The Heart of the Ocean (DNB)

The Tennis Player and The Lemonade Drinker

A small bit of angst and fluff for the soul, now with 100% Techno POV! (Next chapter will have 100% Dream POV)

TW/CW: misgendering comment, mentions of sexism, yelling, mention of a cut from glass, mentions of alcohol

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DeWitt Craft:

⠀⠀⠀Techno stuttered into Dream's embrace. Punz was right there, watching them. Once Punz noticed his gaze, he ran out the door.

⠀⠀⠀"Dream,"

⠀⠀⠀"What? Come on, there's more booze this way." Dream started dragging Techno further into the room, Techno struggled against his iron grip.

⠀⠀⠀"Dream, Dream!" Techno yelled, becoming desperate.

⠀⠀⠀Dream perked at the distress in Techno's voice and stopped, "What? What's wrong?"

⠀⠀⠀"I have to go, my- George- I-" Anxiety rushed to Techno's stomach, he instantly started shaking, trembling. He was caught and this would be over. He didn't want this to be over!

⠀⠀⠀Dream's smile faded into a look of understanding. He leaned down and kissed Techno's cheek, "See you tomorrow, 'kay, Dee?" His eyes were hopeful and a small blush graced Dream's sun-kissed features in the low light as he pulled away.

⠀⠀⠀"I'll try," Techno replied truthfully. He honestly wasn't sure if they would see each other after tonight. Punz and George were close after all, Punz was a part of George's posse. From Techno's knowledge, George's posse consisted of five main men, they bore the names Karl, Punz, Ponk, Sam and Alex Quackity. They had met while working at the headquarters of Hockley Steel, George's father's company, and the source of his fortune.

⠀⠀⠀Out of Dream's comfortable embrace, Techno held the majority of his skirt in his left hand and ran for the door, weaving through the crowd.

⠀⠀⠀Exiting the party, Punz was nowhere in sight. Sweat, from the party and from the anxiety, dripped from his bangs and down his neck. He dropped his skirt in defeat, the pumping of the rise and fall of the muffled notes of a fiddle, bagpipes and drums filling his ears. The necklace around his neck never felt so heavy, the embodiment of his pain. The deep blue shone in the low light, taunting him with its beauty. Suddenly, Techno couldn't breathe. Why couldn't he breathe? There was a pressure over his mouth, pulling him backwards, and his head hit something hard but moving and he was being dragged away. His screams and yelps were muffled by the strong hand. No, he would not be kidnapped, he would rather die on a sinking boat than be taken away against his will- wait, that wish was redundant. Nevermind, just take him, he was already being taken against his will.

⠀⠀⠀He struggled against the grip and was suddenly thrown into a room, balancing himself, he turned to the culprit, who just closed the door behind them. As he turned, though, the same hand returned over his mouth.

⠀⠀⠀"Mr. Blade, shh, it's alright, I'm not gonna hurt you." Punz hushed. He slowly removed his hand and Techno glared.

⠀⠀⠀"What?! Why did-"

⠀⠀⠀"SHH! I just- Mr. Blade - uh- Bukater..?" Punz stuttered, trying to get it right.

⠀⠀⠀"Just call me Techno," he deadpanned.

⠀⠀⠀"Alright, Techno , I just wanted to let you know that I won't be telling Mr. Hockl- George- of your endeavors tonight, and that you shouldn't stress about it." Punz explained, now more solid than before.

⠀⠀⠀"Why- what? How'd you-" Techno stuttered before being cut off.

⠀⠀⠀"Sure, I was being paid to watch you, but after seeing how much fun you were having, I-" He paused, "After seeing your face with him- I had never seen you so happy. So carefree. You never look like that around George, like you're genuinely happy to be there, so, in that moment, I decided to not tell him. Everyone deserves to have fun, and to not ruin it with the lingering anxiety of me telling him, I pulled you in here to tell you."