Archive of Our Own ^beta

I see the player that you mean.

Technoblade?

Yes. The man born to be a king.

It seems that one universe has lost him. He has entered Her domain.

That seems about right.

However, we seem to have had a disturbance.

Yes. You mean in that world of the alternate variables, right?

Indeed.

The man in a mask, who has become a fiercely protective rabbit.

Fitting, then, that their care would cause them to see something that they should not.

Should we interfere?

No. It would be kind of us to save them from the knowledge.

But…

That is not our role.

Hopefully, they believe that it is a dream.

Fitting, as well, considering their name.

It is the shaking that wakes Techno, more than anything else. His ears are still good, of course—he has always been quite sensitive to sounds around him. However, more than sound, he can feel movement . Possibly due to his small stature, possibly due to his worry that something will happen around him.

He wakes up, and he hears sniffling. Crying, though the tears are clearly stifled. The person who is crying is holding them back, trying to be discrete.

… Chat is going into a frenzy for some reason, but Techno ignores them to glance over at the figure that has just entered his room. He doesn’t get up yet. He’s not used to tears—he’s not used to much that comes with emotion, but even he knows who the person crying must be.

He listens, and then he hears quiet footsteps. Dream is by his side, and Techno feels a finger on his small wrist. He tries not to react, and he hears Dream breathe out slowly, the silver-haired rabbit hybrid listening for his heartbeat.

Thud.

Thud.

'It’s you,' they say, and they laugh, pain in their voice. True, frustrated pain, the kind of pain that Techno has never wanted anyone around him to feel. Techno instinctively tenses up, confused beyond all belief. 'It’s you. It’s you, thank goodness, thank goodness—'

Techno finally pulls himself up, gently pressing his hand to Dream’s shoulder. 'Dream?' He says slowly. 'Dream? This is completely out of character for you. You good?'

To his surprise, Dream doesn’t respond with any of their usual banter. Instead, they wipe at the tears in their eyes, and then they gently pick Techno up, holding him close in a hug. Techno hugs back, obviously—he’s not an asshole—but he’s still confused. With his small hands, he gently pats them on the shoulder, even as they weep.

'Dream,' he says, trying his best to suppress his awkwardness and to be gentle. That’s what helps, right? 'What happened? Has someone attacked us? Do I need to—'

'No, no, no—' Dream takes deep breaths, their heartbeat racing—Techno can feel their heart beating strongly, as though they’re in some kind of great shock. 'I just—' They seem to be a little more worried now, a little more reserved with their emotions now that they have figured out that Techno is perfectly fine. However, Techno isn’t willing to let them retreat back into themselves, and he continues to pat Dream’s shoulder. (In what he hopes is a soothing manner.)

'Hey,' he says gruffly. 'If something’s made you this terrified, it’s not nothing, alright? Tell me about it.'

'... I dreamed of another world,' Dream admits. 'One where you and I had never met in person for anything. One where we were friends, but everyone around us thought that we should be enemies. In that dream, I longed to be your friend. To be able to stand by your side and tell all the people who judged us to shut up, but I just couldn't, and then it was too late.' They let out a soft sob, even as they are clearly struggling to force down their emotions. Poor, poor Dream. Techno can't help but cling to them slightly more tightly, just to prove to them that he is alive, that they don't need to be afraid. 'And then, I lost you. I lost you, and I hadn’t even ever seen your face until you died. And I had nothing to say. I dreamed that I lost you, I dreamed that I could never, ever meet you in that life ever again!'

Ridiculous, Techno wants to say. He can’t think of a world where he’d be that pathetic.

Dream turns their head directly to him, and Techno realises that he has said that aloud. Uh oh.

'You weren’t pathetic in that world!' Dream defends. 'No version of you could ever be pathetic. That version of you was sick , Techno. Wilting away slowly like a rose in the Nether. And yet he still stood up and did his best, he still brought joy to so many people’s faces, he still did everything he could to make his passing easier to swallow!'

Techno stays silent for a moment. 'In that nightmare,' he finally says, because it feels odd to call it a dream when Dream’s so distraught in front of him. 'I did all that?'

'I thought it was real,' Dream says. 'But yes. Everyone was in mourning over you. It was a tragedy.' They lower their head. '... I mourned you, Techno. In that dream, I just wanted to see you once. To hug you once. To tell you that I loved you, that you were my friend, that you had always been my friend.'

Techno listens, as Dream spills out all those raw emotions, truth hastily dug out by fear of a reality that to Dream, had been very real.

'I wanted to tell you that I would not be half the person I was without being inspired, challenged and uplifted by you. You and your endless positivity. I wanted to tell you that the world would miss you—that you would live on in our hearts, your impact and your positivity—that to me and to the world that admired you, Technoblade would never die.'

Usually, Techno would scoff at that. He’d say something funny to lighten the mood, and cook Dream a nice stew. They’d sit there and talk about fighting strategies, until the nightmare’s grip on Dream had faded away. He’d do that.

However…

There is something different about it this time.

There is something haunting about it. He can’t help but wonder: Is that world real in some other place that we don’t know about? If there is another Technoblade, did he really die and leave all his loved ones behind?

… that’s kind of sad.

'I just had to tell you,' Dream says. 'I just… I felt so awful in that world. I don’t want to hold back anything. Even if it’s not real here, even if we're both fine, I need you to know that. Because I held back for fear of being cringe in that world, and it was the wrong thing to do. I can't make that mistake. I just can't.'

