SBI family AU

Lost in the Woods

Techno sat down on the bench with a groan. Niki had chided him for being indoors for so long and made it her mission to get him out of the house. The family had taken a week-long vacation to Cooperstown, some city upstate.

Niki was looking at the vast forest covering the mountains, "Doesn't this excite you in the slightest?"

"I could have bought you a calendar and given you the same experience," Techno said as he joined her, "But yes, nature is nice. It's the weather that sucks."

"You have this unique ability to ruin something, but make it funny at the same time," Niki crossed her arms.

"I'm pretty sure that's just called 'sarcasm'," Techno gave her a smile.

"It's called being an ass," Niki huffed as he laughed.

There was a faint rumbling above them and Niki shuffled a little closer to him. He took her hand and started leading her back down the trail, but soon the rain started to pour on them.

"Techno- I don't think this is the right path," Niki stopped walking.

"It just looks different because of the rain. I'm a human GPS, I know where I'm going," Techno flashed her a smile before continuing.

"Techno... this isn't right. I think we're off course," Niki tugged on his hand, "Let's just backtrack?"

Techno looked around, "I've got the whole place memorized, it's fine," he said as he started scanning for anything familiar.

"Just put down your stupid act and admit we're lost!" Niki huffed.

"Well what do you want to do then?" Techno turned to her as lightning cracked overhead, causing her to jump into his arms.

"Get me under something safe!"

Techno looked around, "Yeah, uh, not much to hide under in the middle of the woods."

"Techno!"

"Sorry, sorry. I'm sure we can find a cave or something," Techno picked her up and started walking as she buried her face into him, "And you say I'm touch starved."

Niki just pulled herself closer as lightning clapped overhead and thunder followed, both shivering from the rain.

Eventually, Techno found a small indent in a cliff and trudged under it. He set Niki down and sat next to her, "I don't want to be an ass, but I told you the calendar was the better choice."

Niki let out a sobbing laugh and gave him a smile, "Yeah, let's just listen to you next time."

Techno grinned, "At least we can say that we've nearly frozen to death being lost in a forest?"

Niki playfully hit him and wiped her tears, "You're so stupid..."

"Not the first time I've heard that, maybe it's a running theme," Techno sighed as Niki leaned against him and they both fell asleep as the adrenaline wore off.

Techno awoke first, the morning rays hitting his face. He groaned and stretched his stiff body, accidentally waking Niki.

"Oh my god, we left the boys with Minx and Schlatt-" Techno snapped awake and grabbed his phone only to find it dead. Niki checked hers to find the same result.

"I'm sure they're fine, it was just one night. Let's try to find our way back," Niki got up and picked a direction, Techno following.

After about an hour of walking, the two sat down in a clearing to catch their breaths. They continued shortly after, finding a stream and following it down.

"You know, this is kind of nice," Techno said as Niki balanced on a log next to the water.

"Oh yeah?" She hopped down and walked alongside him.

"Yeah. I finally got you to realize that I'm rational and you're not with these trips," Techno flashed her a smile.

"Ok! Ok! I'll just buy a calendar next time, I get it," Niki huffed, "But if you could just follow the trail then we wouldn't be here."

"I am a human GPS, I knew where we were. I just hadn't recalibrated from the rain," Techno said as they approached the end of the stream, ending in a lake.

"Let's swim."

"What?" Techno looked at her confused.

"We're lost, might as well enjoy it," Niki shrugged and ran to the water, leaving Techno to turn around blushing as she threw off her jacket and top.

"Could you have waited until after I turned around?" Techno yelled.

"Relax, I'm in a tank top still. You should join me here! It's nice," Niki laughed and dove under the water.

Techno looked back and moved her clothes further from the water, "I guess..." he mumbled as he took off his shirt and followed her in.

After a few hours, they were found by a search crew and were helicoptered back to the town.

Tubbo was the first to greet them when they landed, sobbing and jumping into Techno's arms, followed by Tommy. Niki was pulled into a tight hug by Minx as Schlatt watched from afar.

As Techno and Niki were walking into a hospital to get a checkup, Techno quickly ducked into the gift shop and gave Niki a landscape calendar.