium headquarters to finalize paperwork and because he wanted me to meet Chancellor Puffy. He laughed so hard he started crying."

You grin at the image, picturing a tiny Technoblade with a look of pure surprise on his face. It doesn't quite register, but it's a cute image nonetheless. "I-- yeah, I could see that. It's huge. What even is this building?"

Techno waves his other hand dramatically. "This, m'lady, is the Magisterium Headquarters, formally known as the Magisterium Guild of L'Manburg Center of Action. This is essentially the capitol building of L'Manburg, since the government is run by Puffy with the input of the eight members of the Magisterium and an elected council of civilians."

You raise an eyebrow. "It's... massive. What's it even used for?"

He shrugs as you trail behind Wilbur and Niki, loitering near the gate to wait for the rest of your party. Phil and Kristin's carriage pulls up as yours departs, now empty without you in it. "Meetings, events like this, that kind of stuff, mostly."

"It's really well suited for this," you observe as you continue to drink in the rich, vast estate. Philza and Kristin wander up to you, the three teen boys trailing like ducklings in their wake. Together, Philza and Technoblade guide your group in through the gates, following the lantern-dotted smooth stone path that flows through the garden and into the Magisterium headquarters.

The gentle tap of your heels on the stone fades into gentle conversation, and you feel the swirl of emotions in your gut begin to stir once more.

The gala was going to be beautiful and amazing and, most importantly, informative. You could meet the person who'd been trying to attack you and take over your mind. That was what you were here for: to find the culprit.

As if sensing your nervousness, Techno leans down to whisper in your ear. "Hey, I think Dream mentioned that there's going to be a chocolate fountain. Once, someone got drunk enough to pass out face-down in it."

You perk up a tiny bit, glancing up at him. You can see the worry in the lines furrowing his brow, and your expression fades into a grateful smile. You know what he's doing, trying to distract you from your worry, and it's sweet. "That sounds amazing. And, um, thank you for caring. I know that you're trying to comfort me, and it's working."

"Good," he murmurs, subtly wrapping an arm around your waist. "I don't want you to worry too much. I'll protect you."

You smile up at him as he guides you through the beautifully framed front doorway of the Magisterium Capitol, into the ballroom.

The room spreads in front of you, walls swooping up to meet at a vaulted ceiling far above. laps around the walls blend a warm custard-golden light with the beautiful glow of the intricate chandelier, dripping with rainbows that spill from dangling prisms. Beautiful swaths of fabric decorate the walls, wine-red framing the elegant, slim windows that glow with the fading saffron and carnation-colored light.

It feels like a dream cast in warmth, the hues dancing across the polished-to-a-shine marble floors.

Figures are scattered around the floor, the murmur of the crowd playing tug-of-war with the lilting melody of the live orchestra tucked into a corner of the massive ballroom. The colors of dresses and coats spin together, blending like oils on a canvas. couples and groups spill around the ballroom, mingling and socializing.

The breath leaves your lungs as you drink it all in hungrily, practically tasting the peach-oranges and salmon-pinks of the sunset on your tongue as you spin in a circle.

Apparently, the awe is plain on your face, since Techno's smiling at you softly, something else in his expression tugging at your already overflowing heart, and you can't help yourself from grabbing his hands and laughing elatedly. "This- This is amazing!"

"So are you," Techno replies, breathlessly. It tightens your throat in the best way, and your smile is so wide it practically hurts.

Niki, behind you, gasps just as you do, and your awed eyes meet hers, and she looks just as delighted as you.

It's wild and amazing and you can't even breathe with excitement.