𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐔, dreamnoblade

𝟎𝟒 | chapter four

ASKING Dream to stay was definitely the right move, Techno realizes as he walks backwards up the stairs. He has his arms wrapped around Ranboo's shoulders as Dream carries the teen's legs. Techno knew Ranboo was tall, but this is obscene. How does he not hit his head everywhere?

It's silent in the stairwell, aside from their halting footsteps.

Techno sighs. "Maybe," he begins hesitantly, "we should've used the elevator."

"Wow," Dream says sarcastically, "what a brilliant idea! I wonder how we didn't come up with that earlier. Oh, wait—"

Techno groans. "I said I was sorry."

"You didn't mean it," the librarian argues.

"I mean it now."

"After walking up six flights of stairs? I'm sure."

Techno grimaces. In hindsight, he doesn't know what the hell he was thinking. Well, no, he does. This is an apartment building; Niki isn't the only person who lives here. People are much more likely to take the elevator than the stairs. How would they explain two grown men carrying an injured, unconscious teenager that looks nothing like them?

Yeah, exactly.

On the plus side, there's only one floor left.

Spurred on by the knowledge, Techno finds some extra energy to move faster. He's not out of breath, but climbing stairs is a different level of exhausting. After the first two, it's like he lost all will to live.

Dream's flat gaze did nothing to help.

Techno waits for the librarian to catch up when he reaches the landing. He glances up the next flight of stairs. "One more flight."

The blond's shoulders sag. "Thank fuck," he says emphatically. Techno is inclined to agree.

"Sorry."

"You should be," Dream says, but there's no malice in his voice.

When they reach the door, Techno adjusts to carry Ranboo by himself as Dream opens the door. The hallway is, thankfully, deserted. He can't hear any noise coming from the apartments.

It's ten PM on a Saturday. Are these people okay? Does he need to report a mass murder to someone? Preferably Detective Manifold so he'll stop investigating the Syndicate?

"This is her," Techno murmurs. Dream nods and raps his knuckles purposefully against the door.

He has an odd way of knocking, Techno notes. Everyone in the Syndicate has their own, unique way of knocking, per Techno's instruction. (It helps to know whether the person at his door is friend or foe.) Dream knocks like that—like a greeting. Or a warning, he supposes.

Techno wonders about that. Maybe he'll ask when he isn't carrying an unconscious teenager whose breathing like he's choking on a whistle.

The time they spend standing outside the door weighs heavily on Techno. It shouldn't, given the minutes they wasted climbing all those fucking stairs. Gods, it's like he lost all common sense. Why didn't he listen to Dream?

(If he had, someone would've spotted them. They'd have no choice but to bring Ranboo to the hospital. News would, inevitably, spread; the kid's something of an anomaly when it comes to genetics.

From there, it'd only be a matter of time.

Techno wishes he'd found all of them the first time. If they go after Ranboo again, though, he'll make sure there's nothing left of those shitheads.)

The door opens.

It's not Niki.

In a split second, Puffy's gaze goes from Techno to Dream, to Ranboo.