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Technoblade was a known warrior. Whispers of The Blood God echoed through every tavern and across campfires in the dead of night. An unkillable demon on the battlefield that could fight off whole armies single-handedly, who's tale was told by every soldier as they joked with each other and prayed the other army hadn't managed to garner his favor. Be careful, the Blood God will get you if they catch you slacking!
Technoblade wasn't even the Blood God - merely a vassal to Its plans and desires. The voice of each 'sacrifice' he made rattled around in his head, demanding more and more blood from everything in sight: an unholy backing choir as his blade swung through the air and sang for death.
Technoblade loved to use those one dimensional views in his favor - terrifying people into his bidding was one of his favorite past-times. But ask anyone who knew him, and, well, that black and white view fell apart very quickly.
Technoblade - known heartless and merciless killer - was soft. Incredibly so, actually. It was embarrassing, but he really couldn't help it. As a piglin hybrid, he had family based instincts ingrained into his brain, and they loved to complain when he wasn't being affectionate towards sounder.
This was the most prominent in the way he greeted his friends. It wasn't a conscious decision on his part, but it just...happened. And at this point, he really wasn't interested in stopping.
[———]
The training room door was open. Inside, there were quiet grunts and the sound of arrows thwipping from a bow. When Technoblade stepped through the door, sure enough, there was Niki: dressed in a sleeveless black turtleneck and bangs that were just long enough to tie back pulled into a small bun. A bow was held in her hands, and as Technoblade watched, she let an arrow loose - string smacking into her arm guard. The arrow landed into a bullseye, and a familial pride burst into life at the sight.
"Nice shot," Technoblade praised from his place leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. Niki jumped, but when she turned, a bright grin lit up her face.
"Techno!" Niki greeted happily, letting her bow drop to her side as she gave an enthusiastic wave. Technoblade spared a moment to notice the ripple of the muscles in her upper arms, even more pride flickering to life in his chest at the visible growth he had always known she was capable of.
"Hallo," Technoblade greeted with an awkward raise of his hand, stepping further into the room and moving towards Niki as he admired the accuracy of the arrows she had been shooting. When he got close enough to Niki, his instincts began to happily whisper sounder - a sentiment he could get behind.
Technoblade dipped his head down, and Niki met him halfway - slamming her forehead into his with enough force his head was sent back. Technoblade jolted away with a heh, nose scrunching as he rubbed at the now pulsing pain on his forehead.
"What the heck?" Technoblade grumbled: voice carrying no real heat and earning a snicker from Niki. His half-hearted glare devolved into something softer as he leaned back down to bump his nose into Niki's temple with a chiding huff, an arm hooking around her shoulders as he gently tugged her into a hug.
"Sorry," Niki laughed into Technoblade's shoulder, not sounding sorry in the slightest. Technoblade let a wordless grumble, tightening his grip as he reached up to ruffle Niki's hair. She let out an indignant squawk, smacking a fist into his neck as she wiggled away from his hand.
"Hey," she protested, shifting away to give him a glare that he knew held no real heat. Technoblade just grinned, leaning down to gently bump their foreheads together properly, instead of the way Niki had done before.
"That's what you get for attacking me," Technoblade muttered fondly, hand splaying in-between Niki's shoulder blades as she relaxed back into his hug - arms tightly wrapping around his middle.
"That was hardly an attack, Techno," Niki told him, nose burrowing into his collarbone. A happy chuff escaped him against his will at the action as he dropped his chin onto the top of her head, his chest rumbling with the beginnings of a purr he didn't even attempt to quell.
His friend deserved the comfort, after all.
[———]
"Ranboo!" Technoblade called out into the cold morning, snorting as he watched Ranboo jump in place with a yelp - nearly dropping the book he held in his hands. Ranboo had to scramble to catch it, freezing for a moment half bent over with wide eyes. Ranboo straightened up a moment later, stuffing his book into his pocket as he gave Technoblade a sheepish grin. Technoblade smiled back fondly, watching as Ranboo crossed the distance between them with a few long strides - paws crunching down into the snow and leaving behind frankly adorable prints into the fluffy white.
Ranboo hesitantly leaned down, barely brushing their foreheads together before he pulled back. Technoblade chased him with a chiding chuff, giving him a full bump as he curled his arms around Ranboo's shoulders. Ranboo made a soft, surprised noise as he was pulled into a hug - his lanky limbs stiffening before he slowly relaxed, chin dipping the rest in the dip between Technoblade's shoulder and neck. His tail curled around Technoblade’s torso, a tiny purr bubbling up.
