alterdnbweek

[alterdnbweek]

holiday spirit

my final fic for @alterdnbweek! i'm so sorry it's a day late, i hope you enjoy.

Techno’s neck was stiff and his back was sore. If he could feel his arm, it would likely be sore as well but his arm had fallen asleep, pinned between Dream’s boney side and the floor. A blanket was haphazardly spread out beneath, all lumps, because neither of them had intended to fall asleep. He didn’t even remember falling asleep. The last thing Techno remembered clearly was laughing as Dream was lying practically on top of him, arguing about who was lamer.

With a yawn, Techno tilted his head left and then right, trying to work out the kink in his neck. Dream was still asleep, turned towards Techno, chest rising and falling steadily. A bit of drool had pooled in the corner of his mouth and his ear flicked occasionally. Techno smiled.

He’s probably gonna have one heck of a headache.

There was a headache trying to creep up on Techno. It was dancing around the edges of his vision. The sunlight that was streaming into the room, brightened by the fresh snow outside, didn’t help matters. But he hadn’t been drunk enough last for the headache to take hold and he hadn’t been drunk enough to forget Dream’s earnest response to his teasing. The pillow that they had tossed back and forth was shoved between them now. Techno lifted his free arm, flexed his fingers, and brushed them against Dream’s cheek. His fur-covered nose twitched but he didn’t open his eyes.

“Sorry, man, I really gotta pee,” Techno whispered as he carefully pulled his arm out from under Dream. It didn’t wake him though he curled up into himself further. Techno took a moment to toss the part of the blanket he’d been lying on over Dream before he stood. His knees creaked when he stood and he made a mental note not to sleep on the floor again. He ducked under some of the holiday decorations hanging in the archway between the living room and the kitchen as he headed towards the bathroom.

By the time he was done, hands still wet and smelling of soap, Dream was still asleep on the floor.

“Dream.” Crouching down next to him, Techno put a hand on Dream’s shoulder. The thought crossed his mind that it’d be kinda funny if he splashed some cold water on him but the look on Dream’s face last night when that confession had slipped out stopped him. Techno gently shook him. “Wakey wakey, Dream.”

One green eye opened and then the other.

“Huh…?”

Sleep was making him slow and it took him a moment to assess the situation, pushing himself up and looking around. A piece of his hear had fallen in front of his face and Techno reached out to brush it back. Dream watched him.

“I said, it’s time to wake up. You’re sleepin’ right in the middle of my floor,” said Techno, hand lingering near Dream’s shoulder as he fully sat upright with a yawn.

“Your—” Another yawn. This one was followed by a disgruntled noise. “Your eggnog sucks, Techno. I feel like shit.”

Techno laughed, doing his best to keep his volume low though it still earned him a feigned dirty look from Dream.

“I don’t think it was the eggnog’s fault, man.”

Looking over at the mug he had shoved under the bookshelf last night (it was now knocked over and pushed further back and if they had taken a closer look, they would’ve found fox fur sticking to it), Dream shrugged.

“Whatever,” he said and held out a hand. Techno took it immediately, lacing their fingers together. A bemused smile twitched across Dream’s face. “Help me up.”

Techno’s cheeks were hot and bright red. He should have known that’s what Dream meant. In hindsight it was obvious. He cleared his throat and stood, pulling Dream up with him.

“Right, right. I knew that.”

Dream wobbled a little, leaning into Techno’s side. He was leaning more than Techno thought was needed, even with the cloud of sleep and eggnog induced hangover clinging to him. A curse was muttered under Dream’s breath about the prosthetic leg before he straightened and looked at Techno. It was the perfect chance for Dream to tease him but that would mean coming very close to acknowledging what had happened last night.

“You—You definitely didn’t,” said Dream.

Both of Techno’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t been expecting that.

“Y’know what, you’re right, Dream. I did think you wanted to hold my hand.”

Now it was Dream’s turn to blush, pink and splotchy beneath the thin layer of tan fur.

“Oh my god.”

He had nothing else to say to that and Techno grinned. The fire had gone out – Techno hadn’t planned to fall asleep and so hadn’t put a log or two on – and a slight chill crept into the room. Still leaning into him, Dream was warm and Techno smiled.

“How about I make you some tea?” he asked. “It might help with your headache.”

There was a moment of hesitation and Techno knew that he was debating denying the existence of the headache that was obvious in the way Dream was squinting and his ears were pressed flat. But he nodded, loop his arm around Techno’s. It wasn’t far to the kitchen but Dream’s gait was stiff and he stopped to yawn. Techno glanced up then nudged Dream lightly with his shoulder.

“Look, Dream. Mistletoe.”

Dream’s ears shot forward and he looked up.

“What!? Why—You put mistletoe up?”

The mistletoe was hanging down in the middle of the doorway, between garlands of sweetberry branches. A few red and green plaid bows that had Niki’s distinct flair where nestled in the leaves as well. Techno vaguely remembered helping to hang the garland but if had noticed the mistletoe then, he didn’t remember. He also wasn’t that upset about it.

“It’s a tradition,” said Techno.

“It’s stupid,” said Dream. His cheeks were still pink.

Techno lowered his head just a little.

“It’s festive. C’mon, where’s your holiday spirit?”

The way Dream rolled his eyes with a huff was expected. Techno had seen that exact expression on Dream’s face dozens of times and he never got tired of the amused, mischievous glint in Dream’s eyes that came with it. The crooked grin that his scarred mouth was pulled into was also expected and it was another thing that Techno never got tired of, that after everything, he still found reasons to smile. What was unexpected was the kiss.

Dream tilted his chin up, grin still on his face, and pressed his mouth against Techno’s. It took Techno a second. A noise of surprise tried to work its way out of his throat but he pressed a hand against Dream’s side, carefully tugging him closer, and kissed him back. The kiss tasted like morning breath and old eggnog and cinnamon and Techno could have kissed him just like that forever. The slow, hesitant way Dream finally pulled back made Techno think he felt the same way.

“How’s—How’s that for holiday spirit.”

Techno laughed.

“Smooth, Dream,” he said and kissed him again.

[alterdnbweek]

And hereby, the DNB christmas event of 2024 is over!

The Sub DNB week staff would like to thank everybody for creating such unique and amazing works <3

Our thanks to:

@thenaiads for your sweet little ficlets, art, for submitting Luck and Bosster's art, and for helping run this event, very appreciated <3 @dreamingwithtechno for your cute fics and adorable art @nbofvoid for your amazing fics @ambardiamond for your very cute art @simplepotatofarmer for your epic stories @crivalsduo for your heartfelt and unique fics @carnatus89 for your adorable comics and great art @aemossart for your amazing art @blueinkphantom for your cute ficlets and even prettier art @monsterritory for your adorable style and art @cleofast300 for your pretty art and for blowing up my notifs/pos @aisharain for your amazing oneshot book on AO3

and to Luck and Bosster from the DNB discord for their art and for participating this year!!

All of you have created such masterpieces that we really adored, it was an amazing event with even more amazing art and stories written. The AO3 collection and the event tag has been filled by this community to reminisce and we would like to thank you all.

Thank you for participating, thank you for taking the time to add to this fandom. A merry christmas and a happy New Year to everybody, and may we see each other in a new event in 2025

[alterdnbweek]

Day 6: first date; dancing

Credits go to my friend “Bosstermeomeo” from Discord

Notes from the author:

I followed the setup of these two people saying their love confessions frankly, so I was quite confused on how to draw the first date. Like, you both understand each other, are together, and experience most of the things other couples usually do. so I think a light, simple date would probably be needed for them. After much thinking, I decided to redraw Dream and Techno going to the beach to watch the sunset and accidentally saw a nest of turtle eggs. It’s related to the detail where Techno once asked Dream to look after turtle eggs with him (I don’t know if I’m misremembering someone else).

[alterdnbweek]

Day 24: stuck together; embarrassment Day25: mistletoe; first kiss

@alterdnbweek

[alterdnbweek]

It's Cold Outside

Written for the dreamnblade christmas event @alterdnbweek is holding this year.

Day 24 Prompts: Stuck Together; Embarrassment

Happy National Eggnog day everyone! Grab some if you can and enjoy it spiked or not. Oh, and happy Christmas Eve if you celebrate.

Just a quick note for how this au works: admins on their own servers get a permanent 'perk' that removes any weather or environmental affects they might encounter. Others on the server are still affected by it, though.

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Dream is wandering around, trying to find any hidden spots that he'll have to take care of before the others find them. In the very start, he didn't care as much if they did find things, but with the many, many wars that have started over near anything, he doesn't want to risk them getting their hands on something that would cause even more destruction. L'Manberg alone is taking weeks to repair and that was just some tnt and two withers that were taken care of pretty quickly. He doesn't want to think what would happen if they get a hold of something more powerful.

He's focused on his map, trying to figure out where the hell one of the markers is when snowflakes start landing on it. He frowns, brushes them off and hunches over the map more to block more from landing. It's always a risk when traveling through the colder regions, but these flakes are refusing to stop and he's constantly brushing them off.

Sighing, he looks up and-

Oh.

