Archive of Our Own ^beta

 Tommy breathed heavily through his nose, trying to ignore the metallic tang in his mouth.

 The cupboard he was hidden in was hot, sweat dripping down his face. The compact space made his legs cramp due to his height. It was all too familiar to that one time he was stuck in the pistons during Pogtopia. Just the thought made his claustrophobia go on full blast. Even breathing was horrible, lightheadedness creeping up on him from practically suffocating in this stupid cupboard.

 His mind was running to every conclusion; every worst case scenario. Each one ended up with him dead in some horrific way. All at the hands of Dream. He could hear the faint chatter between Techno and Dream- faint only because they were outside and his heart was beating faster than he could keep track of. At some point, he had tensed so hard he had bit his tongue causing a little bit of blood-infused drool to dribble down his chin.

 A voice in the back of his head whispered that this type of weakness could not be tolerated. That he should be out there with Techno right by his side. But the mere thought of facing Dream caused his breathing to go awry. It make his hands shake that much more.

 Something about just one man being able to terrify him to such an extent rattled Tommy to his core. You weren’t always this pathetic, were you? , the voice asked, despite already knowing the answer. Of course he didn't. He used to be able to joke with Dream; to taunt him, even.

 Now, he's certain that if he even attempted to talk to Dream he would be killed on the spot. The one thing between him and his frie- the green bastard was someone that Tommy wasn't even sure he could trust. It didn't go too well last time- he could still smell the burning wood, the soot that settled everywhere it could touch.

  Do you remember Techno standing in glory while your country fell apart? Do you remember Tubbo staring at you in fear, realising this was the end?

 Tommy shook his head, hugging himself. It was too bad his moment of self soothing was interrupted by the front door opening. Tommy, never the brightest, went to yell for Techno to let him out. Then his heart dropped when he heard the second voice. His voice died instantly, the smallest of squeaks escaping him. He slowly covered his mouth with both hands.

 "Look, Dream- I don't need you goin' through my house, okay? Invasion of privacy and all that." Techno said to what Tommy could only assume to be The Man in question. Tommy could feel his limbs tense up, worsening the sense of crampedness he already felt by doubling it.

"I'm just checking for my little runaway, that's all. It's not like you have anything to hide anyways, right?" Dream chuckled, sending shivers down Tommy's spine.

 "I'm not really one to harbor criminals, you know- that would just ruin my reputation man." Techno joked, but with his monotone voice it came off with a more serious tone.

 “... But you're a criminal?” Dream wheezed, the sound like an iron pickaxe being dragged on concrete. Grating, it was.

 “Says who, Dream? A barely functionin’ country?” Techno let out one of his weird growl-laughs, Tommy relaxing the slightest bit at the sound, but tensed up anyway when he heard Dream shuffle.

 “Anyways, I think your time is coming to an end. My property isn’t open for homeless green blobs at the moment.” Techno continued, his voice gaining an odd sharpness to it.

 "Alright, alright. I'll be on my way home soon, out of your way, Blade." Creaking boards, like someone was walking towards the door. A grunt from Techno.

 The door swung open, shutting quickly after. There was no sound except for the crunch of snow outside, at least until Techno stomped over to the wooden windows. He remained silent, then hummed.

 "Okay, Theseus. You can come outta there now, the weirdo is beyond the treeline." He said gruffly, assumedly walking away from the window from the sound of his loud steps.

 But Tommy couldn't move- couldn't even blink. His body was still frozen, and not from the cold. No, it was the paralyzing shock of being so close to his tormentor without even seeing him. Tommy was barely breathing, chest moving only slightly with each shallow gasp.

 Small black dots danced in his vision, and all too slowly he realised he was about to pass out. Whining quietly, Tommy's eyes glazed over with tears before finally rolling back. He was submerged into an inky darkness that he could only hope wasn't infested with nightmares.

-*-

 Techno watched Dream recede into the treeline, waiting until not even a flash of green could be spotted before backing away from the window and calling to Tommy to leave his hidey-hole.

 He could still hear Dream's heartbeat, but he was far enough now that Tommy was sure to be fine. The way the kid froze up at spotting Dream... it almost reminded Techno of a frightened deer. The thought made him scrunch his face, for Tommy was not one to act like prey.

