Ink Stains (MCYT Oneshots)

[R] Yes, Your Highness (Techno & Tommy)

(A/N: request as a pic. i... tried my best?)

Of course Techno knew that he'd die one day.

He wasn't afraid of death's embrace; hadn't been, for a very long time at this point. He'd gotten to see his nephew grow up and lead the country with a fair hand, watched as the kingdom changed and flourished under both Wilbur and his son's leadership, he'd even had the chance to visit his brother grave before he died.

So no, he wasn't exactly afraid of death. Welcomed it, even.

Still, he didn't think anyone could anticipate being shoved into the same body in a different world. Nor could anyone anticipate being reunited with their long-dead brother.

Tommy had quickly stolen him away and explained everything to him the moment Techno got his bearings. After Techno got to hug him for the first time in a long while, that was.

Apparently, Tommy had been here for quite some time. He — and Techno — had been sent to a different dimension, and he needed to find out a few things, and set the world 'right'. Techno was a wildcard; he hadn't received any information, so he was essentially able to act freely and however he wanted to.

So, Tommy had asked — begged, even — for him to play along to what they thought the original Techno would've acted like.

Techno had failed Tommy once.

He wouldn't fail him a second time.

So he played his part out properly, following in Tommy's orders. While it pained him to shout the words he'd done, cause such a terrible expression on his face and leave him defenceless to Dream's antics... it was necessary.

Tommy needed to find out just what was in the book that Schlatt had traded with Dream for. He needed Techno's assistance in this. And Techno was nothing if not good at what he did.

He was always there to see the aftermath of the plans that Tommy concocted. Each and every time Tommy shook in his arms from whatever Dream did to him, each and every time he cried in his arms... it took all of Techno's willpower to not kill Dream and mess up the plan that they had.

He had to keep reminding himself that it was necessary.

Techno had made his own friends too, of course. He still had history with some, and created new memories for others. It was hard, sometimes, to be around these different versions of the people that he knew, but one day, when his and Tommy's plan had gone through, he'd tell them the truth. Even if he wasn't as close to them as the original would've been, they deserve the truth, at the very least.

It was on another day, stuck in a dreary cell with the one person whom he hated the most, that the day finally arrived.

His plan with the Syndicate had gone off without a hitch and in a few moments, Techno and Dream were running in the wild. Dream laughed, wheezy laughter grating on his ears.

Dream was also talking to him, but Techno had decided to ignore him a long time ago. Instead, he carefully led him to one of the meeting places he and Tommy had set up much, much earlier. When he saw that Tommy was nowhere to be found, he made them stop in the guise of resting and regenerating.

Just as Dream started to grow antsy, and Techno was ready to redirect his attention and get them to stay, footsteps sounded out through the clearing.

"Stop."

Despite being alone and defenceless, Tommy looked eerily calm, striding forward in quick steps. His steps never faltered, and his gaze was coolly trained on the two prisoners of the cell.

He looked so much like the Phil that Techno had originally known.

Techno got up from his position, and started walking towards him. Tommy gave him a smile, one that Techno returned for a brief moment.

"Why are you here, Tommy?" Dream demanded, seeming to ignore Techno's movements — Techno had made sure to act weirdly over the past few days he was stuck in there, and he was glad to see that his acting had paid off. "Was the first time not enough for you? Or the first few times?"

Tommy didn't respond. Slowly, he took something out from his inventory.

A sword was tossed to him, and he caught it easily. Tommy strolled further into the open clearing, something dark in his eyes. Techno sheathed his sword.

"Techno," Tommy said — no, commanded. There were no words following that simple utterance of his name, but Techno knew what he was being ordered to do.

Techno fell easily, catching himself on one knee. Like this, he was kneeling towards Tommy.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked quietly, fully aware of Dream's incredulous stare at his back.

"Techno?!" Dream spluttered, and Techno continued to ignore him.

"Techno," Tommy repeated his name softly. "Look at me. I want you to do something for me."

Techno did just that.

"Techno," Tommy murmured, voice cold as his gaze flickered upwards, staring at Dream. "Kill him."

A faint smile appeared on Techno's face, and he got up from his kneeling position. Unsheathing his sword, he pointed it towards Dream, who stared at them with shock etched in every corner of his face.

"Yes, your highness," Techno murmured back, and Tommy smiled at him, faint yet full with meaning.

They'd played along with this charade for long enough. Now, it was time to end the facade.

Once and for all.