Well... being in the middle of a blizzard probably explains why the snow kept landing on his map. It's impossible to see anything specific through the white swirling around. The map is going to be useless and he vanishes it back to his inventory to free his hands. He holds them in front of his eyes, trying to spot anything he might be able to hide in. There was a village marked on the map earlier and he's pretty sure he's still close to it. He just has to hope he's heading in the right way.

Dream's careful as he walks, pressing under the few trees he comes across to mark them in case he does start going in circles. He doesn't come across the same marks and what feels like a hours later, he finally spots a building barely visible in contrast to the white whipping all around him. He beelines straight for it, spotting a few fences around and launches up the staircase at the first door he sees.

It's heavy and hard to shove open, but he gets it open and man. Dream might not be affected by the weather like the others thanks to being the admin, but the cold is not fun. Neither is being covered in snow.

He starts brushing the piles of snow off himself, muttering curses as he watches the pile at his feet grow. This is a damn strong storm and he hopes it-

Cold metal presses into his throat and he goes very, very still. His eyes track along the sword to the hand holding it and up to Techno glaring at him.

They stare at each other for a long moment until he finally breaks it, "Uh, nice storm going on?"

"Why the fuck are you here?" Techno demands, an ear flicking.

"I was just taking a walk! And I didn't notice the weather turning," he says, seriously wondering if he should just dive out the nearby window. His neck might be cut open because of how hard it's pressed to him, but it's probably better than staying where he's not welcome.

On the other hand, does he really want to run blindly through this blizzard with an actively bleeding neck wound and no clue where he's going? Might be better to just wait. If Techno kills him, he'll respawn out of the blizzard and if for some reason Techno decides he can stay, cool.

"You aren't walking back through this," Techno huffs, lowering the sword and turning back to the counters covered in potion ingredients.

Dream blinks, "Um, what?"

"You already got lost in this storm once. Do you really want to do that again? Because I will dig out my comm and message everyone that you did."

"I was trying to read my map! I didn't notice the storm coming in!"

Techno stares at him, "So you're saying your awareness of things around you is that bad?"

Dream opens and closes his mouth wanting to argue that he does have awareness of what's going on around him, but then Techno will just go back to mocking him for getting lost in the storm.

Techno hums, looking down at whatever he was in the middle of doing, "You're going to want to get out of those clothes before you get sick."

"That's not how that works," he mutters, carefully taking a few steps further into the room. "I'll be fine."

The building doesn't look bad. Is pretty nice, actually, though it is definitely built with only a single person living here in mind. Chests crowd most of one wall, the kitchen another, a small living room consisting of a single chair, lamp, side table, and rug, and a ladder that connects to two trap doors leading up and down. He's not sure about the lower level, but the upper floor can't be that big given what he quickly saw from outside and this room.

"Then you're standing there until you dry off," Techno says. "You aren't ruining my property value by destroying my stuff."

He nods slowly and turns to stare out the window. There's not much out there. Just a huge curtain of whites and greys that shows no sign of breaking. He squints at it, pulling out his map to check what kind of biome they're in. If it's just a taiga, the storm isn't going to last that long, but- This is a tundra plain. It could last for several days.

He vanishes the map again and resumes staring out the window. The thunking of a knife comes from behind him as Techno works with the various ingredients. Dream shifts, his clothes sticking to him oddly as they dry unevenly and he starts looking at all the things in the room again. There's a few small things he didn't note before - a few plants tucked against a different window, a basket with balls of what looks like yarn shoved almost behind the single chair - but there's nothing that holds his attention for long so he finds himself staring at Techno's hands as he cuts up various ingredients.

It's interesting to watch him work with something that requires a more delicate hand. Dream's only had the chance to see him ready for a fight before, never in this kind of domestic situation.

The knife gets very close to Techno's knuckles, but it never nicks him even when the ingredient he's working with is small. He doesn't pause at any point except to grab a new one and adjust it to the correct position and Dream is fascinated as he watches even when Techno puts down the knife and grabs some other tool already prepared on the counter. This one he dumps a bit of the ingredients into and starts smashing it with a rounded stick. Each time he's done, he dumps the remains into a glass vial.

Techno stretches, arms reaching above his head almost to the ceiling and Dream tears his eyes away from the shirt sleeves that road down enough to reveal solid muscles underneath.

"...Okay, you're dry," Techno says and his head snaps right back. "I'll get you a spare bed to use down here. Don't look through anything, got it."

And he vanishes up the ladder leaving Dream alone on the bottom floor. He can hear movement above him, some faint muttering, and then the heavy shifting of wood paneling as Techno descends. A bed is dropped right in front of the door and he looks between it and Techno.

"Are you really using me as a blockade to protect yourself?" he asks.

Techno stares back at him, "Which one of us got lost in a blizzard and is squatting in the other's house?"

He squints behind his mask, "...Touche."

Techno snorts, waves at the bed, and turns back to the counter where he starts packing all of the things he was using away. The tools are set in a bucket under one of the counters, but all of the ingredients are vanished into his own inventory and he heads downstairs with them.

Dream is sitting on the bed when he comes back up, not bothering to look at him as he locks the lower trapdoor and climbs up the ladder to what has to be his bedroom. He blows out a breath, looking around for a moment before tucking himself into bed. This isn't the worst place to be stuck in during a storm no matter how long it might last.

-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----

(Dream will forever deny that he wakes up the next day coughing and sneezing and shivering under the heavy blankets with Techno staring down at him with a raised eyebrow. He will refuse to acknowledge when Techno mocks him for thinking staying in wet clothes after being in a blizzard for who knows how long. Though he will, quietly when no one else is around, admit that Techno is really good at taking care of someone when they're sick.)

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AU Notes:

as mentioned at the top, admins aren't affected by things like the cold. they can still get sick if they spend close to an hour wandering around in a blizzard and refuse to take off their soaking wet close or to warm up.

this au takes place sometime after techno moves to the tundra, but before other events such as tommy's exile and the butcher army. i'd say it's up for interpenetration if things change or not because of this, but it is at least very possible the butcher army arc is derailed.

I am intending to get tomorrow's fic posted hopefully in the morning as well, though it might be later depending on how long it takes me to proofread it and in case anything happens to come up. I'm also planning a little bit of a christmas surprise so keep an eye out :)

[alterdnbweek]

The Holiday Party

Written for the dreamnblade christmas event @alterdnbweek is holding this year.

Day 25 Prompts: Mistletoe; First Kiss

Last day! I hope everyone enjoyed this event as much as I did. I'm also really pleased with myself, because this is the first time I've ever been able to complete something like this!

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The party is in full swing, everyone laughing, talking, playing games, and enjoying the various drinks and snacks laid out over nearly every available surface in the living room, dining room, and kitchen. Music is playing across the whole area barely able to be heard over the general din from all the people in the area. Everyone Dream knows is here plus several that he recognizes, but doesn't know as well. Decorations are everywhere, shimmering faintly with the enchantments worked into them like hugs, fist bumps, piggy back rides, and games of rock, paper, scissors.

He takes another sip from his mulled wine, watching a game of monopoly getting very intense as Purpled buys the last plot that Tommy needed for one of the sections and Wilbur has to grab his shirt collar to stop him from launching over the table. It's also broken three alliances and all of them are arguing with each other to build new ones as George lifts the 'bank' off the table to avoid the flailing limbs of the players as they fight.

Sapnap lifts Quackity into a hug as the duck shrieks to be let down. Karl is laughing nearby as the they wander into the kitchen past the poinsettias on the hallway shelves. Schlatt is already passed out on one of the armchairs and Puffy and Nikki are drawing on his face with what Dream hopes is washable marker. Bad is holding his and Skeppy's plate of food near the tree as they chat with Ant and Alyssa. Phil is perched on the back of the couch, chin perched on his wife's head as she shows him something on her phone. Punz and Sam are glaring at each other over a deck of cards and random items they've pulled from their pockets. Many of them posting small homemade decorations all around the walls they can reach or grabbing taller individuals like Techno to get them higher.

He downs the last of his wine, head a touch dizzy from the four glasses he's had pressed into his hands as well as the adult eggnog that was shoved on him nearly as soon as he entered the house.

It's been about three hours since he got here and he is feeling the strain of being around so many people that he's had to interact with plus the alcohol. Dream doesn't hate any of them, loves that they can have this kind of get together, but it's getting a bit much. He glances around and no one is looking his way. Not his friends who have passed over the wine when he finished his previous drinks or the others who are distracted by the rest of the goings on. He slips off his stool, weaving at the edges of the various enchanted decorations, and out the door onto the covered patio faintly illuminated by the string lights. It's a shock compared to the warmth from inside and he tugs his hoodie closer to his body and hoping he can last long enough without his heavier coat.

Dream breaths out, watching the cloud of air wisp into the night sky. It's already quieter out here than inside and he leans against the balcony railing with a faint sigh. Maybe he should stick to non-alcoholic drinks for the rest of the night.

"Needed a break?" Techno's voice comes way to close to him and he almost jumps out of his skin.

He looks up and Techno is just staring up at the sky, "Yeah. Just kind of a lot after a couple hours. You?"

"Same. Chat doesn't help with it either. They're really excited by everyone who's here," Techno says, turning to look down at him. The chill air has made his cheeks turn faintly red to complement the pink hair pulled into a ponytail. "Kind of loud, though, so they're in time out."

