A Faithful Memory

Technoblade: One of Us

They were back home, and asleep. The moon was shining large and low over the house, lighting the whole clearing with a soft white glow. Crickets chirped in the garden, a quiet wind breathed through the trees, and a single light glowed through one of the windows of the house. It had been four days since Wilbur's birth.

Philza opened his eyes in the darkness of the room he shared with Kristen. Already somewhat accustomed to how often his son awoke during the night, he was surprised to have slept at all. He sat up, stretching out his hand to feel for the edge of the crib where Wilbur was supposed to be dreaming. But he wasn't there. The crib was far easier to rock than it should have been, and Philza's heart gave a startled leap. Closer he bent, his eyes straining through the blackness. No child lay in the crib. Where...how...? Carefully he got out of bed, trying not to wake Kristen, and found that his door was somewhat ajar. He opened it and slipped out into the hallway. His wings were tense and he was holding his breath as he snuck towards the stairs.

As soon as he reached them, he heard a sound, a voice, on the first floor just beneath him. Phil puffed out a sigh of relief, recognizing Technoblade's quiet murmur. But what was he doing up so late? And why had he taken Wilbur out of his crib? How had he even done it so quietly in the first place? Philza began to gently descend the stairs, thankful they didn't creak yet.

As soon as he got to the middle stair, he heard a change in Techno's voice that made him pause. It was a soft, low humming that Philza had never heard before. Techno was humming a tune. The angel sat down quickly, not wanting to disturb this unique moment. A movement caught his eye and he saw, at the far end of the room, Kai also sitting in the shadows. He was watching the fire and nibbling on a muffin. His wings had just curled around him, their tips just reaching his elbows.

Techno, in the armchair, was rocking back and forth, holding Wilbur delicately in his arms. He'd apparently been watching Kristen closely, for his hands supported the child's back and head exactly as hers did. He hummed a little longer, his deep voice thrumming over the notes of his unfamiliar music. The fire snapped and danced in its place, casting golden light over most of the room and giving the hybrid's hair a softer rose color. One of his tusks glinted as he turned his head to gaze at the wavering flames. Before Phil could make up his mind whether to join him or slip back upstairs, Technoblade's humming shifted, and he began, in a low and quiet tone, to sing.

"Sleep, sleep, little brother.
Sleep and know you are safe.
I will keep your dreams free from troubles,
For they are mine to take.

No one could know,
No one could see,
The effect you would have
On a monster like me.

I will keep you safe.
I will hold you close.
No one shall hurt you,
For I shall guard you the most.

They can try.
They can die.
They can say goodbye,
I will keep my arms around you.

You've got a monster on your side
And an angel as your guide
And Death will protect you in the end,
For Death holds your life in the end.

Your mother, she loves you,
Your father is here for you,
And I will always be at your side.
You are our love, our joy, our pride.

Sleep soundly, brother,
We will protect you.
No one will hurt you,
Not while we are here.

They can try.
They can die.
They can say goodbye,
We will keep our arms around you."

The sound of Techno's voice died away into the flickering flames and the occasional pop from the hearth. The hybrid gave a long sigh.

Philza was stunned. He sat still on the stairs for a few minutes, trying to grasp this new side of Technoblade. From across the room, he could see Kai slowly lower his head onto his arms, which were crossed over his drawn-up knees. He couldn't tell if his son was miserable or just overcome. But Phil was sure Kai wouldn't want Techno to see him in this state.