Technoblade stared into the pool of water, glaring at his reflection. He looked terrible.

His pink hair was falling out of the previously neat braid, and his shirt was wrinkled and stained. All because he was weak.

Sure, his little brother was dead. The one who had looked at him with wide eyes as he taught him how to use a sword. The one who had curled up under the blankets when Techno had read aloud. The one who laughed and smiled and shouted and was one of the only things that got Techno out of bed when the world was caving in.

Sure, he was dead, but that didn't mean that Technoblade could grieve. That didn't mean he could shut himself up in the place where he'd practically planned his brother's death. That didn't mean he could stare at the wither heads that lined the walls, half of them missing from when he'd used them to destroy L'Manberg.

That didn't mean he could hide away for weeks after seeing his brother's empty casket.

But he did. The strong piglin-hybrid, the man who never dies, had gone and cried in his "anarchy cave".

Techno threw a stray rock in the water, the ripples breaking the mirror-like illusion. No one would know he'd mourned Tommy. No one could know he regretted what he'd done.

He was done with emotion.

He tugged his cape tighter around his shoulders as he stalked away.

~

The warmth of his house was a welcome escape from the cold. Phil was missing, which showed that his dad felt the same way he had. Whenever he was upset, Philza travelled. Techno worried about him sometimes. Although Philza was technically his father, as Technoblade had grown older, he'd become more of an old friend.

"Techno! You're back!"

Techno nearly fell over as Ghostbur floated in through a wall, not going through the door like normal people did. Not that Ghostbur was exactly normal. Or really a person.

"Where did you go? I was really lonely." Ghostbur pulled out a bit of blue, his eyebrows furrowing. " Phil left, Ranboo and Tubbo just went away, and Tommy still hasn't come back. I thought you said Tommy would come back."

Technoblade sighed, wishing he could just go upstairs and fall into bed instead of babysitting his dead twin brother.

"I was busy," Techno said, purposely ignoring the Tommy bit. Knowing Ghostbur, after the 6th, he'd probably melted into his pile of blue for a few days before coming out, happily forgetting the death of Friend and Tommy and the nation that Wilbur had created. "What'd you say about Ranboo?" Techno had nearly forgotten he'd let the hybrid stay with him.

"Oh, he and Tubbo left. I was feeding Carl because he was hungry, and I saw them pass by. Carl is a really good boy, you know. He just sometimes whinnies in the middle of the night, and I have to feed him. I really like his armour. Did you know it's blue? That's my favourite colour!" Ghostbur ranted happily.

"Wait, Tubbo? What was Tubbo doing here?" Techno growled. He hated that kid.

"I dunno," Ghostbur said sadly, seeming disappointed in himself. "He was talking to Ranboo a lot, and they seemed worried." Ghostbur looked up from his blue, his empty eyes wide. "Are they okay?"

"Uhhh," Techno glanced outside. "Let me go check real quick."

Techno left Ghostbur anxiously staining his hands as he trudged through the snow towards the hybrid's house. He didn't know Ranboo that well, but he seemed like a good enough kid. Tubbo, on the other hand, couldn't care about less.

Ranboo didn't answer when he knocked, and Techno almost turned away before he noticed something brown staining the handle.

Now, Techno wouldn't say he had killed that many people (scratch that- he had killed a lot of people), but he knew blood when he saw it.

It was normal, though, wasn't it? Ranboo had probably just come home from a long day of hunting and forgot to wash his hands. He was probably fine.

Yeah, He decided. Dream had gotten what he wanted. He wouldn't hurt anyone else.

Ranboo was fine.

~

Philza returned the next day. Techno saw him framed against the white snow tugging a sheep of the same colour behind him, the creature baaing loudly.

"Hey, mate," Phil said as he approached. "Where's Ghostbur?"

"I dunno," Techno said, shrugging. So much for a "hello, son, I missed you".

Phil sighed, running a hand down his face. "That's good, I guess. It technically is better that he's not around so I can-" He paused. "do you know where his stash of blue is?"

"Yeah," Techno said slowly. "What do you need it for?"

Phil waved a hand towards the sheep, who was now tied up and snuffling in the snow, as if it was obvious.

Phil sighed again, noticing Techno's cluelessness. "It's an apology gift, alright? I'm dying the sheep blue and giving it to Ghostbur. Maybe he'll think it's Friend."

"Why do you want him to think it's Friend?" Techno asked, confused.

"Uh, I had told Ghostbur I would get friend out of L'Manberg before we blew it up and I- didn't." He said hesitantly. "Ghostbur got really mad at me for letting him die, and I didn't- I don't want him to be upset."

"You think he's going to believe it if we dye a sheep blue? He's not that ignorant."

Phil threw his hands in the air. "What else am I supposed to do?"

"Other than tricking him? A lot, actually." Techno said sarcastically.

Techno watched his dad groan and stomp the snow off his shoes before going inside. What a saint.

~

Techno watched as Phil poured coffee into two steaming mugs. The man sat down in the seat next to him, handing Techno a cup.

"So, what's been going on around here?" Philza asked. "Where's Ranboo?"

Techno didn't answer the first question. As for the second-, "Do you know who Ghostbur saw with Ranboo? Tubbo. He saw Tubbo. Here." Techno said angrily.

"Tubbo?" Phil asked. "Why would Tubbo be here?"

"He and Ranboo seemed worried," Ghostbur said, popping out from the floor and making Phil drop his coffee.

"Jeez, Wil, do you have to do that?" Phil said, going to grab a towel.

"Ghostbur." Ghostbur said before Philza could correct himself. "When Techno checked on them, he said they were fine, but I'm still scared."

"Scared?" Phil questioned.

"Oh yeah! They're missing."

Phil turned to Technoblade, his gaze worried. "Were they there when you checked on them?"

"No. But there was some blood." Techno said casually.

"What?" Phil exclaimed, incredulous.

"It was probably blood he forgot to wash off his hands after hunting or something."

Phil stood. "When did you see this?"

"Yesterday"

"And you still haven't seen them?"

"Nope."

"When did you last see them, Ghostbur?"

"Four days ago."

"If someone is missing for four days , Techno, blood is something to be worried about!" Phil exclaimed, tugging his coat back on.

"How do you expect me to know that?" Techno asked, trying to push down his worry. No emotion, he reminded himself.

Techno followed Phil outside, not bothering to put on a coat. The avian was jogging towards Ranboo's house.

Phil threw open the door, and Techno peered in behind him. It was a mess.

Blankets were strewn about the floor, the bed was crooked, and a couple of books had fallen off the shelves. And then there was the 4-day-old blood dripped on the floor.

Phil turned towards him. "How did you not notice this?"

Techno blinked hard. "I didn't open the door."

"You stupid-"

Ghostbur cut Phil off with an excited shout. He looked proud of himself. "Oh! Now I remember! I saw Dream carrying them over his shoulder. They looked unconscious."

"You saw what ?"