He grins, "Sorry for interrupting then. I can head back in-?"

Techno's already shaking his head, "It's good. They like Phil more than you anyway."

"What. How could they," he gasps, clutching at his chest in mock hurt. "I will refuse to ring their bell until they take that back."

Techno throws his head back, laughter spilling from him and Dream is stuck staring at his gorgeousness until he remembers that he shouldn't be and firmly forces his eyes back over the snow filled backyard.

"Man, they are begging you to take that back," he chuckles, shaking his head and he tracks the motion of the hair as it moves. "And offering a lot of things I know they won't follow through with."

He blinks, "...Like what?"

"Somehow dropping Tommy into the frozen lake."

Dream squints, looks out across the backyard, "What lake?"

"No clue. They haven't decided. Or figured out how they're going to get me to do it."

It takes a moment for him to remember that Chat isn't corporeal, but he laughs once he does. He stops as a strong gust blows through and he pulls his hoodie closer. Damn. He doesn't want to go back in yet, but with the wind, he might have to.

Something heavy lands on his shoulders. He glances down to see brilliant red fabric draped over his arms and pooling on the ground at his feet. Dream looks up, spotting Techno staring at him without his cloak and he ducks his head into the warm ruff around the edge. "Thanks."

"No problem."

He stands there, silence coiling around them before a thought jumps into his head.

"Are you enjoying the party so far?" he asks, peaking over the ruff.

Techno hums, "It's alright. Definitely not the worst I've been to, but doesn't reach the best by a long shot."

"Oh? What was the best? Did it have a tournament of games or something?"

"It was Kristen and Phil's elopement," he says and Dream chokes.

"I thought they had a wedding? I distinctly remember seeing pictures of a wedding," he says digging though his memory because he does recall seeing Nikki and Wilbur talking about wedding pictures and Phil and Kristen were in them.

"Yeah, they did, but they eloped first. Everyone was pissed off and trying to find them so I got to play roadblock. It's fun being able to look someone right in the eye and tell them straight up lies that they aren't sure are true or not."

"I want to hear that story now. It sounds so much more intresting than their wedding."

"Sure. Come over some time and I'll trap Phil to make him tell you the whole thing."

Dream huffs, hiding his grin in the cloak, "Does next week sometime work?"

"Hm. We'll see. Do you not have anything else planned?"

"Not really. Just making sure everything is set up for the start of the year and that there aren't going to be any issues. I really do not want to start the year having to mediate an argument over who owns a chicken or a divorce."

"That would be annoying. Just take the chicken and disappear into the tundra."

"Pft. Not all of us are you, Techno."

Techno chuckles and Dream feels so much warmer. Not just from the borrowed cloak, but talking with Techno and getting him to laugh. It's the best thing he can imagine doing at any point no matter what the situation might be. It's Techno who is kind, skilled in everything he does, amazing in general, and Dream wants to be with him forever in any way he can.

There's another gust of wind that manages to cut through the cloak and sends them both shivering. Only this time, it doesn't ease off, roaring through the area and sending the shutters around rattling against the house.

"We should head back inside," Techno says, squinting against the freezing wind. "This feels like a front starting to come in."

He nods, watching his breath cloud be ripped away as quickly as it leaves. They turn back to the door, Techno half reaching out for the handle when he pauses with a small 'heh?' staring at something above them.

Dream frowns, following his gaze and there's a sprig of mistletoe over them.

His face burns, mind flashing on what it would be like to actually kiss Techno before the full situation hits his brain. This wouldn't be something Techno would want to do. It'd be something he's forced to otherwise they won't be able to leave each other's side and be stuck with the plant hanging out above them. It's basically forcing the man into something he doesn't want to do and who's idea was it to hang up mistletoe?!

"Um. What, what kind of, um, kiss works for you?" he starts doing his best to not look at Techno. "I don't really care. I'm good with, with anything but you shouldn't feel uncomfortable or pressured for anything. I think even like a hand kiss works. I'm pretty sure Eret mentioned that when I asked-"

Warm lips press against his cheek and he freezes, staring at Techno as he pulls back, a small, soft smile resting on his lips and gorgeous red eyes that are glowing with affection under the fairy lights around them.

"No need to panic, yeah? 's all good," Techno says.

He stares, "You- You what?"

"I took care of the mistletoe," he says. His expression furrows into concern, "Did that make you uncomfortable?"

"No!" he says way to loud it feels like and he swallows before continuing, "I just, why my cheek?"

Techno shrugs, "Cause I felt like it. We can just forget it happened. Not like anyone else saw it so it to bring up later."

And he knows Techno is telling the truth. Chat would have let him know otherwise and there's no indication of that happening as he stares up with a burning face.

"It's, it's fine," he manages to get out then his mouth doesn't stop: "I liked it. It's good. Real good."

Techno blinks, the concern clearing and shifting back to the soft affection Dream could have sworn was just his imagination, "So, would you be more interested in coming over to watch movies for the rest of the night?"

Dream smiles back, "Sure."

Techno grabs his hand - still ridiculously warm even with the freezing and falling temperatures - and they head out. He can't bring himself to care about if the others are going to notice them missing or what they might think or do at that point. Right now, Techno's hand is entwined with Dream's own, they're going to watch movies together, and maybe, just maybe, he'll have a date for the new years.

-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----

("Wait, four years?!"

"Yeah. It's been Chat's favorite thing to poke me with."

"...Not Phil or Wilbur or Tommy?"

"Nah. Phil wouldn't dare and Wilbur and Tommy don't pay enough attention to notice."

"Sure, your friends leave you alone and mine make fun of me every time they know we're even going to be in the same general area."

"...Is that why you've been acting weird and avoiding me? I thought I did something."

"...I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"Aw. You're soft for me.")

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I hope all of you enjoyed! Have a lovely day, stay safe out there, and have as much fun as you legally can!

[alterdnbweek]

Smoke and Salt

Written for the dreamnblade christmas event @alterdnbweek is holding this year.

Day 22 Prompts: Royalty AU; Loyal Knight

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The smoke is visible several minutes before they are even close to the port. Puffy's ordering the crew to push the boat as fast as they can and to gather up arms in case of battle. Dream is clinging to one of the ropes linked to the bowsprit, XD on the opposite side as they watch the approaching visage of the burning city their sister and brother are trapped in.

As soon as they are close enough to jump from the ship, they do, dashing into the city as others are screaming and running the other way. Puffy is behind them as they head toward the palace.

Everything is chaotic around them. People are screaming and crying. Some wearing the same insignia are hunting them as they try to run. It tickles something in the back of Dream's head, but he doesn't have the time to think about it. Not when things are only getting worse as they keep trying to get closer to the palace. The fire, rubble, and corpses are blocking the paths they can take and that means it's blocking Tubbo and Drista in turn.

"I think there's one path that might be okay," Puffy yells, turning on her heel and he and XD fall into step behind her.

Some of the crew cross paths with them, but neither group stops to acknowledge the other. This way is just as destroyed as the others but Puffy doesn't pause as she keeps leading them through the burning city.

There's a way too familiar scream and Dream speeds up. Passes Puffy and XD easily as he takes a turn to see Drista holding Tubbo as a group of the attackers is closing in on them. Someone is standing between them, but Dream doesn't care. Not when his mind is racing trying to figure out how he's going to stop his brother and sister from being hurt or killed.

They're too far, though. The attackers are too close. A sword is already swinging down to tear through flesh. He pushes himself faster, but he can already feel blood spraying his face because he's too late-

Metal screeches against metal as a fully geared knight steps in and shoves the closest one into another. The sword keeps going to decapitate a third and the knight's momentum keeps going to knock the fourth off their feet completely. The sword flips, stabbing through one and is pulled out to rip through the throat of another. The last goes down missing their head as well and Dream narrowly loses his own as he stumbles to a stop next to his siblings.

Furious red eyes stare out from behind the helmet in a familiar face he's never been scared of before, but he just watched Techno kill four people in less than six seconds.

Techno blinks, fury clearing as the sword lowers and Dream rasps in a breath as he tries to figure out what the fuck is going on. Techno isn't a fighter as far as he knows. He's a traveler who stops into the marketplace to try and find medicine for his brother. When the hell did he become a knight?

"You have a ship, right?" Techno asks, looking over Dream's shoulder as he drops a blond kid to the ground.

He glances down, seeing them staring back up at him with way too bright eyes.

"Yeah, who the fuck are-" Puffy starts only to be cut off by Drista pleading, "We need to go. We can't stay."

"Fine," she sighs. Dream snaps his head toward the two, mind running to figure out the best way to get them out of here.

"Theseus, you're going with them," Techno says.

"What! No! I'm helping fight!"

Tubbo whimpers as Drista is shifting him over to Dream and the blond kid's mouth snaps shut, staring up at him. They look back at Techno with a scowl, "Fine."

He glances again at Techno who's looking over his shoulder back toward the castle, then runs. Drista is behind him and somehow the blond kid is keeping pace as well and there is no time o think bout how they're able to do that. not when the attackers are still around every corner.

He can hear Puffy and XD yelling behind them, voices growing faint as he covers as much distance as possible and leaves them behind. He doesn't hear anything from Techno and he hopes that whatever is going on he's okay.

