𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐔, dreamnoblade

𝟎𝟎 | prelude

TECHNO is flipping through the paint cards at Lowe's—Phil says grey is an uninviting color, so they're repainting—when Niki decides she's bored.

"You didn't tell me we have a new member," she says without looking up from her phone.

The words don't click at first. "Heh?"

"A new member," Niki repeats, "for our book club?" Her words are a little too pointed, but there's nothing sinister about the book club, hence their cover.

Techno looks up. "A new member?"

"Yeah, that cute librarian," she says. "Honestly, I thought he was a hero with that smile."

"The—" Techno pauses. It clicks. "Dream?"

Niki grins. "Oh, is that his name?"

"He wants to join? How did he find out?" Techno's fairly certain he didn't drop any hints about the book club or his less-than-legal hobbies. Is Dream just perceptive?

He thinks back to the last time he visited the library. Niki's right—Dream doesn't look anything like a villain, and he's too oblivious and unassuming to be a hero. Techno thought he was a civilian, but maybe he was wrong?

Maybe he's a telepath. Did I think about the Syndicate at all?

Techno can't remember.

Niki is equally confused. "Wait. You didn't mention it to him?"

"Do you go around broadcasting your identity?" Techno counters.

Niki frowns. "He was— He came to the store, though."

What? "When?" There's no way Techno missed him; he was there almost all day.

"I don't know, around two?" She shrugs. "He said he wanted to join the book club."

"There is no book club, though."

"Yeah, so he was asking about—"

It dawns on him then. "Oh, gods," Techno mutters.

"Techno?"

The reason they chose a book club as their cover was how innocent it seemed. It was boring, something no one would want to join, casually broadcasted on a flyer in the window, and no one reads those. If someone asked, they had a reasonable cover for knowing each other.

They'd never considered that someone would want to join the book club—the one that didn't exist.

Shit, he realizes.

"He wants to join the book club," Techno says faintly.

"Yeah," Niki agrees cautiously.

He turns towards her. "The book club that doesn't exist," he continues. "What did you tell him?"

"The truth?" she says hesitantly. "I'm not in charge. He should talk to you."

Okay, he can work with that. He's turned around far worse situations. This will be easy—and if he's lucky, he'll get to see Dream more often.

"We have to make a book club, then," Techno decides.

Niki blanches. "What?"

"We can just turn him down," he rationalizes. "What if he complains? Word will get around." Techno shakes his head. "Actually, it'll make things more believable if we have a civilian involved who will vouch for us."

"Wait, you're— Are you serious?"

"He's a civilian," Techno says. "We protect civilians."

Niki gives him a look that says, I'm five seconds away from setting you on fire.

That's reasonable.

"How is making a book club to get closer to your crush protecting civilians?" Niki demands.

"My relationship with Dream is entirely platonic," Techno says. "It'd draw more suspicion if we turned him down."

Niki sighs. "I don't—" She throws her hands up in frustration. "Okay, but"—her gaze sharpens, and she grins—"I get to bring Puffy to the meetings."

"The hero, Puffy?" Techno repeats. "The one who is actively hunting us down?"

Niki crosses her arms. "You get to bring the cute librarian," she argues. "It's only fair."

There's a big difference between a harmless civilian and a world-renown hero.

He knows Niki won't budge, though, and if they bring it to Phil and Ranboo, they'll have Tubbo and Tommy joining the club. It'll only get worse from there.

No, he needs to deal with this here and now.

Techno closes his eyes. "It's only fair," he agrees reluctantly.

Niki's grin is entirely too smug.

Maybe it's worth it, though.

"You're going to back me up when Ranboo says he wants to bring Tubbo and Tommy, right?"

"Only if you let me bring Jack."

Techno pushes his glasses up and sighs.

He'll deal with two heroes over those demons any day.