 Brushing himself off, he froze when he realised that the blond hadn't yet made his way out of the cupboard. Techno's eyes furrowed in worry, but he decided to assume the kid didn't hear him.

 "Theseus, you can come out. That homeless guy is far gone by now." Techno rumbled out, heading towards the kitchen to start preparing dinner. He stopped by the knife block to pick out a nice sharp one.

 But he stopped once more when there was not a flick of movement. The hairs on the back of his neck raised, and he dropped the knife he picked up to hurry to the cupboard. He quickly checked the locks, finding them perfectly open.

 With a whoosh! The small door flew open, Theseus followed soon after. The kid plopped on Techno's lap, thoroughly and utterly out. Anxiety wormed its way through him, and Techno wasted no time in picking his- Tommy up and placing him on the couch behind him.

 Theseus must've passed out, but Techno couldn't think of why. There were enough cracks for breathing to be fine, and it was cramped but still big enough for a kid made out of sticks like the runt. As Techno went through every possibility, he unclipped his cape and draped it over the boy.

 He was pale and shaking, and didn't look like he was going to wake up anytime soon. With a sigh, the piglin hybrid stood up and went back to preparing dinner. Once Phil was back from his small expedition further north, he could start cooking the stew. Hopefully Theseus was awake then. Maybe he could figure out why the kid had such a reaction.

 Scanning the kitchen, he grabbed the carrots on the corner of the counter and got to cutting them.

-*-

 Tommy woke up with bleary eyes and with a headache, one of his least favourite ways to do so.

 The smell of something mouth-watering had him sitting up and rubbing away the crust on his eyes. The fireplace in front of him was ablaze, keeping his usual frozen hands nice and warm. He stretched, cringing at the way his back popped. Every day, he got closer and closer to not only looking like Phil, but being like him. If Tubbo were around, he'd be calling him Old Man 2.0 right now. If Tubbo were around...

 Shaking his head, Tommy stumbled to a stand. He held his head, grumbling about beating the shit out of his headache. Someone behind him laughed, making Tommy whip around. That made him dizzy as all hell, falling back onto the couch with a whine.

 "... You alright, Theseus?" A voice asked, something like worry in their tone. When Tommy looked over, he realised it was Techno talking to him.

 Memories hit him full force. He sat there blinking at Techno for a full minute before regaining enough control of his thought process to do more than just sit there and blubber like a fish. He furrowed his brows, trying to think of why he was on the couch. Then the memory of a neon green jacket invaded his head.

 "Dream was here." Tommy stated. He suddenly didn't feel so hungry anymore. His arms gripped his sides in a faux hug. He missed Techno's concerned glance.

 "Yeah, that homeless freak was here. Didn't find ya', though. I made sure of that." Techno sounded... Tommy actually wasn't sure. It was something like a mix between pride and anger, something he hadn’t heard ever- or at least in awhile..

 "But he was here, Techno. What if he comes back?" Tommy started, and before Techno could calm him, the blond's eyes widened in a terror greater than what Techno had ever seen, as he began to ramble, "What if he figures out that you were hiding me!? Oh Prime Techno, I can't go back to him, what would he even do to me? What punishment would I get? I guess he could just do the same, but he knows what brea- what hurts me, so he might plan something really bad, and oh Prime what if he kills me, what then? What could I even do against him!? Techno I can't go back, alright? I-I just- I can't !" Tommy took a large, gasping breath, which is when he realised he had closed his eyes.

 Opening them, he saw Techno kneeling in front of him. He was holding his hands out as an invitation. Shaking, Tommy rested his hands upon his brother's own. Techno gently held them, bringing their hands to his chest. Right over his heart.

 The beats helped Tommy breathe. His gasps became more strong, and he could feel his heart slow to just a slightly-anxious-beat. Tommy made eye contact with Techno, worried red meeting uneasy blue. The beating of the pink-haired man's own heart was like a soft reminder of where he was.

 Tommy was in Techno's house, in the middle of the Tundra, nowhere near Dream. He was safe. He was okay. There was stew ready for him. He didn't wear bandages anymore. Tommy was alright, because of Techno, who practically saved him.

 "I-I'm sorry for all of- well, all of that , Tech." Tommy averted his gaze, not trusting himself to not break any further under Techno's caring stare. There was a tsk from his brother, making him look back.