Dream gets to the boat first, yelling for the signal cannon to be fired as he lets Tubbo down to the deck. Drista stumbles onto the deck after him hunching over to catch her breath. More of the crew stream on board and go straight to the tasks that need to be done to set out. Puffy and XD are in the middle of it, coming over to join them as soon as they're spotted.

"That knight said he'd cover our retreat," Puffy says. She focuses on Tubbo as she adds, "He's following us."

He bites his tongue as Tubbo relaxes and is drawn away by XD and Drista to stay under the deck. As soon as they're out of earshot, Puffy says, "He said to leave if he's not here by the time the last one gets back. I'm giving him some leeway, but I'm not going to risk any of you."

"Mom-" he starts and she glares at him.

"I'm not arguing about this. These attackers are not like what we see on the sea. They were after Schlatt's blood specifically," she says. "So, you're going to go below deck and stay there until I come get you. Tell XD the same and feel free to knock him out if needed."

He wants to argue, but she's wearing the expression that has made her a terror to face on the sea and he reluctantly vanishes below the deck with a final look at the still burning city. It's not hard to find them and he slips inside, lowering the barricade with a bang that's covered by starting cannon fire.

"Why did you lock the door?" XD asks.

"Mom's orders," he says staring at him with a dare to argue. He feels too tense. Ready to snap at anything that might happen.

XD doesn't. Only hesitates for a moment before sitting on a box. Drista is keeping Tubbo close - he can hear her murmuring something in the breaks of cannons, but he has to turn his attention to the blond kid as he curls way too sharp nails into Dream's wrist.

"...What," he says after what feels like minutes staring at each other.

Blue eyes squint up at him, eyebrows furrowing as the kid clearly thinks about something. No answer comes as the kid lets him go with a huff of air and goes to curl up next to Tubbo and Drista.

The ship rocks, swaying as it releases from the dock and the yelling shifts above them. Turns to the familiar sounds of leaving ports they've either ransacked or were turned in at. It's impossible to hear anything specific about any one person above the din of voices, cannons, and spells whizzing by them. He keeps hold of the lock bar as the ship sways erratically and forces his mind away from wondering if Techno managed to get to the ship.

The sounds of battle fade away eventually. Dream can't help counting his breaths as he waits for some sign they can come out. It feels forever before Puffy's boots are making their way along the outside. He glances at XD and pushes the bar up at his nod.

She opens it, leaning against the doorway and looking at them, "...You can come up."

The blond kid almost blots into the hallway only to freeze two steps away from the door and looking back in at Tubbo who's sticking close to Drista as she stands. She and Tubbo stick to the middle as they go up, Puffy in front, while he and XD cover the back. The blond kid keeps rushing ahead several steps before stumbling to a stop and staring at them with obvious contempt at their pace.

Dream looks toward the shore as he exits. Smoke is still filling the horizon and he looks away from it to avoid thinking about what happened.

"Blade!" the blond kid yells, bolting past and launching himself at Techno.

He stares wide eyed at the man who's getting his arm wrapped by a pink-haired woman he doesn't recognize.

Techno's not wearing the helmet and the torso armor anymore and looks more like the man Dream knows from tavern corner conversations and hours wandering the market stalls in the city. From discussions about what exotic plant or material Dream happened to snag on their last excursion and how Techno's brother is doing.

He's laughing as he tugs the blond kid into his side, ruffling the wild hair and ignoring the shrieks as the kid tries to lash at his bare skin.

Dream's mind turns. The skill Techno showed in the city, the focus on making sure Tubbo was safe first and foremost, what the blond kid called him-

He wasn't expecting the guy he thought was a traveler and has a massive crush on to be the same person as Tubbo's personal knight.

**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**

AU Notes:

dream and xd are twins, drista is their older half sister, and tubbo a younger half brother. dream is the closest to tubbo because he's too young to leave the palace and dream is the least likely to try and kill their collective father.

puffy is a pirate and is only willing to come back to the city in the first place so the kids can have a relationship. she does not like her ex and it's a very tense truce between them that allows it to happen.

the visits always happened to coincided with when techno had time off so he never connected that techno who he met in the marketplace was the same as blade who tubbo likes talking about.

Sorry about getting this one out late. Not sure when I'll have the one for today out, but I plan to get it out today if nothing comes up.

[alterdnbweek]

@alterdnbweek's dnb xmas event day 22 prompt: royalty AU

rumour says... the King spends his nights with his loyal Knight...

(not depicted, but imagined, to set the scene: Techno's matching gold ring, Dream's missing leg, Techno's filthy shoes on the bed...)

[alterdnbweek]

Pain isn't Something to Handle Alone

Written for the dreamnblade christmas event @alterdnbweek is holding this year.

Day 23 Prompts: Sick Day; Relaxing

I'm so happy to have this one up now, just two more days to go of the event! Again, not sure if they'll wind up posted on the same day or separate, but they will be posted.

**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**

Waking up is a horrid experience.

Not caused by Chat this time, but his midsection and head actively trying to make him want to die. Or maybe gut himself. He's not going to be picky right now.

He rolls out of his nest, blankets tangled around his feet as he stumbles into the wall. He presses against it, most of his weight being held up by it as he bumps into everything as he fumbles into his bathroom. It's somehow a relief to use the bathroom and the absolute worst thing he can imagine as he clutches his head, gritting his teeth as his head pound with every sound around him. Even his breathing is painful.

Chat murmurs through his head. A low, vibrating 'e' that is the least painful thing he's hearing at the moment.

He does his best to focus on that as he again stumbles his way back to his nest. He falls into it, tripping over his blankets and face planting against his pillows. The pressure is nice. Easing the migraine spearing across his head.

Everything still hurts. His stomach twisting on itself, cramping with every inhale even as he curls around himself. The sounds of the outside scratch across his brain. He breathes slowly, keeps his head pressed into his pillow, and focuses on the 'e'.

He flinches as he hears a door closing. It feels like it slams right next to his head and rings through it over and over and over. But nothing else follows it so he relaxes back into the little comfort he gets for now.

Only for a knock to hit on his door.

Techno whimpers, curls tighter as he reaches blindly around him. Spikes are crashing against each other in his head and he needs something to muffle the noise. He can't stand this. Not the echoing knock. Not the call of his name. Not the very faint creak of wood under feet as someone gets closer.

His fingers curl into a pillow, dragging it back and shoving it over his head. The steps have stopped near him and normally they wouldn't have even seen him as vulnerable as resting in his nest, but he feels like such crap right now he can't care about who it might be. Death might be something of a relief, frankly.

There's another voice soft enough it doesn't make his head hurt asking, "Are you alright?"

He grunts quickly, not able to do anything else because everything he does is too much. Moving, speaking, thinking, breathing-

"Can I help?" the same voice asks still as soft and he doesn't care. He can't.

There's a light hum then fingers running in a simple pattern along his skin. It helps his head drift alongside the 'e' from Chat. The cramps and pain don't vanish, but it's easier to deal with.

He's drifting enough that he barely even registers the door creaking again as the fingers vanish. It doesn't feel long before they're back, a closer warm presence solid at his back and

 the fingers are on his aching skin again. Only this time they aren’t a soothing pattern. They’re tugging him. Moving him and each motion hurts.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but you need to eat something. I promise you won’t have to do anything else.”

He somehow winds up pressed into solid, warm muscle. The position doesn’t do much for his pounding head or the cramps tearing his insides apart, but it’s nice on his aching skin and they’ve stopped moving him.

Something is pressed against his lips - “C’mon. Just a sip or two.” - and he reluctantly opens his mouth. Liquid moves down his throat and he whines as soon as he can. He doesn’t want to do that again even if his stomach feels minusculy better. Even as another spoonful is pressed on him and they sooth, cajole, and rub his skin, he’s barely willing to swallow it.

Luckily they only do that twice more before stopping. Their voice keeps murmuring, fingers running through his hair, rubbing at his back in repetitive motions. They’re hitting the perfect spots to ease all of the aches and pains and it’s somehow making his migraine ease the bit he needs to fall asleep.

-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----

Techno wakes hazily at a sharp whisper a bit too close to his ear.

His eyes barely open enough to see that particular shade he’s only ever seen Dream wear and the man himself turned as far as he can be to avoid disturbing Techno's position curled beside him and pressing into his side. There's no one else in the room, though, and he grumbles. He doesn't like that he woke up for nothing.

Dream's voice trails off and carefully nudges his head to a new position. Fingers run through his hair again, over his back in gentle motions. It's nice and he sighs as he relaxes again.

"Please, Sapnap?" Dream hiss-whispers again. "I have no clue what I'm doing."

There's a response, but it's too low and garbled by static for him to bother trying to figure out and drifts off.

-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----_____-----

Dream doesn't leave. Instead he brings gentle foods and drinks, rubs at his scalp and skin in all the spots that relieve the pain, and lets him press against Dream's side. Techno can feel his nest moving around occasionally and the smell of candles that warm the room beyond the magma blocks sealed under him. All of it is helping with the pain he's usually in. Even the somewhat disastrous bath Dream tried to help with. It's was nice, but almost falling down the stairs from a sudden cramp was not.

Techno wakes up slowly, the pain a barely there ache as he shifts next to the warm spot next to him. It's the first time he's actually been comfortable in a week and there's nothing that needs his immediate attention. He can take the chance to just exist.

