A Faithful Memory

A year's recovery

Technoblade took a mere month to finish the house according to his standards. Since he had to build it for three now, he was forced to change most of his building plans. And then, as he listened to the way Philza and Kristen talked, he realized he might have to increase the size of the house even more. The concept of children was utterly foreign to him, but Techno did his best.

After the house was finished, however, and after they had moved into it, Techno had no idea what to do. Phil and Kristen wanted him to stay, and he wanted to stay, but he had no idea what to do. Techno had been fighting and seeking out fights ever since he could remember. That was his purpose. He had never rested from it. The peace that Philza and Kristen brought into his life was bewildering to him.

Techno's idleness did not last long, for peace did not necessarily mean calm. The arrival of his wife had unlocked a wellspring of energy and fun inside Phil that Techno had scarcely imagined possible in one person.

Philza and Kristen had spent the entire month of Techno's house construction together. What they had done during that time, Techno had no clue. But now that the house was done and he was living in it with them, the pair seemed to have made it some kind of mission to include him in their doings.

They started by asking him what he liked doing. Techno considered. "I mean...there's actually a lot, but what are you...like, you mean, for fun?"

"Yeah." Kristen nodded.

"Uh..." The hybrid glanced from one to the other of them, feeling slightly interrogated. "Other than trainin'...I read. And plant. Um..."

We fight.
Fight! Fight! Fight!
There's gotta be more, guys.
Bringing down kingdoms is fun.
Anarchy yeahhhh!
...what about that instrument?

"There...there was one time..." Techno hesitated, "I was goin' to learn to play somethin', but life, you know. So I never got around to it." He cleared his throat. Would they please look anywhere but him for like, two seconds? "And I, uh..." He scratched the back of his neck, feeling embarrassed all over again, "I can cook, too. That's it."

Kristen's eyes sparkled. "That's good! That's really good!" She turned to Phil. "I have so many ideas already!"

Phil chuckled, "Yeah, me too." He turned to Techno again, "What were you going to learn to play?"

Techno rocked back and forth a bit. It was tough, telling Phil, let alone Kristen, about what he liked. It was so personal. He didn't like saying it out loud. But they wanted to know, and they were nice people. "It was gonna be a violin." He muttered, looking down at his hands.

He felt his neck heat up as Kristen whispered, "Aw!" Techno shrugged and rubbed his snout. At least they weren't mocking him.

After some discussion, Phil and Kristen came up with some ideas and the days became very interesting. Techno found himself suddenly included in almost everything the couple did together, from baking to sparring. It was very draining at first, for the angel and his lady made enough joy to fill the house from morning to night, and Techno was used to quieter atmospheres. Kristen knew just how to tease Philza and make him laugh, while Phil would prank and joke and tickle Kristen until she squealed.

For a while, Techno was constantly on edge, waiting for their teasing and good-natured fights to become something more serious. He was having a hard time distinguishing between the life and death aggression he was used to and the playful back-and-forth that these two kept up. It was even worse when Philza roughhoused.

Techno would come out of his room, stretching and sleepily scratching his ears, and then he would be jolted to full wakefulness by Philza tackling him out of nowhere. "Philza! Wha-"