 "Thes', you've got nothin' to be sorry for. That was outta' your control, and I don't mind." Techno held his eyes with a strength that almost made him fearful. Almost.

 Tommy worried his lip, tucking his legs up under him. Something poked at his brain, a desire that scared him. He could tell Techno. He could tell him about everything- well, almost everything -that happened in exile. What would he say? What would he do? Would it change them?

 "What's on your mind, runt?" Techno whispered, softer than Tommy had seen him in awhile. His lip wobbled.

 "I-I..." He took in a shuddering breath, preparing himself, "I want to, to tell you about- about exile. My exile." Tommy's eyes were shut once more.

 "Hm. I see. Well, then. You wanna talk over dinner?" Techno said plainly, no pity to be sensed in his voice. Tommy blinked his eyes open, a small, weak smile forming on his face.

 "Yeah... yeah, I would like that a lot."

---

 Dinner went as well as talk of your abuse could go. Tommy had to restart many parts just because of how much he would start spiraling, but Techno held his hand through everything.

 When Tommy got to the part about the tower, Techno could feel his anger building. A plan began to form, something the voices purred at.

 Soon, very soon indeed, Tommy would no longer be burdened by Dream. Techno was ready to do whatever it took.

---

 Techno could feel rage thrum through his veins. The words Tommy had said kept repeating like a broken disc in his mind, the voices chanting for blood.

 Getting Dream to meet up with him was easy. Say he has a favour to cash in, pick an unassuming valley, and arrive fashionably late. The hard part was coming up with a convincing lie for why he needed a favour so soon along with   what would be in it for Dream.

 But Techno was ready. He was ready the first time he saw Tommy hidden in a cold dug out hole under his house. He was ready when Tommy trusted him with the story of what happened in exile. He was sure as all hell that he was prepared to kill someone today.

 And if that person was Dream? Well, that was between him and chat.

---

 Dream was facing away from him having been expecting him to come through the woods that led to his tundra cabin. But Techno wanted to give him a bit of a surprise. Dream pulled up his communicator, most likely looking for the last time Techno sent him a whispered message. If Techno remembered correctly, he would say that was around 10 minutes ago.

 Pulling at his own device, Techno slowly typed out his message while creeping up on Dream. Despite his large stature, he moved with near silent footsteps. That all had to do with a new enchantment Phil found; something with sneaking.

 So, when Techno came behind Dream with a sword to his throat, the shorter could only let out a surprised cry before he was put in a chokehold. Dream wriggled and kicked, but he was no match for the strength of the Blood God, even in his mostly powerless form.

 "No need to fight yet, Dream! I just have a couple questions to ask before we finish our business here." Techno explained, holding the sword tighter, enough so a few drops of blood dripped down the other man's throat.

 The voices cheered at that. Their blood curdling shouts only fuel Techno's rage. In this random field, near no villages, the two were completely alone. Techno caught the glint of Dream's fallen communicator, swiftly stepping on it. The crunch! it made was like music to his ears.

 "Wha- whA-" Dream tried to sputter out something, but everytime he even breathed he risked the sword digging a little too deep.

 "Shush, you don't deserve to talk- It's my turn, now." Techno said with an eye roll. Dream weakly scratched at his arms, which did nothing but tickle Techno's tough skin.

 "Now, you remember the ru- Tommy? The one you, for lack of a worse word, tortured for weeks? " Dream froze, Techno more than able to hear his heart speed up. A small smirk quirked his lip.

 "Ah, so you do. Good, good." Techno readjusted his grip, Dream not even trying to escape this time. The voices grumbled at the lack of struggle, but Techno had a feeling it had something to do with the sense of impending doom most likely crawling down his spine.

 "If you didn't know, me and Theseus have gotten into a sort of... alliance , I guess. Rekindling our old bond, ya' could say." Techno paused to think about his next words, not wanting to ruin the building fear in the air around them.

 "Well, we've gotten close, you see, so close that he felt safe enough to tell me about this exile of his." His hands tightened on the handle of his sword, a new flush of anger making him growl.

 "You hurt him, Dream- no, you nearly killed him . But he's stubborn, stubborn as all hell. Do you know what that means?" Techno let off a bit of pressure, just enough for Dream to say something. Yet there was only the wind.

