Escape's Artist

part three ~ it was always me against myself

(A/N: woah i did not expect this to be turning into a whole thing- but besides that, the titles of part three and four are lyrics from a song called aphasia that i wrote <3)

Technoblade shoved the door to Dream's private quarters open. The door was heavier than most doors in the palace, probably by the paranoid king's own request, and even someone as physically adept as Techno struggled to open it on a bad day. 

Dream was already lounging on a luxurious sofa, clicking his tongue at the piglin hybrid.

"Good to see you completed your mission. I didn't think a half-breed could even dream of accomplishing such a feat, but I suppose it takes a dumb brute like you to catch one like him." Dream said snidely, beckoning Techno with a wave of his pinky finger. It was a command more than a request, and it was one Techno had grown very familiar with over his time working with the blonde-haired king.

Dream nodded approvingly at the Technoblade's quick obedience, grabbing him by the shoulders with dismissive hands and pushing left to right to get a glimpse of all angles of the hybrid's face. He smiled approvingly, the tilt of his mouth more sinister than Techno would've liked.

"You know your orders, yes, half-breed?" Dream asked. Techno had to restrain himself from retching at the derogatory nickname, only nodding slowly.

"When I am near death, I am to make my way to your palace so that you may stuff me and add me to your collection." Techno said with a clipped tone, carefully voiding his voice of any emotion. Dream's disgusting human face broke into a grin, letting out a burst of maniacal laughter before settling back into his seat, releasing his hold on the hybrid's face. Techno felt he might have to take a thousand showers to get clean of the man's touch.

"Good, good, you haven't forgotten. I'm yet to add a Piglin hybrid to my museum, and I'll have my Elytrian very soon, thanks to you." Dream beamed, his possessive stare barely concealed under smile wrinkles. Techno shuddered slightly as Dream leaned in close to whisper in his ear, exhaling heavily.

"You're always going to be mine, you know that, Technoblade? You were mine the moment I found you in that village, I legally own you. You signed a contract that stated that you belong to me, your body and your every action is at my command. You're mine, you're mine, you're mine..." Dream breathed, his stench lingering on Techno's ear for a moment before he reclined against the plush sofa again. Techno's face had turned pale as a sheet, and Dream seemed to smile at the fear he induced in the stronger man. 

"And don't you forget it. Now, do you know what time it is?" Technoblade knew better than to speak, Dream hadn't given him permission to do so, he simply shook his head. 

"Almost morning, meaning it's time to feed the Elytrian. And don't go crazy like you did with the last one, I need this one intact enough to be taxidermied." Dream chided, giving Techno a coy smile as he shuddered openly. He did not want to be reminded of his part in Tommy's death, even thinking about it reopened the old wound in Techno's psyche. He closed it up again, sealing his emotions shut as he often had to do around the brutal king, and stepped out of the chamber.

"Wait." Techno froze, turning around slowly. The king's commanding voice had echoed into the halls since the door was open, and a servant at the end of the passage turned and bobbed his head curiously at the interaction.

"Here. Now. You were not dismissed yet." Dream's voice was cold, and Techno almost scurried back to his side. Dream beamed, clearly placated by this obvious show of submission, and he grabbed Techno's neck abruptly.

Faster than he could blink, Dream had fastened something around his neck. He grunted in surprise, craning his neck to see what it was. To his horror, it was a metal collar that had clicked into place the second Dream secured it. He ran his fingers along its length and found that it was lined with metal studs, like the spikes on an attack dog's collar. He froze, starting to feel around for a catch he could pull that would get it off him. His fingers brushed past a hole in the side, which he quickly recognized as a keyhole, and around the back, there was a metal loop that seemed like it was meant to have a leash clipped to it. His chest tightened in horror, the realization of what Dream had done setting in all at once.