Chat doesn't take long to realize he's feeling better. A few start welcoming him back which quickly grows to most of them and then they're all stumbling over themselves to tell him everything that happened while he was out. It's nice to have the confirmation that they're still okay even if he knows they aren't affected by mundane, mortal things.

He shifts, stretching out more than before and feeling his joints and spine crack. He squints his eyes open, looking to the side because he's been moving around a lot and he's pretty sure Dream was reacting to everything over the last several days.

The answer becomes clear instantly. Dream is passed out next to him, breathing even and Chat is cooing 'sleepwastaken' over and over and over. Techno huffs and carefully extracts himself from the nest while making sure that Dream is tucked in and undisturbed. He pads down to the kitchen, debating what supplies he has that should still be usable. Making Dream breakfast is the least he can do to thank the guy for making the past week more bearable.

He pulls down a pan and starts looking through his cabinets when he pauses as a vague memory and Chat's rambling descriptions register. "Hey, Chat? Any ideas for annoying Sapnap?"

That sends them into a tizzy and he smirks to himself as all of them start dumping their ideas.

**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**

AU Notes:

techno has piglin blood - leaning towards full-blooded, but he can be seen as a hybrid - but that comes with interesting biological consequences since the nether is a very different place from the overworld. in this one, it's a full week once a year where it feels like his body is trying to kill him.

dream had no clue what he was going on or expected to find techno out of commission. he was seriously worried techno might be turning into a zombie before he got the general idea of what was happening.

don't worry, the most that's going to happen to sapnap is all of his furniture is glued to the ceiling.

[alterdnbweek]

DnB December prompts @alterdnbweek

Day 22: Royalty AU, Loyal knight

This one is probably my favourite and the last one I made. Alongside drawings :D

Most knew him as the Golden Knight. It started with his looks, radiant smile, sun-kissed skin and golden curly locks that looked like molten gold. He has heard it all, from whispered adoration to outright shouting it in his face as he passed. He doesn’t really care, he never cared about his looks in the first place, he just was lucky in that regard.

The title really stuck when his name came with the position of his job. As the personal guard of the prince of the Antarctic Empire, next on the line to become the king, he faced difficulties in order to protect the young prince. He was pitied, no one wanted to deal with the troublemaker that was the pink-haired man, no one could try to reign his thirst for adventure and escapades. He was the Golden Knight, because he was the only one who could keep up with the prince and keep him safe.

It makes him laugh.

What Golden Boy? A street rat who was picked from the lowest a human could get. Who had to fight tooth and nail for a bite of food, in order to survive to fight the next day. One who had the brand of his previous master branded on his back, a smiley face that he adopted as his own mark when he tore out that bastard's neck with his own teeth. Ah, what a good, sweet young man, who no one suspects that each scar on his body was erased with the most obscure and taboo magic known in the realms. If they knew, his head would be on a pike, his body paraded and his name dragged to the mud. He’s not some perfect little soldier, he’s a murderer, previously a slave, a necromancer. He’s nothing but the monster parents warn their children at night.

And the prince? The one people think of as spoiled rotten, all his deeds forgotten, rude and condescending? What a joke.

That man is the only one who deserves his loyalty, his sword and shield, his protection. Even if he doesn’t need it.

That prince is the only one he can’t defeat.

The future king is a powerful man, both in political power and raw strength. He doesn’t talk much, less to other royals and nobles. Of course those pompous people think of him as rude when he just leaves a conversation when he loses interest. He works on his physical power, training day and night, just to be the best warrior there is. The prince told him one day that he wishes to be able to just run and fight for his survival, to fight and fight until his final breath. To be able to bathe in the glory and blood of his enemies, to embrace the violence that courses through his veins. To lose himself in the blood.

He laughed that time. To think he was serving a lunatic.

But he respected his strength, his words weren’t empty, he never made a proclamation or a promise that he knew he couldn’t comply with. In his world, promises were everything, so knowing this man would always say his truth, even when it isn’t pretty, was refreshing.

He knew that when he asked to join him as his personal guard after who knows how many times they encountered each other and fought, he knew he could say no. He wasn’t sacked, he didn’t owe him anything, he could walk away a free man and no one would hunt him down for it. But he said yes.

That was his downfall.

Despite his reputation, the young prince was handsome, his face chiseled and sharp, his long pink hair like the fine silk he wears to balls, and his muscled body built from rigorous training. His warm voice, like a campfire on a cold winter. His blood red eyes which electrify him everytime he looks at him. The way his body moves in a display of power each time they fought, his sword an extension of his arm, much like Dream’s sword was his own. Maybe that was also part of the reason he said yes, even if he didn’t know it at the time.

He thought he would suffer. The prince wouldn’t hurt him physically, that he promised, but he knew how people can twist his words, to omit their intentions. And he did suffer, though now he knows it wasn’t the prince’s intention. The way his heart ached like it was a festering wound was new to him, but he had survived worse. He knew his rank, his station. He could never be anything more than the Golden Knight to the prince.

But then, their fights changed. They never stopped fighting, they both enjoyed it, so even though they weren’t runaway prince and thief anymore, they still fought. They changed locations, clothes and titles, but they fought all the same. It stayed the same, until one day the prince just, stopped.

He sat on the ground, never caring about his prince image, and gestured for Dream to sit next to him. He did, and they talked. It felt different this time though, when they talked in hushed tones, usually to trash talk some noble, it was all jokes and jabs, but they maintained their ranks. There was distance on their speech, on their body language. This time, the prince leaned on his space, his hair touching his face. He looked tired, but with a glint in his eyes that showed determination, usually when he was braving a fierce opponent.

He always had that glint when he looked at him. So he didn’t look surprised. It did surprise him the sudden warmth in his lips.

He regrets punching him. In his defense, he was surprised.

In public, they stayed with the same formality and distance as before. They would refer each other as prince and knight, they would perform the duties expected of them, and they would stay together, just out of reach.

The prince’s escapades became their dates, not only for the prince to indulge in his most violent ways. Instead of the man searching for trouble to punch or slice, they would go on the cover on the night to some no name place to enjoy themself. It was fun, it was everything Dream could imagine a relationship would be like and more. The passion, the warmth, everything he lacked in his previous life he had now with the only man he could ever think to give his freedom for.

So he didn’t trust it.

He knew royals, he knew how fickle their interest may be. How could the prince give all his power and status for a lowly life like him? No one but the prince knew of his background, he held all the power in his life now. He gave it willingly, but he was still afraid of what he would do when he became bored, when this development would fade away. He knew he would keep his rank, but he didn’t think his heart would recover when this was all over.

And then, the prince gave him a rose.

It was a glass rose, a really fragile thing that he put in his hair. The coloured glass played with the light, making it shine like it was light itself. It was beautiful.

“I wanted something to match your eyes. I’ll keep looking.”

He kept a hidden room in his room for all the next gifts he got. From glass statues to emeralds, to rubies, to gold, he never saw as many precious gems and valuable objects in his life. And it was all his. Only the people who are close to the prince know that he shows his love through gifts. All his family own an emerald earpiece which signals to all that they belong to one another. Both king and queen have golden collars made by the prince. Both his younger brothers have tiny bracelets of jewels that the future king arranged. His personal horse has a braid made with red silk and a lock of his own pink hair.

The ring was a simple but beautiful thing, small enough to hide under his armour, to attach to rope and wear on his neck, to slide on his finger whenever he wanted. The gold shines as if made of sunlight, the surface smooth when he passes his finger. It has just one jewel, the most shiny emerald he has ever seen before. When he turns it around in his hand and looks in the mirror, he can see the same shade of green in his own eyes. It’s like his own eyes where the jewel, staring at him from this artifact that the prince, with a satisfied smile, gave him.

“Finally found the one.”

It was real. That’s why he had to do it.

The prince has a name, but he doesn’t like it. It’s a name for a prince, a future king, a monarch. He didn’t like it, he wanted another name, something that was his. Dream understood, ‘Dream’ wasn’t the name his mother gave him, it was the name he earned on the streets. It was actually ‘Dreamon’, he just fashioned it, it was his to modify after all. So the prince chose a name, one that screamed his enemies every time he showed up.

The Blade never dies.

That’s why he had to do it.

Blade was more than his prince. His loyalty was more than simple duty, it was an act of love. He loved him, and he indulged in his aspirations to fight, even if he knew that it would be his downfall in the end, the thing that would ruin them both. He loved him as fiercely as Blade loved to fight, so he would follow. Always. Maybe this makes him selfish, maybe he doesn’t have the right to choose.

The Blade never dies. So this time, Dream would make sure to make it so.

-----------------------------------------

He doesn’t ask for many things. Mostly because he knows the things he really wants can’t be granted. He doesn’t hate his parents because of it, he understands. But he hates it nonetheless.

They can’t give him permission to fight everything he wants in sight, they are royals. What would the other nobles think? What would the populace think? He doesn’t care, but his family does. And above all else, he loves his family. He can’t go because he loves them, so he would just sneak when he can. Most think it is just to loiter around, which is fine by him. He’s fine with his actual reason to stay hidden, he doesn’t care what others think, he’s his own person. As long as they despise him for it, not his family, it is fine by him.