 "I asked -" He dropped Dream on the ground, quickly stepping on him. One foot on his back and one on the green-clad man's arm as Techno kneeled to make sure he was truly down, before pointing his sword at the other's right hand, over the palm. With a single motion, it began to dig in. Dream grunted, squirming to try and pull his hand back. It only made the tip of the sword stab deeper.

 "Now, listen- I asked if you know what that means. Answer me. " Techno demanded, voice dark. Dream almost seemed to ignore him, at least until Techno decided to fully slice through the back of his hand. The man screamed, a guttural noise that sent the voices into another frenzy. The blood that spurted out didn't help either.

 With a hiss, Dream finally listened, sputtering out, "N-no, what? That h-he's annoying?" The sword wiggled a bit for that, and Dream tensed hard .

 "Hmm... no. What it means is that you can't destroy him. You'll never be able to stamp out his life. To 'fix' him. But he doesn't believe that, and he won't until you're gone." Techno sighed, remembering the sullen look in Tommy's eyes. With a breath, he stood up, sheathing his sword.

 "Run past me. Run far . If I catch you, you're dead. If you can get out of this server fast enough, and never bother my family again, then all the better." Techno stood still, facing forward as Dream stumbled to a stand. He whipped his head back and forth before finally running past Techno.

 "10, 9, 8, 7..." The pink haired man counted down, tapping his foot impatiently. A little head start would give Dream just enough confidence to slow down, for which Techno would use to his advantage. It also didn't help Dream that his heartbeat was so loud- grating almost, on Techno's sensitive ears.

 But it would make this hunt one of the easiest he's done. A rabbit knows to stay still in the shrubs, to stay hidden. But Dream is cocky, overzealous- he stands out in a crowd. Birds will be disturbed, leaves dirt and snow all trampled underfoot, and even the glimmer of the sun on a loose weapon would be enough to track him. Techno had the smallest inkling the man would not care in the slightest to even consider covering his steps.

 To Dream, this is a simple escape. But Techno never lets anyone go simply. The voices laugh at his stupidity.

---

 When Techno finds Dream, he's drinking from a stream. Resting, it seems.

 Techno had no need for a speech this time. He'd even left his armour back in the field; only taking with him Orphan Obliterator . With a couple steps, he was directly behind Dream. The man stopped, spotting the shadow that loomed over him. He slowly turned his head, green eyes bare to the world. His face was scratched and scarred, but after what Techno planned to do, there wouldn't be much left to look at.

 The voices screamed . Red flushed his vision. With a swing of his fist, Dream went careening towards the water. Blood gushed from what Techno could only assume was a broken nose. It stained the water red, getting washed away.

 Dream tried to scramble away, but Techno gave no mercy. He dropped on top of the other man, throwing punch after punch. Techno hissed when Dream grabbed his hair, the sting distracting him for a split second. Dream got a few hits in, desperate with each effort to try and change the odds. Dream's face was bleeding from various cuts, caused by Techno's jewelry. Some voices grumbled at the thought of cleaning the rings, but most were crying out for more blood to be spilled.

 They both were soaking, water splashing up with every thrash from Dream. A cut on his cheek stung, along with a bruise on his side. Sunlight streamed in through cracks in the foliage above, causing the scarlet water to glisten. Dream was slower, now, chest heaving and eyes unfocused.

 HE'S GROWING WEAKER!

 SLIT HIS THROAT!

 TEAR HIS HEART OUT!

 KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIMKILL HIMKILLHIMKILLHIMKILL-

 Despite the arena worth of voices in his head, Techno did not lose focus. If anything, his mind was clearer. There was not a moment of delay between swings, not a second of relief for the man under him. Dream's eyes looked ready to pop at this point every time he tensed. A few voices yelled happily at that idea.

 Dream stared with wide eyes, blood dribbling out of his mouth. The voices laughed at his fear, and Techno could nearly imagine them smiling and pointing at the pathetic image of him in front of the pinkette. The image of Tommy's tear soaked face kept spurring Techno on.

 He wouldn't allow Tommy to stay fearful of a man so terrible. He wouldn't allow Dream to terrorise his kid anymore. He would keep Tommy close. Would protect him as he should've been all along. Today was the day Dream died, and Tommy could finally be free from the chains that weighed his mind down.

