The Grim Reaper || Technoblade (Old)

31: Protection

They were like brothers, talking about everything and cursing each other out (Tommy) and threatening each other. I watched as they talking animatedly, Tommy admitting to stealing Techno's stuff and running around the snow.

Tommy didn't know what scutes were and mashed together a whole bunch of them into about ten little turtle shell helmets, shoving each of the them into the scute chest. And they walked up and down the house not even acknowledging me.

Well, that's what I get I guess.

The next couple days were full of running around and chores and mess. Mostly just cutting trees and taking care of Carl on my part.

I tried to get Tommy to help me take care of Carl, but he just kicked the snow and commented about 'Who would ever own such a dumb animal.' Before going back in his little basement den.

Techno was.. cold. Colder than he usually was, which is.. saying something. It was that comment that stuck with me, would he kill me? Would he try?

He didn't know who I was, and I barely knew who he was. Was this the relationship we would have? Tiptoeing around each other? Tommy was straightforward, calling us pussies or dicks or bitches. Who even taught that boy how to speak?

But Techno? Techno was more mysterious, and I had no idea how to act around him.

It was mid afternoon when I was making a cup of tea and he walked in the kitchen, followed by a soot covered Tommy.

The two had been going netherite mining, and Techno commented about how they didn't bring enough beds because someone forgot to bring the wool.

Obviously Tommy's fault.

He ranted about how he was distracted by all of the random shit Techno kept in his chests and Technoblade just rubbed an eye and didn't pay attention.

I handed a mug to him, just normal black tea, and he accepted it. His eyes peering at the cup through his mask. I handed a cup over to Tommy once he made some grabby hands and took a sip of my own.

Techno drank his pure black, no sugar added, and Tommy basically spit out the tea as soon as he tasted it, reaching for the sugar container and dumping a whole bunch in.

We stood there for a moment, just sipping tea like normal people for once. It was, peaceful.

And then Tommy happened, again.

Whenever it got too peaceful or too quiet, he had to get up and run his mouth.

"Since that ended so early, I say we spend the rest of the day doing another Tommy adventure!" He put his cup in the cauldron, and a quick glance proved that it was just a cup half full of wet sugar.

What a waste of good tea.

Techno huffed, "I'm going back to the nether, have to retrieve the materials we left."

Tommy's eyes brightened and he reached for a gold helmet, but Techno finished his cup and grabbed Tommy's hands, "Nope, you're staying here, you've done enough."

Tommy started whining and Techno just, left without a word, leaving his cup and walking straight out the house.

Tommy stopped mid sentence, and stared at the door like that would make him come back. He must've messed up.

I drained my own cup and washed it, Tommy leaned against the door and sighed, "Why's he got to be such an ass?"

With Technoblade gone I guess I was second choice, "What happened out there?" I asked.

Tommy stood up straighter as I used a towel to dry the cups, "Nothing! We were almost there when he just, decided to turn back and go back home!"

"And there was no reason for that?" I asked, rinsing the crisp out and spooning out the giant lump of sugar.

Tommy threw his arms in the air and paced around, "None! I mean yes I might have walked into lava.. But I drank a fire resistance potion! I don't understand why we had to turn back!"

Once clearing the gunk out of the cup, I turned to Tommy with sarcasm lacing my tongue, "Oh really, that's all? Totally no reason for Techno to turn back and bring you home."

"Exactly! The only thing that got melted was my helmet, and we've got tons of those!" He pulled out a melted glob of gold and set it on the furnace, about to continue his rant when he turned to me, "What do you even care- oh.. you were being sarcastic weren't you?"

I nodded and Tommy left the room, climbing down the ladder to go to the basement as I followed him, "Wait- I didn't mean it like that."

He turned around and stuck a finger in my face, "What did you mean then? Other than the complete bullshit."

"Where did you get that language from- anyways, did you think about why Technoblade spent all of that time bringing you back instead of spending the day doing something more productive?" I questioned, hopefully he'd get this on his own.

"Because he's such an arse!" Tommy shouted, pausing a moment to think before reiterating, "A complete arse!"

I sighed, "Ok think about this, what lives in the nether?"

"Blazes, endermen, skeletons-" Tommy listed off the first things that came to mind.

"And piglins." I answered for him.

Tommy questioned, "Piglins? What about those gold loving brutes?"

"What kept you from being attacked from them?" I asked, finally getting to the topic.

"My hel- ohhhh." Tommy's eyes turned into saucers at the realization.

"So he took you home so..." I led on, letting him finish.

"So I wouldn't get attacked." He said in a small voice, looking at the ground like a kid who got caught drawing on the walls.

He continued staring at the ground, and in an even smaller voice, "He did it to protect me."

Before I could say anything else, Tommy climbed down the last ladder and blocked the hole off before I could follow him.

Damn kid.