His escapes were a way out, to breathe, to stretch, to be. It was an act of desperation, so he didn't really have a plan. Just a cloak with a hood big enough to cover his hair, the planiest clothes he owned and his trusted sword with bandages wrapped around the hilt to hide the eye-catching decorations, though it wasn't a really good job to hide it. They couldn't make him out as the prince, but as some eager noble, with a fat purse and even fatter ramson.

That’s how he met him. A smiley mask, a black cloak and a sword aiming for his guts.

He was dangerous, he was quick and he was beautiful. He was everything Blade asked for. He was his match, he didn’t back down, he fought like that was all he had done in his life, and Blade became addicted to it. He wanted more, the violence that rose with him everytime he woke up screamed for the man, and he was always willing to indulge in his primal instincts.

He followed every trace he left behind when in the castle, and then followed him physically on the streets. Everytime he escaped the castle, he came to the streets to search for him, and fight him. The man always escaped, and Blade always ended wanting for more. He didn’t care who that man was, he wanted him. To fight, to see and touch. It became like an addiction that threatened to kill him. He embraced it, he loved the taste of the poison.

One night they fought and talked between each clash of their blades, and the man realized he just wanted to fight, not get revenge. So they met often after, to fight, laugh and fight some more. It became their thing, and they became friends in turn. So much that Blade didn’t crave to fight him anymore, he had it already. He wanted to see his face, to laugh at him, with him. He wanted to pet his golden hair, wanted to grab him by his tiny waist. He wanted to run his hands over his perfect body, kiss the man until both could forget the whole world. He wanted him at his side. He wanted so many things.

And this time he could ask for it.

He was elated when Dream said yes. He was scared that he would leave him, that Blade would scare him away. He promised that he will always be protected and cared for. That his rank and job would always be his as long as Blade was there. That he would have the freedom to walk away if he chose, and no one would hurt him. Dream accepted, so now it was time to ask his father.

He doesn’t ask for much, so when he asked for Dream to be his personal guard, he said yes almost immediately.

The Golden Knight and the Troublemaker Prince. Sounds like a cheesy novel. But that was his actual life. He had now a partner in crime, one who knew of his secrets and would indulge him. They escaped the palace to fight other bandits, slavers, whatever. The thrill of the fight was different now with someone on his side. It didn’t subside, but it now included Dream. They were now a pair, and the moment Blade had a taste of him, he couldn't live without it anymore. His addiction became critical, and when Dream reciprocated his feelings, he felt like he was a new man.

He needed him at his side, his golden hair and green eyes were everything he would dream. He went mad looking for something that could even match that color. The gold band needed to be exactly as warm and shiny as his hair. The gem was an expensive gem, but he didn’t bat an eye at the price when the jewel stared back at him. ‘The eye of Ender’ the supplier said was its name. It was perfect.

He knew Dream didn’t trust his devotion, he thought of himself less than his title. That’s why he gave him the ring. They couldn’t marry, not without repercussions, but it was a promise. No matter what, they would always be together.

He didn’t think he would break that promise.

He never thought what it would be like to die. ‘Blade never dies’ they say. But he was mortal, and a sword piercing his chest was probably a bit too much, even for him. He became reckless, and paid the price. He was mostly fine with the outcome, he kinda searched for it in the first place since his first escapades, trying to escape the boring mundane life of the prince. But then he heard the cry of Dream, and knew that he made a mistake.

He would be leaving Dream behind, and that wouldn’t do. Blade needed him, and the man needed him back. He couldn’t leave like this. It wasn’t worth the thrill of violence.

He felt his hands on his face. Usually they were cold, but now it was the only warmth he felt, the only place he was trying to cling to life. His eyes could see his blurry figure, the only two things he could disting was his molten gold hair and his magical green eyes. He was crying, and Blade hated himself for being the reason for it.

He felt a tug on his chest, trying to pull him down. But Dream held on.

And held on.

-----------------------------------------------

His hands were shaking. They were sticky with blood and tears, a mix of both Blade’s and his. His heart was racing, like a caged bird on a box. He cradled his lover’s head in his hands, bringing him onto his lap and whispering comforts. For him or himself, he didn’t know.

He didn’t know if it would work, but he had to try. He loved him, he couldn’t let him leave, for he was a selfish man.

He was no Golden Knight.

He remembers the spell that his mother teached him before she disappeared. The magic was forbidden because of its secondary effects, she said that it made the life around it to die, made souls crumble to ash and blood, and made the humans affected by it a husk of their former self. That's what the people said, his mother showed him otherwise.

“Flesh would reattach itself, wounds opening on another body. Disease would cure itself while another rots from the inside. But for the soul to remain, it needs another as an example. To attach someone's souls to your own, you must love them very much.”

He loves him. He doesn't care what that means. He loves him.

So he had to do it. He had to use his power, even if he thought he would never have to use it again. Even if he condemns his soul for all eternity.

He feels his heart spasms for a second, bringing his lover closer to his chest while the magic works its course. The blood circle shines and he feels an energy on the center of his body festering and emerging like a living thing, trying to rip through him like he’s but a cocoon. Even with his eyes closed, he can see through his eyelids light, green and red pulsating and combining until a mix of both colors remain, and then fade away. His chest hurts, his teeth hurts, his arms hurt. He can taste blood on his tongue. But he doesn't let go.

Until a gasp sounds, and Blade rises.

Dream helps him to sit down. The prince coughs blood and some black liquid that builds on his throat and eyes, his tears mixed with the inky substance. He cleans it gently with his hands, though they're smeared with blood, so he just makes a bigger mess. Both of them are a mess of blood and black.

But they're alive. It worked.

“Blade.” He can't help his soft tone, to see his lover alive when he saw the light leave his eyes, when he saw him take his last breath. When he stops coughing he hugs him, bringing his head on his shoulder, to be able to feel his rising chest and his warmth. To feel him alive again. He can't help the tears on his eyes.

His lover hugs him back, kissing his neck, his breath raggedy. His arms circle his waist, locked into place and preventing any of them from getting away. He doesn't mind, even if it hurts a little. They're here, they're both alive. They're both fine.

But that was a lie.

---------------------------------------------

“I had to do it.”

Once they both catched their breath, they make a list of priorities. First, they needed a safe place to stay for the night, one where reinforcements from the bandits that killed Blade wouldn't search. They were in the forest, on their former base, and when the prince fell, Dream ignored the ones who escaped in favor of tending to his lover. So they traveled at a quick pace, finding a hunter’s house that was left since it wasn't the season right now. They didn't care about breaking the door to get inside, searching for salves and bandages, because, well. They both were still bleeding.

That was the second, patch themselves up. Dream worked quickly, bandaging his wounds, which were pretty light. He stole a quick look to Blade and saw that he was doing the same, although he was fumbling with the bandages, coming dirty with black blood. Once he finished with his own wounds he made his way to his prince’s side to attend him. And, well.

Necromancy as a practice was forbidden because of misconceptions, but it was true that a person that dies, doesn't come back the same. His blood was red when the light hit it just right, but it was such a deep color it may as well be darkness itself. Blade already had pretty pale skin, but now it was almost sickly, just a tint of color enough to not mistake as a walking corpse. His crimson eyes were now like a red moon, its light colouring even the white with red blood, a ring of black the only thing that remains of his pupil. He was otherworldly, another, and so bewitchingly beautiful. Like the first time he saw him on that fateful night.

He picked the fresh bandages and lifted his lover's shirt to bandage the wound that killed him.

It was bleeding sluggishly, the wound almost closed on its own. An angry red marked the fair skin, ramifications like a spiderweb reaching across his entire chest like a brand. It was cold at the touch, a contrast with the warm skin underneath. He cleaned as well as he could the wound and wrapped it up. And once he finished, he looked at his silent prince.

He was looking above him, not quite the ceiling. His eyes looked glassy, like he was looking at nothing, but at the same time his eyes were moving like he was trying to catch something fast. Like they weren't alone.

“Blade? Love?” He takes his hand, and the prince focuses on him. He looks… lost, confused, but he can see the happiness in his eyes when he looks at him. He's sure his love can see the same in his eyes.

“Dream.” He takes his face in his hand, stroking his cheek lovingly. The guard leans on the touch and hums, caressing his hand with his thumb. Now that all the earlier ordeal is over, they can breathe.

And reality comes down.

“I had to do it.”

Blade looks at him. He feels the warmth in his hands, the intensity in his stare, the rise in his chest. He knows that it was worth it, even if both of them are now damned for it. It's better than the alternative, better than Blade hating him.

“You were dead. I had to do it.”

“I know.”

“Now we are… one. Our soul is one, if I die you die with me. “

“I know.” Blade strokes his cheek, and smiles. Like they were talking about what they're going to do the next escapade. It was comforting, even if Dream didn't understand it.

“Aren't you… mad?”

“I was dead, you brought me back.”

“At the cost of your life.”

Blade laughs. “That sounds like a contradiction.”

Dream can't help his own laugh, but still, he feels a confused rage inside him.

“You know what I mean. You can't be a prince like this. Not anymore, you're a zombie now. They’ll want you dead, both of us.”

