𝘃𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗿

---〘⇯〙---

pax loves those they do like misery loves company, with pleading dragging arms and with subtle poisoning of emotions and affections.
the worst part is pax never realized that what they did was wrong; in their mind this was the best way to keep them safe.
if keeping them safe meant telling a few white lies, so be it.

the first lie was where they were the night before. tubbo asked that question and pax smoothly responded with some excuse about getting resources in the nether and losing track of time. it was only a half lie; they were in the nether. at first.
the rest of the night they spent following people who had sworn to bring down tubbo's small nation. pax had worn a snakeskin and descended into the viper's nest to learn and antidote to their poison.
and to learn how to strike.

〘⇯〙

their wooden sword clacked against techno's. he shoved forwards and pax lost their balance, stumbling.
"you need to widen your stance." techno sighed. he pinched the bridge of his nose before continuing. "have you ever even fought before?"
pax paused, burying the full tip of the practice sword into the grass and leaning onto it. "i don't think so."
techno let out and exaggerated sigh. "ok," he said, approaching pax slowly. "show me your ready stance." he stepped behind them, inspecting. "hands need to be wider, one under the guard, the other by the hilt. it gives more mobility." his voice had lowered now that he was closer. pax shifted their grip. he leaned down, pushing their wrists down. "male sure you don't keep the sword too high, or else," he lifted their hands again and tapped his practice sword against their torso. "you'll get gutted." pax nodded, their stomach plunging.
"ok," techno said, his voice louder as he backed away. "ready stance." pax lifted the sword before lowering it a bit, just where he had shown them. techno nodded, his eyes glimmering through the skull. "i'm going to strike high. i want to to block and we'll look at your stance."
he lunged, his sword clacking against pax's so loudly they thought the wood might split.
pax let out a yelp, their hand stinging. the hadn't blocked right and their hand caught a glancing blow. techno pulled away and pax shook their hand. "really?" techno deadpanned.
"techno," phil chided from his spot, sitting cross legged on the fallen canopy of autumn turned leaves. "don't be rude." phil started to get up. "let me see it." he grabbed pax's hand before they could respond. his touch was gentle and caring. "you shouldn't lose any finger nails, but it'll leave a nasty bruise." phil's brows furrowed. "why does your hand look like that?" pax yanked their hand away.
"phil, you can't just ask people why their hands look the way they do!" techno complained, his voice dropping into and almost strained tone. phil gave an almost sheepish laugh, offering a quick apology like pax.
"i should be heading back." pax glanced at the lightening sky, tinged with rosy tones.
techno glanced at them. "we should meet up again. i could teach you more and we can talk."
pax nodded. "i'll bring food for all of us." techno let out a short, quiet laugh.
"i mean, i won't say no to free food."
pax smiled beneath their mask.
"tomorrow?"
"tomorrow."
"until then."
and then pax was gone, the grass and leaves underfoot barely disturbed in their wake.