 Techno threw fist after fist, uncaring of the blood flying every which way. Dream grabbed at whatever he could, yanking and even pulling a few pink strands out with his harsh movements, but that led to him just getting punched even harder. The green eyed man gagged when Techno hit a tooth loose, starting to choke on it. Red had fully taken over Techno's vision, the voices a cacophony of screams.

 BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

 BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

 BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

 There was not a sliver of mercy to be found in Techno's action, though. If Dream hadn't wanted to give any to Theseus, then Techno wouldn't spare any now. The other man's face was bruised, greens and yellows spreading like smooth mold. He found it fitting for such a disgusting individual. Every hit he felt another crack under his hands.

 Dream tried many times to flip the two, wriggling and flopping like a fish out of water. One time he almost got Techno unbalanced, but he was far too weak to carry through with the movement. There were a couple small white teeth scattered about the leaves, and the fleeting thought of making a necklace out of them was suggested by the voices.

 WE COULD GIVE IT TO THE RUNT! A GIFT FROM THE BRUTE, HIS PROTECTOR!

 A GIFT, A GIFT, A GIFT!

 MORE BLOOD, MORE BLOOD!! FOR THE RUNT!

 FOR THE RUNT!

 FOR THE RUNT!

 FOR THE RUNT!

 By this point, Techno was past human. He had fallen completely into animalistic behavior, growling and wild with his fighting. There was no pattern, not an ounce of his regular soldier mind within. It was a terrifying sight.

 Techno didn't stop. Even when Dream stopped fighting back, even when only his chest heaved, even when that stopped- the brute didn't slow down. There was barely a face to be recognized, blood and bruise was all that was left. Techno wouldn't be able to tell you how much of the blood on his knuckles was from him, and how much was from Dream.

 Only when the sun started to set did Techno pull back and breathe. He surveyed the extent of the damage. Dream's face had been mutilated. His once dirty blond hair, now a dark brown, stuck to his forehead from the sweat and blood. To someone with a weaker stomach, this would've been a gut wrenching sight.

 To Techno, though, worse could've been done. For one of the first times in a while, the voices agree with him: Dream could be laying here without a head at all. Or be missing a finger, or hand, or- Well, the points there. Techno breathes unevenly through his nose as he inhales the scent of blood and possible midnight rain.

 A deer stumbles through the clearing, not seeing him. It swings its head up, freezing when they make eye contact. The big, round eyes remind Techno of Tommy. Terrified yet curious. The deer tilts its head, sniffs the air, and carries on. Techno lets out a breath.

 He pushes himself up, wincing at the pain in his shoulder. Crickets start their nightly orchestra. Howls of a wolf pack echo through this small forest. Taking a deep breath, he walks upstream to wash his hands clean. His hair is stained a dark red in some places, but it's nothing a little time and some potions won't fix.

 There's an itch at the back of his mind. The voices have been satiated for the time being, so it isn't them- it's almost like he's forgetting something. Looking around, his eyebrows furrow until he finds-

 Aha .

 A white mask, illuminated by only the moonlight, stares back at him. Techno gets up again, the pain in his arm more evident now. He must've thrown it out, but sadly he didn't bring a healing potion with him. He grunts as he makes his way over to the mask, glaring at the smile crudely carved and painted on.

 Squatting down, he inspects it. Many hairline cracks have spread through it, as well as chunks having broken off. Scratches and dirt litter the rough surface. New and old blood splatters sporadically cover it. Picking it up, he realised how heavy it was. Techno wondered if it was made out of clay.

 He stood up and dusted himself off. With one last glance at Dream's disintegrating body, Techno started to make his way back to the plains.

 He had his spoils of war, and a runt to take care of.

-*-

 Tommy was getting increasingly worried.

 Phil was still on his way back from his trip, having to stop due to a horde of zombies that passed through the village he stayed at. He had told them he'd be home tomorrow, and would even grab some treats as an apology. Tommy asked for a wife, as per usual.

 And Techno... Techno still wasn't back from his hunting trip. He'd said it might take him a while, but night had fallen and the dogs still hadn't let out their greeting barks. Tommy had been pacing a couple hours after Techno had left, what-if's and maybe's plaguing his thoughts.

 Then, Carl let out a neigh. Tommy's head snapped up as he creeped towards the wooden windows to cautiously peek out. With the darkness, it was a bit hard to see. From what Tommy could make out, there seemed to be... a figure. His heart skipped a  beat, and for a terrifying second, he thought Dream had found him out and was coming to finally finish him off for good.

