“Oh, hey!” The sudden excitement in Tommy’s tone caught both Technoblade and Wilbur’s attention. He began waving to someone in the distance, his smile as bright as life itself. “It’s Dad and Mama!”
Wilbur turned to his tutor and, before Technoblade could protest, took him by the wrist and dragged him over to where Mother and Father were waiting.
Father’s smile was gentle and welcoming, and Wilbur could almost forgive the sadness that remained in his eyes, like a ghost hovering at the edges of a celebration.
“You must be Technoblade,” Mother said happily, carrying Tommy in her arms as she addressed the tutor. “I do apologize that it has taken us this long to be acquainted, though Phil has been telling me of all you have done for our Wilby.”
Wilbur expected Technoblade’s usual icy jabs, and was quite surprised when he bowed his head in what could pass as deference to an untrained eye.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty. Your sons have told me much about you.”
“Technoblade,” Mother repeated. “That’s a rather odd name.”
“I said the same thing!” Tommy added brightly, always eager to be part of the adults’ conversation.
Technoblade only shrugged, once again demonstrating a level of civility that Wilbur would never have expected of the same man that regularly combatted the king’s orders. “I would feel too much like a traitor if I abandoned it now, after all these years with it. It is my one constant companion, more loyal than most.”
“Loyalty is a rather precious gift.” Mother sighed softly. She transferred Tommy to one arm and reached out with the other, until she was cupping Technoblade’s cheek.
“I do hope, my boy,” she continued, her voice as tranquil as a still lake, “that you will find the people you can trust more than your own name. You deserve that, and more, for all you have done for my family.”
Technoblade blinked slowly at her, for once struck speechless.
Tommy giggled. “Techno is blushing.”
“I am not,” Technoblade spat hotly.
“Yes, you are,” Tommy cooed, leaning back into Mother’s arms, safe in the belief that she would never drop him. “You so are—”
Wait but now I need to reblog every ounce of this.
