𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ° ᵈʳᵉᵃᵐⁿᵒᵇˡᵃᵈᵉ

𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚟𝚎 | 十二

The cold breeze that hit his skin was liberating and freeing in a way after being shoved into a bathroom stuffed with thick tension.

Dream liked to think that he was quick-witted, he had prided himself for making decisions on the whim but this in particular was acted on impulse, and surely he'll regret it later in a few minutes or so once the roads start to become familiar and their legs start to ache from running.

His hand was still grasping Techno's, the pinkette's grip not pulling away on from his grasp throughout their journey of traversing the neighbourhood. He'd think that Techno would've let go by now.

Their feet had brought them to some part of the neighbourhood that they weren't as familiar with. It was mostly quiet, save for the noises from an early afternoon: the sizzling of meat from a diner near their right and the lively chatter of children playing on the playground somewhere on their left.

It was quiet besides their exhausted panting.

Dream made the decision to be the first to let go, knees hitting the asphalt as he knelt down the road, breath catching up to the wild drumming of his heart beat. Behind him was Techno doing the same although much more graceful than he is with his hands braced on his knees.

"You," Techno huffs out, brown eyes looking up at him through the curtains of his pink hair which had long came undone from its braids after running for so long.

Dream didn't bother responding, only collapsing on the road as the asphalt hits his back, limbs sprawling out like a dying starfish on the shore. Never in his life had he found lying down in the middle of the road comfortable.

Before he could even relax his aching muscles, he feels a fistful grasp at his shirt, getting pulled to sit up with Techno hovering above him, his neck straining as he struggled to look up at him from their current position, the older's unbraided hair covering his peripheral vision, forcing him to focus only at the boy in front of him.

The boy looked like he had been through hell and back; there was blood staining his lips and sweat beading down on his forehead, and the permanent furrow of his brows that never seems to leave whenever he's around Dream.

But this time, it seemed like something had changed. Techno didn't look at him like he was seconds away from punching him-- he was less guarded, a hint of vulnerability seeping through the way the hands grasping at his shirt seemed more pleading than violent.

Dream doesn't understand who had hurt this boy to the point of unresolved anger, to the point of being fearful at any offers of kindness and decency.

"You are so stupid." Techno breathes out, gaze never leaving his.

"They saw you with me. Do you know what that means for you?"

Because under the violence, under the bruised knuckles and bloodied nose...

Techno was scared.

Dream slowly reaches into his pocket to fish out a crumpled handkerchief before softly dabbing away at the boy's bloodied nose, completely surprising the pinkette enough for him to stumble out of his grasp, leaving him to sit opposite of him on the asphalt.

They must look stupid; two teens staring at each other with uncertainty, with one beaten down to bruised knuckles and bloodied shirt and the other disheveled like a madman. Strangely enough, Dream couldn't care less.

"Here I think that you would be happy to finally know me outside the internet," Dream mumbles softly, still dabbing away at his skin gently.
"Dude, you're out here bleeding. At least worry about yourself."

Techno's breath hitches.

His first instinct was to flinch away from him. He was not used to the gentle touches because the last time he had recieved such kindess turned out to be sour and leaving a wound on him that was much more painful that a broken nose.

But Dream was--

"You're too kind." Techno's shoulders deflated, letting the boy tend to his wound and putting his guard down.

Dream stops, uncertain with his next words. "Look, I don't... know what happened but I'm not low enough to believe the rumors."

The pinkette scoffs, "you should have. It's much easier than chasing me down the campus to get answers from me."

Dream retracts the hand holding out the now bloodied handkerchief.

He had only heard of Techno's former partner through the grapevine, as does everyone else on this god forsaken town of theirs. Everyone barely even remembers the mysterious boy, having moved out town almost a year ago, never showing his face ever again after leaving a series of hurt behind him for the pinkette to carry on his shoulders.

The rumors remember everything but never the pain of a boy giving out his heart to someone who did not deserve it.

He doesn't know what happened but Techno had changed throughout the year, his quiet demeanor changing to something akin to a minefield, leaving Dream to tiptoe around his presence whenever he's around.

Dream did try his best, that maybe the same brown haired boy sitting on the windowsill reading his favourite books over a mug of hot chocolate was still there, that they could talk over literature in short, awkward responses because Dream will take that over anything else.

He doesn't know what happened but he knows that Techno's hurting.

So while Techno puts his walls up, Dream will tear his down and show him that being vulnerable to someone else is not as bad as he think it is.

"To hell with the rumors." Dream declares, a small, uncertain smile on his face.

"I'm just happy that I finally met you."

Techno didn't bother responding back, curling away from Dream's hand as he rests his head on his knees.

"You're too kind." The pinkette repeats somberly, the words plaguing his mind:

I don't deserve it.

-

hi, author here!

to anyone who's struggling with their identity right now, i want you all to know that no matter the confusion you are so, so valid and no one should tell you otherwise. it may take a while to figure out what you are but remember that you are loved by the stars and the universe and by life itself.

and to anyone who had given their heart to someone undeserving, it would take time to heal and stitch the broken parts back together and that's okay. you don't have to rush anything. hurt and cry until you can't anymore, it's okay to feel.

healing takes time.