Technoblade bumped his nose into the side of Ranboo’s head with an affectionate chuff, a purr of his own rumbling into life as he held him closer.
"You suck at saying hi," Technoblade mumbled into Ranboo's hair, priding himself in the bouncing laugh he got in reply.
"Hey, I didn't didn't want to hurt you with my horns, man," Ranboo grumbled with no real heat behind it. In response, Technoblade lifted his hand to flick at one of his horns lightly - earning a squawk of protest along with a gentle headbutt.
"Bruuuh," Technoblade drawled shakily, tightening his hold around Ranboo playfully. Ranboo made a soft warble of protest, wiggling in Technoblade's grip. Technoblade easily kept him pinned against his chest with his superior strength, and after a few more moments of struggling, Ranboo finally gave up - going limp against Technoblade and forcing him to hold all his weight.
"This is assault," Ranboo pouted, purr growing louder as he nuzzled into Technoblade's neck. "You're literally attacking me."
"Have you tried...getting good?" Technoblade offered. Ranboo sighed heavily in disappointment, but Technoblade knew his friend (kid, his traitorous brain whispered. Technoblade resolutely ignored it. That was a thought for another time, perhaps). He wasn’t actually mad at him.
"You suck," Ranboo complained into Technoblade's neck.
Technoblade just laughed, holding him that much closer.
[———]
Technoblade drew in a slow, deep breath - relishing in the burn of his lungs the cold provided. It was a pleasant late afternoon in the arctic, and Technoblade was more than happy to be out of prison and back home.
Behind him, there was a creak of wood, and when he turned, sure enough, there was Phil - dark bags hanging under his eyes.
Phil leaned up to gently bump their heads with a tired coo, remaining for only a brief moment before he pulled away. Technoblade barely managed to catch him in time to press a kiss to the crown of Phil’s forehead before Phil was pressing his face into Technoblade’s neck with a tired groan. Technoblade chuffed softly in a mix of amusement and affection, giving the top of Phil’s head a tiny kiss as he curled an arm around and gently thumbed at the down on the nape of Phil’s neck - electing small, happy chirps and coos.
“You sleepy, angel?” Technoblade asked into Phil’s hair with a huff of laughter. Phil groaned again as he nodded: a frustrated and exhausted thing as he burrowed himself into Technoblade’s arms. His wings carefully sneaked underneath Technoblade’s cloak, curling the limbs around him as he went practically boneless against him.
“Mmm…’m fucking exhausted,” Phil mumbled into Technoblade’s neck. His nose was cold as he nuzzled into him, but Technoblade paid it no mind. A contented purr rumbled to life in his chest as he held his whole world in his arms, and with each deep breath he inhaled the scent of petrichor, green tree, and new paper - the smell of home and safe and Phil and sounder.
“You wanna go lay down?” Technoblade asked him. Phil remained still for a long moment, before giving a tiny shake of his head.
“Wanna stay here,” Phil said quietly into Technoblade’s neck, his hand fisting into Technoblade’s shirt as if to hold him in place - his other arm firmly locked around Technoblade's waist.“....Missed you,” came a quiet, barely there murmur a few seconds later, and Technoblade’s heart twisted in a mix of guilt and love at the admission.
"I missed you too," Technoblade said with a soft sigh into Phil's hair, holding the man a little tighter to reassure him. "'M not goin' anywhere for a while. Promise."
Phil was silent for a moment. "...You promise?" he asked - voice wavering with something far more complex than either of them were in the proper space to deal with.
(Wilbur, the voices of the dead hissed in the back of his mind, akin to a gaggle of protective and feral cats. Though Technoblade normally ignored them, this time, he listened - because for all they were the Blood God's doing, She sometimes allowed the crows to pass on information to the souls that clung to him they had no right of otherwise knowing. Never stayed, atticbur was clickbait, bad son, left him, aloneza, depression arc.
Technoblade locked that information away for another date.)
"Promise," Technoblade said: firmly but kindly, pressing another soft kiss to the top of Phil’s head as he increased the volume of his purr. Phil's grip relaxed, then - sleepy and contented coos replacing any words he could have said.
Technoblade was perfectly happy to let him rest as long as he needed. There was no place he'd rather be than resting there with his whole world tucked carefully into his arms, all of their problems forgotten however temporary.
….Gods, he was getting soft, wasn't he?