His mother disappeared when he was young. She was a necromancer, all his family were once upon a time. When people found out, she casted him aside in hopes of him surviving on his own, without a witch as a mother. Anything was better than that. It's funny, he now walks the same path as his mother, despite everything she did to prevent it. And he has dragged his love with him.

“I know. Thank you.”

He doesn't expect the words that come out of the ex-prince’s mouth, even less his lips on his own. He tastes blood, but he eagerly reciprocates, feeling his chest light as a feather. His hands cup his lover’s face to savour the moment, before they both need to part ways. He can feel the rough hands of the hair-pinked man on his hair, petting him.

“This is what we were both looking for.”

“What do you mean?” Dream can't really think right now, his mind too preoccupied in the relief of Blade not being disgusted by him. He knows of his magic, but he never used it against another person in his presence, much less against him. He still loves him, despite it.

“A way out.” His lover grins, his smile blinding. He can't help but match it with his own, prompting him to continue. “We are now wanted men. You're no longer a knight and I’m no longer a prince. We're just us. Together.”

“But… What about your family?”

“Even if they think of me dead, I know they still love me. And I still love them, they will be alright.”

“Are you sure?”

Blade puts his hands on his waist and brings him close, hugging him to his chest. He reciprocates, fitting together like pieces of a puzzle.

“We are free now. Even if we're hunted and damned, we are free.”

Dream knew what it was like to fight to survive another day. So this development wasn't really something foreign to him, it was actually what he expected to happen someday, no matter what his prince promised him, how hopeful the situation was. The trill came because now, he had a partner with him. No longer loyal knight and future king.

Just Dream and Blade.

---------------------------------------------

Notes that didn't fit in the story one way or another:

All his family knew that Blade was basically courting his knight, they were fine with that. If he wasn’t the oldest and the future king, they would be demanding a wedding right this instant, and their brothers would be fighting to the death to be chosen as best man. Is bittersweet, because now they think Dream was a traitor all along, deceiving the prince just to kill him and experiment on him.

When Blade started going out he was basically bullshiting his way out. He had a hood with his mouth covered up and thought that was all that was needed. He was pretty surprised when Dream recognized him on sight as at least a noble, and then the prince. Dream is kinda glad he found him before anyone else with more malice saw him. After that Dream made him a boar mask so people ignore all the rest of his features since the mask is the most alluring part, and made him cover his hair better.

Dream was basically running around stealing whatever he needed on the day, everyday. He gets uncomfortable having possessions since those are things that can be taken away. That includes people, since when he was a slave he had an adoptive older brother that got taken away later when he was sold. He has contacts, mostly people who can supply him with illegal things or weapons, but he didn’t really try to keep bonds until Blade, and that only because basically Blade forced him to.

The blood circle for resurrecting Blade is basically a ‘XD’ face.

Blade was born with the curse of The Blood, which made him want to fight constantly. This is now increased through the resurrection since he hears The Voices of Beyond now.

Dream and Blade are on the run, killing whoever finds them to keep the violence of Blade at bay and to stop people from talking about them. They’re also insanely cuddly since they can basically make out as much as they want. Meanwhile Blade’s family want Blade back, his body actually, since they think he’s basically a zombie. They want to bury him as a prince.

I never expected to make a Technoblade so down bad but it was really fun. Maybe I can properly write it as a short fanfic on ao3? Time will tell.

[alterdnbweek]

Day 22: royalty AU; loyal knight;

@alterdnbweek

.....................

Another crumb from "My Beloved Prince AU". I couldn't find anything else for today, again sorry for my poor English. Enjoy ☺️☺️☺️

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The training was literally torture!

"Very well, let's fan here for today." Said the young emperor

Why are we doing this in the first place?, thought the former prince.

"You have to work more on your reflections and balance your strength with your speed, I have passed half of this match mostly chasing you behind, instead of fighting.", the pinkette said the last sentence with more fun than anything else.

"Do we really have to train so often? We are already both in good shape, right?", The Biondo Giovanne asked.

"Oh, really?"

"I mean, learning some new tricks is useful and everything but I can take at least 5 of your best guards, and this is a fact.", The former prince was still laughing for having literally kicked the asses of 5 future knights, and immediately after calling him "doll " nothing less, what a joke. "Now, if you need me I will be in my room to rest.", Having said that, the Alpha was about to leave but, a handful of his arms stopped him.

"Tell me, how many times have you been able to beat me since we started these trainings?", the pinkette asked, with no teasing in his voice.

"… no once", admitted the other.

"Exactly. So until you manage to defeat me I will continue to" torture you" with our training sessions every times."

"Why exactly? Is not that I will ever go around with a sword by my side, or that I will fight in a war again, so what is the point?"

"The point is that you can never be too careful, you could be my concubine now, but this does not mean that in the future you will not be forced to use your combat skills again."

"So your concubine and possible future bodyguard? Waoh, what curriculum.", the blonde said with a laugh.

"I prefer to use the term Loyal Knight if this makes you feel better.", the young emperor said with a sweet tone and lovely smile.

"Your loyal knight in sparkling armor, my Emperor?", the Alpha finished the phrase with a hand-kissing.

"Yes, my Prince."

[alterdnbweek]

Day5: pillow fight; music; drunk confession

Credits go to my friend “Bosstermeomeo” from Discord

[alterdnbweek]

Day 9: Omegaverse / Jealousy

Dream likes to mark his territory and Techno finds it cute how his little omega acts

[alterdnbweek]

Breaking Day

Written for the dreamnblade christmas event @alterdnbweek is holding this year.

Day 21 Prompts: Healthy Start; "I can't lose you"

**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**

The rules for becoming an admin are clear. There's tests, trials, a whole bunch of background checks and lisences you have to get, and a final one where you get a Secret and you can't let anyone learn that Secret. It doesn't matter what situation might come up, who might be asking, or how things might change if the Secret is revealed. You do not share the Secret.

Dream forces his breathing to stay steady, keeps pressing down on Techno's torso as the blood keeps seeping between his fingers. Techno's unconsious, body completely limp and his breathing shallow and ragged. The wounds are too wide, too varied for him to take care of on his own and the obsidian cell is not a suitible place to be tending them in the first place.

Revival is coiling in the back of his throat, wants to spill from his lips becuase it would help Techno. It would force the wounds to close, reverse the blood loss, have Techno back to his best state instead of this.

He has no clue what Quackity and Sam did, just that it's stopping Techno from healing. He can't even ask because Techno was already unconsious when they dumped him back in the cell. His only hope to figuring it out is to look at the wounds, but he can't. Not when every time his hands shift or his pressure lets up, more blood gushes out.

"Please don't die," he mouths to himself, shifting to try and keep his arms from giving out. "You always say you can't die so don't be a fucking liar now. You still owe me, got it. I can't lose you."

Techno's breathing only seems to get shallower, chest hardly rising under his pressing hands. Revival shoves against his lips. Trying to spill out to stop whatever is happening and he bites his tounge hard enough he tastes blood. He can't risk losing the single thing that might let him get them both out of here if Pandora's defenses shift enough.

His hand slips, blood pouring out of one gash as he scrambles to cover it again. It's slick and warm against the creeping chill spreading across Techno's skin and he has no idea how much more blood Techno can risk loosing.

There's the sound of something distant, but he ignores it. It doesn't matter if Sam or Quackity are back. It doesn't matter if someone else is being dragged into prison. It doesn't even matter if someone else is coming to visit him for some reason. All he cares about now is trying to keep Techno alive.

It's horrible because he knows there's no way he can actually do that without using Revival.

His gut is hollow as his arms keep shaking. He's not going to be able to keep the blood from spilling out for much longer and he's not sure he's going to be able to handle that.

"Holy shit!"

There's hands pressing over his, turning red from the blood and he blinks at Philza as he's shoved back.

"Heal pots! Now!" the avian snaps and there's rushing footsteps and a shattering as a thrown one breaks on the stone in between the three of them.

It doesn't look like it does anything to heal the wounds on Techno, but Dream feels better physically.

"I have more!" Nikki says, skidding to a stop at Techno's head.

He blinks, finally processing that this isn't the cell. This isn't obsidian blocks all around him bleeding lava level heat. It's stone and bricks and tourchlight and Philza, Nikki, and Ranboo closing in to help take care of Techno.

"Ranboo, take care of Dream," Philza says. "Niki, just pour all of them over him."

Ranboo tugs him away and he follows the hands in a daze as they poke at his own injuries. He opens his mouth-

Snaps it shut as Revival tries to tumble out with the blood flowing over his chin.

Ranboo whirrs, "Did- Did you bite your tounge?"

He nods slowly, eyes focusing on where Techno is still prone, still unconsious, bleeding through the cloths being pressed against his torso. Glowing health and healing potions are sitting on the surface of the red blood, pooling under and aaround their knees with each new one opened and turned over Techno.

Philza curses, "These aren't doing enough, but I don't want to risk him choking on something."

"What even happened?" Niki asks, glancing up at him.

He stares at her, wishing he had an answer and that he could feasibly say anything when Revival is trying to be shared. Niki doesn't try to press for an answer and just looks back down at Techno. She grabs a soaked piece of cloth and presses it over Philza's hands. She pulls out something small and dives back down with quick motions.

