A Faithful Memory

Boiling Trouble

As Philza had said, Wilbur and Tommy were allowed to continue visiting with their friends. However now they were not allowed to go anywhere outside of one of their family. Kai and Ranboo, Sam, Philza, Lune and Technoblade, one of these or more was now consistently on watch. Most of the little group didn't mind the arrangement, but Quackity had black looks and darkly muttered words for whoever stood at a distance, observing them. But if it was Technoblade, he dared not even glance in the hybrid's direction.

Many days passed so, and the children continued to play and enjoy each others' company. Shy Niki even made friends with Kai, Lune and Ranboo, bonding with them over their idea of a cafe and the food they could serve there. Jack, Sam and Philza discussed buildings on occasion and Karl seemed to be present at every conversation. Foolish remained at a distance, though he could generally be seen in the vicinity of Technoblade. Bad and Skeppy also remained on the edge of the groups, uncertain if they actually belonged anywhere, but never exactly wanting to leave. Hannah, however, found an unexpected friend in the avian boy, when she found him planting new flowers about the house. He showed her the roof, displaying the variety of flowers that grew there and the means by which they were tended. Kai and Hannah shared many quiet conversations, mainly about flowers, and a special friendship blossomed between them, for they both adored flowers with a passion, and both had a connection with the earth that was unique and beautiful, if not entirely well understood.

Quackity inserted himself more and more into Wilbur and Tommy's lives, going on walks with them and coming over as often as he was allowed. He rarely spoke of his home life, but the little Techno ever caught, as he strolled behind them, sufficed to tell him that the boy had bitterness and resentment buried deep in his heart. Every once in a while, the thought of killing him came back to Technoblade, but Philza's words held him back. The young man did not like to admit it, but Philza gave him more discipline than he was likely to have ever gained alone.

Days passed into weeks and peace began once more to settle. At least, for most people. The Minecrafts and the Recantos(Sam's family) were never fully relaxed. Dream was sighted again and again now, roaming the lands in the distance in one direction or another. He did not come to their homes, but his stride and the white smiling mask gave them little ease.

One other thing began to trouble Technoblade, though this he kept to himself as much as possible: his nightmares were returning. For many years they had lain dormant in his mind, silent under the happy influence of his family life. Now, memories of his past, of the beginning years before he ever met Philza, resurfaced to darken his dreams. Black despair and pain clouded his mind at night, and during the day his thoughts raced to understand why they appeared now, after all this time.

Kai was first, besides Philza himself, to sense something wrong with his brother. He did not ask what the matter was, but sought to comfort as best he could. He would lead Techno into the library on many occasions, asking for stories or making the hybrid sit down so he could read to Techno himself. He stayed up late into the night, kneading dough and crafting shapely breads that smelled of flowers and fruit, or honey that glazed the tops and made each nearly glow in the lamplight.

It was over this time that Ranboo, himself as attentive to Wilbur as Kai was to Techno, caught a change in the boy. A rash, wild spirit was growing in Wilbur's heart and showing itself in his constant mischievous attempts to slip away from his guardians and lose himself in the woods. Unsure what conclusion to draw, Ranboo went one evening to Philza's study door, where his father was busy drawing sketches in the notebook Kai had given him, years and years ago.

"Come." Philza's voice gave him some measure of confidence, and Ranboo entered. His tail wrapped about one leg, as usual when he was feeling nervous.

"Hey, uh...I have something I wanted to talk to you about." Ranboo said, shutting the door.