Aviarian [ Dream SMP AU ]

Chapter 10

LMAO HI AGAIN ITS BEEN MONTHS
I HAVE NO EXCUSES BUT UH HERE

also my writing style has sort of changed so apologies in the switch of past-tense to present. also also- i havent been interested at all in dream smp-related things, so my knowledge on current events has not been caught up at all and most likely never will be.

also also also i have been mostly on Ao3 these days, and  have a big project over there in the works that i definitely recommend you looking at! im under the same username <3

enjoy!

***

So.

Technoblade had brought him into a nearby house, one that was empty, and now. Here they are, staring at each other.

Or, more like Tommy is staring down at Techno. Honestly, Tommy hadn't realized how tall he'd gotten. He usually curled in on himself around Dream. Techno crosses his arms and Tommy snaps back into reality, his wings fluffing out.

"So," Technoblade says, looking the teenager up and down once. He doesn't continue and merely raises a brow.

Tommy blinks. He's surprised, for one thing, that Techno hasn't yet killed him. Yet being the key word. He's sure that he'll mess something up soon and get a sword to the chest. But for now, he clears his throat and winces at how rough it's gotten. "So." He repeats. His feet, now talons, with the same gray skin his hands have, dig into the wooden floor of the house. "..What's up?" 

Techno blinks slowly. He ignores the attempted conversation starter. "Do you remember anything? At all?"

"Uh, just what I said before." Tommy shrugs helplessly. "I was in Logstedshire, Dream left, and then everythin' went black. Now I'm here. What? Is there something I'm missing now, Blade?"

Techno shifts uneasily. He's not sure about something, that much Tommy knows about his brother's mannerisms.

"Well," Techno finally says and makes eye contact. "I'm just gonna spell it out for ya', you were a big bird, Tommy. I don't know my birds, so I can't say what, but you were pretty big. The size of your wings makes sense now."

Tommy blinks. "I'm- what?" He turns and starts pacing, a long set of feathers trailing behind him on the floor. A new set of tail feathers. "But- that doesn't make any sense."

"You gettin' wings way back then didn't make any sense, Tommy." Techno says. "None of this does."

Tommy runs a hand through his hair and the feathers on his head, a few of them drifting to the ground. He wants to turn and yank the feathers on his wings out again. He's so tired and stressed about all of this. 

A heavy hand falls onto his boney shoulder and that snaps him back into reality. He then realizes he's stopped pacing. 

"Calm down, Tommy." Techno says and steps back. Tommy's gaze flicks over to the door behind the piglin. 

"How do you expect me to be calm, Techno?" Tommy spits with anger and exhaustion and everything that's been shoved into a bottle over the months he's been in exile. "I have no idea what's happening to me, I'm- I'm some giant bird! And, unless you've forgotten, I'm in a room with someone who's tried to kill me. So, tell me Techno, how do you expect me to calm down?"

Techno is quiet and Tommy then realizes he's been shouting. His throat aches, and he goes back to pacing.

"Tommy." Techno finally says and Tommy whirls around to face him, sharp nails digging into his scaly palms as he balls his hands into fists. "Your legs."

His brow furrows. Why would Techno be looking at his legs? He looks down anyway, and finds new, small feathers, fresh and downy.  

He looks back up with wide eyes. Fear courses through his heart. "Techno- Techno, I'm sorry-" He shakes his head. "I'm, I'm scared."

If Technoblade is shocked by the apology, he doesn't show it and instead comes over to the teenager. He pats Tommy's shoulder with a hand. "C'mon. I'll get you something to eat. You're a twig now, kid. I don't know how you even flew here."

Thankful for the distraction, Tommy can only nod, because Techno hasn't killed him and he figures he'd already be dead by now if Techno wanted him dead. So he follows Techno out into the cold, where it nips at the little bits of exposed skin he has left, and to his horse. Carl bends his thick neck forward to sniff Tommy, then nudges his nose into the teenager's chest.

Techno helps him up onto Carl and then they're off.

********

Phil's worried.

It's been months, and yeah, he may have yelled at Tommy and said some things he shouldn't have said, but now he's worried and regretful.

And stuck in his own home.

His hands itch to take the ankle monitor off of his leg, to throw it out into the water beneath New L'Manberg and run to the hills. To go find Tommy, to go check on him. But he also wants to find Techno and check on him, too.

Instead, he works on carving out a basement beneath his home, with a bubble elevator with a magma block. 

It's then he has the idea to break the monitor.

********

Tommy absolutely wolfs down the soup Techno gives him.

It's a simple broth with potatoes and carrots and a slice of bread, but Tommy eats every last bit of it.

Now, they're sitting in front of the fireplace while Tommy preens. Techno had given him some fresh clothes, and so now he wears a loose-fitting shirt poet shirt, tight around the shoulders and wrists. He's still wearing his torn shorts, since none of the pants Techno has would fit well.

"Do you know why you left Logsted?" Techno asks after a while of silence. Tommy pauses in picking out a few pieces of gravel - he's made a small pile of debris, not yet to the bottom of his wings and tail feathers.

Techno waits for a response, and Tommy goes back to picking gravel from his wing. It's silent for a bit, and the piglin wonders if maybe Tommy decided to ignore his question.

He gets his answer, though.

"Think it was because of Dream," Tommy finally mutters, dropping a tiny stone onto the pile of litter. "He- he threatened me with an axe, y'know? Think it- it did somethin' and made my instincts go wild."

His voice is watery. He's turned away from Techno to look at his right wing - Techno is on his left - so the piglin can't tell if he's crying or not. He assumes he's close, so Techno only hums and doesn't ask anything else.

It's silent again between them, this time much more tense. Maybe on Techno's end it is.

'No duh,' A voice snickers. 'You nearly made him cry.'

A few other voices chime in, either pitying the boy or laughing at Techno's misfortune.

"So, big man," Tommy says, his voice less wobbly now. He still doesn't turn to face him, still picking at the large appendage that's connected to his back. "What have you been up to?"

"Living my life out here in retirement." Is all Techno supplies. Tommy's tail feathers twitch.

"Nice, nice." Tommy nods and finally turns to face him, only to curve his left wing around. It blocks his view. 

The silence comes back for a third time, and now it isn't as tense. Techno is grateful.

Then there's a knock at the door.