'... ok. Well, I know now.' Techno tousles Dream’s hair. 'You’re not there. You’re here. I’m alive.'

He doesn’t expect that to cause Dream to burst into tears again. Shit. What did he do wrong this time? Dream’s not usually this emotional, but if they are—

'I don’t want that to be true in any world,' Dream says. 'Any world where you could fight and fight and just… die. That world can’t exist. I refuse to acknowledge that it could exist! That world is unfair ! You deserved so much better, and everyone could see that! You never stopped trying!'

At this point, Techno is pretty sure that he should just let them finish talking.

Besides…

Part of him is distraught by how seriously Dream seems to be taking this.

Before all of this, he never dreamed that his death could ever affect anyone. (He had walked away from his family a long time ago, after all. They’d had their own disagreements, and the only members of his family that he had loved had left him too.) But… he is important to people, isn’t he? To Dream, to Phil… maybe even a little to Wilbur, though the latter isn’t exactly a welcome housemate right now. From what Dream is saying, it seems like his fans in the other world cared about his passing too, even though they had never met him. (Dream doesn’t need to say that much. Techno can’t think of a version of himself that would be comfortable with showing off who he was to a crowd.)

'Techno,' Dream says, and they gently place a hand on his head. 'You know, right? That no one could bear to lose you. This world would be less without Technoblade. I would be less without you. You know that, right?'

'If you say so,' Techno says, and Dream closes their eyes for a moment, before they sigh.

'I mean it, Techno. I would cry and be useless, and then I'd miss you forever. I'd be sad forever.' They look at him, and despite the mask, Techno knows that they are determined. 'Promise me. Don’t you ever go and die on me.'

Techno grimaces at having to be serious, but then, he leans into Dream’s hug, nodding. 'You don’t have to worry. You know. It’s my branding, you know. Technoblade never dies.'

'Promise me.'

'If it’ll put you at ease,' Techno says, 'yes, I’ll promise you. As long as you are alive, Dream—I’ll live too.'

Dream slowly nods, and Techno stands up.

'Well, you’ve already woken me and dragged me from bed,' he says, stretching. 'I’ll make you some carrot stew, and you’ll make us some of that horrid tea that you like. Then, we’ll debate something about PVP that you’ll inevitably be wrong about, and Wilbur will come in complaining that we woke him up, and you’ll have to appease him with tea.'

Dream stares at him, and then they nod.

'Well?' Techno stares back at them expectantly. 'You woke me up. I’m definitely not walking to the kitchen on my own.'

Dream leans down, and they scoop Techno up with their arms, putting him on their shoulder, as though they’re holding onto something precious. As though Techno's fragile. As though he's breakable. He'd be offended, but he can still tell how shaken up Dream is. There is still something vulnerable to their eyes that Techno is worried about, but...

He’s sure that things will be fine.

Whatever nightmare that Dream went through has ended, after all. It was all fiction. They're fine, the two of them, living in this home together, with their two guests, but mostly with each other. They're alive, together.

That sad world isn't the one that they live in.

And in another world, a brown-haired man watches the duo as they head over to the kitchen.

'... what am I here for? Did you decide to send me to hell after all?'

Of course not. We simply wanted you to see the other realities.

A very different Technoblade looks at the creature that brought him here. 'For what? Are you trying to make me feel bitter?'

Of course not!

We just want you to see the different universes that exist in the world. There are many of them, aren’t they?

Were you happy in yours?

'I got to do what I loved,' the man says after a moment. 'I got to make so many people smile. Don’t make me be cringe—I was happy, up until the very end. I got to fulfil my final goals.'

I see. Of course that would be your answer.

Technoblade watches them, raising a skeptical eyebrow. '... so? Are you going to take me to fistfight God or not? I mean, I don’t mind taking on the devil either, but you’ve got to give me my fight card, you know.'

There is no need to put on a strong face in front of us, Technoblade. I assume that is the name you want us to use, and not the name of the king that you were destined to emulate. We know that there has to be some kind of fear in your heart.

Technoblade stands there.

You died far too early. You were a good player in that universe. It is alright to not be satisfied.

But I am glad that you were happy.

You see it too, right? That every version of you has found some kind of happiness in their own heart?

You see it, don’t you? Do you know, player, that the universe is kind? Do you know that we love you?

You’re almost at the familiar door, about to dream again.

The player was you. It was always you. You were the champion of the world.

Come.

The days are short, there is still much to do, and death is but a temporary inconvenience.

Technoblade looks back down at the universe that he has just left. At the millions mourning for him.

He breathes out slowly, his heart clinging to that world.

'Thank you,' he says to the world that can no longer hear him, and he closes his eyes. He allows himself to shed the tears for the years that he has been cheated of, the people that he wishes he could’ve spent more time with. He is happy, and he is satisfied with his achievements, but he still wanted so much more.

He hears them, then. The voices of millions, all winding together.

‘We loved you.’

‘Blood for the blood god.’

‘Technoblade never dies.’

‘All the best.’

‘I hope you are happy in the next life.’

Are you ready, Technoblade, king of kings?

Technoblade finally stands up.

'Yes,' he says. 'Come on. Show me who I get to fight next.'

He thinks that he hears amusement in the strange being’s voice. Indeed.

Let us walk together then.

Together out of this world, and to your next.

You are a great man. And the world has lost much by losing you.

Rest in peace.

And know that you are loved.

'... yeah, let's just go,' Techno says, clearing his throat. '... thanks.'

Thank you for loving me, he thinks.