Ranboo is twitching, hands fluttering as they keep check on the various bruises and bumps littering his skin, "Do you, uh, need, need a potion?"

He shakes his head, fighting to keep from biting at his tounge again as he watches Philza and Niki keep working on helping Techno. He's not sure what exactly they're doing right now, but it's more than he was able to do.

"I'm not sure this is going to be enough," Philza says, slowly pulling his hands away. His breath hitches, but there's no sudden gush of blood which is a huge improvement over back in the cell. The potions are still shimmering on top of the blood and hopefully there's a chance their power will start working now.

Philza looks over at him, "Sorry about having to ask, mate, but think you can force all of us off ther server?"

He blinks, tilting his head in confusion and Philza adds, "Thing's are going to be really bad in about twelve hours. It'd be better if none of us are here."

"What do you mean?" Ranboo asks.

"...It's a thing. Looks nice at first, but really, really not something you want to be in when it happens," Philza says and the dancing around the explanation is familiar.

He lifts a hand, all of it shaking and hesitantly points at his clamped mouth. They stare at him, confusion on their faces as well and he gestures a bit harder. He can't open his mouth, can't risk Revival escaping to explain what he means.

Philza's expression clears, eyes widening under his hat, "Dream. If it's a fight right now, let go. I'll back you no matter what happens."

He hesitates, because it was drilled into his head before he was allowed to run this server that if he shared the Secret, he was going to be punished. But Philza looks serious in a way he hasn't since Doomsday and he is old enough to have sway on the council.

Dream opens his mouth-

"ꖎ╎⍊ᒷ."*

Tumbles from his throat and the power of it makes his head spin. Things shift around. Twisting all over the server and he can't even try to track all of it as things change.

He blinks up at the ceiling, breathing heavy and he can hear the others panting as well. There's a groan and he slowly turns his head, all of his nerves screaming that he shouldn't be moving, but it's worth it to see Techno struggling to sit up, breathing just as heavy, but without the raspy shallowness it had before. There's still a disturbing amount of blood on and around him, but he's clearly better and Dream passes out.

**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~**

*Live

AU Notes:

techno technically has a Secret, but his is a more complicated situation than being an admin. normally the obvious side of it is that he heals rapidly, but there’s more that doesn’t come out unless specific circumstances are met.

dream was only dragged through when the stasis chamber activated because the server itself was actively trying to not be destroyed and its solution was to make sure both of them got to help.

dream did allude to having a way to revive the dead and they know Tommy had the book used on him, but that’s considered okay for the people on his server to know. they just can’t know about the raw aspect of it which was what was fighting to be spoken.

This is an AU that frankly could use an entire other post just explaining the headcanon going on with how admins and Secrets work plus Techno’s whole thing in it.

[alterdnbweek]

Day 6: Dancing

Ending the event organized by Sir Billiam, Hubert offers him one last dance as he noticed he was sad during the event

~ Inspired by Tales of SMP

Event hosted by @alterdnbweek

[alterdnbweek]

Day 7: Fairy tale AU

Inspired by the movie Anastasia

On the night of the fall of the Romanovs, Dream (the Grand Duke) and his older brother XD (the Crown Prince) manage to escape, but Dream gets lost in the crowd. Years later, Dream does not remember her past or her family, she only keeps a necklace with the inscription "Together in Paris" Techno and Phil are looking for an actor to impersonate the Grand Duke and get the reward he offers XD, when they find Dream they convince him to go to Paris, since Dream also wants to know his past

Event hosted by @alterdnbweek

[alterdnbweek]

a better proposal

the continuation of my fake marriage c!dnb au written for @alterdnbweek!

The cloak was spread out on the floor of the prison cell with one edge rolled up into the world’s most pathetic attempt at a pillow. Dream was resting his head on the lump of fabric, staring up at the ceiling, his intact leg bent at the knee and swaying back and forth. He had given up on trying to sleep and Techno had given up on trying to get him to sleep. The bags under his eyes said he needed rest but it didn’t come easy in Pandora’s Vault even for Techno who had always been proud of his ability to sleep anywhere. Techno yawned, not bothering to cover his mouth. At the sound, Dream turned his head and looked at him.

“Did I disturb you, Dream?” asked Techno with a grin.

Dream gave a quiet laugh.

“No.” The expression on Dream’s face was one Techno was familiar with and he readied himself for whatever nonsense specifically designed to make him shake his head was about to come out of Dream’s mouth. “I was just thinking…”

The grin on Techno’s face widened fondly.

“I’m sure, I’m sure.”

For a moment the tables were turned and Dream shot Techno a look before rolling his eyes.

“Fuck off, Techno, I-I am,” he said. “I was thinking, how—how did you propose to me?”

Techno blinked.

“Heh?”

The question hadn’t been what Techno was expecting and he stared at Dream who raised his shoulders in an awkward shrug before folding his hands across his stomach. His eyes were back on the ceiling.

“We’re pretending to be married, right? So, I mean, you had to propose, right?”

Glancing up at the ceiling as if he thought he could find whatever inspired Dream to go down this line of questioning, Techno mimicked his shrug.

“How d’you know I was the one to propose? Maybe you were the one,” said Techno.

Dream scoffed and rolled slightly onto his side to stare at Techno.

“It’s your idea that means you were the one to propose.”

The logic was flawless, Techno had to admit. With a groan, he stretched out onto his belly until his face was only a few inches away from Dream’s. Dream watched with what Techno thought was suspicion and a bit of eagerness.

“Alright, you’ve got a point.” Techno propped his chin up on one hand. “Lemme think. It had to be something epic, obviously.”

Dream nodded, face serious.

“Obviously.”

This close, it might have been possible to count the freckles on Dream’s cheeks and nose. He was watching Techno intently, eyes never leaving his face, and Techno felt a blush rising. The thought that they were close enough he could kiss Dream wouldn’t leave. He cleared his throat.

“It was the middle of battle. You were surrounded by enemies—”

One of Dream’s hands darted out and smacked Techno lightly on the arm.

“Hey!”

Techno caught Dream’s wrist. Dream wasn’t that much shorter than him but he had always been lithe and the starvation had taken that into painfully thin territory. Techno could wrap his fingers completely around his wrist.

“Remember, I’m the one proposin’ here, Dream, that means I get to decide.”

“Alright, fiiiine,” said Dream.

It would’ve been easy for him to tug his hand away – the grip was gentle – but he didn’t. Techno’s fingers moved upwards until he was able to lace them together with Dream’s.

“Where was I before I was so rudely interrupted?” Dream rolled his eyes and Techno grinned. “Oh right, so there you were, surrounded by enemies. I had already finished off the guys I was fightin’, obviously.”

Dream rolled his eyes again but he was smiling.

“Obviously,” he said, the sarcasm thick and amused.

Techno squeezed Dream’s hand a little.

“I saw you were in trouble and pearled right in the middle, just in time to parry a fatal blow. Together – see, I’m givin’ you some credit, Dream – we finished off the rest of ‘em just as the sun began settin’. In the orange light of the sunset, you actually looked kinda pretty.”

In the orange light of the lava, Dream did look kind of pretty, Techno thought, even with the feigned look of annoyance. He was still looking at Techno and he had leaned in closer and Techno didn’t think he had realized it.

“Then?” Dream prompted.

Techno shifted where he lay. He hadn’t realized he was staring.

“I took your hand,” he said, squeezing Dream’s hand, “and got down on one knee, askin’ you to marry me. Of course, you were ecstatic and said yes, Techno, I’ll marry you because I can’t believe someone as cool and handsome as you would want to marry a homeless guy.”

The laugh Dream gave was loud and delighted.

“Oh my god! What is wrong with you?” His voice rose and fell, squeaking out as his cheeks turned bright red. “You—That’s the worst proposal ever, Technoblade! Y-you didn’t even give me a ring or flowers or—or kiss me!”

The thought that had been stuck in Techno’s mind was white hot. He leaned in a little.

“It was the middle of a battle, Dream, I didn’t have time to stop to pick flowers, alright?”

Dream tilted his head up. His breath was warm on Techno’s face.

“Lame. I could—I could definitely do better.”

Techno’s laugh was soft and amused.

“Yeah? Alright, man, you tell me how you’d do it,” he said.

It was quiet for a moment and Techno was certain he could hear Dream’s heart racing just as quickly as his own was.

“I would’ve, like, done the whole candlelight dinner thing. I mean, I can’t really cook but whatever. I would’ve gotten you flowers,” said Dream, triumphantly, as if he had won the game they were playing.

Rubbing his thumb against Dream’s knuckle, Techno nodded slowly as he considered Dream’s words. He was considering a lot of things, like the curve of Dream’s mouth and the butterflies in his stomach. He was trying to ignore the way Dream was looking at him because he had a feeling it mirrored his own expression.

“Oh, I see, I see. You would’ve gone full rose petals on the floor, huh?” Dream didn’t answer because Techno had leaned in close enough that his snout was just barely touching the corner of his mouth. They both held perfectly still until Techno raised an eyebrow and said, “I guess you would’ve kissed me, too.”

When Dream answered, his lips brushed against Techno’s skin. He said, with no sarcasm, “Obviously.”

A shiver went down Techno’s spine and it pained him to move away.

“Y’know what, Dream? I’ll give it to ya, yours was better.”