 But Tommy knew this person. The long hair flowing behind them was a dead giveaway- Techno was finally back! Tommy ran out, not noticing the slight limp he had or the way he held his arm.

 "Tech! Big T, Blade, Techno!" Tommy shouted with joy, trying not to trip on the hordes of dogs bounding at him. Techno looked up, his features barely discernible.

 Stumbling to a stop, Tommy's joy at seeing his brother dipped in the slightest. Even with the low light, he could recognise the look of blood. That, paired with the clear disarray of Techno's hair had Tommy worriedly stomping through the snow to check on him.

 "Techno? What happened, Big T- did a polar bear maul you or something?" Trying to cover his concern with humour, he laughed, but coughed in the silence that followed. Techno just stared at him.

 "Tech? Are yo- AWUPH! " Tommy walked closer to Techno, only for the man to rush forward and pick him up. Well, more like scoop, but Tommy's pride was already damaged, alright?

 "Big man, what are you doing!?" Tommy called up to him, but was given no response. Then a thought dawned upon him.

 Craning his neck, Tommy tried to get a look at Techno's eyes to find the signature blown out pupils. It would explain his silent but frantic mood, but from what Tommy remembers, Techno only got like this after he let the voice’s take control. Add that to the list of things Wilbur was never supposed to tell me, Tommy thought somberly.

 Sadly, his efforts were to no avail. He would have to wait to get inside… which wouldn't be too long at the pace Techno was going. When the door was whipped open, Tommy had to blink a couple times to adjust. A shiver went through him at the difference in temperature, to which Techno let out a chuff and held him closer.

 I think that might be a yes to instincts, Tommy thought to himself. Suddenly, he was dropped on the couch, letting out a swear. Techno paid little mind, too busy sliding off his armour and weapons. Tommy yawned and stretched, ready to let whatever this was pass.

 A couple minutes of silence went by before Tommy started to fall asleep. A loud grunt woke him up, though, and he quickly looked up to see Techno standing above him. He was holding something white in his left hand, his grip so tight Tommy thought it might crumble, whatever it was.

 "Whatcha' got there, Blade? A gift for little ol' me?" Tommy smiled tiredly, shuffling to sit up. Techno crouched, and then sat. Tommy's eyebrows furrowed. A worm of anxiety burrowed in his gut. What could Techno have gotten that made him look and act like… this?

 Then, the thing was simply dropped on his lap. It took Tommy several minutes to process what he was even staring at. It seemed to be a misshapen circle made out of what looked to be clay with two holes poked through, a strap connected to the back with a small wooden clip to secure it. Flipping it, Tommy dropped it like it burned him.

 The front had a carved smiley face in it. One that had, for years, been haunting him. It was cracked and broken in many places, dirty to all hell, and even bloody. But the fact Techno had this at all could only mean one thing: Dream was dead.

 Tommy knew how obsessive Dream was of his mask. He knew the lengths he would go to keep it. There was no way Techno could steal this off of him, and there was no reason for him to somehow replicate it. Something like hope flared in his chest, warming all of his frozen-with-fear parts. If Dream... if he was truly dead...

 Tommy felt his eyes water, nose already stuffy from being outside. A low whine came from Techno's direction, but Tommy was too busy working through this odd sense of grief. I mean, who cries over their dead abuser?

 Techno pulled him into his lap, and Tommy felt everything break through his barriers. Tears poured down his cheeks, staining Techno's shirt where Tommy rested his head. His sobs were loud and ugly, nothing to write poetry about.

 Techno kept holding him through it all, chuffing into his hair and brushing it out. Tommy's hiccups eventually turned to giggling. Even though he and Techno would have to talk more about this tomorrow; Tommy was happy to be here with him for now.

 Dream was dead. Dream was dead! His head felt light from crying his eyes out, but his heart felt even more so. He knew deep down his healing wasn't done just because his abuser was gone, but it felt amazing to be able to breathe again. To be able to see a future of no hiding.

 Curling further into his brother, Tommy fell into a deep sleep. It was his first in many nights without any nightmares.

-*-

 The Blood God tucks his Theseus into his den. He's still missing two others, but for right now, he is comfortable with just his runt.

 They were safe, now. Techno will make sure of it. He's not one to not follow through with a promise.

-^-